Chapter 164 : Chapter 164
Chapter 164. Counterattack (5)
Certainly, if a 6-star knight suddenly became able to use 8-star power, the elation must be immense.
For that reason, Roden took Smith’s smile for granted and was not shaken in the slightest.
He merely swung the sword he had aimed at Smith and used a secret technique.
The first technique used by Roden’s hand was the Tailwind Slash, a secret technique of the Mustafi swordsmanship.
Aura like the wind flowed smoothly following Roden’s movements and soon headed towards Smith.
Hwiiiing! Kaang!
However, Smith simply blocked Roden’s attack with an aura curtain.
The attack was nullified futilely, but Roden continued to the next attack with a calm face.
He used the Earthen Thrust Cut, a secret technique of the Benoit swordsmanship, at the same time as using the Silent Cut, a secret technique of the Vayta swordsmanship.
Then, the energy of the atmosphere struck Smith without a sound, and Smith had to unfold the aura curtain once again to block Roden’s attack.
Kaang!
Even after that, Roden consistently pressed Smith.
Because of that, Smith had to be busy only with defense without even being able to attempt an attack.
How much time had passed?
Smith, who blocked the Formation Breaking Cut, a secret technique of the Malberg swordsmanship, with an aura curtain, was flustered by the attack that suddenly unfolded from behind his back.
Roden had used the Afterimage Sword, a secret technique of the Vayta swordsmanship.
Moreover, since the Afterimage Sword contained the profundities of the phantom sword, linked sword, heavy sword, swift sword, and sharp sword together, its power was tremendous.
Was it because of that?
Kaang! Kwajiik!
For the first time, Smith’s aura curtain broke.
Roden thought while watching that scene.
‘As expected.’
In fact, Roden had intentionally induced Smith to unfold the aura curtain continuously.
It was because he remembered Smith using the aura curtain too excessively in the fight with Alexis.
Originally, even when 6-star knights fought head-to-head, they didn't use the aura curtain recklessly like this.
Since they possessed a similar amount of aura, they used it efficiently so that their strength wouldn't run out first.
However, there was no way Smith, who lost his reason becoming a berserker, could think about this part.
It was for this reason that Roden continued to induce him to unfold the aura curtain with strong attacks.
‘What will you do now. Will you maintain a defense-oriented stance without knowing that you will collapse helplessly if you continue to use the aura curtain like this?’
Surprisingly, Smith seemed to sense defeat and changed his stance.
He released the aura curtain and started launching sword energy, the symbol of a 7-star knight.
However,
‘You fell for it.’
This was also Roden’s strategy.
Because sword energy consumed more aura than the aura curtain.
On the other hand, Roden defended against Smith’s sword energy without even using an aura curtain.
He raised 8-star aura to deflect it with his sword or used the Black Shield, a secret technique of the Vayta swordsmanship.
Like that, the difference in the remaining aura in their bodies gradually widened.
And eventually, Smith, who was launching sword energy, distorted his expression and stopped attacking.
He seemed to realize that it was useless to continue attacking like this.
‘Still, having lost your reason, you wouldn't completely stop attacking. Furthermore, the Berserker-type crystal orb must have a duration.’
So Smith must have instinctively felt that he had to settle the fight around here.
The problem was what kind of showdown Smith would seek.
He could showcase the best secret technique he had mastered, or he could use the ‘Sword Blast’, the symbol of an 8-star knight.
And Smith’s choice was the latter.
Certainly, using the Sword Blast was much more powerful than using most secret techniques.
Like that, Smith unfolded an aura curtain and began to gather aura at the tip of his sword.
Kugugugugung!
When the 8-star aura gathered together, its energy was overwhelming.
The fact that the surrounding atmosphere vibrated just by the energy gathering was the very proof.
Even Alexis, who was watching the fight between the two from the side, had an astonished expression at this energy.
Others who were dealing with the berserkers nearby, such as Michael and Chevalier, also reacted to this energy and made the same expression.
It was natural since it seemed like something tremendous was about to happen at a glance.
‘Something tremendous will happen indeed. An explosion of aura.’
It was so.
The Sword Blast, the symbol of an 8-star knight, was a technique that gathered aura together and fired it to cause an explosion.
The size and range of the explosion largely depended on the amount of aura and the user's control ability, but at a glance, the amount Smith was gathering was unusual.
Regardless of the range, it was clear that a tremendous explosion would occur in this area.
“Please tell everyone to retreat.”
Roden quietly murmured towards Alexis who was by his side, and Alexis nodded and shouted.
“All forces, run away from the battlefield with all your might!”
Roden nodded as he watched Alexis quickly leaving the battlefield even with one injured leg.
Then Roden also began to gather aura to use the Sword Blast.
***
“!”
Alexis, who was leaving the battlefield, was startled seeing aura gathering at the tip of Roden’s sword while leaving the battlefield.
He wasn’t simply surprised to see Roden use the Sword Blast, the symbol of an 8-star knight.
Because he already knew Roden was an 8-star knight.
The reason Alexis was surprised was because of the speed at which aura gathered at the tip of the sword.
The speed was tremendous.
Even though he gathered aura much later, the energy felt already was much stronger than Smith’s.
At that moment, the words Roden said earlier came to Alexis’s mind.
[The amount of aura is sufficient to become an 8-star knight. Only its purity is regrettable.]
Purity of aura.
It was a concept he had never thought about.
But for some reason, these words touched his heart.
Because he had a premonition that he could cross the wall if he continued to pursue these words.
‘Is the current situation also a difference created by the purity of aura?’
While Alexis was thinking.
Smith, perhaps thinking he had gathered enough aura, wore a smile on his lips.
Then he swung his sword towards Roden and fired the Sword Blast.
“No!”
A voice burst out from Alexis’s mouth like a scream.
It was because if Smith fired the Sword Blast first like this, even if Roden fired the Sword Blast afterward, the explosion point would inevitably be closer to Roden’s side.
That meant the structure forced Roden to take the brunt of all the explosions.
“Damn it!”
When Alexis added a word, unable to endure the anxiety.
Roden also fired the Sword Blast a step late.
However,
“!”
The size of the Sword Blast was too small.
If Smith’s Sword Blast was a boulder, Roden’s Sword Blast reminded one of an egg.
Considering that Roden’s Sword Blast contained a larger amount of aura, it was an unbelievable result.
Even more surprising was the fact that Roden’s Sword Blast was not only small in size but also incredibly fast.
Piiiiiiing!
Like that, Roden’s Sword Blast flew towards Smith’s Sword Blast at a speed beyond imagination and finally the two collided.
Kwaaaaaaaaang!
And it caused an explosion never seen before.
The explosion was so powerful that the aftermath reached even Alexis despite being quite far away.
Alexis, who blocked the explosion with an aura curtain, hurriedly examined the surroundings.
Fortunately, everyone seemed to have survived the aftermath of the explosion in their own ways.
Since the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit could use defensive magic, minimizing damage wasn’t difficult.
Because they could even protect ordinary soldiers who couldn’t use defensive magic.
While Alexis was relieved that the 3rd Corps was safe.
The smoke that thickly filled the area cleared.
At the same time, the figures of Roden and Smith were revealed.
Surprisingly, Smith was coughing up blood with his limbs torn off at the edge of the crater, and Roden was watching that scene with an unscathed appearance.
It was the result of the explosion occurring closer to Smith’s side as Roden’s Sword Blast, shot out like an arrow, collided with Smith’s Sword Blast.
It was a point where one could realize anew how fast Roden’s Sword Blast was.
Cough, cough!
Like that, Smith, who continuously coughed up blood, lost the light in his pupils.
It was the moment the 3rd Corps achieved victory in the large-scale pitched battle of corps versus corps.
***
Meanwhile.
A battle was in full swing at Velia Castle as well.
Günter and Antonio conversed on the castle wall.
“Deniz Bazar is rampaging again today. He looks ready to climb the ladder himself.”
“Please fire an arrow loaded with aura at him.”
“I already tried. Unfortunately, he’s a 7-star knight after all, so the aura arrow attack didn’t work.”
“That’s a shame. If only that guy died, this tedious defensive battle would end. By the way, when can we receive help from the relief forces?”
“That I don't know either. One certain fact is that if we keep holding out, the Battalion Commander will definitely come to save us.”
At Günter’s conviction, Antonio nodded.
Although Deniz participated in the attack at the forefront every day, Velia Castle didn’t budge.
Since the castle walls were so solid and there was plenty of stored food, it was a natural result.
Even the belief that Roden would definitely send relief forces was firm, so problems couldn't arise even if they wanted to.
Except apart from this, repeating similar forms of battle was just boring and tiring.
“Endure just a little longer. The day will soon come when we open the castle gates and fight fiercely.”
Günter read Antonio’s mind and offered words of comfort.
“Yes. You cheer up too, Company Commander. Even if you say that, you must be equally bored with this battle.”
“Hahaha. Now you even read my mind. It seems we’ve been stuck together quite a bit.”
“We’ve been stuck together tremendously. It’s to the point where I’m getting tired of even your face, Company Commander.”
“That goes for me too.”
It was when Günter and Antonio were exchanging jokes and shaking off boredom and fatigue even for a moment.
“It’s relief forces! Relief forces have arrived!”
A soldier suddenly shouted like this, and the figures of relief forces were also visible to Günter and Antonio’s eyes.
Surprisingly, the relief forces were holding the flag of the Glockner family.
Where a black lion was roaring.