Chapter 170 : Chapter 170
Chapter 170. If You Wish (2)
Roden, having finished all explanations like that, spoke to Alexis.
“From now on, I will teach you the impurity discharge secret method that strengthens the respiratory center and chemoreceptors.”
“…Strengthens what?”
“The respiratory center and chemoreceptors. Strengthening these allows for aura impurity removal.”
“Even hearing it… again, I don't understand what you mean. Anyway, I would be grateful if you teach me the method.”
Certainly, for Alexis, who had only wielded a sword all his life, it was inevitably difficult to understand Roden’s story.
Because of that, Roden also gave up explaining further and asked Alexis.
“Which do you prefer normally, singing or dancing?”
“Suddenly?”
Alexis asked with an expression that he couldn't understand at all.
But it was unavoidable to cast magic with aura.
Because he had to learn an Aurasong or sword dance.
When Roden explained this, Alexis asked with embarrassment.
“Is there perhaps no way to use the impurity discharge secret method other than singing or dancing?”
“If you wish, I can engrave the secret method on a Steel Brooch for you. Then you can use the impurity discharge secret method with just an activation word.”
“Ah. Is it the same method as the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit using ‘Imprinted Weapons’?”
“That is correct. It's not just the method that's the same, but this is also an Imprinted Weapon.”
Since the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit used magic artifacts so frequently, there was no one who didn't know their existence now.
Because of that, a word to refer to them was naturally needed, and Roden named this ‘Imprinted Weapon’.
Because hiding that the Imprinted Weapons were magic artifacts was necessary to hide that Roden was a magic user.
Like that, the title ‘Imprinted Weapon’ became widely known.
At the same time, talk of introducing this to the Vanguard Battalion or the Transport Battalion came up but quickly disappeared.
Because Imprinted Weapons could only be produced with Roden’s secret method.
No matter if it was the military, they couldn't forcefully snatch another’s secret method.
So for other units, the only way to receive Roden’s secret method was to ask earnestly or pay a fair price.
Because of that, Alexis inevitably had to be surprised at the story that Roden would make an Imprinted Weapon for him.
And Alexis, who had been surprised for a long time, scratched his cheek and spoke.
“For me, if you make an Imprinted Weapon, there would be nothing better than that. Then, shameless as it is, I will make a request.”
“Yes. I will complete the Imprinted Weapon and bring it to you soon.”
A few days later.
Roden delivered a Steel Brooch enchanted with the Impurity Discharge Magic to Alexis.
And it was 100 days later that this took effect.
***
During that time, the tide of war continued in the form of local warfare as expected.
But the one who gradually gained the advantage was the Allied Forces side.
Especially compared to the 1st Corps or 2nd Corps which were still seesawing, it felt like they completely seized victory on the 3rd Corps front.
Since the 3rd Corps and the Glockner unit were achieving victory every time local warfare unfolded, it was a natural result.
Since they steadily reduced the size of the Imperial Army during that time, expanding territory to new regions soon would also be worth aiming for.
However, the ones staying busy due to such local warfare were mostly soldiers below company commanders.
Even Deputy Battalion Commanders rarely went out to battle.
Since Deputy Battalion Commanders only stepped forward once in a while when the Imperial Army seemed to put in some effort, it was natural.
For that reason, Alexis could immerse himself in training relatively comfortably for 100 days.
And after consistently using the Impurity Discharge Magic for 100 days, he could finally produce results.
“This is!”
Alexis, who was spending his daily routine while using the Impurity Discharge Magic as usual, suddenly felt an unexpected elation.
At first, he didn't know what it meant, but Alexis, carefully contemplating his body, could soon realize.
That suddenly the amount of aura had increased drastically.
After using the Impurity Discharge Magic, the amount of aura had been increasing little by little.
Since new aura took place every day in the spot where impurities were removed, it was natural.
But this was the first time the amount of aura increased drastically like this.
For that reason, Alexis could realize what this change meant.
‘Did the aura finally become pure enough that the vessel grew?’
Although he was continuing to use the Impurity Discharge Magic because the amount of aura was increasing, honestly, he was a little half in doubt.
Whether the size of the vessel could really grow.
But now he had no choice but to believe.
Because the amount of aura increased drastically as if the vessel really grew.
‘Let’s verify.’
Alexis immediately took a spot in his personal training ground and drew his sword.
Then he attempted the Sword Blast, which could be called the symbol of an 8-star knight.
Like that, a massive amount of aura began to gather at the tip of the sword.
Kugugugugung!
The feeling felt from the aura was different from usual.
It was a much more violent and overwhelming feeling.
But Alexis did not be sure of success and continued to gather aura while concentrating.
Because every time Alexis seemed about to succeed in using the Sword Blast, he failed.
It wasn't just once or twice that he was disappointed after expecting success.
A short while later.
Alexis, having gathered enough aura at the tip of the sword, fired a large sphere towards a suitable empty lot.
Piiiiiiing! Kwaaaaaaaaang!
And this soon touched the ground and caused a tremendous explosion.
It was a result definitely different from inflicting sword scars on the ground by firing sword energy.
“Su, success.”
Alexis muttered with a dumbfounded expression after checking the result.
It was then.
“It’s here! Move quickly, quickly!”
“An explosion suddenly occurred in the Corps Commander’s personal training ground!”
Soldiers who didn't know it was Alexis who caused the explosion ran into the personal training ground.
But confirming Alexis was alone in the personal training ground, they were flustered.
“Uh?”
“What is it?”
Then Roden, appearing belatedly behind the soldiers, offered words of congratulation to Alexis.
“Now I can't see the Corps Commander’s aura flow. Congratulations on stepping on the realm of 8-star.”
At the same time, a bright smile appeared on Alexis’s lips.
It was the moment the Allied Forces possessed another 8-star knight.
***
‘That worked out well.’
Roden was genuinely happy that Alexis stepped on the realm of 8-star.
Because the reinforcement of allied combat power meant the possibility of this war ending even a little faster increased.
Furthermore, it wasn't just Alexis who became stronger.
Through local warfare with the Imperial Army during that time, the Vanguard Battalion and the Transport Battalion had also become significantly stronger.
Since the improved training method Roden passed on took effect, it was a natural result.
However, more welcome to Roden than these changes was the growth of the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit.
Now there was no one in the Main Battalion who wasn't a knight.
Since even the last ordinary soldier perfectly stepped on the realm of 1-star, it was a natural result.
In addition to this, the New Recruit Unit also succeeded in mostly stepping on the realm of 1-star.
Now they became so strong that using the term ‘New Recruit Unit’ felt strange.
‘But the truly positive change is the growth of the officers.’
Chevalier succeeded in raising his realm once again recently and became a 6-star knight.
Also, Nedhab and Heinrich stepped on the realm of 5-star.
Lastly, there were 9 people who newly stepped on the realm of 4-star, and 21 people who stepped on the realm of 3-star.
‘As expected, researching secret methods recently had a big effect.’
It was decisive that the aura absorption rate increased from 234% to 302% as Tobias, Adriel, and Alexis additionally handed over Superior Swordsmanship Manuals to Roden.
The number of Superior Swordsmanship Manuals received from the three people amounted to ten.
Thanks to that, the number of secret techniques also increased by fourteen more, becoming fifty-two.
For reference, the reason the secret techniques increased by fourteen, not ten, was because the two Superior Swordsmanship Manuals Alexis handed over possessed three secret techniques each.
‘<Amilo Swordsmanship Manual> and <Cardinella Swordsmanship Manual>…. Both were amazing.’
First, the <Amilo Swordsmanship Manual> contained secret techniques related to ice.
‘Ice Thorn Slash’ was a technique that fired coldly compressed aura in the form of needles to freeze the body, ‘Frost Step’ was a technique that laid thin frost with every step to hinder the opponent’s movement, and ‘Ten Thousand Ice Hell’ was a technique that froze and shattered the opponent’s body with a sword containing extreme chill.
Next, the <Cardinella Swordsmanship Manual> contained secret techniques related to lightning.
‘Lightning Flash Step’ was a technique implementing movement as fast as light, ‘Thunderbolt Cannon’ was a technique converting aura into lightning and firing it like a sphere, and ‘Heavenly Thunder Descent’ was a technique gathering massive thunderclouds in the sky and striking lightning continuously within range.
Both were comparable even to the <Soler Swordsmanship Manual>, which contained the most powerful secret techniques among the Superior Swordsmanship Manuals Roden acquired.
In some respects, they were swordsmanships that could be said to be superior to the <Soler Swordsmanship Manual>.
For that reason, Roden inevitably wanted to check how strong the Main Battalion and the New Recruit Unit had become.
And just in time, such an opportunity was given to Roden.
Because finally ending the long local warfare, the 3rd Corps and the Glockner unit began to march towards the Empire.
To target the Empire’s territory.
‘Finally, it’s Daslen Castle.’
What the 3rd Corps decided to attack this time was Daslen Castle.
Daslen Castle could be called the gateway to the Davilar region, and starting from Daslen Castle, if they occupied a total of five castles, they could move on to the next gateway leading to the Andasia region.
‘And crossing the Andasia region is finally the capital.’
In fact, Daslen Castle could be said to be the beginning to strike the capital and end this war.
For that reason, Roden looked up at Daslen Castle and strengthened his will.
‘Good. Let’s put an end to this.’