Chapter 136: [136] A Thousand Strikes

“Come on, show me more of your tricks!” Kyros barked just as they both let go of their weapons, sword and glaive meeting in the space between them.

They were both sent flying back in different directions from the force of the blow, Eliron’s feet digging into the ground as he came to a stop.

He was about to charge forward when he saw Kyros a few feet away from him, his polearm lashing out like a whip.

Eliron’s blade met the steel shaft of the pole arm, and yet again, he felt immense weight behind it as he deflected it to the side.

The man was like a wall!

Kyros pulled the butt of the polearm back, then grabbed it at the middle, spinning the glaive so fast that it formed after images as he lashed out at Eliron.

Sparks coloured the night in shades of blue and gold as both fighters danced through the forest, weapons clashing at inconceivable speeds.

The glaive flew right at Eliron’s face and he leaned back, kicking Kyro’s arm in a way that distorted the target.

As a result, instead of boring a hole in his skull, the glaive dug into his top hat, creating a gust of wind that blew his hair back.

Eliron immediately placed one hand on the dirt floor and twisted his body, launching a kick at Kyro’s face.

At the same time, Kyros brought his elbow down towards Eliron’s jaw.

Vwoosh!

A large gust of dust blew into the air, creating a smokescreen as they both darted back, staring at themselves from distance.

And then—

Split—!

A cut suddenly appeared on Eliron’s jaw, dripping blood, while a cut was formed on Kyro’s shoulder.

Eliron smirked. “Not bad for an old man.”

Kyros on the other hand was livid. His jaw was clenched tightly, a vein pulsing on the side of his face as he watched the young lord.

“To think a laggard like you would even scratch me is insulting. Enough fooling around!”

Vwooosh!

Orange mana surged out of his body, wrapping around his skin like threads of silk.

Right before Eliron’s eyes, his body had taken off a soft glow, his skin resembling polished steel.

’A body enhancement skill huh?’ Eliron frowned and stared up at the eye in the sky, the bane of his existence.

In a normal fight, there were a thousand and one skills he could have used to wipe out the high elf.

But because of the accused artifact, he could not summon his mana more than a few centimeters out of his body.

That meant all his mage-like skills were basically neutralised, and as if that wasn’t enough, some of his sword skills like supreme sword aura were also affected.

So while Kyros was free to manipulate mana as he wished, Kyle was stuck with a handicap.

But that didn’t mean he was completely helpless…

Skills that did not require moving his mana out of his body were still usable. He could still use sword aura to some extent, and his sword skills were generally unaffected.

But he was fighting against a general, an elf that was no less than three hundred years old.

This meant the difference in their mana capacities was heaven and earth. In a sword fight, it was clear who had the advantage.

’I’ll need to take down the eye somehow…’

Bang!

The high elf drove his foot into the floor, creating a shockwave that cut past them.

The floor exploded, and out of it, large chunks of rocks floated out of the ground, hovering right in front of Kyros.

“Earth Formation. Eclipse Destroyer—!”

He rotated the glaive in his hand, then using the flat of the blade, he sent the rocks flying right at Eliron.

Eliron took his stance. He took in a deep breath, his eyes sharp as he watched the rocks race towards him.

This was his first fight with a high elf, the biggest stumbling block that Artais would most likely face…

People who had practically enslaved his people for centuries.

It was a fight he could not afford to lose.

Eliron’s eyes darkened as he stared at the high elf.

Then something shifted in the air.

Kyros felt the change, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the young elven lord.

’What is this strange feeling I am getting?’

It was almost as though he was face to face with a demonic dragon.

He touched the back of his neck, feeling cold sweat rushing down his back.

“??”

Meanwhile, Eliron spoke.

“Phoenix Blade. First Stance, Storm Of Ashes.”

His swords flared, red steamy aura emanating from the blade. Due to the interference of the demonic eye, it was not as it should have been.

But it was enough.

Eliron took the first step forward, delivering a vertical slash at the first rock. The moment the blade touched the stone, it was consumed by what appeared to be red ashes…

But in reality, it was a number of strikes so fast that it created an illusion of smoke.

All the rocks reinforced with mana suddenly burst apart, sending dust washing over Eliron.

But even in the smoke screen, Kyros could see a shadow slowly moving within it.

Eliron lifted his blade, slowly moving it around in a clock waist direction. But what Kyros was seeing was multiple blurred blades, rotating like a fan.

And then the shadow split, new shadows rising down nothing, each one indistinguishable from the other…

Up until they had surrounded Kyros on all sides.

[SSSSR Skill — Grand Illusionary Blade]

All the shadows vanished at once, multiple figures lunging at the general. Sword arcs marked the air, painting the word in a hue so dark that it stood out even in the night.

It was like Kyros was stuck in a net, one made out of a thousand sword strokes!

“Ha, fool!” Kyros barked. “An illusionary technique?! Are you so weak that you would use such a garbage technique?!”

Kyros was so confident because he knew that illusionary techniques were mostly to mask a hidden attack.

Because of this, it was often used by assassins, or cowards who were unable to fight in a face to face confrontation.

The illusions did no damage, only the original.

And once he struck, Kyros would plunge his glaive through his thick skull!

Swish!

One of the shadows cut right past Kyros, appearing right by his side as he brought his sword down on Kyros’ neck.

Clang!

The sword bounced back as though it had struck a wall, Kyros’ enhanced skin completely absorbing the attack.

Kyros smirked.

“Got you!”

Just as Eliron was about to retreat, he plunged his glaived right into his chest, Eliron’s eyes widening as he yanked it out…

<•••>

“Your sword skills were impressive.” Kyros sneered. “But a wood elf’s place is below our feet, remember that in your next life.”

He had considered the fight finished, until right before his eyes—

Eliron vanished into a wave of shadows.

That was when he realised, the shadows had never stopped.

“What is the meaning of this?!”

Shadows from the illusionary blade technique were not able to deal physical damage. The illusion he killed should have been the real Elven Lord!

Unless…

’Does this laggard know the grand illusionary blade?!’

Swish!

All the shadows smirked at the same time, just as they rushed at him…

Swish—Hack—Slice—Stab!

As the wrath of a hundred shadows descended upon him, Kyros found himself struggling to breathe.

His skill had managed to protect him so far, but he could already see the cracks forming.

Swish!

One of the shadows delivered a nasty slash to his knees, just as another one rammed the butt of his sword into his head.

The next shadow unleashed a dozen slashes at his chest, making way for another one that drove its knee into his nose, sending him back a few steps.

Kyros managed to take out a few shadows, but they were just too much. Their speed was outstanding, nearly perfectly mimicking the original, and their blades were as elusive as a serpent.

“This is the day you die.” All the shadows said in unison, sending a chill down Kyros’s spine.

“Don’t underestimate me!” He screamed.

The muscles of his arm tightened and he swung in a wide arc, decimating a dozen shadows.

Earth formation. Indomitable fortress!”

Kyros’ grip on his polearm changed, and so did his stance. The glaive began to rotate around his body, slow at first until it became so fast that it sent wind rushing past him.

Whooshing sounds filled the air as the general converted his polearm to an impenetrable shield, turning his offense into defense.

At least in theory…

Eliron did not believe it was really so impenetrable, and so he sent all hundred illusionary selves right into the shield.

It took nearly all of them to take down the skill, leaving only five illusionary selves.

Still, there was no rest for the wicked!

Just as the shield came down, right from his back, five clones rushed at him, five slashes ramming against his neck, each shadow dissipating until there was none left.

Crack!

The impenetrable armour finally gave way, the glow covering shattering as it leaked out mana.

Elrion was behind Kyros, his sword outstretched. He was the only one left, but he was in the perfect position to fish the job!

He hurtled forwards like a shooting star, his sword raised to cleave right through Kyros’ neck.

The general’s eyes widened as he tried to turn around on time, but it was too late.

Just as he was seconds away from reaching his neck…

Inches away from cutting through his spine—

Eliron saw a shadow wash over him, and a large balled spike rushing right at his head.

“Fuck!”

It was too late to dodge. The ball slammed right into his skull, sending blood gushing down his face.

Eliron stumbled back, immediately distancing himself from the high elves, blood painting his vision red.

Cain, who was meant to be guarding the eye, was standing next to Kyros, his mace dripping blood.

Eliron’s blood.

He felt dazed, and keeping himself upright was proving to be a challenge.

’If I had not directed my mana to my skull… I would have died.’

“You shitty bastards! Fighting dirty is my shtick, you are meant to be the honourable ones!”

Kyros was silent, his face dark as he stared at the ground. ’Did… I almost lose? To a laggard?!’

His nostrils flared, his eyes turning blood shot.

“Sir, are you alright—”

Cain was cut off by the gush of wind that instantly appeared, sensing a dust and wind rushing past him.

Kyros’ muscles grew taunt, sinister energy floating out of his skin.

He held his glaive tightly, and then he vanished.

Appearing right in front of the dazed Eliron!

Kyros’ voice was filled with pure, unfettered rage as he brought his glaive down in an earth rending slash.

“Don’t try to block this.”

“Heaven Rending Slash!”

Beneath his blade, even the earth was put asunder.

..

A/N

The second to the last line was a reference from MAGSM 🙂

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