“This brat…” Madam Wei bit her lips, looking at Aestrea who slowly approached them.

With just a few scratches on his body, he was able to damage the three of them alone. And their injuries were much worse than his.

Just the Grandmaster Hui didn’t suffer any injury, and Daemon wasn’t participating in the battle at all.

Step…!

Aestrea suddenly disappeared into thin air.

OOM!

He reappeared in front of Grandmaster Hui, swords whipping downward with blinding speed. Grandmaster Hui’s fingers flicked, forming another golden seal in midair—

CLANG!

Aestrea’s blades smashed into it, the force shaking the entire room.

Cracks spread across the glowing barrier.

Grandmaster Hui’s eyes narrowed—

Aestrea was already moving again.

WHOOSH!

He twisted, flipping mid-air, his second sword stabbing toward Hui’s ribs.

Hui raised his arm, blocking with his bare hand.

THUD!

A wave of golden energy erupted on impact—

Aestrea gritted his teeth, feeling the force push against him.

But—

He didn’t stop.

He kicked off the golden barrier, twisting again, his sword slashing toward Hui’s neck.

SWISH!

Hui tilted his head at the last second—

The blade barely missed, slicing through the air just beside his face.

Aestrea’s feet hit the ground.

He didn’t pause.

His hand shot forward—

CRACK!

A sudden wave of frost exploded from his palm, ice surging toward Hui’s legs.

Hui stepped back—

TOO LATE.

The ice clamped down, locking his feet in place.

Aestrea’s smirk returned.

But, Grandmaster Hui’s expression didn’t change.

Instead—

He raised one hand.

His fingers moved.

A single golden rune formed in the air—

Then—

BOOM!

Aestrea felt his body freeze.

Gravity shifted.

His limbs suddenly felt like they were dragged down by mountains of weight.

His knees buckled—

His breath caught in his throat—

The air itself felt heavier, pressing against him from all sides.

Grandmaster Hui’s voice was calm.

“This is the power of Buddhist magic,” he said simply.

Aestrea gritted his teeth.

The pressure was immense like he was being crushed by an invisible force.

But—

His eyes burned brighter.

“Yeah?” he rasped.

“Well, here’s the power of mine.”

‘Mana output increased to five times!’

A sudden shockwave of cold erupted from Aestrea’s body—

SHHHHHHHT!

The temperature in the room plummeted, ice spreading instantly across the floor.

Grandmaster Hui’s golden aura flickered—

Then—

CRACK!

The frost shattered the rune causing a small wound to appear in Grandmaster Hui’s body, and Aestrea moved again.

WHOOSH!

He launched forward, his sword slamming into Hui’s chest—

BOOOOOM!

Grandmaster Hui staggered back, his robes ripping from the force.

Aestrea’s second blade spun, slashing toward his throat—

But before it could connect—

BOOM!

A sudden blast of energy erupted from behind.

Aestrea whirled—

Lord Vance after recovering a bit, was now charging straight at him.

His energy core was pulsing, the light growing brighter.

Aestrea’s eyes narrowed—

WHOOSH!

Vance swung his metal fist, aiming for Aestrea’s skull—

Aestrea ducked.

SWOOSH!

The punch missed, but—

BOOM!

It slammed into the ground, shattering the stone floor.

Aestrea’s foot shot up—

THUNK!

A brutal kick straight to Vance’s chin.

Vance’s head snapped back, but he didn’t fall.

Instead—

VMMMMMMMM!

His energy core pulsed again, and—

BOOOOOOM!

A massive shockwave erupted from his chest, sending Aestrea flying backward.

THUD!

He crashed into a pillar, stones crumbling around him.

But—

Before he could even recover—

SHHHHK!

A thread wrapped around his wrist.

Madam Wei.

“You’re getting annoying,” she hissed.

Aestrea’s eyes flashed.

His hand gripped the string—

And froze it instantly.

CRACK!

The thread shattered, and Aestrea lunged forward.

Madam Wei’s eyes widened—

SWISH!

Aestrea’s sword sliced through her shoulder, blood spraying across the ground.

“AHH—!”

She stumbled back, clutching her wound.

Aestrea didn’t stop.

His blade moved again—

THUNK!

His foot slammed into her gut, sending her crashing against the wall.

She slumped, breathing heavily.

But—

The battle wasn’t over.

Grandmaster Hui had recovered.

Lord Vance was charging again.

And—

Daemon.

Daemon hadn’t moved yet.

He was still standing at the back, watching the fight.

His hand was clenching his side, his wound bleeding through his coat.

But his eyes—

They were now glowing.

Aestrea and Daemon’s gazes locked.

For a second—

Everything else faded away.

The air between them thickened.

Daemon exhaled.

Then—

He took a step forward.

Aestrea’s grip tightened on his swords.

Daemon’s fingers twitched.

The others felt it immediately.

Even Grandmaster Hui.

Even Lord Vance.

The energy shifted.

Daemon was finally joining the fight.

“I was wondering when you were going to join,” Aestrea murmured.

Daemon didn’t answer.

Instead—

WHOOSH!

He vanished.

BOOM!

Daemon appeared in front of Aestrea in a blink.

His fist shot forward, aiming for Aestrea’s gut—

THUD!

Aestrea barely twisted in time, but the punch grazed his ribs, sending a shockwave through his body.

CRACK!

The ground split apart beneath them from the force.

Aestrea gritted his teeth.

Then, the Demon’s knee came next, rocketing toward Aestrea’s chest—

Aestrea blocked with his forearm—

BAM!

But, the impact sent him sliding backward, his boots scraping across the stone floor.

WHOOSH!

Daemon closed the distance instantly, his leg swinging in a brutal roundhouse kick.

Aestrea ducked—

But—

SHHHHK!

A sudden thread wrapped around his wrist—

Madam Wei.

She was injured, but still in the fight.

“Tsk.”

Aestrea yanked his arm, dragging her forward—

She stumbled—

SWISH!

Aestrea’s sword slashed, aiming for her throat.

But—

BOOM!

Lord Vance rushed in, his metal fist colliding with Aestrea’s blade.

SPARKS FLEW.

The force sent both of them flying backward.

CRASH!

Aestrea landed on his feet, but Vance skidded, his robotic joints whining under the pressure.

The moment Aestrea looked up—

WHOOSH!

Daemon was already there.

His palm struck Aestrea’s chest—

A sudden shockwave erupted—

BOOOOOOM!

Crack!

Splurgh!

Aestrea felt his ribs crack, vomiting a whole mouthful of blood.

He flew back, slamming into the far wall—

THUD!

Blood dripped from his lips.

He let out a rough exhale.

Daemon stood in the center of the battlefield, not moving, his eyes cold as ice.

“You’re strong,” Daemon said quietly.

“But not strong enough to deal with all of us.”

Aestrea chuckled, wiping the blood off his chin.

“Nah.”

He grinned.

“I’m more than enough.”

‘Mana Output increased by eight times out of ten times…’

Then—

The temperature dropped.

Ice spread from Aestrea’s feet, covering the ground in seconds.

The air turned sharp, freezing.

Daemon’s eyes narrowed.

Aestrea vanished.

WHOOSH!

He reappeared above Daemon, swords slashing downward.

Daemon blocked with his arm—

But—

SHHHHK!

A thin layer of ice formed on his skin.

Daemon’s eyes widened slightly.

SWISH!

Aestrea’s second sword sliced toward his ribs.

Daemon twisted, barely avoiding it.

But—

The ice spread faster.

It climbed up his arm, locking his movements for a second.

That second—

Was all Aestrea needed.

BOOM!

His knee slammed into Daemon’s jaw—

CRACK!

Daemon staggered, his head snapping back.

Aestrea pressed forward.

Both swords spun in his hands, his attacks relentless.

CLANG! SWISH! BAM!

Daemon blocked, dodged, countered—

But he was on the defensive.

Madam Wei jumped in again, her threads shooting toward Aestrea’s back.

Aestrea sidestepped, barely avoiding them.

Vance charged again, his energy core glowing brighter.

Grandmaster Hui lifted his hand, forming another golden seal.

Aestrea exhaled slowly.

They were all attacking at once now. His eyes sharpened as he increased the amount of mana he was spending on his Judgement Eye.

His grip on his swords tightened, his crimson eyes glowing faintly.

He wasn’t using much mana yet.

After all, because he has such a low mana quantity, he needs to preserve some for him to be able to use his sword art.

And now… it was the time to do it.

Aestrea shifted his stance, his breath steady. His feet slid across the frozen floor, adjusting to the terrain.

The moment his heartbeat synced with the cold air around him—

“Moonlit Ice Lotus Sword Art….”

『 First Move! (✦ Ice Lotus Bloom ✦) 』

WHOOSH!

Aestrea vanished into thin air.

Then reappeared between Daemon and Vance in a blink.

His swords spun, slicing through the air with terrifying precision.

The floor froze beneath him, sharp petals of ice forming outward—

Like a lotus blooming in the snow.

BAAM!

SHHHK!

Daemon stepped back, narrowly avoiding a slash toward his neck.

Vance slammed his mechanical fist down, trying to crush Aestrea—

CLANG!

Aestrea’s left sword redirected the blow, deflecting the metal arm to the side.

At the same time—

His right sword slashed upward—

SWISH!

A thin arc of ice followed the blade, cutting toward Vance’s chest.

BOOM!

The ice exploded against Vance’s armor, forcing him back.

Aestrea twisted—

Madam Wei’s threads shot toward him—

But it was too late.

“Moonlit Ice Lotus Sword Art…”

『 Second Move! (✦ Ice Lotus Barrage ✦) 』

Aestrea’s swords blurred.

Each slash left behind a trailing crescent of ice, the movements so fast they looked like glowing arcs in the dim light.

SWISH!

SWISH!

SWISH!

The ice crescents exploded outward, cutting through Madam Wei’s threads before they could wrap around him.

Her eyes widened.

SNAP!

The frozen threads shattered like glass, falling to the ground.

Madam Wei stumbled back, her fingers twitching as she tried to summon more threads—

Aestrea was already there.

WHOOSH!

He appeared right in front of her, his sword raised.

Her pupils shrunk.

“Shi—!”

『 Third Move! (✦ Moonlight’s One Flash ✦) 』

A single motion.

A single slash.

SHING!

The air shook.

A thin glow of silver moonlight trailed from Aestrea’s sword—

For a moment, everything was silent.

Then—

Madam Wei froze.

Her eyes trembled.

A thin, delicate cut appeared across her chest.

『 Bleed 』

Splurt!

A huge wound opened, causing blood to splatter in all directions.

Aestrea quickly turned away from her, but then—

— BOOOOOOM!

A golden seal slammed into his back.

“Gahn…” Aestrea gasped, his chest lurching forward as the weight of the Buddhist magic crushed him to the ground.

“…Fucking Buddhist…!”

Grandmaster Hui stepped forward, his expression calm.

“You rely too much on your swordplay,” Hui said softly.

The golden seal glowed brighter, pressing down on Aestrea’s body.

“Let’s see how you fight… without them.”

The light intensified—

And Aestrea’s swords slipped from his hands.

CLANG!

They hit the ground.

For the first time, Aestrea was unarmed.

The golden seal burned against his back, pressing him down like a mountain.

His swords were now gone.

But of course, he wasn’t someone who only knew how to wield swords.

He was a Magic Swordsman after all.

Not a simple swordsman.

A low chuckle left his lips.

Grandmaster Hui’s eyes narrowed.

“Something funny?”

Aestrea exhaled, his crimson eyes flaring brighter.

His mana was entirely unleashed.

‘Mana output… increased to its maximum capacity. Ten times.’

The grey heart made of Yara’s made dissipated almost immediately.

FOOOOOM!

A cold shockwave exploded outward, freezing the ground in an instant.

The golden seal cracked—then shattered with a loud crack.

Grandmaster Hui’s eyes widened.

Aestrea stood up slowly, rolling his shoulders.

His breath misted in the air, the temperature in the room dropping dangerously low.

“You wanted me to fight… without my swords?” Aestrea muttered, stretching his fingers.

His knuckles cracked.

A deep, heavy cold radiated from his body now, thick like a storm.

“Fine.”

His feet slammed against the frozen floor, and then…

BOOM!

He dashed forward.

WHOOSH!

In the blink of an eye, Aestrea appeared above Grandmaster Hui, his fist drawn back.

The air howled as his mana-infused punch crashed downward.

BOOOOOOOM!

The force splits the floor, sending ice and debris flying in all directions. Grandmaster Hui barely managed to raise his arm, a golden barrier forming just in time.

CRACK!

The impact shattered the first layer of his defense, pushing him back several feet.

“That strength…!” Grandmaster Hui muttered, his robe fluttering.

Aestrea didn’t stop.

WHOOSH!

He twisted mid-air, his foot slamming toward Hui’s ribs—

Grandmaster Hui blocked just in time, but the sheer force sent him skidding backward.

Aestrea landed, his feet digging into the ice.

CRACK!

The moment he touched the ground—

He shot forward again.

“Fuu…” A cold breath escaped his lips.

Aestrea’s hand glowed, ice forming around his fingers like claws.

His palm slammed toward Grandmaster Hui’s chest.

BOOM!

A pillar of ice erupted, threatening to freeze Hui solid.

But Grandmaster Hui was already moving, his hand forming a mudra.

“Break.”

BOOOOOM!

A golden shockwave erupted from his body, shattering the ice instantly.

Aestrea jumped back, dodging the blast—

Only for Lord Vance to suddenly appear beside him.

WHIIIR!

Vance’s mechanical arm glowed, charging up a devastating punch.

FWOOOSH!

Aestrea ducked, the fist barely missing his head—

But the air pressure alone sent him sliding backward.

“You’re fast,” Vance growled, dashing forward.

“But not faster than me!”

His energy core pulsed, and suddenly—

He was gone.

Aestrea’s eyes widened.

WHOOSH!

Vance reappeared behind him, his metal fist slamming toward Aestrea’s spine.

But just at the last second—

“Moonlit Ice Lotus Sword Combat Style Variant…”

『 Frostbound Arcana! (✦ Flash Freeze Counter ✦) 』

Aestrea spun, grabbing Vance’s wrist mid-attack.

CRACK!

Ice exploded across the metal limb, freezing it instantly.

Vance’s movements locked up.

“Shit—!”

BOOOM!

Aestrea drove his knee into Vance’s gut, sending him flying into the wall.

CRASH!

The stone shattered on impact.

But before Aestrea could follow up—

A sharp string wrapped around his ankle.

His head snapped to the side.

Madam Wei.

Her fingers twitched, and more threads shot toward him.

“Extend!” He snapped.

Aestrea’s eyes glowed brighter.

FOOOOOM!

A powerful wave of cold energy erupted from his body, freezing everything in its path.

Madam Wei’s strings stiffened, turning brittle.

SNAP!

SNAP!

SNAP!

The frozen threads shattered instantly.

Aestrea’s gaze locked onto her.

“You’re annoying.”

He dashed towards her, and before she could react—

His hand grabbed her throat.

CRACK!

Frost crawled across her skin, locking her body in place.

Madam Wei gasped, struggling.

Her eyes widened in shock.

“You…” she choked out.

Aestrea leaned in slightly, his breath cold against her skin.

“You talk too much,” he said flatly.

Then—

BOOOOOM!

He slammed her into the ground, the ice exploding outward from the impact.

The floor froze solid, and Madam Wei stopped moving.

Aestrea stood up, exhaling.

His breath misted in the air, his mana still surging through his body.

Three down.

One left.

He turned slowly—

His eyes locked onto Grandmaster Hui.

The old man stood calmly, watching him with an unreadable gaze.

“Time to end this…” Grandmaster Hui spoke.

His hand immediately started creating a strange symbol, but before he could do anything more…

『 Bleed 』

“GAAAAAAAAAGHHH!”

The full force of the [Bleed] attack slammed into him, tearing open a deep gash across his body. He collapsed to his knees, the pain crashing through him like a wave.

“Gosh… you guys were a real pain.”

Aestrea took his time walking toward the old man, cracking his neck as he rolled his shoulders.

“Say hello to the devil for me.”

Shing!

The blade sliced through the air.

The next moment, Grandmaster Hui’s head tumbled from his shoulders, landing with a soft thud on the ground, rolling slightly before coming to a stop.

Fwip!

Aestrea flicked his sword, sending a spray of blood splattering across the floor. Without another word, he turned and started walking towards the exit.

And as he reached the door, he muttered under his breath.

“Explode.”

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The room behind him vanished in an instant.

A violent blast tore everything apart, leaving nothing but dust and rubble in its wake.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep