Chapter 338:
"Enemy!"
Slice.
Exploiting his fallen ally, the warrior who tried to strike was split in half.
This brutal incident was choreographed by the brilliantly glowing 'silver' Aura Sword.
In stark contrast to the beautifully radiant light, the ghastly blood-soaked scene left all spectators speechless.
And then, suddenly, chaos erupted:
"Ahhh!"
"He... he took a life!"
"Enemy!"
Onlookers screamed, scattering in all directions.
Despite the turmoil, the instigator remained composed, wielding his blade with a cold demeanor towards the bewildered knights.
Slice.
"Cough."
"Uurk!"
"Curse it!"
Even the knight, symbolizing greatness, who hesitated at the sight of such overwhelming aura, met his end as he valiantly charged in, gritting his teeth.
Perhaps due to the loud cries, numerous knights rushed out from the tunnel.
Unfortunately, they were all common knights.
They didn't even organize themselves to confront the formidable foe; instead, they rushed out in a chaotic frenzy, halting as they faced the gruesome scene.
Observing the fear in their eyes, the silver reaper advanced without hesitation.
Unlike the confused foes, his expression remained eerily calm.
'The messenger visited yesterday, so it won't return anytime soon.'
Thud.
Flash.
With a mighty stride, the silver Aura Sword sliced horizontally.
The blade, nearly three meters long, smoothly cut through the waists of five knights in an instant.
Splatter.
"Ouch!"
"A superhuman!"
"An Aura wielder!"
The disorganized knights finally understood the situation and started preparing themselves with solemn expressions.
True to their knightly valor, they chose to resist against overwhelming odds.
And that decision proved to be the correct one.
Positioned amidst ruins atop mountain ridges, no matter how powerful one might be, they could be overrun by sheer numbers.
However,
'It's too late.'
The senior or mid-tier knight who could effectively lead those common knights had already fallen in the initial ambush.
He knew there were more knights inside the tunnel, but he focused on those currently visible.
Without proper leadership, coordinating their formation would take time.
Though not a lengthy wait, it was ample time for Logan to eliminate them all.
Swish.
Clad in black leather armor, the reaper moved stealthily between the ineptly forming lines of knights.
And soon after,
Splatter.
A silvery disc appeared to be thrown, and the brilliant light expanded in a large circle amidst the knights.
"Ahhh!"
A deafening cry followed.
"Stop him!"
"We must defeat him!"
The knights shouted, trying to suppress their fears, but the gap in their skills could not be overcome.
The fierce sword strikes evaded their desperate attempts, effortlessly slicing through the arms, legs, or necks of the imperial knights.
"Uwaah!"
"A monster!"
Even when terrified knights swung their swords, hoping to hit the reaper,
Thud.
The leather armor infused with silver aura easily deflected the attacks without a scratch.
"An aura shield..."
A technique only achievable by those at the intermediate level or higher in Aura mastery.
The knights, understanding the implication, dropped their swords with vacant expressions.
"Nevertheless, it's temporary!"
"If we pressure him enough, we'll succeed!"
Despite their dwindling hopes, the knights who continued to fuel their fighting spirit were eventually defeated, falling without resistance under the relentless assault.
In a matter of moments, nearly fifty knights had perished.
Only then did elite knights emerge from the tunnel.
"Who dares challenge us?!"
They exclaimed, and Yaksel Frigment's axe unleashed a crimson Power Blade.
It wasn't just a lengthened blade but one that morphed into the axe itself, its head expanding to the size of a great sword.
The crimson Power Axe gleamed with an unusually bright red hue.
'Oh. Is it a Force transformation, combined with compression?'
Such a form could only be achieved by an elite knight at the peak of expertise, illustrating why he led the Eastern 1st Legion.
However, Logan's attention wasn't on the shouting Yaksel but on the sorcerer standing behind him and the knights.
'Hmm?'
A subtly flowing gray mana.
While Logan couldn't discern it from afar last night, this individual was indeed a mage - from the Cassel Magic Tower, no less.
'The successor to the mage lineage, Zibrik Cassel.'
Now, he could piece together their origins.
In hindsight, it seemed peculiar they were aware of this location.
Yet one question lingered.
The reason he hadn't recognized its identity from a distance wasn't due to the sorcerer concealing something.
It was simply because...
'Weak. He hasn't refined his mana properly. At best, he's a beginner of the 6th circle, barely at the superhuman level.'
It was puzzling how he attempted to dispel the barrier at that level, but Logan couldn't inquire about it now. He maintained a stoic gaze on Yaksel.
"Is there no merit in exchanging words?"
Just as Yaksel cautiously moved forward with a stern expression, the knights behind him repositioned swiftly, preparing for action.
Knights with shields or heavy weapons formed the front lines, while sword and spear-wielding knights positioned themselves behind, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
They aimed to surround Logan after he cut through the leading knights.
Then, right in front of them, Yaksel, wielding the shining Power Axe, spoke again.
"How dare a superhuman meddle in the Empire's affairs! You shall pay for your transgressions with your life."
His confident demeanor showed no hint of fear.
Indeed, after some exchanges, his surrounding knights would likely encircle Logan.
Empire's knights, especially the Legion's elite, were known for their fearlessness in the face of death, willing to sacrifice many to achieve victory.
Hence, they believed they could defeat a superhuman with sheer numbers.
'Perhaps if they were typical Aura users or low-tier superhumans.'
No, even at the intermediate level, with a willingness to absorb significant losses, it might be feasible.
Yet for the knights confronting Logan, it was a futile endeavor.
Even if he lowered his level to facilitate aura conversion, he wasn't easily overwhelmed by their numbers.
So, what truly intrigued him was the sorcerer standing behind them.
Of course, Logan wasn't the only one apprehensive.
"The mage!"
"Do not fret, Knight."
As Yaksel's cry rang out, Logan vanished from his spot, moving ghost-like towards the sorcerer.
"Ugh!"
Startled by Yaksel's voice, he materialized right in front of the sorcerer.
Bang.
The silver aura blade sliced at such a terrifying speed that even Yaksel couldn't track its motion.
However,
Thud.
The blade met a transparent barrier surrounding the sorcerer.
"Huh?"
Clang!
A sharp sound reverberated as something shattered in the sorcerer's grasp, and soon the transparent barrier began to fade.
"Tsk."
Boom!
Simultaneously, the silver blade struck the dissolving barrier, slicing through its remnants, but its disappearance accelerated; the barrier didn't crumble easily.
Seizing that opening,
"Begone!"
The sorcerer's magic erupted before Logan's eyes, wide with astonishment.
Boom!
An explosive shockwave erupted.
Though the barrier faded completely due to the shockwave, Logan was pushed back several dozen meters.
'Darn it.'
Regret filled him.
If he had unleashed his full power, any artifact the sorcerer possessed would have been destroyed, and he would have defeated the sorcerer swiftly.
But he couldn't dwell on regrets. Before he could regain his stance, a deadly aura emanated from behind.
"Perish!"
A massive red axe, seeming to engulf Logan's entire form, loomed.
Amidst the intense pressure, a faint silver glimmer briefly appeared.
Boom!
And the result defied the apparent ferocity.
"Ugh!"
Yaksel, staggering back, began to cough up blood as he recoiled.
While Logan simply took a step back to regain composure, his demeanor remained unfazed.
The contrast between Aura users and Force users was stark.
Yet, Logan noticed something new in Yaksel's eyes.
'Impressive.'
He was about to shatter the axe and strike him down,
But Logan sensed a conflicting aura attempting to counter the destructive force behind the opponent's attacks.
If his current aura control was just awakening, from the formidable pressure he felt,
he could endure at least ten exchanges without yielding.
The implications were concerning.
'If he possesses an innate skill among the Empire's higher-tier powers, I may need to account for that.'
That realization prompted Logan to investigate thoroughly upon his return.
Even amid such contemplation, his body had already edged closer to Yaksel.
Once again, the silver gleamed.
It was a lethal strike aimed at sealing the fate of the wounded opponent, but once more he was interrupted.
"Captain!"
"It can't end like this!"
Knights rushed in like moths to a flame.
Their bodies and swords intercepted Logan's strike intended for Yaksel.
Splatter.
Amidst the falling knights, Yaksel's face contorted with fear, eyes wide in terror.
"No!"
With a scream that ripped from his throat, Yaksel's eyes blazed red.
"Slay him!"
Undeterred, Yaksel charged forward alongside the knights surrounding Logan.
"Perish!"
The swift strike came down harder than before, even more potent than the previous clash.
Though heavily wounded, he stood strong, his rage unwavering.
Both aspects reflected the rigorous training he must have undergone.
Yet the level gap was undeniably real.
'So many weaknesses.'
Despite the visible gaps, Logan found it challenging to exploit them.
Direct confrontation was less than ideal. Attacking from the flank or diagonally was not the issue.
He couldn't ignore the spear aimed at his back or the swords thrusting beneath his arms.
Nonetheless, he had to eliminate the surrounding knights there and then. Wasting energy on an aura barrier in this brief skirmish would be fruitless.
Regret surged once more.
'If only I could use Whip Blade.'
But there was no other option in that moment.
As Logan had no intention of eliminating witnesses, he had concealed his identity as much as possible.
Clang!
He deflected the axe's side, altering its trajectory and evading. His nimble movements left a new silvery trail.
Crack—!
"Cough!"
With pained cries, the knights crumbled around him.
One knight, barely retaining an arm, collapsed while Logan remained on his feet.
Before he could savor the moment, he faced another deadly flash of an axe aimed at his side.
In that instant.
"Take this!"
A sharp cry echoed, drawing a gray mist enveloping Logan.
'This could surely neutralize any superhuman!'
Except Logan himself.
With a chilling grin, just as silver flickered once more,
Slice.
"Ouch!"
A significant wound appeared on Yaksel's body, and the charging knights met their demise in vain.