Chapter 54
「Holy Domain Expansion」
Forming a space of one's own.
That is precisely a Knight's Holy Domain.
A divine realm that can only be used by warriors who have reached a high realm and beings who possess a compatible magical armament.
An ability that maximizes the potential of a magical armament and dominates a certain area as one's own.
Originally, it was a high realm usable only by those who had entered the ranks of Master, making it an impossible domain for Kalias.
However, the Storm Sword - Kalis allowed even Kalias to expand his Holy Domain.
'Because it inherited the blood of Zervan.'
A sword made from the flesh of an ancestor. A sword imbued with the conviction to remain as a sword and protect the North even after his death.
[Storm Sword - Kalis]
This sword is a phantom sword specialized in Holy Domains, and it can unlock all its potential abilities limited to Zervan, and limited to the means of protecting the North.
A sword for the North and for Zervan.
That is Kalis.
Although it is a strong sword just by handling the wind, its true ability manifests when expanding its Holy Domain.
No one can exit a domain created by a storm. Such is the nature of a Holy Domain.
Even if one possesses the same phantom sword, it is not easy to break through the Holy Domain.
Originally, the Storm Sword was a sword more focused on creating a domain.
The one holding Kalis in the eye of the storm receives the wind's protection.
The piercing wind of the North is cold and sharp, but if one holds Kalis, they can wear such wind like armor and manipulate it like their own hands.
"Are you afraid?"
"I will kill you!"
However, the answer returned was only the murderous intent to kill him.
With a single exchange of words, the calm of the storm turned into silence.
Yet, even while this was happening, the swirling domain of storms turned the surroundings into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.
The northern land stained with green blood.
The gaze of the military commander looking at Kalias, who stood stepping on their blood, was unusual.
Right then.
The guy rushes in.
He didn't care about the wounds all over his body or the flowing blood.
At that moment, when thrusting the sword to counterattack.
'Red.'
Instantly, the ground beneath his feet turned entirely red.
Goosebumps rose on his back in an instant.
There was no murderous intent or presence, but precisely because of that, he dodged more urgently.
At that very moment, rattle!
The iron swords rolling on the ground turned into living tentacles and attacked Kalias.
"Damn it."
But in the domain of storms, the wind was on his side. The north wind wrapped around him.
Wings sprouted from Kalias's back.
The vortex gathered in an instant, forming like wings and giving a sense of buoyancy.
Rumble!
As he dodged the bizarre tentacles, this time dozens of rock hands surged from beneath the ground, trying to grab Kalias.
Kalias's eyes narrowed.
The orcs serving the God of Axes did not have a magical armament capable of such sorcery.
Even the military commander, who was their leader, did not receive the favor of the Axe God.
Their axes only achieved physical enhancement.
Therefore, this wasn't something the guy did.
'Elberton said so.'
To be careful of the one behind the guy.
Originally, Elberton was not so powerless as to be easily defeated by the military commander.
According to the settings, the one originally stronger than the military commander was Elberton.
Yet it was strange that he was defeated so vainly; it seemed a cowardly rat-like bastard had intervened in the battle.
Kalias was convinced as he saw the magic-like phenomena occurring.
'Lamatu of Krasion.'
A forgotten god.
The last believer serving the Staff.
Lamatu, that guy was behind the military commander.
'Right, you were in Krasion.'
Kalias raised the Storm Sword in mid-air and infused divine power.
Whiiiish!!
Along with the swirling sword aura, the profound principles of the Silver Blossom Wave Sword joined the storm.
A massive storm was contained within the soaring Kalias's sword.
Soon, he swung it in a single stroke.
Kwaaaaaaah!!
He poured out the swirling storm.
His sword was strengthened by the Divine Descent Sword, and struck like a typhoon by the Storm Sword.
With a single swing, the swirling storm fiercely rampaged.
Crash! Boom!
The sharply shooting storm shattered all of Lamatu's rock hands.
'Damn it.'
But the fierce axe of the orc military commander rushed in, stepping on the shattered flying rocks.
'Damn it...!'
Thud-!
He received it with the Divine Descent Sword.
Even though he possessed the strength of a troll, the military commander's power rivaled it.
Boom! Bang! Clang! Crash!!
The atmosphere rang and brilliant sparks flew from the intensity created by the clash between Kalias swinging his dual swords and the military commander's axe.
Thud!
"Ugh."
The flying stone fragments in between aimed for Kalias's openings.
It wasn't an attack that inflicted a serious injury, but it created a small gap.
And the orc military commander's axe never missed that gap.
Bang!!
The military commander's axe struck down the ground.
Lamatu's tentacles popped out from the cracks spreading like a spiderweb.
Kalias immediately wrapped himself with wind and blocked the tentacles.
However, he couldn't dodge the military commander's foot that thrust in right after.
Thud!
He was struck in the chest.
The guy's strength was so strong that even though he was wrapped in wind, it felt as if his breastbone had cracked.
"Ptoo."
Kalias spat out sticky blood and wiped the blood from his mouth.
"Hah..."
Was it that he no longer intended to hide it? Dozens of tentacles were swaying beside the orc military commander holding his axe.
"You bastard who knows no honor."
It was a bitter criticism, but the military commander didn't care.
He rushed in again and swung his axe.
The tattoos engraved all over his body emitted a faint light.
For some reason, it felt like the more they fought, the stronger he got. Unlike such a military commander, Kalias's sword grew lighter and lighter.
'Am I getting slower?'
Even if Lamatu hadn't intervened, Kalias felt the difference between him and the guy.
Power, speed, skill.
Instantaneous judgment.
All of them fell behind compared to the guy.
Even though he gained the arm strength of a troll with the Divine Descent Sword for power, and increased his speed by manipulating the wind with the Storm Sword.
The bottom was revealed.
He had the upper hand in power and speed.
However, the guy's judgment that filled that gap pushed Kalias back, and when he used his strength in reverse to launch a counterattack, he had no way to deal with it.
Furthermore, if he showed the slightest opening, Lamatu's tentacles immediately attacked, so he couldn't see any chance of winning.
'It's difficult to get through this with just the power of the sword.'
Although Kalias had the power of a phantom sword, he was alone, while the other side had the military commander and Lamatu together.
Moreover, the gap between Kalias and the orc military commander was clearly having an effect.
Gradually, that began to be felt.
Battle is a game of skill.
They had no choice but to gauge each other's abilities by exchanging move after move.
Thus, Kalias couldn't help but feel the difference in depth in his battle with the military commander.
His sword wielding the Divine Descent Sword and Storm Sword was infinitely varied and ever-changing, but the guy's axe was steadfast.
Fast and heavy.
He blocked and broke through his own swiftness and change with a solid middle path.
On the outside, it seemed like he had the upper hand, but in reality, he wasn't inflicting any damage on him.
The only time an attack was allowed was at the very beginning when the guy was careless.
There were no attacks after that.
Because of that, the one becoming urgent was not the guy, but Kalias.
Even after releasing Vivi's bracelet, the Divine Descent Sword and Storm Sword consumed divine power to an overwhelming degree.
Tick, slash.
Slowly, scratches began to appear on Kalias's body.
The troll's regeneration was being exerted by the Divine Descent Sword, but the burden he felt increased all the more.
Boom!
The military commander's axe, which clashed in mid-air, sent Kalias crashing down.
At the moment he was about to be blown away and fall to the ground, the Vira Tribe's artifact.
The wings of [Leteti] spread out.
Swish!
Leteti's wings and the wind of the Storm Sword embraced him as he fell to the ground.
Hack!
Even so, he couldn't stop the vomit of blood rising from his entire body. His head became dizzy and the bones all over his body started ringing.
"Cough."
The power of the Divine Descent Sword was slowly disappearing.
"Damn bastards."
At the sight of Kalias vomiting blood, the corners of the military commander's mouth rose.
"Don't laugh, you monster bastard."
The military commander, who soon descended from the air, raised his eyebrows. Startled, he looked at the ground and the sky, then pulled his giant axe tightly to his chest.
Before he knew it, countless silver petals were fluttering in the air.
First Stance - Shattering Flower Torrent.
On the ground, an indescribably massive sword scar was spread out dizzyingly.
Second Stance - White Stroke.
With the Divine Descent Sword and Storm Sword, the scale of the Silver Blossom Wave Sword could also be unfolded extraordinarily.
'This won't be enough.'
But he knew from clashing with the guy a few times.
Shattering Flower Torrent and White Stroke won't work.
The multiple sword auras rising from the ground and the essence of the petals, Shattering Flower Torrent, headed towards the guy like a storm.
However, as if he had expected it, the guy pressed his axe closely and took a defensive stance.
But Shattering Flower Torrent and White Stroke were a feint.
It was just buying a little time.
"This one's going to hurt a bit."
Silver Blossom Wave Sword Third Stance.
'The Swirling Shattering Flower Torrent.'
White Stroke unfolded while soaring.
The ultimate technique of the Silver Blossom Wave Sword that could only be unfolded when those two were together.
As if dancing, between the petals and sword aura pulling the sword.
Kalias kicked off the ground and charged at his opponent.
He pierced through the swirling Shattering Flower Torrent and White Stroke, containing them in his sword.
Shattering Flower Torrent was originally a swift sword technique that struck down each fragment of his own sword aura and the opponent's sword aura one by one, pressing on like a wave.
And it was a technique that put variation within it and thrust in a secret move.
However, with the Storm Sword, the wind took over that role, allowing him to unfold a technique he wouldn't normally be able to do.
He gathered the Divine Descent Sword and Storm Sword.
'Insufficient skill with the Three-Colored Eye.'
He focused.
With a single minute difference, he crossed between gold, blue, and red. Receiving the assistance of the Three-Colored Eye, he completed his sword.
Insufficient skill with his trait.
Insufficient power with Divine Descent.
Insufficient reach with the storm.
Soon, into a single sword that pierced through all transformations.
He threw his sword and himself.
The scattering petals gathered back into the sword. Shattering Flower Torrent, which had been pouring down like a fierce wave, gathered into Kalias's sword as if it had never happened, emitting a dazzling light.
The sword aura of White Stroke flying from underfoot.
He pierced through that gap.
Then, a strange phenomenon occurred.
Shattering Flower Torrent and White Stroke.
They began to mix.
A single thrust, like a fraction of a second.
Flash!
A thrust like a flash of light headed towards the military commander's heart.
Perhaps feeling a chilling sensation for a moment, the military commander's face changed completely.
The moment he tried to lift the axe pressed against his body and roll sideways.
Slash!
It grazed the orc's forearm.
"What..."
He asked what this was.
And sneered.
No matter how great an attack is, it's useless if it doesn't hit.
Unlike when he was tense, the military commander burst into laughter at the insignificant damage he received.
Kalias, maintaining his thrusting stance, answered while cold sweat flowed from his entire body.
"Red Spider Lily."
It was then.
The military commander's wound, which was nothing more than a small scratch, suddenly tore open.
Crack.
And then it burst open.
Aaaargh!!
The scream he let out was a question, and it soon turned into fear.
It definitely grazed him.
It was just a small scratch.
But how did his arm burst!
The military commander, having lost his right arm, knelt down and groaned in pain.
'Did it succeed?'
Silver Blossom Wave Sword Third Stance.
Red Spider Lily.
A single sword strike piercing the gap between Shattering Flower Torrent and White Stroke.
Instantly, the petals of Shattering Flower Torrent and the sword aura of White Stroke mixed, unleashing an astonishingly fast strike.
However, what was inherent in that single sword strike was the two mixed techniques.
The opponent who received even a little bit of it suffers fatal damage from the exploding sword.
It is called Red Spider Lily because the tiny fragments of sword aura that burrow into the body explode and create flowers out of the opponent's blood.
"Ugh."
However, Kalias, who used Red Spider Lily, didn't look normal either.
Cold sweat formed in beads all over his body, and he repeatedly vomited blood as if it was flowing backwards inside him. Perhaps because it was a swordsmanship he forced out, the holy blood inside his body twisted.
His holy blood was already severely damaged from consuming a vast amount of divine power inherent in the bracelet, and it seemed that using Red Spider Lily by force had inflicted internal injuries.
'Still, I have to finish it...!'
He couldn't cut off the military commander's breath.
He blew off the guy's arm, but the guy was still alive. He had to cut off his neck like this.
"Keo-eok...!"
His waist bent from the vomit of blood that popped out of his mouth. The light lingering on the Storm Sword, which had been sucking Kalias's divine power to the limit, began to fade.
Whiing.
Just then, the depletion of divine power caused the domain of storms to collapse.
Lamatu's tentacles, not missing the gap, flew towards Kalias, who was kneeling on one knee.
"Damn it...!"
Kalias lifted the Storm Sword - Kalis with all his might.
His divine power was already depleted.
The Divine Descent was released, and the troll's regeneration and strength had long disappeared.
Clang!
Kalias, who barely blocked the tentacles, vomited blood once again and staggered.
At that moment, a dark shadow fell over him. It was the orc military commander.
With a face stained with rage, he approached, lifting his axe with his remaining arm.
It was too late to draw the Storm Sword again to block.
Kalias held up the Divine Descent Sword.
But as it was.
Slash!!
His sword broke.