Solfire Cleave was one of the twelve battle skills inside the Imperial Sun God Technique, allowing the user to deliver a scorching, fast blow, maximizing both speed and strength to the limit. If the user's body wasn't prepared, it could lead to broken bones and the rupture of Mana Circuits. The acceleration and forceful mana inside Henry's circuits made his body throb with pain. However, he couldn't afford to dwell on it.
Henry turned his gaze back towards the First Battalion, who had heeded his orders and remained stationed with their shields raised in a phalanx. The king could see the incredulous look in their eyes as they watched him from afar. They didn't seem to believe that their dumb king could defeat such a powerful barbarian, not in such a clean and swift way. That powerful slash was still vivid in their minds.
They were soldiers who had through countless battles under Luther's commands. Despite being one of the kingdom's most powerful force, they would lose at least half of their numbers before managing to bring this barbarian down. They were limited by their bloodline, strength, and background, which made them unable to ascend to easily ascend to the Second Stage.
The king then shifted his focus back to the horde of barbarians crazily dashing towards him, who were seemingly unfazed by the hole in the ground caused by the explosion – "I can't handle all of them" – Henry thought, aware that he couldn't manage to fight against hundreds of barbarians. However, he still needed to face this horde's leader.
*Boom*
Suddenly, an explosion reverberated through the air, causing Henry to briefly look to the side. The powerful blast resulted from the impact of Luther's battle against the other barbarian leaders as they exchanged tens of blows in only a few seconds. Despite being outnumbered, the old man didn't seem to be pushed backward as his soldiers engaged in a chaotic and fierce battle against the other barbarians, slashing their bare chest opens.
"The Moon Beheading Technique sure is powerful!" – Henry couldn't help but compliment, sensing that Luther's attack was many times more powerful than his own – "However, I need to deal with the problem at hand."
The king wearily tightened his grip on his sword, refocusing on the barbarians ahead. He wasn't the only one who had turned his attention to the intense battle happening just a few yards away. Sensing the enemy's gaze over him, the barbarian leader turned his focus back to the king. And, without hesitation, he continued dashing forward, closing the distance without concern for the red-stained snow beneath him or the remnants of his comrades scattered across the battlefield.
Henry swiftly used his aura once more, forcing his blade to be covered on fire, a characteristic of those who had successfully advanced to the Fourth Stage. The aura could vary according to the technique used to form it.
The king turned his gaze toward the First Battalion and shouted his order – "Maintain the formation and advance!"- In the brief time available before this war, he had managed to instill some coordination into the team. As a result, Stahl's soldiers took firm and coordinated steps forward, maintaining the formation. It seemed as if a huge wall was moving.
"Great!" – Henry thought and shot a challenging look at the barbarian leader, inviting him to a one-on-one battle.
Henry understood that he had to get this man away from his army and deal with him by himself, trusting in his troops' capabilities to deal with the others. Unfortunately, this wasn't one of the strategy games he played while sitting at the computer. It required him to put his life at risk due to the lack of commanders and powerful soldiers. He couldn't be only the brain of the operation and had also to be the muscles.
In barbarian culture, duels were considered sacred and couldn't be refused, even if the challenger was from outside their villages. Power and strength were the pillars that formed their society, and refusing a challenge was the same as destroying their honor and culture. Because of this, the barbarian appeared to accept the challenge. Henry kicked the snowy ground and dashed diagonally towards the barbarian leader, calculating the impact route. The leader did the same.
Henry understood that this fight was going to be difficult, not only because the barbarian had witnessed his power and would be more cautious, but also because his body's condition weighed on him. Although the Imperial Sun God Technique granted him more Mana Circuits, reducing Mana waste and providing better control over it, the previous battle had taken a toll on his body, depleting at least a third of his Mana reserves.
"I can do it!" – Henry screamed in his head, not minding the condition of his body.
The young king abruptly accelerated, the image of his enemy clouding his eyes and imprinted on his mind. Just a few feet away from him, who had his axe ready to attack, Henry came to a sudden halt. Utilizing the momentum and gripping his sword with both hands, he rotated his body.
"Solfire Cleave!" – He utilized the same skill, but with much more strength and speed, enough to kill a horse.
(Edited)