The Romanus secret style. A swordsmanship technique exclusive of the Romanus royal family.
Contrary to the technique that the royal guard uses, which focuses on protection, The Romanus secret style empathizes absolute power, making use of strong movements to deliver the most amount of damage.
But for one to safely use this technique, it requires at least to be at rook class, due to the amount of strain it puts on the body and the amount of aura required.
Despite begin at horse class, Layla is able to use its 1st movement, a simple thrust that discharges aura using the air as medium, thanks to her high pool of mana, but it has severe side effects such as internal injuries. But considering its destructive power, the downsides are worth it in return for a certain kill strike.
And thanks to Luke creating an opening, Layla was able to rush in and launch her move when he was unguarded.
Although the man managed to intercept her thrust, it lacks the power to stop it.
A burst of mana surged from their clash, Lifting a fog from dirt.
One it cleared two figures could be seen apart from each other. The princess was kneeling on the ground, barely supporting herself, coughing a lot of blood due to the backlash.
The man was also kneeling, but to Luke's surprise, his appearance was unchanged aside from a few swallow cuts. His sword was stabbed on the ground, a few meters from him.
'He managed to survive that attack, unscathed?? He should've at least lost an arm!'.
The man slowly got up, he began to laugh hysterically after seeing the situation.
-HAHAHAHA!! It was a nice move brats, but you forgot one crucial detail. Artifacts can act on their own to protect its wilder!!!
-!!
Right before their swords clashed, the artifact created a whirlwind around its blade, carrying most of the impact, it left its wilder's hand, with him only taking the aftershock.
- All right play time is over, The orders were to capture the princess alive but…
Blood red aura erupted from him.
-Nobody said a thing about bringing the duke's son!
He stomped the ground, charging at the silver haired boy. An immense amount of aura gathered in his fist.
Luke released his spell, raising an earth wall, however it was easily broken by the aura infused fist.
Luke strengthened his body with mana, throwing a tear gas vial at the man, he managed to distract him long enough to create some distance.
He rushed the princess, quickly casting a healing spell on her. It helped her get some strength back.
- Let's go with plan B, you know what to do.
- okay.
After the brief exchange, Luke turned his attention towards the fiery haired man rushing in his direction.
Several magic circles appeared above his head, multiple fireballs shot towards the sky, splitting into smaller ones the size of a tennis balls, raining down like a meteor shower, creating a chain of small explosions.
Them man covered himself with aura, blocking most of the explosions but couldn't resist the amount of force due to his injuries and got swept away by the force.
Luke did not waste time and began to move, unleashing more spells at the man. Even tough they were 1st rank spells, they still did some considerable damage.
The fiery haired man increased his aura, breaking through the assault with sheer force, her rushed at the sword imbedded on the ground.
But, to his surprise, Luke was already closing in on the artifact. He knew that if the boy got his hands on it, it would mean certain defeat.
Gathering all his aura on his legs, he Jumped into the air, dropping a violent axe kick on the path before Luke.
The impact pushed Luke back a considerable distance.
Retrieving the sword, wind began to condense at the tip of the sword. With a devilish smile he mocked the silver-haired boy.
- It was a good idea put a mere 1st rank mage can't physically … Huh?
Suddenly he sawn his vision tilt, the compressed wind was fired, missing its target. He looked down, only to find his left foot sunk under a pool of mud.
He drew his revolver, accurately hitting his left tight, right shoulder and wrist, making the man lose his grip on the sword.
Before he could recover it, Luke had already prepared his next spell, a fist of wind collided with his chest the impact pushed him back like a ragdoll.
Lue continued his assault, unleashing another rain of his flame scattershot.
Some flames ignited another set of trees on fire, building up more co2. Engulfing the assailant in another wave of explosions
Although now it wasn't a problem now, it would become difficult to breathe as time passes.
'At least it should draw some attention here'.
Luke waited for the dust to settle, surprisingly the man was still alive but clearly on his last legs. 95% of his skin was burned, exposing some of the flesh beneath in some areas and most of his clothes were gone.
'He must have some willpower to still be standing'.
The man stated to scream, but its more akin to a scream of rage rather than pain.
-WHY, WHY WHY???!!! WHY TO YOU NOBLES ALLWAYS FUCK WIH OUR LIVES!!! LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO ME!!!
His outburst caught Luke off guard.
'He completely lost it'.
Th boy decided to end this, usually the rational thing would be to capture him for interrogation, but neither him nor the princess had means to hold him until the knights came.
He gathered his remaining mana, a rock spike formed above his head.
- UNBELIAVABLE, UNBELIAVABLE!! I WON'T FORGIVE A SILGLE ONE OF YOU!!
Luke ignored his rant and waved his hand, the spike shot towards aiming to impale him.
But before it could connect, a massive surge of aura exploded form the man's body, destroying the spike.
It was stronger than the aura he was using during the fight.
'No way!'
Luke instantly realized that this man broke through the bishop class.
'Did his madness grant him the power to step into the next rank?'
Whether you were a mage or a knight, one's mindset was an important factor in climbing through the ranks.
On the outside it maybe seen as madness, the fiery haired man intense willpower and hatred allowed him to advance into the bishop class.
'I need to...'
Before he could finish his thoughts, the man closed the distance with an insane speed, grabbing Luke by the neck, lifting him up.
He began to put pressure on his neck.
However contrary to the expected face of despair, Luke was simply grinning like it was an assuming situation.
The man could help but ask.
- What's so funny?
-Can't you hear? The sound of thunder in the sky??
What?
He looked up. An enormous cloud covered the sky, flashes of lightning could bee seen from the outside.
-Did you know that if a fire burns hot enough, it creates clouds capable of lighting and rain?
- So what?
Luke's grin turned into a wicked smile.
- it means that you lose.
Luke lifted his hand up, magic circle appeared on top of it. Lightning began to condense on the bottom of the cloud.
The man's expression turned into a mix of surprise and dread.
(3rd rank lightning magic lightning call)
A blast of lightning erupted form the cloud, hitting both Luke and the man.
Normally, when casting an elemental spell, mages transform their own mana into the desired element. But for higher level mages, they can borrow the elements from nature to cast their magic.
For Luke, who's still a 1st rank, such feat was impossible, but since mana lingers in the air for 48 hours before dispersing, and that Luke was the one who made the fire that formed the cloud allowed his mana to mix with it, enabling him a small control over the phenomenon.
And with his small control all he needed to do was set the direction and property.
It was a gamble, but it paid off.
The man let go of Luke who fell unconscious into the ground after the hit.
The man was still conscious, but the lightning traveled through is entire nervous system, paralyzing him.
But he was a bishop class knight, even if he just reached it, his body was stronger than when he was at the rook rank. So, it would only take a minute to regain his movement.
'Just you wait you brat, I will ki…'
He suddenly felt a chill run up his spine. Strands of wind where converging to a single spot.
He managed to turn his head, only to see the 4th princess holding the blade of set.
She held the sword in a thrust position, gathering and condensing the wind on the tip of its blade.
'That stance, it looked the same as that move she used earlier'.
Suddenly a realization struck him.
'No way, was this what that brat was aiming for??
He started replaying the whole fight in his mind, he noticed that even after they failed to kill him, the boy was focusing on overwhelming him with magic bombardment and traps, to make an opening for a big move.
The man couldn't help but let out a depreciating chuckle. He fell for the same plan twice.
- Any last words?
The man remained silent at the princess question.
- I see.
(Romanus secret style 1st from, conqueror's howl)
She thrusted the sword, the blast of compressed wind left a hole the size of a football on the man's chest. Killing him on the spot.
Layla dropped the sword, falling to her knees.
- it's finally ov…
She let out a smile of relief before falling unconscious.