Draconic Force was a natural power that I could emit and use, it greatly reminded me of aura besides the fact that Draconic Force didn't come from any cores, and was just my natural power.
Activating my Draconic Force was simple, I just willed it and I would be surrounded by a red aura. I spread the aura out to a training sword I had in my hand, taking a simple swing with no posture causing a shockwave to run throughout the room and the air to cave in.
'Incredible...'
It was then I felt something flowing down my nose, I rubbed my nose and blood was smeared all over my hand and it didn't stop pouring out. A sharp pain hit me, and I fell to the ground.
I began taking deep breaths while shivering on the ground.
"My Mana Heart truly did get injured by that... If I abuse my Draconic Force I'll have extreme backlashes due to my Mana Heart regressing."
Standing back up I directed aura into my fingertips and sliced my hand down in a chop. The effect was much weaker than when I had swung the sword but I didn't feel much backlash, the trick to get around my current restriction was to simply use small amounts of draconic force on the spots of impact, and currently I couldn't extend it out of a weapon so I'd only have to use it in martial arts.
"With a better understanding of my Draconic Force, I guess I can start practicing the sword art manuals."
The sword style that Zenith had developed in his past life was extremely strong, and learning it without aura seemed impossible but with Draconic Force that was basically aura but a thousand times more efficient I would have no trouble learning these techniques, but this only applied to when I truly mastered my Draconic Force.
"Right now only the first two techniques are possible for me, the jump from the second two third technique in raw power is too insane..."
The first form was a simple thrust of the sword, but for Zenith using aura, he could obliterate multiple cities with a weak thrust, the form revolved around exploding your aura out of the blade and sending it out... Truly something only Zenith could do.
I was able to replicate that with mana, and probably even stronger if I could do it with Draconic Force which I had no intention of trying but even without it was reliable in battle.
The second form was a horizontal slash that formed a perfect arc that could break through defenses, although not as powerful in destructive power as the first form, it was perfect for close encounters and quick executions.
For about 10 hours I rotated between these techniques constantly practicing them, without mana or Draconic Force, I simply aimed to perfect my posture while performing them.
'I should wrap this up soon.'
I was feeling slightly disappointed, in my fight with Dawn I had been able to perfect my sword but now I couldn't compare it to that slash, the warm feeling I received when I prepared for it, and the ache in my soul.
After an unknown amount of time, I heard footsteps moving through the house.
'I trained for too long...'
Walking out of the personal training room I saw Dawn walking through with the same clothes she had on the night before the house she looked back at me, and we both spoke at the same time.
"Looks like you overslept."
"Seems like we both overslept."
I stared at her for a moment in silence, it would be weird if I told her I stayed up the entire night training so I decided to just go with the flow and agree with her.
********
Buttoning up the last button I looked in the mirror, I was wearing a white dress shirt, with black pants, and a nice pair of black shoes.
'I look presentable enough' Putting on a smile I walked out of my room and saw Dawn waiting. She had on a white dress shirt, a black skirt, and a pair of black boots.
"You look awful pretty today."
"Shut up."
Our exchange was short and we left, we walked about the city and I got to see many merchants, restaurants, clothing stores, theaters, and In the distance the palace.
Looking down at the ring on my finger I was satisfied, the ring was a high-grade sub-space storage that I desperately needed, most people had sub-space storages but I haven't ever had one which wasn't surprising I had servants that would carry anything I wanted and a golden spoon. Not only did I get a sub-space ring I got a few new clothes and a bunch of different weapons.
"So where to next." I rubbed my eye and asked.
"To my hometown." Dawn responded coldly.
'She's probably talking about the slums but I don't really wanna explore an impoverished place.'
As we walked slowly the quality of the town got worse and worse until the road became dirt and the buildings looked old shabby and ruined.
"So when are we going back, the sun is going down and I don't feel safe here."
Dawn kept walking with an indifferent expression
'God this bitch can be annoying...' It took everything for me not to curse at her and walk away.
Soon she finally stopped in front of a house that looked like it got hit by a cannonball. Dawn knocked on the door and stood firm, she even prepared a smile on her face after knocking on the door. Soon the door opened and a small boy with blonde hair and orange eyes walked out in rags that were ruined.
"Dawn!"
"Rudy!"
The two embraced and hugged passionately with smiles.
"Say, Rudy... Where is your sister?"
The kid's face instantly turned grim and he spoke in a low voice, "Some bad men took her a few days ago."
"We should discuss this inside."
"Is it fine if I stay out here?" I said with an annoyed expression
"No, you're going to help me Rei."
"Fine." I lowered my head towards the ground,' The smell here is atrocious.' I thought
The conversation between Dawn and the child was pretty predictable, some slave traders had taken an interest in his sister and broke into her house stealing her. The slave trade was banned in the Empire, but it wasn't really enforced well because in some of the other kingdoms, it was allowed and slave caravans regularly passed through the Empire's territory.
"We're leaving to go visit that warehouse now Rei, hand me one of those swords you bought."
"Maybe if you ask for it politely?" I grinned while saying this.
"Do you think I'm playing games? Right now, do I seem to be in a joking mood to you perhaps?" She responded to me, releasing her bloodlust.
"I apologize.", I then handed her a simple Iron sword and I took one out for my own use.
We soon approached a shady warehouse that seemed abandoned.
"Security is quite lax today it seems." I tilted my head while saying this studying the building
"Let's just check it out."
"Alright."
We soon approached the door casually, taking a few breaths I opened the door to the warehouse. Nothing was in the warehouse there were simply old bloodstains, well that's what I would have thought if I didn't have Draconic Eyes.
I leaned over towards Dawn and whispered, " There's four of them, surrounding us they should be engaging soon."
Right after I said that an arrow flew out of the darkness going straight for my head, I caught it and smiled. "Time to have some fun."
I instantly dashed towards where the arrow came from, in my view, there was a woman cloaked in dark robes preparing to distance herself from me. I threw my sword in the direction she was headed in cutting off her area of escape, she then ran and dodged right to the area I predicted and I was able to hit her in the gut with a strong punch, right after I hit her with my punch I grabbed her head and broke her neck.
I heard screaming ring out and noticed Dawn had taken care of two of them already engaging with the last one, I picked up the sword I threw earlier and embued it with a lightning spell, I then threw it with a loud boom like a thunderbolt it struck the assassin Dawn was fighting.
"That was quite easy, but what surprised me the most was the fact they predicted us coming." I rubbed my chin in thought.
"If you didn't kill the last guy he could have interrogated him." Dawn sighed
"I don't think interrogating assassins is that easy, pl-" a small clang rang out in the room at the back of the warehouse.
"Let's proceed with caution, m'kay?"
"Sure." Dawn said that but she looked like she wanted to punch me in the back of my head.
Entering the room a small girl stood ahead of us with cuts on her body.
"Rose!" Dawn screamed and ran over to the young girl with blonde hair and orange eyes.
"I missed you, Dawn, I knew you would come for me."
Dawn smiled and looked at the door at the end of the room
"Is there any of them in there?"
The girl was quiet for a bit with a strange expression then spoke up, "Yes, the man who took me from my brother is in that room."
"Well, let's get this sorted out so I can get some sleep."
'After all, I hadn't slept in a day.'
Both Dawn and me approached the door, we were right in front of it we nodded to each other, then Dawn with a serious expression and a restless look turned the knob and a clicking sound resonated throughout the room.
Click!
The door was locked, I then turned around and the girl was gone and the other door was shut as well.
"Dawn... We've been had." I said with a grim expression.
"Th-that's impossible," Dawn muttered with a betrayed expression, it seemed as if she was gonna cry.
My head suddenly felt cloudy and I looked up and the vents which seemed to be releasing gas to knock us out.
"R-rei..." Dawn hardly was able to get my name out before she leaned into me and collapsed.
"Fuck..." I was able to resist the gas due to me not being completely human at the moment, but I was also going to pass out as well, taking precautions I put my ring finger in my mouth and slid my sub-space storage into my mouth using my teeth, that took about all my strength.
I soon leaned against a wall and sat Dawn down, and moments after I lost consciousness as well.