Declar shut his eyes the minute the swordsman struck down on him with his sword, he kept them shut for a few moments as a tingling sensation buzzed in his head.
'What happened?'
'Am I dead?'
Declar questioned inwardly but soon started feeling his own limbs again.
He felt his hands pressed against his head and his body curled up from the relentless assault.
Slowly, he peeked open with one eye and what he saw next, made him jump to his feet.
A blue mist, spreading from a few meters away from him, faded fast, and almost everyone could be seen on the ground.
'I am not dead-' Declar gazed at his hands and body, noticing the blue mist emanating from him.
He began to wonder why this was happening and why everyone were on the ground, but as the seconds past, a few swordsmen began to get back on their feet.
To the far end, Declar noticed Arlo and Nazick who stood undeterred by the sudden occurrence, their gaze locked on him.
'My eyes aren't deceiving me, right?' Nazick questioned inwardly. 'That was a mana burst just now!'
"Get back up. All of you?" He ordered furiously. "Surround and beat him. Kill him if possible!"
Declar immediately picked up his sword as he got ready what came next.
He wasn't sure what had happened to make Nazick get so worked up, but if it delayed him from being in danger for a few moments, then he was thankful for it.
Nazick angrily stepped forwards and started ordering the rest of them back on their feet.
A few swordsmen got up after being forced, regardless of whatever injuries they sustained and soon, surrounded him.
"Don't just stand there, Arlo have them attack him." Nazick ordered once more.
Declar held on to his sword and shut his eyes for a few moments, and then opened it.
He began to swing his sword skillfully, like a master who have been to hundreds or even thousands of battle.
His skill was a mesmerizing dance of precision and timing, swirling, twisting and turning.
In a few seconds, Declar wove through a few swordsmen, slashing and cutting his way through them, while also dodging their attacks and countering at the perfect moment.
A few of them quickly picked up on his swift movement, holding on to their swords, and attacking him.
One slashed directly at Declar, but Declar was quick enough to lean into his right, cleanly dodging his attack while parring the next one as the other swordman struck down on him.
All three of them including Declar exchanged strikes for a few minutes, their blades creating a swirl of bright light as it collided against each other.
Declar moved with precision as he dodged both of their simultaneous attack. He glided through their midst on his knees and swiftly blocked his back with his sword on instincts.
[Clankk!]
'I can read the pattern of their attacks. It's almost as if I'm seeing them attack before they actually attack.' Declar wondered in his thoughts as he held their attacks.
'What happened that I can keep up with them? This is something that I could never do before in the past.'
It seemed at that dire moment when Declar was on the brink of death, he unlocked an inner talent, which aided his swordsmanship.
He felt a sudden surge of mana coursing within him, his veins pumping as his stamina revitalized, and he could feel his strength growing again.
This was something that had never happened to Declar before. He could feel the air getting stale around him, the tiniest bit of mana flowing through it.
He parried their attacks with force and sent them a gliding a few meters back. Next, he closed his eyes and held his sword in front of him for a while.
Slowly, he drew his left leg forward, sunk his weight down and pointed his sword forward, his elbows hinging from the sides.
He cut quick at the open space as he took a step forward, slashed to the side right after and then immediately slashed up again.
All three of his attacks created a bright pattern of light that nearly formed a cross while everyone else watched closely.
He followed the guidance of mana in the air around him as he broke through the enemy's defenses and slashed those who attacked him.
In not more than a minute, Declar had successfully killed 5 of the Tiger king troop, including the first two he battled with.
'What?'
'How can a child with no talent in swordsmanship, kill three of the best in the troop?'
Thoughts ran through the minds of the remaining swordsmen as they became weary of the power Declar suddenly displayed, subconsciously taking several steps back.
Nazick and Arlo, though surprised, tried not to show. Arlo took a step forward, unsheathing his sword as he walked closer to Declar.
'If this is the power of the Magic swordsman, then I can see why the Valor Guardians would be weary of the Leonidas family.'
'He managed to show such prowess in swordsmanship and magic, which only the mages in the magic tower should wield.'
'We can't let such a monster live any longer.' Arlo concluded as he stopped only a few meters from Declar.
Arlo glanced at Nazick and shortly after received a nod from him, signaling his approval.
Immediately, Arlo dashed at Declar, who expected a frontier attack and swung his sword at him.
Arlo glided on his knees, granting the sword free passage above him before slashing at Declar's abdominal area.
"Heh," Arlo scoffed. "Is this all there is to your strength magic swordsman?"
"It won't be enough to go up against me. Maybe if you had 5 more years of brutal experience, then you might be able to go up against me."
In a split second, Arlo sprinted towards him and struck a blow to Declar's jaw, using his knee.
Taking aback by the sudden attack, Declar staggered for a bit, plunging his sword into the ground for support.
'Magic swordsman?... What does he mean?'
Declar stood up and charged at Arlo, he swing carrying more force yet he couldn't land a strike.
"Confused aren't you? You are wondering why I called you a Magic swordsman, right?"
Arlo said playfully before he cut to his side and sent a kick to Declar's knees, bring him down for a charged punch to his face.
[BAMMM!]
Declar, feeling dizzy from the hit, stood up and charged forward with a loud cry.
"I will kill you all!!!"