HORN!
The horn blared again, signaling the start of the Arcanis assault. My grip tightened on the spear as I took my position alongside Clara and the rest of our unit.
The previous night's events had steeled my resolve, and I felt a newfound determination surging through me.
"Hold the line!" Sergeant Vance's voice boomed over the din of battle. "We can't let them break through!"
The Arcanis soldiers advanced with a ferocity that was both terrifying and awe-inspiring. Their front lines crashed against ours, and the air was filled with the clash of weapons and the cries of the wounded.
CLANK!
My spear collided with an enemy's sword, the impact reverberating through my arms. Even now, with all the training and focusing on my body, I still was not able to reach the strength where I could face an adult soldier on my own.
I was still too weak for that.
–SWOOSH!
Yet it was fine. I thrust my spear forward, my movements guided by the relentless training and the resolve I had built up. The enemy soldier fell back, but another quickly took his place.
"Don't falter!" Clara shouted, her voice steady and commanding. In fights, she was like this most of the time.
I sidestepped an incoming attack, countering with a swift jab that found its mark in the enemy's shoulder. The soldier stumbled back, giving me a brief moment to catch my breath.
The battle raged on around me, a chaotic symphony of violence and survival.
Beside me, Clara moved with a grace and power that left me in awe. Her recent breakthrough was evident in her fluid movements and the controlled bursts of mana that accompanied her strikes.
Her mana was making a huge difference, and I could see it already. The spear that was coated with a slightly grey mana became more destructive than ever.
Now, she became a force to be reckoned with.
'This is the difference between an Awakened and a non-awakened, huh?'
It was my first time witnessing an Awakened fighting, and the difference was clear. Of course, she was also hiding her mana quite well, not overshowing everything. And since [Iron Will Spear Art] was not something fancy, it was easy to hide it on her side.
The enemy pressed on, their determination unwavering. I parried a series of attacks, each clash of metal sending vibrations up my arms. The weight of the spear felt more natural now, an extension of my will to survive.
Suddenly, an Arcanis soldier broke through our line, his eyes wild with desperation. He lunged at me, his sword aimed for my chest.
I twisted my body, narrowly avoiding the strike, and countered with a sweeping arc of my spear.
SLASH!
The blade of my spear sliced through his side, and he fell to the ground with a pained gasp.
–SWOOSH!
And with a quick stab, I had followed the strike, finishing him off on his neck.
"Burghk-!"
With blood oozing from his face, he fell down and lost his life.
I spared him no further thought, turning my attention to the next threat. The battle demanded every ounce of my focus and strength.
From my right side, another strike came down. This time, it was another spear user. But this one looked young and moved with incredible speed. He was faster and stronger than me.
CLANK!
His spear collided with mine, and the force of the impact nearly knocked me off balance. I tried to parry his next strike, but he was too quick. His spear cut across my arm, and blood surged from the wound.
"Argh!"
Pain shot through my body, but I forced myself to hold the line. The young spear user pressed his advantage, his technique flawless and relentless.
CLANK!
Another strike, and this time, his spear grazed my side, leaving a burning trail of pain. I staggered back, barely able to defend myself.
CLANK!
The third strike came too fast, too powerful. His spear sliced across my chest, the pain nearly overwhelming. Blood poured from the wound, and I struggled to stay on my feet.
The young soldier's technique was that of an expert. Each movement was precise, and each strike was perfectly timed. I was outmatched.
'Where did this guy come from?'
I could not understand. For the first time in a while, I was facing such a guy on the battlefield. It had already been at least three months since I had been here, and I never saw such a guy. None of them were as fast as this one, nor did they have such a good technique.
And as if to not let me think for any second, with a swift, powerful thrust, his spear pierced my shoulder.
"AAARGH!"
The pain was excruciating. My legs gave out, and I fell to the ground, gasping for breath. The young spear user loomed over me, his spear poised for the final blow.
As his spear approached my face, time seemed to slow. I could see the determination in his eyes, the cold, calculated resolve.
'Am I going to die?'
This was it.
'I will die.'
I braced myself, but at that moment, a sudden surge of adrenaline coursed through my veins.
'Fuck no.'
I couldn't give up. Not now. Not ever.
With a desperate burst of energy, I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly thrust. The spearhead struck the ground where my head had been just moments before.
I grasped a handful of soil and threw it into the soldier's eyes.
"Argh!" he yelled, momentarily blinded and trying to retrieve his spear from the ground.
Knowing that this could be my last moment, I didn't miss this chance. I gripped my spear with all the strength I had left and thrust it forward, aiming for his chest.
The blade pierced through his armor and flesh, sinking deep into his body. His eyes widened in shock and pain, and he gasped, blood bubbling from his lips.
With a final, desperate push, I drove the spear deeper, ensuring the strike was fatal. The young soldier's body convulsed, then went limp, collapsing onto the ground.
I stood there, breathing heavily, my shoulder throbbing with pain. The battlefield around me was a chaotic blur of motion and sound, but I had survived this encounter for now.
Suddenly, an explosion occurred right before my face. The force of the blast sent me flying, and I rolled around in the soil. My whole head rang as I struggled to make sense of what was happening.
I staggered to my feet, clenching my hands, and then slowly, my vision began to return. As I regained clarity, I saw, in the place of the explosion, a figure standing tall.
In the heart of the battlefield, a lone knight stood as a beacon of unwavering resolve. His spear gripped firmly in his hand, shimmered with a vibrant greenish mana, casting an otherworldly glow in the midst of the chaos.
The wind swirled around him, whipping his cloak and adding an ethereal edge to his presence.
His armor, a testament to both craftsmanship and resilience, glinted under the erratic flashes of distant explosions and the intermittent rays of sunlight piercing through the war-torn sky.
Each piece of metal was meticulously fitted, bearing the scars and dents of countless battles yet still standing strong and impenetrable.
The greenish mana enveloping his spear seemed alive, pulsating with energy and crackling with the promise of power. It flowed seamlessly from the tip of the spear down to its base, creating a mesmerizing dance of light and shadow.
The wind, imbued with the same mystical energy, swirled in a protective vortex around him, deflecting incoming arrows and creating a buffer against the encroaching enemies.
And as if that was not enough, even breathing was just hard around him. It was the same sensation, albeit not as strong as the one that I had when I was in the presence of the duke.
'What is this?'
"Kurghk-!"
Blood spilled from my mouth as if to show me that I had sustained some internal injuries.
But that was not important.
Because at that moment, an Awakened of a higher rank was present on the battlefield.
The element that was surrounding him, the wind that was manifested around the body itself.
Everything indicated one thing.
'An Awakened of at least stage 3 and maybe more.'
Since only stage 3 awakened would be able to control elements and manifest their mana in such a state.
And it was not on our side.
It was on the enemy's side.
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