Hundreds of ice glaciers fell from the sky once again.
Unlike the first attack, this time each mass was far larger. Their density had increased sharply, and the pressure they carried felt heavier and more destructive. The air along their descent paths even trembled from the cold energy accompanying them.
Watching the scene, Erwin's mind raced.
I can't delay any longer. The longer we endure, the closer we get to death.
He understood one thing clearly. The woman's attack was far stronger than before. The failure of this mission was already certain and impossible to avoid. The giant aura sword protecting him and his companions would not be sturdy enough to withstand the incoming wave of ice.
That defense looked fragile compared to the brutal pressure descending from above.
Sret!
He tore apart an ancient parchment inscribed with complex patterns in a decisive motion.
Golden light immediately flared brightly, dazzling the eyes of everyone nearby. Pure energy burst outward like a surge, enveloping the surrounding space with heavy pressure.
He had made his decision.
The trump card he had kept for an offensive strike was instead used for defense.
I don't regret it. My comrades' lives matter more than the success of this mission.
Any tactic was no longer relevant.
The powerful energy then flowed upward, merging with the aura sword shielding them. The giant blade became far denser. Its color slowly shifted into gold, appearing solid and majestic like an impenetrable fortress.
After that.
The collision came.
Krring! Krring! Krring!
The massive golden energy trembled violently from the impacts of the solid ice glaciers. The vibrations traveled back into their bodies, as if their souls were directly connected to the weapon. Several men in the group staggered, nearly losing their balance at any moment.
Unlike before, the falling glaciers showed no sign of weakening. The cold energy continued pressing relentlessly.
Sshh!
Ice energy began to accumulate on the surface of the aura sword, then slowly seeped inward along the flow paths of the users' aura.
"Ugh…!"
Groans of pain erupted almost simultaneously.
The cold energy pierced through their skin like fine needles, forcing its way into muscle and bone. The sensation stabbed continuously, making their bodies feel numb yet sharply painful at the same time. Their resolve could collapse at any moment if their concentration faltered even slightly.
Even though the aura sword had been strengthened by golden energy, its endurance was still not enough.
One man within the formation stiffened.
"Ugh… I can't hold it much longer. My arm feels like it's being torn apart."
"Just a little more! Hold on!"
"Aargkh!"
"It's freezing… damn… it hurts…!"
They encouraged one another despite all of them suffering the same agony.
But the suffering had not ended.
One solid glacier managed to break through the defense.
Thuk!
"What!"
The massive chunk slammed down beside a man in red clothing. He flinched in shock, his body trembling instantly.
"That thing almost went through my head."
"Heh! At least you didn't die first."
"Bhahaha! Your jokes are terrible."
Laughter still echoed amid the suffocating pressure.
But then the situation worsened.
The first glacier was only the beginning.
Erwin looked up. His eyes widened when he saw a glacier far larger than a normal steel sword falling directly toward them.
Damn… everything is outside the calculations.
He immediately leaped aside while shouting loudly.
"Cancel the formation! Avoid that attack!"
"WHAT!"
Thuk! Thuk! Thuk!
Too late.
The golden aura sword was pierced through by glacier after glacier. The massive energy began collapsing as their control broke apart. Golden light shattered and scattered into the air like fragments.
Chaos erupted instantly.
"Aaargh!"
"Ugkh!"
"Watch above!"
"Jump aside!"
"Hey! My leg...ugh!"
"Arrggh!"
One by one, glaciers slammed into the snowy ground around them, accompanied by desperate cries from the professional mercenaries disguised as bandits.
Their confidence collapsed completely under the bitter reality falling from above.
Elisvaria looked down calmly. It was difficult to read her thoughts after witnessing the chaos caused by her own attack.
From the beginning, she had already sensed the golden energy used by the man named Erwin. Although its power approached that of an early-stage Master practitioner, the man was unable to utilize that energy to its full potential.
Not to mention, their opponent was her.
Her sword technique, experience, insight, and raw power were all above the average practitioner within the same realm.
The energy output she released in that technique had been enormous. Even an Aura Master would struggle to withstand it directly.
Snow scattered across the impact zone. The ground beneath had been exposed and cracked from the rain of dense glaciers.
Dozens of men lay sprawled across the snowy surface in miserable condition. Blood flowed, staining the white around them. Yet their breathing remained steady, indicating there were no fatal injuries.
Groans of pain echoed one after another.
Elisvaria ignored all of it.
The reason she had not killed them from the start was simple.
She was very interested in the formation this group possessed.
And their sense of honor deserved recognition as well. From the beginning of the battle, this group had not used any dirty tactics. There were no sneaky attacks from the shadows, no cheap provocations to stir emotions. They fought head on with clear discipline.
The ice swords in the air slowly moved according to her will.
But then.
Elisvaria's body spun swiftly.
Slash! Clang!
The steel sword in her hand deflected a powerful strike from behind. The force of the impact was great enough to crush a human skull if it had landed.
"Ugh..."
A violent vibration traveled from the blade into her wrist, then up to her shoulder.
Seeing the sudden attack fail, the white haired middle aged man immediately retreated. His feet stepped on the air several times, moving back about seven paces with light yet controlled motion.
His eyes sharpened toward the woman before him.
Did I attack too early?
She didn't even step back. Her aura strength hasn't decreased like I expected.
The man's gaze shifted briefly downward toward the dozens of men who had previously fallen from the glacier rain.
They're still alive?
So she really didn't kill a single one of them.
Strange.
Fssshhh!
Elisvaria charged instantly.
Her body lunged forward, her grip tightening on the sword hilt.
Slash!
The trajectory of her blade aimed straight at the man's skull, intending to split it in a single strike.
Clang!
The heavy collision sent shockwaves spreading in all directions. A powerful gust formed from the aura pressure, blowing away the snow clinging to nearby tree branches.
Elisvaria did not stop.
Another slash followed immediately.
A complex sword technique was executed without pause.
Blizzard Storm Sword Technique.
Slash! Chachachachaeng!
The sound of metal clashes echoed continuously. The white haired man was pushed back several meters under the relentless pressure of the technique. He reinforced his wrist with aura, preventing the sword hilt from slipping from his grasp.
The Blizzard Storm Sword Technique differed from the main technique of the Velmora family.
This technique emphasized complex and unpredictable trajectories. Every swing moved toward unexpected directions. A thrust could turn into a slash within a fraction of a second, while a slash could bend into a deadly thrust without warning.
The sudden directional changes forced the opponent to adapt in real time within extremely short intervals.
Even the smallest lapse could result in a fatal wound.
The man felt heavy pressure in his arms each time he blocked the attacks.
Damn. I'll be seriously injured if I don't get out of this situation.
He tried to leap backward, attempting to escape the range of the woman's sword technique.
But then.
Wssshhh!
The air split once again.
A sharp blade swept horizontally toward his neck before he could truly leave the attack zone.
The sword in his hand moved reflexively. The blade rotated toward his shoulder, deflecting the deadly trajectory.
But Elisvaria did not allow it.
Her wrist twisted subtly on the hilt.
The trajectory changed in a fraction of a second.
That horizontal slash transformed into a straight thrust aimed at a vital point.
The man's eyes widened.
Impossible?
Crrk!
"Ugkh!"
The tip of the sword pierced the upper side of the man's chest. The steel blade sank deep enough to penetrate the muscle beneath the collarbone.
"Aaargkhhh!"
Pain exploded from the wound. Elisvaria twisted her wrist, and the blade rotated inside the injury, worsening the torn flesh and amplifying the sharp pressure of agony.
Then cold energy flowed through the sword. Ice aura surged rapidly from the metal into the man's body, attempting to freeze the tissue around the wound and slow the blood flow.
However.
The man realized it.
The aura within his body erupted instantly.
Boom!
A powerful shockwave burst from his core, forcing Elisvaria to release the pressure. He used that momentum to leap backward dozens of steps through the air, distancing himself from any follow up attack.
His body landed steadily even though the wound remained open.
He endured the stabbing pain. Blood dripped slowly from the tear in his chest, falling onto the snow like drops of red rain.
The man thought for a moment.
Incredible. A truly astonishing sword technique.
I have fought many swordsmen throughout my life, yet this is the first time I have faced something this unusual.
The woman's true energy has not decreased significantly. It is difficult to determine how this battle will end.
His eyes glanced to the side briefly.
From his line of sight, several of his subordinates were still standing in ready positions. They were waiting for his instructions. Waiting for even the smallest opportunity they could exploit. In certain situations, even the slightest additional strength could become the deciding variable on the battlefield.
But he knew.
If they interfered now, it would most likely only increase the casualties.
The man's gaze lowered to the wound on the upper side of his chest.
I need to stop the bleeding.
Aura immediately gathered in his palm. The energy pressed against the tissue around the wound, sealing the tear temporarily through internal pressure.
The bleeding stopped, though the pain still pulsed sharply within the flesh.
After that, he raised his head again, looking at the woman before him.
"Duke Velmora, what is the name of that technique?"
Elisvaria's brows furrowed slightly at the question. There was no hesitation on her face.
"Blizzard Storm Sword Technique."
"A fitting name."
The man tightened his grip on his sword hilt. The muscles in his arm tensed as his mind worked quickly to find an opening.
During this brief exchange, I realized one thing.
The Blizzard Storm Sword Technique does not have a monotonous trajectory like other techniques.
It does not follow fixed movements along each slash and thrust path.
It is difficult for me to determine which strike is the opening move, because every swing feels like a finishing attack.
Other sword techniques usually have clear sequences. The first movement connects to the second, then continues toward the final completion. Only when the entire sequence is finished does the technique become whole and reach its peak power.
But this woman's technique is different.
Its strength lies precisely in that uncertainty.
The comparison is simple.
If the first movement gives one point of power, the second gives two points, and the third gives four points, then the strength increases as the sequence progresses toward completion.
But in the Blizzard Storm Sword Technique, every swing already exists at a high level from the very beginning. There is no gradual increase pattern that can be predicted.
Every trajectory has the potential to become a killing strike.
If I lose focus even slightly while blocking it, it will not just be my arm that gets destroyed.
My neck could be severed at any moment.
And once again, the information about this woman is incomplete.
I must adapt using the new data I am receiving right in front of my eyes.