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Translator: CinderTL
The mithril short spear, its azure glow intensifying rapidly, suddenly emitted a piercing shriek.
In the next instant, it exploded violently!
This was no ordinary metal shattering into fragments. Instead, it was the catastrophic release of mana, compressed to its absolute limit, erupting into a terrifying vortex.
A visible azure energy shockwave expanded outward from the spear's center, violently distorting the air and producing an ear-splitting tearing sound.
Unlike the crude, unstable explosions that occur when ordinary iron weapons are forcibly imbued with mana, the mana vortex guided and actively unleashed by pure mithril exhibited entirely different properties.
Mithril's exceptional mana-conducting properties prevented the energy from simply erupting outward. Instead, it coalesced into countless razor-sharp, chaotic, and highly penetrative blades of magical energy.
Like a suddenly blooming, lethal crystal mace, it mercilessly sliced through and devoured everything within its range.
Leonard bore the brunt of the blast.
His heavy armor groaned under the onslaught of the raging mana vortex, sparks and magical debris erupting wildly.
He grunted, his mountain-like figure staggering backward several steps under the sudden, immense force, each step leaving deep imprints in the hardened ground.
But the shockwave showed no signs of abating.
The azure energy blade roared across the tundra, carving deep, scorched furrows into the frozen earth. Clumps of withered grass ignited instantly, only to be extinguished just as quickly.
The closest few dozen soldiers, despite raising their shields, were violently knocked off their feet by the invisible wave of mana, briefly disrupting their formation.
After the violent release of energy, thick gray-white smoke and lingering magical radiance surged skyward, mingling into a towering plume.
Like a suddenly lowered curtain, the smoke rapidly spread, temporarily obscuring the vision of both sides and engulfing the explosion's center in a hazy shroud.
Reggie and all the students from the River Domain Nations gasped simultaneously, staring in horror at the rising smoke and fading magical afterglow.
Witnessing such terrifying power unleashed by a weapon at such close range far exceeded their comprehension.
This was no ordinary feat for a mortal.
"Goddess above..." one student whispered instinctively, his fingers whitening as he gripped his sword hilt too tightly.
Reggie's shock was more complex. While awestruck by the sudden destructive force, he instantly realized this was far from over.
He opened his mouth to warn Roland to be cautious, but the words caught in his throat.
Even before the dust from the explosion had fully settled, Roland saw the figure ahead already moving.
His face showed no trace of triumph or complacency from the successful detonation. Only absolute calm and focus burned in his sharp eyes.
He knew better than anyone that such an impact might momentarily disorient a true transcendent, but it could never decide the outcome of a battle.
The dust billowed like a heavy curtain, obscuring all vision.
But Roland didn't need to see with his eyes.
His keen senses, like invisible tendrils, had already pierced through the haze, firmly locking onto the slightly chaotic yet still overwhelmingly powerful life force at the center of the dust cloud.
Leonard was still there.
Without hesitation, without even glancing back at his stunned companions, Roland's figure blurred, like a panther melting into shadow. He charged resolutely into the chaotic dust cloud that blocked all sight.
Bang!
Clang!
Clang!
Heavy impacts and sharp metallic clashes erupted in rapid succession, one sound overlapping the next.
Two figures darted through the dissipating dust, colliding, separating, and colliding again at breakneck speed.
Roland's Mithril Longsword flashed in silver arcs, delivering swift slashes and thrusts from every conceivable angle.
Leonard stood like a bedrock, blocking and deflecting Roland's attacks with his metal-armored gauntlets and heavy arm plates. Each defense was as immovable as a mountain.
Occasionally, he would unleash a straight punch or a sweeping hook, each strike accompanied by a dull, air-rending hiss that forced Roland to constantly shift his position.
In a mere instant, their offensive and defensive exchanges had already cycled through several rounds, their movements so rapid they blurred the eye.
Scattered sparks and the shockwaves from their collisions violently churned the surrounding air, completely dispersing the lingering smoke and dust, briefly clearing the battlefield's center.
A moment later, Roland slid backward, borrowing the force of the impact. A sharp, numbing ache shot through his sword-wielding right arm, and the web between his thumb and forefinger burned slightly.
Across from him, Leonard steadied himself. For the first time, a visible ripple disturbed the calm depths of his eyes—shock, and a hint of incredulous bewilderment.
During their brief but intense exchange, he had been certain of one thing:
The young man before him radiated a calm aura, his strength merely on par with an ordinary extraordinary.
Yet this "ordinary" extraordinary had not only inflicted a minor setback with his strangely enchanted weapon but was now, through sheer strength, speed, and masterful technique, holding his own against Leonard—a true Transcendent Knight—in direct, head-on clashes.
This defied everything Leonard understood about the natural order.
"Strong! Very strong!"
Roland shook his slightly numb arm, his eyebrows lifting slightly.
Although he hadn't used his full strength in the probing attack, the recoil from each clash of blades felt as heavy as striking an unshakeable iron mountain.
This confirmed that Reggie's assessment of Leonard was no exaggeration.
"A true paragon among Transcendent Knights... his reputation is well-deserved."
Seeing the surrounding soldiers gradually recover from the blast and reform their ranks, Roland's eyes sharpened.
[ Focus ], activated!
[ Battle Frenzy ], activated!
His blood seemed to ignite, surging through his veins like molten fire. With a thunderous stomp, he launched himself at Leonard again, moving with the force of a released arrow.
The battle erupted anew.
The combined assault of [ A Knight Never Dies Empty-Handed ] and [ Martial Combat Step ] shifted between the weight of mountains and the agility of wind.
This unpredictable, constantly shifting rhythm initially threw Leonard off balance, making it difficult for him to fully adapt and leaving him momentarily struggling to defend.
Yet within mere breaths, the experienced transcendent had astonishingly deciphered Roland's tactics.
He calmly adjusted his stance, employing heavier, more precise defenses and devastating counterattacks to gradually turn the tide, forcing Roland back into a defensive position.
The scales of victory seemed to be slowly tilting against him.
Meanwhile, another battle had erupted elsewhere.
Perhaps because the Golden Valley Kingdom soldiers lying in ambush lacked true battlefield experience, or perhaps because they were merely private troops under some noble's command, untested by the fires of war, their combat prowess paled in comparison to the hardened warriors led by Sean, whom Roland had encountered on the streets earlier. These soldiers remained largely within the realm of ordinary men.
In contrast, the carefully selected trainees from the River Domain Nations, though similarly lacking in practical combat experience, had all crossed into the domain of the extraordinary thanks to the kingdom's lavish investment in their training.
Thus, despite the Golden Valley soldiers' overwhelming numerical advantage, the battle unexpectedly devolved into a stalemate, fraught with tension and desperation.
As for Reggie...
"Cough... cough cough..."
The Knight Academy mentor spat out a mouthful of blood-tinged saliva, coughing violently as his gaze remained fixed on the figure before him.
There stood a towering figure completely encased in pitch-black heavy armor, even his face concealed behind a full-coverage visor.
Reggie's hand had already split open, sending searing pain through his body, but he gritted his teeth, enduring the agony as he tightened his grip on his longsword and charged forward once more.
The once-silent wilderness was now drowned in the cacophony of battle cries, clashing metal, and agonized screams.
And the transcendent duel between Roland and Leonard continued unabated.
(End of the Chapter)
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