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Chapter 54
「Sanctuary Construction」.
A space that is your own domain.
That is a knight’s sanctuary.
A ‘divine state’ that can only be created by a warrior with a high level of skill and equipped with an appropriate weapon.
The ability to dominate a certain area as one’s own, maximizing the weapon’s potential.
Originally, it is an ability that can only be used by those who have entered the ranks of Masters, a realm impossible for Callius to have reached.
However, Storm Sword – Callis allowed even that Callius to build a sanctuary.
‘Because I’ve inherited the blood of Jervain.’
A sword made from the body of his ancestor. A sword imbued with the faith to remain as a sword after your passing and protect the North.
『Storm Sword – Callis』.
A vision sword specialized in building a sanctuary, one that can unlock all potential abilities belonging to Jervain and the means to protect the northern lands.
A sword for the North, and for Jervain.
That, is Callis.
It’s a powerful sword even if you only consider its ability to control the winds, but its true power is revealed when the sanctuary unfolds.
No one can leave the sanctuary created by the storm. That’s what sanctuary means.
Even with a vision sword of the same rank, it’d be difficult to destroy the sanctuary.
Because the Storm Sword is focused on creating the sanctuary in the first place.
Those who hold Callis in the eye of the storm receive the protection of the winds.
The northern winds are cold and sharp, but if you hold Callis, those very winds shall be your limbs and your armour.
“Are you afraid?”
â€œÔ”Őœ ŐŻŐœŐșŐĄŐ¶Ő„ŐŽ!” 「I will kill you!」
The only response to Callius’ question was the promise of his demise.
With one question and one answer, the still centre of the storm again subsided to silence.
However, even while the two were conversing, the swirling sanctuary of the storm was building an ocean of trials and tribulations.
The northern lands were being stained with green blood more and more.
The warlord looked at Callius, standing on that blood, with a serious and troubled gaze.
Tas.
He ran.
Uncaring about the cuts all over his body and the freely flowing blood.
While Callius struck out with his own sword to counter it –
‘Red.’
In an instant, the ground at his feet blazed red.
A shiver ran down his spine for an instant.
There was no one within his senses, no presence, but that’s why he tried to escape even more urgently.
At that moment, tuduk!
An iron sword that’d been strewn at his feet came alive, turning into tentacles and attacking!
“Damn it.”
But within the Sanctuary of the Storm, the winds were on his side. The north wind enveloped him.
Wings sprouted behind Callius’ back.
The whirlpools that gathered at his back in an instant unfurled like wings, loosening the hold of gravity.
Kugugu!
Dozens of animate hands of stone rose from the ground, trying to catch Callius as he evaded the strange tentacles.
Callius’ eyes narrowed.
The orcs who worshipped the God of the Axe, had no weapon capable of achieving such natural harmony.
Even the warlord, their leader, could not have received such favour from the Axe God.
His axe only conferred body strengthening.
So this was not something he did.
‘Elburton said this.’
Watch your back.
Originally, Elburton wasn’t powerless enough to be easily defeated by the warlord.
As per his setting, Elbutton should have actually been stronger.
Even so, it was strange that he lost so miserably. It seemed that a cowardly rat had meddled in their fight.
Callius was convinced as he observed the magic attacking him.
‘Ramatu of Krasion.’
The forgotten God, God of the Cane.
His last believer.
Ramatu, he was behind this warlord.
‘Yeah, you were in Krasion too.’
Callius lifted the Storm Sword into the air and infused it with divine power.
Hwiiiiing!!
Carried by the swirling winds, the power of the Silver Flower Wave Sword art flowed into the storm.
A huge storm was being contained within Callius’ sword.
He swung once.
Kwaaaaaa!!
And unleashed a billowing storm.
Buoyed with the might of Spirit Descent, the storm surged like a typhoon.
Fierce gales, arising from a single swing.
Kwadadaang! Kwaaang!
The violent edge of the hurricane shattered all the rock hands that had been summoned by Ramatu.
‘Damn.’
However, the mighty axe of the orc warlord slipped through the crushed and scattered rocks and flew in.
‘Damn
!’
Kuuuung–!
Callius received the blow with the Strong Sword.
Despite possessing the might of a troll, the warlord was contesting him with comparable strength.
Kwang! Kwaaang! Chaeeng! Kwagagagagak!!
The air rippled with the shock of their clash, and colourful sparks fluttered.
Puk!
“Nnnn.”
The scattered stone fragments created a momentary gap in Callius’ defense.
It wasn’t an attack that inflicted serious damage, but it did create a small gap.
But the warlord’s axe would never miss a gap like this.
Kwaaang!
The warlord’s axe pounded on the floor.
Ramatu’s tentacles wriggled out from the cracks that spread like a spider’s web.
Callius used the wind around him to block the tentacles.
But he couldn’t avoid the warlord’s foot that followed on their heels.
Puk!
He was struck in the chest.
With enough power to crack the breastbone.
“Hey.”
Callius spat out some bloody phlegm and wiped the blood from his lips.
“Ha
”
Didn’t they intend to hide anymore? Dozens of tentacles were fluttering next to the orc commander holding his axe.
“Honourless bastard.”
It was a bitter criticism, but the warlord didn’t care.
He rushed in again and swung his axe.
The tattoos engraved all over his body emitted a soft glow.
It seemed that the more he fought, the stronger he became. In stark contrast, Callius’ sword was getting lighter and lighter.
‘Am I slowing down?’
Even without Ramatu’s intervention, Callius could feel the gap between him and his primary opponent.
In power. In speed. In skill.
In instantaneous judgment.
He fell short in every aspect.
Despite being gifted with a troll’s might by the Strong Sword, and the wind’s swiftness from the Storm Sword.
His weaknesses lay exposed before a superior opponent.
You can dominate with pure strength and speed if you hold a great advantage in those aspects.
However, if your opponent has much better combat sense to compensate, and enough power to counter you, you can’t resist without having the skills.
In addition, Ramatu’s tentacles attacked immediately whenever there was the slightest gap, so Callius couldn’t see any hope of victory.
‘It’d be difficult to get through this with only the power of this sword.’
Callius did have a vision sword, but he was alone, and the warlord and Ramatu were two.
Moreover, there was a clear skill gap between Callius and the orc warlord.
Slowly, he was starting to feel it.
This was a fight of skills.
Competing with skill and technique, they couldn’t help but judge each other’s abilities.
Therefore, Callius had no choice but to feel the gap in his bones.
His swordsmanship, wielding the Strong Sword and the Storm Sword, was flexible and ever-changing, but the warlord’s axe was honest and straightforward.
Quick, and heavy.
He struck swiftly when he pleased, and otherwise simply changed to a heavy block to intercept and destroy the opponent’s attacks.
On the surface, he seemed to have the upper hand, but in reality, he was doing no damage.
There was only the first attack allowed by Callius’ lapse in vigilance.
He had made no subsequent attacks.
But as a result, it was Callius, not the warlord, whose situation became urgent.
The Strong Sword and the Storm Sword consumed divine power to the extent that he couldn’t hold on even after loosening Vivii’s Bracelet.
Chwak, chwaaak.
Gradually, scratches begin to show on Callius’ body.
Although he had the troll’s regenerative power from the Strong Sword, it also increased the burden he had to bear.
Kwaaang!
The warlord’s axe collided with him mid-air, making Callius fall towards the ground.
The relic of the Vira tribe unfurled just in time.
[Leteti]’s wings spread.
Chwaaaak!
Leteti’s wings and the wind from the Storm Sword buffeted his form.
Puhak!
Even so, he couldn’t help but spew out blood. His head felt dizzy, and his bones were throbbing all over.
“Cough!”
Gradually, the power of the Strong Sword was disappearing.
“Damn bastards.”
Seeing Callius vomit blood, the warlord’s lips rose at the corners.
“Stop laughing, you monster.”
Suddenly, the warlord’s eyebrows rose. He looked at the ground and the sky in surprise, and pulled the giant axe closer towards him.
Numerous silver petals were flying in the air.
First Martial Skill – Raging Flower Wave.
Beneath the ground, indescribably huge sword marks were spreading fast.
Second Martial Skill – White Haze.
The scale of the Silver Flower Wave Sword art was different this time, because of the Strong Sword and the Storm Sword.
‘This isn’t going to work.’
Callius understood that from their clashes so far.
Raging Flower Wave and White Haze were not enough.
A swarm of swords rose up from beneath the earth, and a deluge of petals headed towards the warlord like raging waves of disaster.
However, as expected, he merely took a defensive stance with his axe held close.
But both Raging Flower Wave and White Haze are just fakes.
Just to create a gap of an instant.
“It’s going to hurt a bit.”
The third skill of Silver Flower Wave Sword art.
‘Swirl and strike, Raging Flower Wave.’
A White Haze rose, blooming.
This technique of the Silver Flower Wave Sword art was possible only by combining the two of them together.
The petals danced between the shadows of the swords.
Callius stepped off the ground and charged at his opponent.
Melting both skills into his sword.
Raging Flower Wave is a great skill that takes both yours and the opponent’s sword energy fragments and drives them forward like waves upon the sea.
And it is a secret technique where different and vast energies can be plugged in to.
But since there’s the Storm Sword, the power of the wind will suffice, and it will allow you to unleash a degree of might that would normally be impossible.
Take the Spirit Sword and Storm Sword both.
‘Fix the technique with the Tricolour Eye.’
Concentrate.
Even the subtlest difference is tinted in hues of gold, blue and red. Complete the sword art with the help of the Tricolour Eye.
Make up for your lacking technique with your trait.
Make up for your lacking power with Spirit Descent.
Make up for your lacking reach with the winds and the storm.
And create a single sword that can pierce everything in an instant.
Putting your all into a single sword strike.
The fluttering petals gathered together; the furious waves condensing around Callius’ sword, emitting a dazzling light.
The White Haze sword art that swum beneath their feet –
Pierced into that gap.
It was strange.
Raging Flower Wave, and White Haze.
Started to meld together.
Into a single sting that spanned a fleeting moment.
Paaaaaah!
A stab like a flash of light, seeking the warlord’s heart.
The general’s face changed completely, as if he felt an eerie premonition.
The moment he lifted the axe he’d held close to his body and tried to roll sideways –
Chwaaaak!
It brushed the orc’s forearm.
â€œÔ»Ő¶Őč”「What?」
He was confused.
And then he laughed.
No matter how great an attack might be, it’s useless if it doesn’t hit.
Contrary to his earlier nervousness, the general now burst into laughter since he only suffered some insignificant damage.
Callius, who was still in a stabbing posture, his body covered with cold sweat, responded with a single phrase.
“Other Shore Flower.”
That was then –
The warlord’s wound, a mere scratch, suddenly opened wide.
Jjeoeog.
As if exploding.
Kkaaaaaaah!!
The scream had the undertone of a question, which soon turned into fear.
He’d obviously avoided it.
It was just a small scratch.
So why did his arm explode!
The general, who had lost his right arm, knelt down and groaned in pain.
‘Success.’
The third skill of the Silver Flower Wave Sword art.
Other Shore Flower.
A single strike that pierces the gap between the Raging Flower Wave and the White Haze.
In an instant, the petals of Raging Flower Wave and the sword aura of White Haze mix together, and births a strike with incredible speed.
However, that single sword strike mixes two disparate techniques together.
The opponent who receives even a small attack will take fatal damage from the resulting explosion.
It is said that small fragments of sword energy that penetrate the opponent’s body explode and bloom like flowers made from his blood.
“Nnnnn.”
However, Callius, who’d just used the Other Shore Flower, didn’t look normal either.
Cold sweat was forming all over his body, and he kept vomiting blood as if his circulatory system had reversed. Because he’d forcefully unfolded the sword art, the divine blood in his body had been twisted.
Already, his divine blood had been damaged a lot by overdrawing the large amount of divine power stored in the bracelet, but it seemed that using Other Shore Flower on top of that had caused an internal injury.
‘Still, I need to finish this
!’
He hadn’t managed to curt off the warlord’s breath.
He blew an arm off, but the orc was still alive. He’d have rather blown his head off with it.
“Gahk
!”
His back bent, Callius was still spewing blood from the mouth. The light from the Storm Sword, which had absorbed Callius’ divine power to the limit, was beginning to fade.
Hwiiing.
At the same time, since all his divine power had been consumed, the Sanctuary of the Storm was also dissipating.
Ramatu’s tentacles struck at Callius from the side, who was kneeling down on one knee.
“Damn
!”
Callius raised the Storm Sword – Callis with all his strength.
His divine power has already run out.
Spirit Descent had also been released, and the troll’s might and regenerative power had long since disappeared.
Chaeeng!
Having managed to block the tentacles, Callius vomited blood and staggered upright once more.
Then a dark shadow fell upon him. It was the orc warlord.
His face incandescent with anger, he approached Callius, his remaining arm holding the axe.
It was too late to pull up the Storm Sword again to block him.
Callius raised the Strong Sword.
However.
Chwaaaak!
His sword, broke.