“You are the one who killed Loren and Lothar.”
Lucavion’s lips curled into a small, confident smile as he raised his estoc, the blade glinting in the morning light. His eyes never left Sorn, who stood frozen, his earlier arrogance replaced by uncertainty. The faint purple glow of Lucavion’s starlight mana swirled around his sword, crackling with restrained power.
“That’s right,” Lucavion said softly, his voice carrying an air of finality. “I’m the one who took down Loren and Lothar. And now, it’s your turn.”
Sorn’s face twisted into a sneer, but there was no hiding the fear behind his eyes. He took a half step back, his sword trembling slightly in his grip. “You think you can just walk in here and take us all down? You’re nothing but a—”
Before he could finish, Lucavion’s sword ignited with starlight mana, the energy swirling around the blade in brilliant arcs of light. His eyes narrowed, and he took a slow, deliberate step forward.
“Roderick,” Lucavion said without turning his head, “This one is yours. It seems you two have unfinished business.”
Roderick, still catching his breath, nodded. His gaze flicked to Gorak, who had recovered enough to regain his footing, his spear poised for another strike. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Roderick growled, stepping forward to face Gorak once more.
The two warriors squared off, their intense history clear in their eyes. But Lucavion’s focus remained on Sorn.
Sorn’s sneer hardened into a grimace, his eyes narrowing as he regained some of his composure. He took a step back, his stance shifting, the wind around him picking up in intensity. His longsword began to glow faintly, the air around him swirling with controlled gusts, responding to his command.
“You’ll regret underestimating me,” Sorn hissed, his voice low and filled with menace. “I’m no pushover. Wind responds to my every move, and I’ll cut you down before you even know it.”
“Wind…..” He mumbled as he looked into Sorn. “It reminds me of that time.”
“Whatever,” Sorn said as he grabbed his blade.
Lucavion’s gaze remained calm and focused, the starlight mana swirling around his estoc intensifying as he channeled his energy, his stance poised and ready. “Let’s see just how fast you are,” he said coolly, his eyes gleaming with confidence.
SWOOSH!
Sorn moved first. In an instant, he disappeared from his spot, a gust of wind kicking up behind him as he blurred toward Lucavion, his sword raised for a lightning-fast strike. The wind gathered around Sorn’s blade, extending it beyond its physical reach, creating an invisible edge meant to catch Lucavion off guard.
But Lucavion was ready. His eyes tracked Sorn’s movements with precise accuracy, his instincts honed from countless battles. Just as Sorn’s sword slashed toward him, Lucavion sidestepped the attack, his estoc glowing with brilliant starlight mana.
CLANG!
Their blades met with a clash of sparks and wind, the force of the impact sending shockwaves through the air. Sorn twisted his sword, using the momentum of the wind to push Lucavion back, but the starlight energy surrounding Lucavion’s estoc held firm, deflecting the force with ease.
“Is that all you’ve got?” Lucavion asked, his voice taunting as he shifted his stance, his feet light and ready for the next exchange.
Sorn snarled, his eyes flashing with fury. He thrust his sword forward, wind blades materializing around him and shooting toward Lucavion.
Each strike was a precise, wind-enhanced slash designed to overwhelm and confuse his opponent.
It was something that he could do as a three-star. While the other lieutenants, like Lothar and Loren, were also 3-star, none of them could use their mana outside of their body this well.
That was what made him different from others and made him third in line of command in terms of strength.
But Lucavion danced around the attacks with fluid grace, his estoc parrying and deflecting the wind blades with expert precision. His movements were smooth and calculated as if he was one step ahead of every strike Sorn unleashed.
CLANG! SWOOSH! CLANG!
Their swords clashed again and again, the battlefield lit by the glowing arcs of wind and starlight mana. Each time Sorn tried to outmaneuver Lucavion, the young man’s blade was already there, meeting his attack head-on.
Lucavion’s eyes gleamed with amusement as he pushed forward, his estoc shimmering with an intensified glow. “You rely too much on your speed and wind,” he said, his voice calm amidst the chaos. “But I’ve fought faster.”
‘None of them compare to that time.’
After all, there was one battle that he had played countless times in his head.
The battle was where he lost quite a lot.
SWOOSH!
With a sudden burst of energy, Lucavion struck. His estoc moved like a blur, with the starlight mana surrounding it extending outward, forming a crescent arc of light. The arc sliced through the air, heading straight for Sorn, who barely managed to dodge the attack.
The wind around Sorn intensified as he attempted to gather more power, but Lucavion didn’t give him a chance to recover. He lunged forward, his estoc glowing brighter as he closed the distance in an instant.
「Void Starfall Blade: Crescent Surge」
The crescent-shaped energy surged toward Sorn, cutting through his wind defenses like a hot knife through butter. Sorn’s eyes widened in shock as the attack connected, sending him stumbling backward. Blood splattered across the ground as the force of the blow cut deep into his side.
“Not bad, but not quite there.”
Lucavion said as he approached right beside him once again.
CLANK!
At the last second, Sorn managed to raise his blade, meeting the strike, but that was still not enough.
Sorn’s sword clashed against Lucavion’s again, but his grip faltered. Lucavion wasted no time.
With a sharp flick of his wrist, his estoc slashed across Sorn’s hand, striking his wrist with pinpoint accuracy. The pain shot through Sorn’s arm, his grip weakening.
Before Sorn could react, Lucavion struck again. His estoc, shimmering with starlight mana, cut through the air and crashed against Sorn’s sword, knocking it aside with a forceful blow. Lucavion leaped back gracefully, his blade leaving a glowing trail of starlight in its wake.
BOOM!
The starlight exploded in a brilliant flash, and in the aftermath of the blast, the sound of metal clattering to the ground echoed through the battlefield. Sorn’s sword slipped from his hand; his strength drained as his fingers lost their hold on the weapon.
Sorn staggered, clutching his wrist, his eyes wide with disbelief and pain. His sword lay several feet away, useless. Blood dripped from his wounds, and his wind defenses dissipated into nothing.
Lucavion’s expression remained cold, focused. Without a word, he dashed forward in a smooth, practiced motion. His long estoc glimmered as he closed the distance between them, his speed blinding.
Sorn barely had time to gasp before Lucavion’s blade found its mark.
SCHLUNK!
The estoc pierced cleanly through Sorn’s neck, the starlight energy swirling around the wound as blood spurted into the air. Sorn’s eyes went wide with shock, his body trembling as he struggled to breathe, his wind magic fading entirely.
Lucavion withdrew his blade with a calm, practiced grace, stepping back as Sorn’s body crumpled to the ground.
The duel was over.
“Not bad.”
And Lucavion was satisfied. At the very least, his blade, now without any mana, looked like how it was before the fight.
‘Less damage this time.’
Lucavion wiped the blade of his estoc on Sorn’s fallen form, his expression cold as he straightened up. He glanced around, taking in the battlefield with sharp eyes. The chaos of the fight was evident, but there was a strange sense of control in Roderick’s men—they were organized, putting on a strong showing against the remaining bandits.
The element of surprise had worked in their favor, and the bandits were faltering.
Lucavion’s gaze shifted toward the clash between Roderick and Gorak. He could see that Roderick was holding the upper hand, his golden sword radiating power with each strike, while Gorak, despite his brute strength, was clearly on the defensive. The knight’s precise movements and control over his mana were pushing Gorak further back with every blow.
‘He’s got this,’ Lucavion thought, his eyes scanning beyond the immediate battle.
He turned his attention toward the heart of the camp. The main hideout. That was where Korvan would be. Lucavion’s instincts sharpened as his gaze locked onto it, knowing that Korvan was their true target. Rumors of Korvan being a peak 3-star Awakened filled his mind, making him pause for a brief moment.
‘There’s no time to waste.’
Lucavion wanted to kill every bandit he could, to gather their death mana and increase his power, but he knew he couldn’t afford to be distracted.
Doing so would expose the true nature of his death mana to Roderick and his men—something he couldn’t allow. And more importantly, he needed to conserve his energy. Korvan was leagues above his lieutenants in both strength and cunning, and there was still Alric, the last lieutenant, to consider.
‘Can’t afford to waste more energy here.’
With that thought, Lucavion made his decision. In an instant, he shifted his stance, focusing all his energy on his legs. The starlight mana that coated his blade flowed into his body, amplifying his speed. He shot forward, leaving the skirmish behind as he rushed toward the center of the bandit camp.
Lucavion’s figure blurred as he darted between tents and structures, weaving through the battlefield with deadly precision. Any bandit who dared to step in his path barely had time to react before his estoc sliced through them, leaving behind only a whisper of blood and death in his wake.
His goal was clear: Korvan.
And then, as he rounded the final corner, he saw him.
“So. This is the bastard who’s been cutting down my men.”