Bonus chapter thanks to @Rdsreloaded on Ko-fi
Aura and Mana are the same material.
Until now, I thought that Weaving was something completely separate.
But Weaving isn’t something separate.
As I’d said myself earlier, Weaving is ‘magic’ that consumes mana.
However, Weaving doesn’t require any incantations. If a weapon is stored in the workshop, you can use it right away.
……Magic that doesn’t require incantations.
[It seems like you’ve realized a little.]
I got into position. I threw away one of the swords made from Obsidian. I gripped the real dagger in both hands. Right now, using both swords would just hinder my concentration.
‘Whew.’
From now on, I’m going to do something that’s close to relearning.
I haven’t been using Weaving with intuition. It was just like clicking a skill button in a game.
I used it because I could, and I had no idea how my mana was being transformed into Weaving.
Now, I have to do that.
Just like how mages casting magic isn’t just pressing a button.
I have to circulate the energy in my body and realize the sensation of Weaving with my body.
[It’s good that you’ve realized it. But Student Frondier.]
[Yes?]
Swish-
Clang!
I hurriedly defended against Pascal’s sudden attack.
[I can’t just wait around when I’m deceiving Kraken.]
[I… guess…!]
[Come to a realization while fighting. Nobody’s going to wait for you to have an epiphany.]
What a crazy Spartan.
But Pascal was right. I don’t know how long Kraken will wait or when it’ll realize. It already looks a little bored.
‘……Alright.’
If that’s what you want.
I swung my sword. Along with it, I pulled up my internal mana.
With the trajectory of the swords clashing with Pascal’s, I recalled the technique for Weaving.
My body already knows. My body already activates Weaving successfully. It’s not my body that’s falling behind. It’s my ego, my soul, that hasn’t caught up.
──Think about it. It’s my skill.
Swish!
What’s needed isn’t just getting used to the sensation of Weaving. If I can successfully use magic without incantations, I should also be able to imbue my energy into my weapons.
I swung my sword. I blocked Pascal’s sword. I pulled the drawn-back sword up and struck down, slicing the air.
With my single swing, the wind gradually started following.
[……!]
I could see a strange light in Pascal’s eyes. I felt it too. The energy circulating throughout my body was rapidly spinning. And then gradually, energy started to cling to my sword.
Pascal swung his sword down at me diagonally. The trajectory entered my eyes as if it had stopped.
My right foot dug deep into the ground, and my waist, shoulders, and arms extended straight. All that momentum was loaded into the sword.
Frondier Style Swordsmanship Transformation
Diagonal Cut
[……Excellent.]
Looking at Pascal’s lips that seemed to be speaking,
Boom-!
I deflected Pascal’s aura-filled sword.
My ‘Neil Jack’s Short Sword’ that I used to deflect it,
Was covered with a colorless aura that seemed insufficient at first but extended the length of the blade upwards.
* * *
Kraken, who had been watching Frondier and Pascal’s fight with boredom, stood up.
‘…Colorless?’
Frondier, who had been unable to use aura until just moments ago, suddenly manifested it.
It was surprising enough that he could use aura, but the fact that it was colorless made Kraken frown.
‘What is that? Is that also aura?’
Frondier’s aura was so transparent that even a knight with keen senses would find it difficult to see its color.
To ordinary people, aura was invisible, but it had never seen aura that was transparent itself.
Meanwhile, Frondier looked at his sword covered in aura, and even he furrowed his brows. Clearly, he hadn’t expected a colorless aura to emerge either.
Frondier soon regained his stance. With Frondier manifesting aura, the dynamics of the fight were bound to change.
Dash!
With newfound confidence, Frondier charged at Pascal first.
Thanks to the manifested aura, Frondier’s speed surged. Feeling threatened by this momentum, Pascal dodged to the side.
“…Somehow. I knew you would do that.”
Frondier, continuing his charge, ran straight at Kraken.
Pascal had merely made way. He had been in his right mind from the start.
Approaching at a speed close to the wind, Frondier moved in, but Kraken snorted with a smirk.
Swoosh, Kraken transformed his right finger into a tentacle and shot it at Frondier.
Even this simple attack, Frondier had not reacted to before. Was it unnecessary to respond, or was it a bluff? Now was the time to check.
‘Huh?’
But suddenly, Frondier stopped. It was expected he would continue swinging his sword, but suddenly he halted his charge and lowered his stance. Bending his knees and waist, he bowed his head.
──Behind Frondier, obscured by his body, a crescent of aura was shot.
“No…!”
Screech!
All the tentacles Kraken shot were cut by that aura.
Pascal had shot the aura from a great distance. That man was no ordinary knight. At least in terms of aura, he was an extraordinary expert.
Moreover, he was insane.
‘If he had been just a bit late in ducking, it would have been Frondier who was cut, right?’
Whether it was the one who planned the strategy or the one acting as the shield, shooting aura from behind, both were clearly out of their minds.
This time, Frondier swung his sword. Pascal extended his left hand. The cut tentacles would take time to regenerate. But for someone like Frondier, one left hand was enough,
“Come out.”
Frondier said. Come out? What? Me?
“I know.”
Suddenly, indeed, something appeared out of thin air. It was right in front of Kraken. A girl in a maid outfit,
Bam!
“……?”
Kraken’s left arm limply dropped. It didn’t get cut, but it came off as if it were a disassembled toy. Several needles were stuck in the detached arm.
Needles? What? My tentacles shouldn’t get hurt by weapons─
“Die, you filthy octopus.”
Swish-
Even before he could finish that thought.
A colorless aura sliced through Kraken’s neck.