Chapter 311: I Can Tell You the Whole Truth (1)
Chapter 311: I Can Tell You the Whole Truth (1)
“Ooooh….”
“The King has moved.”
The servants of Kalaron living in Pabera fell to their knees in worship as they watched the Blue Dragon soar high into the sky.
It was rare for the Blue Dragon, who usually remained deep within the volcano, to reveal his true form. It was a majestic sight that occurred perhaps once every few centuries, and they all bowed their heads in reverence.
However, that was the case for the ordinary citizens….
“Tell all residents to prepare for evacuation immediately.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Keep this in mind. In the worst-case scenario, we must be prepared to abandon the entire city.”
“Yes. Understood.”
The city’s leadership ruling Pabera were not at ease, for they knew the truth of the situation.
The reason the Reign of Terror had revealed himself was to do battle with the one known as the Prophesied Human.
A battle of the King that occurred perhaps once in a millennium.
It wouldn't be strange if this city they had built, Pabera, was leveled until not a trace remained.
* * *
A short distance away from Pabera.
The moment they arrived, a faint Fighting Spirit began to emanate from the bodies of the Four Calamities.
-Galloping Death. I am warning you now: do not even think about going easy on him.
At the Vermilion Bird’s warning, the White Tiger replied with a look of displeasure.
-And why would I do that?
-Do you not firmly believe that human is the Prophesied Human? That is why I am saying there is a possibility you might hold back.
-What a foolish question. If he truly is the Prophesied Human, there is no way he would lose to us. Why would I commit such a folly?
White light began to overflow from the White Tiger’s body. He continued, saying:
-I shall give my all.
A terrifying vortex erupted from the White Tiger. Simultaneously, the energies of the attributes symbolizing each of the other Four Calamities began to overflow from their bodies as well.
The cold yin of the Black Tortoise.
The flames of the Vermilion Bird.
The lightning of the Blue Dragon.
Each one possessed power equivalent to a natural disaster. Amidst this, Patrick gripped two White Dragons in his hands and strapped the black sword he had named Black Dragon to his back.
Then, he extended one hand and beckoned the Four Calamities with his fingers.
“Bring it.”
It was the moment a battle reaching the realm of myth, beyond mere legend, began.
* * *
Surprisingly, the one to start was the Blue Dragon, who had seemed the most composed.
The blue lightning energy coiling around the Blue Dragon’s body struck down toward Patrick without mercy.
As the lightning fell like a relentless thunderstorm from the heavens, Patrick moved his body to dodge the attack.
This much is nothing.
Even if dozens of lightning bolts fell from the sky, Patrick could dodge them with ease. Then….
-Hmph!
The Blue Dragon increased the frequency and range of his attacks.
Dozens of lightning bolts grew to hundreds, and soon numbered in the thousands.
This was no longer a thunderstorm; a downpour of lightning covered the ground.
Rumble! Crash! Boom!
A terrifying lightning assault that felt as if it would blind the eyes. However….
“You’re making things hectic right from the start.”
When exactly did it happen?
Before anyone knew it, Patrick had leaped into the sky, higher than the Blue Dragon.
His Afterimage Step had become even more perfect as his realm ascended.
Patrick’s movement was so flawless that it even deceived the eyes of the Blue Dragon, who had become an apostle of Kalaron.
Having taken the position above his opponent, Patrick unleashed a sword style aimed at the crown of the Blue Dragon’s head.
Twin Dragons Eight Sword Styles.
Third Form.
Polar Flash Dragon Strike.
He unleashed his most confident attack with his full power.
In actual combat, the battle method with the highest win rate is, in the end, sticking to one’s own winning pattern.
Was it because he had reached the Profound Realm?
Or was it because of the power of his new favorite swords?
Patrick’s Flash Dragon Strike slammed into the Blue Dragon’s crown with even greater speed.
BA-BOOM!
-Graaargh…!
The Blue Dragon groaned in pain.
He couldn't remember how long it had been. When was the last time he had felt physical pain?
It is the first time since I challenged Kalaron alongside the Outer God.
It was painful and agonizing, but it also felt strangely nostalgic.
And he could acknowledge that the human who had made him feel such pain was indeed a formidable figure. However…
-I cannot be certain he is the Prophesied Human with just this much.
The Blue Dragon’s mouth swung wide open, and a breath of blue lightning erupted from it in a straight line.
KRA-KOOM!
Unlike the lightning that had spread out over a wide area before, this was a concentrated Breath of lightning.
Forget a direct hit—it possessed enough power to turn a mere human into a handful of charcoal just by grazing them.
Patrick quickly dodged the attack, but the Blue Dragon turned his head in the direction Patrick had fled, and the lightning breath pursued him closely.
Rumble! Crash!
“Tsk.”
The moment he judged that he couldn't shake it off with footwork alone, Patrick’s body split.
Two, four, eight….
He showcased an original footwork technique he had recently created by further evolving his specialty, the Afterimage Step.
Ten Shadows Replacement.
Ten Patrick Schneiders scattered in all directions.
Like the Afterimage Step Patrick originally used, Qi remained in the clones, making it a technique that even masters would find difficult to distinguish.
Now, he could even project his Intent as a martial artist into the clones, not just use them for deception.
Because of this, it was possible for ten different Patrick Schneiders to take ten different actions.
He had created moving illusions, not mere afterimages.
At that sight, even the Blue Dragon flinched for a moment and lost track of Patrick’s trail. However….
-Out of the way.
The moment the Vermilion Bird saw Patrick scattering wide, it spread its wings. And then….
-Die!
Of the Four Calamities, the Vermilion Bird seemed to be the most bellicose.
With a single flap of its wings, a vast wave of fire covered the area.
It wasn't an attack that was difficult to dodge; it was a wide-area attack where no space to dodge even existed.
Furthermore, its power was terrifying.
From Patrick’s perspective, it felt as if a massive tsunami of fire was crashing down on him.
I’ll break through with force.
The moment he felt he couldn't dodge, Patrick sheathed the White Dragons and drew the two Black Dragons from his back. And then….
Twin Dragons Eight Sword Styles.
Fifth Form.
Dragon Scale Whirlwind.
A massive vortex of sword currents formed around Patrick’s body. And the moment it collided with the wave of fire emitted by the Vermilion Bird….
BOOM! CRASH!
Along with a terrifying explosion, it caused immense destruction in the vicinity.
The collision of massive power against power had blown away the surrounding terrain.
-Hmm…. To think he endured that.
The Vermilion Bird groaned when Patrick blocked its attack. But the Vermilion Bird was wrong.
He hadn't just endured it.
Patrick, who had easily blocked the Vermilion Bird’s attack, was already preparing his next move.
“That’s one!”
One horizontal stroke.
One vertical stroke.
The heavy twin swords made of Adamantium drew a massive cross of slaughter in the air. Then….
Twin Dragons Eight Sword Styles.
Second Style.
Great Dragon Cross Sword.
A massive cross-shaped slash flew toward the Vermilion Bird.
-Kuh…!
The Vermilion Bird hurriedly tried to move its body to dodge, but the speed of Patrick’s attack was far faster.
At this rate, it wouldn't be able to dodge completely, and it might even have a wing sliced off.
In that moment of desperation….
-ROOOOAR!
Along with a thunderous roar, a vibration of air that rang out loudly formed a powerful defensive barrier in front of the Vermilion Bird.
KRA-POW!
The White Tiger, who had blocked Patrick’s Great Dragon Cross Sword, spoke to the Vermilion Bird as if rebuking it.
-And you had the nerve to tell me not to hold back.
-I was merely careless.
-Then do it properly from now on.
-…….
The Vermilion Bird clamped its beak shut.
Yes. It was galling to admit, but that human was truly terrifying.
It began to think that he might truly be the Prophesied Human. But regardless of that….
I refuse to lose.
The Vermilion Bird, who had been the most competitive since the days when the Four Calamities were called the Four Divine Beasts, burned its flames with all its might.
-Take thiiiis!
A wave of fire that seemed as if it would cover heaven and earth.
In addition to that….
-ROOOOAR!
The blades of wind emitted by the White Tiger were added to the Vermilion Bird’s flames.
Wind and Fire are energies that resonate and amplify each other.
A firestorm far more powerful than before swept toward Patrick.
This was truly a natural disaster.
Facing a great calamity that defied common sense, Patrick….
“So you want to play like that?”
He gritted his teeth and smiled.
Then, he sheathed the Black Dragon in his left hand and gripped a White Dragon with that hand instead. Thus….
A White Dragon in his left hand.
A Black Dragon in his right hand.
The swordsmanship Patrick was about to display from now on was not the original martial art passed down through the Twin Dragon Sect.
It was Patrick Schneider’s unique martial art, created by adding the latter Four Sword Styles to the existing Eight Sword Styles.
Radiant Dragon Twelve Sword Styles.
The moment to debut it had finally come.
Balance.
This is usually the part that dual-wielders, who fight with a weapon in each hand, are most obsessed with.
From the length and weight balance of the weapons held in each hand to the sensation in the grip….
They believe they can only execute balanced swordsmanship when all those factors match.
But the Twin Dragon Sect’s dual-sword style was different.
From the beginning, they used a left-hand sword that was made about ten percent lighter than the right-hand sword.
The reason was simple.
[The human body is inherently asymmetrical.]
That was the theory of the Founding Patriarch of the Twin Dragon Sect.
Most people are right-handed, and while there are occasionally left-handed people, there are almost no people whose hands develop with perfect balance.
Humans are animals whose left and right sides develop with different balances.
So, what was the point of forcing the balance of the swords?
Instead, the Twin Dragon Sect developed in a way that acknowledged and utilized that difference.
Thus, the left hand used a slightly lighter sword for fast movements, and the right hand used a slightly heavier sword to deliver powerful attacks.
In truth, even if the weights were different, the length and shape had to be the same, so it was difficult to create a significant weight disparity. However….
I never imagined something like this would exist.
Orichalcum and Adamantium.
The weight difference between these two blades was more than tenfold.
Despite having almost the same mass, there was a weight difference of over ten times.
Furthermore, weight wasn't the only difference.
Patrick infused the energy of his Intent into the two swords.
The two metals, Orichalcum and Adamantium, received Patrick’s will and formed Aura Blades of different properties. As a result….
Vrrrrumble.
Hummmmm.
A pitch-black Aura of destructive energy that evaporated its surroundings just by existing was on the right.
A pure white Aura that emitted a clear energy and a dazzling white light was on the left.
He was able to form Aura Blades of completely different natures on each side.
It’s a cheat. Even if you brought the Wudang’s Yang Energy Divine Art, you couldn't do this.
Doing two things at once is possible if one learns the Wudang’s Yang Energy Divine Art.
But for one person to emit energies of completely different natures simultaneously was impossible, even if you brought the grandfather of the Yang Energy Divine Art.
Even if Zhang Sanfeng himself came back to life, it probably wouldn't work.
However, thanks to using two swords of perfectly different properties, the ideal swordsmanship he had only conceived in theory became possible.
Patrick lightly swung his left-hand sword as if flicking it. Then….
Swish!
The White Dragon’s Intent Aura, fast as a flash of light, shot forward and attacked the White Tiger in front of him.
-Kuh…!
The White Tiger dodged the attack by leaping with the agility characteristic of a feline, but….
Whoosh!
As Patrick swung his right-hand sword, the heavy Black Dragon’s Intent Aura blasted toward the mid-air White Tiger.
BOOM!
-ROOOOAR!
Watching the White Tiger groan in pain after taking a hit, Patrick clenched his fist.
Before, he had to risk his life just to land a single blow on the White Tiger, but now, it was possible just by swinging lightly with 3-Star level power.
This is why people risk their lives for good gear.
For the first time across his past and present lives, Patrick was benefiting from superior weaponry.
And….
“Good.”
The corners of Patrick’s mouth curled up slightly. Then….
“You’re all dead.”
The man with the most brilliant talent since the Founding Patriarch of the Twin Dragon Sect.
From the hands of Patrick, whom it was no longer awkward to call a Grandmaster, the new swordsmanship of the Twin Dragon Sect began to unfold.