The Snow Flower Sword
"Grr, you weren't planning to ditch me, were you?"
Per, the Snow Wolf King, had crept up beside us on all fours while Luke and I chatted as we walked.
"Of course not. Let's fight to our hearts' content."
"That's more like it. Graaah!"
At my words, Per and the other two—along with the wolf—stopped walking and broke into a sprint toward the Dreadnought.
"Explosive Aura—Great Explosion Fist!"
Luke struck first. He thrust his clenched fist forward and unleashed his throwing technique. BOOM! I had no idea what new technique he'd learned in the meantime, but an explosion erupted right before our eyes. His spinning screw punch combined with the destructive power of the technique, sending a thunderous blast that lifted one of the Dreadnought's massive legs slightly off the ground.
"Graaaah!"
Enraged that its leg had momentarily ignored its commands, the Dreadnought let out a furious roar and slammed the limb back down with full force. But Luke had already retreated with quick footwork. Now facing that colossal leg was Per, the Snow Wolf King.
Using all four legs instead of standing upright, Per charged at full speed, aura cloaking his entire body. Without sparing himself, he rammed straight into the monster. Whoosh—BOOM! Like an arrow loosed from a bow, he struck with tremendous force, and to everyone's surprise, the Dreadnought's foreleg was knocked backward.
"One more time! Explosive Aura—Great Explosion Fist!"
Right after Per's full-power body slam, Luke—who had briefly fallen back—rushed in again and drove his fist into the leg that was being pushed away. BOOM! Another deafening explosion rang out. Unable to withstand the repeated impacts, the Dreadnought's leg buckled at the knee, throwing it off balance.
Though the berserk state dulled its pain, the accumulated damage still registered. The monster paused instinctively to regain its footing. For me, who lacked any proper striking techniques, that momentary halt wasn't much of an opening—but for someone else, it was a golden opportunity.
"Nice work, Per! And you too, little brawler!"
Yuna shouted her praise at the pair who had disrupted the Dreadnought's balance. Gripping her longsword with both hands now, she drew in a deep breath. At the same time, the aura swirling around her body began concentrating into the blade. It was obvious what she was about to do—and it felt almost too late.
As she closed her eyes and focused, the once-calm air around her grew sharper and colder, like a wild beast ready to pounce. I could feel it through every sense.
"Move aside, both of you."
The beast was ready to strike. Yuna spoke quietly to Luke and me, who were still blocking her path.
"..."
"..."
Without a word, we each stepped aside, clearing the path for her sword. A moment later, Yuna slowly opened her eyes.
"Freezing Aura..."
A chilling voice escaped her lips, sending a shiver down my spine. Even from a distance, I could feel the cold aura radiating from her blade. The instant I sensed it—
"Freezing Slash!"
Yuna's figure lunged forward, swinging her longsword at incredible speed. Shhhk—CRACK! The sound of hundreds of nerves and thick flesh being severed rang out as a long vertical gash opened along one of the Dreadnought's legs.
"So that's why she's called the Snow Flower Sword..."
I muttered as I stared at the wounded leg. The cut wasn't just a simple slash that bled. The wound left behind had frozen solid, as though dozens of blue plum blossoms had bloomed across the flesh. Blood had coagulated into icy flowers—a breathtaking sight. Beyond merely severing nerves and muscle with a powerful strike, she had used her aura technique to freeze the cells themselves, preventing regeneration.
I'd almost forgotten. Snow Flower Sword Shin Yuna. The woman swinging her blade before me right now was none other than the strongest warrior of the northern region.
"GRAAAAAHH!"
Even though it shouldn't have felt pain in its berserk state, the Dreadnought unleashed a roar far louder than any before, as if enduring unbearable agony. Paying it no mind, Yuna followed up her devastating slash with a rapid flurry of strikes, each one faster than the last. Everywhere her blade passed, shallow wounds formed and froze over, slowing the monster's movements. Even a berserk Dreadnought couldn't escape the natural contraction of muscles under extreme cold.
Whoa... she's really strong.
Watching her swordplay, I couldn't help but admire it. Even while swinging at such blistering speed, she never struck wildly. Her stance remained firm, her blade moving with perfect control around her axis. It was magnificent swordsmanship.
As Luke's trainer, I'd watched countless participants in martial tournaments and seen no shortage of powerful fighters. Yet every time I witnessed someone surpassing me, my heart still raced, and my eyes instinctively followed their every move. That habit never changed.
"Grr! Damn it, that woman really doesn't know the meaning of 'holding back'!"
Despite Yuna's impressive display, Per was frowning for some reason.
Wait a second...
Then it hit me—how foolish my earlier question had been. Yuna's overwhelming skill and relentless attacks weren't the problem. The real issue was that her massive strike had drawn the Dreadnought's attention away from Per and me—whose fangs it had broken—and squarely onto her.
"Grr, so you finally noticed. Then you know what comes next without me saying it! I'll handle the attacks heading her way!"
Per made the best call and gave me an order.
"Got it. Let's go, Luke!"
"Yeah!"
Realizing the situation a beat too late, I moved with Luke. But it was Luke who acted first, dashing ahead of me.
"Explosive Aura—Great Explosion Fist!"
He activated his technique and punched toward the Dreadnought's leg. BOOM! It was already his third ear-splitting explosion, and his fist connected cleanly. But it was completely useless.
Whoosh.
"Agh!"
The Dreadnought swatted him away like an insect with a casual flick of its leg. Luke screamed as he was sent flying and buried in the snow. Thanks to the snow, he hadn't taken serious damage and would get up soon, but the real problem remained—the monster's focus was still entirely on Yuna.
"Haa... I got a little too carried away."
Having swung her sword nonstop earlier, Yuna paused to catch her breath. Even in its berserk state, the Dreadnought didn't miss the opening and swung its massive fist. Was it acting on pure instinct?
BOOM!
The impact echoed loudly, kicking up a cloud of snow that briefly obscured our vision. If things had gone as expected, that giant fist would have crushed Yuna's body—but the outcome was different.
"Graah! Your opponent is me! And..."
Per stood in front of Yuna, his entire body wreathed in aura, both arms crossed to block the Dreadnought's enormous fist.
"Going berserk isn't your exclusive patent!"
And he didn't stop at merely blocking.
"Acceleration Aura—Overload!"
Per's body transformed in an instant while holding back the monster's fist.
"Awooooo!"
With a thunderous howl, Per's eyes turned crimson and his frame swelled to nearly twice its previous size.
A technique that doesn't just strengthen the body, but changes the body itself!
I'd never seen anything like it. Was this possible only because he was the pinnacle and king of his race? Still, he probably couldn't maintain it for long. The technique was incredible, but it felt like it was pushing his body far beyond its natural limits, forcing it to overexert itself.
What I can do...
It was fortunate we could keep fighting, but if this turned into a battle of attrition, we would lose in the end. We had to find a way to win.