It was immensely powerful and agile, like a fish darting through water. The swordsmanship named after this principle was the epitome of ruthlessness and speed.
Hal struck upwards from below. The gleam of his sword surged, seeming to tear apart the figure on the mountaintop.
The soil on the mountaintop trembled.
Carl, crouching slightly, rushed forward to meet the gleam of the sword.
At that moment, a strength of 2.1 erupted unrestrained as he swung his broad sword, leaving a trail of afterimages.
Battle Skill—Gale Slash!
Nine sword shadows merged into a screen of blades, carrying a terrifying force as they swept down to envelop the charging Hal.
They both activated their Battle Auras simultaneously. The invisible auras clashed mid-air, gales erupting from their point of contact.
The sounds of impact were as rapid as a sudden downpour.
The moment they crossed swords, the battle reached its peak, both men desperately swinging their blades at their opponent.
The broad sword grazed Hal’s armor, tearing through a plate and drawing a spray of blood.
"Hmph!" Hal grunted, retreating repeatedly.
How could this be? He stared at Carl in astonishment, his face a mask of bewilderment. He was the top expert of Dark City, captain of the city guard! Since arriving in Dark City, he had never met his match. And now, he was at a disadvantage!
If not for his second Dharma Seal—Steel Body—which increased his defensive power, he would have already been seriously injured.
"Nothing is impossible!"
Carl moved relentlessly, using the Eagle Body Step and his swordsmanship to wildly slash at his opponent, focusing on overwhelming power and momentum.
In terms of Martial Arts, he was actually inferior to Hal. In terms of strength, he was stronger, but the gap wasn’t as large as one might imagine. Hal’s Constitution value should also have reached two points, but it was weakened under the suppression of the Minor Spell Field. Moreover, Hal was wounded and exhausted from fleeing Dark City; that was why he was currently at a disadvantage.
Battle Skill—Whale Swallow!
The sharp Longsword transformed into a gaping maw that seemed to devour everything. As the two men passed each other, they both staggered back.
Carl looked at his waist; a deep gash was imprinted on his armor.
"Good Swordsmanship!" he praised, then turned to face his opponent. "Too bad!"
A burst of Fierce Flame instantly enveloped the broad sword in his hands. From a distance, Carl looked as if he were wielding a giant flaming sword.
No! Not ’looked as if’! It *was* a giant flaming sword.
The flames blazed, the intense heat wilting the grass and cracking the earth. Hal felt as if he were standing beside a furnace.
Carl wasn’t immune either. However, among the Potions he had just ingested was a fire-resistance Potion purchased at great cost from Hibell.
The effects of the fire-resistance Potion took hold, and his body felt as if immersed in cool water, isolating most of the heat. Even the small amount of heat that penetrated had no effect while the Potion was active.
The soil beneath him exploded.
Carl charged out once again.
A Gale swept through, Fierce Flames danced, and multiple sword shadows fell, seeming to ignite the very air.
Hal was already at a disadvantage. Now, despite desperately defending, he couldn’t stop himself from retreating continuously. This time, even when he unleashed his exquisite Battle Skills, he couldn’t hide his decline. Defeat was inevitable.
Their swords collided, unleashing tremendous force.
"Get out of my way!" Hal roared, his eyes suddenly turning blazing red as dense patterns appeared on his cheeks.
What? Carl grunted and was flung backward. He had been firmly in the lead, on the verge of cutting down his opponent, yet Hal’s strength had suddenly surged. If Hal’s strength value was 2 before, now... it was 2.3, perhaps even 2.4! Even with the weakening effect of the Minor Spell Field, Hal was now no weaker than him. This was completely illogical!
"What is this?" Carl asked.
"A Secret Skill!" Hal panted heavily, using the moment to regulate the life essence within him. "Every superior breathing technique has a corresponding Secret Skill that can maximize the stimulation of one’s life force. Your strength is formidable, but your foundational techniques are too poor for you to have ever encountered such things."
He saw it clearly. Carl’s strength was even greater than his own, but his Martial Arts were of an extremely low Tier, not even notable among Knight Attendants. Carl’s victory over him had relied solely on his superior strength and that strange, invisible field.
"Oh?" Carl’s eyes narrowed. "Every superior breathing technique has one?"
With the sudden surge in his opponent’s strength, Carl felt hesitant to continue. He naturally didn’t mind stalling for time. He had intercepted Hal because he felt confident of winning and was well-prepared. But now, the situation had changed. If he continued, relying on the means at his disposal, victory wasn’t impossible, but it was too risky. That wasn’t in his character.
"Indeed." Hal wasn’t in a hurry to attack either; he needed to recuperate. "You probably don’t even know that Life Seeds also have Tiers. Life Seeds condensed through superior breathing techniques contain the very source of life. Only by cultivating superior breathing techniques can one become a Great Knight or a Legendary Knight. The breathing technique I practice is called the Holy Pattern Breathing Technique. It’s a simplified version derived from the Hundred Aspects Melting Furnace Breathing Technique."
After a brief period of regulation, his breathing gradually stabilized, and the Battle Aura around his body grew more concentrated.
"Only by mastering the essence of the breathing technique can one stimulate the source of life and manifest its profound mysteries. That is the Secret Skill!"
"I see," Carl said, a flicker in his eyes as understanding dawned. "You’re telling me all this to buy yourself time, aren’t you?"
"Correct!" Hal nodded. "A pity you’re so foolish. You only figured it out now. Don’t you think it’s a bit too late?"
"Heh..." Carl chuckled. "It’s true what they say: villains often die from talking too much. Actually, I was already planning to retreat. But thanks to you, I’ve had some unexpected gains."