Chapter 197 - Clyde and Zilas

"Lightning, the destructive force among the natural elements of the universe! Lend me strength to slay down all before me! Thunder Wrath!" A youth in his early twenties standing before one of the wooden dummies chanted a sword enchantment as lightning coiled around his sword, whipping around like a snake to strike the dummy. With a quick slash that mimicked a lash, a burn mark was left on the wooden dummy, only to vanish soon after.

He isn't bad. That was Nightin's first notion upon seeing the youth, the intention to absorb the sword users here into his sect popping into his mind. Soon however, he shook off the idea after recalling that all these sword users are here to join the declining Soaring Sword sect.

After a few seconds, the numbers finally came to a stop.

0936

Expecting to see disappointment, Nightin was surprised when he saw the man probably in his forties laughing out loud. Instead of being taken aback by the failure.

Before Nightin could make sense of what was going on, the chattering going on around him explained everything while the man headed towards the registration counter to ask the young staff for a training room. After getting the entrance card, he then strode off without speaking to anyone.

"Did you see that? His score actually improved by 131 in just one month."

"What's the fuss about? It's at most faster than most capped at around 100 per month."

"He isn't even someone that lives on this continent, he made it through the oceans alone to make it here and he is at most in his early twenties!"

"So, he might have been using the sword before even arriving on our continent of swords!"

"The fact is that this is only his second month with the sword, his attack power with the sword spiked immensely in just the first month and if I wasn't wrong, he was concealing his strength."

Looking around, Nightin realised that most of the people here were scoring three digits with occasional four digits starting from the thousand. Yet until now, none of the sword users here has attained a score around 2000.

"Anyone here interested in challenging me to a sword battle?" Right when everyone's focus was on the wooden dummy as they tried to stable their hearts, the voice of a mature man distracted them with just his voice.

"Zilas, just what is it that you want this time?" While no one in the crowd berated him for his poor etiquettes, one of the six elites made an appearance.

"Come on Clyde, things are just being way too boring right now with only us six elites. To make things worse, I'm the only one in the 7400s while you guys are struggling in the 7100s, the difference between us is way too much for a battle epic enough to ignite the flickering flame blazing in my heart." Zilas explained intentionally.

Paying attention, Nightin realised that Zilas had brown hair and a red colour slash mark was evident on the right side of his cheek. Standing before him was a man who looked much older, but definitely still at his prime with a wooden sword in hand.

"You should know the current situation right now and why the Soaring Sword sect has been unwilling to let us in and provide any assistance, if so, then just what is it that you want?" Clyde asked, only to realise that Zilas didn't even laugh, he was just sneering at him.

"So what, I won't settle down for today unless I get a battle that meets my expectations. As for you, you should just give up. You won't even be able to receive a sword of mine." Zilas taunted and with a single notion, his sword appeared in hand.

It was a simple sword. The only thing that stood out was the red mark down the middle, possibly the true essence of this sword.

"Let's see how you deal with me after my hurricane strikes transformation!" Not willing to back down, Clyde made the first move and slashed forward.

As for Zilas, he merely smiled and kept his sword, a sword wave forming before him to block the attack.

It was at this time that realisation struck Nightin. He didn't have to restrict his abandoned swords just because they don't have the appearance of a sword, he can make them appear in their truest form. They way they truly exist to begin with. He would communicate with their origin and from there, derive just what the sword path truly means.

It was one sided. Zilas didn't even make a move, not to mention using his sword. This can only mean one thing, Zilas might have reached his grasp to the third sage realm as well.

In the first sage realm which Nightin is approaching, it'll be the realm whereby a sword master can finally summon their sword regardless of how far it is and when they'll bond a sword to themselves. That sword will be their soul weapon which will accompany them for the rest of their lives. It'll grow alongside them and as for how far they go, it'll depend on how much the owner can give it. It was the sword he just received, Dylas.

The second sage realm is the one where all six elites are in. The realm whereby one can infuse their sword energy into any attack for sword masters and in a form of support, it can create sword artifacts that can help those below the sage realm to comprehend the sword law..

As for the third sage realm, it's the one which Zilas has somehow controlled, the boost in strength he received was unknown, but it had to be at least four times to have stopped Clyde this easily. As for the manifestation part, it only goes to show that Zilas has achieved quite some level of accomplishments in the third sage realm.

"How is this possible? You only stepped into the second sage realm eight years ago at the age of thirty three. You may be young with boundless potential, but there's no way that you could have made a breakthrough this quickly." Clyde pulled back in shock to keep distance, only to realise that it was already too late.

"Dark star, oblivion cage." Zilas chanted in his heart as that horizontal slash took on the form of a star and chased after Clyde who was retreating and positioned itself above him, expanding into tens of pillars that curved down and sealed Clyde's movements.

"Clyde, you should keep your guesses to yourself unless you're prepared to lose your soul weapon. I wonder how it would be like for you to say goodbye to your soul weapon and the hand that wields it." Zilas threatened with a smile, laughing cynically.

"Zilas, you underestimate me." Clyde smirked as he swung his sword towards the cage, breaking it apart.

"Dark star, oblivion reflection." Zilas chanted within his heart again.

Suddenly, the cage that broke apart straightened and before Clyde could react, the blades penetrated through the air.

This is the end. Clyde thought to himself as he swung his sword and blocked off most of it, the last one aiming for his spine at a trajectory he couldn't get. If this gets him, he would most likely be paralysed for the most of his life.

"Six mystic swords, shield!" After a long time, Nightin has finally decided to make use of this move again. It's not because he didn't want to execute it, but because the swords can only be at its full potential when he commanded enough laws. Ever since he lost the Life and Death swords, this move was gone. But now, it has returned.

A sword of frost. The aurora sword.

A sword of death. The death sword.

A sword of life. The life sword.

The sword of flames. The Inferno sword.

The sword of storm. The hurricane sword.

The sword of cycles. The samsara sword.

Taking on the form of a shield, the swords blocked the attack as Nightin stood out and questioned Zilas. "Don't you find it shameless of yourself to challenge someone in the second sword sage realm as someone in the third sage realm?"

"Oh, someone who has even yet to qualify as a passing grade sword user is challenging me to a duel? Why don't you try on the wooden dummy first and think twice after knowing the difference between our strength?" Zilas asked as he got everyone to let Nightin go first.

After the crowd dispersed, Nightin walked out to a wooden dummy and without even preparing himself, he stabbed his sword towards the wooden dummy while concentrating all his laws into this one move. All six laws merged into Dylas.

Zwoop

It was too fast. That was the first notion most of the sword users here had. The sword was so quick that they weren't even able to catch a glimpse of its glory before sheathing itself again.

On the scoreboard, the score reflected amazed everyone.

6241!