Chapter 15: Diamond Country Shattering Strike
The crimson battle qi transformed into black ripples, rising from Joshua's body like water vapor. At the same time, a ferocious killing intent surged toward Brandon, as if he could smell blood and rust. Brandon immediately felt the threat of death. His legs trembled, and the swordsman instantly retreated hundreds of meters backward before staring at the distant warrior with shock and uncertainty.
"Is this his Glory Force? It's not Instinct Light or Origin Light, but Will Light?!"
Although everyone's Glory Force was different, after years of research by the Empire, it had been basically determined that the power derived from the soul possessed by Gold-rank experts could be roughly divided into four categories.
The first type was Instinct Light, which could manifest as some special ability. Like several hundred years ago, when a certain Gold-rank vampire awakened [Time Stop]—a time-stopping ability—activating it required no consequences, at most having a cooldown period. It was an instinctive power.
The second type was Wisdom Light, which transformed into a specific skill. Just like Countess Verdani's [Star Arc Shatter], it was a power sublimated from the holder's wisdom. Using it was like using a normal skill, with no special conditions. This kind of ability was generally exceptionally powerful, regardless of its category. Many powerful great magical inheritances were created this way.
The third type was Origin Light, where the soul merged with [bloodline], awakening the deep power of lineage, transforming the holder's body and soul into a stronger and more perfect form. This Glory Force could be activated multiple times as one advanced, continuously optimizing the holder's body and making them more powerful. Many special bloodlines and inherited powers among humans originated from this.
The last type, the fourth, was Will Light.
A powerful will influenced the world, alienating one's own power and changing its nature. Just like Joshua, the battle intent rising from his heart infected his battle qi, transforming it into ripples filled with killing intent, destruction, and devastation. Holders of this power could leave behind inheritances, teaching this alienated power to others. Many special energy training methods in the world were born this way.
Generally speaking, warriors mostly awakened Instinct Light and Origin Light, while mages were almost entirely Wisdom Light. Awakeners of Will Light were extremely rare. Brandon had never expected Joshua to be its holder. Based on his previous performance, he had always thought the warrior's power was some kind of Instinct Light... Given Joshua's formidable physical qualities, it could even be said to be Origin Power.
Black ripples rolled around the warrior's body. Joshua paid no attention to Brandon's rapid retreat—rather, retreating was the normal reaction. Faced with his killing intent, even Chaos Monsters would feel fear rising from their hearts.
Looking at the rippling power in his hands, the warrior muttered to himself, "Not intense enough... Because it's just a spar, not a life-or-death battle, the killing intent can't burn."
He looked up at Brandon, who had already activated his magic eye and was observing his weaknesses from afar.
At this moment, in the distance, a cyan vortex once again appeared in the pupils of the blonde swordsman. Under Brandon's activation, this pair of eyes that could stare directly at death could see through the flaws of all things—whether Gold-rank magical beasts or space-time gates. Joshua was naturally no exception!
Activating his magic eye to look, indeed, the warrior's seemingly flawless body was now covered in countless cracks. Although these cracks were moving rapidly, making them difficult to track, there was still a possibility of hitting them—
And if he hit, it would be victory!
In an instant, the deep cyan battle qi that had originally covered the Order Twin Blades suddenly became somewhat transparent, while the holy and sacred purifying force coursed through Brandon's body, causing countless cyan runes to appear on him. The blonde swordsman smiled silently, then erupted with his Glory Force—
Unlike Joshua, a Chaos Warden who had come to it halfway, Brandon had followed his elders since childhood, training across the world, observing the evil consequences of Chaos's erosion on the world. His soul was filled with hatred for Chaos, and this hatred rose from his heart, transforming into a purifying wind that erased everything!
[Glory Force: Holy Storm!]
Instantly, with Brandon at the center, a pale storm suddenly erupted, radiating the most sacred destructive light, as if it would erase all Chaos and evil from the world. This gale rose from the ground straight to the sky, even stirring a hole in the clouds, letting sunlight shine down.
"Whoosh!"
The sound of air being torn arose. This was a completely different White Crow Sword Art from before. Using his Glory Force, Brandon merely made an empty swing from afar, and an invisible air blade as swift as light forced Joshua to focus completely, his pupils contracting. The warrior punched out, shattering the air blade, but unlike before, the more condensed invisible wind blade did not completely dissipate. The scattered currents from its shattering struck the warrior's body like blades, shredding the clothes on his upper body to pieces!
Clang, clang, clang—
Sounds like metal striking metal rang out continuously. The turbulent currents did no damage to Joshua's body, which was comparable to enchanted armor, not even leaving white marks.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
It was another rapid exchange like the first round. Countless air blades and steel-like fists collided and canceled each other out. But unlike before, Joshua did not stay in place this time. While using his fists to shatter the air blades, he rapidly stepped forward, charging madly toward Brandon.
In the sky, the old mage observing the battle with spells on the snowfield couldn't help but sigh, "I didn't expect there to be a warrior in the Empire who can match Brandon. Truly rare. This unarmed technique is honed to perfection. I wonder how he trained it."
"Not only that, he's actually a holder of Will Light!"
In the light screen formed by the detection spell, the charging warrior suddenly turned his head and glanced at the sky.
"He noticed me?"
The white-haired mage was even more surprised. "This intuition is terrifying."
He continued to watch the battle from a distance.
In the old mage's view, Brandon's strength was indeed formidable. Even compared to various veteran Gold-rank experts across the Empire, he was not weak. His Glory Force [Holy Storm], as a purifying power, combined with his Death-Viewing Magic Eye, would make even Ultimate-rank Chaos Monsters feel extremely troublesome. Unfortunately, the new Count of the Radcliffe Family he was fighting was even more terrifying.
With the old mage's insight, he could naturally see the truth behind the ripples around Joshua—the warrior's body was like an abyss, containing the remnants of countless souls. These soul remnants came from the countless Chaos magical beasts he had killed. Countless twisted beast afterimages swirled around him, transforming into black ripples that burned fiercely.
Will Fire, fueled by enemy souls! This kind of Glory Force would increase in power through continuous killing. But this battle with Brandon was merely a spar; the opponent's battle intent couldn't burn to its peak. The blonde swordsman had used all his tricks, but Joshua still had strength to spare.
Moreover, so far, Joshua had only used pure physical strength, without using his weapons or various powerful skills—it seemed that once he used his skills, that would be when the battle ended!
"Enough!"
In the heat of battle, facing the swordsman's endless wind blades, Joshua had already charged to Brandon's side. His body was covered in wounds. The closer he got, the denser the purifying force became. This power that erased everything struck the warrior's body, purifying his killing intent ripples. Having lost a layer of protection, Joshua naturally couldn't face the enhanced White Crow Sword Art unscathed. But even so, he laughed heartily, "Let's end this!"
Now, he was less than five meters from Brandon!
"Indeed, it's time to end!"
A flash of cyan light burst from his eyes, and Brandon also roared. Holy storm winds rose from around him, then condensed into a rapid vortex, gathering on the twin blades in his hands. He activated his magic eye, and instantly, countless cracks appeared on everything in the world. On the warrior before him, there was a clearly visible black mark!
A crack, a flaw! Right here!
Slash!
The twin blades swung toward him. Feeling the approach of death, this thrilling sensation made Joshua focus completely—his muscles contracted, then suddenly expanded. His internal organs, veins, and bones were all instantly stimulated to their strongest by the killing intent ripples. The warrior extended his right fist, using unparalleled killing intent to drive the ripples around him, unleashing the strongest power since the battle began!
[Nine Swords, Steel Soul Style: Instant Flash!]
[Martial Stance: Diamond!]
Black-red light flowed across his entire body, forming an indestructible body with no flaws. Facing the slashing twin blades, Joshua did not dodge or evade. He infused his right fist with killing intent ripples, stepped forward and swung his arm, punching the most straightforward and direct fist toward Brandon, who was charging with cyclone twin blades!
Death, demise, fall, perish, weak, pass, end, die, expire, vanish, cease, perish, succumb—the power of the heart and soul is Glory! The endless battle intent that had always craved combat was the prototype of this Glory Force. Using the fist as a sword, the heart as a blade—Killing Intent Ripple: Diamond Country Shattering Strike!
"What?!" The old mage observing from the sky widened his eyes. Just as Joshua used [Skill's Ultimate Essence] to activate his skill, he felt he vaguely saw something incredible: "This is?!"
Boom!!!
Black killing intent erupted, blocking all surrounding vision, as if plunging into a dark canopy. Even the holy storm raised by Brandon was the same. But in an instant, the black ripples dissipated.
At this moment, the white-haired mage gasped, a look of shock on his face.
This is—Ultimate Essence?!
(To be continued.)