The Amber Sword

TL: This chapter is considerably short, almost half of its normal size. The next update kind of depends. I have to rush 2 assignments and see what else there are for this week. Typically if there are any sponsored chapters, I’ll try to finish it within 2 days. So there might be an update tomorrow or the day after. Depends.

This is a sponsored chapter. Thank you very much.

Chapter 16 – Rout

One slash, one kill, a force that could not be stopped even by a legion.

[[[What kind of imposing power is this?!]]]

It was not only Xelsa who thought of this, the militia and mercenaries who saw Brendel’s frenzied destruction stopped what they were doing. They even thought a legendary paladin would not be able to surpass what he did. The humans who were still in the midst in attacking cheered at the same time, their morale greatly boosted.

The militia destroyed off the skeletons who were in front of them, and Xelsa knew that he was defeated. But the noble blood in him from the dark lands did not allow him to admit defeat—

[What kind of army is this…? They look nothing more like a bunch of disorganized garbage who are not even equipped properly. They are even worse than militia because they are hastily formed from a group of refugees. This group of men who had even lost their reason to fight… But the one who led them… is far more impressive. Aouine is a nothing more than a decadent kingdom now. How could our glorious undead be defeated by an army like this? ]

Xelsa could not help but lament in his heart.

The Black Knight pulled out his sword, the soul fire in him flaring up. He dragged the necromancer beside him who was of a higher level and pointed at Brendel, ordering him loudly to use a [Mental Blast] on him.

He then patted the neck of his horse, bringing along the three Black Warrior guards with him. Even if he had no chance of gaining victory, he had to reclaim his glory by killing the enemy’s leader. This was Madara’s pride, the pride that only the nobles had.

Brendel who was observing Xelsa, immediately realized that the situation he was in. He pointed at the necromancer and called out to Ciel. The wizard apprentice fired a ray of white light at the necromancer who was in the middle of casting a spell. But Ciel did not expect his magic to be deflected when it struck the necromancer’s ribs.

[Ciel’s level is too low.]

Brendel immediately understood that when he saw the necromancer resisting Ciel’s spell. A few remaining skeletons were in his path, and he had no choice but to destroy them first. He cut them down and raised his left hand—

A sky blue triangular magic formation formed around his wrist.

Brendel paid 3 Wind EP into the Elemental Pool, and activated the magic card.

This sky blue card combination represented the power of wind, flexible and varied, a magic that was unpredictable due to its nature of countering the enemy after they launched an attack first.

A transparent ripple with razor sharp edges launched from the necromancer’s forehead, aiming towards Brendel and the people nearby him, but it suddenly stopped moving in the middle of its path, as if time had frozen. A hurricane formed in the battlefield and seemed to howl in everyone’s ears. The mental blast was then sent back to the caster, and countless undead skulls exploded in its path.

The necromancer who had lost its head shook once, and dropped down from the horse.

[[Magic swordsman!]]

The mercenaries and militia who did not understand magic very well, did not think it was unusual of Brendel to cast a spell after seeing the undead set on fire with his slashes. But the ones who were more experienced trembled. Not only was he a genius in tactical battle and fighter who had the strength of an Iron-ranked fighter, he was a wizard who was powerful enough to destroy the enemy’s necromancers with ease!

Xelsa felt his body turning cold. Once again, he could not understand where the leader of their cavalry come from. He held an Elven sword with incredible skills, leading his men with brilliant tactial commands and he was even able to use magic.

[How could this man be not famous in Aouine? And if he is not, Is he going to be someone who will rise to become a legendary figure in history?]

When he hesitated, two of his personal guards had stepped up to stop Brendel who was charging at them. The youth’s expression did not change, and disarmed the first Black Warrior’s two handed sword with a violent metallic crash, then slashed across the neck and chest armor in a straight arc downwards. An explosive sound echoed in the mountain valley as he threw down the Black Warrior down along with his horse onto the ground.

He then punched the second guard’s giant sword away with a deafening clang, and urged his horse forward by tightening his legs around its abdomen. After grabbing the Black Warrior’s arm with his left hand, he thrust his sword through his heart and lifted him off the horse, then throwing him onto the ground.

He narrowed his eyes as he saw a -72 HP above the Black Warrior’s head.

[The damage done by the Thorn of Light is ridiculous. Although I must say, it’s bizarre to look at the numbers appearing out of thin air…]

The Black Warrior had started to burn up when the final guard attacked him. Brendel deflected the incoming sword and decapitated the enemy with ease. But a metallic ringing sword from the Thorn of Light made him look at it, and he was delighted to see a magic necklace that added +0.3 OZ strength.

[I had always thought that it was strange for the loot that I got to be so dismal. After fighting against so many Madara undead and even the Golden Apple Tree boss, the loot drops have been awful to the point I even wondered if there’s a difference from the game.]

When he was momentarily distracted, he found a sword piercing towards him. He was jolted back to his senses and dodge to the side. He found the Black Knight had came before himself.

The youth looked around him. All his guards and skeletons have been destroyed, but instead of running away from surrendering, Xelsa merely came before him and waited.

[Does he want to challenge me to a duel?]

He was taken aback.

Freya grimaced as she held the wound on her waist with pressure. She felt that her heart was itching or something, like she was more concerned with the armor being spoiled. She thought for a while before persuading herself it was because of the rarity of the armor.

Freya ordered the militia to check for any remaining undead that was not destroyed or escaped, and to account for the wounded and dead. She rode around with the horse and found a skeleton soldier crawling on the ground with a broken leg. Before she was able to destroy it, someone else rushed up to it and struck the skeleton through the head with a sword.

She stopped and turned around, and Freya saw that it was Sue.

“Sue?”

The girl with bronze skin rode over and looked at Freya with concern.

“Freya, are you injured?”

“I’m fine, did you see Brendel?” Freya had pulled away from the main area a considerable distance.

“Him? Why are you so concerned about him when he’s a coward who won’t even accept a knight’s duel?”

“A knight duel?”

Author’s notes on magic items

Iron-ranked label is termed as [Alchemy item], the weakest class of magic item.

Bronze-ranked [Minor light], low class magic item.

Brass-ranked [Magic], is considered as a true Magic Class item. I.E, Brendel’s Ring of the Wind Empress, Freya’s Flame Ring, with the typical ability of launching magic.

Silver-ranked (Legendary), items that are rarely found. An example would be Brendel’s Thorn of Light, and it was able to change the power ratio to a certain level, like how Brendel easily defeated undead that was above his natural level.

Gold-ranked items (Fantasy). Items that can only be found in myths or bard’s songs. There are very few people who own them.

Dark Gold-ranked items (Godly). There are only a few core members in big guilds in the game that managed to get them, and seen as a representation of their status.

As for ultimate unique items, like the Mercury Staff (TL: probably owned Madara’s undead boss), Lament of the Wind Empress (ring), or the holy dragon spear Gungnir.