SWNOVELXO Chapter 580
Chapter 580: Can This Really Happen? (3)
The light emanating from Kaor’s sword was unmistakably an Aura Blade.
“Eh?”
Even the one who created it wore a bewildered expression.
The spectators all had their jaws dropped.
Even the stoic Gillian was no exception. Belinda held her forehead in disbelief.
Kaor has ascended to superhuman status? And he was brazen enough to say he wanted to have fun with it?
Is his resolve that strong, capable of creating a world?
Alfoy muttered in exasperation.
“Wow… Is this guy’s world really just living without a care?”
It was so absurd that even cursing felt pointless.
How resolute must one be to live thoughtlessly enough to transcend realms?
Alfoy liked to play too, but he never thought that deeply about it. He resembled Kaor but was a man who yearned for wealth and fame.
Kaor looked at the Aura Blade bursting forth from his sword and murmured.
“Is this really happening?”
Can it actually be done like this?
Was this a dream? He checked several times, but it was definitely an Aura Blade.
This was something that had only accidentally appeared once before, and now he finally had a grasp on how to produce an Aura Blade naturally.
Soon, Kaor burst into laughter, his face awash with joy.
“Ha, ha, ha! I’m a superhuman too! A Swordmaster!”
The only difference from the other superhumans was that the color of his Aura Blade was slightly less vivid. It felt a little lacking, but at least it was something.
What mattered most was that he had cast aside his anxieties and risen to superhuman status.
And as he stepped beyond the wall, he realized the world he had created.
“Let’s enjoy today.”
To revel in the present.
That was his world.
Kaor walked forward with a fierce grin.
He had taken too many injuries and was exhausted. His body was so worn out that the Aura Blade flickered weakly.
Yet, confidence greater than ever before filled his entire being.
The priest’s face had hardened.
“This brat…”
He couldn’t tolerate the realization that his student had become a superhuman more than the fact that he himself had been wrong in his teachings.
He had to prove his beliefs right, even if it meant killing him.
The two clashed once more.
Boom!
Both of them were fatigued, so their attacks weren’t particularly fierce. Yet, the priest maintained a slight upper hand.
This was because Kaor had just become a superhuman and was more severely injured.
However, he no longer felt helplessly overpowered. Now that he had ascended, he could keep pace with the priest’s time.
He was merely tired; technically, his combat techniques, honed through real battles, were superior.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Now, it was impossible to tell who would emerge victorious. Everyone watched the battle with bated breath.
Especially those who had placed bets visibly displayed their excitement.
Boom!
Kaor blocked the priest’s intense fist with his sword. The Aura Blade threatened to disappear, flickering precariously.
The priest spoke with a twisted expression.
“Hah, hah… You may have ascended to superhuman status, but you won’t last much longer.”
Kaor’s sword began to be pushed back. This was because the priest was still in slightly better condition.
The priest pooled his remaining strength into his other fist.
The opponent seemed to have no strength left to evade. He’d just have to crush his skull.
At that moment, Kaor suddenly spoke with a glint in his eyes.
“Double the attack power.”
He balanced the sword he was holding with one hand and drew another sword strapped to his waist with the other.
That sword was also enveloped in a blue Aura Blade.
Slash!
The sword shot like lightning, slicing through the priest’s neck. The fatigued priest couldn’t even react.
“That’s… not a spare sword…”
With his head severed, the priest collapsed, spewing blood.
Boom!
Even in death, the priest wore a look of disbelief.
So this was how he met his end… by a guy with an unwavering desire to live thoughtlessly?
That was the last thought that crossed his mind.
“Phew, phew…”
As Kaor panted heavily, he looked down at the priest’s corpse.
“I usually use dual swords.”
He had deliberately hidden one final move. If he were to fight a superhuman, he’d need at least one secret weapon.
The priest, exhausted, failed to dodge the sudden attack. Lacking in technique, he couldn’t react at all.
Kaor, breathless, gazed upwards.
Finally, he had attained the superhuman realm he had longed for.
“Wooahhh!”
So overwhelmed with emotion, he shouted. The onlookers erupted in cheers and rushed towards Kaor.
“Wooahhh! Kaor has become a superhuman!”
“Another superhuman has joined the ranks!”
“Wow! Damn! The world is going wild!”
The knights were the first to rush over, hoisting Kaor up in celebration.
“Ha, ha, ha! Cough! Koff!”
Kaor vomited blood with each lift. The knights, startled, quickly dodged the droplets.
As he landed back on the ground, his eyes rolled back, and he kept vomiting.
“Make way!”
Piote rushed in, bursting with divine power. Finally, the priest’s energy within Kaor dissipated, and his wounds began to heal.
Now much more at ease, Kaor slowly raised his hand to inspect it.
“This… isn’t a dream, right? Hehe…”
“No, it’s not a dream. Congratulations!”
At Piote’s words, Kaor kept smiling.
As his stamina began to return, he stood up. There was something he wanted to do once he became a superhuman.
Stumbling, he walked over to Gillian, standing tall and straight.
“Did you see? Huh? I’m a superhuman too. Don’t underestimate me. I can handle anyone, even old men. If any of you wants to challenge me, bring it on.”
His eyes sparkled as he provocatively challenged others, looking every bit the fighting dog.
“…”
Gillian had nothing to say.
After a daring glance, Kaor turned away.
He had anticipated such a reaction. Gillian had always treated him like a clueless chick.
However,
A voice came from behind.
“Congratulations. That was impressive.”
“Eh?”
Kaor turned around, eyes wide in surprise.
Gillian, with a smirk, continued.
“Lord… no, His Grace the Duke will be pleased to hear this.”
Then he patted Kaor on the shoulder as he walked past.
“Alright! The duel’s over, so let’s move out! Everyone, prepare!”
At Gillian’s words, everyone hurriedly formed ranks.
Belinda passed by Kaor, still in a daze, laughing.
“Is this what you wanted? Well, only you can know your own world.”
Elena, dragging a hammer with one hand, gave him a thumbs up.
“That was awesome. Thanks to you… no, anyway, congratulations.”
Claude wore a haughty expression.
“Just because you became a superhuman doesn’t mean you can act out. I’ll deal with you under military law. Anyway, congratulations. It’s a good thing our strength has increased.”
Everyone else also offered Kaor a word of congratulations.
“Sometimes you get days like this.”
“Wow, I thought our commander would never become a superhuman.”
“How lucky to become a superhuman.”
Everyone was envious yet equally thrilled. After all, Kaor becoming a superhuman gave them hope that they too could achieve it.
Except for one person.
“Tsk, how annoying.”
Alfoy was the only one who passed by with a scowl.
Kaor could say nothing. He merely stared blankly at the backs of people passing by.
It was understandable. This was the first time everyone had congratulated him and praised him.
Scratching his head, Kaor turned and pouted.
“Geez….”
It wasn’t bad. It really felt good.
He wanted to experience this feeling more often.
As he kicked the ground, muttering to himself,
“Hmm, now that I’m a superhuman, should I try to live a bit more elegantly?”
A new resolution sprouted within him.
He wanted to live a little differently from before.
But if there was one decision that remained unchanged…
To enjoy today.
He hoped everyone would relish today as well.
*
“Wooahhhh!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Count Bifenbelt’s 1st Legion fiercely attacked the fortress.
Though the 1st Legion had no siege equipment, they had ladders. They were stationed at the very rear, so there was a multitude of supplies.
The cavalry soldiers descended and clung to the ladders. The priests of the Salvation Society went ahead, giving all their strength.
As a result, whenever a skirmish broke out, the allied forces fell like rain.
Despite the allied forces having a larger troop count and being within the fortress, they suffered greater casualties.
“Hold them! We must endure no matter what! Reinforcements will arrive soon!”
Marquis Gideon shouted hoarsely to encourage the soldiers.
However, his leadership had its limits. The allied forces were a conglomerate of troops from various kingdoms.
The longer the fight dragged on, the less coordinated they became. The nobles leading the respective factions often disagreed.
If the opponent had been someone else, they might not have been pushed back this far. However, the difference in capability between Marquis Gideon and Count Bifenbelt was vast.
The only thing keeping them united was their common goal.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Left flank has been breached!”
“Quickly, send out reinforcements!”
“Push them back!”
Despite the enemy lacking siege equipment, the fortress grew precarious after just one day of siege.
Without any superhumans, they couldn’t effectively resist the priests’ area attacks. Even the few catapults were the first to be targeted and destroyed.
As a result, everyone inside the fortress cowered, daring not to step out.
Thanks to the magical strength, the allied forces barely managed to hold out.
Count Bifenbelt frowned as he gazed at the fortress.
“I suppose we might take it by tomorrow.”
Battling against an army of nearly fifty thousand priests was too much. They too needed rest after expending all their energy.
The lack of siege equipment posed a significant issue. The fact that each individual soldier was much stronger than the allied troops allowed them to maintain pressure with just ladders.
As night fell, the Army of Atrode retreated, only to attack even more fiercely the following day.
They needed to capture and fortify the fortress as quickly as possible. It would facilitate joining forces with other legions.
Uncertain of the Duke of Penris’s intentions, this was the best course of action.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
“Ahhhh!”
The fortress was filled with the screams of the allied forces.
With their sheer numbers, they managed to hold out, but even that was quickly dwindling.
Marquis Gideon looked around with a bewildered expression.
“I never expected such a gap.”
While he knew the Army of Atrode was strong, it surpassed his expectations. This vast army was utterly incapable of fighting back.
Even with the absence of superhumans, he never imagined they’d be pushed back this easily.
Boom!
Black energy from the priests slammed against the fortress walls.
Blood poured from Gideon’s eyes.
“Ah… The enemy is far too strong.”
There was no way for him to handle this situation with his capabilities. The opposing side had far too many superhumans.
Even if he were to surrender, they wouldn’t accept it. All that lay ahead was slaughter.
Marquis Gideon pressed his eyelids tightly. He could no longer endure.
Clang!
Drawing his sword, he clenched his teeth.
The allied troops were already a cacophony of disarray. The inter-unit coordination had collapsed under the enemy’s relentless assault.
At this point, command held no meaning. He resolved to fight personally, determined to take down at least one more enemy soldier.
“Yulien, I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”
With a grim determination, he shouted loudly.
“Fight to the end! The enemy won’t spare us! Take down even one more! Our revenge will be handled by others!”
Slashing through, Marquis Gideon charged out to the battlements to cut down the soldiers of the Army of Atrode.
As the legion commander stepped up, the allied forces found a newfound strength. Knowing they would die, their will to struggle on until the end flared.
Count Bifenbelt spoke with an expressionless face.
“It’s over now.”
The gates had already been destroyed by the priests. The allied soldiers had been tightly bound in place, but that wouldn’t hold for long.
In a short while, they would be able to capture the walls as well. Then, the allied forces would have no choice but to face death from all sides.
A priest overseeing the situation from the air noticed Marquis Gideon.
“That guy looks like the legion commander.”
Killing him would make the fight easier. Though there were guard knights around him, the priest was confident he could breach through.
Gathering strength…
The priest readied to strike. He intended to kill swiftly and retreat without hesitation.
Then the allied forces would be plunged into deeper chaos.
“Ah, I can’t wait to see their despairing faces.”
The priest, chuckling, prepared to soar towards the fortress. However, a sudden surge of immense energy made him halt.
“What is this?”
Bang!
A distant explosion was heard.
Everyone was too immersed in battle to notice. Only a few priests observing the battle were aware of it.
Bang!
A flash of light burst through the air. The flashing light approached closer to the fortress.
And just a moment later…
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!
A deafening sound accompanied a golden lightning bolt streaking toward the fortress.
Boom!
The lightning struck right above the fortress. The surrounding soldiers of the Army of Atrode were blown apart without even a scream.
Gathros, recovering energy in the backlines, shot up like a spring, his face contorted with anger.
“That guy!”
Standing where the lightning had struck was a single person. As Marquis Gideon spotted him, his trembling lips parted.
“Y-You are…?”
With a playful smile lingering at the corners of his mouth, Jerome said,
“Let’s hold on just a little longer.”
One of the nicknames he had in his past life was ‘One-Man Army.’
Now it was time to unleash that power.