After talking with Mea, we got down to business.
After leaving the city walls, we went to test the newly acquired ability "Transformation into the God of Swords." Although we have scheduled another sparring with Mea this afternoon, it looks like it will have to be rescheduled.
Although Mea asked if she could attend the Convert to Sword God check instead of canceled sparring, of course, no one knew what might have happened. So Quina was against it.
But Mea continued to resist, and Quina had to use her crown grip on her. No doubt that would have pacified anyone. I would say that such a reception has a place on the battlefield. Although I was not able to discern all the movements exactly, it seems to have consisted of a leg grab that had already shown itself in combat and some sort of suffocation.
In general, having somehow shaken off Mea, we immediately went to the plain not far from the capital. I didn’t feel anybody’s presence in the area. Not only me, but also the Urusi did not find a single soul.
– Is Fran ready? I asked.
– Yeah. Master, are you brave too?
– Yes. I started self-repairing and instant regeneration to the full.
This should somehow resist the loss of strength. I think that for a few seconds I will definitely be enough … In any case, we planned to activate the skill for only a few seconds.
– Let's go.
– Forward! Come on!
– Activation of the form of the God of swords.
– Ooooooooooooooooooooooo!
What is it! I felt an incredible strength awakening in me. Right, waking up. In contrast to how it usually happens, the power seemed to rise from somewhere inside me, and did not flow into me from Fran.
The feeling was as if I was suddenly caught in the rain. But that was not all. It became surprisingly difficult to control myself, and I could not stabilize in any way. While I would not say that I am not yet seasoned enough or experienced enough in the use of power, but since this is the first time I am accepting power from someone else, I was not sure if I could handle it.
However, there was a feeling that this power was mine. She was ready to overwhelm not only Fran, but me as well. If the two of us can manage her, then, probably, we will be capable of anything.
There was not a shadow of evil in this power. On the contrary, it felt like the power of Divine support. I have only seen something like this in my life. I remember that Kiara's dying attack, "Claw of the God of Black Lightning" felt like this.
However, unlike Kiara back then, this power was significantly more savage and brutal. I tried my best to pacify this power raging in my blade. Does the Beast King somehow manage to control this power? Truly, I don't seem to have seen all the S-grade adventurers are capable of yet.
Fran paused the skill the next moment. At the same time, the power swirling in my blade disappeared. As I thought, you cannot be prepared for this.
– Fran, are you okay?
– Uh-huh …
Despite her answer, I saw beads of sweat beading on Fran's forehead. Her shoulders heaved up and down strongly, and her condition was unmistakably tired. In the next moment, we were seized by an incredible breakdown.
We gave all our strength to control this skill, and it was worth stopping its action, as we were completely deprived of these powers. It will be difficult to get used to this.
“Fran, can you… can't you again?
– Sorry.
“Don't worry, it's not your fault.
Just a few seconds of using Transformation to God of Swords lowered Fran's magical energy to zero. For just one application. We didn't fight, didn't even move, and still so exhausted. As Mea said, it's unlikely to use this skill for long periods of time. Even the Beast King is limited to 10 seconds.
– Teacher, how are you?
– I think our safe limit is now 5 seconds.
During the "Transformation into the God of Swords" incredible power awakened in me. And it looks like a Divine element. However, my toughness was depleting at an amazing rate.
This thing is probably even more dangerous than Unleashing potential. In just one second, the strength has decreased by more than a thousand. And not even a single blow was made, Fran just held me in her arms. In ten seconds, I will surely turn into a heap of scrap metal.
– Let's rest a little and try again. Let's try to hit this time?
– Uh-huh!
An hour has passed.
Fran, having regained her strength with potions, again prepared to activate the Transformation into the God of Swords.
“Actually, I don’t know how much longer I can take,” I said.
– Are you all right?
“I’ll survive a few seconds.
Fran looked at me with a worried face. But she had reason to worry. The damage that "Transformation into the God of Swords" inflicted on me could not be immediately restored with the skill of instant regeneration. Just like before Aristea repaired me, I could only recover gradually.
Apparently Becoming a God of Swords overloads the weapon so seriously. In addition, it seemed to me that one of the reasons for such difficulties was the Divine element and its dominance over other elements. Perhaps this can be compared to how the regeneration slows down in slug monsters under the influence of fire. It took me an hour to fully recover.
In battle, you must use the Transformation to the God of Swords with extreme caution. I do not want to return to Aristea again in the same killed state.
– So, ready?
– Uh-huh!
This time we strike. Previously, I used earth magic to create five boulders 10 meters in diameter.
– Go?
– Come on!
– Becoming a God of Swords!
Go, go, go! Again! This feeling! Wild power has awakened in my blade, and swirls like a cruel whirlpool.
– Fran! Let me take over the taming of power! I myself will fully focus on controlling it!
– Uh-huh!
Fran, nodding slightly to me, stepped forward. And at that moment, something changed dramatically. Hmm? What? Is it really Fran? Outwardly, she remained the same, but seemed to have turned into a different person, a terribly strange feeling. Without further ado, I looked up at Fran. However, her gaze was directed forward.
Taking a step forward, Fran swung me downward, chopping the cobblestone into two even halves. And she repeated it five times.
And that's all. Nothing fancy, a standard forward slash.
However, during this blow, I felt something like cold. Although I shouldn't have felt it, being a sword, I felt like a chill ran down my spine.
I felt such goosebumps watching the ideal movements of a genius player in some sports manga, when his comrades celebrate how perfectly he honed the basics. Something like that. I don’t know if this can be called what I just felt.
I have mastered the Royal Sword Art. In a battle with a fighter of a higher level, I can lose to him in combat experience, status numbers, in skills. But where I will definitely prevail is in pure sword technique.
But seeing Fran's movements now, I realized that I would lose to her. It was painfully obvious. Isn't the “Royal Sword Art” and the “Sacred Sword Art” that came before – not the highest level?
Seeing Fran’s movements gave me exactly that impression. Until now, I had relied entirely on my sword art, but now I felt like I couldn’t do anything.
Even though I own the Royal Art of Sword, the gap between us was clearly felt. If I were a normal swordsman, I would have no idea how you can strike so quickly and accurately. But, I … we knew that.
Something sleeping inside Fran helped her make this simple but ingenious blow. It also pointed the way on the harsh path of the God of Swords, on the path of endless training and endless improvement of sword techniques.
After Fran scattered "Becoming the God of Swords" and the Divine element was removed, I could feel the old Fran again.
Without a word, Fran stood stunned in one place. Her breathing was ragged, and she looked at me in her hand, not even paying attention to the cobblestones that were cut so smoothly, as if they were made of butter, and cut them with a hot knife.
– What … Now it was …
“I don’t know,” I said.
Those exciting seconds now seemed like a dream. But judging by our general surprise and fatigue, these few seconds actually happened.
This is what self-empowerment is along with weapon empowerment. In words, this skill sounds simple. But the actual degree of amplification is truly extraordinary. Without strengthening her body, and surpassing even the "Royal" swordsmanship, without any skills, she cut these cobblestones.
– Is this skill a gift from the God of Swords? Incredible.
– Uh-huh …
Is this a strong skill? Undoubtedly. But we didn't feel a drop of joy. Only one regret. I even felt ashamed that I had thought so much about my possession of the sword.
– We will train more.
– Uh-huh!
Suddenly I understood. Could it be that the skill "Transformation into the God of Swords" is designed to teach a lesson to those who are too proud to receive "Royal Sword Mastery" and to show the difference between them and God himself?
