Chapter 511: Siege on Yongtein: Breakthrough (18)
Boom! As trees, rocks, and dirt rained down from the heavens, the survivors dropped to their knees out of fear. This was not a battle anymore. This was practically divine intervention! Similarly, the Imperial Sentinels were almost blown off their feet from the resulting shockwaves, as a huge gust of wind tore over them. The force was that immense! Not to mention, there was the resulting debris that they had to avoid. Any stray rock or branch packed enough energy to impale someone. They went pale. Although they had seen these spells used on the battlefield earlier, to witness it up close like this… it was a sobering experience. That type of indiscriminate power should not be allowed to exist! Thankfully, as Elizabeth planned, those spells had detonated deep in their backlines, meaning they, who were at the frontlines, avoided the bulk of the damage. Nevertheless, Sentinel Feng was furious because the Alzar Kingdom did not get away unharmed. Elizabeth had willingly sacrificed her people to attack the Imperial Council!
He roared, "You crazy bitch! Are you trying to kill us all?"
To make such a cold-hearted decision was outside of his expectations. This changed everything. One of the reasons why they decided to attack aggressively was to reduce the distance between their opponents, and thus make it harder for the Arcanists to retaliate. This was one of the key weaknesses of Arcania after all: its power was great, but often indiscriminate. At close range, it was hardly a threat. Not to mention, Elizabeth was well-known to be overly soft and compassionate. She would never choose to sacrifice her own people because it would violate her principles. This 'compassion' was what enabled Sentinel Feng to fight to his heart's content without worry. However, if Elizabeth had chosen to ignore the consequences… if she had really gone crazy and self-destructive, then every assumption went out the window. This did not bode well for anyone!
His thoughts were cut short when Benedict and Shirley charged through the dust with thunderous steps. They attacked him together, hoping to eliminate this Perception Realm Expert before everyone else recovered. Their speeds were already immense from their martial techniques, but Elizabeth had mixed in her Formless Step too, elevating it to another level. This was the beauty of enhancement and enchantment-type spells. Their low interference strength meant the surrounding 'dead zone' had little effect on them! They arrived less than a beat later and struck out, except Sentinel Feng had instinctively jumped back. He did not miss the dangerous sensations their weapons gave off. Every part of his body warned him not to let them touch him! And his suspicions were proven correct when Benedict and Shirley's weapons struck the ground. Boom! The ground was instantly obliterated under their wake, hinting at the deceptively destructive power behind their blows. Their martial techniques were further elevated by Elizabeth's Wind Edge!
As he retreated, he quickly raised his sword. Bang! A shadow slammed into him from a blind spot, sending sparks everywhere. The force was great enough to push him back! He was shocked, because this was not a person, but a glaive thrown by none other than Sir Winstin. Unbelievably, the Royal Guard had predicted his escape route, and pre-emptively threw his glaive to intercept the sentinel. That level of combat awareness was absurd! Furthermore… Sentinel Feng grunted. Due to his earlier injuries from fighting the Royal Guards, he could not use his left arm anymore. That halved his strength. He could not fully block the blow! At the last second, he forcefully redirected the glaive's momentum away at the cost of breaking his posture. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Benedict and Shirley saw, and they did not miss it. Moon Flash! Energy Acceleration! The two promptly accelerated and caught up to Sentinel Feng.
Cloud Sea Style: Soaring Current! Benedict unleashed a ferocious upward cut that created an illusion of roaring ocean waves flying to the heavens! It looked so vivid that Sentinel Feng could almost feel water drenching his clothes. Now that Benedict advanced into Perception Realm, his martial techniques were finally beginning to manifest in the outside world. The true power of the Cloud Sea Style was starting to rear its head! However, like Freon, he needed time to consolidate his advancement. He was unable to display his full power. Nevertheless, the majestic martial technique sliced through the air, showing terrifying force, as it approached the Imperial Sentinel.
The man despaired. He was a Perception Realm Expert, one of the top experts in the world. To stand where he was, he needed to accumulate a vast wealth of combat experiences, filled with both bitter trials and hardships. One could say that he had seen it all… except Marital Energy broke every rule he knew. It was basically unfair! Although he raised his sword in defense, he knew it was futile. Benedict's technique tore through his sword with ease. Whoosh! His sword, right arm, and shoulder were removed in one clean strike as blood violently spewed out. Shirley did not hesitate to land the final blow. This was her last mercy to her enemies. Her halberd swung in a wide arc, as the grim light of execution shone. Sentinel Feng closed his eyes and then… It was over!
Meanwhile, Sentinel Kong and Mao were elsewhere. They were separated from Sentinel Feng due to the Ten Dawns' spells, and almost got caught up in the explosions themselves. They, too, did not expected Elizabeth to pull off such a crazy, suicidal move. They underestimated her. Releasing their Martial Perception, the sentinels carefully scanned their surroundings to regain their bearings. When they finally found Sentinel Feng, it was already over. Shirley's halberd chopped through his neck and sent his head flying! Sentinel Feng was dead! Naturally, Sentinel Kong and Mao were shocked. Benedict might be a Perception Realm Novice and Shirley a Half-Perception Realm, but Sentinel Feng was a bona fide Perception Realm Expert! That was a difference of three to four minor Realms! It was like a child toppling an adult! The two sentinels could not believe it, despite the proof before them.
Of course, it was not like Benedict and Shirley managed it alone. Sentinel Feng had previously exhausted himself in a high intensity battle against four Royal Guards. Although he displayed overwhelming skill, to the point where he could suppress them alone, his stamina had a fundamental limit. This was why a recovery method was so powerful. It could extend the fighting potential of a warrior many times over, akin to gaining a second life. Elizabeth and Freon then turned things around with their supporting spells, allowing the Royal Guards to land a crucial blow. He lost his two swords and gained a broken arm. As a dual-wielding swordsman, this was a heavy loss. Finally, Benedict, Shirley, and Sir Winstin cornered him at his weakest. Against two people using Martial Energy, enhanced by Magic Energy, and a Perception Realm Master waiting to strike nearby, too many factors added up, which made it impossible for him to survive. His death was practically fated. That said, the simple fact was that Benedict and Shirley did manage to land the final blow. They had killed a Perception Realm Expert!
"Charge through!" Elizabeth immediately yelled. Her heart ached from using large-scale tactical spells here, but she knew it was the lesser of the two evils. Indecision would have only made things much worse. At least, there was a chance this way! She promised she would apologize later.
The Royal Guards, Grand Knights, and remaining soldiers heard her call and began to funnel into the opening. Most of the enemies were too disoriented from the Ten Dawns' spells and could not rebuild their formations in time. They were being trampled on! On the other hand, those that did regroup did it with far too little people. They struggled in vain. In the blink of an eye, the tides had changed, and the kingdom became the aggressor. On the frontlines, Benedict and Shirley displayed their monstrous abilities as entire groups fell with a single slash. It was honestly ridiculous how casually they outperformed thirty or fifty soldiers at once. Nothing could stop them! Even Sir Winstin and the Royal Guards were dumbfounded. This was the true splendor of Martial Energy displayed in all its glory. Those without it could never hope to resist! Before long, the kingdom shattered the council's formation and escaped the siege. Sentinel Kong and Mao were forced to retreat!
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone