Chương 196: War of Flags VIII
At the break of dawn the next day, we set our plan into motion to bring down Frostspire Academy.
Ren and Jin had already led their units ahead on their scouting mission, while Ian and Rachel stayed back at our base with their units and Rose. The task of assaulting Frostspire fell to Lucifer, Seraphina, Cecilia, and me, along with the princesses' units—a total of thirty-four students against Frostspire's one hundred.
On paper, it seemed like an unfair fight, but that wasn't how it would play out. Frostspire Academy had no High Silver-rankers; their strongest fighter, a water spearman, had barely reached Mid Silver-rank. To be honest, bringing this level of force was overkill. But the goal wasn't to fight fair; it was to deal with them swiftly and efficiently, without draining too much of our own strength.
"Lucifer, we should charge in first," I suggested as we stood at the edge of a cliff, overlooking the snow-covered buildings of Frostspire Academy's makeshift camp. "We're the only ones at Integration-rank here. The rest can follow after we've broken their defenses."
Lucifer nodded, his golden hair catching the early sunlight as he summoned his longsword, its sharp edge gleaming in the cold air. I could feel the shift in the mana around him as he activated his Gift, a subtle force that sent a prickling sensation across my skin.
The sigils on my arm flared to life—Luna's power awakening within me. Her presence stirred in the back of my mind, a comforting, familiar weight.
'So, you're finally going to fight,' Luna's voice echoed in my thoughts, a hint of amusement in her tone.
I grinned. It had been a while since I had tapped into her full power.
But I reached deeper, not just into Luna's will, but into something else—something that had become uniquely mine.
Soul Resonance.
The bond between Luna and me thrummed through my body, deeper than before. It wasn't just her strength I was borrowing; it was her very essence, entwined with my own.
'I can access three of her abilities now,' I realized, feeling the rush of power flow through me. As I reached Integration-rank, I could now access more of her powers through qilinification that I got from Soul Resonance. Alongside Soul Vision—which gave me heightened awareness of the battlefield—and Mythic Body—which reinforced my physical form to handle immense mana loads—I sensed a new ability stirring deep within the bond.
Astral Manifestation.
It was a power far beyond anything I could currently use. It hinted at the ability to shape aura into something close to astral energy, a form that was closer to astral energy than aura. For now, it was just a spark, a distant potential. I couldn't activate it fully, not yet—I was much too far from the Wall.
Still, knowing I had access to such power sent a thrill through me. Even if I couldn't use Astral Manifestation now, the mere fact that it existed meant I was on the right path.
I landed silently beside Lucifer, my sword already humming with aura. His eyes flicked toward me, his own power swirling in controlled chaos. We exchanged a brief look before setting our sights on the Frostspire Academy camp ahead.
"Let's go," Lucifer said, his voice a quiet command before he launched himself into the air, a burst of wind spiraling at his feet. The raw force sent snow and frost scattering in every direction as he shot forward.
I followed close behind, my muscles coiled with energy as I used both my natural agility and mana augmentation to propel myself upward. The cold air rushed past me, but I barely noticed. My senses were sharp—Soul Vision in perfect sync with Lucent Harmony, heightening my perception beyond normal limits. I could feel everything around me, every shift in the wind, every flicker of mana from the Frostspire students below.
It was almost too easy to locate the flag, the fabric fluttering faintly in the distance. It stood atop a small tower in the heart of the Frostspire camp, guarded by hastily formed barriers of ice and earth magic. But their defences were weak, hastily constructed, and it was clear that they hadn't expected a full frontal assault from Mythos Academy.
"Straight ahead," I murmured to Lucifer, not that he needed me to tell him. He was already adjusting his path, cutting through the air with the precision of a sword stroke.
The Frostspire students were beginning to realize something was wrong, shouts of alarm rising from their camp as they spotted us hurtling toward them. Panic flickered across their faces as they scrambled to respond, spears from various elements forming in the hands of their mages, water and wind swirling defensively around their strongest fighters while some wrapped themselves in flame and lightning aura . But it was too late. The gap in power was too vast.
Lucifer landed first, a wave of wind exploding outward from his descent, knocking back the closest group of Frostspire defenders. His sword was already in his hand, the blade gleaming as he swept through the air in a single, fluid motion. Mana surged through his form as he activated his Gift, and the surrounding air crackled with the power of his yin-yang energy.
I landed beside him, my senses attuned to every movement around me. Frostspire's students had no time to regroup. I lunged forward, my sword glowing with the pale light of Lucent Harmony as I struck down one of their water users before he could summon a proper defense. The battle had begun.
"Secure the flag," Lucifer called, his voice calm despite the chaos around us. His sword flashed as he parried an incoming attack, sending the Frostspire student stumbling backward.
I nodded, already moving toward the tower. The flag was within reach, but we had to keep the pressure on. Their defences were collapsing, but we couldn't let up now.
My senses flared as another group of students rushed toward me, spears of lightning flying through the air. I deflected them easily, my sword moving in perfect rhythm with my enhanced reflexes. The air around me shimmered with mana as I pushed forward, every strike precise, every motion calculated.
Lucifer was right behind me, cutting down anyone who dared to stand in our way.
"Almost there," I muttered under my breath, the flag growing closer with every step.
I could feel the mana thrumming beneath my skin, the raw power of it coiling in my core as I prepared for the next move. Frostspire Academy's defences were crumbling, but their numbers were still significant. If we wanted to end this swiftly, we had to clear the path entirely.
Time to step things up.
I raised my free hand, gathering mana into my palm as I prepared a six-circle spell. The Frostspire students were regrouping, their magic flaring up defensively, but I wasn't going to give them the chance to strike.
"Six-Circle Spell: Tempest Blaze," I muttered, feeling the energy surge through my veins as the spell took form. A swirling torrent of wind and fire burst from my hand, sweeping across the battlefield like a storm unleashed. The defenses of the Frostspire mages shattered on impact, the fire from my spell melting their barriers, while the fierce wind sent them sprawling back.
The wave of students in front of me fell, their defenses too weak to withstand the power of a six-circle spell. Some cried out in shock, others in desperation, but none could stop the force that crashed through their ranks.
I pressed forward, the glowing flag just ahead. The Frostspire Academy banner fluttered in the cold breeze, its icy-blue color almost mocking in its fragility. I could feel my heart racing, but my mind was calm, my focus entirely on the goal.
"Arthur, now!" Lucifer's voice cut through the air as he dispatched the last of the students in his path. He was holding off the final wave of defenders, clearing the way for me to finish this.
With one final burst of speed, I reached the flag. The shimmering aura of protection that surrounded it flickered for a moment before my sword sliced through it like paper. I grabbed the flag, feeling the cold fabric beneath my fingertips.
"Flag secured," I said with a smirk, pulling the banner from its post.
Behind me, the remaining Frostspire students hesitated, eyes wide with disbelief. The battle was over before they'd even fully understood what hit them.
Lucifer approached, his sword resting casually on his shoulder, though his eyes remained sharp. "Good work. Let's regroup with the others and prepare for the next move."
I nodded, my grip tightening on the flag. The first victory was ours, but this was only the beginning.
The war was far from over.
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