<h4>Chapter 143 </h4>


    If focused against one adversary, Leonard’s Mount Tai Crushing Strike would kill or at the very least critically injure them. However, the three knights would share the impact and only suffer light internal injuries.


    Just as Leonard was preparing his next move, there was an unexpected intervention.


    “Graaaah!!”


    With a roar, Hugo swung his greatsword upward from a low stance, daring to meet Leonard''s Mount Tai Crushing Strike head-on. As he used his Dragon Blood traits to the limit, his muscles threatened to burst through his armor.


    Upward swings were inherently weaker against downward swings, but Hugo didn’t hesitate at all.


    <i>Kaboom—!</i>


    A shockwave erupted, sending all fivebatants reeling back.


    “Gah!”


    It was only Hugo that failed to remain on his feet, coughing up blood as he was flung several meters away. The Dragon Blood did not render him invincible, and the price for attempting to block an ultimate move like the Mount Tai Crushing Strike head-on was bound to be steep. If anything, it was a miracle he hadn’t sustained any damage to his bones or tendons.


    “Controlling multiple swords remotely...?”


    “Is he simr to Blue Dragon Commander Grace?”


    “No, it’s slightly different. Rather than transforming objects into swords, it looks like his technique allows him to handle multiple swords from the get-go.”


    Even though theirrade was down, the three knights remained focused on Leonard, exchanging impressions without looking back.


    In actualbat, an injured person was often a greater liability than a dead one, asrades would be distracted or vulnerable while tending to the wounded. However, the White Dragon knights disyed high-level teamwork, reacting coldly as if they had no sense of camaraderie.


    “It doesn’t seem like a unique trait... He’s a man of many talents.”


    Isaac, without waiting for a reply, released a white mist around himself. It was his unique trait.


    With the odds now three-to-one, they decided to stop holding back. J and Grady advanced, blocking Leonard’s path. They formed a triangr formation with the base extended forward.


    As Leonard was looking for an opening, J was the first to move, elerating to maximum speed without any preparatory moves—certainly her unique trait.


    She then suddenly descended in a low glide, akin to a bird of prey. Not even Leonard’s keen eyes could follow her movement. Her dual swords danced in an erratic yet captivating manner, showcasing a mastery different from the variation swordsmanship of Fabian, themander of the Order of the Fledgling Dragon.


    <i>It’s closer to an illusion dance than martial arts.</i>


    But unlike illusions or hallucinations, J’s sword dance wasn’t about deceiving the senses; it was simply too dazzling to follow. Rapid eleration, sudden stops, and abrupt turns—her techniques transcended normalbat moves, surging at an unpredictable momentum.


    As Leonard deflected the strikes from all directions and kept Grady at bay, he lifted his sword.


    Five Elements Style


    ck Tortoise Seventh Form: Ice Shell Barrier


    J’s unpredictable sword dance was truly indecipherable, but the power behind it wasn’t anything outstanding. Leonard could ward it off with his augmented protective qi and neutralize J’s offensive entirely.


    The barrier of augmented energy, akin to a turtle’s shell, engulfed J, trapping her inside and leaving her bewildered.


    <i>To break the Ice Shell Barrier, you’d need someone with Hugo or Grady’s attack power.</i>


    Her mastery over the concept of inertia was impressive, but J’sbat strength wascking.


    <i>ng!</i>


    As Leonard restrained J, Grady’s thrust aimed for his blind spot. Leonard parried it effortlessly, but then instantly sensed something was off.


    Grady’s thrust was fast, but it wasn’t the speed itself that had increased; rather, the time from the initiation to the execution of the technique seemed to have beenpressed. Unlike Heaven’s Annihtion, which was instantaneous, Grady’s technique seemed to interfere with the motion itself, almost like it was distorting or shortening it.


    “... Pration?”


    “...!”


    Grady’s reaction gave it away.


    “It’s pration, huh.”


    Leonard was now certain, having received confirmation from Grady’s physiological response.


    “Hah, I feel stupid for falling for a kid’s mind game,” Gradymented as he kept swinging his rapier. “Since my trump card has been revealed, I’ll go all out now. Regr defense won’t cut it, so don’t lower your guard or you might get seriously hurt.”


    Unlike J’s Inertia Control, Grady’s unique trait, Pration, was deadly—a single mistake could mean serious injury or death. The fact that Grady willingly warned Leonard about it meant he was done holding back.


    The tip of Grady’s rapier seemed to dissolve into the air.


    <i>Kling!</i>


    Leonard narrowly evaded the thrust, losing only a few strands of hair. He had no time to recover as Grady unleashed a series of follow-up strikes.


    Leonard wasn’t certain about the range of<i> </i>Pration, but it seemed to extend at least several dozen meters.


    “Care to y with me too?”


    Isaac suddenly pounced, locking des with Leonard and executing a foot-trap technique. The timing of the switch was wless, using Grady’s unique trait for a coordinated strike.


    Being momentarily immobilized, Leonard would be an easy target for Grady’s thrusts, which could transcend space. However, he spun around, using Isaac as a shield to obstruct Grady’s view. His strategy worked, revealing which points Grady was targeting and his attack patterns.


    <i>Just like J, he’s not exactly proficient in using his unique trait.</i>


    Unlike the unstoppable and unavoidable Heaven’s Annihtion, Grady’s enhanced thrusts, although formidable with their extended range and speed, were not insurmountable.


    Five Elements Style, Two Divinities


    East Azure Dragon and West White Tiger


    Crazy Wind Swift Lightning


    Retrieving the swords he had dropped when using the Ending Massacre of the North Gate, Leonard assumed a dual-wield stance, ready to unleash a technique.


    Isaac’s de-locking technique was only effective against single-de users. Leonard channeled the White Tiger Qi into the de interlocked with Isaac’s and the Azure Dragon Qi into his free de, unleashing a devastatingbination of fast and heavy strikes from two directions.


    Not even amander could withstand this storm of swift and thunderous blows.


    “Ugh...!”


    Isaac, with his augmented energy shield split by Leonard’s de, staggered back after receiving a shallow cut, his uniform now stained crimson. Grady tried to cover him with a thrust that pierced through space.


    Five Elements Sword Qi


    Twin Thunder Swords’ Flight


    However, Leonard anticipated the thrust’s point of origin using his Dragon Eyes and intercepted it with his flying sword. The repelling force surged through space, causing Grady to drop his weapon.


    The power of Grady’s Pration couldn’t push through Leonard''s Thunder Swords due to its unconventional countermeasure. Who would have thought it was possible to not only evade a space-piercing thrust but also intercept it beforehand?


    <i>I’ll need to finish off at least one of them properly.</i>


    Although Leonard had managed to trap Jane within the Ice Shell Barrier, it would take more than that to suppress a Transcendence Tier knight. Moreover, even though Hugo had been crippled by the Mount Tai Crushing Strike, suffering internal injuries from it, he wasn’t entirely out of the fight. Both he and J could rejoin the fight at any moment, so it was better for Leonard to neutralize the threat posed by Grady’s Pration.


    Five Elements Style, One Sword Style


    White Tiger Extra Form


    Just as Leonard was about to use Sword Maniption instead of flying swords to disable Grady, he was hit by an eerie sensation, faster than his senses could perceive. Abandoning his attempt to deal with Grady, he leaped back, just in time to avoid the Heavy Pressure that mmed into where he had been standing.


    <i>Boom! Boom! Boom!</i>


    The ground caved in, sending tremors throughout the entire battleground. Even a Transcendent would have been immobilized if hit directly by that pressure. It reminded Leonard of the killing move used by the banneret knight Bradley on Gpagos Ind. This wasn’t pressure released by a sword; rather, it was a technique based on a unique trait.


    “Ugh! Cough!”


    Having pushed himself to the limit, Hugo coughed up blood again and copsed. His unique trait—the ability to restrain enemies from a distance—was rather peculiar for his appearance, which suggested a preference for closebat.


    <i>Crack!</i>


    Before Leonard could fully collect his thoughts, J broke through the Ice Shell Barrier.


    “You dare trap me!”


    Although the Ice Shell Barrier was difficult to break without a single powerful strike, it wasn''t impossible. J had shed it hundreds of times to escape, her fury evident as she brandished her dual swords.


    A killing move wasing.


    “Tsk, this is embarrassing. I never imagined a day woulde when I’d drop my sword.”


    Grady, having recovered thanks to Hugo’s intervention, lowered his center of gravity, preparing for a huge attack. It was painfully obvious that he nned tounch a coordinated attack with J.


    Leonard quickly scanned for Isaac, who had vanished once again. The Third Captain masked his presence with his mist-like trait, making it difficult to track his movements. Even the stealth techniques of the Waning Moon Fleeting Art were no match; that was how profound Isaac’s unique trait was.


    Despite being in a dangerous situation, Leonard smiled broadly.


    <i>No, the stage is set perfectly.</i>


    Facing three Transcendence Tier knights who were using their unique traits and ultimate moves alone, Leonard would prove his unmatched skill if he managed to turn this around and win. The recent shes had helped him refine the framework of the Eastern God Style, and this was a great debut stage for him to use it first-hand.


    “Do you surrender?”


    Isaac’s voice drifted in from somewhere, but Leonard shook his head, raising his two swords in response. The knights, having given him onest chance, charged forward.


    Leading the attack, J unleashed her trump card.


    Song de


    Sonata of Steel


    Prestissimo[1]


    Her sword elerated beyond its limits, appearing to split into multiple des. It was merely an illusion, a trick to the eye caused by the tremendous speed and rapid changes. The deadly move unleashed over a hundred shes in an instant.


    sh de


    Compared to J’s shy moves, Grady’s thrust was simple and direct. He focused all his energy on his de,pressing his Aura de into a strike that could prate anything. Targeting Leonard’s thigh instead of vital points like his heart or forehead, it was a do-or-die move.


    <i>Here theye.</i>


    Leonard’s vision, elerated a thousandfold, had already turned monochrome. He saw J’s twin swords and Grady’s rapier, just inches away from him.


    <i>Where is Isaac?</i>


    Among the three, Isaac posed the greatest threat with his unique trait that Leonard had yet to figure out. Leonard pushed his Dragon Eyes to its limit, trying to locate Isaac.


    However, Isaac’s unique ability manifested faster than Leonard could spot him.


    <i>Sshhhrk...</i>


    A mist crept around Leonard, drifting at a normal speed despite his elerated perception. It appeared from nowhere, engulfing him before he could react. Although it didn’t exert a physical force, this mist couldn’t be shaken off by iling around or swinging one’s sword.


    Recognizing the nature of this threat, Leonard tensed up.


    <i>Is this a heart sword?!</i>


    The hazy flow made it clear. It was a heart sword, usually invisible and intangible, on the verge of manifesting.


    “I will ask you onest time. Do you surrender?”


    If Isaac materialized the heart sword, Leonard would be torn apart. Although Isaac probably didn’t intend to kill him, resisting any further would only make him look pitiful.


    Knowing he had to act now or face certain defeat, Leonard remained confident in his victory. A half-second dy in recognizing the mist would have led to his downfall, but he was prepared for it.


    One Origin Five Elements Sword Art


    Eastern God Style


    Authority Nullification Technique


    Rightful Return


    Leonard unleashed a mental martial art. The concept, aligned with the Azure Dragon, responded immediately and elevated his power to the Demigod Tier. This unique trait was meant solely to counter other unique traits.


    As Leonard unleashed Rightful Return, the illusion of an Azure Dragon wrapped around him, releasing a deafening roar that didn’t echo in the physical realm.


    <i>Rooooooar—!!</i>


    As the roar that nullified all malice resonated, Leonard’s Rightful Return drew a vertical line down the world. Though it didn’t possess any physical destructive power, the spectacle left Demian wide-eyed, standing up in awe.


    Leonard’s technique was astonishing even for those in the Demigod Tier.


    “Arghhhh!”


    J, executing her Prestissimo, suddenly copsed. As her Inertia Control waned, she failed to control her own speed and power. Before she could get back up, a sword flew toward her, its de hovering over her neck.


    “Huh?”


    Grady, who had also failed tond his sh de, was equally bewildered. A flying sword had closed in on his vital point, leaving him speechless.


    “...Hah.”


    Isaac, whose heart sword had vanished, also let out a dryugh, feeling an unexpected sense of defeat. He couldn’t help it. The sword at his throat was one thing, but the real blow was having his ultimate technique nullified.


    Leonard, who had neutralized the techniques of all three opponents with his flying swords while using Rightful Return, exhaled deeply. “Whew...”


    The exertion had taken more out of him than expected. Without his Dragon Heart, he might have copsed right there—proof that the Eastern God Style was still iplete in both form and concept.


    “I win.”


    Still, Leonard, having defeated all four Transcendence Tier knights, including the incapacitated Hugo, proudly dered his victory.


    A rising star was born, a prodigy who had just taken down four Transcendence Tier knights by himself.


    1. Prestissimo is Italian for “very quick”. It is also the name of a song by Beethoven. ?


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