Chapter 172: Inevitability
On the other side, Krisha and her beasts coordinated with each other more. They controlled the Cliff Shadow Howlers more than Felix and his beasts.
PengPeng would maneuver around the pack, summoning ice wind blades one after another to wound the Cliff Shadow Howlers.
The wounds would also freeze, eventually slowing their movements.
With his ability to sustain mid-air movement, while releasing light snowfall to obscure their vision, the Cliff Shadow Howlers found it difficult to catch him.
At the same time, they would feel confuse who to attack, given that Sparkle was also attracting their attention by his ability to release a chilling howl that broke their concentration.
Several small ice shards from his fur and paws, and a sudden burst of ice energy around his body when the Cliff Shadow Howlers got too close, carried traces of soul-chilling frost.
Instead of simply freezing flesh, the cold infiltrated the Cliff Shadow Howlers’ energy pathways, causing their refined energy to circulate less efficiently.
Not only were Krisha’s beasts almost impossible to touch, but Krisha herself had a defensive layer of chilling energy that was enhanced by her Aura.
Any obsidian claws that threatened to tear through her body were frozen by her Aura alone.
Furthermore, despite carrying a sword only at the Rare rank, her Glacial Pierce technique absolutely destroyed any body of the Cliff Shadow Howlers who were touched by its tip.
In fact, before their bodies were obliterated, once they received the concentrated ice energy, even their minds were frozen instantly, not understanding how they died at all.
It was an absolute massacre on both sides.
Krisha’s beasts slowed down the Cliff Shadow Howlers’ movements and thinking until Krisha obliterated them with her sword.
With her Aura, as long as she was not injured, she was unstoppable.
It was the same for Felix, who continued repositioning from one place to another. With every single step, a limb was decapitated; with every single swing, a life of the Cliff Shadow Howlers was claimed.
For Felix, not only the hysteria of killing motivated him, but the fact that each swing of the sword carried him into enlightenment.
He couldn’t fully recall how he developed the Archer Intent.
But Guide explained.
Now, what "concept" he wanted to incorporate on his sword.
It was even more difficult because he realized that he had not understood Rain.
Ashen was born to annihilate.
Rain was what?
A River? A typical rain?
What does rain do? How was it formed? How does it take the lives of others with its drops?
While he was literally in the middle of the fight, he was distracted by the scene of the grey silhouette figure when he received the Riverborn Technique.
The mountain was seemingly ordinary, filled with lush trees.
But when the rain came and lasted for days, it began to fill the mountain.
Not only were there landslides and floods, but the river was born.
Rain’s concept was born from the raindrops, until she created rivers, and perhaps, the next stage would be summoning a storm.
Felix’s eyes lost their clarity, and he fought with instinct.
Of course, it was not normal for him to achieve this state. For him to swing his swords as though he was just subconsciously swinging his own limbs meant he reached a different realm in the way of the sword...
...
To calm Felix’s parents’ anxiety, Master Shen and Doctor Eleanor finally decided to follow them when they sensed Felix and Krisha’s auras went further away.
They kept their distance, as long as their naked eyes could fully perceive their actions.
They were surprised earlier that Felix and Krisha were standing at the black cliffs and suddenly disturbed a pack of demonic creatures and fought them together.
Master Shen kept his aura dimmed to avoid frightening the demonic creatures, but he was ready to interfere once Felix and Krisha’s lives were in danger.
But the more he observed, the more dumbfounded he was.
Doctor Eleanor was the same. In fact, she was ready to release her Aura and heal Felix and Krisha once they were wounded.
However, not only were they not wounded, they were absolutely crushing the terrestrial apex predators.
Their blood couldn’t even taint the two young individuals.
Doctor Eleanor asked, "Are they really this strong? I understand Felix is strong, but Krisha and her beasts...
Amazing."
Master Shen shook his head. "Even I am surprised. Also, Felix’s understanding of the sword has reached a level that took me years to achieve."
"What is? The Intent?"
"No. His Intent is still being created in the heat of the battle.
I’m talking about the Sword Unity.
Also known as Man and Sword as One.
This is the peak of technical mastery where the sword is no longer a tool, but an extension of the body.
Look at him, he’s currently in the middle of enlightenment, where his mind is in a different realm.
His body is moving on its own and is using the sword as if it’s his limbs.
I believe he can even feel the air around the blade of his sword as if it’s his own skin."
Doctor Eleanor’s eyes widened. She could not fully grasp what Master Shen said but her amazement for Felix’s accomplishment soared.
While they were watching, as time passed, Doctor Eleanor couldn’t help but narrow her eyes and gaze at Felix with confusion.
She asked, "His Aura is being amplified. It’s like being affected by something unknown. Has his Intent already been born?"
Master Shen did not respond.
Curious, she turned around and was startled by his expression.
Master Shen’s eyes sparkled with astonishment, and he was grinning from ear to ear. From his expression, he definitely did not hear her eat at all.
She only smiled and couldn’t help but fall into a daze, staring at Master Shen.
For the first time in a while, Master Shen showed a deep, immense excitement and happiness.
Doctor Eleanor wanted to savor the moment.
As time passed, Master Shen finally snapped from his reverie and finally registered Doctor Eleanor’s question.
He turned towards her and was taken aback by the way she was gazing at him.
Master Shen felt embarrassed and turned his head away, coughing to wake Doctor Eleanor from her stupor.
Doctor Eleanor obviously was still in her right state of mind.
Seeing Master Shen’s reaction, she couldn’t help but chuckle.
Master Shen didn’t want to face her, but she replied to her question.
"Y-Yes." He stammered, compelling him to pause to steady himself. "I was amazed by his Sword Intent.
It’s the same as mine.
Inevitability.
My concept of the sword has been that way for years before my Sword Intent was born.
Ever since I fought many opponents, I just want to finish them in a single move.
A move that inevitably raises their white flags.
That’s how the Mist-Splitting Line sword technique is born."
Doctor Eleanor nodded. "Amazing."
Master Shen nodded.
He still managed to hear her despite how thunderous his heart beat in his ear.
He replied, "Yes, it is. Although we share the same concepts, we still possess our own distinct concepts.
After all, inevitability, by its cause, is broad.
My inevitability is to make them lose balance and surrender.
But his inevitability is to crash his opponents. That’s only what I understand from his Intent.
Although he might have better explanations about it."
Doctor Eleanor nodded.
Still, she could not fully grasp the way of the sword as Master Shen does.
Even so, she was intrigued only because Master Shen was telling her about it.
She said, "So, should we continue observing them? It seems like they can take care of themselves?"
Master Shen nodded. "You don’t have anything to do, right?"
Doctor Eleanor’s eyes widened, as though she realized that a chance to sightsee in their new world was definitely something she should not miss.
She nodded frantically. "It’s boring inside. Might as well be exposed in this new world."
Master Shen smiled and agreed.
Deep down, it was not the desire to sightsee the world that made them stay and observe from afar.
It was to feel the presence of each other when the world was quiet and isolated...
...
One word that struck the most that brought the creation of Intent to Felix.
It was inevitability.
One raindrop meant nothing.
But raindrops meant something.
It was inspired by the quote from the grey silhouette.
"A raindrop is weak alone, but countless raindrops carve stone. So must your body and blade be trained—persistent, flowing, and precise."
The first sentence enlightened him.
For him, the first raindrop was the beginning.
Afterwards was the inevitability.
A single raindrop could summon a river...
Could intensify a storm.
Until it became a sea that drowned the whole world.
That was how powerful rain was.
Thus, the Sword Intent was born.
It was visible from his Aura that made the Cliff Shadow Howlers pause on their tracks.
They were affected by the Sword Intent, especially when they felt like raindrops had begun to pour towards them.
They could not evade rain drops, likewise for Felix’s swords.
It was inevitable.
Unless they could find shelter, Felix’s sword was meant to carve through their own body.
With the emergence of his Sword Intent, it became easier for Felix to slice through them.
Their resistance vanished.
Their hesitation became their ending.
Their predatory instinct made them want to kill Felix, but the latter’s Sword Intent terrified their very being so that they could not move.
As a result, Felix’s massacre ended faster than he anticipated...
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