Chapter 1306: Rebirth
The good thing about the Ice-Petals of the Frozen Lotus was the fact that its freezing effect permeated everything.
The Magical Monsters wanted to pounce the now vulnerable Rebornian army. With the flames gone, they could easily breach through the bulwark and reach those weak humans and make them into supper.
However, the frost reached them too. Their movements slowed, with the cold making their bodies shiver uncontrollably.
The only reason they hadn’t frozen to death was their natural defenses as a creature at the same level as a Nascent Spirit cultivator.
Meanwhile, Michael looked at his soldiers with an earnest look.
They struggled. Freezing, they could hardly even raise their swords. And even when they tried to conjure up flames, the frost would immediately snuff out any warmth that they created.
Soon, their feet began to freeze. Their complexion, turning entirely blue.
Gone were their thoughts of camaraderie, of unity, of friendship. The frost took them all.
Now, the only thing left was their self-preservation. They wanted to live. They wanted to get out of this place!
This was their ’death’.
The death of their own perception of loyalty. Many may think themselves loyal, like these Rebornians. They’d sworn oaths to the Rebornian kingdom, as well as to their comrades and army itself.
However, when faced with death, they would all choose their own lives instead of others.
This was the very reason why they haven’t broken through the progress needed for the Eternal Flame Sword Style.
And it was the reason why Caliburn wanted the Ice-petals.
By ’killing’ the army, he let them confront their own weaknesses, their own fears and doubts right in front of them.
Now, they were given a chance.
Were they going to give up and settle into the death of their loyalty? Or would they fight to live on?
And the answer came from the sounds they heard behind them.
Strange beats echoed off from the cavern walls. BU TO TO... RAH TA TA...
These voices seemed like phantoms, like ghosts that had come to haunt them. Anyone who heard it would feel as if they had ventured into a haunted palace of some sort.
But for the Rebornian army, this was home. The rhythmic beats of the Shadow Orcs had reminded them of what they were fighting for. They reminded them of what Reborn was truly about.
And suddenly, a soldier in the middle of the army erupted in a fire.
This time, it wasn’t just his sword that was lit up with a flame. It was his entire being, his entire body and soul!
And then soon after that, the next soldier found himself engulfed in a fire. And then, more followed after.
It was like a chain reaction. The breakthrough of each soldier had motivated the other soldiers into finally accepting their choice to live!
"REBORN! REBORN! REBORN!"
Their chants made anyone watching them from afar feel shivers in their body. Their hairs would stand on ends.
Suddenly, their fire began to overpower the frost. The layer of ice on the cavern walls quickly melted into dew. And it didn’t take long after that for the moisture to be burned up into gas.
The Bulwark was rejuvenated with their new fire. Bolder, more fiery, more reddish with just a hint of gold.
"HAHAHAHAHA! THEY DID IT!"
Watching this, Caliburn couldn’t help but feel proud. He’d watched these soldiers go from a bumbling group of infants, to now becoming a proper army who was able to achieve a good mastery of the Eternal Flame sword style.
This was the essence! The Phoenix couldn’t bring out their full power unless they experienced death!
"Now show them!" Caliburn shouted. "Show them the third form!"
With fire now billowing in their eyes, the Rebornian soldiers all turned to the Magical Monsters with determined looks on their faces.
They stomped their feet, creating reverberations in the ground. They swung their sword, billowing out the fire formed in the Bulwark.
Fire continued to gather, until a new figure emerged from atop the wall.
A humanoid figure with the head of an eagle. Feathers made up his armor, making him look like some sort of ancient, mythical warrior who had worshipped the Phoenix.
He raised his hand, showing a trident in his grip.
"Third Form! Herald of the Phoenix!"
The Phoenix warrior raised his trident before thrusting it towards the Magical Monsters.
Power exploded out of the tips of his trident, creating a vortex of fire that consumed the horde of Magical Monsters in its way.
These creatures could utter no cry nor moan as they were subjected to the hellish fire of the Phoenix. Their strength may be equal to that of a Nascent Spirit cultivator, but that didn’t mean that they had the defense of one. Without Nascent Armor, these creatures were easily burned into ashes.
A few seconds later, the fire subsided. The Rebornian army stood proudly, their fire still raging on their bodies.
They had done Michael and the Lionhearts proud. They had done the Eternal Flame sword style justice.
Watching this, both Levi and Theresa were at a loss for words. Reborn was a force to be reckoned with. Their impeccable coordination had allowed the Eternal Flame Sword Style to flourish at its best. They doubted their own soldiers could do that even if they were taught the same sword style.
Everyone was so enamored with what they’d just witnessed that they didn’t see a figure coming from the opposite wall, rushing towards the Rebornian army.
This figure clad in robes emanated danger. His feed far surpassed even that of the magical monsters.
He was a Nascent Spirit cultivator, through and through.
And now, he was gunning for the Rebornian army, rushing towards them with no intention of stopping. He was there for the kill.
Levi and Theresa started. They both looked at each other, recognizing those robes.
"ERSATZ!" they screamed out.
But it was too late. The Nascent Spirit cultivator shed off his robes, revealing beautiful, ornament Nascent Armor underneath.
His axe cleaved through the entire Rebornian army.