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As Allen's gaze swept over the "diving masks", the assassins charging from beneath the broken bridge unleashed a storm of blade strikes, raining down on him like a downpour.
The sword winds lashed against his face, whipping his hair back.
Yet his hand merely rested on the hilt at his waist.
This was not the stance of Lightning Flash—the Sword of Light.
The Sword of Light had an inherent flaw that could not be overcome by technique alone.
—It demanded absolute bodily stability and perfect form.
The comparison wasn't perfect, but it was somewhat like the "dry-firing jump shot" Allen had struggled to master in his past life—or the way one might "fire off a shot" during… personal time.
It wasn't just about arm strength. Every muscle in the body had to synchronize—legs, core, torso—working as one to channel touki through the flesh, condensing it into a single, explosive release.
That was the Sword of Light.
And because of this, there was always a delay between strikes. Much like how "firing off shots" came in bursts rather than a steady stream.
The Desire Style of the Water God Sword School, however, relied on mental control over touki—akin to the difference between "watching something stimulating" versus "going in dry." The former was far more potent, far more forceful. Desire, in essence, acted as a mental enhancer, tightening the bond between "strength" and "touki", allowing sword intent to erupt with overwhelming ferocity.
This was also why the Sword God Style excelled in the "Bed God Style." The core principles were the same. (This was referenced in the original work's "Eris the Pile Driver" arc—I'm not making this up.)
But Allen had no "bed"—no, no ground—to brace against. So, naturally, he couldn't execute the Sword of Light.
Thus—
"Wait for me."
The instant the words left his lips—click!
His blade left its sheath.
"Twentyfold Slash!"
The North God Style's combat-oriented secret technique—"Twentyfold Slash", unused since mastering the Sword of Light—flashed from his waist.
A crescent of steel cut through the dawn, shattering the incoming blades mid-air. Unstoppable, it continued toward the assassins' throats!
BANG!
Yet it was extinguished mid-flight—blocked by another blade.
The counter came from a small, hovering figure—Vie Taa.
For a brief moment, their eyes met.
Vie Taa wore a triumphant smirk.
Allen stared back, expressionless.
The clash of gazes ignited a storm of killing intent.
Then—
SPLASH!
The river swallowed them whole.
Water rushed into Allen's ears, pressing against his eardrums.
Bubbles, rubble, silhouettes—all dyed a murky blue, blurred and distorted. The crisp feedback of wind and steel vanished, replaced by muffled silence.
With sight and hearing obstructed, his Flow Sense severed upon entering this new "environment."
Still, Allen lashed out with another Twentyfold Slash, aiming for Vie Taa's last position.
But this time, the technique faltered.
The water's resistance, the falling debris—everything disrupted the "fixed trajectory" honed through relentless training.
SHIIING!
Bubbles split before him as two blades carved white trails through the water, colliding!
Allen's sword was parried—firmly held in place by Vie Taa's.
Though Vie Taa's strikes were also slowed, as a self-taught North King, he had never mastered the Sword of Light, Flow Sense, or Twentyfold Slash—meaning the water hindered him far less.
Now, Allen's only remaining advantages were his physical prowess and superior touki quality.
But unfortunately—
The assassins had planned for this.
The diving masks eliminated their adjustment period underwater. And Vie Taa was a strong swimmer.
Allen's edge was eroded in moments.
Now, it came down to who had more tricks up their sleeve.
And the answer was obvious.
A shadow—lithe as a fish—darted from behind Vie Taa!
Coiling around Allen's blade like a serpent!
Allen's brow lifted, releasing a stream of bubbles. Activating Flow Movement, he twisted through the water, dodging the incoming blades. His left hand, sheathed in touki, shot toward the chain—
But before he could strike—
The blue-green murk faded before his sharpened vision.
His own reflection stared back—frozen in the water, his face etched with an expression he hadn't worn in months: shock.
Instantly, Allen aborted his attack, hurling himself backward with a burst of touki!
CRACK!
A tremor rippled through the water.
His arm locked in place, encased in ice. The river around him turned crystalline.
Intermediate Magic—Ice Pillar!
The realization struck him—
The "diving masks" weren't just for swordplay.
They allowed underwater incantations.
The moment the thought formed—
STING!
His skin prickled as the currents shifted.
The Dragon Saint's Core in his abdomen contracted violently!
Touki, fueled by desire, surged to his waist!
BOOM!
A Water Cannon—amplified by the surrounding liquid—erupted against his side, shattering the ice encasing his arm!
His blade was wrenched away by Vie Taa.
The explosion of ice and water sent Allen tumbling backward, his body rolling helplessly through the depths.
The assassins clinging to the bridge's submerged pillars greeted him with raised blades.
Behind their masks, their lips curled into feral grins.
Killing intent solidified—steel glinting before his eyes.
And from behind—
New threats emerged.
Without turning, Allen sensed them:
Vie Taa's blade, slicing toward the back of his skull.
A Saint-tier Magic—Ice Lance, piercing toward his spine.
The trap was sealed.
At this moment—
Gurgle.
A bubble escaped Allen's lips.
His eyes shut, his mouth curved.
He "watched" the blades before him, "felt" the death creeping from behind.
And smiled.
"The planning is impeccable. The ambush is flawlessly timed. Right now, even if I defend against the front, the rear will finish me."
"Beautiful."
"But—"
The water's flow brushed against him, whispering its secrets.
Even underwater, adaptation took only an instant.
"Kids… you're still too slow."
"My Flow Sense isn't some half-baked amateur's trick."
His perception expanded, the world around him slowing to a crawl.
Gurgle.
The bubble he had exhaled hovered before him.
He pressed his palms together.
The water between them compressed violently, spiraling outward in a shockwave!
"Dragon Saint. Touki."
"Explode."
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