[Check Out My P4treon For +50 Extra Chapters On All My Fanfics!! And get chapters before publishing them here for free on my p4treon][patreon.com/roaverse]
===
This situation was unlike the organized bounty hunt orchestrated by the assassin guild beneath the inn, yet the circumstances were strikingly similar.
Back then, the Water King had clung to Allen using Water God Style techniques, intercepting his Light Katana once and then continuously using his movements and sword-force to prevent Allen from unleashing it. The moment Allen adjusted his stance and prepared to strike, the Water King would intercept again, a relentless cycle.
He was creating openings for the other assassins.
But now, Vita had meticulously planned Allen's plunge into the river, using this element to transform the battlefield into an environment where the Light Katana was useless. In the instant Allen hit the water, his senses were stripped away, and the blade was torn from his grasp.
It was a more detailed and far more lethal plan than the Water King's hasty attempt.
This time, Allen's weakening was more thorough, and Vita himself could carry out subsequent attacks.
This was the essence of the North God Style – Maverick Faction. Why did so many North God Style Kings seem to have weak raw power? Because their King titles were bestowed by North God II, who horizontally compared their strength to Kings of other styles, granting the titles based on equivalency.
"My disciples' strength shouldn't be worthy of a King title? Sir, don't joke with me. You see, though their raw power hasn't reached the level of other style Kings, they're clever. They know how to weaken their opponents. In doing so, they gain the power to contend with Kings."
"They can kill Sword Kings and Water Kings."
"So why can't they be granted the King title?"
"They are, indeed, the 'Kings' of my North God Style Maverick Faction."
Normally, that's how it would be.
The North God Style, with its foresight in anticipating enemies and setting up ambushes, truly had something special.
However.
North God II, Alex Raiback, had said other things as well.
"You're very talented, kid. Come join my North God Style."
"Though I entrusted the heroic name of North God to Alex [North God III, North God II's son, the lowest of the Seven Great Powers], he doesn't quite agree with the path I've taken. He even wrote to me, believing I've betrayed the North God Style. But what he doesn't understand is that relying too heavily on external objects will ultimately be nothing more than a mirage."
"How about it? I'll teach you. You, tell him."
"What the true essence of the North God Style is."
"Well?"
How much truth and how much falsehood lay in these common words used to recruit disciples, perhaps only North God II himself truly knew.
But there was no doubt.
Vita had never received such praise.
And Allen, in a similar situation during the inn manager's bounty assassination last night, had massacred the assassins in just two minutes and thirty-one seconds.
What about this time?
No blade in hand?
Trapped underwater, unable to unleash the Light Katana?
It didn't matter.
Means were sometimes just not needed.
It didn't mean Allen didn't possess them.
Intelligence, information asymmetry, anticipating the enemy, feigning weakness – Allen was well-versed in such tactics. This, after all, was personally acknowledged by North God II, the foremost figure of your Maverick Faction.
Why did he always kill with the power of a lion hunting a rabbit, leaving heads rolling, blood flowing, and corpses strewn everywhere, a truly gruesome sight, using the ultimate Light Katana?
Was he truly unafraid of leaving traces at the scene?
He was not.
Because these were precisely the traces Allen intentionally left behind.
Named "Deception."
Purposefully constructed by the now uncrowned North King.
—Information asymmetry.
Underwater! Countless blades pierced the water, incredibly close! The magic and sword aura from behind felt like daggers in his back!
Allen simply extended his hands and brought his palms together.
Dragon-named battle aura clashed and exploded in Allen's palms!
Could Dragon Saint Battle Aura pierce Dragon Saint Battle Aura?
The answer was no!
Then...
Boom!
A tremendous water pressure exploded beneath the broken bridge! Like an underwater ripple, it pushed away all attacks from both in front and behind!
Blades recoiled, ice spears shattered, and sword aura fragmented into shimmering dust!
A visible wave in the water formed a hollow sphere around Allen, pushing the surrounding attacks several meters away.
The assassins, Vita, and the King-level mages all stumbled in the water.
Allen, however, remained steadily suspended in place, using the Flow Ougi to transfer his Dragon Saint Battle Aura.
However, the current from the exploding battle aura couldn't truly harm them. This scene of 'dying struggle' inflamed everyone's fury.
"Stubborn resistance! We still have the first wave of attacks to deliver! Die, you brat!"
The figures underwater flipped over, regrouped, and resumed their attacks, thrusting their blades towards Allen!
The inaudible incantations of hidden killing magic continued to resound!
Vita grinned, raising his wrist, ready to unleash more sword aura!
At that instant.
Their figures suddenly 'stilled.'
Reflected in dark gray eyes.
The owner of those eyes closed them.
And so, the cerulean ripples faded from his eyes.
Replaced, instead, by pure darkness.
Then, a sudden burst of light!
Centered on Allen, pure white, like water, rapidly spread beneath his feet! It instantly swept outward, encompassing a ten-meter radius.
It formed a hollow, 'white sphere' existing within consciousness.
At the 'white sphere's' core, Allen floated silently.
His body was still, but his lightning-fast thoughts surged and receded with the unseen currents of water:
'Sense Flow – Concentrate all five senses, perceive all feedback from the environment, and judge everything around. Often used to detect attack intentions.'
'Thought Flow – Focus the mind on the act of slashing itself, delivering the blade the instant information indicates a 'change.' Often used for perfect stationary defense.'
'Fuse these two Ougi together.'
'Perceive information, information changes, deliver sword aura, sever variables.'
'Speed – The twenty-four strikes, now fully honed, replacing Reida's accompanying high-speed slashes.'
'Strength – The crescent moon sword aura, condensed from refined Dragon Saint Battle Aura, replacing Reida's sharp sword aura unleashed by the Golden Sword.'
Allen opened his 'eyes.'
Looking at a pristine 'realm.'
His thoughts whispered, issuing an invitation.
'Move, you rats.'
The moment his thoughts ceased, within the intensely rapid thought process and the 'slowed' Sense Flow perception, ripples appeared in the pure white space, outlining the moving figures of the assassins in the water, and, of course, the body owners with their flowing magic.
Layer upon layer.
Bloom upon bloom.
Count: 33!
'Oh? Two more stragglers outside the ten-meter radius?'
'No matter.'
'It's only a matter of time.'
A smile spread across Allen's lips.
He extended his hand, using his palm as a blade.
And brought it down, striking in front of him.
'Deprivation.'
Under the immense strain, blood burst from his arm! And layer upon layer, countless illusory twenty-four slashes interlocked in front of his body and in the water!
'Sword Realm.'
Suddenly, they unified!
At the same time, Allen opened his eyes!
His deep gray eyes were incredibly bright in the water!
In his vision, thirty-two flowers bloomed in the water.
Shoulders! Arms! Legs!
Blood! Organs! Bones!
Piece by piece!
Clump by clump!
In the water, struck only by sword aura, they began to dance.
In the rapidly rising blood mist, the assassins who had luckily stayed beyond the ten-meter range survived, but the residual sword aura shattered their diving masks. They froze for a moment, then quickly turned and swam towards Ariel's ship.
A white streak shot out from the edge of the blood mist; Vita's figure darted away like a fish, fleeing in disarray.
He looked back.
And met Allen's gaze.
Light and shadow swirled.
Then, and now. Aboard the floating vessel.
The morning glow replaced the cerulean water.
The hand blade, suspended in the air, no longer had the support of the depleted Dragon Saint Battle Aura.
But the raised stance of the Deprivation Sword Realm, in Vita's eyes, was perfectly clear.
The first time, underwater, it instantly extinguished the ambition that had flared within him.
The second time, on the ship, it instantly quenched his desire for revenge.
Ssssshhh!
Water sprayed violently in front of Allen!
Allen stepped onto Vita's blade.
The morning light fell on Allen's face, and he smiled serenely, casually raising his arm, even though his Dragon Saint Battle Aura was completely spent.
But this didn't stop him from wanting to kill the only surviving rat before him.
After all, this time, his opponent had been 'disarmed' by him.
And Vita's face, still wet, was bloodless, only a murmur on his lips.
Murmuring.
"You can't... you can't kill me, I'm a disciple of His Majesty, North God II, this was a joint..."
"Joint..."
Vita's eyes widened in fury.
He was gently lifted by one hand and dangled at Allen's side.
Allen took a deep breath, turned, and walked towards the bow of the ship.
His head swayed, and the wind harmonized with his lazy voice.
"You can't kill me~ I'm a cadre of the Night Lion Bandit Group~"
"You can't kill me~ I'm the favored disciple of His Majesty, North God II~"
"You can't kill me~ I was assigned by the First Prince~"
"Tch."
Crack! Allen stomped and shattered the mast at the bow of the ship!
He raised his hand, presenting Vita's head to the rising sun.
Without a word, both riverbanks erupted!
The cheers of the people were deafening.
Allen simply turned to look at the west side of Flowing Falls City.
Mountains, draped in the fire of dawn, blocked his westward gaze.
Asura, it was on the other side of those mountains.
The wind caressed Allen's cheek.
And a smile spread.
"The Royal Capital."
"It's time to leave my mark there too."
===
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 345 on my patreon, go check it out
https://p4treon.com/roaverse
if you want more updates == supports with power stones
Every 20 Power Stones==Bonus Chapter