CHAPTER 28: KILLING THE LEGENDARY RANK BEAR

With a thunderous roar, the Legendary Bear slammed its paws into the ground. Jagged wooden spikes erupted from the soil, shooting toward Cassian like spears.

In response, he only took a single step.

The spikes shattered before even touching him, split apart by an invisible force as Cassian’s sword arm shifted slightly. A faint ripple of golden light flickered along the blade in his hand.

He then used the Fifth Move—The King’s Advance, bursting out a pressure that was so dense that it made the weaker knights tremble from afar even when it wasn’t directed to them.

His presence seemed to expand infinitely, as though the weight of a King’s will had descended upon the battlefield.

Cassian then took a single step forward.

The surroundings responded as the waterfall’s torrent seemed to slow down, and even the bear’s ferocious movement faltered. He then swung his sword once with a swift and unstoppable force.

CLANG!

The bear instinctively raised its forearms, coating them in thick layers of bark-like armor made out of wood as it used its (Wood Armor) skill. Cassian’s sword met it head-on, and the impact unleashed a shockwave that shattered the nearby boulders.

The beast roared in pain as cracks formed along its armor. Green energy flared from its wounds, and roots shot out from the ground as they tried to bind Cassian in place.

But before they could even touch him, Cassian had already vanished from sight.

A streak of silver light appeared behind the bear as Cassian slashed again, then another.

Each one was cleaner and faster than the last, cutting through the beast’s defense as if slicing through air.

The bear turned in fury, smashing its paw down with a roar that echoed across the valley. The attack struck the ground with an immense force, sending out shockwaves that tore through trees and shattered rocks.

But Cassian was no longer there, as his movements were too fast. Each strike carried not just swordsmanship but the momentum of his movements too.

With every exchange, Cassian grew even more untouchable and dominated the fight against the Legendary-ranked Bear.

Meanwhile, not far away from him, Nyxrael faced his own opponent. It was an Epic-ranked bear of a similar species but smaller in size. It still towered over him, roaring with fury as it swung its massive claws.

Nyxrael’s sword met it head-on. The clash sent sparks flying as steel met hardened wood.

"So this is the Fifth Move." He murmured as he stepped back and steadied his stance.

He had seen Cassian perform it once. The essence was clear, as every motion had to carry dominion, and every step had to express absolute control over the battlefield. But executing it was far harder than understanding it.

The bear charged again, slamming its paw down. Nyxrael parried, but his form was off by a sliver of distance.

The force sent him crashing into a tree, and pain rippled through his body.

"Still too shallow." He wiped the blood at the corner of his mouth.

The bear came again, forcing himself up. He raised his sword even though the sword in his hand trembled slightly.

He swung it again, and this time, the blade grazed the bear’s shoulder and left a shallow cut.

However, it was still not enough.

Then, he attacked again and again, trying to grasp the Fifth Move by experiencing it in a time like this. Even after a lot of exchanges in attacks, he was repelled again and again.

Yet with every exchange, his movements grew sharper. The rhythm of Cassian’s technique began to take root in his mind. He no longer swung for the sake of attack but commanded the battlefield, forcing the bear to react to him.

Slowly, the shift occurred.

When the bear roared and lunged, Nyxrael did not dodge. He stepped forward instead.

With a clean and decisive movement, his sword sliced across the bear’s chest and pushed it back.

"I see, so it’s not just the strength... It’s will."

His aura then exploded outward. The ground beneath him cracked, and faint ripples of violet flame flickered along his sword.

He instantly charged forward. This time, his movements carried dominance.

Even though it was still imperfect, his mastery began to take shape as he was now barely at a disadvantage, his strikes now forced the bear to retreat.

Cassian, who was still locked in combat with the Legendary bear, glanced sideways for a moment. A faint smirk tugged on his lips. "He’s improving faster than expected."

The Legendary bear bellowed again, slamming both paws into the earth. Massive roots erupted in a dense forest of spikes, twisting and lunging toward Cassian like living serpents.

Cassian’s aura blazed brighter. Then, with a single upward slash, his sword unleashed a blinding arc of golden energy. The attack tore through the roots effortlessly, splitting the ground and leaving a deep scar through the earth.

He then immediately said, "Watch closely!"

Cassian perceived that Nyxrael had progressed even further and decided to end it now, as he noticed some of the knights had reached their limits and won’t be able to hold on for any longer.

Nyxrael only nodded in response, as he kept fighting the bear in front of him.

Cassian’s blade shimmered brighter, his power rising to its peak. The air around him distorted under the weight of his aura. He advanced once more, each step a declaration of power.

"Now witness what it truly means to advance as a king."

His sword cut through the air, faster than sight.

The Legendary bear barely managed to react before the blade bit deep into its chest, carving a massive gash from shoulder to abdomen. Greenish blood splattered the rocks.

The bear howled in agony as it thrashed wildly, but Cassian didn’t stop.

He then pivoted, his movements flowing seamlessly from attack to attack, with each strike becoming heavier, faster, and deadlier.

The bear’s defenses crumbled completely under the relentless assault. Finally, Cassian’s blade tore across its neck, leaving a deep wound that made the beast stagger.

In that instant, Nyxrael’s entire body surged with violet energy. His eyes burned with resolve as he dashed forward at an extremely fast speed while covering his sword with violet-black flames as he used his (Netherclad Slash) skill.

He swung his blade in a single, swift motion. A crescent wave of violet-black energy burst forth, cutting through the air. The slash struck cleanly through the Legendary bear’s neck.

For a brief moment, everything went silent.

Then, the massive creature’s head slid from its shoulders. Its enormous body collapsed with a thunderous crash that shook the ground.

Silence fell across the battlefield.

Nyxrael landed softly, his sword still glowing faintly as the black flames slowly dissipated. He exhaled deeply and nodded at Cassian, who looked at him with a smile.

At this moment, Cassian’s face instantly turned solemn as he tilted his head toward the north.

"This aura..." He murmured to himself and instantly became serious. "We’ll end this as quickly as possible."

"There’s a Transcendent Rank Beast approaching here slowly." Cassian said with a heavy tone.