Chapter 67: 20 seconds exchange

‘In a fight, what do you wield? The sword? No, if you wield the sword aimlessly without controlling it, then you are not the one wielding the sword but the sword is wielding you.

‘Then if that is the case, to avoid getting wielding by the sword do you wield the body and let the sword flow along with you? NO, the body is merely the vessel and a vessel cannot move unless you make use of it. If you let the body wield your whole being then you are nothing but an automated doll, no worse than a beast.

‘The correct answer is both and at the same time not. You wield the body and extend your senses to the sword, wield the sword as if it is your limb thus controlling the sword and the body at the same time. What you must wield is something that will guide the movement of the vessel and the weapon and that’s the mind! ind the crux of not only your own but also! Understand and move, only then will you find yourself on top of a thousand battlefield.’

This is the long lecture of Neun to Colt. For the past one and a half months he had been in this world, Colt had been thinking of these vague words.

He had read about the concept of turning the body to a weapon but he has yet, to let the body act before the mind, but he had not heard of Neun’s words.

His words were a mixture of vagueness and simplicity, and Colt simply could not see through their simplistic meaning because he’s too caught up seeing through the complication of his words.

What he needs to do is simple, he only needs to look at his enemy’s everything. The mind controls the body and the body controls the mind; it is good to have a strong body but it is not good to have a tunnel vision.

Colt’s eyes had never been this opened before.

‘Look at the big picture see their injuries, their faces are twisted from both my actions their minds are rattled and their bodies are battered. I can move, my body is sharper than I had ever been, the more my numbness grow the weaker I become, but the weaker I become and the sharper my sword will be.

‘My opponents are innately stronger; I am but a cub that had just grown its fangs before a fully-grown tiger. But a cub that had just grown its fangs is still better than a fangless tiger, a rabid dog can kill a man, I too can kill you guys.’

The assassins were all taken aback, but Colt was calm amidst the chaos. He looked at the situation and his mind began to work faster than it had ever did before.

‘There are three people still alive before me. Mina is on the ground unable to move, my sword is too sharp in this state and I can’t properly control my swing as I only have one arm and I have nothing to use to support it. To the left there is another, and in front of me is the one who took my arm. They are stronger than me, far-far stronger, but they are severely injured and all of us are mortals. They too shoulder pain and fatigue. ’

Colt analyzed the situation faster than he thought possible. He can feel his mind becoming lighter, and the lighter it gotten the slower the world became.

The white line on his forehead began to shine, even more, he was utilizing the power of mark. The mark is not only used to protect him from illusions, it lets his mind become free from strain.

At this moment, when his body is at its breaking, and his mind is functioning at its highest possible output.

So, he took another step forward and made a wild wide swing.

The other two jumped backward leaving Mina’s side. Pivoting his leg, Colt turned his body to the left in order and dash forward as fast as he could towards the retreating Rank-5 assassin and as he drew near towards him, he swung his blade to the left where the man held the dagger.

Clang!

‘I blocked it I just need to..what the?’

The sword was met, but it didn’t for Colt’s sword is sharp enough to pass through those flimsy daggers of his. Colt could have made his move to the right but he didn’t for the broken right wrist may be sacrificed.

He decided to move towards the left, the non-dominant hand held the weapon meaning he can only show at most a third of his strength and because he’s too injured now, he can no longer clad his weapon with aura.

But Colt was different, with his flow smoother than ever before, his sword was sharp and even if he wields the aura that mainly increases his flexibility and sneaking ability, his aura still strengthens the body and against an enemy that had been damaged far too much, Colt can easily cut through such weapon.

And beyond the weapon lies the flesh!

The man met eyes with Colt and his last words were, “Please..no.”

“..All of us are mortals.” An uncharacteristic answer that the assassin could not understand.

Slash! Another one had fallen.

Colt moved and grabbed the dagger, he turned his head and looked at the last assassin who had already straightened himself. He held no knife, but his fist was clenched. His right leg is stepping forward the right is behind.

‘Is he a pugilist?’

Colt could tell that his air had changed he had given him the chance to regain his stance. But that didn’t matter. Colt could see it, the path that will lead him to survive this predicament.

However, the assassin also came prepared to meet him back, “Come! Do you think you’re a hero? Screaming like that to prove your worth!? You are nothing but a pampered brat!”

He taunted him to come forth, but those are his emotions.

Lukas, that was his name. A pugilist who obeys someone weaker than him. His fist was his weapon but was made to use a dagger, his two companions had been slain, and yet he still lives.

He hates people of higher rank; they are blessed with social status and money from when they are young. They do not know the struggles of life, the struggles they must go through in order to live.

‘I can’t die here; I need to continue living and earn money..I have my own responsibilities to take care of.’

As he thought of this, an image of two people flashed right before his eyes!

“You bastard never got to struggle. You’re nothing but..a spoiled brat!”

The assassin screamed aloud and Colt responded. Holding his sword tightly, he kicked the ground another time and gained enough momentum to reach the one before him in one go!

He too roared aloud, but then; the assassin threw a green pendant at Colt. The pendant exploded with light and a Rhino appeared. With its horn pointed at Colt, it was poised to skewer and then trample over his body together with Mina.

‘Got you.’

It was a foolproof plan. The assassin may be injured but his beast wasn’t anyone would hesitate right about now, but Colt didn’t stop nor did he try to. The assassin was before him, it was merely beyond the roaring beast, and if he can’t take care of it another would..

“Ruaaaa!” The Rhino’s roar echoed, and the assassin celebrated, but another roar pierced everyone’s ears!

“NYA!”

A white cat jumped from the side. The Rhino was several times bigger than the cat, it was like a kid against a truck but as the Lord touched the Rhino’s body the beast suddenly lost its defensive strength and the Lord exploded with power!

Boom!

The Rhino was hammered on the body and was sent flying away! The assassin’s eyes widened as he saw a tiny creature tank his beast, but he can’t give up so he held his hands up, he looked forward and tried meeting Colt with his trained fist.

He knew what would happen but he kept at it.

Colt looked at him with pitying eyes yet he brandished his sword without fail and as he swung his sword it turned to a slithering snake and then two arms were cut off!historical

“AAAAHHRRRR!”

He fell to his knees as the blood on both arms stopped. Colt looked down upon him and kicked him right in the temple rendering him unconscious.

“I’ll keep you alive. You only had so much reserve and you used it to call upon your beast? Sadly, that Hail Mary attempt to kill me didn’t work.” He spoke to the unconscious assassin; he drew in a sharp breath of air as he hurriedly turned back to where Mina was.

As Colt looked at Mina, he hesitated to touch her body as he saw the injuries she had sustained. His tears began to fall as Colt felt the need to apologize but as his tears fell, he felt Mina touch his cheeks.

She was still numbed all over but she managed to force herself to touch Colt.

She then mouthed off, “Thank you.” And then smiled.

Colt also smiled as he nodded his head. He momentarily closed his eyes as he held Mina’s hands before lifting her from behind with one hand and wrapping Mina’s hands around his neck, he carried her with ease.

He began descending the mountain with Mina on hand. With him were two cats, the Lord was dragging the body of the Rank-6 assassin and the other was carrying Colt’s sword.

The cat already reported what happened at the foot of the mountain and as Colt carried Mina, his glare grew even sharper.

At the bottom of the mountain, there remained three humans of the twenty and the four cats fought to keep these numbed humans alive.

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