MTLNOVEL Chapter 105: 105 Companion
It was a weathered man, his unkempt hair tied into a high ponytail that swayed loosely behind him in the gentle breeze of the sunset.
At his waist hung a massive katana nearly as tall as himself, and tucked into the front of his chest was a shakuhachi flute.
Noticing someone watching him, the man slowly turned his head, a faint smile curling at the corner of his lips. Then, a fierce wind swept through.
This!
As the gale blew past, Ais's vision blurred. The man before her gradually morphed into the shape of the monster she was battling. The monster's fist was already hurtling toward her, aimed straight at her!
No, I can't dodge this!
Ais hastily prepared to evade, but the monster was too fast. In her current state, it was impossible to escape in time!
"Listen to the wind's lament."
The voice of the weathered man echoed again. Suddenly, the wind that had disappeared returned, swirling around Ais. She felt her body grow lighter once more.
Swish!
A sharp whooshing sound cut through the air. The monster's fist stopped about 20 centimeters from Ais's face. In front of its fist, a white arc of wind circled around Ais, blocking the attack.
This!
Ais stared in astonishment at the arc in front of her. To Altair and Lefiya, it appeared as nothing more than a simple arc, but Ais could clearly see it: her entire body was surrounded by such arcs. She could feel them distinctly... this was wind.
Unlike the wind conjured by her magic, these winds bore no trace of magical energy. Yet she knew instinctively that they were wind. These winds formed a protective shield around her, guarding her!
The monster, surprised that its attack had been blocked, didn't stop its onslaught. When its first punch failed, it immediately launched two more, one aimed high and the other low. These punches could shatter boulders!
Boom!
The sound of air bursting echoed. The winds surrounding Ais shattered, and a shockwave rippled outward from her as the center. The wind shield had been broken.
"Roar!"
Triumphant, the monster spun and launched a roundhouse kick, its massive foot swinging directly at Ais's head. Its target was clear... it was aiming for her face again!
Ais hurriedly dodged, and as she moved, the voice echoed in her ears once more.
"Stride with the swift winds."
This time, a gentler breeze enveloped her, closer to her body than the arcs before. Ais felt even lighter than before. Following her instincts, she pressed lightly against the ground and slid smoothly away, narrowly avoiding the monster's strike.
The monster's attack landed on the ground, missing her completely. Enraged, it stomped the ground with its powerful legs and dropped to all fours, charging at Ais with terrifying speed.
Landing softly after her slide, Ais steadied herself and watched the approaching monster. Her brows furrowed as she searched for a way to kill this beast.
"The road is long, but my blade is my only companion."
A sword?
Ais glanced down at her weapon. The blade was now encircled by a faint breeze, a sensation unlike the wind imbued by her usual magic. It felt as though the sword itself had extended in length.
This feeling... it might just work!
Steadying herself, Ais faced the charging monster. Instead of retreating, she advanced, sliding effortlessly across the ground toward the creature. Her movement was even faster than when she had retreated moments earlier.
As they were about to collide, Ais struck without hesitation.
Like before, the monster twisted its body just as the blade was about to land, trying to dodge the attack with the same trick.
But this time, though it evaded the direct cut, a long gash appeared on its body nonetheless.
The searing pain from the wound on its abdomen caused the monster to contort midair, its body twisting unnaturally. As they passed each other, Ais landed gracefully while the monster crashed to the ground.
She was right... her sword had indeed extended! Though the monster was strong, the current her was even stronger!
On the sidelines, Lefiya and Altair both watched with wide eyes. Lefiya was astonished to see Ais reactivating magic. The power of wind surrounding her looked, to Lefiya, unmistakably magical.
Altair, however, saw things differently. This wasn't magic... this was pure wind manipulation. That retreat and advance maneuver? They resembled Step Back Slash and Step Forward Slash. That thrust? It was practically Steel Tempest.
His earlier comment, spoken with a touch of jest, had somehow come true. He could hardly believe it. This ability was beyond logic... it was both a weapon of causality and a hero-creation system in one!
Incredible.
Altair held back from making another remark, wanting to see what Ais would do next. Would she unleash that move?
On the battlefield, the monster rose from the ground, ignoring the pain, and charged at Ais again. This time, Ais decisively executed another Step Forward Slash. A maneuver without cooldowns... highly effective!
The monster, however, contorted midair in an astonishing display of flexibility, performing a midair rotation and unleashing a powerful double-leg spinning kick. Its unorthodox combat style was pushed to the extreme.
Caught off guard by the unexpected move, Ais couldn't evade in time.
But the monster's spinning attack was stopped by a white arc... it was her shield! Ais's passive wind shield had refreshed with her movement!
Surprised but undeterred, Ais quickly followed up with a second thrust.
Swish...
The monster, momentarily stunned by its blocked attack, was struck in the shoulder by Ais's blade. The pain made it roar in fury as it violently twisted its body to hurl Ais away.
This time, however, Ais landed effortlessly, as light as a feather, unharmed.
"The momentum of this blade grows fiercer with every strike!"
A low hum echoed as a vortex of wind enveloped Ais. She glanced at her sword, feeling an intense certainty. Her next strike could cut the air itself!
Locking eyes with the enraged monster, her gaze brimmed with confidence.
"ROAR!"
The monster, enraged by the repeated attacks, charged at her with bloodshot eyes. Releasing its grip on its wounded shoulder, it sprinted on three limbs before leaping at Ais.
This time, Ais stood her ground. She sheathed her sword and closed her eyes, the vortex around her growing ever larger.
"Ais! Miss Ais!"
Lefiya screamed in panic, while Altair leaned forward, eyes wide with anticipation. He had to know... would she truly execute that move?
"People always run into my blade."
At the very last moment... when the monster was just two meters away and mid-leap... Ais opened her eyes. In one fluid motion, she drew her sword and swung it in the air.
A massive tornado erupted from her position, surging forward and engulfing the monster entirely, hurling it through the air and carrying it far away.
The tornado devastated the dungeon as it tore through, leaving destruction in its wake.
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
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