At the rear of the battlefield, Duke Velmora stood alongside three others, observing the flow of combat without showing even the slightest hint of panic. Their distance from the clash was relatively safe, but that did not mean they were beyond danger. Flashes of aura and sparks from colliding steel were still clearly visible from where they stood.
Beside the Duke, Vaelor and Nyra sharpened every one of their senses. Hearing, sight, and aura perception were pushed to their limits. Their fingers remained tense, ready to draw and swing their blades the instant the situation worsened.
Moments earlier, Duke Velmora had been awakened by the Knight Commander with a concise report that went straight to the heart of the issue. A group of dangerous unknown individuals had approached and deliberately cut off the carriage route. There had been no unnecessary explanation. No panic.
Without wasting a second, Duke Velmora delivered her response along with a firm order. Every single intruder was to be eliminated without exception.
White Taigan.
The forest they were currently crossing served as a shortcut toward Marquis Frostwyn's territory. This route had been used by the rulers of Velmora since earlier generations, long before Elisvaria's era. It was never a path free of risk. Old accounts spoke of savage beasts and hidden threats lurking behind snow-covered trees.
But those were stories of the past.
Under the command of the previous Duke, Marquis Frostwyn had cleared this area extensively. Wild animals and dangerous creatures had been driven deeper into the heart of the frozen forest, kept far away from the road commonly used by noble convoys.
Merchants and other nobles frequently chose this route to save time or to avoid passing through certain territories when traveling to or from Marquis Frostwyn. Elisvaria herself had long grown accustomed to the possibility of ambushes in places like this.
Only one thing was different this time.
The number of enemies attempting, once again, to take her life.
During the past two years as ruler of the north, she had endured multiple assassination attempts and kidnapping schemes. Ironic. A regional ruler known for her cold decisiveness had become a repeated target.
Her gaze hardened toward the front.
"I should step in."
"A terrible joke, Elisvaria."
Vaelor and Nyra turned at the same time. Whenever that man addressed Duke Velmora by her given name alone, both of them felt a trace of discomfort. No honorific. No formality.
For Sasuke, such rules carried little weight. He did not care for rigid court language in front of nobility. His memories as Eric from the modern world still clung firmly to him. He disliked expressions that felt stiff and distant, as if built to create unnecessary barriers between people.
That habit had been deeply ingrained in his previous life.
The Duke appeared slightly puzzled by his response.
"Is something wrong?"
"Your clothes."
Elisvaria glanced down briefly, then understood.
"Ah. Thank you for the reminder, Sasuke."
Sasuke offered no further reaction. His attention returned to the battlefield, where aura explosions and the sharp clang of steel were becoming more frequent.
Elisvaria immediately turned and entered her private compartment inside the carriage. The elegant gown she had been wearing was removed and replaced with a knight-style combat outfit, streamlined and flexible enough for swift movement.
Vaelor observed the brief exchange before finally speaking.
"Sir Sasuke, based on your assessment, how will this battle end?"
Sasuke cast him a short glance.
"You die."
"Are you insane!!!"
Nyra's shout burst out without restraint. She glared sharply at Sasuke, her face filled with open irritation.
"You are wishing for my death here? Is this part of your plan? I have been suspicious of you from the beginning!"
"Nyra, calm yourself first."
Vaelor's hand gripped her arm in an attempt to restrain her rising temper. From the beginning, he had known that Nyra disliked Sasuke's presence at the Duke's side. She had tolerated it only out of respect for Her Grace's decision.
But those words had ignited her completely.
"What do you mean, Vaelor?!"
"Did you not hear clearly? He just said we would all die!"
"That is precisely why you need to steady yourself. His meaning may be different."
Nyra shot Vaelor a sharp look. She felt betrayed. The man who had once shown her consistent attention now appeared to be defending Sasuke instead of standing with her.
She forcefully pulled her arm away.
"Let go!"
"I refuse."
"You...!"
Sasuke exhaled quietly at the sight of their argument. From the start, he had no interest in responding to Nyra's hostility. There was no benefit in debating someone who had already made her dislike obvious.
If I must judge the outcome of this battle, my answer remains unchanged. None of this convoy will survive if I simply remain silent and do not intervene.
He continued in a steady tone.
"You are already surrounded from multiple directions. Beyond being outnumbered, additional killers are still hiding and observing. They are waiting for the knights to reach exhaustion before making their move."
Nyra remained visibly displeased, her emotions far from settled.
"And how would you know that?"
Sasuke did not provide a lengthy explanation.
"Look ahead."
Both of them instinctively focused on the battlefield. Vaelor sharpened his perception. He had sensed killing intent from several directions earlier, but doubt had crossed his mind, wondering whether it might only be creatures native to the forest.
More of them?
The newly appearing group was clearly not ordinary bandits. Their killing intent was stronger, and the aura pressure they emitted was controlled and deliberate. They were different from the initial wave that had clashed with the knights.
Most likely professional mercenaries or unaffiliated aura practitioners with considerable experience.
Vaelor's brief contemplation was interrupted by the sound of a knight approaching rapidly with urgent steps.
"Sir Vaelor, the situation is getting worse!"
Vaelor shifted his focus toward the knight who had just arrived.
Harris.
A talented knight who had earned praise more than once from his uncle. There had even been quiet discussions about drawing him into the Duke Velmora inner circle if, one day, the position of Knight Commander truly fell into Vaelor's hands. Although that title had always been held by his family, without powerful knights standing firmly behind him, maintaining stability and authority within the order would never be simple.
Vaelor's expression changed the moment he sensed the fluctuation of energy radiating from Harris's body.
His aura? Something is wrong. No, this is not mere instability. He is on the verge of breaking through his current realm. Then why is it being suppressed? Why is he holding the process back?
At Vaelor's side, Nyra moved first. Her face tightened the instant she felt Harris's aura, unstable and swelling like a ticking bomb.
"Hey! What is happening to your aura? Are you planning to betray us?!"
Harris's shoulders trembled, not from fear, but from the mounting pressure of energy inside his body that was becoming increasingly difficult to control.
"No, Sir! My aura suddenly became turbulent after the earlier battle. I do not understand the cause myself. That is why I came to request Sir Vaelor's judgment."
"Is that true?"
"Enough, Nyra."
Nyra fell silent, though her gaze remained sharp and unyielding. She understood she might have accused him too quickly, yet she felt no need to withdraw her words. In situations like this, suspicion was a form of defense. She had witnessed betrayal inside the Duke's inner circle far too often. Only a few days ago, a knight had leaked the Duke's location within the snow forest.
Vaelor stepped closer to Harris. He raised his hand and placed it firmly on the man's shoulder, then slowly channeled his energy to suppress the aura that was beginning to spiral out of control.
"Ugkh."
Harris did not resist. He accepted the pressure even as pain shot violently through his entire body. Foreign energy forced its way into his aura circulation, pressing down and reorganizing the chaotic flow with controlled precision.
"Accept it. Do not resist, Sir Harris."
"Yes, Sir."
Although he had tried to remain composed from the beginning, the pain felt as if layers of muscle and nerves were being torn apart. His jaw clenched tightly. A restrained groan occasionally slipped past his lips despite his effort to contain it.
I have to endure this. The Commander once said symptoms like this lead to two possibilities, energy deviation or surpassing one's realm. But this feels different. Too fast. Too abrupt. What if this truly is energy deviation? My career as a knight could end here.
Just endure it. Do not collapse now.
Harris remained standing despite the violent tremors shaking his body. Cold sweat dampened his temples and traced down his jaw.
Since earlier, Sasuke had been observing the entire process closely. The Sharingan in his right eye was active, dissecting the structure of the energy they called aura. In his vision, Harris's aura resembled a swelling current, its volume rising sharply while its color gradually thinned.
Interesting.
The power system in this world is quite distinct. The higher a practitioner's realm, the thinner their characteristic aura color becomes until it nearly blends into the air itself. At certain levels, aura is no longer clearly visible to ordinary eyes. High-level practitioners can appear indistinguishable from common people because their energy no longer radiates outward in a crude or excessive manner.
That was the conclusion I reached after studying the historical records that described this world's power structure.
Sasuke briefly shifted his gaze elsewhere. Not far from them, a mage from their convoy was treating a knight who had suffered a severe abdominal wound. With the aid of potions and regenerative magic, the gaping injury slowly closed. Torn flesh visibly reconnected at an impressive speed.
This level of medical capability is far more immediate than what existed in the shinobi world. It may even be only one step below Naruto's healing ability when he restored his teacher's eye.
Vaelor finally withdrew his hand once Harris's aura flow began to stabilize and settle into a controlled rhythm.
"Sit over there. You are about to enter a mental state of visualization. Accept the energy and guide it toward your heart until it forms an energy ring. I can only guide you to this point. The rest depends entirely on your own comprehension. Do not worry about energy deviation. The aura I injected earlier will suppress the risk."
Harris drew a heavy breath before offering a faint smile.
"Thank you, Sir. I will remember this assistance and repay it one day."
"There is no need. As fellow knights, it is my responsibility to support you. Sit down and complete the process. The sooner you reach enlightenment, the better. Leave the remaining command to me."
"I understand."
Harris stepped slowly aside and sat cross-legged behind the carriage. He closed his eyes and began directing his awareness inward, focusing on the energy circulating within him.
The calm did not last.
The carriage horses and the mounts of the knights began to display unusual agitation. Their bodies stiffened, muscles tightening beneath their harnesses. Their breathing turned rapid and uneven.
Hriiiihhh! HRAAAH! Hiiiihh!
Their cries overlapped, sharp and piercing, cutting through the air. It was as if the animals sensed something beyond human perception, something approaching that no ordinary eye could yet detect.
DUGDUGDUGDUGDUG!
The ground trembled without pause. Irregular hoof strikes pounded against the earth, kicking snow into the air in frantic bursts. The atmosphere shifted into chaos within seconds. Several horses nearly lost control, rearing and jerking against their reins.
The Duke's coachman struggled with all his strength to steady the carriage horses, pulling hard on the reins, attempting to prevent the rising panic from spiraling into disaster.
"What is happening to these horses?!"
The coachman's voice rang out in panic. His hands yanked hard on the reins, but the horses only grew more violent. Their bodies trembled uncontrollably, eyes wide and bloodshot, breaths coming in frantic bursts as if sensing a threat invisible to human sight.
Before anyone else could properly react, high above them, an enemy had already completed his incantation.
Fwooshhhh!
A massive sphere of fire formed in the sky and immediately descended. Its size was enormous, large enough to swallow everything beneath it. The heat radiating from it was already suffocating even before it touched the ground.
Hwoooosshh!
The air shrieked as the blazing mass tore through the cold upper layer above the battlefield. The pressure of its heat compressed the surrounding atmosphere.
Vaelor recognized the threat within a fraction of a second.
"A mage! That is high-tier fire magic!"
"What!!!"
Nyra snapped her head upward, her pupils widening as she saw the enormous fireball closing in rapidly.
At that critical moment, Sasuke moved.
From the beginning, his perception had locked onto the mage's position. Within a radius of several hundred meters, he could detect individuals with precise accuracy. He had deliberately refrained from acting earlier, allowing the knights to confront ordinary threats so they could learn under direct pressure.
But this attack was different.
Sasuke turned calmly. His hand formed a single seal at high speed. The movement was brief and efficient. He tilted his head upward.
Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu.
Fwooshhhh!
Flames burst from his mouth, forming a large fireball that shot straight into the sky. His hair whipped violently under the pressure of the heated wind generated by the eruption.
Nyra caught a brief glimpse of Sasuke's left eye.
That eye?
She froze for a split second. Over the past two days, she had almost never truly looked at his face. Her dislike had kept her from observing him closely. She admitted he was handsome and carried a mature presence, but her pride would never allow her to be impressed by appearance alone.
Yet that eye was clearly not normal.
In the air, the two fireballs finally collided.
FSSSHH! BRAAAAM!
The two masses of scorching energy crashed violently. The temperature around the impact point spiked drastically.
KRAA-FWOOM! FSSSHHH!
A secondary explosion shook the sky. A shockwave swept across the area, generating a powerful gust that forced several knights to turn toward the blast. Fragments of fire scattered in every direction, vaporizing snow instantly and igniting trees and shrubs that were touched by the burning debris.
"Magic..."
Nyra stared upward, her expression caught between awe and confusion. What unsettled her was not merely the clash of magic, but the fact that the man she disliked the most was both a mage and a swordsman.
She continued watching with full attention.
Beside her, Vaelor also failed to conceal his shock.
I knew he was mysterious. But being both a mage and a swordsman is an extremely rare combination in the history of this continent.
Yet something else bothered him.
His energy feels different. There is no mana like the kind used by ordinary mages. What I sense is a foreign power resembling aura, but not entirely the same.
Vaelor pushed the thought aside. Analysis could wait. The threat was not over.
He looked at Sasuke with seriousness.
"Sir Sasuke, I entrust the protection of the Duke entirely to you. Allow me to deal with that mage."
Sasuke gave a slight nod.
"Do as you wish."
Vaelor turned to Nyra.
"Take command of the knights. Do not stray too far from him. I will return shortly."
Nyra tried to mask her unease, but her eyes were not completely steady.
"Be careful."
"Of course."
Without hesitation, Vaelor leaped into the air. Aura surged beneath his feet, forming invisible footholds. He advanced rapidly across the sky as if stepping on unseen stairs, pursuing the mage who had begun retreating after his attack failed to break through the defense.