"With no Cuckoo coming around, even I've turned into a good student." Thorne held his pen in his mouth, staring up at the ceiling.
Having temporarily stepped away from the slaughter, he finally had ample time to think. First, Golden Runes are useful. He fished a golden sphere of light out of his pocket.
This wasn't something scavenged from a corpse, but his legitimate wages. As the lingering remnants of Grace within the residents of The Lands Between, and given that ordinary people cannot directly utilize Runes, these things are typically used as currency. Their value is determined by the intensity of their glow, making them honest and impossible to counterfeit.
Thorne applied a little pressure, and with a crisp sound, the whole thing shattered, dissolving into faint golden light that merged into his body. Useful, but negligible. He sighed, thinking that another shortcut had been cut off. The Carian Royal Family was reasonably wealthy; if Golden Runes had a significant effect, he feared he might be able to slaughter the Raya Lucaria Academy by tomorrow.
But the cost-effectiveness was far too low; it wasn't worth putting too much effort into. "Hmm, perhaps the Runes aren't effective because they haven't fused with life force. If so, could we assume that it is the soul itself that is useful, not the Grace?"
Lacking clues, Thorne didn't delve deeper. He lifted his staff from the table nearby, waved it twice above his head, and following the intricate crest, whipped out a half-meter-long arc. It flew out through the doorway, sliced through a patch of weeds, and vanished. Academy Sorcery. Glintstone Arc. This was a new sorcery Thorne had learned, turning point damage into area damage. Yet, he felt no joy, casually tossing the staff aside. Second, after killing that academy lecturer, his sorcery aptitude had indeed improved. "But the wind-up is too long, and the power is insufficient. According to the books, the same sorcery used by different people produces vastly different results." Being able to learn and being able to use are two different stages. Even with two knights' lives in his hands, Thorne wasn't the least bit satisfied.
To put it bluntly, his recent victories relied mostly on despicable sneak attacks. You think I'm a knight? In reality, I'm a sorcerer. You think I'm a sorcerer? In reality, I prefer killing people with a sword. The asymmetry of information, combined with fixed impressions, meant those Cuckoo Knights had no idea their opponent could pull off so many tricks. As for despicable tactics like stabbing knees or stomping on toes, those were as easy as eating and drinking.
"According to application theory, sorcery power is related to the user's aptitude and attenuates with distance, so I have no choice but to blast them at point-blank range."
Thorne sprang up, pacing back and forth in the sorcery tower. After thinking it over, only one conclusion remained. He had to keep hacking people! Meditation and research could also increase Intelligence, but that was too slow. Nothing was as convenient as hacking people and snatching 'runes'.
Thinking of this, he unclenched and re-clenched his hand, clearly impatient.
"Thorne! You're causing trouble again!"
At that moment, an irritable voice came from outside. A large cloud of blue particles drifted in from the doorway, rapidly forming a figure. She wore a brown robe and a wide-brimmed sorcerer's hat, holding an exquisite staff. It was none other than Miriam, the sorcery professor who had served the Carian Royal Family for generations, sent by Ranni to instruct Thorne. Thorne found this 'particle-ization' movement very enviable. Several variant killing moves flooded his mind, but unfortunately, his Intelligence wasn't high enough; even if he understood the principles, he couldn't learn it.
"Professor Miriam, you've returned."
"Mm, I went for a spin over at the Crystal Cave."
Miriam removed her mask, revealing the face of a middle-aged woman who still retained her charm. She picked up a cup, took a gulp, and glanced at the books on the table.
"Glintstone Application Theory? Selected Sorceries of the Karolos Conspectus? Conjectures on Battlefield Sorcery from the Haima Classroom?"
"I've said it many times: the path of sorcery cannot be rushed. Time is meaningless to us. You should start learning from the most basic theories, like the origin of Glintstone, energy utilization..."
Speaking of which, when I was studying..."
Thorne rolled his eyes. This sorcery professor had started lecturing again. He had witnessed how formidable she was; recalling their first meeting, he had listened humbly, only to end up listening from morning until evening. She was a good person, just too talkative, prone to disappearing, and terrible at teaching students. But Thorne respected his teachers, so he didn't interrupt, and ended up listening from the afternoon until nightfall.
Miriam finally closed her mouth and drained her cup.
"Do you understand now?"
"I understand, but I have another request." Thorne gripped the curved sword on his back and said in a deep voice, "Please, Professor, spar with me again."
The professor immediately shot him a look. She remembered the last time she acted as a sparring partner: she had just set her stance and raised her staff when this guy rushed at her like a mad dog, dodged the emergency-cast Greatsword Phalanx, and punched her right in the face. Although she certainly wouldn't fall for it a second time, her cheek still hurt, and she wouldn't hear of it.
"No, no, no.
"I know you have some despicable... no, unique ideas about sorcery application, but we are scholars first. No matter how terrifying a combat sorcery is, it's just a derivative of academic theory. Fighting and killing is so unrefined."
Seeing she was unwilling, Thorne didn't force the issue and released his grip on the hilt. "But I want to take a different path."
"What path?"
"Integrating sorcery, martial arts, and incantations to create a unique art of killing, founding a new Ashina Style."
The art of killing...
Miriam opened her mouth, thinking that after she had blathered on for so long, this person hadn't heard a single word. But she wasn't angry. In her heart, all knowledge was worthy of respect; whether it was theory, experimentation, or this so-called Ashina Style, there was no distinction of high or low. "Fine. Although I don't quite approve of this 'art of killing' of yours, I promised Lady Ranni that I would light the way forward for you."
Miriam donned her mask and strolled out of the sorcery tower, turning abruptly in the open space before the door.
The breeze billowed her brown robe as she beckoned to Thorne, who stood stunned in the doorway. "Come, let me see what new tricks you've developed!"
Thorne really hadn't expected Miriam to change her mind and was instantly touched. He didn't grab his staff, instead pulling a long, rectangular box from behind a high-backed chair.
Seeing this, Miriam, who was striking a pose outside, blurted out, "Did that old geezer Iji finish forging it for you?"
"Yes, it was delivered this afternoon. I hadn't expected War Counselor Iji's craftsmanship to be so superb."
Thorne opened the box, revealing the long blade inside. The sword was three feet and two inches long, with a slight curve. Its body was silver-white, and a golden cross-shaped tsuba kept the color from being monotonous. At the pommel of the hilt was an exquisite beast claw, gripping a Glintstone the size of a ping-pong ball.
"A fine blade. No wonder it took him a full half-month to complete." Miriam also exclaimed in admiration, then rubbed her chin. "I recall this sword type comes from the borderlands; usually, they are given names."
Thorne didn't speak.
He pushed the tsuba with his thumb, unsheathed the blade with his right hand, and slashed horizontally and vertically.
Clang—swish—
A cross-shaped flash of steel remained in the night sky. He closed his eyes, feeling that familiar sensation. It was back—it had all returned. Only in this way could he fully unleash his tempered sword skills. The night wind blew through his black hair, and his eyes suddenly snapped open. "The sword's name—"
"star-frost!"
Chapter 17 Raya Lucaria Academy
The sword's name is star-frost?...
Miriam was well-traveled and knowledgeable. She had seen similar katanas before, but those were merely self-defense weapons for sorcerers, so they wouldn't be helpless when enemies closed the distance. Even the Raya Lucaria Academy had specialized swordsmanship courses, but she had never heard of anyone combining sorcery and a blade into one.
"Honestly, isn't it better to hide in the distance and cover them with sorcery? Even if you slay the enemy, having blood spray on your face is disgusting."
"No choice, I'm used to it. Besides, I lack the ability to blast people to death from a distance."
Thorne was quite self-aware. To tell the truth, he didn't care about the process. If someone really asked whether long-range cheese or melee combat was more important, he would answer without hesitation: I want both!
"That's true. Once you realize the profoundness and greatness of sorcery, you naturally won't take such risks."
She produced her exquisite staff, the Carian crest flashing and vanishing. Ten swords of light floated around her; clearly, she had learned from the last time. Seeing Thorne's serious expression, she smiled again. "Don't worry, I won't go all out. Come, let me experience your philosophy of combat."
"Alright!"
Thorne dragged his blade behind him and charged straight ahead, his eyes full of interest. This was his first time facing a prepared sorcerer. The power systems of The Lands Between were bizarre and varied; the experience from Ashina was already outdated, and the path to becoming stronger lay precisely in these life-and-death struggles! Sprinting at full speed, grass clippings flying, the oncoming azure radiance illuminated Thorne's face.
Sword after sword of light shot toward him. Under her control, they blocked every space for evasion.
'Altered sorcery?'
The 'Carian Phalanx' in the books fired all at once; clearly, Miriam's proficiency and control had long since surpassed the books, allowing her to adapt based on actual combat. He couldn't dodge. Thorne stopped in an instant and raised his long blade, the Glintstone at its pommel glowing brightly. Magic Downpour. A mass of magic flew forward, then rained down in a shower of light in the air.
'Huh? This works too?' Miriam raised an eyebrow.
Magic Downpour was only a basic sorcery in the Carian lineage, and the power Thorne released could only cover less than ten square meters. However, these dense magic spheres slammed into the swords of light, their energy collision causing them to lose their aim. "Casting speed is acceptable, and your imagination isn't bad." Miriam turned her head to see a figure darting out from the side, legs moving rapidly. You want to get close to me that badly? She didn't dodge, raising her staff again. Crystal Burst! Shoo-shoo-shoo...
An expanse of cyan crystals pierced the air, sweeping toward him like a machine gun. They were incredibly fast, reaching him in the blink of an eye. Is this the strength of a sorcery professor? Thorne held his breath, then stopped and rolled to the side.
Looking back, the grass was a mess, riddled with crystal sorcery shards over a foot long. "Careful now, Thorne."
That wasn't the end of it. Once the round of sorcery ended, Miriam raised her staff again, and another large spread of crystals flew out. Such intermediate sorcery was no burden for her; she could use it dozens of times.
However, she saw Thorne, who had been crouching on the ground, suddenly leap up. He drove his long blade into the earth, twisted his waist and abdomen, and pulled up a wall made of dust. The dust was immediately torn to shreds by the crystal sorcery. Miriam squinted; the flying dust obscured her target for a moment. After a brief hesitation, a light suddenly shone from within the dust. A magic crest. Hmm, using dust to cover the deficiency in his casting speed?
Glintstone Arc tore through the dust from the opposite direction. Miriam lightly tapped the ground to dodge, and just as she was about to offer a critique, a chill ran down her spine, and she jumped to the side in a rather disheveled manner. Bang. Bloodhounds Fang flew in like a boomerang, embedding itself in the spot where she had just been standing, vibrating back and forth. "I forgot that this brat isn't really a sorcerer at all!" She cursed under her breath, scrambling to get up and rolling backward in an even more disheveled state. Thwip-thwip-thwip...
A series of sounds of blades entering the earth came. Four or five throwing knives were embedded in the soil, the accuracy quite astonishing. Truly using every trick in the book! Miriam jumped up, somewhat annoyed. This is going too far. Using a sword to hack at people is one thing, but why are you throwing projectiles too?
She saw that Thorne had already charged within twenty meters. He held a sword in one hand and pulled throwing knives from his waist pouch with the other. The light on her staff intensified. "Comet Azur!"
The comet flew out with a long tail, dissolving the throwing knives in mid-air. Thorne had seen similar sorcery on that lecturer, but Miriam's comet was larger and faster. Bang! Dust filled the air, and the force of the wind sent Thorne rolling twice on the ground.
Looking back, a two-meter crater had been blasted out not far away. The commotion was so great that the Glintstone Dragon in the distance even raised its head, letting out a dissatisfied low roar. These lunatics have nothing better to do than tear the place apart!
Thorne had no mind to worry about others.
He crouched on the ground, listening to the sorcerer call out triumphantly, "Do you want to continue?"
He brushed the dust off his body and instantly leaped up. "Continue!"
"You're certainly tenacious. Don't blame me if you die."
Miriam swung her staff repeatedly, the bursting light turning the night sky as bright as day.
"Comet. Rapid-fire!"
In an instant, comets with long tails came bombarding down one after another. She intended to use suppressive fire. Thorne didn't dodge, or rather, dodging was useless. He just stomped his right foot, and his entire body vanished instantly.
Bloodhounds Step??
Even if it was a bit rusty, Miriam could recognize this as the signature movement technique of the Bloodhound Knight. She saw him weave through the gaps between the comets, having closed within ten meters. She wasn't panicked. While retreating, she tucked her staff back to her waist. When the magic crest appeared, the short staff had transformed into a greatsword several meters long.
"Carian Piercer!"
It was swift and fast, and because the greatsword was so large, it formed a type of area-of-effect attack.
However, Thorne charged head-on into the thrust, the long blade in his hand glowing with pure white ice mist as he swept upward. Frost Slash! Wherever it passed, the flying grass clippings froze in mid-air. The extended blade collided with the piercer, and the two energies intersected, exploding directly.
"That bastard Iji added an Ash of War to this sword??"