NOVEL NEXT Chapter 169: The Second Level
The three bandits who charged at the servants moved with haste… They weren't planning to take long as they needed to help fight against the Apprentice Mages.
Normally, it was not possible for them to fight against Mages. Just with their Mana Barrier, they wouldn't be able to do anything at all.
However, with their Leader, they have a hope to fight back against these arrogant Mages, especially since they were only Apprentice Mages according to the spy's report.
As soon as they moved, their blades remained low as they waited to be in the range of the slaves…
"Careful!" Van shouted. He saw through their movements that they were trained warriors, nothing like the thugs they'd imagined. These weren't common thieves.
"They're Aura Knights!" Van called out… Though he might be wrong, it was better to assume that they were stronger than normal Aura Users.
Soon, his Ocularis Lens had also agreed with his initial estimate.
[ Classification Confirmed: First-Level Aura Knight ]
[ No Visible Aura – Combat Level Comparable to Trained Combatants with Basic Aura Techniques ]
[ Recommendation: Disarm, Disrupt Flow of Aura via Tendon Locks or Vital Points ]
"Fin! Theresa! Follow my lead. Do not engage directly. We're using strike-and-retreat tactics!"
Of course, Van wasn't sure if they could cooperate well together since they only had a brief coordination against the Magic Beasts.
Fighting against fellow Aura Users would surely be different.
Nonetheless, they had to do this…
The first bandit reached them…
Perhaps because they were seen as too young, these Aura Knights were too focused on using quick sword techniques to kill them. They weren't being taken seriously as their minds were probably thinking about how they would fight against the Apprentice Mages…
Van watched the first bandit swing his curved saber down, aimed directly at his neck.
CLANG!
Van met it with his blade, deflecting the force sideways and letting the momentum guide his foot forward.
Although he was stronger than this Aura User, he needed to conserve his strength. Instead of just overpowering him, Van had to be smart in his battles.
Whoosh~
Van quickly ducked after seeing another incoming slash and retaliated with a rising palm to the man's solar plexus.
Bam!
[ Acupuncture Point: Zhongfu – Disrupting Lung's Aura ]
[ Effect: Shortness of breath and possible attack speed reduction ]
Indeed, the effect could be seen as the bandit staggered, coughing violently… Instead of attack speed reduction, it even seemed to have disabled the bandit as his momentum broke.
That was when Fin came charging in from the side and smashed his club straight into the man's thigh. Needless to say, Fin was powered by his Aura, and the attack was extremely effective.
CRACK!
"ARRRGH!"
The first bandit's Aura Defense was already barely up, so it failed to defend against that attack! He just went down—alive, but barely breathing.
"Next!" Van shouted.
The second and third bandits tried to flank them.
One came at Theresa, whose dagger gleamed faintly with an Aura coating of her own.
Despite being less experienced, she ducked the first blow with surprising agility.
"Try me, bastard!"
Van called out, "Left shoulder, upper rib!" Of course, as soon as he said this, he also used his Mind Sword to disrupt the man's momentum!
As expected, Theresa obeyed instinctively. Her blade slid under the bandit's guard and pierced near the shoulder blade. It happened so easily as the Mind Sword briefly stunned the man at the most critical time!
Van couldn't help but smile as he also confirmed that she hit the Acromion Point!
To be exact, with his Lens, he confirmed that she was able to hit it!
[ Acupuncture Point Hit – Disarmament Reflex Triggered ]
The bandit's weapon slipped from his hand, and that was all the opening Van needed.
He kicked off the ground and soared in with a spinning slash—his blade struck the bandit's exposed side, and blood sprayed across the grass!
"Two down!" Fin roared, slamming his club into the final bandit's ribs just as he tried to escape.
"You dare!"
This last man was faster than the others. He didn't expect that the two First-Level Aura Knights would be defeated by mere Trainee Knights!
He then changed his plan retrieved a second blade, and ignited it with his aura… Soon, it emitted a force that made everyone cautious! It was an Aura Weapon!
"He's got an Aura Weapon!" Fin warned.
Van nodded as he could tell that this man's mental defense shouldn't be that strong compared to the two…
"We'll still bring him down. Coordinate!"
This time, Van relied on his Ocularis Lens, in just a few seconds, glowing data streamed into his vision.
[ Weakness Found – Right Hamstring ]
[ Flow Disruption Possible – Meridian Block via Feiyang Point ]
He didn't hesitate. Feinting with his blade, Van rolled under a horizontal swing and struck the bandit's leg with his needle!
Thud… The attack was met by an Aura Defense, but Van swiftly used his Mind Sword and attacked his mind!
The man cried out as his leg buckled, and Van followed up with an overhead strike.
CLANG!
Steel clashed again… This man was able to recover from the Mind Sword almost immediately!
But this time, Theresa appeared at the man's back!
She leaped, slamming both daggers into his spine.
Thud! Thud!
"Now, Fin!"
BOOM!
The club shattered the man's ribs, and he collapsed with a dull groan.
This Aura Knight was indeed a lot tougher than they had expected…
Just like that, they stood over the unconscious bodies of the bandits.
"We… we did it…" Theresa said as she wiped the sweat on her forehead.
***
Meanwhile, the five Apprentice Mages faced their own battle.
The bandits charged them in waves—nine First-Level Aura Knights against five young spellcasters. Apparently, their leader seemed to be waiting for an opportunity as he stayed back and watched the battle.
"Formation C!" Lena shouted. "Wards and suppression!"
It was a basic formation that they had learned in the Academy.
The apprentices spread out into a wide arc. Marcus was the first to act. "Mana Chains!"
Blue mana then started surging from his staff. This mana formed a chain as they snaked through the enemies and latched onto two rushing bandits in front.
"Got them!"
"Firebolt!" Julia shouted.
A flash of flame shot from her palm and burst against a bandit's chest.
However, the ring, or the Aura Equipment he wore glowed and reduced the impact. Nonetheless, it still knocked him back as expected of a Magic Spell.
"Damn it! They're protected!" Elias gritted his teeth. "We need to overload their artifacts!"
"Mana Pulse – Scatter Formation!" Harvey commanded, sending a shockwave into the ground.
It disrupted the flow of energy beneath their feet, causing two bandits to stumble as their footing was thrown off.
Lena cast "Mana Barrier" again, shielding the others just in time as a bandit hurled a throwing axe toward Julia.
Thud!
The axe bounced harmlessly off the transparent shield.
But then the leader came.
The moment he arrived on the battlefield, the atmosphere suddenly changed.
A thick, visible gray aura leaked from the crimson-masked warrior as his steed dashed forward.
Soon, everyone saw his blade, another Aura Weapon was filled with Gray Aura, and his killing intent washed over them. This person was definitely not a simple Bandit. It wouldn't be surprising if he were a renowned Noble Knight who had to hide his face…
"You children thought you could play at war?" He sneered behind his mask.
With a flick of his blade, he sent a wind slash across the field!
Boom!
Lena's barrier immediately shattered.
With the remaining force, everyone ducked for cover.
"He's too strong!" Gian said.
Julia looked at their carriage and confirmed that their Instructor didn't have any plans to help at all.
"There's no way Instructor Chavez will let us die here… Let's just do our best! That's only a Second-Level Aura Knight!"
"That's right! We're not falling!" Marcus stepped up. "Disruption spells, now!"
The mages fired again—Magic Bullets, bolts of compressed mana, pelted the bandits. Julia threw Firebolts without care for accuracy… She was just throwing in the general direction of the enemies!
Then, Harvey finally summoned a "Stone Bind," which dragged one bandit's leg into the ground.
This series of Spell usage consumed a lot of their Mana! However, they had to do this!
Thankfully, the Leader was also being cautious and seemed to be waiting for them to exhaust their Mana!
Because of that, one by one, the Aura Knights, or bandits under his command, began to falter.
"Not good." Julia still felt uneasy.
Their defenses weren't endless, and spell after spell chipped away at their protection.
"Push forward!" Lena cried... She then cast "Mana Spike" into the ground, and pillars of sharpened energy erupted beneath three enemies.
This spell drained most of her Mana, but it at least disabled three more Aura Knights!
However, it was noticed by the second-level Aura Knight!
Without hesitation, the bandit leader leaped from his horse, and his blade descended toward Lena, who had already exhausted her Mana!