Chapter 11 — Three Powers
The battle continued deep inside Blackpine Forest.
The three Frostveil brothers had managed to separate the team into three different fights. Kil Ful was facing Darian, Ravian was fighting Kaizen, and Morry was desperately trying to keep Varen away from Rin and Lena.
The sound of fighting echoed between the trees.
Morry tightened his grip on his sword.
Varen slowly approached him.
"You’ve been defending those two since the beginning."
Morry took a breath.
"That’s my job."
Varen smiled.
"Then you’ll have to survive first."
Varen swung his ice weapon.
Morry blocked the attack.
The force pushed him backward.
He quickly regained his balance, but his arms were already beginning to hurt.
Varen noticed.
"You’re struggling."
Morry didn’t answer.
He knew it was true.
Varen was an Elite, while Morry was only a Secondary Knight.
The difference in rank was becoming obvious.
Varen attacked again.
Morry blocked.
Another attack followed.
Morry moved aside.
Varen continued attacking without giving him time to recover.
Morry suddenly stepped backward and raised his sword.
His energy began flowing through the blade.
"Blade Master."
His sword changed.
The single blade separated into two identical swords.
Morry now held one sword in each hand.
Varen looked surprised.
"So that’s your ability."
Morry nodded.
"Blade Master."
His fighting style changed completely.
With one sword, Morry had been focused mainly on defense.
With two swords, he could attack and defend at the same time.
He moved forward.
One sword blocked Varen’s ice weapon while the second struck toward his side.
Varen quickly created an ice shield.
Morry’s second blade struck it.
Varen was pushed backward.
Morry took the opportunity and attacked again.
But Varen recovered quickly.
Ice spread across the ground beneath Morry’s feet.
Morry jumped away just before the ice rose.
Varen followed.
The battle became faster.
Morry was using his two swords to control the distance between them, but Varen’s Ice Power continued to make the battlefield more difficult.
Morry’s breathing became heavier.
He knew he couldn’t keep fighting like this forever.
A little farther away, Ravian and Kaizen continued their battle.
Kaizen created several large blocks of ice and sent them toward Ravian.
Ravian didn’t simply destroy them.
He raised his hand.
The force surrounding his body changed direction.
The incoming ice was pushed away from him and redirected toward the ground.
This was Ravian’s Force Manipulation.
His ability allowed him to control and manipulate force around himself.
He could increase the force behind his attacks, push objects away, reduce the impact of incoming attacks, and change the direction of moving objects.
Kaizen understood the danger.
"Your ability isn’t just strength."
Ravian smiled.
"No."
He raised his hand again.
"It’s control."
Kaizen attacked with an ice spear.
Ravian didn’t dodge.
The spear stopped inches away from him.
Ravian had manipulated the force of its movement.
The spear fell to the ground.
Kaizen’s eyes widened.
Ravian immediately moved forward and concentrated force around his fist.
His punch struck Kaizen’s ice armor.
Kaizen was pushed backward.
Ravian looked at him.
"If I control the force of my attack, I can make a normal strike much stronger."
Kaizen wiped the blood from his mouth.
"But your ability has limits."
Ravian smiled.
"Of course."
He moved forward.
"And you’re going to find them."
Meanwhile, Kil Ful continued fighting Darian.
Darian created several ice walls around him.
Kil Ful didn’t attack them blindly.
He watched.
His eyes followed Darian’s movements.
Kil Ful’s power wasn’t complicated.
He possessed Energy Manipulation, allowing him to control the energy within his body and use it to strengthen his physical abilities and attacks.
But his greatest advantage was his speed.
He could use his energy to enhance his movements, making him extremely fast.
His reflexes worked together with that speed.
Instead of simply moving quickly, Kil Ful could react to an attack almost immediately after noticing it.
Darian attacked from the front.
Kil Ful moved aside.
An ice spike appeared behind him.
Kil Ful’s reflexes reacted.
He turned instantly and avoided it.
Darian attacked from another direction.
Kil Ful moved again.
Darian frowned.
"You’re difficult to hit."
Kil Ful smiled.
"That’s the idea."
Kil Ful suddenly accelerated.
His energy gathered around his fist.
He struck Darian.
Darian blocked with an ice shield.
Kil Ful continued attacking.
One strike.
Then another.
Darian defended himself with ice barriers.
Kil Ful’s speed allowed him to keep changing his position.
Darian couldn’t predict where the next attack would come from.
But Darian wasn’t helpless.
He slammed his hand against the ground.
A huge wave of ice spread outward.
Kil Ful jumped over it.
Darian expected that.
Ice formed in the air above Kil Ful.
Kil Ful looked up.
For the first time, his expression became serious.
The ice came down.
Kil Ful twisted his body in midair and barely avoided it.
He landed on the ground.
Darian smiled.
"Your speed is impressive."
Kil Ful looked at him.
"But?"
"But speed doesn’t mean you can’t be trapped."
Kil Ful’s smile returned.
"Then try."
Back with Morry, the situation was becoming worse.
Varen’s Ice Power had covered most of the ground.
Morry’s movements were becoming slower.
His two swords helped him defend himself, but every block was becoming more difficult.
Varen attacked from above.
Morry crossed both swords and blocked.
The impact forced him down onto one knee.
Rin became worried.
"Morry!"
Morry struggled to stand.
"I’m fine."
But he wasn’t.
His breathing was heavy, and his arms were trembling.
Lena noticed.
"He can’t keep blocking forever."
Rin looked at her.
"Then what can we do?"
Lena looked toward the battle.
"We have to think."
Morry heard them.
He smiled.
"Don’t worry about me."
Varen raised his ice weapon again.
"This is where you fall."
Morry slowly stood up.
His two swords remained in his hands.
He was exhausted.
He was facing an opponent stronger than him.
But behind him were Rin and Lena.
Morry looked back at them.
Then he looked at Varen.
"I said..."
He tightened his grip on both swords.
"...you’re not getting past me."
Varen charged again.
Morry raised both blades.
The battle continued.