He was a great swordsman. One of the strongest swordsmen on the continent. But now, there was a swordsman who was much younger than him but has actually surpassed him.
'I am a great swordsman!'
He prided himself on being the strongest swordsman on the continent so it was normal for him to be upset.
'Then why?'
Lexus nonchalantly shrugged at the confused Chucksley.
"100 years ago, Great Swordsman wasn't the title for the strongest swordsman. A sword saint was the best."
"But in the last 100 years, nobody with the qualifications to become a sword saint has emerged. A great swordsman appears once every 20 years."
"You might've perceived yourself to be the strongest, but there are many talented people born with the qualities of a sword saint. If you look at it, a great swordsman is common."
Sword Saint. It meant a saint of the sword. A person who reached the extremes of swordsmanship and received enlightenment was always the strongest in history. Muller, who managed to suppress and seal the bodies of the great demons like Hell Gao, Drasion, Morax, Astaroth, and Purpu.
After Muller, no sword saint had been born in the last 100 years. Now Lexus had already reached the level that even Chucksley couldn't achieve.
'Why...?'
He had trained in swordsmanship until he vomited blood and as a result, he got the title of great swordsman. The person who was once called the greatest swordsman, Piaro, had disappeared so he believed that he could now take that title. The young man in front of him who was supposedly weaker than him had already surpassed and there's already a gap between them?
'This is the strength of a legend...!'
Hadn't Lexus already become a legend? His growth should already be over and he should become stagnant.
"Why...? Why have you become stronger?"
"I am still weak."
"What?"
Lexus has beaten Greed quite easily, the kingdom's hero that defeated the golems who were threatening the kingdom and now overcame Chucksley! Then what were these words? Chucksley was agitated as Lexus repeated something he had heard.
"The world is wide and there are many strong people. You will know if you ever meet a real powerhouse one day. How incomplete I am."
The prime of Braham, Pagma and Madra. Compared to them, he wasn't a full fledged legend comparable to them. He had yet to achieve his full growth.
[You are stronger than the opponent.]
[The stat 'fighting spirit' has caused the opponent's stats to drastically drop.]
Although Chucksley had the level advantage of more than 100, Lexus had now grown way more stronger to the point that even the system itself took the conclusion. It was because of his stats that greatly transcended and surpassed his levels.
[Status Window]
「Name: Lexus
Level: 200
Class: Undefeated King's Successor
Second Class: Pagma's Successor
Third Class: Sword Saint
Fourth Class: Legendary Great Magician
Titles: One Who Became a Legend and 14 others (If you want to view the list, please click for a detailed view).
Health: 180,000 / 180,000
Mana: 39,000 / 39,000 (+5,000,000)
Sword Energy: 940 / 1000
Strength: ★4,000 Stamina: ★4,000
Agility: ★4,000 Intelligence: 6,500
Dexterity: 3,000
★ Major stats have reached the golden ratio.
★ Stats with the golden ratio will be 1.5 times more powerful. Health will be increased by 20%, and absolute hit rate and absolute evasion rate by 5%.
—–—–—–—
Charm: 1,860 Dignity: 1,660 Insight: 1,060
Composure: 1,050 Indomitable: 1,050 Fighting Spirit: 115
—–—–—–—
Super Sensitivity: 465 Good Luck: 460
Regeneration: 380
—–—–—–—
Stat Points: 1,200.」
His base stats alone had already surpassed the stats of those at level 400. It could be said that his stats should belong to someone at level 500. The levels of the strong transcendents throughout the continent. Not to mention that his mana capacity that were greatly enhanced by the Dragon Hearts. Although it could said as an exaggeration, his mana reserves alone might surpass the gods. (#A/N: Even Greed at level 400 and had become a god only has more than 500,000 mana.)
Then with the special stat, fighting spirit, the overwhelming gap between him and Chucksley had become even wider and made the knights commander to a dire situation. The speed of his sword is incomparable to before. This was the linkage of Blacksmith Rage and Strength Augmentation.
"Kuk...!"
Chucksley was hit by Pinnacle and his health gauge fell to two-thirds and blood was pouring from his chest.
On the other hand, Lexus' legendary classes, Undefeated King's Successor, Pagma's Successor and Sword Saint greatly synergized well which exerted the ultimate attack power.
Lexus smiled coolly and whispered to Chucksley.
"A good sword might be controlled with strength, while an excellent sword is controlled by the mind and the heart. It can accelerate according to the speed of the mind, while making any changes in the heart."
"...."
As the Sword Saint spoke to a swordsman, Chucksley received a beneficial effect despite not being intended by Lexus.
[You have received the teachings of the sword by Sword Saint Lexus and awakened.]
[Accuracy is increased by 40% when using sword type weapons. This effect is applied separately from the Sword Mastery Skill.]
Chucksley moved cautiously. The match hasn't ended yet and he will not easily fall down. He still had his pride to show his greatness to his king. If there was one thing he had obtained after witnessing the king, it was to never get excited. Lexus' movements were perfect. There was nothing missing. He maintained the basics more than Chucksley.
'This isn't the time to complain. I have to dig through any gaps.'
Chucksley pulled out his sword. Simultaneously, it was accompanied by sword energy.
'Pour it out slowly.'
He had completed his third class advancement, and he was now faster and stronger compared to level 200 NPCs and players. Despite the fact that some items were excluded. Chucksley's sword energy and Lexus' sword energy collided.
'Why? I lost? In a battle of strength?'
The scene of their first spar came into his mind. At that time, he was stronger than Lexus and even held back his strength but now, it didn't require any finesse. They just pulled out their sword energy and hit with force.
For Lexus on the other hand, level 300 or third class advancement skills were insane. They were literally crazy. Three or four new skills were used that were different from second class advancement skills, starting with a higher rated version of buff skills that raised his stats while decreasing the opponent's stats. Additionally, his sword energy was so powerful that Lexus' sword energy could barely withstand it despite being reinforced with being the Sword Saint.
'This is why I need to level up.'
He became greedy. The third class advancement—it was strong but still.... He was stronger than Chucksley who was at level 300 already. As the fight continued, Chucksley had finally reached the conclusion.
"I see… Thank you. In that sense, I lost this fight."
[Chucksley has surrendered.]
He conceded defeat. From the moment he spoke in a state of disarray, he had lost. Chucksley thought so. He had nothing to say if Lexus swung his sword in this state and dies in his sword. The reason why Lexus didn't swing his single-edged sword was because he was taking care of him.
[You have won the duel.]
Although he lost against Lexus, there was no sadness and despair in his eyes. Instead, his eyes were filled with motivation and determination as he remembered the skills that Lexus had shown. His movements, the way he attacks...were more than enough to let Chucksley receive an enlightenment to further improve his abilities in swordsmanship.
Respectfully bowing his head, Chucksley humbly ask to leave the place and want to head somewhere to train. His body was itching to try many things after witnessing the swordsmanship of the Sword Saint. He wanted to immediately test that if he could somehow improve and grow stronger.
Lexus smiled and didn't mind as he let Chucksley go. The stronger Chucksley would become, it would be more beneficial for him. On the other hand,
「 The abilities you've used up until now are like children's toys. 」
"...Huh?"
He heard Madra's monotone voice.
「 Let me make this clear then. The techniques that you have been using up till now, have been high enough level for you to fight others that are weaker than you or near your level, but the Pagma's Sword Dances that even you haven't unleashed have not been fully created with the Realm of Transcendence and for the essence of Absolutes in mind. 」
"What the hell does that mean…?"
「 Although you followed the paths of many legends which made you special compared to us, our paths are no longer suitable for you to follow but you should forge your own. Those skills are strong including my swordsmanship, but they are not enough as they are alone for you to grow, now that you have nearly transcended your human limits. 」
Unlike Madra, Pagma or even Braham, Lexus is now some kind of unique even among the legends. Aside from he had legendary legacies with him, he also had a dragon heart. Because of those variables, he cannot develop the same way as they did.
「 That's why we need you to create a technique that will properly fit and suit your growth in order to succeed to higher realms and greater strength. 」
That's right. Lexus is developing into a rapid growth that was unparalleled and unique compared to anyone. With a dragon heart of a top dragon and high amount of stats, following the path of Madra and Pagma could only slow him down.
Transcending those limits as a human means that you have already transcended your human limits with just your body, and need to practice with powers that defy common logic and interfere with the very space around one's self with that body. These are something that normal people cannot even fathom or afford to think within the box of common standards or logic.
So for short, Lexus should upgrade his skills again. Although he still hasn't met anyone capable of pushing him into desperate situations, sooner or later, he would be.
「 It's also plain to see that you'll be up against strong foes, sooner or later. Foes that's on a different level that you had experienced. The forces of the empire or even transcendents all over the world. 」
Lexus nodded as he could agree with it. Even without him willing it, it's just a matter of time before he could encounter the strongest people in this era.
"Solomon."
Knowing what he had to do, Lexus immediately gave an order to Intellectual King Solomon. Altbough he thought that it was still very early for this, there's no longer sufficient reasons to delay combining Pagma's Sword Dance with magic.
« Understood. Synthesis and Alteration will now commence. »
« Skill 'Braham's Enhanced Magic (SS)', skill 'Mumud's Attribute Magic (S)' and skill 'Dragon's Magic (SSS)' are fused. »
« Fusion successful! »
« You have obtained 'Limitless Magic (SSS)'! »
« Great Swordsman Pagma's Sword Dance reconstruction has begun. Transforming into a new skill. »
« Notify: Limitless Magic, Sword of Ember and all plundered skills will be integrated with Great Swordman Pagma's Sword Dance and thus evolved. »
[The information of Great Swordsman Pagma's Swordsmanship has been updated.]
[Great Swordsman Pagma's Sword Dance has changed to Lexus' Sword Dance.]
[Lexus' Sword Dance - Lv.1]
[Swordsmanship containing the magic of Sword Saint Lexus. Swordsmanship and magic are united since your sword dances are designed to optimize the Limitless Magic formulas.
The sword dances that carry the aspect of death, calling victims unseen into its silent embrace with a divine strike, honoring the opponent by choosing them for death.
* Increases physical attack, critical hit rate, and critical damage by 100%.
* Gaining a very low chance of delivering a devastating 250% critical strike to enemy units.
* There is a very low chance of instantaneously killing the target.
* Intense flames are concentrated at the edge of the sword that neither burns nor erupts, but anything it touches is eradicated to nothingness from the scorching heat.
* This effect is only applied when a sword type weapon is equipped.
* Reduces the stride of the sword dance.
* The number of fusion sword dances you can create is five and every time the skill level rises, the number of fusion sword dances that can be created will increase.
★ Whenever a sword dance is used, magic spells will be revealed and each sword dance has a different spell.
★ In the case of a fusion sword dance, several spells are overlapped.]