Chapter 5

Roman didn't need to use an aura skill to check their grade. Definitely awakeneds, he can feel it deep into his trembling bones.  

Witnessing the might and effectiveness of the enemy, Roman swiftly determined that there is no way they would win this confrontation and is now quickly trying to find a way to escape.

However, the only path wide enough for a rider is behind the attackers and knowing that he wouldn't be able to leave unscathe, evading such skilled combatants is near impossible. Furthermore, they are situated at around 30 metres above, trying to climb down the canyon's rim would make him an easy target for the enemy marksmen.

They're camp that was located at a strategic location optimal for overseeing the wide plains at the border has now had been used against them.

'I don't wanna die here.' He thought.

Not wanting to perish, Roman dropped his weapons, raised his hands and got down on his knees visibly declaring his surrender. Seeing this, his remaining subordinates stopped resisting.

The six footer, Orange-haired burly man with a warhammer got irritated by the scene and swung down his weapon to a kneeling soldier in front of him, caving the man's face and ending its life. 

"Stop!"

"We surrender. Please!" Roman pleaded.

The group of assailants then turned to their leader, the slender man with an ash-coloured hair, and dark circles under his indifferent eyes. 

The man in question had just set up a folding wooden stool and was about to pour himself some tea he got next to a dead soldier.

"Boss?" A man with dishevelled long black hair, weird posture apparent by his head being forward, somewhat lowered and his back a bit arched, armed with short swords asked.

Without even looking back at the enquirer the man answered.

"Do whatever."

The long-haired man turned to the surrenderer with a wicked smile plastered on his face.

He took a few steps then kicked Roman's sabre towards its owner.

"Pick it up and have a duel with me, my good sir. Aren't you an amateur knight too?"

"We're the same. "

"We'll let you go if you beat me. I promise." The man urged teasingly.

Roman felt suspicious, like he was being toyed with, but at the same time somewhat relieved. Though slim he might really leave here alive, though a huge part of him is screaming 'I'll Die here!', he has somewhat convinced himself that there's no other way for him and this is the only way for him to stay alive.

Roman readied himself and took a stance, he tried to focus and eventually unleashed his aura. He tried pouring his aura out like he has never before, like his life depends on it.

Roman had been to countless sparring matches all throughout his life till now, yet never been in a situation where losing a sword fight might mean forfeiting his life.

Without paying attention at anything else Roman only has his focus on his opponent, he didn't see the pleading eyes of his soldiers, praying silently in their minds for their champion to triumph, the person who will deliver them to safety even though kind of delusional after seeing the brutality of these monsters, but they are very willing take a leaf of faith. 

Roman is looking at his opponent who is doing some kind of rhythmic movement, swaying slightly from side to side while its aura is still and has only partially increased. 

Due to the pressure, Roman became impatient and made a little lunge forward while performing a wide downward slash. He is executing his go-to move feigning a slash expecting a block or a parry, either way once the weapons touched he will immediately switch to a thrust driving  his weapon to the enemy's vitals like the neck or the heart. 

Even if his opponent doesn't engage, and evade his slash, he will just simply not perform the later maneuver and wait until it finally connects, and when it does his stab will be lightning fast and can change its target at the last second. 

However to Roman's surprise, his opposer made its own lunge towards him. Seeing this, the Bosilian captain was estatic, looking down at the man diving down under his slash. Yet in an instant the man with dishevelled hair dash forward executing a double slash like that of the letter "X", expelling an intense aura while dirt exploded under his feet. 

In the next scene, the man with two short swords completed his move and is now has moved 2 meters towards Roman's direction while the latter is now airborne with deep cuts on its body before finally falling to the ground lifeless.

"Hahaha! What a dabbler." Commented by the burly man. 

Danii looked around and saw the cheers and grins of their assailants while his comrades faces displayed shocked and disbelief, eventually having the appearance of those who had given up on life. 

Seeing that the  remaining Bosilian soldiers stopped resisting and seemed to have succumbed to their fate, the assailants loaded their crossbows and started executing them one by one.

'I can't die here!' Danii thought. The image of his adorable younger sister came to mind.

Suddenly, he remembers a stream at one side of the plateau. 

Without second thought he sprung into action dashing to the cliff with all his might, startling the closest enemy to him who was busy trying to pull a bolt off a corpse.

Danii was too focused on the act that he didn't see the huge ass hammer being swung into him. Only seeing the incoming strike now he only thought of one word 'No!'.

At that moment, Danii's aura surges out encapsulating him a few seconds before the attack reaches him. 

"W- wait!"

The hammer landed, and with a crisp sound, it broke his right arm and ribs sending him off the cliff while coughing up blood. He then eventually lost consciousness on his way down.