Chapter 250: A Different Use of Magic!

I ask Power Stone for more chapters

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After landing a punch that sent Ghislaine flying, Wood leaped into the air and swiftly grabbed the sword that had been knocked away earlier. While airborne, he assumed a new sword stance, one Ghislaine had never seen before.

"Hyakki Yagyō Sword Style: One Sword Style—Kamaitachi!"

As Wood swung his sword downward, the surrounding air seemed to be pulled in, gathering around the blade before it shot out as a massive wind slash. The fierce wind blade took the form of a giant crescent and hurtled toward Ghislaine below.

The wind blade carved through the earth effortlessly, leaving a deep trench in its wake. Ghislaine, wincing from the pain in her abdomen, gritted her teeth and raised her sword, unleashing her full strength as a "Sword Saint" to meet the incoming attack.

"Boom—!"

The air currents around the wind slash clashed against Ghislaine's sword, which was imbued with her powerful aura. The resulting shockwave caused the ground to crack wide open, sending dust and debris flying in all directions. The force was so intense that the spectators were forced to close their eyes against the wind.

Several seconds later, Wood landed steadily on the ground, his feet firmly planted as he gazed upon the battlefield. The Boreas family stared in shock at the massive T-shaped trench left behind from the collision of their attacks. Sauros and Philip's expressions shifted dramatically as they looked at Wood, clearly no longer seeing him as just another talented child.

Previously, they had thought that Wood, no matter how gifted, would only reach Eris' level of talent at best. But they never imagined that Paul, the one who had turned his back on the family, would have such a monstrous child.

"If the Notos family finds out that Paul, who abandoned his family name, has given birth to such a genius, I wonder what they'll think…" Philip muttered, astonished. The Notos family, like the Boreas family, was part of the Greyrat lineage and held high nobility within the Asura Kingdom.

As the dust settled, Ghislaine's figure slowly emerged from the cloud of debris. According to the "smoke but no injury" rule from various anime, Wood wasn't surprised to see that Ghislaine had come out unscathed, even after taking such a powerful attack.

However, something had changed. Wood could clearly sense that the aura surrounding Ghislaine had shifted from an advanced swordsman's to that of a genuine "Sword Saint."

"I see, this must be the other kind of power Paul mentioned," Ghislaine said, her voice filled with respect. "Such a sharp, precise force… no wonder Paul said he might not be able to defeat you."

By this point, Ghislaine was beyond shocked. Ever since the beginning of the fight, Wood had consistently surprised her, one move after another. She had reached the point where she could no longer be startled, as her mind had gone numb from all the surprises.

Wood, looking at Ghislaine's untouched form, sighed inwardly. The difference between a "Sword King" like Ghislaine and someone like Paul, an advanced swordsman, was indeed like night and day. However, he didn't let this discourage him. Instead, he readied his stance once more.

After all this time fighting, Wood had started to get a feel for Ghislaine's movements. While defeating her was still unlikely, forcing her to use her full strength seemed within reach.

"Interesting. Do you plan to continue?" Ghislaine smiled, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "That 'Kamaitachi' wind slash wasn't your strongest move, was it?"

"Of course, I'll continue," Wood replied confidently. "You're a 'Sword King,' but right now, your aura is only at a 'Sword Saint' level. It's clear you haven't gotten serious yet."

Wood shifted his grip, now holding the sword in his right hand while gathering magic into his left. His left palm faced downward as blue magical energy began to form.

"Intermediate Wind Magic—Wind Blast!"

A blue magic circle appeared out of nowhere in Wood's left hand, and soon after, a powerful gust of wind erupted from it. But the wind wasn't aimed at Ghislaine—it was aimed at the ground beneath Wood's feet!

Rather than using the wind magic to attack Ghislaine, Wood used it to accelerate himself. Thanks to Roxy's year of instruction and his own insights, Wood realized that magic didn't have to be solely used for offense; it could be applied in various ways.

Rudy's magic talent lay in his deep understanding of magic, which allowed him to develop techniques like chantless casting. Wood had also benefited from this, but his strength lay in his practical use of magic.

As the windstorm howled beneath him, it provided a massive burst of momentum, propelling Wood forward with incredible speed. By controlling the angle of the magic circle, Wood could use the wind as a form of propulsion to close the gap between himself and his opponent in an instant.

"Intermediate magic—and chantless, no less! He's not even using a staff. How is that possible?" Sauros and his family were dumbfounded by Wood's skill. But Ghislaine's focus was on something else—Wood's speed had increased again!

"Clang—!"

The sharp sound of clashing blades echoed across the training grounds. This time, the sound was much louder than any of their previous exchanges. Observant spectators could tell that this time, both Wood and Ghislaine were putting much more force into their strikes.

The iron swords, which had held up thus far, now showed visible chips and cracks from the sheer power behind the collision. It was clear to anyone watching that the intensity of their duel had reached new heights.

What's more, unlike earlier, this time Ghislaine was being pushed back. Despite having superior strength, the combined force of Wood's wind magic and his sword attacks had created a massive impact. As sparks flew, Ghislaine's feet dragged across the ground, carving out two deep trenches in the earth.

If things continued this way, it would be Ghislaine's sword that gave out first. Wood, sensing his chance, smiled confidently, convinced he was about to claim victory. But just then, Ghislaine smirked, as if amused by his confidence.

"Beastmen are born hunters. Our bodies have been honed into weapons through years of training. Just as you showed me earlier, swordsmanship isn't the only thing I'm good at."

Holding her ground against the immense force, Ghislaine suddenly lashed out with a swift roundhouse kick aimed directly at Wood's neck!

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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 380+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a