Chapter 22_ Sword Saint (4)

「 Honestly, I didn't expect that you'll become a Sword Saint, this fast. 」

Lexus heard Madra's voice while lazily gazing at the window of his carriage. Lexus smiled but didn't replied.

「 What's more was that you're not just an ordinary Sword Saint. 」

Well no Sword Saint was ordinary and those who became one were very excellent but Madra was not referring about it. What he meant was that Lexus might become the strongest Sword Saint that will surpass Muller.

Aside from that he became one, he could also display both Madra and Pagma's Swordsmanships. The two Swordsmanships of the two great legends.

There was one problem.

The skills consume so much mana.

Excluding the 100,000 Army Swordsmanships that requires 20,000 mana, though Lexus was fortunate to discover a loophole of increasing his intelligence stats by reading books, a legendary swordsmanships still consumed plenty.

Wave. Restraint. Link. Kill. Transcend.

A total of five sword techniques. The minimum amount of mana required was 300. In particular, Kill consumed 1,200 mana and Transcend consumed 1,800 mana.

If Lexus didn't discovered the loophole, his maximum mana might be less than 2,000 which would make him unable to use the sword dances freely.

As Lexus was lamenting about this, the carriage suddenly halted. At first, he had a puzzled frown on his face, having no clue why the carriage stopped but when he stepped out of the carriage, he burst out laughing out of the absurdity of the situation.

"Your highness. I'll swiftly deal with them so you can rest assure."

He heard Dovie's voice while unsheathing her sword. She was sitting beside Sera who was driving and was quick to respond. She had a calm expression while glaring at the people that surrounded the carriage. That's right, they were being surrounded by bandits.

"Are you laughing, you crazy bastard?"

A bandit exclaimed hearing Lexus' laughter. He didn't liked it. Even the maid who was driving the carriage didn't have the slightest fear in her expression despite seeing they were surrounded.

However, they didn't recognize who Lexus was or more precisely speaking, they didn't recognize how skilled Lexus was or about the skills of his companion.

In this journey, only Dovie and Sera had accompanied him unlike before he was escorted by a squad of knights. The reason is, Dovie was just that skilled enough that could handle the threats all by herself.

As she was about start her assaults to subjugate them, she heard Lexus' voice which made her hault.

"Wait!"

Turning her head at Lexus' direction, she made a confused expression why he stopped her.

"They are the perfect target practice. I wanna deal with them myself."

Lexus said with a smile then a red sword materialized in his hands. As Dovie was aware of his skills, she nodded despite her worry of his safety. She had saw him fighting against Greed in a distance and noticed that he had improved greatly since he sparred with her father.

However, unlike Dovie, Lexus' attitude only succeeded in provoking the bandits.

"You son of a bit…"

"I'll kill ya!!!"

*Swish*

Just when some of them was about to cuss at him, a single bandit had to flinch backwards as he noticed Lexus had disappeared right in front of his eyes and even before he could turn his gaze to find the white-haired teenage boy, Lexus was already stabbing his thigh with his Blight of Misery.

*Puck*

[Critical!]

[The Blight of Misery's option effect is activated, causing you to attack the target twice.]

[You have dealt 10,500 damage to the target.]

[The target's leg is severely damaged. Movement speed has decreased by 40%. The ability to control the body has decreased.]

"Kuak!"

One of the five men fell down on the floor with blood gushing out from this leg.

"You little f*cker!"

"Kill him!"

The remaining four jumped at him all at once as they screamed in anger. The bandits were swinging their weapons. There was no need for evasion.

The enemies' attacks had a good momentum, but they couldn't even deal a small scratch to Lexus. His body didn't feel any slight fluctuations. Rather, the weapons of the bandits were damaged.

"W-What?"

"What is this...?"

The bandits lived in the lawless world so their warning instincts were unsurpassed. At this moment, the bandits felt despair.

Lexus, however, quickly fixed his grasp on the sword and twisted his body. One by one, he severed one's ankle ligament, sliced one's thigh, and stabbed one's stomach and another one's chest.

"Kukuk!"

"*Gurgle*."

Blood sprayed onto the ground. All four of them collapsed on the floor with blood frothing in their mouths.

Pagma's Sword Dance, Wave.

Just then, Lexus' body started dancing. The same sword dance Greed used against him. A blue light radiating from the red Blight of Misery and then waves of energy shot in every direction.

The momentum of the sword wreak havoc to anything in its path.

Seokeok!

There was a refreshing feeling in his chest as the sword cut through the enemies. With one strike, the bodies of the bandits turned into grey light.

Pepepepeng!

[The Blight of Misery's option effect is activated, causing you to attack the target twice.]

[You have dealt 16,000 damage to the target.]

"Kiyaaaaak!"

The bandits were hit simultaneously and screamed in pain. They tried to counterattack but due to the influence of Wave, their movement speed and attack speed were slowed by almost two times.

The bandits rammed their heads into the pool of blood without being able to launch any attack.

The bandits who were targeted by Lexus died, unable to endure the damage from a single sword dance of a legend with three legendary classes. The legendary Undefeated King's Successor, Pagma's Successor and the Sword Saint.

The bandits who were over level 60 died with their mouth foaming in blood. Lexus didn't feel any guilt in killing them. They were lawless NPCs in his eyes. They showed an intention to kill and they were truly people who had committed numerous evils.

They turned into grey lights from the merciless Blight of Misery in Lexus' grasp.

"Amazing!"

Dovie unconsciously exclaimed. The sword dance that Lexus had made was so gorgeous and elegant in her eyes. It was a truly excellent swordsmanship that inspired her. Dovie felt a cool and stuffy emotion in her chest when she saw Lexus' exciting swordsmanship that shows extreme elegance.

It was at this moment, the swordsmanship of Pagma was produced and shown by Lexus. Pagma, the best swordsman after Muller and the Undefeated King.

'I defeated NPCs over level 50+ enemy in just two hits?'

Lexus couldn't believe it himself. First is just a basic attack even if it was a critical hit and the enemy's defense was ignored, Lexus didn't expected to do it in only two hits.

'These guys, do they have less health compared to their appearance?'

It was a good explanation. Considering their aggressive tendencies, it was likely that the bandits had focused their stats on strength. Then at this point, a blue energy rose from his body like a haze while his sword drew a blue line.

[The new resource 'Sword Energy' has opened because you are a Sword Saint.]

[The skill, Pagma's Sword Dance, has been enhanced.]

[The information of Pagma's Sword Dance has updated.]

[Pagma's Sword Dance has changed to Great Swordsman Pagma's Sword Dance.]

[When using a sword, the resource consumed will be changed from mana to sword energy.]

Sword Energy is an unique resource for swordsmen who have earned the title of Great Swordsman. However, it opens up only after reaching a certain level after becoming a great swordsman. But not only a resource, sword energy is also a kind of blue energy that rises like a haze from the swordsman, draws a blue line along the swung sword and can take various forms in skills.

However for Lexus' case who had become a Sword Saint, the strongest swordsman that greatly outclassed and surpassed Great Swordsmen, Lexus can now use sword energy which he previously can't and had became one of Lexus' greatest strength and weapon.

'Now, let's see.'

Lexus calmed down his joy and checked the information of the swordsmanship.

[Great Swordsman Pagma's Dance - Lv.1]

[Increases physical attack by 40%, critical hit rate by 50%, and critical damage by 80%.

* This effect is only applied when a sword type weapon is equipped.

* Reduces the stride of the sword dance.

* You can create five fusion sword dances.

* Every time the skill level rises, the number of sword dances that can be created will increase.

* With this skill effect, you can only create four linked sword dances.]

[Wave Lv. 1]

[Unleash a violent sword dance like a high and powerful wave.

Inflicts 325% of your attack power to all enemies within 5 meters and reduces all speeds by 50%.

* A target that resists the affected state will only have a 19% reduction in movement speed.

* Once a target blocks, the 'violent shockwave' effect will occur and potentially create an 'ignore defense' effect.

Skill Usage Conditions: Have a sword type weapon equipped.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 80

Skill Cooldown Time: 2 minutes.]

[Restraint Lv. 1]

[A restrained and understated sword dance.

Overwhelms the surroundings. Nobody can approach you for 3.5 seconds.

* A target that resists the status anomaly will have a low probability of being stopped for 0.1 to 0.3 seconds.

* Not applicable to the undead.

Skill Usage Conditions: Have a sword type weapon equipped.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 60

Skill Cooldown Time: 5 minutes.]

[Link Lv. 1]

[A dazzling sword dance that is like the wings of a butterfly.

Deals 900% of your attack power to a single target 20 times in total.

* Takes one second to cast.

* This skill isn't affected by attack speed.

Skill Usage Conditions: Have a sword type weapon equipped.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 50

Skill Cooldown Time: 1 minute.]

[Kill Lv. 1]

[A killing sword that expresses hatred.

Deals 1,850% of your physical attack power to a single target. Once hit, the target will be given the 'bleeding' and 'despair' effects and the 'Disarm' effect will be temporarily applied.

* Disarm: The item effect won't apply for one second. However, this corresponds to the area that is hit.

* The bleeding and despair effects won't apply to targets that can resist abnormal statuses.

Skill Usage Conditions: Have a sword type weapon equipped.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 100

Skill cooldown time: 10 minutes.]

[Pinnacle Lv. 1]

[A sword that expresses the essence of a warrior god.

Deals 900% of your attack power to a single target. This skill will ignore 65% of the target's defense.

Skill Usage Conditions: Have a sword type weapon equipped.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 60

Skill Cooldown Time: 3 minutes.]

[Revolve Lv. 1]

[Like the eye of a storm, it is calm and powerful.

It seems to conform to the flow, but this is actually a lie.

Reflects 100% of all attacks that hit within 1.2 seconds of being cast.

Skill Usage Conditions: Have a sword type weapon equipped.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 50

Skill Cooldown Time: 1 minute and 30 seconds.]

[Drop Lv. 1]

[A sword dance that displays a grudge against the sky.

It is a deep and serene sword dance that informs the world of the authority of the fallen sky.

Inflicts 500% of your physical damage to all enemies within 5 meters of you, and there is a 50% chance of ignoring the enemy's status resistance. Deals an additional 400% damage to all divine beings.

That target that is hit can't attack and defense will decrease.

Skill Usage Conditions: Have a sword type weapon equipped.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 80

Skill Cooldown Time: 6 minutes.]

[Flower Lv. 1]

[A sword dance that depicts fluttering petals.

Any marked target will be hit with 61% physical damage + 10% magic damage.

* One mark can be produced per two points of sword energy.

* Every time the target is hit, a mark will be left. A maximum of five marks can be stacked up.

* Any object seen with the eyes will be recognized as a target and a mark will be left. Only one mark can be left as a target effect.

* The duration of the mark is 10 seconds and this duration is updated every time a new mark is left within these 10 seconds.

Skill Usage Conditions: Have a sword type weapon equipped.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 60

Skill Cooldown Time: 1 minute.]

[Transcend Lv. 1]

[A sword dance that transcends imagination.

Your attack power is doubled and your basic attacks will turn into ranged attacks.

Skill Usage Conditions: Have a sword type weapon equipped.

Skill Sword Energy Cost: 200

Skill Duration: 30 seconds.

Skill Cooldown Time: 40 minutes.]

"Wow..."

It was more than he had expected. No to be exact, he was beyond speechless of what just happened.

'Didn't this happen on Greed in the later stages when he became a Great Swordsman after overcoming countless struggles?'

The process for Greed to reach this point was too long yet Lexus immediately reached it. It was the benefits of being a Sword Saint which provides a beneficial synergy to other legendary classes that uses a sword.

Unlike the current Greed that still only obtained the basic form of Pagma's Sword Dance, Lexus easily acquired the original sword dance of Pagma during his prime. Being a Sword Saint immediately revealed the true value of the sword dance of Legendary Pagma!

Turning off Thought Acceleration, Lexus revealed a grin looking at the bandits around.