Petal (2)

The combination of magic and aura.

It was an idea anyone could conceive; the concept wasn't difficult. And on this continent, there were countless individuals who romanticized such power.

Yet, until now, no one had ever truly achieved it.

Mana and aura, though fundamentally the same substance, couldn't be operated simultaneously.

Magic, drawing the unreal into reality through formulas, incantations, and complex mana circuits, demanded a considerable amount of mana. Mages trained relentlessly to accumulate mana within their bodies.

Aura, on the other hand, amplified the user's strength and speed, turning their very Internal Energy into a sword aimed at their opponent. Therefore, aura prioritized the rapid circulation of Internal Energy, both internal and external, rather than accumulation.

If mana was the fuel tank, aura was the engine.

Using both at the same time was akin to turning the fuel tank into an engine and praying it wouldn't explode.

Thus, in the Falind Continent, a "Magic Swordsman" traditionally referred to a versatile individual capable of wielding aura and, separately, magic.

A prime example was Hector, son of Ludwig. He possessed both the fuel tank and the engine, and his flexibility allowed him to utilize both appropriately depending on the situation.

Hector could even leverage the fuel tank to further accelerate the engine, amplifying his aura.

However, no one would ever wish for the fuel tank to function as the engine, nor attempt to extract fuel from within the engine.

Controlling such a thing wasn't within the realm of mana manipulation.

No, it was beyond the realm of "control" altogether.

"..."

Cohen stared at the spectacle, dumbfounded.

A sword enveloped in aura, burning with flames. Sybil, who should have been reduced to a cripple by such a technique, wore a serene expression.

"How long do you intend to stand there?"

Sybil was the first to break the silence.

"You said you would kill me, even if it meant incurring the wrath of God."

"...Ugh!"

Cohen tightened his grip on his sword. Sybil was right. No matter what she did, he had to kill her. There was no other choice. For Manggot, and for himself, who had walked the path of the swordsman.

Yet, his feet wouldn't move.

One of the Manggot soldiers watching from the side shouted, "Lord Cohen! It's just a sword on fire! There's no substance behind such a trick!"

But Cohen remained silent. He would have retorted under normal circumstances, but he was speechless, his eyes fixated on Sybil.

The Manggot soldiers exchanged glances.

To them, Cohen seemed overly cautious of Sybil's power. It was likely due to witnessing such power for the first time.

Cohen was known for his prudence, even using his sarcastic tone as a facade to bait opponents. Additionally, as the Shepherd, he led the members of Manggot.

It was understandable for him to be wary of an unknown power.

The Manggot soldiers nodded, reaching a swift decision.

Thud!

"We'll take care of her!"

The Manggot soldiers once again surged from all directions.

However, there was one difference.

"N-No! Stop!!"

Cohen shouted, trying to stop them.

Meanwhile, Sybil raised her rapier to shoulder height.

"Just a sword on fire."

She echoed the soldier's words.

"Slightly different, but well..."

With that, Sybil drew a horizontal arc with her sword towards the enemies rushing from the front. Flames spread along its trajectory.

"Hmph!"

As if anticipating this, most of the soldiers coated their swords in aura and raised them in defense.

The flames Sybil unleashed touched their blades.

Whoosh-

In an instant, their entire bodies were engulfed in flames.

"Ugh, uwaaaaah!!"

Their raised swords offered no protection; they had merely become moths diving into a fire.

"Aaah, aaahk, kuaaahk!!"

Screams erupted from all sides. Blades began to melt, and the aura protecting their bodies had long since dissipated.

The screams soon subsided, and those who had attacked Sybil collapsed, blackened and emitting smoke.

"These, these fools..."

Cohen gritted his teeth. He hadn't expected his subordinates to act first. They hadn't felt the same fear he did.

Manggot failed to comprehend the level of power Sybil was demonstrating.

"It's not the sword that's burning. It's the aura that's ablaze..."

Cohen let out a belated lament, gazing at his subordinates who had become charred corpses.

"What will you do?"

Sybil asked Cohen. The meaning was clear: fight or flight.

"Heh, heh heh."

Cohen let out an enigmatic chuckle.

"Manggot is a conflagration. It merely burns, literally."

"...Very well."

Thud!

Cohen's feet finally moved. Instead of charging towards Sybil, he moved to her left.

His high-speed movement made him difficult to track with the naked eye.

If he couldn't block Sybil's sword, he would completely escape its range and attack from behind. That was Cohen's judgment.

'This woman, her swordsmanship is still immature. If I exploit that gap, somehow!'

As Cohen thought, Sybil's swordsmanship wasn't yet on par with his. The spacing between their weapons, the shifting of their centers of gravity to obscure vision, the responses after defense or evasion – all were lacking.

As long as he avoided contact with that sword and its flames, victory was within Cohen's grasp.

Flicker!

Sybil's eyes, which had been tracking Cohen's movements, momentarily lost sight of him due to his sudden change in direction. For a brief moment, Sybil lost track of his movements.

'Got it!'

The moment Cohen lunged at Sybil with conviction.

Sybil Forte Original

Aura-Mana Combination

Petal

White

The flames engulfing Sybil's sword were instantly extinguished.

Crackle, crackle, crackle!!

The blade was enveloped in lightning, raining down from the ground to the air, tearing through the sky like paper.

Cohen, aiming for Sybil's back, saw her gaze, sharp and gleaming, directed at him from beyond her back.

'This woman, could it be...'