Return of The Martial King – Chapter 267

Chapter 267

Bang!  

As fists collided, a formidable shockwave spread in all directions. Repenhardt continued to clash his fists together as if putting on a display. Each time, waves of light exploded outward with a thunderous roar.  

Aura Users watched Repenhardt with shining eyes, captivated by his blatant display of strength.  

His opponent was none other than the Fist King of this era, a martial artist of the famed Gym Unbreakable.  

If one were to take his head, the honor would be immense!  

‘In that case!’  

‘The Fist King’s head will be mine!’  

A majority of the killing intent in the air blatantly converged on Repenhardt. It was only natural. These people still clung to their prejudices against other races. The elf, Iniya, and the troll, Attila, were of no concern to them.  

Clicking his tongue, Sir Kamerun of the Kingdom of Hallein observed their behavior with disapproval.  

“Tsk, tsk…”  

Unlike the others, Sir Kamerun did not underestimate other races. Or rather, to be precise, he generally did, but there was one exception.  

The Kingdom of Hallein was known as the most prominent stronghold of alchemists on the continent. Since his youth, Sir Kamerun had heard countless stories of the legendary troll, Ivory Tusk. Not long ago, he had even learned that his distant relative, the Aura User Sir Kapir, had been beaten by Ivory Tusk and had to spend half a year recovering.  

In reality, it was not Attila but Tassid who had beaten him. However, Sir Kapir made no effort to correct this false rumor. After all, the fact that he was beaten was undeniable, and it was far better for his pride to claim he lost to the infamous Ivory Tusk rather than to some unknown orc. Besides, he had taken quite a few hits from Attila as well, so it wasn’t entirely untrue.  

For various reasons, Sir Kamerun had a proper understanding of Attila’s capabilities. Now, with his Blade Aura drawn, he focused his attention on Attila, scrutinizing him carefully.  

‘Those guys aren’t ordinary either, so why are they only targeting the Fist King? Someone needs to keep them in check.’  

Sir Kamerun was not the only one with a keen grasp of the situation. Sir Walgran, a knight of Vasily, was also wary of the violet-haired elf woman, Iniya.

Iniya did not appear strong at all. Her body was well-trained, exuding vitality rather than frailty, yet her slender and well-proportioned figure made her seem anything but a warrior. Her snow-white skin, ample chest, and breathtaking beauty were so striking that even Russ, who was accustomed to elf women, found himself momentarily captivated.  

However, the seasoned Aura User, Sir Walgran, could clearly sense the overwhelming energy contained within Iniya’s entire being. Even though it was not outwardly visible, that energy alone placed her on equal footing with him.  

‘An incredible swordswoman. I can’t afford to underestimate her just because she’s an elf.’  

Sir Walgran had always considered elf swordsmen to be, at best, Slayers. The mere existence of someone like Iniya was a shocking revelation to him. Tense, he fixed his gaze on her.  

Walgran’s killing intent flowed toward Iniya.  

Kamerun’s killing intent flowed toward Attila.  

Everyone present had awakened their Aura and could instinctively perceive the surrounding energy through their heightened senses. Though no words were spoken, they all understood what the other two were thinking.  

Among them, Nasdan, who was more open-minded than most, let out a wry chuckle as he grasped his prized weapon, the Red Spear. Unlike most Aura Users who wielded swords, he had awakened his Aura through a spear. Pointing its tip toward Iniya, he muttered,  

“Well, now’s not the time to be greedy for glory.”  

Sir Werl, an Aura User from the Teikan Kingdom, also redirected his hostility toward Attila.  

As a knight loyal to the Teikan royal family, he held no ill will toward the Fist King, Repenhardt. In fact, he had a slight admiration for him, considering he had eradicated that vile pedophilic deviant Aura User, Lantas.  

He had only come here on orders, but the thought of pointing his sword at the man who had rid the kingdom of its disgrace left him feeling uneasy.  

“I’d rather deal with a troll instead.”  

Four Aura Users set their sights on Repenhardt, while the remaining ones divided into pairs, preparing to take on Attila and Iniya.  

Wooooong!  

As both sides intensified their battle spirits, the air itself trembled, colliding with a low, resounding hum.  

Though they paled in comparison to the two monstrous beings battling in the distance, they were still superhumans among superhumans. With over a dozen Aura Users gathered, the sheer pressure they emitted was staggering. In an instant, fierce winds erupted, kicking up a storm of dust.  

Then, at a certain moment, Repenhardt kicked off the ground and charged forward.  

“Taah!”  

That was the signal.  

Both sides sprang into motion, clashing in a violent collision.  

*       *       *

Master once said,  

“In a fight, striking first is always the best option.”

Master also said,  

“Facing multiple opponents? Just take one down first! You can think about the rest later!”  

Gerard’s teachings always carried a depth that resonated no matter how many times they were revisited.  

‘Attack first, victory secured!’  

Repenhardt hurled himself straight into the midst of the four middle-aged Aura Users targeting him.  

‘Take one down first and think later!’  

In an instant, his massive frame closed the distance, rushing straight toward one of them.  

Faced with this overwhelming mass of muscle, Sir Ricabon recoiled in horror.  

“W-what the?!”  

Even from a distance, Repenhardt was intimidating, but up close, he was sheer terror incarnate. Panicking, Ricabon hastily raised his sword and activated his Aura Guard.  

That was when Repenhardt suddenly threw a punch and shouted,  

“Hybrid Calamity Horn!”  

Five golden shockwaves erupted around his fist, converging into a single point, concentrating all destructive power into one strike.  

With a brilliant flash, the attack crashed into Ricabon’s body.  

Boom!  

With a deafening explosion, Ricabon was sent flying, his body a bloodied mess. His sword shattered, his armor was blown apart, and fragments of both scattered in all directions.  

The other Aura Users cried out in shock.  

“This is insane!”  

“Sir Ricabon!”  

Repenhardt lowered his fist and grinned.  

“One down!”  

When he had been clashing his fists together earlier, it wasn’t just for show. He wasn’t some gorilla drumming for attention. Why would he waste energy when facing formidable opponents?  

Despite being trapped in this body and living like this, he was still a mage. He was accustomed to planning his battles with precision. Under the guise of flaunting his strength, he had been secretly preparing his specialized technique, Hybrid Calamity Horn.  

Ricabon, the Aura User of the Basutalon Empire, had been killed instantly by a single strike.  

Even though Repenhardt had held back, Calamity Horn was still the ultimate technique of Gym Unbreakable. Taking a direct hit from it, there was no way he could have survived.  

As they gazed at Ricabon’s lifeless corpse, the other Aura Users groaned in disbelief.  

It was rare for an Aura User to die in a single blow.  

“My god… Sir Ricabon…”  

“In just one hit…?”  

Repenhardt glanced at Ricabon’s twisted, lifeless body and smirked inwardly.  

‘What an idiot.’  

Although it had been a surprise attack, Ricabon was still one of the strongest Aura Users in the Basutalon Empire. Had he been serious and fought with his full strength as usual, he would not have been killed in a single strike by Hybrid Calamity Horn. If he had used the secret techniques he had honed over the years, he might have been able to deflect or evade some of the impact.  

However, Ricabon had placed restrictions on himself, insisting on using only “basic Aura skills.” As a result, even in the face of danger, he relied solely on a basic Aura Guard. That was why he neither dodged nor properly blocked the attack, taking its full force head-on.  

‘In the end, one’s mindset really is crucial, isn’t it?’  

Well, Repenhardt wasn’t exactly in a position to criticize. After all, he had made the same mistake when he first encountered Eusus.  

Thanks to this, the Aura Users from various nations had lost one of their forces in vain.  

“Damn it!”  

Cursing, the remaining three Aura Users attacked Repenhardt in unison. Three streaks of Blade Aura thrust toward him from all directions. Though they were merely basic Blade Aura strikes with no additional variations, coming at him simultaneously left no room for evasion.  

Of course, Repenhardt remained unfazed. He had no intention of dodging in the first place.  

“Spiral Guard!”  

A vortex of golden Aura erupted around him, repelling all the incoming Blade Aura strikes. Even if they had used their secret techniques at full power, breaking through would have been difficult, so how could basic Blade Aura possibly stand a chance?  

The Aura Users were momentarily flustered, attempting to regain their stance.  

“Hup!”  

Letting out a short breath, Repenhardt kicked off the ground.  

The three Aura Users’ eyes widened.  

To their disbelief, he wasn’t charging at them.  

His target was far ahead, Nasdan and Sir Walgran, who were currently engaged with Iniya.  

“Blade of the Frozen Wastes!”  

Iniya moved with graceful swordplay, unleashing silvery flashes of light in quick succession. Her Blade Aura, shaped like crescent moons, curved through the air, dominating the space around Nasdan and Sir Walgran as they closed in.  

Since they had restricted themselves to using only basic Aura skills, they had no effective way to counter her attacks. Their only choice was to retreat, evading her relentless offensive.  

It was at that moment…

“Chain Strike Blast!”  

Repenhardt, soaring through the air, abruptly launched a Chain Strike Blast at Nasdan.  

In a frantic response, Nasdan infused his spear tip with Blade Aura and met the incoming strike head-on.  

However, the sheer force of the attack was overwhelming, he was sent skidding backward, barely able to hold his ground.  

After pushing his opponent away, Repenhardt continued his charge, giving Iniya a quick glance.  

‘Cover my back!’  

Understanding immediately, Iniya swung her sword in a wide arc, scattering a misty white haze.  

Breath of the Northern Sea!  

A freezing fog capable of turning everything to ice swept over the three Aura Users rushing toward Repenhardt. Their feet froze to the ground. They could break free quickly by focusing their Aura defense, but…  

“Wahaha!”  

Repenhardt did not let the brief opening go to waste.  

In a flash, he dashed past Iniya, charging straight at Nasdan. Laughing gleefully, he unleashed a storm of punches. A flurry of sharp light punches battered Nasdan’s Blade Aura, immediately followed by a low kick!  

Thud!  

A grotesque sound erupted as the flesh of Nasdan’s thigh seemed to split. He staggered with a groan. Repenhardt seized the moment and drove an uppercut straight into Nasdan’s jaw.  

Nasdan’s head snapped back violently as his body lifted off the ground.  

“Guh! Keugh!”  

Seeing Nasdan being pummeled, Sir Kamerun and the three pursuing Aura Users faltered in shock. They quickly lunged toward Repenhardt to aid him.  

At that moment, a streak of silvery Blade Aura sliced across their path.  

“Blizzard of the White Night!”  

Iniya had already stepped in front of them, her radiant swordplay exuding a freezing brilliance.  

Like a real blizzard, her Blade Aura scattered in countless fragments, each forming a deadly blade swirling through the air. Among them, dozens of piercing thrusts surged forward.  

It was an area-wide attack, yet within it lay a hidden series of fatal strikes. There was no way to break through it with mere basic Aura skills. Sir Kamerun and the three Aura Users were forced to halt their advance.  

Meanwhile, Nasdan, who had been sent flying, fought to regain his senses.  

“Kh…!”  

Even as he spat blood, he did not fall. He was a formidable Aura User who had never known defeat! He would not collapse as pitifully as that “moron” Ricabon!  

Twisting midair, Nasdan used Aura to propel himself off the empty space. As he descended toward Repenhardt, he swung his spear in an elegant arc.  

“Range of Javelin!”  

As his spear carved its path, spectral javelins materialized around him, formed purely of Aura.  

With a single gesture, Nasdan commanded all ten Aura Javelins to launch toward Repenhardt at once.  

Recalling Ricabon’s fate, Nasdan had finally abandoned restraint and unleashed his signature Aura skill.