Becoming a Swordmast Chapter 175 : Chapter 175

Chapter 175. The Strongest(1)

The Imperial Army fell into chaos due to Dmitri's unexpected death.

The Sokolov unit that followed Dmitri went without saying, and the Tiaref unit was the sa.

Of course, the Imperial Army currently fighting the 3rd Corps was not made up solely of the Sokolov unit and the Tiaref unit.

Various high nobles of the Empire had their troops drafted to the Andasia region.

Also, Maxim appropriately divided them in two.

So that they could deal with both the 3rd Corps and the Glockner unit.

However, no matter how many troops there were, the death of an 8-star knight had no choice but to have a significant impact on military morale.

It was even more so in a situation like now where they were being pushed back in a troop-versus-troop fight.

Because virtually the only way to win this fight was the performance of an 8-star knight.

Yet their own 8-star knight was defeated instead.

Starting with the Sokolov unit, which had been watching this fight closely, the Imperial Army had no choice but to crumble.

Furthermore,

“Here is the head of your leader, Dmitri Sokolov!”

Alexis shouted like this while lifting Dmitri's head, which had been rolling on the ground, to head height.

As a result, even the Imperial Army soldiers who were relatively far away had to be shocked by Dmitri's death.

“This can't be….”

“The Count really died?”

“Da, damn it! R, run away!”

Eventually, the Imperial Army fell into great confusion, and their battle lines shook even more greatly.

And the 3rd Corps did not miss this gap and dug in.

Like that, the Imperial Army, which had barely been holding on by looking only at Dmitri, helplessly collapsed starting with the Sokolov unit.

“Fucking hell!”

Vlad, who had been moving to help Dmitri belatedly, pulled the reins to stop his horse.

The hesitation for a mont was the problem.

Because the troops of both sides poured into that montary gap, blocking the way.

So the help was delayed, and in the anti, Dmitri lost his life.

And the outco of the battle was decided.

“Everyone retreat! Retreat!”

Vlad imdiately issued a retreat order as if there was no need to think twice.

Because since Dmitri lost his life, the way to turn this fight around had disappeared.

Above all,

‘If I make a wrong move, even I could lose my life.’

In fact, this was the part Vlad was most worried about.

Certainly, that side still had two 8-star knights, and now there was only himself here, so the possibility was high.

‘I must not fall as well. If I do, not only will all the troops here be annihilated, but the future of the Empire itself might disappear.’

So he had to preserve his strength sohow and plan for the future with Maxim.

Even this did not have a very high possibility, but there was no other way.

‘Stupid Sokolov bastard son of a bitch!’

Vlad cursed Dmitri in his heart and escaped the battlefield.

That day, the Imperial Army led by Vlad and Dmitri lost over half of its troops.

From the Imperial Army's perspective, it was a crushing defeat; from the Allied Forces' perspective, it was a great victory.

***

anwhile.

Maxim, who had not yet received the news of Vlad and Dmitri's defeat, was currently facing the Glockner unit.

“…….”

He hadn't expected it.

That the Glockner unit would lead a large-scale force out of Kosinak Castle, where they had been holed up all this ti, at this ti.

However, Maxim did not feel impatience even while facing the Glockner unit.

Because he knew well that impatience could lead him to a futile defeat in an important fight.

‘The Empire does not lose, absolutely.’

Maxim steadied his mind while thinking this.

Then he prepared to welco the Glockner unit and proceed with a large-scale battle.

But the Glockner unit showed an unexpected movent once again.

Because soone had co out alone and aloof in front of the Glockner unit's troops standing in a line.

“!”

He wasn't even just standing there.

He was far enough away that the distance felt significant.

And that seed to reveal that he had no intention of fighting together with the Glockner unit.

The person standing alone like that.

That person was none other than Albrecht.

Clop-clop, chak.

Thud-thud, chak.

As Albrecht, who was moving ahead, stopped in his place, the Glockner unit also stopped together.

It was perfect synchronization, as if they were one person.

And the Imperial Army led by Maxim also stopped in that spot.

Chak-chak-chak.

Unfortunately, perhaps because there were so many numbers on this side, the synchronization was not as perfect as the Glockner unit.

So if one asked if they looked undisciplined, that was not the case either.

It was just not as perfect as the Glockner unit; the discipline of the Imperial Army led by Maxim was also respectable.

Like that, the armies of both sides maintained silence for a while, as if the sound of swallowing saliva could be heard.

And the one who broke this silence first was the Imperial Army side.

“Wooooaaaaah!”

“Kill him!”

As if they had been waiting, the Imperial Army shouted loudly and rushed toward the Glockner unit all at once.

And naturally, many troops concentrated toward Albrecht, who was standing at the very front.

The numbers were so great that it seed Albrecht would be crushed on the spot at once.

However,

Piiiiiing! Kwaaaaaang!

The Imperial Army did not succeed in crushing Albrecht.

Because as Albrecht lightly swung his sword, a sword blast was activated, and the Imperial Army soldiers who had rushed toward him were all brutally shattered into pieces.

So activated defensive crystal orbs, and so unfolded sword curtains, but it was useless.

Like humans collapsing helplessly before a natural disaster, everyone lost their lives in the sa appearance.

Albrecht looked at that sight indifferently and swung his sword once more.

Piiiiiing!

The small lump of aura that shot out like that.

Since they had already experienced the disaster brought by this bean-sized thing, the Imperial Army was tense and trembled in fear.

However, soone stepped forward and blocked the disaster.

Piiiiiing! Kwaaaaaaaaang!

One of the only two 9-star knights on this continent.

Maxim stepped forward and cast a sword blast in return, blocking the disaster.

As a result, a trendous explosion unlike anything before occurred, and although so of the Imperial Army troops were injured, it was a fortunate level compared to the expected disaster.

“Fall back.”

Maxim stepped forward and issued an order to the Imperial Army.

Like that, the Imperial Army fell back according to the order, and it beca a shape as if Albrecht and Maxim were standing alone on a dueling ground.

Maxim reproached Albrecht.

“A noisy entrance. You should have rather requested a duel.”

Only then did Albrecht open his lips, which seed as if they would never open, and answered.

“…If I had, would you have accepted the duel?”

“Of course not. Because war must be fought in the way of war.”

“For that, you are standing in that spot too shalessly.”

“Because I am also a person who cannot live with hurt pride.”

Was it because they had lived consciously of each other for a long ti?

Even though it was their first eting, Albrecht and Maxim conversed without awkwardness.

However, the place was not suitable for idle chat.

Because of that, the two people lifted their swords.

Maxim got off his horse first, sent the horse back, and spoke.

“Then shall we slowly determine the strongest now?”

Albrecht also got off his horse and answered.

“The strongest has already been determined. This is rely a place to confirm it.”

Like that, the two people began to unfold a confrontation in earnest.

Kwaaaaaang! Kwajijik!

Hwiiiiing! Shushushuk!

The fight between the two people did not feel like that of knights at all.

Because various secret techniques spat fire, raised blizzards, and struck down lightning.

However, the fight between the two, which looked flashy at a glance, was actually extrely efficient.

Because possessing equal skill ant it was too dangerous if one got tired first.

So using aura efficiently was extrely important.

The evidence was that after fighting in earnest, the two did not use even a sword curtain, let alone a sword blast.

Rather than using a sword curtain or sword blast, it was much better to use the family's core secret techniques.

Because the power was much stronger compared to the aura consumption.

For that reason, Albrecht used the Decisive Killing Gate and Heavenly Chain Extre early on to pressure Maxim.

However, since Maxim also possessed core secret techniques no less than these, he was able to narrowly break through Albrecht's attacks.

Eventually, Albrecht used the core secret techniques 'Black Blood Slash' which could be learned at 6-stars, 'Night Destruction Strike' which could be learned at 7-stars, and 'Dark Extre Formation' which could be learned at 8-stars.

The Black Blood Slash was a secret technique that created countless black sword energies to flow like a river,

The Night Destruction Strike was a secret technique that filled the surrounding space with black sword energy and then cut the enemy from all directions,

And the Dark Extre Formation was a secret technique that silently drove away darkness with a sword without sound or shape to cut the enemy in two with one stroke.

All three were powerful enough secret techniques to be called the strongest without lacking, but Maxim succeeded in blocking or breaking through all of them.

Although even Maxim had to use a sword curtain to block the Dark Extre Formation.

However, that did not an Albrecht gained leisure.

Because Albrecht also used a sword curtain once to block Maxim's attack.

“…What was that attack just now?”

Albrecht, who had been forced to use a sword curtain, asked Maxim.

Maxim answered this.

“It is called 'Sky Piercing Destruction', creating a vacuum with aura from the sky to the ground to cut the enemy.”

“Sky Piercing Destruction….”

Even knowing the na did not change much, but Albrecht repeated it with his mouth once more.

This action contained the aning that Albrecht accepted Maxim as a strong person equal to himself.

“Anyway, the fight will not end like this.”

“…Can it not be helped?”

Albrecht and Maxim adjusted their grip on their swords while looking at each other.

At the sa ti, an expression never seen before appeared on the two people's faces.

The reason was nothing else.

Because they made up their minds to finally see the conclusion that had been postponed

until the very end with a single strike.

Like that, the two people swung their swords simultaneously as if promised.

Hwirik! Shuuk!

Albrecht seed to swing his sword lightly, and Maxim seed to present a standard horizontal cut.

However, the result of the two people swinging their swords like this transcended imagination.