Chapter 5: Armament Skill

Cael Horais Sirius POV

Fragarach’s flashy entrance immediately seized everyone’s attention.

The entire battlefield seemed to pause for a brief moment.

The guards of Aquilo Fortress turned their attention toward my location, their expressions filled with shock and disbelief. 

Some of them were still holding their weapons, while others had lowered them slightly as they stared at the Holy Sword in my hands.

Then I saw my dad.

He was running toward us.

“Cael!”

His voice reached me even through the chaos of the battlefield.

Uncle Ray and the other villagers had also frozen in place. Their eyes were fixed on me and the silver greatsword I was holding.

For a moment, they looked as though they had just witnessed a miracle.

As if, after being cornered with nowhere left to run, they had finally found hope.

But the demonkind reacted differently.

Their gazes were fixed on me with an entirely different emotion.

It was as though they had finally found what they had been searching for.

Then I felt it.

The moment Ragniz’s gaze met mine, every hair on my skin stood on end.

His eyes were terrifying.

There was no hesitation in them.

No fear.

No confusion.

Only a cold-blooded, menacing gaze.

It was the kind of look that could only belong to someone who had already lost countless things that were important to him.

The Earth Dragon beneath him suddenly opened its massive jaws.

A terrifying roar erupted across the battlefield.

“GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”

The sound shook the ground.

Mom instantly covered both of her ears.

I looked around.

The fortress guards were doing the same.

So were Uncle Ray and the other villagers.

Even some of the people who had been preparing to flee had collapsed to their knees, trembling uncontrollably.

“A skill,” I thought.

“Dragon Terror,” Fragarach explained telepathically. “One of the Dragonborn skills. It inflicts fear on anyone who hears it, killing their intent to fight.”

The roar was terrifying.

Even I could feel the sheer pressure contained within it.

But strangely, I wasn't afraid.

“It’s a terrifying battle cry, but it doesn’t affect me at all,” I thought.

“Of course, Little Hero,” Fragarach replied. “One of the effects of achieving Holy Master is immunity to all negative effects. That includes fear.”

Holy Master.

One of Fragarach’s Extra Skills.

It allowed the user to use all Holy magic from Rank 1 to Rank 10.

But its effects didn't stop there.

It also granted immunity to all negative statuses.

Poison, Fear, Weakening, Petrify, Paralysis, Sleep, Bleed, Blind, Deafening, Silence, Decay, Curse and others.

“I see. So, for me, it’s just a loud and terrifying roar,” I replied.

Then I looked down at the silver blade in my hands.

“I guess that’s Holysword Fragarach. You’re just as amazing as the old folklore says.”

“Aren’t I amazing?” Fragarach immediately responded. “Praise me more, Little Hero.”

I almost laughed.

Even in a situation like this, Fragarach was still Fragarach.

But something else caught my attention.

Hundreds of humanoid demonkind had suddenly started moving backward.

They were retreating.

I stared at them in confusion.

Shouldn’t they all be focused on attacking us now?

The Beast Variants and Half Beast Variants, however, reacted differently.

They immediately began forming battle positions.

Weapons were raised.

Bows were drawn.

Massive creatures prepared themselves to hurl boulders.

Their bloodlust was overwhelming.

Then Ragniz shouted something.

I couldn't understand the words.

“Beast Language?” I thought.

“It most likely is,” Fragarach replied.

“A signal to attack?”

I didn't have to wait long for my answer.

Hundreds of fireballs, arrows, and enormous boulders were launched into the sky.

They rose above the battlefield before beginning their descent toward us.

My eyes followed them.

Every single projectile was aimed toward the people outside the Kingdom Walls.

Toward my family.

My friends.

The villagers.

The fortress guards.

And towards me.

Any one of those attacks would be enough to kill an ordinary person instantly.

And with hundreds of them coming down at once, there would be nowhere to run.

Yet I remained calm.

Strangely calm.

It was as if some part of me already knew that we were safe.

Then Fragarach’s thoughts flowed directly into my mind.

Telepathy.

One of Fragarach’s Extra Skills.

It allowed him to communicate directly with my thoughts while also sharing knowledge through his memories.

It felt strange.

A moment ago, I knew almost nothing about the skills I had inherited.

Now, information was flowing into my mind as naturally as breathing.

I understood the magic.

The structure.

The activation.

The purpose.

And how to use it.

I raised Fragarach.

“Sweep Hand: Rank 6 Defensive Rampart Wind Magic, Crimson Wall.”

Violent red winds gathered around the blade.

The hexagonal red gemstone embedded within Fragarach’s scabbard began glowing with six rectangular rays.

Then, in an instant, a powerful gush of red wind erupted several meters in front of the remaining fortress guards.

The wind expanded.

Higher.

Wider.

Until it became a gigantic wall stretching far into the sky.

The incoming projectiles crashed into it.

Fireballs vanished into the violent currents.

Arrows were swept away.

Boulders were deflected and sent crashing harmlessly into the surrounding terrain.

Not a single projectile reached us.

Wind Master.

Another one of Fragarach’s Extra Skills.

It allowed him to use all Wind magic from Rank 1 to Rank 10.

It also granted the user Wind Protection, which could block any projectile.

“I guess I no longer need to pray for a random projectile not to hit me,” I thought.

“You’re really an amusing one,” Fragarach commented. “For someone in your current situation, you can still think about something like that.”

“Still, you shouldn’t let your guard down. Wind Protection can block any projectile, but it cannot fully block everything.”

“At most, it can slow things down and give you enough time to evade,” Fragarach added.

“Still better than suddenly having a gaping hole in my body.”

“True.”

I looked at the enormous Crimson Wall in front of me.

Normally, magic beyond Rank 3 Advanced Magic could only be acquired by reading rare grimoires or being taught by someone who had already fully mastered it.

But thanks to Fragarach’s skills, Synergize and Wind Master, I could use it at its full potential.

Synergize didn't merely add all of Fragarach’s Aspects to mine.

It also shared all of Fragarach’s skills with me as if they were my own.

That was the reason I could use magic that should have been completely beyond my current capabilities.

Then…

“Kill that child! Before he unsheaths the s…!”

A high-ranking Half Beast Variant commander shouted.

He was covered in full armor.

From the shape of his armor, I could tell what he was.

A werewolf.

A half-wolf, half-humanoid being.

His eyes were locked onto me.

But he was too late.

“Long Hand: Thirty Steps.”

I swung Fragarach horizontally.

The blade extended through the air.

The distance between us seemed to disappear.

The werewolf commander barely had enough time to react.

He raised the buckler strapped to his left arm.

CLANG!

Fragarach struck the shield.

Except it didn't stop.

The blade cut through the buckler.

Then through his armor.

Then through his neck.

The werewolf commander’s head separated from his body before he could finish his sentence.

His body collapsed.

His head struck the ground several meters away.

Ragniz's eyes widened.

He had witnessed everything.

The werewolf commander had been standing only a few meters beside him.

And yet Fragarach had cut through him as though his armor had been made from thin cloth.

I didn't give Ragniz time to react.

“Long Hand: Five Steps.”

This time, I aimed directly for his neck.

Fragarach swept toward him.

Ragniz moved instantly.

His giant black greatsword rose and blocked my attack.

CLANG!

The impact produced an enormous shockwave.

My feet left the ground.

I was thrown upward into the air.

I twisted my body and controlled my landing, touching down only a few feet from the Aquilo fortress guards.

“That’s a true DragonSword,” Fragarach said.

“We can’t cut through it without using Divine Edge.”

I glanced toward Ragniz.

He was still mounted on the Earth Dragon.

His giant black greatsword remained in his hands.

“Divine Edge?”

“Another one of my Extra Skills.”

Fragarach's explanation immediately entered my thoughts.

Divine Edge enhanced Fragarach’s edge with Divine Aura.

It allowed the Holy Sword to cut through anything.

That sounded incredibly useful.

“So we should use it.”

“Don’t even think about it.”

Fragarach's tone immediately became serious.

“You are not ready yet.”

“You need to master Aegis first. Otherwise, the Divine Aura will tear your very flesh to ash.”

“Aegis?”

My eyes immediately moved toward the scabbard.

I had left it near Mom.

The scabbard was still there.

The sudden thought connected the pieces together.

“Got it.”

I looked at Fragarach.

“So, what am I supposed to do?”

Before Fragarach could answer…

BOOM!

A massive shadow appeared above me.

I looked up.

The Earth Dragon’s enormous tail was already coming down.

I raised Fragarach and blocked it.

The impact shook my entire body.

My feet dug into the ground as I was forced backward.

One meter.

Two meters.

I finally stopped only a meter away from the Aquilo fortress guards.

“Their armor is made from Fafnir Black Scales,” Fragarach explained.

“No wonder they’re so confident.”

“You mean the Evil Dragon Fafnir?!”

“Yes.”

I looked at the Earth Dragon.

Its armor was covered in dark scales.

Ragniz's armor was also made from the same material.

“So, what am I supposed to do if we can’t cut them?”

“First, we drive them back.”

“How?”

“By overwhelming force.”

I tightened my grip on Fragarach.

“Hero, I’ll give you information on a Rank 8 Spell. Use it before Ragniz retaliates with his own attack.”

Another flow of information entered my mind.

Lightning Master.

Another one of Fragarach’s Extra Skills.

It allowed the user to use all Lightning magic from Rank 1 to Rank 10.

It also granted Lightning Covenant.

That skill made me completely immune to lightning attacks while allowing me to absorb lightning to increase my Aspects.

Again, Fragarach’s thoughts flowed into me.

It was like watching an entire moment unfold within a single second.

Yet somehow, I understood everything.

The spell.

Its range.

Its activation.

Its purpose.

Everything.

I raised Fragarach toward the sky.

“Sweep Hand: Rank 8 Offensive Territorial Lightning Magic, Red Sprite Storm.”

The sky immediately darkened.

Black clouds formed overhead.

They spread across the battlefield like an enormous storm.

I signaled the fortress guards to move farther away.

“Back!”

The guards immediately obeyed.

Then…

CRACK!

A red lightning bolt descended from the heavens.

Then another.

Then dozens.

Hundreds.

Red lightning began raining down upon the demonkind.

Rank 8 Offenisive Territorial Lightning Magic: Red Sprite Storm.

It summoned dark clouds that struck all foes within its territory with red lightning bolts.

Ragniz immediately retreated.

He pulled the Earth Dragon backward as they fled from the storm.

Are they really that afraid of it?

After all, this is Rank 8 magic.

“It probably won’t even scratch them,” Fragarach said.

“Then why are they retreating?”

“It won’t scratch Ragniz or the Earth Dragon.”

Fragarach paused.

“But it will definitely kill everyone else.”

I watched as Ragniz hastily regrouped with the humanoid demonkind that had retreated earlier.

Then something strange happened.

Thick, metal-like walls emerged from the ground.

They rose around the group, forming a triangular bastion.

Dark light then surrounded the metallic fortress.

“Rank 6 Defensive Rampart Earth Magic, Steel Bastion, plus Rank 6 Defensive Rampart Dark Magic, Dusk Fortification.”

My eyes widened.

The next moment, Red Sprite Storm descended upon them.

CRACK!

CRACK!

CRACK!

Red lightning fell from the heavens like a thousand flaming blades of light.

Every creature it struck was instantly incinerated.

Beast Variants.

Half Beast Variants.

Even the Giant who had hurled one of the enormous boulders at us didn't stand a chance.

Red lightning struck his massive body several times.

His body collapsed.

But the metallic fortress remained untouched.

The red lightning struck the dark aura surrounding it.

Then something impossible happened.

The lightning passed through the dark aura and reverted to ordinary lightning.

“They’re strong,” Fragarach commented.

“Those two definitely know their skills.”

“They can even combine them to fully nullify Red Sprite Storm.”

I watched as the storm gradually disappeared.

The black clouds vanished.

The sky returned to normal.

The metallic fortress slowly descended back toward the ground before disappearing.

“But they still have no choice but to retreat,” Fragarach explained.

“They’ve used quite a bit of Psyche just to protect their comrades.”

“And that will definitely matter if they intend to break through the Kingdom of Cygnus’s outer wall and its magic barrier.”

“So they have no choice but to retreat.”

I watched the demonkind withdraw toward the Aquilo Fortress.

Ragniz remained at the front of the retreating force.

His cold eyes met mine one last time.

Neither of us moved.

Then he turned away.

The demonkind continued retreating.

I lowered Fragarach.

My body felt heavier than before.

Almost a year of my life.

That was what I had spent.

Almost a year of my lifespan.

Yet as I watched the demonkind retreat, I couldn't bring myself to regret it.

Compared to everything I had gained.

The strength to protect my family.

The strength to protect Talya.

The power to wield Fragarach.

The ability to stand against beings that had once been completely beyond my reach.

Almost a year of my life felt like far too little a price.

I looked toward the people behind me.

My dad was still there.

Mom was safe.

Uncle Ray and the villagers were alive.

The fortress guards were alive.

Everyone important to me was still standing.

I tightened my grip around Fragarach.

For that alone, I knew I would gladly pay the price again.