The Crimson Emperor

Something is definitely off. The detour the coachmen took is a narrow valley between the Lofty Cliffs.Colossal hills surround us in every direction. The incline is making our carriages move with extraordinary slowness; the horses were already exhausted.If we keep going at this pace, we'll have to travel by night. Not a great idea, considering the monsters that dwell here are nocturnal.

"What could they be planning?" I murmured.It seems I'm the only one concerned, as the other cadets were chatting and laughing nonstop.

"Come on, Samo, stop being so serious," said one of the cadets, trying to break the ice.

"Don't talk to me," I commanded.My time in the Order of Zielitz taught me not to associate with these cadets who, on the outside, wore shining armor, but inside, were all designer suits and ties.I heard the cadet mutter insults about me. I didn't care.

Some time passed.We were now on flat ground, still within the valley.Then suddenly…

"An earthquake?" I realized it before the others; I was using my Aura internally to enhance my senses.The cadets noticed shortly after. The carriage came to a sudden halt, and ahead of us, I heard a horrid sound of wood shattering and flesh being crushed.

"Ah!" our coachman cried, alerting us.We grabbed our gear and rushed out, only to be met with the scene ahead.

A round boulder had crushed the carriage in front of us; blood flowed from underneath it.A landslide? No.

Atop the rock, I saw a dark figure. The sun concealed his face, revealing only his loose hair and clothes blowing in the wind as he held a guan dao.

The cadets began to vomit at the gruesome sight; some whispered, "What if it had been our carriage?" Panic began to spread.As I watched, several figures emerged from behind the rock."Bandits," I confirmed. All but two wore ordinary clothes.

"Seems like it's not your lucky day, huh?" one of the bandits said. He wore different clothing—specifically, a samue. He was bald."Let's keep this simple," he said, approaching the next carriage—ours."Hand over everything, and we'll give you a quick death." He ordered.

I heard footsteps retreating behind us; some cadets were trying to flee. But soon, I heard the sound of metal slicing flesh.

"Don't bother running—we've got people waiting for you back there."

We were cornered.

"Fu..." I sighed, stepping forward."Follow me—maybe if we combine our strength, we can take him down."I drew Fäste, its black blade gleaming in the sunlight. Some followed me; others were frozen in place.

"So you've decided to fight," he said. A grin began to curl on his face.In the background, the silhouette of the man atop the rock sat down, still holding his weapon.

"Of course. If we're going to die even if we surrender, what's the point?" I replied.

This is bad, but it's our only option. We cadets have no experience in life-or-death combat.This will be our baptism.

We stared at each other for a few moments—the bandits on his side, the cadets on mine. Silence was broken by a high-pitched whistle cutting through the air.Zuum.An arrow struck the coachman behind us. I saw his body collapse in my peripheral vision."What?" I thought, distracted for a moment.The sunlight reflected off something that brought me back: a thin blade slashing diagonally toward my face. I dodged by instinct.

"Now!" the bandits began their attack.The clash of metal filled the air, mixed with the scent of iron.

"I can't lose focus here," I said, parrying every strike that came my way.Luckily, the bald man hadn't joined the fight yet; my gut told me he was the second strongest here—behind the man on the rock.

"I need to take this more seriously," I murmured. I was already using my Aura internally, boosting my reflexes and strength.No time for secrets.

The bandit in front of me feinted, preparing for a vertical strike.I released my Aura.A thick dark mist surrounded me.

"What the..." the man said, launching his attack. He suddenly stopped as he touched the mist. Silence fell between us.His head dropped backward.

The thinner the wire, the more control over Aura the user needs. And this was the first time I managed to make one so thin it became lethal.

"Ho!" the bald man exclaimed. "Looks like there's a snake among the lizards."He walked toward me, his steps muffled by the dirt.Then dust rose behind him, obscuring his figure. A mist like mine.Another Aura user.

He stood right in front of me. I took the Ochs position, raising my sword above my head, pointing it at him. The man didn't seem to wield a weapon. A hand-to-hand adept.

Then he rushed at me; my wires snapped just by touching his Aura.A powerful blow struck my stomach. I groaned in pain. As the attack launched me backward, I counterattacked, my blade grazing his neck and striking the carriage.

"Argh..." I groaned, crawling from the wreckage. I looked at him—blood trickled from his neck.He seemed to enjoy it; his smile widened, twisted. Then he wiped the blood and licked it.

"This guy's not normal," I thought.

He approached, this time slowly. I raised my guard.

"Hey," he called out to me. "Did you know that when two Auras meet, the stronger one starts consuming the weaker?"

Our Auras clashed, sparks flickering around us. But it was clear—mine was being overwhelmed.

"Do you know what happens when your opponent's Aura runs out?"

I thrust, trying to create distance, but he sidestepped and struck my chin with the back of his fist.I blacked out for a split second, knees on the ground, sword fallen beside me.

"Disintegration," he said. Then kicked me in the face—I heard my nose crack.The closer he got, the more Aura I lost.If this keeps up, I'll die. I need a plan to stop this lunatic.

I stood up. I could feel blood dripping from my lips. When he kicked me, I'd managed to use my wire to pull Fäste back to me. I have to keep my distance—but how?Ranged attacks. Fortunately, I had learned the right technique.

I slashed upward. A crescent of Aura launched toward him, tearing the ground apart.He didn't react. I hit him.

"You bastard," he growled. "Looks like you know a few tricks."

The dust was thick—I couldn't see him. That was bad. His Aura was the same color as the earth. I screwed up.

"?čomop šejubertoP ?havazėt v is ,kortO", I heard a familiar voice—and suddenly I was in Irly. Behind me, in the darkness, one of the Hydra's heads stared at me.It wasn't the one with golden eyes, but the green one. The others slept at her side.

"I… I don't understand what you're saying," I told her as she approached.

".lagamop mob it zaj ,lrum šob ,em eČ"

Then, with her icy nose, she touched my chest, pushing me.When I came to, I was back, covered in dust. But something was different. That sensation… the same one I felt when I fought Daeva.I raised Fäste, and through the dust, I saw my reflection: my eyes slitted, glowing a pure green.