Plague

"It's a trap," Leon declared, pointing ahead. "Just 100 meters in front of us, there's a complex array. I can't tell exactly what it does from here, but I doubt it's set up for a good reason."

The captain nodded, then began to strategize with his team, asking Lith and Leon, "Can you two fight?"

Lith nodded, and Leon replied confidently, "Better than all of you."

The captain nodded again, then pointed forward as his ring lit up. "Rock Fang," he incanted. The ground before him began to shift as fang-like spikes emerged in a fan shape, advancing forward. Leon observed, mumbling, "Hmm, Earth and Dark magic. Nice spell." The captain glanced at Leon, surprised by his precise identification of the spell's elements, but quickly refocused on the task at hand.

As the spell tore through the ground, the captain efficiently destroyed the area ahead, clearing any potential traps. Leon inspected the aftermath and nodded, confirming, "All arrays are destroyed." With the path now clear, the group advanced, keeping their guard up.

Meanwhile, the black-robed, tattooed figures—members of a group known as the Talons—watched from a distance. Farion Negal, their leader, gritted his teeth in frustration as he saw how easily the Queen's Corps squad discovered and dismantled their trap. He roared, "Let's kill them! They're just Queen's Corps; we eat them for breakfast!"

His men laughed, agreeing with his sentiment. They had taken down countless Queen's Corps operatives before, but little did they know that this time, they were up against more than just the Queen's Corps.

The Talons was a mercenary unit, whose members were once part of the elite troops from the armies of all the three great Countries, but had been dishonourably discharged for violating the warrior code, by either pillaging, raping and/or murdering in the territories that they were supposed to protect.

A few of them were actually wanted criminals, but the Talons knew how to take care of their own. Offering their services to the highest bidder, they lived a life of luxury, being the living proof that their countries had made a big mistake by discarding them like trash.

"Caparin Seepit, create another trap while we stall them," Farion ordered.

"Aye, General," Seepit nodded and then chose an optimal place to begin laying arrays.

Farion Negal, the General, instantly issued coded orders that his men were ready to execute. The element of surprise was already lost, and now it was 9 of them against 6 Queen Corps and two kids.

Captain Velagros from the Queen Corps also ordered in code language while he said to Lith and Leon, "Do whatever you two can."

Lith nodded, and Leon took out a white katana with golden veins. He took a breath, and several lights began to light up around him. Lith and the others were drawn to it; they saw the lights soon forming a pattern, resembling an hourglass.

This pattern was due to Leon reaching the 5th stage in Divine Moon Art, which allowed him to create concentrated mana points called Moons. At each level, they had different effects.

At the first stage, it allowed him to condense mana and create moons that acted like pseudo mana cores.

At the second stage, these moons multiplied.

At the third stage, Leon could move them to desired location or even circulate them.

At the fourth stage, Leon could fuse them, to Create a more concentrated Moon

At the fifth stage, he could partially fuse them with a line of mana, forming a pattern around his natural mana core.

Each Pattern is meant for a different power up.

Now, after activating this pattern, Leon's body was powered by the pseudo cores. So, instead of having just one mana core like everyone else, he effectively had over 12 mana cores, giving him the power of 12 people.

Leon took a deep breath and then released it, causing an icy mist to surround him. The mist distorted his figure, and with a faint whisper, he vanished from his position.

"Mist Breath, First Form: Mirage Step."

Leon appeared all over the battlefield, confusing both the Talons and Queen Corps. Lith, using his Life Vision, could see through the icy mist but was amazed to see multiple Leons.

"By my maker, he's moving so fast while shielding himself. It feels like there are many Leons," Solus said in amazement.

Leon approached the Talons, who were already in a formation to cover each other's shortcomings. He got closer and closer.

Seeing this, Negal quickly changed his strategy and began to employ an Anti-Magic array. Negal had reached the position of General because it was his life motto not to underestimate anyone.

Leon was least bothered by it, as his 13 cores had enough mana to let him fight all day without breaking a sweat. As he reached them, he murmured, "Second Form: Mist World."

A huge amount of mist gushed out from him, encasing all the Talons within.

"Captain, shouldn't we do something about this?" one of the Queen Corps men asked.

Captain Velagros thought, 'Who is he? And what are those spells?' and replied, "No."

'I need to know more about him, but the fog is not letting me see anything,' he thought.

Meanwhile, Leon began his slaughter. In the Mist World, he could see everything clearly as day, but the same couldn't be said for his enemies. Their situation was worse than that of a blind man.

Negal kept looking around, and after some time, the fog began to clear. He thought, 'It seems the kid was injured by one of my men.'

But as the fog lifted, his face paled as he saw 9 beheaded bodies, including Seepit, who had been laying traps.

Negal shouted and tried to point at Leon, but he couldn't feel his arm. Looking down, he saw that both of his hands were gone.

Earlier, Leon had used the Fourth Form, Silence, to kill them. It was a form that used dark magic to block the pain receptors in the brain, killing opponents without them even knowing they had died. He used the same form on Negal's hands.

Negal couldn't belive his eyes, his team of veteran has huge amount of experience but even he never witnessed such thing, ' damm it, what should I do? ' he thought, but his thoughts remain thoughts as Leon once again vanished and next thing he know he was falling asleep.

Leon then arrived behind him and knocked him out to prevent him from committing suicide. The Queen Corps also reached the scene.

Captain Velagros looked around at the bodies. He couldn't help but notice how each of their expressions looked like they didn't even know they had died.

"I kept one alive for interrogation," Leon pointed at Negal.

Velagros juts looked at Leon and nodded, while other Queen Corps looked at Leon with apprehension.

They knew, that Leon can kill all of them easily just like how he did with their ambushers.

Velagros then motioned his men to capture and detain Negal while he said " Let's move"

They all utilized flight spell, begin to move to kandria.

While flying high, one member of Queen corps that have a sword on her waist asked Leon " Those ambushers were killed by something sharp, did you use windblade spell or a something like a Sword? " She asked.

Velagros flying ahead also perked his ears, while hoping Leon answer her question.

" I used Sword of course" Leon replied.

" Then why that flashy spell? " She asked curious.

" Well it was necessary as it was part of my Sword Art which I calls Misty World Sword Series" Leon replies.

" You mean all the spell you use earlier are part of your Swordsmanship? " She asked while coming awfully close to him.

Leon looked at her shinning eyes and replied " Yes, I has fused My swordsmanship with Magic and created few spells that suit it"

She nodded and begin to ask questions after questions, Leon answered all of them but all of then are basic which even a blind man can see if they were to see Leon use those spells.

Velagros sighed but he didn't let it see on his face, Soon they reached Kandaria, from high in sky it looked like a city enclosed by walls.

Captain Velagros and other dropped some distance from it.

Even from distance Leon can see many hidden mages behind the massive walls.

" From here we walk, as Magic will not work from here " He said and them began to walk ahead, with his team following behind him, while Lith and Leon at the back.

" What kind of spells those were? " Lith asked whispering.

Leon looked at him and then gave him the book, it is the same Glacial Mist Illusion Breathing Art.

" Learn yourself" Leon said as he patted him on the shoulder.

" Well, I thought he won't give you so easily, must be good having such genius and caring brother" Solus voice literally oozing out envy.

Lith shook his head and stored the book in Souls pedia, seeing all of its content within seconds.

" They are all very practical and simple use of Magic" Solus said surprised how easy these spells Leon use were.

" Yes, even I thought they would be hella difficult but this.. Even Mom can learn it, well, as long as she is awakened " Lith said and then he stood as few guards checked him thoroughly, after Leon.

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