The Extra's Rise

Chapter 264: Bishop Vale (3)

Chapter 264: Bishop Vale (3)

Five stages of swordsmanship.

Sword Intent was the first level, imbuing one's blade with purpose. I had mastered that years ago, forcing my will into the metal until the blade became an extension of my thoughts.

But this—this was different.

As I slashed forward, the blade seemed to sing, a high, clear note that cut through the chaos of battle. My sword vibrated with each strike, not from impact but from something deeper, something more fundamental.

Sword Resonance.

The second level of swordsmanship, where the blade began to vibrate with the swordsman's intent, amplifying each strike through harmonic frequencies that existed between wielder and weapon.

It shouldn't have been possible for me normally.

But Reika's Gift had pushed me temporarily into Mid Integration-rank, and with it came access to techniques that would normally be beyond my reach.

The Bishop blocked my first strike, his staff intercepting my blade with precision—but this time, the impact was different. My sword hummed against his weapon, the vibration traveling through the staff and into his hands. I saw a flicker of discomfort cross his features, his grip adjusting to compensate.

"Sword Resonance?" he murmured, genuine surprise coloring his tone. "At your age?"

I pressed the advantage, not wasting breath on words, each strike flowing into the next in a continuous sequence of motion. The Purelight that surrounded my blade pulsed with each vibration, creating a strobe-like effect that made tracking the weapon's path difficult even for someone of the Bishop's caliber.

For a brief, glorious moment, I matched him—strike for strike, step for step, our weapons blurring as we exchanged blows at speeds that would have been impossible for me just minutes before.