Chapter 436 - Elvina Cinder Latias (Patreon)

“Princess Elvina,” Croix called out. “Is that you, sister?”

“‘Tis I. Greetings, dear brother.”

Viers had seen Elvina before at the Emerith Grand Ball. The 19-year-old princess was a great beauty thanks to her elven ancestry. She looked every bit that a princess should be; pretty, graceful, and noble. Tonight, little of that visage could be seen. Parts of her long golden hair clumped with dried blood, as was her outfit. Her light armor was full of cracks, blood dripped to the ground as she walked.

Compared to the well-rested appearance of Croix’s party, she looked like someone who had been fighting nonstop for two days. Behind her, there was a single cloaked figure, her teammate, most likely. The fact that Viers couldn't sense the other two made him raise vigilance. Croix’s attention was more focused on his half-sister.

“Are you alright, sister? Your wounds seem in need of immediate attention,” Croix said with true concern.

“...Kind of you to care, brother, but this blood is not mine.”

“You mean…”

Croix frowned from the implication. The cockroach had white blood, since the color on her body was red, she must have clashed with other contestants.

“You are the fourth half-siblings I have met. I have come to defeat you,” Elvina said with a grim tone and iron determination. “Come at me with your full party if you so wish. It matters not.”

Princess Elvina was a Level 2 Pathseeker. Viers had triple-checked just now. The possibility that she was hiding her cultivation exists but since the Level 4 Viers was unable to pick up any indication, either she used a very sophisticated method or a true Level 2. Croix was a Level 3, and Ciel was even a Level 4. To every other person hearing this must have thought Elvina had lost her mind.

“Two against four? Are you underestimating us that much?” Croix asked.

“That guy won't lift a finger so it’s one against four,” Elvina said about the hooked figure behind her. “And it’s not a matter of me looking down on you or not.”

She unsheathed her blades, holding one in each hand.

“This is about me doing something that I have to do,” she emotionlessly said.

Her blades were identical, a twin sword. It was elven-make, elegant and deadly. Viers presumed it was her style to fight with two swords. 

Looking at her, Croix hesitated. Despite being the challenger, Elvina didn't look to be brimming with confidence in her victory. It was more like someone who willingly walked towards the gallows.

“...You all, stay out of this. I’ll be her opponent,” Croix said.

“Highness, I object,” Viers replied without missing a heartbeat.

“I want to find the truth of this. Trust me.”

Viers said no more words. As Croix walked towards Elvina, the hooded figure’s snicker could be heard.

Elvina paid him no mind. 

“You alone, brother? Not even your dragon?”

“If I have to gang up on a weaker woman, a sister no less, what would people think about me? Besides… ”

Croix unsheathed his sword. His sword was red like fire. It was what he got from Duke Lucan. On his left hand, a shield materialized. Croix used a sword and shield, just like Ciel.

“Whatever your reason is, I also have a reason to win. I have to become king.”

“Many of our siblings have the same wish, but why do you want to be king, brother?”

“To alleviate the people’s suffering and to build a better nation.”

There was a force behind Croix’s words. He really meant it. Elvina realized it too.

“I see. Unlike yours, my wish is a small one. But for the sake of my modest, unworthy wish, I beg you, be defeated here.”

The royal siblings crossed swords.

They started from low gear, without using Arte, and put their skill into play. Croix’s martial skill had grown by leaps and bounds since Viers saw him three years ago. Back the 15-year-old prince was but a chick Pathseeker and a beginner with a sword.

Elvina was gaining the upper hand after just a few exchanges.

Croix pushed back before he got overwhelmed, putting his Arte in play. He attacked with a sword enveloped by fire, increasing his attack power. Elvina answered in kind, drawing her Victa and manifesting her Arte, revealing what type of Pathseeker she was.

Gray powders dance in the air.

Elvina was an Ash Pathseeker. Her ashen swords parried Croix’s fire sword and she counterattacked. Croix defended with his shield just in time.

With her every move, flakes of gray detached from her body. The gray princess made a full circle, creating a swirl of cutting whirlwinds. Croix’s fire sphere negated it. 

“Ash…” Croix muttered.

“An element that resonates to both of us, is it not, brother?”

Croix’s middle name was Ash, not because he had Ash affinity, but because of his gray eyes.

Elvina’s middle name was Cinder. Whether it was a coincidence or intentional, she grew up to be an Ash Pathseeker. Like her name, as ash and fire clashed, the field was painted by cinder. 

The children of King Lahar had their Pathseeker potential tested shortly after birth. Those with high potential were given the name of gems.

Lutz Diamond Latias, Cassian Onyx Latias, Vadym Sapphire Latias, Marvin Topaz Latias, and Celestine Amethyst Latias were among them.

Meanwhile, those with low potential were given mundane middle names, such as Croix’s and Elvina's.

Croix knew his average talent as a Pathseeker but it didn't stop him from exerting effort to improve. All that hard work and diligence became his character and it led him to the hatching of his dragon partner.

As for Elvina, Viers was sure she too shed sweat and blood to become as strong as she was now. However, the readings of King Lahar weren't inaccurate. Viers heard the princess' affinity was only Ash 2. As long as it didn't change, she wouldn't be able to become a Level 3 Pathseeker.

Fire, Ash, and Cinder… Viers was visited by the nostalgia of the Dark Souls series because of the theme.

Concerning the battle itself, both sides were at a temporary stalemate. If they paced themselves, Pathseeker battles could last for hours, days, or even longer if their Victa reserve allowed. Neither Croix nor Elvina could afford such a slog so they shifted to higher gear: they used more Victa for more strengthening and more powerful Artes. 

Up to the limit of Level 2.

For about seven minutes they battled. They were even at first but Elvina progressively gained ground. She figured out Croix’s moves and anticipated them, similar to the start. Viers determined Elvina’s analytical and martial aptitude was above Croix's.

The prince kept trying but was unable to land any decisive blows. He could raise the bar of the fight but he didn't. Viers knew the reason: pride. Using his Level 3 abilities meant he was admitting he was inferior to her sister, lowering his prestige.

Prestige was worth shit to Viers but valuable to Croix as someone who wished to be a monarch.

But losing had an even more disastrous result. Before he was gutted, Croix let go of his pride and fought as a Level 3.

Elvina, sensing the change, dodged Croix’s forward slash. The sword hit the ground and an explosion of fire came forth. The half-elf princess would be toast if she got hit by the Flame Burst Arte.

Maneuvering to Croix’s flank, taking advantage of her opponent’s interrupted line of sight from his own Arte, Elvina's sword slashed Croix’s neck.

There was a dull sound and no blood, for the sword was stopped by an invisible force an inch above the skin.

For a Level 2, injuring a Level 3 through their Unreality field was almost impossible. Elvina stood still, lowering both of her swords. It was as if she had given up.

“That attack would have landed if not for my Unreality Field. Hat’s off to you, sister. I have to admit your swordsmanship is greater than mine, but the victor will be me.”

If Viers had his way, he would be blowing a whistle and raising a red card.

For monologuing!

The herald of uncountable defeat from a winning situation.

“Good thing this ends before any major injury occurs. I don't wish to hurt you,” Croix’s hand moved to seize Elvina’s badge.

“You’re kind, dear brother, but you’re mistaken.”

Elvina stabbed Croix’s stomach through his Unreality Field. Croix’s mind was filled with pain and confusion as to how it happened equally but something else caught his attention; Elvina’s extremely saddened expression. 

“Prince!”

“Shaaa!”

Ciel and Falmerion reacted.

Elvina tried to grab his badge before they interrupted but Croix, who mustered his power despite the wound, managed to fire blast the princess away.

“Halt!” Croix shouted. “I’m fine. I will continue.”

“Prince Croix, you’re being reckless!” Ciel said.

“She could have killed me, but she didn't,” Croix rasped.

It made sense. If Elvina aimed for the heart…

“Besides, if she was, Priest Breiz would have acted. Stay out of this duel!”

Ciel and Falmerion didn't like it but they stayed their hand.

After using Unreality Field to temporarily close the wound Croix made the first move and Elvina answered in kind. The siblings fully intended to continue the fight.

Croix didn't hold anything back now. His Artes were backed by the entirety of his cultivation. Elvina herself couldn't match the power and speed of Croix, but she still held on because of her superior technique. Also, her swords had a strange glow.

“Master, how is she doing that? She seems to be able to nullify Prince Croix’s Unreality Field,” Boram asked.

A good question, Viers thought. He once broke through Level 3’s Unreality Field as a Level 2. He did that by using a powerful Arte boosted to high heaven, so much so that the opponent’s Unreality Field was unable to tank it.

Whatever Elvina was doing, it wasn't that.

Was it the swords then?

Viers suspected the weapons she was using next. Quite probable. Perhaps it was a special weapon possessing some unique effect. But as the two royals fought, Viers found it was more and more unlikely. His Euryale Sight didn't pick up anything hidden beside the obvious front enchantments. 

Viers was convinced the source of this feat was Elvina herself.

The power gap between Level 2 and Level 3 was very vast because Unreality Field made Level 3 virtually invulnerable from the lesser attacks. To pierce the defense, one must use Unreality Field too. This was the rule of thumb. Elvina was doing something that broke conventional knowledge.

With the knowledge of his Fables combined with the soul-searched memories, Viers arrived at an answer.

“I see… Sword Intent.”

“Pardon?” Boram asked again.

For those familiar with xianxia-style novels like Viers, the term was quite familiar. Sword intent, sword qi, sword light, whatever the name, the root was the same. Through mastery of the sword -or any other martial things really- the user imbued the sword with special facets. Feats only those far into the realm of martial arts mastery could do.

Based on what he had seen, Elvina indeed was a master with the sword. She managed to have the upper hand against the stronger Croix with her martial skills. Her Pathseeker talent might be limited but she possessed a very high martial talent and she sharpened it to razor sharp.

Could Viers do the sword intent?

He didn't need to.

It came as a package with Unreality Field. Infused to his sword, Unreality Field could make magic-like feats such as divide water or fire. It was the power to twist reality, albeit limited and small-scale. 

But when he was a Level 2, he wasn't able to achieve sword intent. He admitted Princess Elvina had surpassed him in this regard.

Simply put, Elvina used a pseudo-Unreality Field with her twin swords through the mastery of the sword. That was how she was able to wound Croix through his Unreality Field.

The effort and dedication it took to reach this level at the tender age of 19 must be phenomenal. The only sword master that came close to sword intent was Russ Sullivan, the fiance of Paina’s fae doppelganger at Valkut. He was a sword genius who defeated Viers in a pure swordsmanship fight.

Of course, if Elvina was able to become Level 3, her sword intent wouldn't become obsolete or useless; her skill would be elevated instead.

Viers knew this and he wasn't the only one. Those in the know who were watching the scene through the eyes of the crows realized it too.

In the next few minutes, amid a heated battle of fire and ash, Croix had lost three fingers, a stab wound in the stomach, a long laceration at the thigh, and various other wounds.

Elvina only had minor scratches and burns. She dominated the fight, against a stronger opponent no less!

Alas…

There was a price she had to pay. Even with superior technique, to contend with a Level 3 she had to burn a lot of her Victa during the fight.

Victa was Arte's fuel. Higher Level’s Victa was a stronger, more efficient fuel. Furthermore, higher Level produced more Victa on default.

Elvina ran out of her Victa first.

Also, it seemed she went through other battles before meeting us. Against the cockroaches and other players.

Viers looked at the hooded figure who didn't show any inclination to help Elvina.

Has she been fighting alone since day one?

Viers fought in a group of four, five if Falmerion was included, six if his Futon was included too. Cleaning the roach infestation from the Power Spots cost quite a bit of Victa. If Elvina did all that alone then of course her Victa would run dry.

Viers did a rough calculation. She must have used a year’s worth of Level 2 Victa for yesterday alone.

“Haah… Haah…” Croix was at the edge of his bodily limit. “It appears… you’ve used the last drop of your Victa, sister.”

“...So I did,” Elvina was similarly panting.

“I won… or so I’d like to say. It would tarnish my pride to declare victory after our match. I concede,” Croix said.

“...You’d admit you lost against a Level 2, brother? ”

“Aye.”

“Wouldn't it be more shameful?”

“Against you, sister? Not in the slightest.”

Croix bowed his head in respect.

Elvina was moved. So moved that she shed tears. But it was short-lived. Her expression soon turned dark.

She glanced at the hooded person behind her.

“Continue,” he said. “Fulfill your promise.”

Croix had a bad premonition.

“...What are you-”

“Arte-” 

Elvina said aloud. It sounded like an elegy.

“-Cinder, Ash, and Dust.”

Elvina’s body became like chalk and red ember cracks appeared on her left cheek and a few other places. The cracks were slowly spreading. Her power that was like a snuff out candle now blazing abright.

“...A Forbidden Arte,” Viers frowned.

The princess was ready to die.