A few minutes earlier...
Inside the Barrier, Victoria heard Kaiden's words:
"Everyone died knowing that! So live, milady! Live for us so we can rest knowing that we helped pave the way for the future of the Clan!"
As though orchestrated, voices were once again resounding as they whispered. The last bit of encouragement before the faint lights faded into the wind.
"We believe in you..."
"Can I really do that..." Victoria's eyes were beginning to look more alive.
As she grasped her chest that was swelling up with emotions, she was feeling empowered!
Her hands were no longer shaking. Her breathing was becoming more stable and strength has once again returned to her feet. It felt like there were hands that were lifting her up so she could stand once more.
"I..." Knowing that she was not in this alone and that others were supporting her, Victoria gripped her sword as her aura began to rise up!
*Badump*
'My heart?' Her heart suddenly started beating louder. It was as though it was resonating with something. It seemed like something dormant inside of Victoria had awakened!
Her aura was undergoing a quintessential change. It became more and more closer to that of a sword than a human. It was no longer just Innate Energy creating an external pressure.
She was emitting something akin to divinity that would leave people in reverence!
'The Star Crossing Sword? A Mystical Armament from my ancestors is actually fully acknowledging me as its master?' It was her sword that was resonating with her heart. Her sword seemed like it was awakening. It was one of the Five treasures of the Cross Clan held by their previous clan heads, the Star Crossing Sword.
Weapons of this caliber are called Mystical Armaments. These have gained sentience and immense power once they are created. One might call these weapons semi-living. They have a unique disposition of choosing their wielders.
Once they do, they grow and gain strength as they fought with their original owners and other famed weapons. They are coveted due to the fact that they can grow with its user.
However, once the past owner dies, Mystical Armaments become excessively fickle and fastidious with their next owners. These weapons would of course desire a master that matches their previous own at least or even stronger than them.
They can longer be sheathed from their scabbards if they do not permit you. In some cases, they even create massive force fields of energy to harm those who attempt to even touch it.
A Mystical Armament can only "permit" you and "acknowledge" you. To promising individuals, a mystical armament allows their bodies to be utilized. But once you gain its approval and acknowledgement, it will give you a gift.
Bountiful amounts of energy accumulated from its previous battles! Its own exclusive martial arts that maximizes using it!
The Star Crossing Sword endowed Victoria with an unbelievable amount of Innat Energy!
'How immense!' In a blink of an eye, Victoria was advancing rapidly. Her aura skyrocketed to the peak of Mortal Severing from the peak of Origin Palace! That was an entire realm's worth of energy that she had received! Additionally, it did not even end there and it seemed to be rising still!
However, it could be said that her aura was very unstable as she was unable to consolidate and stabilize her energy!
"Aaarghh!" Victoria grimaced. It was to the point to where her internal organs were being ravaged by the influx of such energy.
The exclusive art of Star Crossing Sword that it developed for itself was also bestowed upon her. But due to its complexity, it was also causing excruciating pain in her brain.
"My head!" Victoria held her head as she felt the information flow into her brain.
*Badump*
But her heart once again resonated, the pain from both the bestowal of energy and the new knowledge had now settled down.
These two would already be considered invaluable fortune to a lot of cultivators but Victoria gained more than that. Her heart resonated once more as she was able to peer inside the mind of the Star Crossing Sword.
In that single instant, she was able to gain the memories of the Star Crossing Sword when it was wielded by Lancelot Cross himself!.
She was able to see that valiant figure of her ancestor, Lancelot Cross!
An unbelievably dashing man with auburn brown hair adorned with armor and wielding two swords, one of which is the Star-Crossing Sword and the other the Heaven-Crossing Sword. At his back, there were six more sword floating as though they were wings: three on his left and another three on his right.
He stood above the warzone like a deity as he lead his clan members forward with unparalleled aggression yet graceful nobility! Dismantling enemy formations and cutting down their enemies one after the other.
'What beautiful swordsmanship...', She saw how he dominated the battlefield with his overwhelming prowess and masterful display of sword skill!
Due to this, Victoria gained something even greater!
Enlightenment! This was what was currently happening to Victoria. But what she didn't know is that it was also an awakening of a monstrous talent that belonged only to her, the Heart of the Sword Sage.
"This is amazing!" As she was trying to digest all the fortuitous events that were happening to her one by one, she remembered the faces of the people who loved her and allowed her to live to this point.
" The future they want me to lead... I will... I will do it for them!" Victoria spoke with unshakeable resolution.
In the next moment, she sensed something was amiss. Kaiden's aura was rapidly weakening. She saw Yumi taking advantage of that as she saw that Kaiden was captured by her, she immediately reacted, "Big Bro Kai! I will save you!"
Without waiting for aura to even settled down, she grabbed her sword by the hilt and immediately went into stance!
As she unsheathed her sword, blinding light was emitting from it. Sharp sword-like energy was bursting forth in all directions with Victoria as the center!
To the point it even completely shattered the Rank 4 Profound Isolation Barrier that could even withstand the strike of a Half-Saint!
*BOOM*
===
*Badump*
This was especially more apparent for the strongest cultivators there.
The old man who was with Kris Dawson was immediately alerted by this. The quality of the sword energy he felt was approaching the sword experts he was peers with.
"Enlightenment? No, this is something more... The situation over there is progressing much more drastic than I thought... It seems I may have to make a move earlier than I thought..."
===
*Badump*
" The young lady broke through to the Mortal Severing Realm?! This level of energy is quite terrifying"" Brad Schwer also sensed this but he was also able to deduce it more accurately than the others.
"But I'm already supporting the Purging Army..." Brad Schwer said as he extracted his heavy sword from the corpse of a Boulder Gorilla! He was able to takedown this monster alone with barely any scratches. What a truly terrifying man.
"WOW!" Cheers from the crowd rang loudly.
"Fortunately, Master seems to be already making his move so I can focus more and manage this warzone." Brad contemplated as he set his eyes on the Boulder Gorilla in front of him and lunged forward to attack.
"OH MY GOD!"
"It is General Brad Schwer!"
"No wonder, that undead Boulder Gorilla died immediately from his attacks!"
"As expected of a 4-star General!"
A few moments ago, the Boulder Gorilla and the Whirlwind Wolf were already wreaking havoc in this area. Brad had no choice but to step in due to the concerning amount of deaths that were happening around him. Thus, he had to give up his cover and enter the fray.
But due to this, he was able to land a deadly attack on the Boulder Gorilla killing it from the get go.
Typically, he would not be allowed to go out of the city as the Chief of Staff so he had no choice but to go undercover. Seeing what was happening right now before his eyes, he could not help but be glad that he did cause Yumi's Army of Madness was way more than what anyone imagined.
"Cumulonimbus Cloudburst!" As storm clouds appeared behind him and once he slashed down his heavy sword, large droplets the size and the shape of heavy sword started raining down on the Whirlwind Werewolf. Each raindrop having the weight of a heavy sword as well!
"AWOOO!" The Whirlwind Werewolf countered as its howl transformed into a breath of whirlwinds and it clashed with Brad Schwers attack.
*BOOGSH!*
===
*Badump*
"What just happened?! It seemed like that was strong wave of Sword Energy but it seemed infinitesimally to a proper Sword Intent!" General Armstrong noticed this while he was locked in a deadlock with an undead Mortal Severing War-wrecker Elephant and the Rampage Rhinoceros he previously brought down.
"Has a sword expert from the Cross Clan appeared?" General Armstrong attacked the War-wrecker Elephant first while he contemplated.
*BOOM*
His hammer was deflected by the War-wrecker Elephant's long tusks! But as soon as he was deflected the Rampage Rhinoceros also charged at him while it powered its sturdy horn!
"But there are still only three auras we feel in our vicinity..."
*GRUOOOWR*
*Rumble*
"Fuck!" General Armstrong used the deflected force from the clash with the Mount Boar to maneuver his body into a twisting motion. He spun horizontally creating a slight twister within the air and aimed it at the incoming Rampage Rhinoceros.
"Tornado Crash!" He called forth as his hammer slammed with the horn of the Rampage Rhinoceros.
*BANG*
The ending was a draw with General Armstrong coming a little bit out on top as he flew and somersaulted in the air so he could regain his balance.
"I can't break through if these two keep working together!" General Armstrong grimaced as he scanned the state of the battle field.
The warzone has now split itself into ten smaller battlefields. This battlefield was winning with him holding off these two colossus. The army he lead has already managed to cleaned up the undead Beasts within the area.
However, the same cannot be said for the other battle fields as they did not have an expert to match the two Undead giants that were rampaging with their minions.
Every single one of the smaller battle field has a one star general that has just stepped onto Mortal Severing. As a three-star general like Army Commander Michael Paulson, General Armstrong was at the middle stages of the Mortal Severing Realm.
Each of these generals has five lieutenant general under them that are at the peak of Origin Palace Realm.
So, it was delegated that the generals would hold off one undead Mortal Severing beasts while the five lieutenant generals would work together to hold of the other. Then, General Armstrong would clean up after he finishes his side.
But since Mystical beasts are stronger than humans in the same realm, they were being pushed back. All generals were struggle to even hold back an Undead Giant while the five lieutenant generals were in a complete disadvantaged position. It would only be a matter of time before the Purging Army's side falls apart.
Not to mention, the casualties of the Purging Army on this side was already numbering into the thousands.
"Men, help the other battlefields!" So, he commanded his troops to split into two and help the other battle fields.
As a 3-star General, General Armstrong has command of ten lieutenant generals so he distributed them to the two nearest battlefields.
"Time to get serious then! Primal Guardian: Warhammer Giant!" General Armstrong's Innate Energy exploded as it created a humanoid avatar that was over five meters tall behind him! It was equipped with heavy armor and held two Warhammers, proportional to its size, on each hand!
His Warhammer was pitch black initially. Now, it had golden engravings all over the weapon. Now, the pressure that came from the avatar made General Armstrong feel even more overbearing!
As if noticing its intent, both the Mount Boar and the Rampage Rhinoceros also erupted with their undead Innate Energy as it concentrated in their tusks for the Mount Boar and the horns for the Rampage Rhinoceros.
Both of them charged forwards and the earth trembled with every step!
*Rumble* *Rumble* *Rumble*
"It's time to pound you both to the ground!" As he leaped towards the Mount Boar and the Rampage Rhinoceros, he lifted his Warhammer above his head and extended it all the way to the back.
Fully extending his entire body, it arced like a reverse "C" to the point that his hammer nearly touched his feet. Once he reached close enough, he brought the hammer with overwhelming intensity!
"HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA!"
Imitating him the Warhammer Giant also extended both Warhammers and slammed it on the heads of the two Undead monsters.
"Sky-crushing Blow!"
The two attack clashed and it resulted in an explosion upon impact!
*KABOOM*
===
*Badump*
The pulsating heartbeat that was being trapped by the Rank 4 Profound Isolation Barrier was now being being heard ubiquitously.
In the middle of the battlefield where both cultivators and undead zombie were locked in combat and carnage, every cultivator felt a shudder as they felt the reverberations of a heartbeat.
"What was that?"
"That sounded like a heartbeat."
"I felt like something sharp just passed by me"
In one of those smaller battle fields, the one where Brandon and Lucas was assigned was in the most chaos and their casualties were also the most out of then ten battlefields
*Badump*
"There's that noise again again?" Brandon also sensed this while he was dispatched a zombie in front of him.
"Is it just me or that aura felt like sword energy?" Lucas said as he attacked another zombie.
Brandon also supported him and agreed as he looked at the place where Yumi and Kaiden were engaged in combat, "Yeah and its coming from whatever is happening in front of us... The clashes in that area has been devastating. The clashes between that Evil Cultivator and Malevolent Magnate..."
There was a strange flicker in his eyes as he was looking at it from afar.
"We are already having a hard time as is... Bad luck keeps happening around us. This battlefield is done." Lucas shuddered as he looked over the army of undead beasts they need to push back especially the two gigantic monsters in front of them.
The general in this battlefield was already heavily injured by the Gigant Croc while the three of the five lieutenant generals under him was already killed by the Slaughter Tiger.
While their combined effort managed to destroy parts of the body of the two undead, they were still unable to do anything due to the difference in strength.
Over a half of the soldiers her has already died because of the disparity in strength, inexperience in dealing with undead creatures and deserters.
Some people have tucked their tails and run away in fear of their lives especially when they are met with a menacing army like the Army of Madness that Yumi conjured.
"You're right. This area is done for. We will only be staying here to die. We need to support the other battlefields instead. I will not be able to render any more accomplishments here." Brandon did not even hesitate to abandon this battlefield and quickly turned around with his horse.
'There is no need for me to recklessly risk my life when I'm still just beginning my military career. My life is not equal to these peasants.' He coldly thought
This was a quick and rational decision since their forces will no longer be able to contain the two gigantic monsters. But this is tantamount to desertion which is a serious offense in military law.
"Men, fall back. We're flanking the beast wave on our west!" Brandon quickly ordered as he turned around and charged towards the nearest battled field to them.
His troops quietly let out a sigh of relief that they don't have to die in futility. However, they actively chose to turn a blind eye on their colleagues that they were leaving despite knowing what they were doing was desertion.
They all thought to blame the chain of command just so they could save their lives, 'If we're called out for it, we'll just say we were following orders...'
"Deserters again?! Those damned brats! Where is their integrity?!" The injured general cursed when he noticed Brandon and his troops leaving. he was risking his life against this Gigant Croc.
But putting his focus to somewhere else was a grave mistake for him as it resulted in him being caught off guard by the Gigant Croc that was already bearing down its terrifying bite.
"AAAAARGHHH!" The general could only scream in despair as half of his body was bitten off easily.
"There's no way I will fail to protect Soaring Cloud! Detonate!" The general decided to offer his life for and self-detonated! His energy started ballooning as his body started to burst forth with energy!
As thought back to his family, his wife and his eight-year old daughter, whom he swore to protect, he smiled in his last moments, "With this, I can protect my home... Goodbye darling... Goodbye, my little furball..."
*KABOOM*
The detonation of a Mortal Severing Realm expert easily destroyed the Gigant Croc!
After their general detonated himself, the three lieutenant general was moved by his honorable sacrifice. They looked at themselves and smiled as they decided right then and there to also detonate themselves to destroy the Slaughter Tiger.
"It was nice getting to know you, my brothers!"
"We've had a satisfying life but to think it has to end like this..."
"What's our lives for the lives of our families and the citizens of the Soaring Cloud!"
"Indeed! HAHAHA"
"For Soaring Cloud!"
*KABOOM!*
Three peak Origin Palace experts self-detonated and was successfully able to kill the Slaughter Tiger!
These soldiers put their lives on the line in order to ensure the safety of their family and their city.