At the same time the entire town was in chaos with the five demon beasts causing destruction across the town. Demon beasts were unnatural beasts created by fiends through various methods that resulted in abominations of slaughter. These specific demon beasts were special being grotesque beasts that were nourished inside of humans over a long period of time before forcibly taking over the host transforming them.
The appearance of such demon beasts was truly horrifying for ordinary mortals who would never naturally come across such a monstrosity. If one saw them under the cover of darkness one might think they were only looking at a giant wolf but illuminated under the daylight they would feel a chill run down their spine. The demon looked as if a giant wolf had begun to dissolve but midway through the process it stabilized itself in that new form and mutated. The mutations would have given it a second mouth along with eyes appearing all over its now pitch black fur-less body. Along with that six extremely long and slender almost human arms appeared on its back. Of course that was its original appearance as it was not an actual mutation of a wolf where in this case it was born from the body of a human.
As the beasts rampaged many people were trying to flee the town but a barrier formation had been activated around the entire town prevent anyone from escaping.
Along with the destruction the beast were causing the houses they destroyed were beginning to spread fires across the town. The warmth many had been enjoying in the comfort of their own homes was now the last thing they felt as they burnt to death.
Vera, Rex, and Edward had separated to deal with the beasts but they needed to be quick as their were only three of them to deal with the five beasts that were not any weaker than themselves.
The fastest to reach a beast was Edward and without stopping he immediately summoned his black sword into his hand. Upon summoning his sword the beast sensed danger from Edward and immediately used the arms on its back to begin attacking. Despite being attacked simultaneously by six arms Edwards was able to evade all their attacks but his advancement towards the main body had been stopped as he was forced back. Even as he was forced back the arms began growing in length as they chased him down.
Seeing this Edwards had no choice but to quickly change his approach because from what he knew of demon beasts they often possessed great regenerative abilities so focusing on the arms was only a waste of energy but if he didn't deal with him he couldn't slay the beast.
Once his new approach was decided he immediately cut off the arm that was circling around to attack him from behind. As soon as the arm hit the ground no blood came out of it instead it began to dissolve into a puddle as it slithered back to the main body. Edward's movement became even faster seeing this happen as he began cutting down more of the arms as he approached the main body.
Seeing all it's arms being cut off the beast was filled with rage as it began to charge at Edward and with its quick speed if was upon him immediately. The beast was inherently cruel and instead of going for an attack that would kill Edward it tried to toy with him by biting his arm off in response.
Naturally Edward would not let such a thing happen and just barely dodged the attack by using an application of the sword path known as a flash for a quick burst of speed.
While the movement was quick the distance was not great but it put him in a perfect spot to counter attack and so he did. Infusing his sword with Sencia he swung as swiftly before the beast could move and in an instant his sword reached the beasts neck. Alas what Edward had failed to predict was that the beasts skin was far tougher than he expected and only left a slight wound on its body. In response the beast took the chance to bite Edward's sword and although it couldn't crush it with its teeth it was able to send it flying along with Edward sky high into the air.
This situation was naturally the case if the beast were so easily defeated the fiend would never have had a reason to use them in the first place.
While up in the air Edward got an aerial view of the town. He saw Rex was inside his formation, Vera was being chased by two beasts and about to run into the third, but could only see Alara's petals covering the area in the distance.
Since the others were still fine he refocused on the situation in front of him and got serious and his Path manifested as a chaotic unstable aura around him.
Tightening his grip on his sword Edward treated it as an extension of his body began circulating his energy through it. As he fell he was waiting for the right moment to strike and right before the arms reached him he slashed his sword half a dozen times. Unlike when he sparred with Alrin where he used raw Sencia these swings contained his understanding of the Sword Path.
Although he now pursued the Sword Path his path was heavily influenced by the life he lived and the teachings he received going as far back as his very first memories. As he grew older he learned he could no longer competently agree with his original path and their teachings but even then they were still ingrained into him and influenced his sword path.
Each time he slashed a crimson glow overtook his sword as his Sword Path was being suppressed by his original path the Killing Path. The first three swings of his sword took out the all the beasts arms while the last three sent arcs of crimson energy at the beats body that had been waiting for him to land.
Seeing the energy the beast evaded it giving Edward the opportunity to land. Once his feet finally hit the ground he immediately dashed towards the beast. His decision making was already being affected by the Killing Path.
Similar to the first time he dodged the beasts attack to give himself an opportunity to attack but this time he used a 2nd flash to get on top of the beast. The beast tried to shake him off but Edward didn't budge and with its arms still short of regeneration it tried to hide within the shadows but Edward did not given the time. This time Edward's attack combined infused with the Sword and Killing paths easily penetrated its fur as he stabbed into its skull.
If it was a normal beast that would have been enough to kill it but this monster would never be that easy to kill. Just as Edward was about to pull his sword out the arms fully regenerated and grabbed him and began to drag him into the shadows with it. He was completely unable to move because each because 4 arms wrapped around each limb another around his torso and the last grabbed the sword stuck in its head.
I can't move any of my limbs do I really have no other options but to rely on their teachings. Do I really have no choice but to fully pursue the killing path. Pursuing the sword was at least fun while it lasted but I guess my fate as already decided.
Just as Edward was despairing at his lack of options he remembered something his master had told him when he first met him.
"Paths regardless of what are, are born from the heart, the heart of desire. You said you have no other choice but to pursue the killing path but if you have no desire for it then even if you have boundless talent you will never reach your potential."
Just because I hold no sword does that mean I have no blade?
Edward's mind began racing with countless thoughts as he began to achieve enlightenment about the sword path. It was a pity that he could not fully immerse himself in this moment as head was beginning to be submerged.
If I have no sword then I will become the sword to cut through the world.
His eyes that were closed during his enlightenment suddenly snapped open as his aura that was previous chaotic began to stabilize. Aura was just the physical manifestation of ones path and his had always been chaotic because his heart was chaotic. He had never been able to make a decision until now, to return to the path he was raised to follow or to give up on his past and follow his heart. He had made his choice as the previously chaotic aura began to stabilize with the part of his aura that looked as if it would attack everything in the world now receding while the sharp part of his aura that looked as if it could cut threw anything was overtaking it stabilizing his aura.
Just as he was about to be fully submerged his aura exploded out cutting through all the arms holding him. With his hands free he pushed his hands out of the shadow and by covering them in Sencia he was able to push against the shadows and began to pull the rest of his body out.
The beast immediately chased after him and before Edward could grab his sword the beast was coming out the shadow trying to bite him. Just as he was about to flash away the beast caught his left arm tearing it off.
As blood was pouring out of where his limb used to be instead of doing the normal action of using a pill to regenerate the arm he instead went with a different approach. With the effects of his enlightenment still lingering he went for his sword instead Edward held his right hand outwards towards his sword in the distance on the bottom of the hilt was an inscription that began to glow as the sword began to fly to his hand. As soon as the sword flew into his hand he felt whole and his perception changed. Even though he held it with only one hand he could see exactly what he needed to do to finish this battle.
The beast having finished chewing on his arm once again charged confident now that he was hurt.
As it approached closer Edward's focus reached its peak and he slashed his sword one last time. Even if he only had one hand in this moment he got a glimpse of the peak of the sword path and purely using that no Sencia the space distorted for a moment and the moment he finished his slash the beast fell dead completely split in two. For just a moment he had gone beyond his level and cut the beast in a way it could not regenerate from.
The moment the beast fell dead Edward started feeling an extreme recoil especially in his eyes as they began to bleed while his body was beginning to spasm. This was the price he was paying for going beyond his means and using an ability that he normally should not nor could not.
Still he did not let himself rest at this moment he threw some pills in his body to restore his wounds and endured the pain to go check on the others.