In that instant, Aiden's life flashed before his eyes, as well as his enemy's movement.
It was so quick that even his eyes couldn't follow him.
The other knight was single-handedly fending off Ryker and Elara together.
And in that second, it happened.
The sword pierced Aiden's body.
Aiden stood there, looking at the sword that penetrated his body.
With blood coming out of his mouth, he smiled. "Now that I know your fighting style, I'll abuse it in every single way I can think of."
Just after mumbling those words.
The knight pulled out his sword. "I expected more from you."
Aiden's limp body dropped to the ground, lifeless.
He could hear his comrades' screams.
"Aiden, no!"
"Pull yourself together!"
"You can't die like this!"
The system appeared before his eyes.
[System]
You Have Died.
| Game #4 [The Path To Becoming A Swordmaster] Has Been Completed.
The fuzzy message echoed in his head.
His soul left his body, as he flew through the sky, he saw Ryker putting his hand on his lifeless body.
Suddenly.
He stood up, but was still unconscious.
His red aura manifested around his body, and a mysterious golden aura followed.
He picked up the sword.
Taking up a fighting stance.
In a flash, he appeared behind the knight's back.
Thud.
The guard has fallen to the ground.
Ryker, in the back, was bleeding from the mouth.
He seemed to be controlling Aiden's lifeless body.
"I'd at least take advantage of your dormant potential!" He shouted, every word filled with bloodlust.
Aiden's lifeless body's eyes became golden colored.
No life was visible to them.
Aiden was prepared to throw a slash at the remaining knight.
A golden aura enveloped his sword; faint outlines of red gleamed along the sides of the blade.
As Ryker shouted. "AHHHHHH!"
Aiden's body did too. "AHHHHHH!"
Just a second ago, he was meters away from the enemy.
But in a flash, he appeared before him, maintaining eye contact. He proceeded to stab him with his glowing sword, twisting in his body, aiming to inflict pain the guard had never felt before.
The real Aiden is watching from the sidelines. He was shocked by his own body's awakened power.
You Have Leveled Up!
You Have Leveled Up!
You Have Leveled Up!
You Have Awakened Your True Potential!
He gradually lost sight of his companions' presence; slowly, he disappeared forever from that timeline.
[System]
Game 5 [Trials Of The Aura Bearer] Has Started.
He woke up, once again, in a dark limbo, a silhouette shaping up in front of him, slowly closing the distance.
It was the future Aiden who wore a wide smile.
Equipped with military grade armor.
A large sword was sheathed, dangling from the belt that was carrying it.
The same blade as before, the weapon of the one who awakened his first aura, the red aura.
Aiden's trying to remember its name.
Then it clicked. "The Sulbrand."
The future Aiden approaches.
"You remembered, that's unexpected. You should know what you're going to experience now."
Slowly, he unsheathed his sword.
Pointing it at Aiden.
Not leaving a single second for the present Aiden to react.
He impaled him in the heart.
Killing him off in one single attack.
The present Aiden's body was rematerialised.
The future version of him stared at him, his smile disappeared, covered by a disappointed look.
"You haven't improved a single bit."
"I haven't? You seem to be underestimating me."
The present Aiden unsheathed his ordinary sword.
Red aura bursting from it.
He charged at his future self.
He thought that it would connect.
So he sprinted at him, without even thinking of the consequences of his failure.
He stumbled to the ground.
A figure appeared behind him.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Disappointing."
Once again, he was impaled from the head.
His temple was completely shattered.
This cycle repeated for a dozen hours.
The current Aiden has demonstrated no improvement.
Until. In the 93rd cycle.
A glimpse of golden aura manifested in his blade.
But it was dim, it held no power, and went away before he could realise.
"God Damn it!"
In the 104th cycle.
The golden aura reappeared; this time, it didn't fade away.
It held its dim form.
Slowly devouring his red aura.
"Now, I can defeat you!"
He lunged at him.
The future version stepped, preparing to end it for the 105th time.
But he failed to realise the mistake he made by underestimating his present self at the 104th cycle.
Aiden dodged.
With the help of the dim golden aura.
His physical capabilities doubled.
Suddenly.
The future Aiden flashed an amused grin.
Red aura manifested in his blade.
With the sheer power of his aura.
The present Aiden's power didn't even last a second.
It sucked his aura dry.
"You underestimated me, too."
Once again, he died.
Every other cycle had the same ending.
Except the 159th one.
Aiden's blade shimmered with the combined power of his red|golden aura.
He didn't charge this time; he waited for his future self to engage first.
But he didn't. He stood there.
"It seems like you have achieved the results I was looking for. Congratulations."
"Let me show you the true power you possess."
Golden aura swallowed his blade.
It cracked the dark limbo.
Light floating in.
"This is the true aura that I have evolved to suit my body to the max. Oh, I almost forgot this."
He threw the "Solbrand" at the present Aiden.
"Pick it up. And feel the power."
He did as he said.
It's like the blade had its own consciousness.
But suddenly.
The limbo began to crack into pieces.
"I have shown you all the aura moves I possess. Use them well, young one."
Reality shifted around him.
The future Aiden's eyes lingered in his memory. As if it were filled with remorse.
[SYSTEM INTERFACE]
Name: Aiden Cross
Age: 20
Level: 10
Race: Human
Status: ------
Title(s): [The Broken One] -25% Mental Power | +10% Damage [In Use]
Aura Color: Red
Aura Core: Low-Grade
Aura Color: Golden
Aura Core: Faint
--- SKILLS ---
360° Kick (Lv 2) Mockery (Lv 1) Roundhouse Kick (Lv 2) Counter Flow (Lv 1 – Locked
Fear Resistance (Passive Skill) (Lv 1)
+20% Fear Resistance +10% Mental Power
--- USER STATS ---
STR: 33+6 | AGI: 22+7 | INT: 9+3 | END: 14+4
PER: 11+2 | WIL: 9+4 | CHA: 1+1
HP: 150/150| Stamina:100/100 | Aura:25/30
EXP:57/100
Currency: 0 Aura Crystals [Faint]
12 Aura Crystals [Low Grade]
0 Aura Crystals [Standard Grade]
0 Aura Crystals [Bright Grade]
0 Aura Crystals [Radiant Grade]
0 Aura Crystals [Pure Grade]