Chương 41: Chapter 40 - A Violent Demonstration

Mira began as the initial vanguard loped towards the battleline, gesturing towards one of the shieldbearers." Watch as Mr. Smith prepares for the initial clash, that faint glow you may detect around his legs is the skill [Unmovable] triggering, assisting in his maintaining his stance under the weight of impending crush." A rumbling clashing sound reaches the pair in the tree as the crush of bodies slams into the battle line, and the man absorbs the blow easily, only crouching slightly to blunt the inertia."

Ah, there you see? Barely a nudge."" Observe the strength of his hammer blows in return despite his slighter frame? He no doubt has some legacy skill with a hammer from his family but he has always invested heavily into his strength attribute allowing him to strike with far more force than expected. The great System allows us to reinforce and enhance what we already possess."" Hmm, it looks like he may have improved his blunt weapon proficiency to intermediate, I will have to commend him later on his efforts."

Mira gestured, directing his eye to the familiar form of Corporal Cooper, in the position of one of the skirmishers on the northern side of the camp. Eli rarely saw the man fully armed given his duties as the de facto chef for the expedition, but was somehow not even the slightest bit surprised to see the man deftly wielding a pair of short swords that could have easily passed for a pair of oddly shaped meat cleavers." Mr.

Cooper is an excellent lesson in the value of alignment, cleverly choosing a path to power that is uniquely suited to your own intrinsic Nature. No matter how violent and dangerous the world may be, our battle prowess as warriors is not all that we are."" Mr. Cooper finds incredible joy and satisfaction in providing for others, and surely the world would be a poorer place bereft of his culinary talents. As a soldier sworn into the Duke's service however battle must still be part of his path, and Mr.

Cooper has found a way to blend both these facets into his skillset. Watch and compare his methods with his companion." Eli watched for a moment before he noticed what Mira wanted him to see, while the other skirmisher utilised a standard mix of strikes, Cooper's strikes were different, closer to butchery. This wasn't to say that they were unskilled or inelegant, but rather the opposite, each blow would shatter a joint, sever a tendon, or remove an entire muscle in a single filet.

The more he watched the more Eli was impressed, if slightly queasy, as Cooper did not so battle his enemy as he dismantled them as if he was deboning a chicken, well I'm definitely going to look at dinner in a different way tonight." An effective tactic, although it's true worth won't shine in this battle as Mr. Cooper is one of the higher leveled individuals in the troop. Being partly into the third tier himself, mid second tier combatants don't provide much of a challenge."

Mira gestured at the wagons, " Next let us consider a couple of our magical combatants. While focusing on similar attributes, Mr Mason and Ms Farrier walk drastically different paths." Mira gestured at the mage producing the brilliant white beams, and squinting past the glare they left in his vision Eli could make out the form of Astrid as she struck out with beams of light from each palm." While all paths have a variety of utility most mages tend to specialize, but Ms Farrier has selected a broader path.

Most likely due to her gregarious nature and her friendship with Ms. Fletcher, she eschewed a path focused solely on offensive power for one of a more supportive nature"" While her beams have enough might against such rabble as these goblins, the intangible nature of the beams lack the sheer stopping power required to contend with combatants above her level."

Mira indicated the next beam as a wash of golden light flickered over a pair of frontline soldiers, closing some minor wounds, the men returning their next blows with an improved vigor." In trade she can greatly enhance the capability of her comrades, refilling their health pools and providing minor enhancements."" Let's observe Mr. Mason for comparison."

Mira gestured as the mage orbited by several rings of sand that alternated with bands of clear air along his torso, nodules would coalesce within the bands of sand, and ripples would form in the bands of air. A flicking gesture from one hand, the man would cause a nodule to shift into a small sharpened blade before being launched into the press of small green bodies shattering skulls or plunging into a chest in a welter of gore.

A swirling gesture from the other hand would cause a small ball of static to gather around a ripple in the air before arcing into the bodies below leaving scorched marks and twitching limbs in its wake as it disrupted the enemies nervous system, providing opportunities for the combatants below to hastily dispatch the paralyzed goblins. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings." Mr.

Mason favors control and destructive capacity with a lesser emphasis on utility, by infusing his mana into the air and sand bands around him he is able to reduce the cost and increase the power of his strikes. He would readily tell you that he chose his primary elements to focus on speed and stopping power."" Lightning travels in the blink of an eye and very few adversaries can withstand rock to the brain pan propelled at a sufficient velocity.""

While Mr Mason can readily strike above his class and tier and is the kind of opponent few foes can withstand whether they be man or monster, in trade he struggles with non combat applications. He spent many years honing his combat skill and can readily construct blades, caltrops, and more in the blink of an eye, but if you need fortifications?"

Mira snorted, " Do not let me bely his other admirable qualities, a good man, and an excellent mage, but if you left him alone in a quarry for a week you would come back to find a fort little larger than one of those wagons." Mira waved before her in a grand gesture, " Even among martial paths there are many options.

All valid and true paths to power, and while these are good men and women, well trained and excellent retainers for my Lady and the Duke, just like those composite skills, the classes and the people who wield them all come in a variety of power and potential."" Hard work, regular training, and determination are common to all and do weigh heavily on the scales of opportunity.

Talent and the skillful application of knowledge are important as well, which readily shows in the improved class quality and power among the nobility or the formally trained such the knightly orders or various groups of mercenaries and mages." Mira turned to study Eli for a moment before turning back to watch the battle." Do you want to know the real secret though, the true line that separates the elite from the masses all across the realm?" Eli arched a brow up at her, " Of course who wouldn't?"

Mira flicked a look in his direction, before turning back with a smirk.

"It is a simple one, and frankly the one those who desire power are the least happy to hear."" Willpower."" Not the attribute, but the grit, the sheer strength of character to weather every blow and return stronger for it."" The great System will throw many trials and tribulations your way all throughout your ascension, and all too many see these struggles as a malicious will of the system or the machinations of a capricious fate instead of what they truly are.""

Opportunities for growth, to seize a mote of the ancients power for your own, and fodder for your path. Struggles such as one my lady recently endured, fighting a running battle for hours, sipping on the faint dregs of mana and stamina left in a system long wrung dry?"" These experiences are the hammer and anvil that will forge the steel in your soul, and if you meet these trials, the great system will reward you, and you will rise above your peers.

My Lady has been through a few prior, and before this slaughter has concluded you will see for yourself what this means for yourself." Eli thought about her words as he watched the battle below pondering the choice before him. The soldiers of the patrol were clearly skilled and must have drilled often, practicing close quarters combat, dispatching their attackers swiftly. If a member was struggling, the other would close ranks and support their beleaguered comrade.

In one case where a shieldbearer missed a parry with his sidearm, taking a nasty wound that pierced the chainmail covering his right side. In a clearly choreographed move he called for relief, took a step back and dropped to a knee planting his shield in the earth below, and the surrounding middle lines's polearms lanced through all the goblins in front of his position in a single coordinated blow.

A heartbeat later the man behind him relieved him of his shield, drew his sidearm, and stepped into the gap in the formation. The entire maneuver took only moments, and once the wounded man was clear, Astra reached over the wagon's parapet, and with a feat of strength that surprised Eli, hauled the man up and over, dropping him in a covered position at Astrid's feet where she began tending to his wound with glowing hands.

Despite their skill, as Elias watched he found he wasn't particularly compelled towards one skill set or another. I mean the lightning mage is definitely up there on sheer nerd appeal alone, but compared to the sheer thrill of diving head first and cutting through the bandits side by side with Astra? It just can't compare. I like the idea of using my strength to protect others, but what good would a shield do against the thing that slaughtered Tia's family?

No, the best defense is a good offense and all that, I need to be in the thick of it, if I can find a way to mix in some magic all the better. Even now Eli could feel the low beat of adrenaline drumming through his chest, the battle thrill still at a dull roar due to the calm, almost clinical nature of the fight so far. I can see why she wasn't too worried, they have to be outnumbered at least 3 to 1 at this point, but they seem to be holding their own for now.

Eli eyed the injured man still being worked on by Astrid as his gaze drifted to the wounds accumulating on the frontliners in her absence, although I don't know for how much longer.

Another horn sounded out for a moment, before cutting off abruptly as the goblin caught an arrow in his throat, but reason for the call was apparent as the creatures still fighting let out a warbling triumphant cheer as a two muscular hulking figures double the size of the diminutive goblins a little over seven feet tall to the barely four foot height of the rest of the horde.

Clutching large clubs they had a similar appearance of the other monsters but with well defined and muscled limbs and a smattering of hair covering their shoulder the top of their chests, the pair parted as an absolutely massive green humanoid of similar build that was over nine feet tall stepped between them wielding what could be generously called a club of its own, but was clearly a small tree trunk that had been stripped clean. Eli heard a small click of a tongue next to him and looked up at Mira."

I guess they did have a few third tier hobgoblins after all, this should be a good exercise for my Lady." Eli looked back at the giant humanoids and back at Mira, " You sure she doesn't need help?" Mira shook her head before nodding towards the new creatures as they roared a challenge and began to stride through the trees towards the battlelines." Just watch Mr Mercer and remember not all classes are the same. One final lesson for today, delivered by the hand of Lady Emberholdt, a lesson in the tyranny of rank."