The Annihilator: Killer Of Gods

Chapter 89 Sword Aura EX

< Ding! You have met the requirement to unlock a sword ability >

< Ding! You have unlocked sword Aura >

< Ding! You have unlocked a new skill; Sword Aura EX >

After being plagued by the sensation for so long, Karsha could finally feel it enter his body, making him grin from ear to ear. He felt the power he had unlocked, and as someone craving strength for his upcoming battles, the Sword Aura couldn't have come at a more opportune moment.

His happiness extended to the fact that he had finally achieved 'A' mastery of the first level of the Dark Prince Hell Art: Sword Pool. He could now summon 1,000,000 swords from the pool, all imbued with the Golden Light essence.

Karsha had spent a great deal of time trying to comprehend the sensation he felt whenever he used his sword in battle. It grew stronger as time passed, but no matter how hard he tried, he had never managed to fully grasp it. Now, he could feel a window of opportunity opening for him. But that would have to wait. He still had the second level to master and little time left to do it.

< Sword Aura >

-- You can now lace your sword with an energy that boosts the damage output of the sword.

-- This can be used without Mana.

The description the system provided was vague, but Karsha, now having the ability to use Sword Aura, could tell it was an incredible and significant power boost.

Sword Aura is something many swordsmen chase after. It defines a true swordsman. This aura, when mastered, can amplify the damage output of sword attacks by staggering percentages.

Initially, it can only be used on swords, but as mastery increases, it can be projected into an arc that deals devastating damage. It can also be used to suppress opponents. The more the aura grows, the stronger and more terrifying it becomes. But, like all things, this requires mastery from the swordsman.

Rumor has it that if a swordsman masters the sword aura to a certain stage, they will be able to split the fabric of reality with a single swing. However, that remains a dream for many since the only ones able to achieve something like this are Sword Sages.

Swordsmanship comes in different levels. There is the Beginner, who has just started using the sword and has little to no mastery.

Then there is the Master level, where, after constant use of the sword, the swordsman begins to understand the essence behind swordsmanship and finally steps on the path of true mastery. These individuals are called Master Swordsmen because they have mastered most sword skills. Karsha is currently at this level.

The Grandmaster level is a stage where the swordsman's mastery of techniques reaches unparalleled heights. They have mastered most of their skills, and some even gain enlightenment, which helps them break past their current mastery and step into the next level of swordsmanship.

Then there is the Saint level, where swordsmen are known as Sword Saints. To reach this level, a swordsman must attain at least three enlightenments and have access to sword aura. For many swordsmen, this is the stage where they awaken their sword aura. Although only a select few manage to do so at the Grandmaster stage, most swordsmen awaken their sword aura at the Saint stage.

Following the Saint level is the stage that many swordsmen strive to achieve: the Sage level. These individuals are known as Sword Sages, and in most worlds, they can be counted on one hand. This level is so prestigious that many devote years to honing their skills in hopes of ascending to become a Sword Sage.

Rumor has it that those who attain Sage-level mastery of the sword can access the 'Domain of Thousand Swords' and challenge ancient sword spirits to win their approval, making them their sword spirits.

At this level, swordsmen can utilize sword aura to a profound extent, enabling them to split the heavens with a single sword strike. However, there are other levels beyond the Sage level, but these are so rare that few can claim to have seen one—though they might have heard of a few. These levels include the Sword Kings, Sword Emperor, Sword Monarch, Sword Sovereign...

However, while these levels determine the mastery of swordsmen, the aura they channel is an entirely different matter. Sword Aura is complex and hard to comprehend. There can be situations where a Sword Sage might have a more powerful comprehension of Sword Aura than a Sword King. Understanding Sword Aura is very profound, so many swordsmen chase after it.

Once they awaken it, they focus on raising their sword mastery to ensure that even with a little Sword Aura, they can unleash powerful attacks.

The known levels of Sword Aura comprehension are Lesser Sword Aura, True Sword Aura, Golden Sword Aura, and Enhanced Sword Aura. Karsha is currently at the first level, which is just the initial phase but still incredibly powerful.

Sword Aura is intricate, requiring a deep understanding of the sword. Even at the Sword Sage level, many can only boast about attaining True Sword Aura. But that mastery alone is enough to elevate the power of the sword by many folds. Those who manage to awaken Sword Aura are true geniuses of the sword path and are considered true swordsmen.

For Karsha to be counted among these select few, he is indeed greater than he gives himself credit for.

< Sword Aura EX (Passive) >

-- The power of your sword Aura will be increased by 200% when activated.

"Just 200%?" Karsha read the description with a straight face. He could tell the Sword Aura was significant, but gaining just 200% at this level left him disappointed. He had expected more. This Sword Aura awakening had plagued him for a while, so finally unlocking it, he anticipated great things.

But that is just for this level. Once he breaks through to the True Sword Aura, the power level will multiply many folds. Although 200% is not enough now, it will increase as he masters the Sword Aura. But that is somewhere in the future. Karsha needed strength right now to face the Overlords, so he expected more.

His swordsmanship is also mediocre at best since he hasn't had enough time to spar with the clone. The clone is a perfect swordsman at the Master level, so sparring with him is a sure way of mastering his swordplay.

Unbeknownst to Karsha, although his Sword Aura is currently at the first stage, its power far surpasses that of a typical Sword Aura. The reason is simple: Karsha possesses an element called Golden Light. While not technically a Sword Aura, this element can be utilized similarly.

It possesses a unique attribute known as Golden Aura, which amplifies attacks by 100%, thereby sharing some properties with Sword Aura. Consequently, even though Karsha's Sword Aura is only at the first stage, he can unleash attacks far more powerful than his level would suggest.

Moreover, with [Sword Aura EX] further amplifying the aura, the strength of his sword attacks would be enhanced many folds. He was perhaps the only swordsman at the Master level with such immense power. Even without Mana, Karsha, in his current state, could easily cleave through many attacks and defenses using his sword aura.

Despite his initial disappointment, Karsha didn't dwell on it much. His focus shifted to the next set of messages.

< Ding! Your mastery of Rune has increased. Congratulations, you have attained Master level in Runesmithing >

< Ding! You have unlocked a new Passive ability; Weaver Eye >

The past few days had seen Karsha playing around with complex Runes. It all started when he formed connections with the elements. Since they communicated using Rune Diagrams, Karsha's brain was forced to understand them. Of course, as a Universal Enigma, learning and understanding new things came relatively easily to him.

He had comprehended Runes and, without even realizing it, had stepped into the Master stage. Of course, this all happened in a virtual way of some sort. He hadn't actually written any runes yet, but he didn't expect to struggle much now that he was a Master level Runesmith.

However, while that was great, gaining an ability after breaking through levels was even greater.

< Weaver Eye (Passive) > -- To a certain extent, you will be able to see through complex formations and arrays to understand the essence behind them. -- You can perceive the foundation of a rune and how to draw them easily. -- With enough Mastery of Runes, you will be able to see the makings of a skill or technique and how to modify them.

[Note: The Weaver's Eye grows with your mastery of the Runes and your third eye ]

"Tell me, system, how can I draw runes, and more importantly, what are runes?" Despite being a Rune Master, Karsha still hadn't grasped the essence of runes. His nature as a Universal Enigma allowed him to comprehend runes, yet he struggled to understand their physical manifestation.

His existence was like a glitch in the matrix, defying expected norms. Here he was, a certified Rune Master who could not physically draw runes.

< Runes are symbolic representations of complex energies and principles. To draw them, you need to channel your understanding and energy into a physical form, such as inscribing them onto surfaces, in the air, or manifesting them with your aura. >

<To simplify, runes serve as the fundamental building blocks of existence, encompassing concepts like Fate, Destiny, Life, and Death. They are intricate patterns that form the basis of everything, allowing for creation and manipulation. With sufficient mastery, even an ordinary person could manifest anything from nothing using just rune symbols and an inscriber.

As for how to draw runes, they can be inscribed using a tool called an inscriber, a Rune Knife, or an Array Blade. These tools possess properties that enable individuals with some understanding of runes to draw them. Inscribers come in various forms and shapes, all capable of harnessing the power of runes. >

"So, at my level, would I be able to draw runes?"

< Even though you are at the master stage, you lack fundamental knowledge when it comes to runes. You may possess the information but lack an understanding of the basics. But this can be remedied once you learn the basics of runes and how to draw them. You can purchase rune books from the system store, though it will cost you Killer points. >

"Oh, really? Then how much would I need to spend on a Rune book and an inscriber?" Karsha is the curious type. He wants to learn everything about anything, and thanks to his robust comprehension speed, he wouldn't have to worry much.

He has about 130 days to go, and since the second level involves combining the swords he linked within the first level to form one big sword, he knows he won't need much time to master it.

So why not spend a few days exploring the nature of runes and how to draw them?