Show of Force

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|Arthur|

"How do you feel with your new dragon heart?" Sylphiette asked me with a gentle voice, concern etched on her features.

"Incredible," I breathed, relishing in the natural flow of mana and aether coursing through my veins.

Regis peered at us with admiration before quickly averting his gaze.

"It's truly magnificent," he murmured.

"I feel more in-tune with the Realmheart," I continued, "I no longer have a time limit on my ability to tap into it. Though, it's become an inconvenience with the sheer amount of information being constantly inputted."

I wondered internally if it was now possible to reach Kezess with this newfound power.

"Your dragon heart isn't complete yet," Sylphiette reminded me, as if reading my thoughts. "Focus on mastering all of Sylvia's mana arts first. She had the potential of surpassing even her own father, Kezess."

I nodded in agreement. Sylvia's mana arts were on an entirely different level, surpassing even Kordri's teachings. Mastering them would undoubtedly give me a significant edge in any future battles.

"Are you certain that Kathyln will be able to master the Ice Mana Art?" I asked, seeking reassurance.

Her response was confident. "Don't worry about her. Her natural talent for ice magic is nothing short of remarkable. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it rivals your brother's, if not surpasses it."

The mention of Jude brought a smile to my face. "And how do you think Jude is doing now?" I inquired.

She pondered for a moment before answering, "I would estimate that he has reached the level of an adult asura. Not a high-ranking one like Windsom, but certainly an elite asuran warrior."

"As for Kathyln, the Eccleiah clan's mana art will undoubtedly aid her in her progress. She has the potential to reach heights beyond our imagination."

(A/N at the end of the chapter will explain about the asuras.)

After receiving her response, I nodded before inquiring further, "Are there any other mana arts that can be utilized by the Lances?"

She shook her head firmly, "The Lances simply don't have the capacity to properly replicate and manage the mana arts of the Asuras. It's beyond their abilities. It would be better for them to grow on their own through the path of the Djinns."

"Focus on yourself," she narrowed her eyes and pointed her finger at me, "You're too weak right now. Even a moderately powerful Asura could easily overpower you."

I let out a sigh, but my determination to take down Kezess only grew stronger. I continued my training, my eyes burning with the fire of unwavering resolve.

|Kathyln|

As I played with my son Alexander, I couldn't help but ask him, "Do you miss your mother already?" His cute gurgling sounds elicited giggles from the ladies in the room.

My mother, Alice, placed her hand on my shoulder and asked, "Kathyln, are you sure you're not burdening yourself too much?"

I shook my head and continued to cuddle with Alexander, but the sad expressions on my mother's and sister's faces did not escape my notice.

Almost a year had passed since he left me. The memory of that lying man still stung my heart. "You promised to return quickly," I thought bitterly, gazing up at the ceiling while still holding my sleeping baby.

As I slipped Alexander into his cradle and left the room, no one spoke a word. I extended my hand to perform a routine magic security check before being escorted to my room by the Leywins and the guards.

Suddenly, a soldier rushed to us, disregarding etiquette, and shouted, "It's an emergency!"

"What happened?" I asked calmly. The soldier hiccuped before blurting out, "Asuras have attacked."

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|Curtis|

I let out a frustrated sigh as a storm of pain raged inside my head, robbing me of much-needed sleep. The triple knocks on my chamber door made me jump, and I barked, "Who is it?"

"Your Majesty, there's a dire emergency. Please prepare yourself," a group of royal maids entered, barely waiting for my response.

I was already on my feet, quickly changing into the regal attire of a king. As I emerged from my chamber, my aide informed me, "Asuras have attacked."

My eyes widened in disbelief, and I swore under my breath, my mind already racing with potential solutions. I made my way to the Council Room, where my sister and the other representatives were already discussing the situation.

As I took my seat, I clenched my fists in frustration and used my mana to silence the room, demanding everyone's attention.

"We must assess the situation and deal with the Asura before proceeding," I declared firmly. Commander Virion signaled his agreement as the discussions continued.

"The fortified city of Leneam has been attacked," the informant reported.

"And the damage assessment?" Virion asked.

"The entire city has been leveled, there is barely anything left," he replied with a gulp.

This news sparked a series of hushed discussions before a knock on the door interrupted everyone. Opening the door, the guard announced, "Lance Arthur Leywin and Grand Guest Lady Sylphiette have arrived."

"Does Lady Sylphiette have any information about this attack?" I inquired warily.

She nodded before responding, "It appears that the attacker was an elite adult Asura, trained as a warrior. This individual is stronger than Jude was when he left for his mission, possibly even a Pantheon. A force-type mana art was required to level the entire city."

I nodded in understanding before asking, "Is there any possibility for us to neutralize this threat?"

"As I mentioned, this individual is more powerful than either Arthur or myself alone. We would need to work together to stand a chance," Sylphiette replied.

"But that would greatly reduce our security in other regions," Virion added, voicing his concern.

Arthur nodded in agreement and chimed in, "This was also my concern. That's why I have decided to go alone and handle this threat myself."

"Alone?" both Kathyln and I exclaimed in surprise.

"Didn't you just mention that you would be outmatched?" a male Dwarven representative sneered. "We don't need any foolish acts of heroism."

"That may be true," Arthur replied calmly, "but I am asking all of you to believe in me to take care of this threat alone. King Curtis, Commander Virion, and the Council, I request permission to go alone."

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A/N:

As everyone knows, there are eight races of the Asuras. However, there is very little information about most of these races so I am going to be using some mythical knowledge about these races and designating them an element that they use. This is only for the races that have creation-type mana arts.

Dragon Race - The only race capable of utilising aether arts. 

Basilisk Race - The only race capable of decay-type mana arts.

Pantheon Race - The only race capable of force-type mana arts.

Phoenix Race - They specialise in fire and magma creation-type mana arts.

Titan Race - They specialise in metal and lightning creation-type mana arts.

Hamadryad Race - They specialise in earth and plant creation-type mana arts.

Leviathan Race - They specialise in water and ice creation-type mana arts.

Sylph Race - They specialise in air, sound and illusion creation-type mana arts.


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