Chapter 1377: A booming realization

Michael let the Crescent Unity Slash curve around Draco’s shield, as if it was water wrapping itself around something as it splashed.

This was his breakthrough. This was the very first step in him discovering his own path, his very own Way, which would allow him to master his own swordstyle that was his and only his.

He knew that this was the only path he needed if he wanted to truly have his own Sword Intent and Arcanic Magic.

Draco fell to the ground, his back completely scorched and injured beyond repair. He squirmed around, wanting to use his own blood to suffuse himself with more vitality.

However, more of those roots emerged from the ground, and began snaking its way through the fields before wrapping itself around Draco’s entire body. His head, his arms, his legs. More and more of these thorny roots took hold of him and kept him restrained.

He couldn’t even writhe in pain. And when he tried to use his blood to regenerate his body, the roots instead took that vitality for themselves and empowered the nature around it.

The brown and desiccated leaves on the crowns of trees began to regain their color into a vibrant green. The trees grew thicker with water, no longer as thin and as wrinkly as it was before. Even the stones and the ground around Draco began to regain their stalwart resilience, becoming immoveable.

"ARGH!"

Michael looked down at Draco and shook his head. "It’s unfortunate. I was only a short while away from discovering another move for my Quantum techniques," he told Draco. "Why don’t you try and get up?"

His opponent couldn’t even raise his hand up to curse at Michael, even with his taunt. Draco was truly just moment away from being fully defeated.

"Haaa... haaa... don’t think you’ve won already," Draco said, his voice sounding more and more hoarse as nature fed off of his own vitality.

Michael looked at him. "Did you forget about our Sanctum Duel conditions? It doesn’t matter if your army wins. As long as I defeat you, then this would mean the victory for the Rebornian company."

Draco looked up at Michael with his eyes looking more and more bloodthirsty as it ever was.

"Ha... haa.... You know, when he told me to fight against your company, I told him that I would sweep your legs under your feet. That I would show you the true difference between a talent and a fraud...

He told me that you were going to defeat me. I didn’t believe him. But still, I was forced to do as he says."

Michael frowned, feeling as if there was something going on. He looked at Draco’s eyes and saw that it wasn’t staring at him. But instead, it was directed towards the Rebornian army as well as the EoV army that was fighting against them.

"Even we lose this Sanctum Duel, doesn’t mean that you’re going to win... I’m going to take you out with me," Draco said, blood pooling in his teeth as he looked even more hellish than before.

Michael’s eyes widened as he looked backwards, towards the very soldiers that were fighting against the Rebornian army.

And using his Supreme Talent, he was able to see a strange power hidden inside their pocket sleeves. It was subtle. Very subtle. As small as a seed itself.

However, it was there. An item. An Aubility Power that had the signature of a 7th-stage Nascent Spirit cultivator himself.

"Boom," Draco said.

And it was at this moment that the Ease of Vindication soldiers all took out that item from their very sleeves and crushed it under their fists.

It seemed that they knew that Draco was defeated in his one-on-one fight against Michael. And now, just as they practiced, they were going to explode in a last ditch effort to defeat the Rebornian company once and for all.

Michael immediately used his Quantum Step to reach his army, but it was at this point that the explosion boomed throughout the entirety of the dark forest, creating a mushroom cloud of orange above its trees, illuminating the scenery for once in its lifetime as a Sanctum reality.

Draco laughed, blood spurting out of his mouth. "Hahahaha... even if I lose... you’re company is done for."

"Why... why would you do this?" Michael asked, his voice devoid of any emotions.

"Your company cannot be allowed to continue on," said Draco. "Worcester believes that you and your inventions will lead the world into ruin."

"Worcester," Michael muttered under his breath. "He’s the 1st ranked heir of the Oscorpe Conglomerate."

He was the very same one that Trilla had been fearing this entire time. The one who was chasing after them, the one who had sent the Western Pole company against them.

"Thank you," Michael said. "Now, I have a new target."

"Ha! You? You and what army?"

Michael turned his head back towards Draco, showing no despair in his face. Instead, there was only calm. And triumph.

Draco’s eyes widened. Behind Michael’s figure, more and more people emerged from the blinding light of the mushroom explosion.

The Rebornian soldiers! They looked completely unharmed, with absolutely no sign of wear and tear on their armor!

"How... how is this possible?!" Draco shouted in disbelief.

Michael raised his hand, a golden glow emanating out of his hands. "How? It’s because I wanted it so. I changed reality itself, so that my men and my soldiers will be protected by the nature around them."

It was at this point that the trees began to sway, their roots began to wriggle, and even their leaves began to dance. They danced to the rhythm of Reborn.

Michael’s Nascent Influence spread through every single Rebornian, allowing the nature around them to be encompassed in his power.

It was instant.

After all, he’d been preparing for this kind of thing from the very beginning. He was already expecting them to play dirty. So, as a precaution, he made a few more defensive measures for his soldiers.