Chapter 22: Aura Slash

​Mana erupted from his body, causing the Refined ★★★ Bone Blade to tremble violently in his grip as he prepared to swing.

​Aura Blade.

​The weapon became enveloped in a dense layer of necrotic energy. More mana poured into the steel, until the blade vibrated so intensely that the surrounding air distorted.

​The Treants sensed true danger. They thrashed frantically against the shadow chains, but Nyxara held them firmly in place, her shadows refusing to yield a single inch.

​Then Cassian activated another skill, it was not Aura Parry, but a standard skill belonging to the B-Grade Skeleton Soldier currently working in the Graveyard Fields.

​Slash.

​It was a simple, straightforward skill designed merely to increase the cutting force behind a strike. Yet under Cassian’s control, backed by Infinite Mana, it didn’t remain simple.

​The two skills resonated, intertwined, and merged, creating something entirely new. The aura surrounding the blade compressed and sharpened until it resembled a tangible, crescent edge extending far beyond the physical weapon itself.

​SHHHHHING—!

​Cassian swung his weapon, as a massive crescent of necrotic energy erupted from the blade, shooting forward like a black moon cutting through the earth.

Trees parted before it, the ground split open, and the forest itself seemed to divide in two.

​The arc slammed into the bound Treants and cleaved straight through them.

​One after another, the fourteen Treants split apart as their massive bodies crashed to the ground, littering the forest floor with shattered wood and splintered trunks.

​Nyxara stared, her violet eyes wide with shock. She had witnessed devastating attacks before, but watching a newly awakened Lord erase fourteen Advanced ★★★ monsters with a single casual strike was another matter entirely.

​A flood of system notifications flared across Cassian’s vision.

​[+3,360 Experience]

[+7,000 Lord Coins]

​[You have slain Shadow Treant ×14]

​[Skill Interaction Detected: Aura Blade + Slash]

[Analyzing Compatibility...]

[Analysis Complete: New Skill Created > Aura Slash]

​Looking at the final prompt, Cassian’s lips curled into a cold, satisfied smile.

....

Cassian dismissed the notification for his newly created skill as he walked over to Nyxara.

​The Champion looked up at him, countless questions swirling in her violet eyes, questions about his limitless mana, the impossible feats he had displayed during the battle, and the strange, lingering warmth she felt whenever he spoke.

​Yet before she could voice a single one, her legs gave out entirely, as exhaustion claimed her.

​Cassian reacted instantly, his arm wrapping around her waist before she could hit the ground. They ended up mere inches apart, violet eyes locking onto blue ones in silent shock.

​Neither spoke for a long moment.

​"My Lord..."

​Cassian quickly forced his gaze away from her face, focusing instead on her broken armor and torn flesh. "You’re badly hurt. We need to get you back to the Cemetery so you can recover properly."

​He paused, glancing down. "Can you walk?"

​Nyxara looked down at her limp legs, then back up at Cassian.

​Cassian realized what he had just asked, and a rare look of embarrassment crossed his face. "Right. That was an insensitive question."

​Nyxara blinked, and then, for perhaps the first time since her summoning, a faint trace of dry amusement softened her stoic features. "Fortunately, my Lord possesses many talents."

​Cassian raised an eyebrow. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

​Nyxara closed her eyes completely, her face settling back into deadpan composure. "I am exhausted."

​Cassian stared at her, but the Champion’s expression remained entirely serious. He could only sigh.

​"Convenient."

​Carefully, he lifted the undead elf and hoisted her onto his back.

​Nyxara quietly opened one eye, watching the side of his jaw as he adjusted her weight. A tiny smile touched her lips, one so faint even she hardly realized it was there.

​Cassian turned back toward the path, beginning the trek through the Umbralwood.

​The return journey was surprisingly uneventful, at least for him.

​A pack of Shadowfang Wolves emerged from the tree line. Cassian simply swung his blade with a casual flick of his wrist.

​Aura Slash.

​A massive crescent of necrotic energy tore through the forest, obliterating the wolves alongside several unfortunate ancient trees standing behind them.

​A few minutes later, another pack appeared. Another Aura Slash followed, then another, and another.

​Using the combined skill against ordinary mana beasts was complete overkill, but with Infinite Mana, Cassian had zero reason to conserve energy. If a problem could be solved by erasing a direction with Aura Slash, there was no reason not to do it.

​Nyxara watched silently from his back as the scene degenerated into pure absurdity. Wherever they walked, wanton destruction followed. Forests split apart, monsters vanished in flashes of dark energy, and deep craters pockmarked the terrain.

​Even the elusive Nightshade Serpents weren’t spared; their natural camouflage proved useless when entire swaths of the forest were swept away in single strikes. Most died before they even realized they had been spotted.

​The Umbral Bats fared no better, whole flocks annihilated while still airborne. Even the occasional Shadow Treant that lumbered into view was swiftly dissected, what had once been a terrifying boss-tier opponent was now little more than a slightly sturdier target.

​Nyxara found herself quietly questioning whether her Lord possessed any concept of moderation. The evidence so far suggested he did not.

​Eventually, the forest grew quieter. Attacks thinned out, mana beasts became scarce, and then the wilderness fell silent altogether.

​Cassian had just erased another unlucky group of Shadowfang Wolves when a golden system interface materialized directly before his eyes.

​It wasn’t a standard kill log, experience drop, or coin tally. This notification carried the absolute, undeniable weight of the Lord’s Domain itself.

​[Congratulations, Lord Cassian.]

​[Area Conquered: Umbralwood]

[Territory Control Increased]

​[Current Territory Progress: 2/4 Areas Controlled]

​[Lord’s Hollow] — Controlled

​[Umbralwood] — Controlled

​[Bonefang Wastes] — In Progress

​[Kragmar Dominion] — Uncontrolled

​[Rewards Granted:]

​+5,000 Experience

​+10,000 Lord Coins

​+1 Territory Treasure Chest (Common ★★★)

​The authority of the Lord over the Graveshade Expanse has increased.

Continue conquering the remaining areas to fully claim the territory and advance it into a Region.

​Cassian stopped in his tracks, his eyes lingering on the system rewards, as a slow, satisfied smile spread across his face.