Chapter 609: Double-edged Sword Dance

"...!"

Several Elves sucked in a deep cold breath. Rhode squinted and scrutinized the young ladies before him. This was the first time Gracier and Madaras revealed their weapons and they were extraordinary.

Snowy razor-sharp blades shimmered in a dark, menacing radiance. The length were slightly longer than their palms, which fit perfectly like a pair of viper fangs in a glance, ready to strike anytime.

Concealed blades...

Rhode's heart skipped a beat.

Concealed blades were highly popular among the players. After all, one could carry them around conveniently to assassinate and dash through the cluster of flowers suavely. Most Thief class players tried using concealed blades as their main weapon, but their luck was on the down side because concealed blades was the main weapon of the Dark Elves and the players had to enter the deep underground, avoid the wandering high-level monsters, search the underground city of the Dark Elves to become one of them, and finally, accept their path. However, the players' reputation in the Elf Kingdom would fall to 'Hostile' instantly as soon as they had chosen to join the Dark Elves and they could never win their trust back. As for their reputations in other Human nations, they would fall to 'Indifferent' and 'Normal' no matter how much reputation one had earned previously. Their only home left would be the Country of Darkness and they had to find their meaning of existence under the hands of the Undead Creatures.

The loss of their reputation was secondary because the most troublesome area was to increase their mastery of the concealed blades. 15 Skill Points were required to upgrade from Mastery E to D, which exceeded the total degree of difficulty for every other swordsmanship technique. Even the Legendary swordsmanship techniques would require 6 to 8 Skill Points, which was extremely tough. However, the concealed blades required 15 Skill Points at the start and needed 20 Skill Points thereafter, which meant that players would face difficulties in building other techniques.

However, concealed blades were tough to master unlike other weapons. They had high level of concealment and was extremely dangerous. Rhode remembered that there was such a saying in Chinese wuxia novels: longer blades would have a wider range of stronger attacks and although the shorter blades would have a shorter and riskier attack range, they could be used to launch much quicker attacks. The dangers of concealed blades were double-edged. They were difficult to use as daggers for attack and defense because they were only longer than their palms by a little. In fact, the players would often feel helpless whenever their PVP opponents in the Assassin and Swordsman class were welding concealed blades.

But now, the atmosphere had changed.

When Gracier and Madaras flashed their concealed blades, Rhode sharply detected the bewilderedness in the crowd. The Dark Elves' assassination technique came from the Carlesdine and they had naturally inherited the Carlesdine's specialized weapon. But after the disappearance of the Carlesdine, there naturally weren't any places for the existence of concealed blades. Even in the game, most of the players treated concealed blades as the Dark Elves' specialized weapon, which explained the crowd's reaction.

If Gracier and Madaras didn't have the distinctive features of the White Elves, perhaps they might have been judged as the Dark Elves' scouts.

"Oh?"

Dale was also astonished when he witnessed their weapons. He slowly drew his sword and widened his stance.

"Leader, who are they?"

Rhode turned around and saw Anne's curious emerald eyes gazing at himself. Not only Anne, but even Lize and Snow also looked at him dubiously. After all, they had never met the two young girls and it would be even more suspicious if they didn't have any doubts.

But Rhode didn't answer. Instead, he placed a finger on his lips.

"I'll tell you about them later."

Rhode turned his attention to the circular plaza. The battle was about to begin.

Dale raised his sword in an upright stance without any traces of hesitation in his eyes. Shortly after, powerful blade air streams rose from the ground and shrouded his body. In the blink of an eye, Rhode sensed that the Elf Knight had merged with his sword as one. Sharp, bone-chilling blade air stream emanated from his body and rustled the innocent leaves on the tree branches.

What a powerful blade aura.

Rhode's heart skipped a beat. As a Spirit Swordsman, he clearly knew what a blade aura meant. Currently, Rhode could only accumulate his blade aura slowly before emanating it. However, Dale was different. He was like a sword that withdrew out of the sheath in a clean draw and the ice-cold blade aura burst into the air instantly. This speed was sufficient to prove that Dale was an exceptionally powerful swordsman. Rhode was sure that he would die under Dale's sword miserably if they dueled using swords only.

It was due to this that Rhode was curious to witness Gracier and Madaras's performances.

Dale had made it clear that he wasn't holding back. So, could Gracier and Madaras stop an Elf who had entered the Legendary Stage? Rhode knew that their current strength was powerful. Both of them hadn't enter the Legendary Stage and he had no idea about their swordsmanship standard. Their Stealth Skill could hide them from detection, but could it guarantee their victory?

If it was true, then these two daggers would be too important for him.

Rhode focused his attention and stared at the circular plaza.

The two young girls were unfazed. They presented gentle smiles and took two steps back, dropping their arms to their waists relaxedly.

Then, everything flashed before the crowd.

Dale stepped back abruptly and let out a deep grunt. The glass sword in his hand exploded with immense radiance, spreading wild air streams forward.

However, there was no one to receive his attack.

As the dazzling, ice-cold radiance ripped through the air in a sharp, ear-deafening screech, everyone shockingly realized that the two young girls had disappeared as though they didn't exist in this world.

However, Dale's reaction was equally quick.

He drew a circle swiftly with the tip of his sword before leaping backward. In the blink of an eye, layers of protective crisscross blade rays spread all around him.

But there were still no signs of the two young girls.

As though they didn't exist.

How powerful.

Dale kept his sword and made a defensive stance. Although he stared forward calmly, he wasn't as composed as he appeared. Even when the two young girls were standing before him, they were like phantoms that didn't exist. And now, he had proven that it wasn't his misconception. Dale had struck out a wave of powerful attacks to force the two young girls into fighting him face to face. However, he didn't expect that they would vanish into thin air as soon as he struck. Even though his senses had been heightened to the maximum, he still couldn't spot their tracks!

It's truly the Carlesdine.

Rhode nodded in satisfaction. The Carlesdine weren't swordsmen but were assassins instead. Therefore, they couldn't tire their enemies through battles before taking their lives suavely. Instead, they sought after one-strike-kill and silent battle techniques. Even though Dale was capable of brandishing his sword to protect himself from the surrounding, he couldn't detect their presence at all. As soon as he stopped, he had to defend from all directions. This mental pressure was much more intense than a true sword fight.

However, Dale seemed to have realized this and he didn't attack blindly anymore. He laid his sword by his side and scanned the surrounding vigilantly. Not only him, but even the crowd also widened their eyes curiously. Oh my goodness. I've never seen such a Sword Dance Rite!

Where exactly did the two young girls go to?

Dale felt a shiver and turned his body abruptly, at the same time slashing his sword to his own neck. The crowd was stunned. They thought that this Elf Knight had gotten crazy and tried to commit suicide.

Dale was indeed quick. He flicked his wrist and slashed an arc blade ray toward his neck. Clang! The violent collision shook the atmosphere. A petite figure retreated silently with her hood concealing her face from the crowd. However, Dale didn't stop. He charged forward and slashed his sword at the young girl!

This time, Dale's attack wasn't flowery, but was swift and lethal instead. In the blink of an eye, the tip of his glass sword had arrived at the young girl's chest! Gracier swung her left arm and flashed her concealed blade to strike off his attack. Dale rotated his wrist to the recoil and struck forward at her neck instantly. Gracier welcomed his attack and pushed her right hand forward to extend the razor-sharp concealed blade and strike toward his chest.

This was clearly using one's life in exchange for another's!

"...!"

The Elves shrieked in surprise while the Elf Queen closed her eyes sorrowfully. She wasn't worried that both of them would end in mutual defeat. However, Gracier's determination to end in mutual destruction filled the Elf Queen with unprecedented pain. This was the way the Carlesdines battled: they abandoned everything and sacrificed themselves for the Elves. They were the true heroes.

Dale was equally gobsmacked as he didn't expect Gracier to be this firm. This instantly forced him off his attack and he retreated backward to avoid her attack. But, even so, Dale brandished his sword to apply some pressure on Gracier... At this moment, he lowered his head abruptly!

Clink!

Madaras emerged behind him and the concealed blade in her hand brushed Dale's helmet. Then, Madaras sprung back and laid both arms before her. At this moment, Dale had stomped his right leg forward.

Clang!

Madaras retreated in a rather miserable manner. Her fluttering white robe made her look like a specter and she vanished like a soap bubble. Not only her, but Gracier who had been obstructed by Dale also disappeared to nowhere.

They're really hard to deal with...

Dale kept his sword and scanned the surrounding sharply. He had fully understood the terrifying aspects of the Carlesdine now. He had once fought with assassins and as an Elf Knight, he had been responsible for border patrols and had no lack of fights against the Dark Elves. This was also part of the hostility between the Elves and Dark Elves. Whenever the Dark Elves grew to adulthood, they would hold a coming of age ceremony and that was to come to the surface via the underground tunnels and slaughter the Elf Patrols. The more Elf Patrols they murdered, the better the treatment that they would receive in the underground world. This was how the hatred between the Elves and Dark Elves gradually solidified.

Dale had his own methods of dealing with assassins, especially the most threatening Dark Elf Assassins who were agile and silent in movements. Although the Dark Elves' weapon was designed to be silent, Dale understood their attacking styles and he wouldn't be afraid even if he was surrounded by five to six Dark Elf Assassins.

But now, this was the first time he felt fearful.

The Carlesdine's true strength is horrifying.

Normally, the assassin's strongest point was also his weakness. Perhaps he could stay hidden and undiscovered, but when he took actions and destroyed the balance, he would leave traces of aura in his movements, no matter how slight they were. As long as he grasped the timing right, he would be able to counterattack.

But the Carlesdines were unlike that at all!

In the two continuous attacks, Dale realized that things were looking terrible after he had been struck by the two young girls. Although he was quick, he was also miserable under the Carlesdines' silent aggression. Besides, Dale sensed that they were being lenient on him. This was especially true when Gracier first attacked. Dale had sensed the slight pause in movements in her razor-sharp blade when it was about to pierce his throat, which felt like a warning. If this was a true battle, perhaps his throat would have been slashed by their first attack.

Dale revealed a smile and caressed his neck gently. There weren't any gashes which proved that Gracier's attack wasn't filled with murderous intention. But even so, she was extremely formidable.

It seems impossible for me to win the two young girls using swordsmanship.

Dale clasped his sword with both hands and stooped forward slightly. He closed his eyes.

Alright. Let me have a taste of the Carlesdines' true powers, both of you.

Dale widened his eyes.

In an instant, the crowd felt the air around Dale distort, flicker, and form a solid polygon that spread in all directions. In an instant, the crowd witnessed a ice barrier around him.

Clink!

Gracier and Madaras emerged from thin air and they drifted apart from the left and right directions. Dale witnessed a flash and he adjusted his posture.

The two young girls slowed down abruptly.

It was similar to the curses cast by Clerics. Instead, everything around them was as though a slowed down video replay. The hem of their robes swayed along with their movements, but their speed was so slow as though they were dragging themselves in water...

This was Dale's true ability.

Air Domain?

Rhode knitted his brows together. Although Rhode was familiar with the higher-ups of the Elf Kingdom, he didn't have many impressions of Dale. But now, the Elf Knight displayed such formidable strength. The legendary powers of the Air Domain were phenomenal. Rhode didn't expect that Dale would resort to freezing the air around him to force out Gracier and Madaras!

Rhode shot a glance at Anne. At this moment, Anne was folding her arms and focused fully on the battle.

As an elemental holder, would Anne reach this stage one day?