Chapter 29 - Erebea Nova

"I can't exactly explain it to you even if I tried but I assure you I'm not done." 

Reinhard exclaimed that it seemed to raise Ghislaine interest on what kind of power that he wield. The moment she had laid her eyes on him there had been ringing danger telling her that she would lose or the cost of fighting him seriously would end badly to her. There's a looming darkness behind the young man who seems to shimmer in a brilliant light.

He seems to fit the description of the darkness only grown upon the presence of the light. Reinhard's strength went from measly Peak Advance Rank to an expert level Saint Rank. This was only his strength and didn't add the technique that he was able to showcase. Anyone witnessing this would question their life since this was just mere 7 years old yet had the power that most people don't have. 

Many would envy him but most would try to gain his favor and take him to their side. Unfortunately, Reinhard isn't someone who would join even if they offered everything in the world. There is also the possibility of blackmailing him but that could result in disaster since he wouldn't hesitate to massacre an entire family for trying.

Philip watching from the side was eager to do everything to let him stay even if he didn't want to be Eris' bodyguard anymore then it's possible to just make him their family bodyguard instead. He wanted to keep here as much as possible and though they are engaged still has the possibility of breaking it. 

'This boy's future is unbound! Giving him a few more years then he will likely become one of the seven Great Powers!'

He would give him as much freedom and show their courtesy along with increasing their salary if possible. Meanwhile Eris has different opinions than her father upon hearing his word.

"Stop talking and go-"

Before she could finish her words, fear began to spread across everyone's face feeling the coldness in the age and it wasn't because it was nearing winter, no this was the icy grip of death itself. Everyone's eyes went wide watching Reinhard emanating miasmic darkness that they hadn't seen before. Even Ghislaine who had been an adventurer and seen many incredible things was taken aback by her disciples sudden change.

The calm and collective yet at times childish young boy had turned into something that could only be described as 'Darkness' itself. They were nothing that could be seen but an empty abyss in his blue eyes. 

"W-What is this!? R-Rudy do you have any idea what your brother is up to?"

Phillip inquired for an answer from Rudeus who dumbfounded upon what he was seeing. For someone who lived as a shut-in and read many manga in his life this magic was something that he was familiar with. Not to mention, Reinhard had shown him the magic before. Though he was interested in magic didn't ask his brother to teach him because he respected him and understood his hardwork in making it.

Meanwhile, Eris is shaken to the core feeling that she had made a horrible decision upon seeing Reinhard appearances. He still had his golden hair tied behind yet his forearm was enveloped by black armor that had a golden outline. 

"Thankfully my assumption is correct, Reinhard. To think you're actually hiding something like this. What kind of magic is this?"

Ghislaine's gaze turns sharp, taking it a bit more seriously than before upon seeing his disciple showing a bit of his true power. Her gauge of his strength is at the peak Saint Rank, almost at the King rank. She was reluctant to fight not because it's possible for her to lose, but rather one of them could be severely injured while causing collateral damage from their fight.

Her knowledge in magic is trivial and never took the time to learn anything about it focusing more on refining her sword god style. Yet she knew that this kind of magic never existed before. Even if a magic like this were to exist then news would have spread across the central continent. She was unsure what kind of power it holds but understood the danger. 

"Stagnet!"

Reinhard began to chant causing the released spell to be concentrated into a sphere that violently churn in my hands giving a hard time to tame it but push through since this is part of the process. 

"Complexio."

The spell at the palm of his hand was devoured by his body and with the insanity of absorbing one's own offensive magic and allowing it to devour the soul and body. Everyone observes bursting power pushing everything back and their faces dumbfounded. 

"Supplementum." 

This chant facilitates the absorbing process of the spell into them allowing him to stabilize the raging energy flowing through his body.

"Pro Armationem."

With that final chant, he finally takes on aspects of the absorbed spell. There weren't any noticeable different senses yet there was different air around him than before. 

"What kind of chant was that?"

Philip exclaimed, trying to wreck his head around it, hearing a strange chant that made the young boy vastly stronger than before. His common sense was being questioned and realized why he wanted for them to be only the three them to spectate. This is something that the Boreas Family has no control over. 

"I'm done powering up, thank you for waiting."

"No problem and I was eager to see what you are capable of with this strange magic of yours."

"Alright, I am coming at you now." 

He announced and dashed forward while creating another blade in the other and met his Ghislaine sword. As the two exchanged slashes and techniques, Eris watched with her arms folded. She put on a tough front, her eyes indifferent and unmoved. But inwardly, she was shaken.

'Fast! He is way faster than he was in the room!'

She observed, unconsciously leaning forward to get a better view. 

'He is fast enough to match Ghislaine, and she has never moved like that when I trained with her…'

Eris couldn't tell if he was four or five times faster than she was. Her eyes could barely catch up with their movements. Their figures occasionally blurred before reappearing when their blades clashed. If she wasn't here personally to witness this sight of a tiny boy fighting on equal footing with Ghislaine, she would not have believed it even if Sauros was the one to tell her.

Whenever they struck, Eris could feel wind whipping in the small, enclosed training ground. She was able to grasp that for such a phenomena to occur, the strength they were using when swinging their sword was way beyond what she herself was capable of.

From offense to defence, it was as though Reinhard had no flaws at all. Eris only learnt the Sword God style, since that was all Ghislaine knew. Thus, she was not familiar with the Water God style and the North God style, so Reinhard techniques looked very mysterious and unfathomable to her.

Erise could recognize some of the Sword God techniques he used, but when Reinhard transitioned to Water God style when blocking or deflecting Ghislaine attacks, or when he mixed in North God techniques on the fly to adapt to her.

"Kuk! S-so what! Just because he can use fancy tricks and ferocious offense, she was completely lost.doesn't mean anything. If Ghislaine was serious, she would have already cut him in half! In half!"

Eris said to Philip, though it was obvious she was more trying to convince herself rather than her father. 

"Just based on that measly skill, he doesn't qualify to be my bodyguard, hmph!"

"Are you even able to fight Ghislaine?"

"Huh?"

Eris was caught off by surprise when Rudeus decided to speak his mind about the matter. Unlike his brother, he was growing annoyed by her antics and wanted to teach her a lesson later. He knew his brother more than anyone else and what he could see was only the beginning of their battle. On the other hand, Eris couldn't say anything from his words since she couldn't even move that quick! Her overall power is only around Peak beginner to Low intermediate rank. 

"What? Cut your tongue?? You are just all words."

"You! How dare you speak this way to me!"

'Whoever likes tsundere are massive masochists…'

Rudeus thought while Eris was about to punch him but he just evaded it like his brother annoying her. 

"Rgah!! Stop moving!! You two are annoying!!"

"Wait! Look over there! My brother is about to lose!"

Eris stupidly believed him turning to see the fight continued giving Rudeus an age to breath and turn to watch the fight as well where Reinhard deflected all Ghislaine attacks who growing sharper and faster than before that it created after images. She couldn't believe her eyes that someone like Ghislaine could fight this way while her opponent was someone younger than her.

'Is he growing stronger or am I growing weaker?'

Ghislaine thought while trying to deflect and parry each of his sword attacks, feeling sluggish from every passing movement. Meanwhile her student was growing stronger and sharper with every strike he executed. 

"Surprised? I can see in your face that you notice, haven't you?"

"That's right, are you going to tell me what you've done?"

"Hahaha no, you've told me that hiding my true abilities is a smart idea."

Reinhard smiled at her trying to hide his true power. This form that he had taken was called [ Erebea Nova ] where that absorbed magic is a physic and can manipulate it however he wishes. He was manipulating the force into his strike which became sharper and quicker that had less friction and dragged. Furthermore, he has been manipulating Ghislaine's center of gravity which made it difficult for her to perform a powerful strike. 

Still her Touki was thick enough that Reinhard couldn't fully control her gravity and her instinct was able to adjust to it rather quickly.

"Cheeky brat."

Ghislaine smiled that her lesson was taken to heart by her disciples and glad that she was able to see such a young boy in her life. To sharpen this boy is going to be a pride of her life therefore didn't feel threatened to be surpassed.She decided to increase her Touki and executed a King technique with the strength of a Saint since she didn't want to kill Reinhard by accident. 

Sword God Style: Longsword of Brilliant Light. 

It was a technique that one needed to grasp in order to achieve the rank of Sword King. Though Ghislaine only performed the technique with the strength of a Sword Saint, it was still unbelievably fast. If she had used all her strength and speed however, it was a sword that surpassed the speed of lightning.

Though, the [ Longsword of Light ] doesn't necessarily make their strike faster than light but close enough at least in the lightning spectrum. This technique that she was going to use was the King rank version of [ Longsword of Light ].

BOOM! A sonic boom exploded from the sheer speed of Ghislaine's movement and the swing of her sword as she broke past the sound barrier. A shockwave erupted, throwing a large gust of wind that blew past the spectators, Eris and Philip. The father and daughter all believe that Reinhard was defeated.

"Sacred God style - Flow Counter."

To their shock the two went out of the dust where Reinhard was wounded and had his clothes torn yet still standing while Ghislaine had some cuts and had a smile on her face. 

"That technique….you returned my attack and became twice as strong."

Ghislaine was holding back by quite a lot yet at that moment when Reinhard took her blade was the moment his movement flowed like a river and streamed it's way back to her where the strike became doubly the power than before. 

This was inspired by a full counter from nanatsu no taizai yet unlike that show, Reinhard had to flow the force through his body before he could redirect it. This needed precision and timing that without Ghislaine holding back wouldn't work.