The Imperial Scepter of Glory

Chapter 5 The System Ⅰ

Ducal stared at Lintan, who was smiling confidently in front of him, his mind racing in panic. How was it possible for someone he had personally confirmed dead to rise again? Resurrection magic was a spell only bishops of Level 14 or higher could cast, and even then, the cost of the materials alone was greater than the entire estate’s worth. Not to mention, casting such a spell would severely weaken the bishop, drastically lowering their power.

(Note: In this world, resurrection magic exists, but only Level 14 priests can perform it. The spell’s materials are prohibitively expensive, and it does not work on those who have died of natural causes or whose souls have been destroyed. Casting resurrection magic comes at a great cost to the priest, such as losing divine powers or sacrificing their own soul, with the exact price varying per individual. At the very least, casting the spell results in a four-level reduction, and the revived person must be at least two levels lower than the priest.)

Ducal had no idea that Edward’s soul had been replaced by Lintan, but that didn’t stop him from making up his mind—he would kill the boy again.

Ducal drew his longsword. As a Level 4 knight, he didn’t consider Lintan—who was at most a mere second-tier combatant—much of a threat. However, having so many witnesses around made the situation trickier. Killing Edward in front of them would bring unnecessary trouble, but at this point, he had no other choice.

"I don’t know where you came from, you impostor, daring to pose as my nephew Edward. But you will pay for your deception!" Ducal quickly spun a lie so transparent that only a fool would believe it.

"Heh." Lintan smirked and unsheathed his own sword. "Spare me the nonsense. Everyone here knows the truth. You and I both understand that this will only end in a fight to the death. So come, dear Uncle Ducal, show me what you’ve got."

Ducal charged at Lintan, his longsword swinging down in a clean and forceful arc.

Lintan’s eyes turned sharp in an instant. He swiftly calculated the trajectory of the attack and raised his own sword to parry.

Clang!

The two blades clashed, and the sheer force of the impact sent a jolt up Lintan’s arms, making his hands go numb. He smiled bitterly—Ducal was indeed strong.

Fortunately, Lintan had anticipated a difficult battle before coming here. Though his arms ached, he wasn’t particularly surprised. Gripping his sword with both hands, he engaged Ducal in combat.

Within just two exchanges, Lintan was already at a disadvantage. There was no helping it—Ducal was superior in both skill and strength.

Ducal wasn’t some city-born noble who spent his days indulging in luxury; he was a seasoned warrior who had earned his rank on the battlefield, blade by blade. Lintan’s soul might have drifted for a hundred years, but he had no real combat experience. As for Edward’s former self? He had only been a squire—a knight-in-training.

The gathered noblemen had no combat ability themselves, but they could tell that Lintan was losing. Many of them sighed in regret. Edward’s father, the late Sir Flagg, had been a respected knight with a good reputation in Helko. Meanwhile, Ducal was an outsider who had stolen the Flagg estate. His treachery and cunning made him an unwelcome neighbor, but the townspeople were reluctant to oppose a knight of his caliber. If they had any choice, none of them would have signed the inheritance petition in his favor.

However, there was one man who did not seem concerned—Baggins. He watched the fight with an eerily calm expression.

Another clash of swords rang out. After several exchanges, Lintan failed to block one of Ducal’s strikes. His opponent’s sword knocked his blade aside, and the next instant, Ducal’s weapon was plunging straight for his chest.

But at that moment—

A surge of energy erupted from Lintan’s sword.

A sudden wave of force sent Ducal’s blade off course, allowing Lintan to redirect his sword just in time to block the fatal strike.

"Combat Aura!" someone in the crowd gasped in shock.

Ducal’s expression changed drastically as he leaped backward. He glanced at his forearm, where a burn-like mark had appeared, as if he had been scorched by flames. His face was now filled with uncertainty and fear.

Lintan stood in place, breathing heavily. A smile once again appeared on his lips.

He hadn’t come here without a trump card. If the fight had been purely about strength and technique, even five of him wouldn’t have been enough to defeat Ducal. But this—this was his advantage. The sudden surge of energy from his blade was Combat Aura!

This was a fantasy world, and in such a world, magic was an essential element. Magic required talent—those who could grasp its complex patterns and wield its power were called mages. Such individuals were incredibly rare.

But beyond magic, there was another power—Combat Aura.

Combat Aura was a unique energy born from the body itself. Thieves, knights, warriors, rangers—anyone who relied on physical prowess could potentially awaken it. However, most knights never developed Combat Aura, as its difficulty rivaled that of mastering magic. It was an ability that required both talent and dedication to unlock.

"When did you awaken Combat Aura?!" Ducal shouted in alarm.

A knight who wielded Combat Aura was far stronger than one who did not.

Originally, subduing Lintan should have been an easy task—Ducal had expected to defeat the young knight in three to five moves. But now? The situation had changed drastically.

A third-tier knight with Combat Aura could fight on equal footing with a fourth-tier knight—perhaps even surpass them. Not to mention, such an ability signified immense potential.

Lintan simply smiled and remained silent.

He knew the truth—his awakening of Combat Aura, and even his return from the dead, had everything to do with one thing: the System.

Even when he had existed as a mere soul, Lintan had always sensed something unusual about himself. Deep within his very essence, there had always been something else—something he had come to call the System.

The System had existed within his soul long before he was reborn. However, during that time, it had been completely inactive. He had tried countless times to access it, only to find that its buttons were all grayed out, unusable.

But now that he was alive again, the System had finally revealed a glimpse of its power…

A voice echoed in his mind:

"Personal System Activated…"