Chapter 8: Dragon's Diary
1542 Words
No one could have predicted that the berserker’s afterimages could launch attacks from multiple angles.
Four shadowy forms closed in on Amy, aiming swift, deadly blows at his shoulders, waist, and legs. The berserker’s true form roared, his bloodshot eyes glinting as his axe, like a streak of hot, red iron, swung down to cleave Amy’s head.
“Aah!” Several of the few girls in the bar screamed, covering their eyes.
“I summon you in my name, come forth, phantom beast snow wolf!” Chi Hanfeng, already wielding his lance and shield, prepared to rush in and help.
“No need!” Amy shouted from within the axe onslaught. With a sudden, impossible movement, he flipped backward, narrowly escaping the encircling afterimages.
A strange clinking sound followed as the berserker’s shadows collided with Amy’s sword remnants and shattered.
Amy’s black sword cut a half-circle through the air, bringing him charging forward. He struck at the berserker’s head with his massive sword. The berserker, unable to conjure his afterimages in time, countered with a flurry of blurred axe movements to parry the dull blade. Without pausing, Amy’s sword snapped back with lightning speed, striking down again.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Over and over, Amy’s sword hammered down, the relentless assault driving the berserker back step by step. Although blunt, the weight and power behind the strikes could easily split a person in half.
When the berserker raised his axe to block, Amy’s sword shifted direction in a peculiar arc, slicing toward the berserker’s abdomen. “Ah!” the berserker gasped, feeling the chilling touch of the dark blade against his skin.
“Double-handed Sword: Waist Slice!” someone gasped from the crowd.
With a final, fierce swing, Amy’s sword changed from a horizontal to a vertical strike, smacking into the berserker’s stomach with immense force. The berserker flew backward, crashing through the tavern doors, his axe tumbling out of sight.
The bar’s patrons exhaled as the tense battle came to an end.
A chilling howl echoed from below, breaking the snowy silence outside and instantly pulling everyone’s attention back to the unfolding drama.
The giant Treehouse Tavern trembled as though caught in a storm, its walls creaking ominously. With a resounding c***k, a portion of the western wall gave way, and a massive figure stormed through, cloaked in icy winds.
“He’s gone berserk!” gasps filled the room.
Heavy, thunderous footsteps announced the berserker’s return. His body had doubled in size, his upper clothing shredded to reveal bulging, red-streaked muscles. His stomach bore a dark purple bruise from Amy’s earlier strike, and his blood-red eyes now seemed to burn with raw rage.
“You… will… all… die…!” Ignoring the tables, patrons, and obstacles in his path, the berserker charged like an enraged bull, smashing everything aside like paper.
Amy’s mind flashed back to Chi Hanfeng’s lecture on combat strategy: a berserker’s “berserk mode” was a terrifying transformation that rendered them immune to pain and almost invincible—able to fight on relentlessly until decapitated. In siege warfare, a single berserk unit could raze a city to ruins, making them both feared and avoided by military strategists.
His first journey out, his first real fight, and he was up against such a powerful opponent. Holding his sword tighter, Amy readied himself, his dark blade glinting once more. Attack!
“That’s enough…” A commanding voice halted the chaos, and the berserker toppled like a felled tree, collapsing in a heap among the shattered furniture.
An elder in a red mage’s robe stepped out from the Mage Guild, his insignia revealing his status as a Grand Mage. “Private duels are customary among mercenaries and tolerated here, but if these skirmishes devolve into war, that’s something we won’t allow. Let’s all applaud the brave fighters who gave us a display of sword afterimages and berserker phantoms tonight, as well as our noble phantom beast knight and his loyal wolf.”
With a final nod, the Grand Mage disappeared back into the guild hall.
A group of the berserker’s allies rushed to his side, attempting to lift him but discovering his body had solidified, petrified in his berserk form.
“He’s turned to stone. It’ll wear off in a couple of hours,” a mid-level mage informed them.
A few quick spells from the fae staff repaired the damaged wall, the pine tree extending fresh branches to seal the hole.
This encounter left Amy with a newfound respect for mages. Despite Chi Hanfeng’s dismissive lessons on magic’s role in combat, he’d just witnessed a seemingly unstoppable warrior neutralized in a flash.
“Hey, snap out of it.” Chi pushed a drink in front of Amy. “Try this. It’s Thousand Herbs Brew—specialty of the Treehouse Tavern. It’ll keep you sharp, good for the skin, boosts health, even, uh… well, it has plenty of benefits. Since Grandpa’s not here, I’ll make an exception and let you have a taste.”
“Actually, you shouldn’t be so surprised,” Chi continued. “Today, we encountered warriors you wouldn’t typically see. The total berserker population is only around 400,000. Of them, only 100,000 serve in armies, and those who can create four afterimages? Fewer than 500. Only about 100 can create five, and a mere 10 can reach the pinnacle of six. As for Grand Mages, Amy Empire has only five, one of whom is in the Tower of Wishes. Even with the recluses, there are probably fewer than 100 across all lands.”
Chi Hanfeng sighed, watching Amy absorb this. “When you’re a phantom beast knight, you’ll be able to defeat berserkers like that with ease using your mount’s floating ability. Against a Grand Mage… well, as long as they don’t target both you and your mount simultaneously, you can escape if you must…” He trailed off, a grudging admission from one well-versed in the powers of magic.
“Mind if I sit here?” A withered, grimy, gnarled hand clutched the table’s edge.
“Ugh!” Chi Hanfeng recoiled, spraying the newcomer with his drink.
“No problem, I’m used to it, especially from your kind.” Beneath the foam, the disheveled figure revealed a hawk-nosed old man in a tattered blue mage’s robe, patched so thoroughly it resembled fishnet. His staff was snapped at the top, a testament to his financial state.
“Ha—trying to pose as a Grand Mage, old man?” Chi laughed, tugging on the netted robe’s emblem. “If you’re gonna fake it, at least get it right. Look here—where the symbol should show the sea, yours has a waterfall.”
The old mage ignored Chi’s mockery and asked calmly, “Young man, can you tell me of someone?”
“I don’t know anyone!” Chi shot back.
“Do you know of Chi Ningyuan?”
Chi froze, hesitating before shaking his head. “Nope.”
“What about Chi Liushui?”
“Nope.”
“Let me think…” The mage scratched his head. “Chi Hongyun?”
“I d-don’t know,” Chi stammered, finally relenting, “Okay, that one I do know.”
“So what’s your name?”
“C-Chi Hanfeng…”
“Ning, Liu, Hong, Yuan… and Han. You little brat!” The old mage swung his staff at Chi’s head, delivering a firm smack. “You don’t know your ancestors?”
Amy, bewildered by this strange interaction, watched Chi’s humiliation with barely-contained glee.
“I… I mean, they died centuries ago!” Chi replied sheepishly.
“No excuses.” The mage gave him another thwack. “You’re as cheeky as that Chi Ningyuan was. Sprayed me with Thousand Herbs Brew back at a Treehouse Tavern himself.” He motioned to the waiter, ordering the same drink, roasted chicken, and a pretty hostess—all on Chi’s tab.
As the old mage sent Chi Hanfeng reeling with a quick gesture, he reassured the crowd, “Nothing to see here, folks. He’ll sleep it off.”
“Hello, young one,” he said, turning to Amy.
“I—I don’t know any Chis!” Amy stammered, quickly showing his empty pockets.
The old mage leaned in, asking softly, “Do you know of Lake Harper?”
“P-please don’t hurt me,” Amy mouthed, trembling. The old mage released him with a snap of his fingers, and Amy collapsed.
Excerpt from Magic Weapons Compendium of the Gods’ War:
Page 15, Column 2: Blade of Ice
Weapon Type: Two-Handed Greatsword
Length: 1.6 meters
Base Weight: 22.5 kg
Magical Attribute: Ice
Enchantment by: High Ice Elf Mage Aelranis
Special Abilities:
Ice Blade (Level 1 Spell)
Blizzard (Level 2 Spell)
Ice Spear Summon (Level 3 Spell, when in snow or icy terrain)
Ice Lance Barrage (Level 4 Spell, when mana reserves are sufficient)
Contracted Abilities: When bound with Aelranis, grants Blizzard Dragon (Level 5 Spell) and Frozen World (Domain Spell, f*******n Spell)
Note: This weapon was initially wielded by Lord Amy, the Mercenary King. Though listed in the Compendium of the Gods’ War, it was seldom used by him in the later stages of the war.
— Magic Weapons Compendium of the Gods' War
- Writer
