Chapter 155: Branded
As soon as they heard the shout from their commander, they came out of their stupor. They were so into their thoughts that Sam wouldn't make a decision of fighting a battalion and if he did, they thought that they would be able to deal with him with just sheer number.
Now, only they understood that they are judging Sam based on their personal standards, that guy is way above their league. He is on a league of his own.
The battle only started two minutes ago and their casualties are already in double digits.
They moved swiftly to execute their battle formations.
Generally, each company of fifty soldiers will have a battle formation of their own based on their elementary attributes.
In fact, the companies will be made with numbers of same attributes mostly or multiple compatible attributes which work better when they are together.
Only, in the rare cases, they would make a company of soldiers with random and many attributes.
Sam could see that there are more than six companies which are created based on their attributes which can utilise their battle formation.
As for the rest, their members are down for the count.
Sam stopped attacking as he looked at the formations of soldiers with interest.
If the soldiers are compatible and their fighting spirit and coordination reaches a limit, the formation will be highly effective and some phenomenon will occur to represent that state.
Otherwise, the formations are just combination attack tactics.
He is interested because, he was hoping to see a true formation which could cause that phenomenon.
And his hopes came true.
Two companies are emitting the wind elemental and earth elemental energy with a high concentration.
Sam looked at them as he observed the spiritual energy becoming condensed and taking a form.
The wind elemental energy took a form of a Hawk and the earth elemental energy took a form of a brown coloured gorilla. They both are so massive and they are more than thirty feet tall.
Sam was intrigued.
This is formation of battle spirit.
When the battle intent of the soldiers strong enough and they are coordinating in the most efficient manner with a single thought process this battle spirit will be formed.
These battle formations are designed by formation masters also. They would select the appropriate positioning of the soldiers to get a desired battle spirit and the coordination will be depending on the commanders and unity of the soldiers.
There are other types of battle spirits, which are not designed previously and rather formed spontaneously due to the collective effort of the soldiers and their coordinated fighting style and even more rare battle spirit is, the individual battle spirit.
When an individual battle intent is so high that it can rival an army, they can also condense a battle spirit solely based on their fighting style.
But for that to happen on has to meet the right match and give each other enough pressure and also have an extraordinary will to battle.
Sam was curious if he would condense a battle spirit but he didn't meet a match yet. That is why he is looking at the two spirits eagerly.
After they are condensed completely, Sam smirked and said in a loud voice.
"Since, you two teams are interesting enough, let's have some fulfilling battle. I will eliminate the strays first."
Sam immediately vanished along with the Harbinger in a swift manner.
He floated over the soldiers in the remaining formations which didn't even complete the formations or create a battle spirit and the rest of the individual members.
One could see a circular opening under the harbinger and a highly concentrated spiritual energy filled substances were being dropped over the crowd.
Sam is like a flash of light above them as he moved while dropping the small de-stabilized energy cells.
Deputy General is seeing these energy cells for the first time, but he understood the degree of danger they possess as soon as he observed the spiritual energy turmoil they are causing.
*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*
Soon many explosions occurred and when the dust settled, all they can see are the damaged bodies spreading all over the battle fields.
Within half-a minute, Sam destroyed the whole battalion. Now, there are only two companies left.
They howling in grief and sadness. They are staring at Sam with incredible hatred. They finally understood how powerful Sam is and he has only been toying with them all this time.
They knew that they would die as soon as Sam wished to do so. But they still want to take revenge. If they can't defeat him, they would at least hit him once.
The Gorilla started roaring as the whole company moved forward. At the same time, the Hawk floated over with its wings spread.
Sam looked at the two spirits and took out the Reaper sword. He wants to try a new technique he thought of recently at the same time testing the Battle spirit's ability.
When the deputy general and the regiment commander took a look at the blood iron sword, they remembered something.
The news about the candidate slaughtering a noble family of three hundred members and making swords out of their blood.
They thought that the news is some exaggerated rumour. But when they saw the blood iron sword and blood aura it is emanating, they were stunned and immediately understood who that candidate was.
So, it is not a rumour. Sam is the one who did that. No wonder.
These are the thoughts in their mind. If Regiment commander knew that Sam is that person and the news was real, he wouldn't have provoked him and wouldn't have proposed this battle.
But it is too late to regret now.
Sam flew higher and higher towards the sky and after reaching more than forty feet, he dropped himself with head down off the harbinger before storing it away.
He held the reaper sword with both hands as he dived towards the Hawk spirit approaching him.
The kinetic energy increased as he moved downwards but the sword in his hands didn't even vibrate once from the winds. Rather, he is collecting the wind elemental energy from the surrounding wind currents as he condensed it into the sword blade.
As the force of his falling increase, right before he reached the Hawk spirit, he sliced the sword in the air.
A huge wind blade was slashed downwards as it tore through the Hawk spirit as well as the Gorilla spirit below it.
The wind blade swept the ground like a typhoon as the soldiers who are in the two formations puked blood and some even fainted directly.
Sam didn't crash on the ground. He took out Harbinger before he could crash and moved swiftly as he hovered away from the crash.
After the dust cleared out, all of them could see a huge vertical crater formed by the wind blade or rather the wind blade created by the sword slash.
The soldiers were scattered.
But Sam isn't completely fine. He was a bit exhausted. He took out some spirit stones as he absorbed the energy as fast as possible.
His absorption rate is quite high, so his complexion returned back a little.
Sam looked around and then found a solid stage which is used for individual duels.
He walked towards the stage and stood in the middle of it.
He took out a fire energy cell. This one is a big one made of several fire elemental spirit stones, completely unlike the ones he is putting on for sale.
Sam closed his eyes, and the fire elemental energy flew out of the cell and started burning the stage.
The spectators only watched the scene as Sam stood in the middle of the golden flames.
The flames burned fiercely and soon they could see that stage is melting in some spots.
After a few minutes the flames were stopped and the spectators can see that the stage is molten in a weird shape.
It is actually, Sam's double S signature.
Sam walked towards the Regiment commander and the Deputy General.
"From today onwards, this is a brand I am marking on your territory. If you remove it before defeating it, I will come every day for a fight.
This is a symbol which shows you are marked as trash by me."
He then looked at the fallen soldiers. He didn't go completely all out and didn't have intent to kill throughout the battle.
Many soldiers are critically injured but most of them still survived. Though, it would be hard to say when they would recover.
Even the energy cells he exploded are of lowest quality which would create least damage.
"Next time, think before you blindly wag your tail like a dog and do someone else's bidding. If the same thing repeats again, the outcome wouldn't be the same."
The regiment commander didn't say anything and only held his head down in shame. What Sam said is right after all. He shouldn't have helped general to satisfy his personal grudges and target a Novice by abusing his profession.
Sam started walking away and he suddenly remembered something and rushed back. He extended his hand and said.
"Pay up."