I regressed and became the Sword Ice King

It was midnight, and Raph was currently sleeping in a seating position on the carriage, or at least that's what he tried to make it seem like.

Unexpected situations were occurring, and it didn't seem like it was going to tip anytime soon. He had a lot of things to think about as a result and was unable to put himself to sleep.

He was so worried about Azby and the others and decided to remain awake while his aura was applied around the premises in case of intruders. He could have still used it even if he were sleeping, but the series of events coupled together made it difficult.

In the carriage, sleeping beside him, were Colyn, Criz, and Azby.

'She isn't sleeping though'. Raph could hear their heartbeat, as well as their breathing and he could tell that Azby wasn't sleeping either.

There was no telling when the enemies would strike so it was understandable. '.....if they strike'.

Slowly but surely, the night continued, the moon's luminance glowing in the cloudless sky as an epitome of darkness cascaded down on the earth.

Time continued, and so did their wait. After some hours, Rodrick and Lucky climbed into the carriage, waking Azby and Colyn as they prepared themselves for sleep.

They switched roles, and the night continued, undisturbed and unperturbed until the brilliant rays of the sun began to drive away the darkness.

The morning had come, and with it was the beginning of a new day. Raph slowly opened his eyes, a mixed feeling dwelling up within him. He frowned his face as he stared at the sky, recognizing the familiar Amber colors of the sun.

'They didn't attack…..how disappointing'. He thought when he heard a thump behind him.

Turning around with curiosity, he found the annoyed expression of Rodrick. "There were enemies, he said," he said with a sarcastic tone as his teammates slowly awakened from their slumber.

"Don't, Rodrick. It is too early for your disputes" Azby said as she walked towards the entrance with Colyn, who was yawning behind her.

She turned towards Raph. "There was no attack, but there could have been enemies. We will continue to take watch like this till our destination".

Raph stared at her for a moment, before sighing. 'It's funny how an assassin is the leader of the group….but her decision-making seems to be better than some'. It could have been that or something else. 'Or she listens to rationality and not her emotions…that is good too'.

"Now, let's gather up and begin our journey. The merchants are already up and about" She instructed before walking away, while Raph and the others climbed down from the carriage.

In the next thirty minutes, they packed up their things, put out the fire, filled up their bottles, and were once again on the road to the East.

Some of the mercenaries had decided to stay in another carriage for convenience in case of an attack, while others, like Colyn, remained in theirs.

Raph, on the other hand, was seated on top of their carriage, in a meditative position.

He had his eyes closed as he enjoyed the silence that was permeated by the sound of the carriage wheels and neighing horses.

As he sat down, his thoughts began to line in order. 'I wonder how Elsie is doing. I did leave without letting her know after all'. He only told certain people about his short trip, though they weren't aware of the purpose. Only the princess was. '...I hope she doesn't leave the Academy premises in an attempt to find me'. Oh, little did he know.

Well, he had shoved all his thoughts away and began to meditate on Something else.

'On this trip, I will have to avoid using any of the Jun techniques…' He was currently visualizing the texts he had read in the past week on the fighting techniques he had learned. 'the barbarian jabbing and shuffling technique, the imperial guard technique, the Knight dragon footwork, and two other techniques I stumbled upon in the library.'

The techniques that were taught to the Students of the Academy were usually obtained from different parts of the Western region, as well as other regions.

For example, the Knight Dragon Footwork and the Imperial Guard technique were basic techniques mastered by the Knights and Soldiers of the Kingdom.

The Barbarian Jabbing and Shuffling Technique was native to the barbarians of the North.

'....now, the two techniques I learned were the Jade Flower Swordsmanship and the Flying Crane Footwork'.

These techniques were actually of martial origin, as they were passed down by the Martial family themselves.

Though this was a simple martial art that didn't mean much to them, it meant a lot more to Raph.

Combining techniques, as difficult as it sounds, was made easier with his all-seeing eyes.

Reading the text alone gives him a virtual representation of how the movements were made, as well as mistakes and ways of resolving those mistakes.

In his own way, he was not just mastering this sword technique but amplifying the results.

However he needed practical fights for him to test these out, and this was one of the reasons he had been eager to begin this task.

'The Flying Crane had a core principle, and with the Jade Flower Swordsmanship, one could be dancing while fighting….Understanding the core….and visualizing how to perform it…. should enable me to gain mastery in becoming a 9th star, resonance'.

Raph continued to bundle himself with images of himself performing the various movements of the two techniques he had learned recently. Experience more on My Virtual Library Empire

The Flying Crane was a free flow of movement, where flexibility mattered. Intense to lukewarm movements were performed, with backflips and even splits, just to ensure free flow occurred. It took the image of a human flying in the air, of which its name was derived.

The Jade Flower was like a dance, which, unlike the Flying Crane, was not fluid enough. You would have to stop, counterattack, as well as observe your opponents to perform the right actions.

If one mistake is made, then an opening will result, and it will lead to your defeat.

'Combining the two is difficult….and stupid really as their cores are different….but supplementing them with my fighting style….this is bound to bring results'. All this, thanks to the eyes he failed to use in his past life. He could not have been more grateful for them than he was when he realized their true purpose.

He continued his visual training while Azby watched from below as she walked next to the fourth carriage right in front of theirs.

Rodrick was next to her, his arms placed listlessly behind his head. His gaze was elsewhere, and so were his thoughts.

They were currently walking between two rocky slopes, and he could occasionally hear the sound of sand and rocks falling. His body was on high alert when Azby tapped him.

He flinched, turning towards her. "Wha–What was that for?!" he whispered, screaming in shock, his cheeks turning red.

"Hm?" Azby raised a brow in confusion before waving his comment aside. "Did you notice, since we left that camp, he's been…meditating?" She asked as she turned towards Raph.

"Oh? You mean that guy…" He clicked his tongue and looked away. "It doesn't matter. You know this by now: we don't need any of that; the system takes care of things like that for us". And then for a moment, his thoughts began to line in order.

"Shyna said she couldn't scan his level," he said with his right hand on his mouth.

"Yes, and Neither could Lora" Azby said in confirmation.

"So…it's either that cloak that's hiding his face is also hiding his level or…"

".....He doesn't have a level at all". Azby completed his statement, and just the very thought left them speechless.

They glanced at each other, trying to read each other's thoughts, and perhaps an answer to their speculation.

'It was only a thought, but if that were true, it would mean this Kael, was a noble, or an imperial son….or even worse, a son of the Great Families' Azby thought as she looked away, her head spinning with the series of events that had taken place so far. '....Oi, that makes him really dangerous' she thought when Raph's voice snapped them to the present.

"Hey, incoming at 9 o'clock," Raph said when a loud shriek reverberated in the air, snapping the people gathered into a state of danger.

Their eyes scanned the environment to find the cause but for a moment, silence suffused the air.

They attempted to identify it quickly, but a creature the size of a school bus rushed down the rocky slope by their left, its cry echoing in the air as it smashed into the second Carriage with great force.