The soldiers of the Empire retreated in a defensive formation, their ranks tightened at the sight of the advancing Odrea army.

Noah's ploy had caused too many casualties in just a short amount of time, the sun was still high in the sky, the prospect of a prolonged battle couldn't help but worry the army of the Empire.

Defending was the best tactic in that type of situation, the monthly battles had a time limit after all, the Empire had to simply focus on defending till night if the situation became too one-sided.

Yet, at that time, the soldiers of the Empire found themselves outnumbered in just an hour, they already knew that most of them won't be able to survive.

The Odrea army didn't waste time, it launched another wave of spells and Instabilities before clas.h.i.+ng on their enemies, Noah's weapon further diminished their numbers, creating openings where his allies could strike.

Noah, on the other hand, was simply using his First Form to pressure some blue cultivator.

He wanted to preserve as much "Breath" as he could, his plan protracted far after that battle.

Explosions rang out, the soldiers of the Odrea country were armed with the Hidden blasts and they didn't hesitate to use them, their enemies would often defend against an attack only to discover that a needle had slipped between them.

That was the battle tactic that the Odrea country had used in the past battles, the Hidden blasts were too small and sneaky, they could easily pierce the defenses of the Empire and cause great damage in its formation.

Also, even if some soldiers noticed them and tried to stop their course, they would just explode, giving an opportunity to their opponents to strike.

Little by little, the army of the Empire was being reduced to a small troop.

It couldn't be helped, the defending side usually held the advantage but Noah had caused too many deaths, they were too outnumbered to effectively defend against the relentless offensive.

Noah's new weapons had some role too in that outcome.

The new Hidden blasts caused more violent explosions, the red soldiers were usually able to survive the blasts of their previous version but the new ones could kill them on the spot!

A Mental tremor shot from Noah's eyes which was followed by a precisely timed wind slash.

A red cultivator in front of Noah lost his mental capabilities for one instant, allowing the slash to hit his neck.

The slash wasn't able to completely sever the head but it was enough to kill the soldier, Noah watched with cold eyes as the man unsuccessfully tried to stop the bleeding with his hands before life abandoned him.

'Eighteen… d.a.m.n, even by reducing the power of the Mental tremor, my mental energy is still depleting at high speed.'

Noah was doing his best to preserve some energy for after the battle, he knew that the next days would be crucial for his plan.

His gaze swept the battlefield, the Odrea nation was still pressing the remaining soldiers of the Empire, Noah could see one hundred red cultivators and a few dozen blue ones being a.s.saulted by more than nine hundred cultivators, he knew that the Empire wouldn't be able to hold much longer.

'This should be their worst defeat… Refilling the ranks of the red soldiers will take a while and this training ground will become scarier, the Odrea nation should have it easy for a few months.'

He sighed at the sight of the countless corpses that filled the valley.

'I could have been one of them, being a p.a.w.n of a powerful force is too dangerous.'

Noah knew that he had had some chances to join powerful organizations during his life.

Yet, joining them would limit his actions and, most important, would put a limit to his growth.

No ruler would want a p.a.w.n stronger than him, in a society founded on power, the head of an organization had to be revered.

Noah knew that he couldn't put a hold to his ambition.

He needed the power to kill his father but that desire was just dictated by his anger and guilt, it wasn't what fueled his determination.

His gaze went on the black troops standing at some distance from the battle, they had solemn expressions but they didn't seem to be that interested in the outcome.

'Are they that detached from the mortal world? I guess I'm also like them.'

Noah found that, as his power grew, he couldn't look at those weaker than him in the same way.

He had tasted the power of his new mental sphere, just one thought could unleash a spell capable of killing any blue cultivator on the battlefield.

'Weaklings die too easily, it's becoming harder to see them as persons…'

Noah knew that his mindset had never been completely normal.

His innate detachment had accompanied him since his previous life and the difference in power that was created through his hard work only empowered that quality, taking lives had become part of his natural responses to difficult situations.

If someone blocks your way, kill him; if someone hurts you, kill him; if someone tries to control you, kill him.

'I wonder how many lives they have taken to reach that level…'

His gaze still lingered on the black troops when he noticed that something was amiss.

'Wait, there are forty-nine of them, where is the last one?'

Then, his mind sent him a warning, Noah felt a dangerous sensation coming from above him.

"You have caused enough trouble."

An aged voice resounded in his ears, the cultivator had spoken in a calm but resolute manner.

's.h.i.+t!'

Noah didn't even raise his head, he deployed the Demonic form spell and contracted the membrane around his heart to inject liquid "Breath" into his body.

His figure quickly changed, it morphed into a fiendish form that launched an upward vertical slash in the direction of the voice.

He was directly using the Second Form of the Ashura in the Demonic form and with his two black sabers, that was the strongest attack that he was capable of!

As soon as the attack was launched, it met with a spear made of compressed air.