I reincarnated as the Duke from the North.

Ceta:

An experimental regiment where I teach talented members of my guard a few of the mana tricks I had picked up or created. Recently tested a new method of infiltration where they use mana repulsion to fly above castle walls.

Note to self: They will need my wind to lift them as they are still shit at it.

The duke.

Kirgfield Castle

“Come forth.”

Hundreds of red-surcoated men stampeded. Chainmail jingled and clanked as they sprinted with swords, shields, and spears. Their shouts, loud and deafening, I focused within myself. The world slowed down as my adrenaline spiked. A deep breath in through my metal helmet and the smell of sweat, blood, and the refuse of terrified men assaulted my senses. Slowly, my circles began to churn until my chest vibrated. I exhaled and my mobile meditation halted. From my lower Daitian, the breath of life I had saved spread through my body. Muscles felt robust, being fed rich and stable energy. Bones toughen as Qi infused in the marrow. Veins pumped Qi-rich blood around my vessel from a beating mana heart. My eyes warmed with energy and my vision could see a rushing crowd of white, glowing figures through the helm. A white aura simmered from the gaps of my armour.

Time to try all I have learned.

I flash-stepped towards the charging soldiers, shocking them with my sudden arrival. A soldier attacked as he was drilled to and before the full arc of the man’s downward strike, his head exploded onto his comrades. From the thrust, I sliced to the right and three fell to my blade. I coated Viodens in their comrades’ blood as I swung through six with a qi-infused strike. I swung up, and the wind tore through several. Sword to the blue sky, I mould my stable qi around my sword of Osberg. Assaulted by an army of blazing blue swords, my sword of smoke quietly hummed sweetly. Qi sharpened, and I slashed through the mana-shielding third circle. Feeling resistance from his lower ribs, I pull my sword out of the gushing soldier to mana thrust to the right. A long sword, flaring with blue mana, saved a second circle with a parry down. The cobbled ground below the relieved soldier exploded as my mana destroyed the ground. The skilled stranger slid his blade up the edge of mine. Leaning back, I dodged a mana slice. A flash step backwards gave me distance.

“Suppress.”

Group B of Ceta faced their knuckles at the enemy, suppressing them with mana bullets.

“Shields! Put up mana shields!”

The voice. Lord Thorn Wolfburn. Commander of the castle. My target. Ceta can hold back the soldiers while they put down the bridge. But Thorn is my problem to deal with. Out of the shielding mob, a red-headed man—middle-aged and widow-peaked, pushed through the crowd. His vibrant hue pulsed as the seventh-circle golden grade unsheathed his sword. I saw five swings of his sword and he cut into the flying mana bullets. As his men guarded against mana bullets, he called for me.

“Let us-”

“MURDERER!” A figure zipped out the mana shields. Blue electricity covered the blitzing fool as his lightning-coated sword arched from his left.

Can't let the lightning touch me.

My left-hand controls the wind, creating a swirling mini hurricane as a shield. The stranger's sword bashed against the shield of wind. A young man, blonde-haired, parted in the middle and ending at his shoulders, stared at me with crazed eyes.

His hue… A second seventh. And a silver grade at that.

“Who the fuck are you?” I sent more Qi to my hurricane. Although his feet dragged across the stone, he stood strong, bracing against the full force of the wind.

“HAROLD’S AVENGER!” Absurd strength broke through the wind. Rivalling my speed, the stranger zipped with lightning, thrusting at my head. I redirected his sword to left and riposted with a lung that was sleekly evaded.

Oh…He is good. Too good. A man other than me who is better than his circles.

My senses felt heat on my left side and I stepped back in heavy armour. A fireball from Thorn hit one of my men, engulfing them in his tormenting, hot flame. I blew a gale their way to end his screaming and an electric blade fell from the sky to interrupt. A qi blade met it from above and cobbled ground beneath me concave from the pressure of the stranger's strength.

“You…!” I struggle under his blade. Only my qi saved me from being electrified. I had seen lightning but I had never seen such an efficient transfer of mana to element. Even as he fought with rage, little mana was wasted.

“What is your…name?!” Fingers rush to reallocate points to strength, agility and sense.

I felt heat once more, and I saw a long sword superheated until bright red, striking at the left side of my body.

So this is how you lot are going to be.

I guided the stranger's sword to my left to collide with Thorn's weapon. A flash step put more distance between me and them as I shot Qi bullets. Bullets of smoky white were sliced with ease by both warriors.

Why didn’t Umbra alert me about this man?

As the bullets raged beside me and my opponents, my stance went low. Spreading my feet wide, I angled my blade downward with the hilt by my ear. With my empty left hand held out, I called for Master Zhi’s gift, a Jian.

“I will ask again, you rude bastard. What is your name?”

“I WILL-” Thorn put a hand on the angry fella’s chest.

“We work together. Or not at all. You understand, brother?”

Brother? Wolfburns have a lot of children but unknown ones?

The receding hairline successfully calmed down the lightning lad. Eyes bright with purpose, the stranger stared straight at my eyes with no hesitation.

“Kellen Wolfburn. Bastard of Duke Wolfburn.” The young man, probably in his late twenties, assumed a perfect orthodox stance.

My qi flowed into my Jian as I smiled inside my helmet. “Why mention you are a bastard, Lord Kellen? I thought it was a prerequisite to being a Wolfburn.”

I watched them carefully. Two seventh circles fell for my taunt, they breaking through the air as they raced at full speed, wondering how to survive.

I must hold on. Come on James… Do your fucking job.

Four blades sparked and I am pressed backward. My Jian pushed the golden grade away as my greatsword was still locked with Kellen's sword. He pushed my greatswords hilt to my chest, looking deep into my eyes.

"For Harold, I will have your head!" Kellen's crossguard pulled my blade down and my head flew back from the bastard's fist.