Chapter 363: Toywar (9)
Chapter 363: Toywar (9)
Zoro’s Expert instincts warned him that Feng Bu Jue’s technique was no ordinary attack. Thus, he preemptively activated his Armored Color Overbearing Aura, cloaking his entire upper body in an invisible, lead-colored armored plating just in case.
‘Dual-Blade…’ Zoro stepped back half a pace, tilting his head skyward as he raised his twin blades into a rhinoceros-horn formation, ready to counter.
But then, something unexpected happened.
Feng Bu Jue, who had been charging forward like a missile, suddenly executed a [Moon Step] at the last moment. He darted sideways, disappearing from Zoro’s front and reappearing behind him.
“What the—” Zoro thought, frowning. “He looked like he was about to launch some big move. And there wasn’t even a trace of fear or hesitation in his eyes… Why retreat now?” He paused, puzzled. “Could he have some precognitive ability? Did he foresee the outcome of a direct clash…?”
Zoro was half-right. Feng Bu Jue’s decision to abandon the confrontation at the last second was indeed tied to his grim calculations. Even with his Basis Soul Intent analysis and the Spirit Sense Body Technique active, the best-case scenario was “inflicting a thousand points of damage while suffering eight hundred” in return.
But the other reason Feng Bu Jue chose to evade was… in the midst of this tense combat, within mere seconds, he’d already devised a new tactic.
“Hmph… Heh… Hah! Hahahaha!” Feng Bu Jue suddenly burst into laughter, his face twisting into an infuriatingly smug expression. Clearly, he was ecstatic with his clever solution.
“Oi, what’s wrong with you? Brain hemorrhage?” Zoro snapped, caught off guard.
Feng Bu Jue ignored him, silently deactivating the Spirit Sense Body Technique. The crimson glow surrounding him faded instantly.
Zoro turned, raising his right arm to point his blade at Feng Bu Jue. “Did you finally come to your senses and decide to surrender to your death?”
“No,” Feng Bu Jue said flatly. “I’m preparing to escape. That’s why I came behind you.”
“You’re abandoning your allies? Hmph…” Zoro snorted. “I thought you were a man with a bit of backbone.” A sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
“No, I’ll be right back,” Feng Bu Jue replied, pulling an [Anti-Gravity Launcher] from his satchel. “But you won’t.”
“Huh? What the hell are you planning to do with that weird device?” Zoro scoffed. Before he finished speaking, a sharp pop echoed. The next instant, a stinking egg splattered across his face.
The [Stinky Egg] wasn’t an item per se, but rather a one-time skill that could only be activated via a shooting weapon. When triggered, it conjured an egg from thin air.
This skill, which consumed a mere 1 stamina point and dealt negligible damage, had one sole effect: generating massive aggro, drawing the target’s attacks toward the user.
“What the hell is this? It stinks like death!” Zoro wiped his face with his arm, shaking his head furiously as he glared at Feng Bu Jue. “You just threw something at me!”
“Hm… You predicted my Death Poker attack perfectly, yet you couldn’t dodge this…” Feng Bu Jue muttered. “Is it because I used a Catapult instead of a conventional shooting method? Or is the skill’s ammunition simply unavoidable?”
“Ugh… It’s disgusting!” Zoro roared, his temper flaring. He stomped his foot, launching himself forward with a furious slash.
“Whatever. As long as it works.” Feng Bu Jue turned and sprinted.
Feng Bu Jue knew his physical limits to the point—he was already fast even without the Spirit Sense Body Technique. If he’d had this speed during his days on “Hunter’s Island,” he wouldn’t have been chased around like a rat by Fu De.
“At this pace, my stamina’s still plentiful, and I won’t be caught in the short term,” he reasoned. “Zoro’s ranged attacks are merely sword qi, not homing missiles. As long as I keep my distance, keep moving, and avoid getting dragged into a melee, dodging those attacks won’t be too hard. Now, the remaining issue is…”
“Don’t run! You bastard!” Zoro roared behind him. “Daring to hit me with an egg?! Do you even plan to see tomorrow’s sun?”
“Hahahaha!” Feng Bu Jue feared the taunt’s aggro might not be stable enough. To further provoke Zoro, he let out an exaggeratedly arrogant laugh while glancing back. “Not just an egg! A rotten egg!”
“Boy!” Zoro’s face contorted with rage, veins bulging on his forehead.
“Hah! Have you ever seen someone stop running just because someone yells ‘halt’?” Feng Bu Jue retorted. “And you! Mind your language. You’re supposedly twenty-one, yet you keep calling me ‘kid’ so smugly? I, on the other hand, am a mature twenty-four! Do you think you’re Rukia, a young girl who’s a hundred and fifty years old?”
“What? You know quite a lot, huh…” Zoro growled. “Guess you’ve already heard Soul Society’s summons. Leave the rest to me—let me send you to the Sanzu River!”
As the two raced off into the distance, Jian Xin remained rooted in place, arms crossed and eyes closed, seemingly resting.
Meanwhile, Zong Wu, still lying on the ground with his eyepatch removed, squinted wearily toward Jian Xin. “Master Himura… Zoro probably won’t be coming back, will he?”
“Ah… That Crazy Mr. will likely lead Zoro a fair distance away, then ‘turn a couple corners’ to shake him off before returning.” Jian Xin sighed, shaking his head.
“What if Madman Bu Jue decides to abandon Zoro and run off alone?” Zong Wu asked. “Or worse—returns to fetch reinforcements?”
“Reinforcements…” Jian Xin interrupted, his eyes slowly opening. “They’re already here.”
“Oh?” Zong Wu blinked, then immediately understood.
“Tch… Unpleasant,” Zong Wu muttered, pushing himself upright. “When did you notice them, Master Himura?”
“From the very beginning,” Jian Xin replied calmly.
“So that’s why you stayed put?” Zong Wu pressed.
Jian Xin smiled. “I wasn’t sure what they were planning. Until they revealed themselves, I decided to observe and prevent a surprise attack.”
“Did you hear that?” Zong Wu raised his voice slightly, stretching out his words. “Classic’s group—your presence has been noted.”
Seconds later, four figures erupted from the shelves behind Jian Xin, descending from the sky…
——
Meanwhile, on Xiao Tan’s side of the battlefield, the battle raged ferociously.
Gouri’s swordsmanship was peerless, and his combat experience was legendary. He’d faced bandits, arcane mages, knights, arcane swordsmen, demon races, ogres—even dragons. Against two Transformers and a player, he wielded his Light Sword effortlessly, dominating the fight.
Jazz and Nightbeat, however, struggled. Though both Transformers carried ranged weapons, they were forced into melee combat, relying on their sheer size and strength to overwhelm. They knew that any gap in their assault would give Gouri time to unleash a massive beam from his Light Sword. To prevent him from preparing techniques, they had to maintain relentless pressure.
Xiao Tan, meanwhile, was even more frustrated. At the start, he’d pulled out his [Winchester Shotgun] and tried to blast Gouri at mid-range. But Gouri’s speed was unmatched, and Xiao Tan’s shooting proficiency—stagnating at E-rank—led to repeated misses. Not only did he fail to hit Gouri, but stray pellets even grazed his allies. Fortunately, Jazz and Nightbeat’s high defense and massive frames rendered the incidental damage negligible.
Realizing he was more of a hindrance, Xiao Tan abandoned his gun and switched to his [Energy-Storing Tri-Edged Bayonet], engaging Gouri directly.
Don’t underestimate Xiao Tan—he’d achieved C-rank martial arts proficiency earlier than Feng Bu Jue.
Unlike Feng Bu Jue, Wang Tan Zhi’s gaming habits were far more conventional. Most players reached E-rank main force proficiency by level ten, D-rank by twenty, and C-rank by thirty. Experts or Class-tier players often advanced a few levels ahead of the curve. And then there were innate talents like Zhao Ying Wang, a thirty-year-old with B-rank summoning prowess, or Si Yu, who reached D-rank martial arts at just ten years old.
Of course, even top experts rarely mastered more than three proficiencies: one main force, two semi-main. Casual players typically managed two—maybe one main and one mediocre. Feng Bu Jue? He wasn’t rare—he was an anomaly.
Xiao Tan was a textbook casual player: solidly above average. At thirty levels, possessing two C-rank proficiencies placed him ahead of most peers.
Since this scenario was based on a typical player’s comprehensive strength—and Gouri wasn’t even a final boss—Xiao Tan’s mid-to-high-tier martial arts skill gave him no reason to struggle.
Resolving to focus, Xiao Tan discarded distractions and began cooperating with Jazz and Nightbeat, relying on his strongest proficiency to counter Gouri.
Fighting against Gouri’s masterful swordplay was undeniably a growth experience. Since entering Terrifying Paradise, Xiao Tan had faced far more real combat than Feng Bu Jue, despite fewer player duels.
Feeling the force transmitted through his blade, analyzing every movement of his opponent, exchanging blows in a deadly dance where a single misstep meant death—this was how martial arts proficiency grew. Talent determined how much one learned: a genius might grasp in one fight what an ordinary person needed ten to understand.
“Phew… Good thing I got this bayonet from Feng Bu Jue. If I’d used my Damascus Dagger against this Light Sword, it’d have shattered,” Xiao Tan thought during a brief clash. Despite the 3v1 advantage, he found the fight grueling. A lapse in focus could bring disaster. Without Jazz and Nightbeat’s support, Gouri could have overwhelmed him with a mere iron sword.
As the two Transformers and two humans clashed violently, Xiao Tan finally noticed Feng Bu Jue and Zoro’s disappearance—just as Zong Wu and Jian Xin finished their conversation.
At that moment, Jazz and Nightbeat abruptly halted their assault, turning toward the shadows descending from above.
Gouri reacted slower. Only when his opponents paused did he blink, asking, “Huh? What’s wrong?” He craned his neck, peering past the Transformers.
There, four massive figures stood in a line. Clad in four-colored eyepatches, they wielded dual blades, trident, nunchaku, and a long staff. Each bore a colossal, oval-shaped turtle shell on their back.
They were…
(End of Chapter)
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