Finally! A real battle!" Shura shouted with a mad laugh, his amber eyes gleaming with savagery.
Zhang Yong didn't reply, but a cold smile curled on his lips. 'I can't kill him... but I also have to stop him from using the Shambhala trump card.'
Zhang Yong shattered the icy ground beneath him and charged violently at Shura.
Shing! Shing!
The sounds of metal clashed in the cold air. Each of Shura's strikes carried immense power, but Zhang Yong used the White Tiger Sword Technique to redirect the momentum against his opponent.
"You run too much!" Shura roared as he stomped the ground hard, causing an icy explosion.
Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track!
Three afterimages of Zhang Yong appeared, surrounding Shura. But this time, something was different.
"Old trick!" Shura laughed as he pounced on one of the afterimages.
The afterimage Shura attacked suddenly transformed into blue flames, fused with the Dream Path and the Seven-Colored Hellfire.
"Ah!" Shura screamed as the fire burned his arms.
Zhang Yong had the ability to increase the damage but had to keep it at a minimum.
Shura leaped back, panting, staring at his burning arms, then suddenly laughed, as if the pain itself excited him. "Ah! What a feeling! Amazing! I don't remember the last time I felt so alive!" He then pulled a needle from his pocket, injected himself, and the damaged cells in his arms began regenerating.
Zhang Yong was not shocked. His eyes were tracking Shura's movements.
He had noticed what this guy was doing... moving in a circular pattern, trying to touch as many points as possible on the icy field.
'That madman... wants to activate Shambhala. If I don't stop him now, fighting him will become even harder,' Zhang Yong thought, tightening his grip on his sword hilt.
Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track!
Zhang Yong's shadow split into five directions, each one reflecting silent killing intent. They began blocking the paths Shura moved through, without directly clashing with him.
But Shura, with his mad cunning, noticed the change. "Oh, I get it now... you don't want me to complete it." A twisted smile appeared on his face as he danced around them, his knives cutting through the air with deadly precision.
Shura unleashed a series of sharp kicks to the ground, shattering the ice layer beneath one of the afterimages, and tried to jump through the gap he created, heading toward a new point.
"I won't let you!" Zhang Yong shouted, then sent a blade of Death Qi directly at Shura, cutting through the air toward Shura's landing point by using the Heavenly Demon Eyes to observe the subtle changes in space around the area.
The latter rolled on the ice, panting. The new scars on his shoulders didn't stop him from laughing.
"You really are unique as Arthur said? You're fun, Zhang Yong... very fun."
Zhang Yong's eyes widened. "Arthur?... There's not a single character by that name."
'He's trying to buy time now...' Zhang Yong thought sharply. He was about to pounce again, but Shura suddenly threw a small knife in a direction far from Zhang Yong.
The target wasn't Zhang Yong, but when Zhang Yong understood what he was trying to do, he threw his own sword and intercepted the knife's path
He was going to make zhang yong teleport so he can hit him with a knife directly caughting him off guard
'That bastard!' Zhang Yong snarled internally, and in an instant, his shadow vanished from its place.
Void Path – Earth Fold!
He appeared directly in front of Shura, who raised his eyebrows in genuine surprise. "Oh? You came yourself?"
"You don't know when to shut up," Zhang Yong said as he pushed his right palm hard toward Shura's chest.
Zhang Yong immediately unleashed the ice element in his hand. A cold wave exploded from Zhang Yong's palm, penetrating the layers of Shura's flesh. It wasn't lethal, but it struck the neural energy connection points in his limbs.
"Ah!! What is this?!" Shura screamed as he retreated quickly, but half his body was staggering, and his right arm was barely moving.
"I just wanted to slow you down," Zhang Yong said as he tried to see Shambhala.
Using the Wandering Ghost Hand, he could steal objects, but it wasn't invincible.
Even if you call it stealing, it's more like ripping through space to bring something the user desires. But first, he had to know the object's shape, and second, he had to see it. These were basic steps for any thief. But Shambhala was unique; it affected space and Shura only revealed it when he used it. If Zhang Yong ripped through space to seize it during the transfer process, there was a chance he could lose his arm in the process!
Then a smoke bomb fell between them, launched by Shura from his sleeve, and he dashed like lightning toward one of the patrol lines.
But Zhang Yong had already predicted that.
Heavenly Demon Eyes!
He saw the airflow, saw the position of the incoming foot. He raised his sword at an angled tilt.
Heaven-smashing Sword – Reverse Movement – Duskfall!
Now, instead of cutting upward, it was downward.
He didn't attack Shura directly, but struck the ground in front of him, creating a crack in the ice that made him stumble for a fraction of a second.
"Hehe, that bastard anticipated this," Shura suddenly raised a card that resembled the cards Zhang Yong's system displayed.
"This!" Zhang Yong was immediately shocked.
But this one was different. Instead of looking like a tool, there was an image of a warrior on it, while it glowed with a vibrant purple color.
Then Shura struck the card hard against the ground.
And the purple light exploded everywhere.
Suddenly, an additional person appeared. A warrior armed with a spear, with bright golden armor, emanating a glorious aura.
"By the Emperor's name, I am Qian Shin, has come to answer the call!" The warrior shouted in a majestic voice.
The armored warrior stood, his aura overwhelming the place, the purple light still slowly fading around him. His spear was like a ray of sunshine, his armor reflecting the glittering ice around him, as if he had stepped out of a legend.
Zhang Yong stepped back, his eyes focusing on the new entity. 'A summon? A card similar to my system's, and a character I've never heard of. I'd be a fool not to suspect another character's presence here.'
"Qian Shin, eliminate him," Shura ordered, laughing and spinning on his heels, continuing to trace the paths on the ice.
The warrior immediately charged, the spear descending with heavenly force towards Zhang Yong.
But Zhang Yong did not retreat. On the contrary, his body suddenly lowered, and a wave of energy exploded from his feet across the ice.
Void Path - Earth Fold
He vanished from in front of the attack in an instant, reappearing behind the warrior, and kicked him in the knee joint to unbalance him.
But the entity wasn't just a puppet; he turned with incredible speed, pulling his spear to slice through the air towards the left, nearly hitting Zhang Yong's head had he not rolled backward.
'Damn, if he's linked to Shura, then!' He then turned to find Shura, but he had already vanished through a distant portal.
Zhang Yong's jaw clenched as he stared at the point where Shura had disappeared, while Qian Shin's aura still flooded the place with unbearable weight.
"He escaped..." he whispered coldly, but there was no despair in his voice, only dark caution.
Belial commented calmly: "He achieved his goal. He didn't intend to fight you, just to occupy you, make you reveal your cards."
Asmodeus laughed bitterly: "Wow, I didn't think you'd get played like this. I guess that scoundrel Shura is smarter than he looks."
Zhang Yong breathed slowly, then raised his head and stared at the warrior who was still in a fighting stance, his body glowing with purple light, his chest rising and falling rhythmically, as if possessing true consciousness.
"If his goal was achieved, why leave this entity behind?" Zhang Yong muttered, and before he could finish his thought, the entity charged again.
Explosion!
A vertical spear strike tore through the ice in front of Zhang Yong, sending frozen shards flying into the air like spears, but he had already moved.
Heavenly Demon Records - Black Tortoise Shield
Zhang Yong blocked the strike with the shield but was flung backward before stabbing his sword into the ground and steadying himself.
Qian Shin blinked once, then vanished from his spot like a flash of sun, appearing directly above Zhang Yong. His body spun in the air, his golden spear rotating with him like a fiery tornado, before he brought it down at a slanting angle towards the shoulder.
"Imperial Phoenix Thrust! "
A wave of divine energy in the form of a golden phoenix surged from the spearhead, tearing through the air towards Zhang Yong.
"Oh, crap," Zhang Yong cursed, staring at the attack, and immediately placed his hand on the ground.
Nine-Layered Eternal Ice Memory - First Layer: Earth Freeze
Instantly, ice rose above his head to protect him from the attack.
The spear struck the ascending icy frame, shaking the air violently. But the Imperial Purity's radiance did not fade; it penetrated the ice like sunlight through mist.
The barrier shattered, shards flying like small meteors, as Qian Shin landed forcefully amidst the explosion. He stood firm amidst the frozen dust, his spear on his shoulder, his purple eyes glowing mercilessly. "What a fool you are to try and resist the Captain of the Imperial Guard."
"Sorry, I have no interest in hearing nonsense."
Zhang Yong raised his hand, and the Millenium Tree of Life appeared. His first Spirit Ring glowed, and mist immediately spread throughout the area.
The mist expanded around Zhang Yong rapidly. Qian Shin responded with a frozen smile, raising his spear to form a circle of purple light surrounding him like a dome to protect him from the mist.
"Your tricks won't work against my iron will and unparalleled loyalty!"
He charged into the mist, aiming his spear strike at the shadow in its center.
Zhang Yong grabbed his sword and struck the incoming spear. The two edges met in the midst of the mist, and the sound of the clash echoed like thunder in a storm. Shockwaves spread in the surrounding circle, cracking the ice crust beneath their feet.
Zhang Yong held his ground firmly, his arm straining under the pressure, but his purple eyes never left their target. Then, he pushed his sword forward with force, breaking Qian Shin's balance for a moment.
Heaven-Smashing Sword - Twilight Gleam
Immediately, his attacks flowed. After merging them with Sword Energy, they left behind a light resembling undulating aurora trails sequentially behind each strike.
Qian Shin retreated half a step, the purple ripples on his armor trembling under the barrage of blows. But the Imperial warrior suddenly roared, and the Purity aura swirled around him like a repelling storm, deflecting the successive waves.
"Beautiful... but you still haven't seen the Emperor's Light."
"Yeah, as if I care." He tightened his grip on his sword, releasing sword energy around it.
Heaven-Smashing Sword - Autumn Wind!
A sharp aura, like autumn itself, surged from Zhang Yong's sword, spreading spectral leaves that fell in deadly silence around him. Each leaf was charged with pure sword energy, dancing in the air before tearing apart everything they touched.
The Purity aura retreated for a moment, as a single leaf pierced Qian Shin's chest and exploded inside him.
"You..." he said, kneeling on one knee, his armor beginning to crack under the autumn's stillness.
He leaped back, grabbing his armor before a powerful aura surged around him, erasing every trace of the mist.
Zhang Yong involuntarily retreated, jumping back to leave a distance of thirty paces between them.
Qian Shin struck his spear into the ground, the ice trembling under his feet as the remnants of the spectral leaves dissipated in the air. The Emperor's aura rose around him again, but this time it was purer, more severe... and angrier.
"You are worthy of me fighting without restraint," he said, his tone as if carved from granite.
His golden armor split apart, revealing purple lines pulsating with majestic energy. He raised his spear slowly, and a gigantic Emperor's shadow appeared behind him, extending its arm towards the coming battle.
"Damn, if this is a manifestation battle, then i won't back down!" Zhang Yong shouted as he advanced quickly.
Soul Path - Holy Soul Omega
A phantom figure rose behind Zhang Yong, with golden eyes and long hair, resembling Zhang Yong in his original body.
Space around the ice trembled from the collision of the two manifestations,the aura rising like two storms butting heads in the sky.
The manifestation behind Zhang Yong raised its hand calmly, and a sword of pure light formed between its fingers.
The Emperor's shadow behind Qian Shin suddenly roared, and his spear rose, immersed in an aura resembling an unbreakable royal vow.
The sky above the frozen sea seemed on the verge of splitting at the first true clash between the manifestations. The sky, which had looked like it was about to rain, immediately cleared.
Qian Shin stared at the sky, his purple eyes reflecting Zhang Yong's sword glowing like a meteor falling from the heavens.
"So... this is how you choose to end it!" he shouted, then planted his spear into the ice. A violent aura emanated from him, and he raised his arm towards the sky.
"Throne's Wrath — Emperor's Oath! "
A column of purple light rose to meet the falling star, the air around them trembling violently.
The purple light column was pierced, and the Emperor's image behind Qian Shin cracked.
Zhang Yong's "Holy Soul Omega" behind him shouted, and the sword surged forward, enveloped in a flame of light.
The sword collided with Qian Shin's spear, and light exploded in all directions. A massive shockwave swept across the frozen sea, shattering part of the icy arena.
Qian Shin retreated, drops of blood falling from his mouth, but he hadn't collapsed yet.
Madness Path - Frenzy!
Zhang Yong drew his sword, and the Death Qi flowed through his body, forming a black sword in his hand.
Heaven-Smashing Sword Twin blade style - Sun-Moon Rotation
The atmosphere around Zhang Yong changed, light mixing with darkness. A sword of holy light in his right hand, and a sword of Death Qi in his left.
He charged his body towards Qian Shin, the two swords drawing a double circle in the air. They began to rotate around Zhang Yong's body like a grinder.
"You bast—"
But before Qian Shin could finish, the attack collided with his body, and his defensive energy burst like a bubble. His body flew into the air, his armor shattered, his spear scattered into fragments, and a deadly silence descended upon the place.
[Enemy of level 50 defeated.]
[Host's level increased to level 33.]
"Put the status points into Agility."
[Agility increased to 114.]
[Status
Name: Zhang Yong
Age: 18
Body: Life-Death Proximity Structure lvl 7
Level 33 [275.000/123]
Strength: 168
Endurance: 311
Agility: 114
Intelligence: 137
Spiritual Energy: 33
Status Points: 0
Emotion Points: 4,283,689
Abilities
Skills. Store. Inventory. Missions. Gambling]
Zhang Yong turned and looked towards the fight between Tatsumi and Bulat. He immediately teleported to their side using Earth Fold.
"Zhang Yong! Big brother, he's poisoned..." Tatsumi said, trying hard not to cry.
Zhang Yong looked at the sword in Tatsumi's hand; it was Incursio.
Zhang Yong placed his hand on Bulat's head and secretly took his soul without Tatsumi noticing.
[Soul of the summoned 'Bulat' successfully absorbed. Number of absorbed souls (2/10).]
Zhang Yong looked regretfully at Bulat before sighing. "Sorry... I can't save him. I don't know the poison inside him, and he's already on the verge of death."
Tatsumi suddenly flinched and grabbed Zhang Yong by his collar. "Do something! Don't you have amazing abilities? Use them! Lubbock said you could heal your own wounds, so... use it on my brother... please."
Zhang Yong didn't answer, remaining silent. "I can't do anything. Even if I have abilities, I am not a God. I was trained to be a killing tool. It would be strange for someone who takes lives to save one... so... I don't have that ability."
"Why won't you even try?" Tatsumi asked with bitter sorrow, realizing this might be the final farewell to Bulat. He understood but didn't want to believe it.
'Welcome to hell, boy,' Zhang Yong said secretly as Tatsumi wept bitterly.
Zhang Yong looked at Liver and Nyau's corpses, then at their Teigu. He helped Tatsumi up. "Come on, we don't know our situation, and we can't stay here forever."
"I want at least to recover my brother's body and bury him properly," Tatsumi said in a sad voice.
Zhang Yong looked at the body before sighing. It would be strange to put it in his inventory under normal circumstances. He then took the Teigu of the three beasts and kept them, then grabbed the Teigu of the cry titled "Screaming."
"This Teigu... its true value will shine in my hands. I can take us home with it," Zhang Yong said, raising the Teigu to his lips.
Sound Path - Heavenly Song
"Hold onto me tightly!" Zhang Yong shouted over the noise of the blaring melodies.
Tatsumi grabbed Zhang Yong's arm with one hand and Bulat's body with the other. Sound waves began to surround them like a storm, lifting them off the frozen ground. They rose into the air like feathers, carried on the wings of the melodies. The scenery around them began to change rapidly as they blazed their trail towards the Empire.