Sanctuary Paradise

Chapter 862 "The White Rabbit"

clang--! !

The clanging sound of slashing blades, accompanied by bursts of sparks, exploded in my ears. Blades of light, swirling with flames, bloomed like a torrential rain, like sprites dancing in the darkness.

'Huh? You have to master at least three Grandmaster LV.20 passive skills and be powerful in every aspect to be considered outside the top tier? Who told you that?'

The intense pain, as if it were tearing his entire body apart, made the voice of the senior member of the cult even clearer in his mind.

"I see. I think I understand the root of your misunderstanding, Argo. Listen, you've confused something: the outsider echelon and the pioneers are not always 100% equivalent."

"Listen, Argo, the Pioneers need to be strong in every way because of the predicament they face; without such capabilities, they cannot seize even the slightest chance of survival."

"But for those in the outer echelons, all that's needed is to gain an absolute advantage over those in the top-tier echelons. If you can achieve this, even if you follow an extreme development path, you can still reach the threshold of the outer echelons and even catch up with the pioneers."

'Defensive weaknesses don't necessarily need to be compensated for by building higher defenses; they can be overcome with a rapid and powerful offensive, like a storm. Similarly, insufficient attack range doesn't always have to be addressed with long-range attacks; it can be closed with unparalleled speed.'

The scorching heat, as if burning his throat, echoed from his lungs. In a daze, Bell Craney felt as if he had fallen into that strange state once again.

"In fact, among those outside the established order I know, even pioneers, many use their extreme strengths to make their weaknesses comparable to others' strengths. It's the Black Sword you mentioned who, on the other hand, has an almost unbelievably balanced development."

"Of course, these things are still a bit too far off for you, Argo, but if you simply want to improve your strengths to the point where they can compensate for your weaknesses, and reach the threshold of the extra-elite group, it's not something unattainable for you."

'How exactly do I do it? Well, I'm sorry, I can't give you any shortcuts. Or rather, based on my personal experience, there's really only one way to get over this hurdle—'

clang! ! !
The clanging sounds of metal from memories and reality gradually overlapped, transforming into familiar images in his pupils.

'--accumulation.'

'The only way to reach this level is through continuous accumulation!'

'Argo, you yourself should have realized that although your Short Blade Master and Melee Master skills have reached LV.20, just like other top-tier technique users, you haven't been able to comprehend the new additional abilities and LV.20 passive skills, resulting in a lack of fundamental difference between your LV.19 Master abilities and your current ones.'

That's the gap in accumulated experience.

'It's not that you haven't grasped the abilities corresponding to a LV.20 Grandmaster; rather, you have, but due to insufficient accumulation of knowledge, you've been unable to unleash them.'

"Like a piece of jade hidden in a quarry, even if it cannot be seen, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. However, if you want it to shine with its due brilliance, it must be polished again and again, gradually wearing away the outer layer of stone through a long process."

'Including now.'

'Perhaps you don't realize it yourself, but in fact, Argo, compared to last time, your three Grandmaster passive skills have all undergone considerable changes.'

'Perceptions may be flawed, judgments may be wrong, but the strength you accumulate over time will never betray you, therefore—'

Before he actually steps over that threshold, all he needs to do is move forward with unwavering focus!
clang! ! !
The dull thud of slashing once again rang out. On the battlefield, the white-haired youth, who had fought from the hillside to mid-air and then back to the ground, stared intently at the six-armed abyssal creature before him, his mind quickly clearing of all distractions.

Thank you, Senior Aheng.

He finally understood the meaning of those words.

You are right. Perception may be wrong, and judgment may be flawed, but the accumulation and refinement gained in each step forward, and the solid experience gained in each life-or-death battle, will never betray them!
"call……!!"

A scorching breath, wrapped in wisps of pure white flames, escaped from Bell's mouth. As he gazed at the six-armed humanoid abyssal creature that had rearranged its stance, he felt as if the whole world had slowed down.

We can catch it.

That feeling... he was already able to actively seize it.

It wasn't some ability that came out of thin air, nor was it some kind of leap that happened overnight; it was simply guiding out the results that already belonged to him and that he had unconsciously accumulated.

Yes, that's exactly what he's been longing for.

It's not about blindly imitating that figure, or chasing after someone's back; it's about breaking free from constraints in your own way, using your own will to catch up to them, and even surpassing them with your own strength!

In an instant, a deafening sonic boom, so violent that no one had time to react, exploded. As the white-haired youth moved, the ground beneath his feet and the surrounding air shattered as if struck by a tremendous force.

The vertical pupils on the head of the six-armed abyssal creature directly in front of it suddenly contracted, and without hesitation, it used all six arms—which were meant for attack—to block its own path. Finally—

'To maximize one's strengths.'

Boom——! !

The sound of bells, loud enough to resound throughout the entire battlefield, rang out. In an instant, the whole world seemed to fall silent for a moment, leaving only that incredibly fast pure white figure flashing through the air and striking the arm of the six-armed abyss creature with a speed far beyond the reach of sound.

Zheng! ! !
The next instant, a piercing clang of blades erupted, and the four arms of the six-armed abyss creature that were blocking the front suddenly fell to the ground from the gushing blood. At the same time, the entire abyss creature seemed to have been hit by a heavy blow and was sent flying backward with a thud.

[Note: Changes to the Arbiter's skill effects have been detected. The skill information for "Short Blade Master: LV.20" and "Fighting Master: LV.20" has been automatically updated.]

……

[Master of Short Blades: LV.20 (Technique - Passive)]

Skill effect: Short blade weapon attack power +410%, dynamic vision +80%, can consume soul energy to resist mind and spirit control effects of level four and below.

Initial bonus ability 1, Outward Brilliance (Passive, LV.20): Unable to form long-range blade aura, but the blade aura is concentrated to the extreme on the blade, providing the weapon with a sharpness bonus equal to 41% of the current weapon's attack power.

Initial Additional Ability 2, Blade of Greatness (Passive, LV.20): When wielding a short blade weapon, additional physical energy is consumed to increase the weapon's attack power for this attack by 41% of the user's physical attack power (New!!!).

LV.10 Ultimate Ability, Blade of Speed ​​(Passive): When attacking, the user will briefly enter an "overspeed" state, during which the user's speed will increase by 102.5%, and the user will gain the "Resistance Reduction" effect.

*Note: This ability has no trigger interval, but will result in a "high" physical burden after the "overspeed" state ends.

LV.20 Ultimate Ability, Swift Blade (Passive): When attacking, the user will briefly enter the "Swift" state, during which the user's speed will increase by 205%, and the user will gain the "Space Travel" effect (New!!!).

*Note: This ability has no trigger interval, but will generate a "huge" physical burden after the "Godspeed" state ends.

……

【Grandmaster of Fighting: LV.20 (Skill - Passive)】 Skill effect: Attack power of unarmed or fighting weapons +410%, nerve reflex speed +80%, can consume protective energy to be immune to physical control effects of level 4 and below.

Initial additional ability 1, Concealed Power (Passive, LV.20): Cannot release protective energy over long distances, but can form "Nullifying Power" to neutralize physical burden and indirect damage using protective energy, and the recovery speed of protective energy consumed as "Nullifying Power" is increased by 205%.

Initial Additional Ability 2, Hero's Will (Passive, LV.20): When the protective energy is actively activated by one's own will, the protective energy can enter the "Activation" state for 0.205 seconds. During this period, the damage and physical burden received by "Internal Force" can be accumulated to strengthen the next attack (New!!!).

LV.10 Ultimate Ability, Enhancement of Internal Force Reduction - Once (Passive): The effect of internal force reduction is enhanced, and the effect of resolving indirect damage and physical burden is increased by an additional 102.5%. When activated during the "Activation" period of protective energy, it can perfectly resolve the "high" physical burden judgment (New!!!).

LV.20 Ultimate Ability, Enhancement of Internal Force Reduction - Second Time (Passive): The effect of internal force reduction is further enhanced. The effect of resolving indirect damage and physical burden is increased by an additional 205%. When activated during the "Activation" period of protective energy, it can perfectly resolve the "huge" physical burden judgment (New!!!).

……

This is... what he truly looks like after reaching LV.20 as a master of technique.

Below the battlefield, the white-haired youth, his body steaming with heat, took a deep breath, feeling an unprecedented sense of exhilaration surging from all parts of his body, and felt that his mind had never been so clear.

This is his path.

He couldn't be as all-around strong as the black-haired youth, nor could he make up for every one of his shortcomings.

In that case, he can only maximize his speed advantage and use absolute speed and attack power to make up for his shortcomings in other aspects, so as to catch up with or even surpass his opponent in a certain aspect.

"It's a pity, if Brother Black Sword were here..."

A slightly regretful thought flashed through his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. He turned around and looked at the fully recovered six-armed abyss creature behind him, his gaze once again becoming focused and solemn.

As expected, that one strike wasn't enough to defeat the opponent?

No, that's not right. It should be said that the abyssal creature from before was indeed killed by his attack, which combined Heroic Vision and Judgment Flame, but—

[Note: Changes have been detected in the target information. The current detection information has been automatically updated.]

……

Skill ? ? ?, Abyss Sacrifice (Abyss - Inherent Active Skill, LV.MAX): Upon death, "Abyss Sacrifice" will be forcibly activated, sacrificing the entirety of the current body to summon ? ? ? to descend.

……

—Now that I'm standing here, I'm something even more terrifying!
Boom! ! !
With a heavy stomp, the skin of the six-armed humanoid abyss creature and the ground beneath its feet crumbled with a loud thud. At the same time, a hoarse voice, devoid of any emotion, fell from the battlefield, causing the Star Maiden and the others in the distance to gasp for breath.

"Human, you are quite good."

Thump, thump, thump—!

Each step was a heavy thud, as if it would shake the entire earth. Then, a six-armed figure with deep purple markings on its body and two hellish horns on its forehead emerged from the wreckage and looked at the white-haired boy before it.

“I am Goldra Satan, a descendant of wrath.”

"Human, tell me your... name!"

As soon as the words fell, the rocks surrounding the six-armed, horned demon seemed to be subjected to some powerful pressure, and with a loud bang, they all turned into dust, which then adhered tightly to its body in the surging abyssal aura, forming a set of armor engraved with strange patterns.

The white-haired boy's pupils contracted sharply as he watched this scene, and his breathing became involuntarily rapid.

Original sin ethnic group
Moreover, they are of extremely pure blood, a great sin race that can be called royalty among the original sin races!

Although he had long suspected that there might be other masterminds hidden beneath that body whose behavior was clearly unlike that of a typical abyssal creature, the fact that the other party was actually a descendant of a great sinner still far exceeded his expectations.

Want to escape?

No, that's not right. Running away is useless now.

The opponent had completely locked onto them, and he was the only one in the field capable of stopping them.

The Abyss Potion will remain effective for quite some time, and even after it expires, there will still be a chance to revive provided by the Angel Potion used previously.

In other words, there is only one choice—

"Argo Gustav".

As the calm and collected voice fell, revealing the false identity the amusement park had fabricated for him, the white-haired boy answered, and a series of bells began to toll amidst the white light rising from his body.

“Ar…Go”.

As the hoarse, rough murmur ended, repeating the white-haired boy's name, a maniacal smile suddenly appeared on the face of the six-armed abyss race member before him, and a strong fighting spirit and excitement shone in his demonic pupils.

"I will use your blood to dedicate to my...bloodline!!"

boom! ! !
As soon as he finished speaking, the six-armed Abyss Clan member, who had been standing in mid-air just a second ago, suddenly stomped down, his entire body disappearing from his spot with a loud bang amidst the collapsing sound of space. With an incredibly ferocious momentum, he threw a punch at the white-haired youth's head. The next instant—

Zheng!
The clanging of the blades rang out, and jet-black blood gushed out. The six-armed abyss race was slightly taken aback as it looked at the seemingly slender wound on its arm that had almost severed its entire arm. A look of surprise appeared in its eyes.

"call……!!"

As the scorching breath subsided, the white-haired youth, whose chest had caved in severely, seemed oblivious to the pain as he used healing magic to straighten his dislocated bones. He stared intently at the six-armed race member before him, his eyes filled with utter calm.

can do it.

Although it will be difficult, with his current abilities, the attribute advantage granted by the Abyss Potion, the magic he learned in the world of Frilian, and the experience he has accumulated in close combat along the way, he can at least hold his own for the next twenty minutes or so.

He... will never fall!

……

(End of this chapter)