In Ark Simulator, why do I always get a tough start?

Chapter 163 Chen Qi's Apprentice - Skadi?

More than ten thousand years later, Chen Qi finally understood why he had a natural sense of familiarity with Lu when he reunited with Skadi in the simulation.

Because Lu and Skadi look so alike.

No, it can't even be described as similar; they are exactly the same.

Whether it's her adorable face with a touch of baby fat when she's healthy, or her serene expression that always seems to be lost in thought.

Even Skatina's hair turned completely white and her eyes turned red after being transformed into a deep-sea hunter, just like Lu in Chen Qi's memory when his life was about to wither away.

If I had to pinpoint the difference between Skadi and Lu... well, even if a thousand Lu were tied together, they wouldn't be enough for Skadi to take on with one hand.

Therefore, when she saw Skadi standing in front of her with a face almost identical to Lu's, she was deeply moved.

After ten thousand years, Chen Qi's heart, which had been silent for so long, trembled for the first time.

—But only Chen Qi knew about all these psychological changes.

Having endured ten thousand years of solitude and grown accustomed to being alone, Chen Qi's expression was even more serene and calm than ever before.

Therefore, under Skadi's gaze.

She only saw a burly man who was over three meters tall, whose face she couldn't even see clearly when she looked up, and who exuded a powerful aura when he looked at her.

Although, it only lasted for a moment.

But Skadi, who usually seems dull but has sharp intuition in battle, still noticed it.

"The force of the rotating magnetic field?"

"You... are you also a Deepsea Hunter?"

Sensing the surging magnetic field power within the man before her, Skadi instinctively voiced her guess.

It's not surprising that Skadi had this idea.

After all, in Terra, only the Agor civilization can cultivate deep-sea hunters with "magnetic power".

Furthermore, if Agor hadn't discovered the "Blue Kingdom" and its complete set of equipment, as well as the "Martial God Training Process" left behind by the previous civilization, recorded in the supercomputer...

Even Agor couldn't simply copy the model and cultivate "deep-sea hunters" to rival the "war gods" of the previous civilization.

Therefore, in Terra, only deep-sea hunters trained through the Agor system possess magnetic field power within their bodies.

However, Skadi's subconscious answer surprised Chen Qi, who had spent tens of thousands of years in this laboratory.

"Do you know about magnetic field rotation?"

But soon, Chen Qi caught the more important information in Skadi's words.

"also?"

"So that's how it is... The Agorians have mastered the power of magnetic field rotation and are using this power to cultivate deep-sea hunters?"

Although somewhat surprised, Chen Qi was not taken aback.

After years of bloody battles with the lumberjacks, Chen Qi was finally hit by more than ten heavy cannons from the lumberjacks' fleet and sank to the deepest part of the ocean due to a moment of carelessness.

If Chen Qi hadn't used his last strength to freeze himself at the crucial moment, he probably would have perished in this great battle.

For over ten thousand years, Chen Qi spent most of his time frozen and healing.

However, he still has some knowledge of certain things about the outside world by sensing Hai Si's memories through the power of the magnetic field.

For example, the "Blue Country" that Lu built according to his own plan was actually usurped by Agor.

Because of the occupation of the "Blue Country", the bloody battle between Agor and Haisi still broke out.

However, this time, Chen Qi, as an observer, had no intention of intervening.

Although outside of the simulation, Chen Qi did indeed help Agor eliminate a large number of Sea Legions.

But this time, Chen Qi felt no sympathy for Agor, who was beaten so badly by Hai Si that he could barely lift his head and whose situation was even worse than in reality.

Of course, this is not just because of his own experience of being tricked to death by Agor once.

Even more because.

In this simulation, Hai Si is the product of himself and Lu.

Haisi is an important part of their "Blue Dream Project".

As one of the creators of Hai Si, how could Chen Qi possibly destroy his own creation with his own hands?

Moreover, from an outsider's perspective, Haisi's hostility towards Agor was entirely Agor's own fault.

The moment they chose to steal "Blue Country" and confront Hai Si with a butcher's knife, they should have been prepared to be slaughtered.

A killer must be prepared to be killed.

The reason Chen Qi was able to tolerate Agor occupying his and Lu's "Blue Country" was because...

It was simply because they knew that Agor had been maintaining the energy operation of the "Blue Kingdom," which was neither good nor bad for the former humans sleeping in the hibernation pods.

Furthermore, given the current trend, it's only a matter of time before Haisi reclaims "Blue Country" from Agor.

From these perspectives, Chen Qi could choose to stand by and let things develop naturally, allowing the fittest to survive.

Instead of being the creator of the Hai Si and beating up Agor with his "children," Agor should be grateful to him.

I've already been a nice person enough.

However, while Chen Qi was muttering to himself, Skadi sensed that something was amiss.

However, compared to Chen Qi's internal analysis, Skadi, despite having a Lu face, acted faster than she thought and directly muttered her own analysis to herself.

"...Something's not right."

"If you are a Deepsea Hunter, then why are you here? This Isamara... will she bring me here, to the lair of the Sea King?"

Skadi pondered for a long time.

Finally, after a long period of solitary contemplation, Skadi's rapidly working brain found the only answer for her.

"I see."

"This is the secret base that Haisi uses to train Deep Sea Cultists."

"And you, you must be the Deepsea Hunter who betrayed Agor, and now the Archbishop of the Deepsea Cult, right?"

Skadi suddenly realized what was happening, and with a hostile expression, she raised her greatsword again without any hesitation.

“According to Agor’s rules, all missing deep-sea hunters are presumed to be assimilated by the Sealings… I didn’t quite understand this rule at first.”

"But now I understand why."

...This little orca seems to have misunderstood something?
However, despite being misunderstood by Skadi, Chen Qi thought about his current situation and realized that he couldn't blame Skadi for coming to such a conclusion.

At this moment, all his attention was focused on Skadi's greatsword, which was pointing directly at him.

"Oh? Little orca, you're planning to attack me?"

Perhaps it was the loneliness of watching the Simpsons show on the laboratory TV over and over again for more than 10,000 years that made him itchy to do it.

Looking at Skadi's face, which was exactly the same as Lu's, Chen Qi's lips curled up with a long-lost smile of interest.

Soon, Skadi, speaking calmly, responded to Chen Qi's words with her actions.

"—Deepsea Hunter, there's nothing to say to a traitor."

"The magnetic field rotates, generating 180,000 horsepower!"

"Leaping Waves!"

Skadi may seem dull on the surface, but within the Deepsea Hunter team, others offer advice and strategies, so she doesn't need to use her brain.

Once Skadi gets her head started again, she'll still be a very smart girl.

She knew that the traitor in front of her was probably much more experienced as a deep-sea hunter than she was, and was likely stronger than her as well.

It might even be stronger than the captain with the power of 240,000 horses.

Therefore, Skadi goes all out from the start, holding nothing back!
"Oh? 180,000 horsepower?"

The moment Skadi made her move, Chen Qi, who immediately knew the upper limit of Skadi's strength, smiled even more with interest.

"And this power, and this complete realm... it's not simple."

If, before Skadi made her move, Chen Qi only regarded Skadi as someone who looked very similar to Lu, and thus developed a fondness for her because of her resemblance to Lu, then...

The moment Skadi attacked him, Chen Qi's attitude changed.

What a fine piece of jade!

It would be such a waste to let her be destroyed by the Sea Si along with Agor. Perhaps I could teach her a lesson?
However, whatever Chen Qi's intentions toward Skadi, he had to beat the girl until she was powerless to resist.

In a world dominated by those with strong magnetic fields, strength reigns supreme.

If you can't win, nothing you say will be convincing!

"Then! I will also use the power of 180,000 horses to fight you to the death!"

Because this feeling of fighting against the enemy was unprecedented, Chen Qi also showed a hint of excitement.

Faced with Skadi's massive sword strike, which alone possessed the power of two hundred thousand horses, Chen Qi neither dodged nor evaded, but instead laughed wildly and met the blow head-on!

"180,000 horsepower! Sea Tiger Explosive Fist!"

"boom--!"

180,000 horses against 180,000 horses!
It was as if a giant sea tiger and a killer whale had leaped out of the ocean and were tearing at each other!
The moment this head-on collision occurred, the entire underwater laboratory was shaken!
However, despite the terrifying power of the attack, aside from the shockwave, the two men's force did not cause any damage to the other facilities inside the house.

Even the steel floor beneath their feet wasn't damaged much.

This is enough to demonstrate just how profound Chen Qi and Skadi's understanding of the "Perfect Realm" truly is.

Only when the "Perfect Realm" reaches a certain level can one achieve the same ability as the two of them, concentrating all power on a single point without meaninglessly leaking it out.

Skadi can unleash a destructive force of 200,000 horsepower with a power of 180,000 horsepower, and that is why.

Chen Qi could block Skadi's full-force attack with a casual punch, just like that!

"boom!"

With just one punch, Chen Qi knocked the giant sword out of Skadi's hand.

The giant sword spun several times in the air before embedding itself deeply into the floor not far away.

However, all of this was within Skadi's tactics.

Skadi, now free of her greatsword and with her hands unfurled, had no time to be surprised by Chen Qi's composure.

Instead, he seized a moment of weakness in Chen Qi's defenses and unleashed his true, strongest attack!
"The power of 180,000 horses!"

"Heavenly Martial Killing Path! The Path of Decapitation!"

Tianwu Killing Way!
This is Skadi's true killing move!
Facing a senior whose strength was unknown but who had definitely become a Deepsea Hunter earlier than herself, Skadi was well aware of the gap in strength between herself and Chen Qi.

Therefore, if Skadi wants to win, she must take advantage of her opponent's potential arrogance.

Skadi's tactics proved to be very successful.

Chen Qi was indeed arrogant, using the same force of 180,000 horses to fight her, which gave her an opportunity to take advantage.

As long as this blow hits the opponent, no matter how much strength this traitor has been hiding, he will die with regrets in the face of the fatal wound of decapitation!

Unfortunately, Skadi made a mistake this time, using the wrong person in her tactics.

She underestimated the gap between herself and Chen Qi.

Although her strength is considered good among the younger generation, compared with Chen Qi, it is still like heaven and earth, a difference of the level of a dimensional reduction attack!
"Tianwu Killing Way?"

Seeing that Skadi had actually used a martial art he had created when he was bored, Chen Qi grinned.

"Little Orca, that's not how you use the Heavenly Martial Killing Path!"

"This is an absolute killing move that takes lives! Only a truly ruthless and domineering king can wield the Heavenly Martial Killing Path!"

"This move is completely unsuitable for you, little orca!"

"Snapped!"

Before Skadi could react, Chen Qi forcefully pressed down on her wrist with unparalleled strength!
The next second, Skadi, still in a daze, only heard the excited roar of the man in front of her!
"Little orca, watch closely, this is the true Heavenly Martial Killing Path!"

"Heavenly Martial Killing Path - The Path of Decapitation!"

Before the move was even finished, Skadi already felt a punch, sharp as a knife or sword, pressing against her throat!

In an instant, Skadi felt her face turn deathly pale; the threat of death made her stop breathing.

Dying?

However, just as Skadi's pupils dilated and she prepared to face death...

What she received, however, was a light but sharp attack on her forehead, just enough to make her crouch down and cover her head in pain.

"...It hurts so much."

Skadi instinctively covered her injured forehead, looking at the man in front of her with a pitiful yet incomprehensible expression. He could have killed her, but for some reason, he gave up.

But looking at the man who seemed strangely familiar, Skadi was already certain.

He may not have had any ill intentions towards me.

"Calm down?"

Seeing that Skadi had stopped attacking him and was only nodding silently, Chen Qi, finding it rather amusing, turned his back to her and said calmly:

"You're both incredibly smart and incredibly stupid, little orca."

“I am not one of your Deepsea Hunters, that’s obvious.”

"Look at me, do I have the same modified white hair and red eyes as you?"

"...Yes."

Skadi, belatedly realizing what was happening, stared at Chen Qi's long, messy, black hair, which was still visible in the darkness, and remained silent for a long while before nodding.

Realizing she had wronged someone, Skadi, feeling embarrassed, sheathed her greatsword and quietly apologized.

"I'm sorry, I misunderstood you."

"But I still don't understand, if you weren't a traitorous deep-sea hunter, why do you possess magnetic field power?"

"And...why are you here? What exactly is this place?"

"—This is a laboratory from a pre-civilization era."

Faced with Skadi's repeated questions, Chen Qi, who had already developed the desire to train Skadi, did not hide anything from her and said:
"As for me, to you I should be a 'war god' from a previous civilization."

"A war god from a pre-civilization?"

Even Skadi, with her calm demeanor, was taken aback after hearing Chen Qi's self-introduction.

As a deep-sea hunter, Skadi doesn't particularly enjoy reading, but she does know some information about the previous civilization.

She had, of course, heard about the records and training programs of the "Martial Gods" of the previous civilization.

"...The pre-civilization, according to Agor's speculation, existed at least 15,000 years ago."

Skadi muttered to herself as she stared at Chen Qi with an incredulous look, saying:

"But, according to the 'Blue Kingdom's' records, the Martial Gods were completely wiped out in the great war 15,000 years ago, weren't they?"

"—Your records are correct."

Hearing Skadi ask the question he had expected, Chen Qi smiled faintly:

"Fifteen thousand years ago, the God of War fought against a powerful enemy capable of destroying the universe, and was almost completely wiped out."

"And I am that lucky one."

"I was severely injured by those guys and knocked to the bottom of the sea, where I was frozen and fell into a deep sleep until today when I was reborn."

"And here lies the ruins of a pre-civilization known only to me. I wait here alone for the day when my people awaken from their slumber."

However, Chen Qi continued talking to himself, but did not receive a response from Skadi for a long time.

As he turned around, he noticed that Skadi's red lips were slightly parted, her pupils were unfocused, and she had the same blank expression as Lu when he was deep in thought.

A martial god who survived 15,000 years ago.

After Skadi spent a long time understanding the concept, an unprecedented joy welled up in her heart!
Having just exchanged blows, Skadi was certain that the strength of the former human from the previous civilization in front of her was definitely above her own, and even above the other captains.

This means that this human may be the only being in the world to break through to the "Star Breaking Realm," possessing power exceeding 250,000 units!

With the guidance of a martial god from a previous civilization, perhaps the problem that has prevented the deep-sea hunters from breaking through to the "Star Breaking Realm" can be overcome!
At that time, the hunters, whose strength has increased dramatically, will definitely not return empty-handed when they hunt Isamara again!

With this in mind, Skadi made her decision almost immediately.

"Senior, there's something I hope you can grant me."

"Please pass on all your knowledge to me, so that I may have the strength to save my homeland."

(End of this chapter)