Lu Bu Can't Be Stopped (2)
Suddenly, Dong Zhuo pulling a sage cosplay and spinning the washing machine like a madman? Kim could wrap his head around that.
And then Dong Zhuo putting on a suicide show? Fine, okay.
They'd gotten into a bit of a scuffle after that, but with a little time, he figured he could sort out the mess and make her see reason.
But then, to top it all off, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan charging in? That was straight-up bullshit.
"Kim!!! I've been waiting for a chance to fight a brute like you!!"
Xiahou Dun bellowed as she swung her spear right at him.
Obviously, as enemies, she had zero intention of holding back—he knew that much.
Claaang!!
He raised his Namun Sword to block Xiahou Dun's strike, then took a big step back to steady his stance. Close the distance if it works, widen it if it doesn't. That was swordsmanship basics.
"Mok Lan!! Block these guys for now!!"
He immediately snapped Dong Zhuo out of it, directing her to snap to attention.
"W-Wait... They're not 'guys,' they're 'girls'... We're women...."
Xiahou Yuan nitpicked the irrelevant detail anyway.
"Whatever, you're all gonna be corpses here soon—who cares about gender then?"
He hadn't actually planned to lop their heads off quick, but he bluffed hard anyway. Fights were half bluster, after all.
"R-Right...."
Dong Zhuo hesitated a moment, then drew her sword and assumed a stance. A faint spark of "I'm surviving this no matter what" burned in her eyes. Going from suicide drama to this fighting spirit was kinda pathetic... but whatever. Human survival instincts were wired deeper than you thought.
"Yuan!! Just like we practiced!!"
Xiahou Dun led the charge, swinging her spear wildly as she rushed him.
"Mok Lan!! Take out the archer in the back!!"
He divvied up the foes on the spot. Xiahou Yuan was manageable up close.
"Got it."
Dong Zhuo bolted like a maniac, intercepting Xiahou Yuan. Her solid lower body made for one hell of a running form.
"Kim. I took some humiliation last time, but I've gotten stronger since then."
Xiahou Dun grinned as she said it.
'Yeah. You've leveled up.'
Post-Xuzhou Massacre, she'd scaled up properly—now both Xiahou Dun and Yuan were level 29. Higher than him.
But... this timing was heaven-sent for him.
Absolute Ferocity
Perfectly deflect the enemy's weapon at the ideal timing, then input a forward evasion command to shatter their weapon.
Shattering the weapon disarms the enemy and sharply drops their morale.
"Bad politics and tyranny are like fearsome tigers." —Mencius—
"If something disrupts peace, removing it leads to peace." —Mozi—
Condition: Perfectly deflect enemy attacks. 5989/6000
Maybe from clashing weapons so many times before, the skill condition was nearly met. Just 11 more perfect deflections, and Absolute Ferocity would unlock.
One of the GOAT techniques symbolizing Taiji Sword's brokenness.
Deflect, then dash forward in that tight window—boom, enemy's weapon shatters, turning them into a fool.
Tough execution, but the payoff justified the strict judgment. Theoretically, it could clown even a war god like Lu Bu.
'Theoretically, anyway.' Slip up even a little, and your own guard breaks on their next hit.
'Time to farm some deflections off Xiahou Dun.'
He raised his sword defensively, mind set.
Clang! Chaang!!
He spotted Xiahou Yuan whipping out her waist sword to block Dong Zhuo as he closed in for a crossbow shot.
Pfbt!!
Then her flawless backdash kiting into point-blank archery. Xiahou Yuan's combat animations were slick as hell.
"Ngh...."
But Dong Zhuo trading pure brute force with her? That was comedy gold.
'Dong Zhuo's image sells her short—she's actually pretty damn strong.' She clawed her way to respect in that hellhole Xiliang through raw power. Solid martial talent.
So he just had to mark Xiahou Dun.
"Urraaaah!!!"
Xiahou Dun, hyped, pressed him with wild spear swings.
Claaaang!! Clang!!
He tilted his sword to deflect casually, resetting his guard.
'Sparring Zhao Yun paid off.' Against top-tier spear user Zhao Yun, Xiahou Dun's moves felt crude. She wasn't weak, but pure defense? Untouchable.
Bonus: Absolute Ferocity condition ticking up. Nine more deflections to go. Xiahou Dun rice farming was real...!
Clang! Chaang!! Claaang!!
Xiahou Dun's spear barrage kept coming.
"Your swings hesitate."
He bluffed like a pro. Truth? No clue about hesitation. Eh? This is just normal Xiahou Dun?
"Ngh...."
But she took it straight to the heart anyway.
"You know your side's doing heaven-defying trash work, right? You're not fighting for justice. That's what's making you hesitate."
Jackpot—he piled on.
Eloquence: 45
Power of that Eloquence stat from the debater class. Provocation landed clean.
"Grr... Shut up!!!"
Xiahou Dun raged, her strikes turning emotional and sloppy.
Patterns simplified hard: slash, thrust, upward thrust—endless loop.
Deflections got trivial.
The moment he parried her upward thrust.
Absolute Ferocity unlocked!
*Bipah—classic Taiji Sword tree chime*
Whoooosh.
Claaaang!!!
No hesitation post-unlock. He baited her next swing, flicked it aside effortlessly.
Perfectly deflected—then he closed in, slamming his foot down on her spear with full weight.
"Ngh...!"
As Xiahou Dun staggered, he kicked the shaft hard, launching himself up off the recoil.
"Kkkiyaaaak!!"
Full-force overhead smash straight at her spear.
CRAAACK!!!!!
His blade sheared clean through haft and all.
Xiahou Dun: disarmed.
"Y-You're even stronger than before?"
She panicked, scrambling to recover.
He could've ended her right there, but nah.
'Season N reminder: I'm the guy aiming for independence and self-employment someday.' Liu Bei was just a stepping stone. For real security, network across factions. Better to spare Xiahou Dun and Yuan, build Wei ties.
"Go."
He sheathed dramatically, pointing his sword at her.
Game mechanic: Spare a beaten enemy general? Massive favor gain. Even hostile factions—affection separate.
"Grr... Mocking me!!!"
Xiahou Dun glared murderously.
She fumed, but the gains were honest.
Xiahou Dun's favor +13
Xiahou Yuan's favor +7
See? Shooting up. Nobody wants to die.
"Killing you now wouldn't be satisfying."
He grinned with true warrior vibes straight out of manga.
"You're hesitating. When the time comes for an honorable clash, let's burn our lives then."
He sheathed fully, showy as hell.
'Yeah, but I ain't giving you that shot.' When Cao Cao and Liu Bei go full war? He'd be chilling in retirement.
Anyway, the line landed perfect.
Xiahou Dun's favor +20
Xiahou Yuan's favor +14
Favor rocketing. Nice.
"...Fine."
Xiahou Dun sniffled a bit, grabbing her broken spear and standing.
"S-Sis. Let's go."
Xiahou Yuan supported her, backing off.
Bow.
Xiahou Yuan glanced back with doe eyes, bowed, and withdrew.
Huh. Total manga panel. He wanted to pat himself on the back.
Sending them off, he stood tall and proud. Had to milk the cool moment.
But eyes scanned the horizon desperately.
'No way reinforcements are coming, right?' What if they had Qingzhou troops stashed back there? Paranoia check.
Nope—just the two.
"Anyway, Don—Mok Lan. We'll talk on the way back to Xuzhou."
He said it casual.
"Ah. Yeah."
Dong Zhuo trailed him, suicide resolve evaporated, all passive now.
'Ah... What a headache.'
His head throbbed.
-----
Back in Xuzhou City, folks welcomed them.
"Ah!! That's him!! The hero who bought time for us peasants to flee alone!!!"
"The masked warrior!!! You're alive!!!"
"We survived thanks to you!!"
The refugees they'd just evacuated cheered Dong Zhuo.
"Ah, you rascal. I heard the story."
Liu Bei approached grinning amid the survivors, clasping fists before the masked Dong Zhuo.
"I'm glad there's a righteous soul like you."
Liu Bei dug heroes and men of virtue. Mok Lan's tale of valor had won him over big—dude was talent-hungry.
'But bro... that's Dong Zhuo.'
Kim watched their handshake in awkward silence. Anti-Dong Zhuo Coalition's old nemesis.
Then someone came barreling in laughing.
"Hey!! Kim!! Check this out!!! Got something insane!!"
Zhang Fei bounded up like a kid showing off a toy, golden something in hand.
Unique golden helmet, obvious.
"That Zhu Hong guy? Tried grabbing him, snagged the helmet instead. Uhahat!! Skills meh, but helmet's dope!!"
Zhang Fei bragged, laughing.
One of the game's broken items, yoinked casual.
Zhu Hong's helmet. Unexpected haul.