132. Lightning and Fire Arrow
The mana slowly flowing through my body precisely informed me of my physical condition. My body had truly been sliced in two once. That damned cheating axe had severed my spine without any resistance. But the system's protection via HP, that vague function preventing fatal wounds, had kept me alive in that state. Immediately after, Super Regeneration and Indomitable activated, barely reconnecting the severed bones. I was forcibly manipulating a body that shouldn't be able to move at all, using mana.
Clang! I deflected Asterios's axe and leaped back a step. Excruciating pain surged through my entire body. Of course it did—I'd forced a body beyond miracles, one that absolutely shouldn't move, to do just that. And not just move, but block that insane axe.
"Hah... haha."
But instead of the groan that should have escaped my lips, laughter spilled out. A life crisis on a level I'd never experienced before, and the evolution achieved within it—how could I not be thrilled?
Thud! Thud! Thud! Asterios charged at me again to close the distance. A ferocious rush full of valor, followed by a strike. He'd deployed Mana Reinforcement, achieving tremendous speed, but to me now, it looked like slow motion.
How could I deal with that attack in this body condition? I had time to ponder it hundreds of times over.
"This'll do."
I manipulated the mana released through Mana Reinforcement, weaving it into a specific shape. A radial conical form. Arranging each mana particle exactly as desired to form a geometric shape was incredibly complex, but I had plenty of time. I lightly deflected the incoming axe with my aura-clad sword, then used the conically arranged mana to parry it further. It was like creating a shield in midair. And parrying with a shield was one of my specialties.
Kaboom! Mana fragments shattered into a thousand pieces amid a barrage of lightning; even though I'd successfully deflected it, an enormous shockwave exploded. The muscles around my arms and wrists felt like they were shriveling up. As expected, it was too powerful to take head-on.
Asterios swung his axe again. I slowly confirmed the sluggish motion, contemplated the optimal response, and executed it.
Clang! I deflected the axe once more with my aura-clad sword and dove deep into his guard.
[Weak Point Perception]
His solar plexus was clearly visible. Thanks to the effect of [Weak Point Perception], I instinctively knew where to target. The precise performance of the leveled-up skill marked the opponent's vulnerable spots. And striking that spot with perfect timing would force a critical hit judgment. I'd rarely had chances to trigger forced criticals until now, but this time, it seemed possible.
In this world flowing in slow motion, I could see the path of my punch, clad in Iron Wall, as it extended. I slowly corrected its trajectory along the most precise route, concentrating mana at the exact timing for the perfect strike. Not with my sword, but a bare fist forming solid aura and thrusting forward.
BOOM!!! An explosive roar that made my eardrums throb, accompanied by a burst of red effects. My strike pierced through the defensive power of his Mana Reinforcement effortlessly, sending Asterios flying far away to crash into the ground.
Passive Skill: Thought Acceleration has reached Level 7.
The moment I'd been bisected by the axe wasn't a near-death experience or a life-flashing-before-my-eyes hallucination. It was an illusion born from utmost concentration pushed to its limits in an unprecedented crisis. I'd split the mere few seconds into simulations in my mind.
My concentration had broken through the limits of my flesh.
Blue notification windows popped up one after another before my eyes. Passive skills like [Combat Awakening] skyrocketed in level, and [Mana Control] and [Mana Reinforcement] leveled up too. I'd clearly leaped several realms at once. As expected, I grow faster the more danger I'm in.
Roooaaarrr!! Asterios, flung far away and smashed into the ground, let out a roar. In response, his axe scattered lightning in all directions. Probably entering phase 3—my strike had shaved off a ton of his HP. Now, golden lines resembling veins etched across his body, and lightning emanated from his entire form. Instinctively, I knew what change had occurred. He'd distributed the power dwelling in the axe to his body. Following Mana Reinforcement, all his specs had jumped once more. But as a trade-off, the axe’s transcendent attack power must have dropped.
Vmmm! The aura cloaking my sword resonated with his mana. I let the vibrations from the resonance guide my mana.
[Lightning Charge]
Crackle! The skill activated, and my aura took on lightning properties. A stinging sensation flowed from my sword hand into my muscles. My body couldn't withstand the mana. It felt like gripping a stripped wire. My HP had recovered a bit, but my body was still on the brink of death.
An HP amount that would normally mean you're on the verge of death, but I had no intention of waiting for it to recover. My mind was razor-sharp. Fleeing and waiting for recovery would mean I couldn't maintain this state. My spine was still barely connected, and the blood loss had already exceeded all reason. Clashing weapons head-on might snap my tenuously held waist in the shockwave. But I could feel it. I was certain. In this battered state, I was stronger than I'd ever been before.
Crackle! Zap zap! Asterios's silhouette, golden lightning clinging to his body, was worthy of being called a thunder god. The momentum as he kicked off the ground and charged wasn't like a rampaging bull—it was like witnessing living lightning hurtling straight at me. Like a bolt of lightning fired forth, toward the frontal assault—
I too blasted the ground beneath me and charged to meet him.
Clang! Kaboom! Clashing weapons, torrents of mana crashing like waves and upheaving the surroundings. The aftermath of our battle was already akin to a natural disaster.
The sky screamed, and the upturned earth collapsed in ruin once more.
"Ooooh!!"
"Aaaah!!"
In unison, we roared as our gleaming weapons collided. Scattered mana and lightning swept the area again. How many times had I been struck by that aftermath? My lightning-seared organs writhed in agony. But my opponent was in no better shape. Asterios's body was crumbling under the strain of the reinforcement. In this desperate battle of attrition, the island was beyond devastated—it was obliterated. Soil and sand had entirely evaporated, and the labyrinth structures and natural trees left no trace. The surroundings were nothing but rocks, rocks, rocks—scattered debris like after a nuclear strike. The island's surface had been completely stripped away.
The battle, raging for dozens of minutes since I'd awakened my aura, finally showed signs of ending.
My HP, repeatedly dropping and recovering, sat at this amount. Other challengers would call surviving with HP whittled to this point a brush with death—but not me. No matter my body's state, I could forcibly move it with mana. It posed no hindrance to the fight, so despite the numbers, it was practically full condition.
But what about Asterios? His axe's destructive power and attack strength, his physical agility and strength—all undiminished. Yet, unable to withstand the recoil of sustaining that output, he was slowly approaching death. I'd already won this fight. I could just dodge moderately without even trading blows.
"...Ending it like that would be a shame."
But I gripped my sword tightly. Facing Asterios charging with his axe head-on, I focused my mind. I'd manifested aura and used it in real combat right away, roughly grasping the knack. But unlike aura, I'd never even attempted this technique before, and I'd only seen it once with my own eyes. What were the odds of success? I might fail spectacularly and get cleaved by his axe. Still, I might not get another chance to master it without this maximally heightened state. Fail and die? Even better. I'd always grown faster in danger. This time, I trusted myself.
[Thought Acceleration]
In the slowed world, I controlled the flowing mana particles to prepare the technique. In reality, an instant; subjectively, hours might pass before the world returned to normal. Exactly three steps away, the thunder god shot toward me like a bullet.
Roooaaarrr!! Toward Asterios, roaring with golden lightning cloaking him, I swung my sword downward. Still too far for the blade to reach, but the vertical sword beam naturally cleaved the air and shot forth. With a red critical effect, it rent Asterios's body.
Slash!
Passive Skill: Aura Mastery has reached Level 2.
Sword beam, acquired.