Chapter 255: Tates Valtazar (4)
uz1Sixth Style ShuranHE1
UgiJLJYx Sun Compressionbmhw
HAXui“Who cares about rebirth and revival of the mythology or whatever. Life is valuable. Don’t you dare destroy it just because you want to.”etdjO
Xh8UPHearing that, Tates thought once again how this man had such a good heart that was the pure opposite of him.lfJqrS
Qd11ZXI“It’s only because you think as such that you have the right to fight against me! Come, Korin Lork!”UML
6XPNvnThey swung their spears at one another using the same technique.1Wf5UF
En6VNFTiger’s Gust: Great Demonic Spear of Wind.utp8RIz
sd8I0lIt was a simple sweeping attack that focused only on the pure strength of the attack, and was therefore the most destructive move out of all the Six Ways of the Spear.YhEjYFd
PqoT9Ms– Kwaang!vTmd4j
Xl3zaxjTates was the one that was flung back from the clash. Korin’s body, which had already been amplified by the Precepts, now had the explosiveness of a bomb embedded within.owu5vW
v2kjImHe was like a dynamite that could explode the surroundings.ssS
FlZOl“Aya~”INua5wU
VHr3Despite receiving that explosive attack from the front, Tates didn’t seem all that fazed.srlSDFv
3WYV3Soon, Korin vanished from his sight.95b8
NiDAXdGImmediately upon realizing that, Tates swept across with the spear.9D7
g1aSpinning Heaven: Rotating Demon Spear.IYqPRU
xiy2It was a move that allowed one to defend and counter an enemy attack, but Korin was using not the spear but his Silver Arm for the attack.7B3UkJU
NLFyRaAirgetlam with the power of the Sun compressed inside was heading straight towards Tates.9caVF70
sQgUl– Kugung!Xu8mak
W9BThe heat from the compressed Sun shoved the entire dimension away from it. The layer of aura that Tates put up to defend was pushed all the way back into the World Tree, twisting and disintegrating the tree on the path.wAYf7Yj
mJuZxBlock, defend. Sweep, parry.bVkIl
YbRaqAs a result, everything in the radius around the two of them had been chopped off. It was unavoidable as each sweep of the spear was snapping branches and giving off a shockwave equal to that of a 100-storey building collapsing on the ground.V64d2K
7UbxPfWith his lips distorted into a smile, Tates said to the man in front of him.642XELI
1PhLvnL“I haven’t even used my Shura yet. Work a bit harder. Wasting your energy everywhere is never gonna be enough to beat me. Bring out more of what’s inside.”5sXW
UfcsdHis spear was still spinning. After blocking Korin’s attacks several more times in its rotation, the spear was accelerating even more.4JMDSGh
eS8EEWLPaang!coU8
L8rEventually the force behind the spin was enough to push Korin’s spear back. Korin widened his eyes as the backlash from the failed attack of an immense amount of aura crushed his internal organs.i5D5
ey5Forcing down the mouthful of blood that was about to escape his mouth, Korin took a step back.iTS
Kn5cEUltimately, however, it was a bad decision for him.B2XWO6Z
uWzj1The Spear of Light slithered forth and opened its mouth wide open like a serpent. Korin didn’t have time to pull his spear back to parry the incoming spear.A54iglo
OFQqQo8“Huhp…!”DzLoQ
KxobniHe therefore had to rely on his fist instead. Korin smacked the side of the spear to deviate it away from him, but it came at the cost of blood splashing from his fist.06gNI
vf0PEven Tates was surprised upon seeing that, but the look of surprise was soon replaced by a faint smile.Akhl
7g4tsWithout stopping his fist, Korin continued with Eight Trigrams. He held his wrist against the shaft of the spear and did a spinning kick at the opponent.vuHb4
VLTKmm3When that too was blocked, Korin intertwined his leg against the enemy’s to lock his legs… and jumped closer.HT8t
8nAfJiThe two were now too close for spears to be a threat. Although that was a penalty that applied to both of them, there was a fundamental difference in their equipment.jxIrPS8
xJzWHR0Silver Arm Airgetlam. With the Sun compressed into it, the arm was the undisputed king of strength across the mythology.6Uri
5BbMwLEBut before the Silver Arm that blazed its surroundings was able to reach Tates, Tates’ palm was already on Korin’s chest.OyE
qdXp“Did you think you could beat me in close combat without spears? Don’t forget your essence, spearman.”ANrVyS
nyHQKorin flinched. This situation; this technique was—W0nf
0B3bH3BEight Trigrams: Three Heavenly PalmsDpL
dKvfWThree palm strikes immediately landed on his vitals. Gasping for breath Korin stumbled.yRRw
8efik‘Did he copy my skills? No, he probably knew it already…!’rNrM
a54gThe enemy was a true monster who had repeated hundreds of years of continuous strife. His experience was one that Korin would never be able to reach even if he were to train for the rest of his life.xDF3sI
tO9EHe was too far forward.AOhBDi
SvYMTates was too overwhelmingly powerful and the original game was serving no use.rrZYnm
nPlfdsWas this really winnable?GR3O
e13“Hah…”OMSh
jQeLBbWhile still gasping for breath, Korin smiled. It was a derisive smile at himself.wVz6
hMJIt wasn’t a matter of whether he could win or not – it was a fight he had to win at all costs. Even if he had to bet everything on the line.Ir5EJa
Htey– Grit!7ko
O6xUlHbFaster and even more precise… His spear rapidly headed for Tates’ neck but was half a step too far to reach it.4wFkG
LZqbp6V‘He became quicker?’ Tates thought to himself.jlD
TwqoIt was perhaps more accurate to say that it had become sharper than before. After seeing Tates’ immaculate control over distance several times, Korin seemed to have had a better grasp, and his attacks were becoming closer than before by a tiny yet meaningful margin.3et
C8ajIt was a great display of perceptiveness and besides—gvPGp
76Uj– Kwaaaaang…!!!24dd
3islOThe spear was starting to cry out. The shaft of the spear, crafted using the finest material – the Unbreakable Stone – was screaming out from the sheer amount of power compressed within it.aBbQC
wnvlwdP“You compressed both Aura and the Sun into the spear, huh.”R3Z
MerWThat was a tremendously inefficient move. Despite the ridiculous amount of energy he would have from the Precept, there was still an end to to everything.yQH
n9tHe was already simultaneously using Shura and Sun, which both consumed a ridiculous amount of energy, and yet he was forcing them sealed in his spear.iYgv4
CFJAJ‘That spear itself provides immense pressure.’pFI
RGt4fThe strength behind the spear was so incredible that it couldn’t possibly be blocked from the front.YStsvxI
T7wDespite knowing strength alone wouldn’t be enough, Korin was pushing himself through the limits, but it wasn’t for vain. Tates also had to increase his output to match Korin’s attacks.o9a5f
TAx8mz“I see. You’re telling me to give it my all… huh. Splendid indeed.”vu1
35sS4Tates grinned and awakened the power of his Aura Core and the Spear of Light.1kDRpp
rRpdvHlSixth Style, ShuraF9Xj3x2
CF5gDx Vanquishing Light – AreadbhairHpgu
Sl9p6zLHis abundant aura bloomed into a shape.jWU
JpNRMAlong with the increase of his physical abilities thanks to Shura, the Spear of Light also began to give off an ominously white light.Nurp
kgtnWE9When Tates pointed that spear forward, light emerged from the speartip and barely missed next to Korin’s temples.0AWhcf
wDmN– GOHHHHHH…!Pn8
4C11ah9Nothing remained behind the path of the Vanquishing Light – even the distant clouds of other planets were cracked open.tZo5o
Yx78u“I’ll die if that even touches me,” grumbled Korin.Nz6
xjNa“The same goes for yours. Well, I’m not a fan of scattering and wasting energy around though.”hbjL
4BlJSS2They pointed their spears at their foes once again. The spears with so much power condensed inside that they could destroy heavens and the earths clashed gently, but that alone was enough to shave away at the World Tree and dissipate the nearby clouds.dRbZC
5xyKzkoDespite having that much power, and despite having the powers of gods, they still relied on swinging their spears around.Pv5q9
lSZOrOminous Snake—3Obgzws
CQyP8yOminous Snake—PW1c8
nadrTheir wrists twisted in the same unique way. Korin had to react to Tates’ attack that could come from any direction like a pouncing serpent.owI
GsQNaturally, Tates was both faster and more skilled with the same technique. What mattered therefore was Korin’s ability to predict his movements and move accordingly.BQKR2cE
2eMVRead the opponent’s mind and retaliate.ql3
05VRG– Kagagagak!Mr90
LJB1JnoThe moment they collided, the spears tried to push each other down in Lan Na Zha.RCU
4ikWMt— Clockwise Na Zha3QlaIW
Wod— Anti-clockwise Na ZhakddxMG9
hfkpbEC– Kwagagagak…!8Voxs
5Xp1IJDThe two compressed spears rotated around one another as the force lost its sense of direction and destroyed the surroundings instead.aIixT
G3tGyITates widened his eyes.Jth60
JWlDggE‘This guy…’pfkuv6
PokD6He was becoming more and more enlightened with the spear.bDiI
iUCThe outcome of a battle wasn’t simply decided by strength and technique. What mattered was the ability to react on the fly against attacks that transformed a thousand times every minute, and the only way that was possible was through prediction of the opponent’s movements.j7LR
pREIt was a concept that normal people couldn’t grasp.maqzc
uQcJust like the Domain, it was hard to measure and was more of an unmeasurable concept. Only through countless battles of life and death would one be able to realize and develop that fighting instinct.cPkZ8AC
ZGeDHThe ability to overwhelm every opponent came from that ingenious instinct to respond to every situation on the fly.oLJHQNW
WGI45Korin Lork had that with him.6E1
ltqdIt was an ability that separated him from the previous players who had nothing but strength up their sleeves, and that was what allowed him to close the otherwise-unbreachable gap that existed between him and the pioneer of spearmanship.i3TS
NTMb2LvHe was getting closer and closer.w5DQUwf
RmdOminous Snake: Secret Arts – Distorted MarchnBYB8MC
HvZIcKFor a split moment, Tates couldn’t read the path of the incoming spear. Unable to catch up to the speed of Korin’s growth, he ended up allowing a deadly move but—4vWoU
bllLji— Lan Na ZhaNotmL
bxSsRGThe spear missed its target. Tates twisted himself with half-a-foot of gap between him and the spear, and managed to divert the energy of the enemy’s attack sideways and push the spear down.Rggdng
WlI5G29“I have my fair share of experience, you see.”avPBE8
I9UVgqWhat allowed him to suppress that ability to basically foresee the future was his overwhelming amount of experience. Such speed and ability, Tates had already experienced several times while killing Erin Danua 99 times.zf2kQ
k1EYZ“Run as much as you like. I’ll overtake you soon enough.”m3t
J33t8Flinch!7fai
HfmA0A chill ran down his spine hearing the arrogant claim of the young man.W2oA
YIufyI knew it, Valtazar thought to himself.lWCOz1q
gkNThis was the man.dO8
o8RBThis spearman truly was his destined contender.H6qk
ZFq8gUntil now, he had repeated 99 battles.f934j0B
yJPiHe saw numerous players looking for the most efficient route and monopolizing all the hidden pieces.yAI
NFNsM8They were strong. They were unarguably powerful, but none of them were able to win the acknowledgement of Lia Fail, the world nor Tates Valtazar himself.6acI9
r1D5yAmThey were powerful but at the same time weak.VL3i
pYENEAlthough they were big, the willpower sitting at the core of their hearts were small. They were selfish, egotistic and pathetic creatures who thought they knew everything.JetzM
FZ9f1After 99 battles against people like them, Tates was starting to feel discontent. Were these worthless people with a peaceful mind really my contenders? A hero?t6ztNL
eFXfbHe couldn’t possibly acknowledge them. There was no way that such people could mark the beginning of a mythology.5pqac
34IThey didn’t have dignity.1GS3
4uK7r1– Swish…!6w4
KX7J– Kagang…!HmkjJA
JX3XOnzPower, technique, experience, steps, pacing of breaths, distance control, spearmanship, fists, kicks, runes, aura, mana… Everything was being tested to its limit.tZQd1Qz
jS1mL9mDiving into the gap of the rotating spear, one of them would strike with a fist, while the other would block and kick the opponent away.n52
vfdLGDespite using up so much strength, aura and mana… and although their energies were being depleted with every passing second, neither of the spears were losing their sharpness.LVS72
xem8U6H– Kagak! Kagagak…!CZw
EXbWith every clash, Tates could feel that Korin was growing. Chasing after the pioneer called Tates Valtazar, he was getting closer and closer to his shadows.hhLq
z3ywg4Was I being caught up? Me?GVFQssE
Ylv1m“Kuhuhuhu…!”uN6qOC
g2ZThat baffling realization wasn’t enough to erase the smile on his face. He became more talkative in his joy.WOcj
R7t“Do you know how many of the 99 Park Sihu’s were mages?”nWB50
SkJUC“I don’t care…!”0jpoHwi
gpBKorin was busy trying to catch up, and didn’t have the leeway to respond to his nonchalant question.W2C77Z
wf5uCo6“Around 80. 80 of them chose magic! And the rest? They were just pathetic idiots that tried to use swords just because it looked cool…!emJEy
AIBe“What about the ones that chose magic?” he continued. “It might have been a wise decision for them, but all of them were the same. They were all afraid of fighting.FdnwvB7
Q3pj“They hated clashing! Bleeding! And getting injured! They were meagre brats that wanted to oppress enemies from a safe distance and be praised for being fabulous by their surroundings!”EXD8
WgJKorin asked back, “What’s wrong with wanting to receive some attention!? What are you trying to say?!!”aiyWtZ0
GuUDeXx“You are the only one!” Tates yelled. “Only you…! Have chosen to actually fight! To collide and bleed! To proceed forward with your life on the line! Regardless of injuries!”gNEk84X
ZbYA hundred players there had been, and yet only one of them was a true ‘warrior’.Qh6g1ks
tnszNiX“How could it not be endearing?” Tates continued. “In front of me, there is finally a warrior that is trying to catch up to me even at this moment! How could I, as a Danann…! And as a spearman, possibly hate such a warrior!”09SqD
Rle8“Don’t fall for me! I don’t swing that way!”ixN
zcKThey clashed.nrnO2T
1lNt1SyTesting each other to their limits, they grew and tried to either close or extend the gap between them.FCi
wfiW– Kwagagak…!QRc
rXWF9fBranches of the World Tree were being sliced behind them. Even the branch crumbling beneath them and all the fragments of the tree served as a footing for the two to advance at one another.CKM
x9noPSun and the Light.zjowpn
0v90xvUShura and Shura.iRkWD
7IEMYQThe explosiveness of their overwhelming potential threatened to disintegrate each other’s bodies with each collision.qoIks
GqdTo fight,E1TY
c9ATo fight,Bum7n
scnQAhSAnd overcome him.oGQZx
qroAnd shake him off.MaX
OBqTheir overwhelming attacks clashed and offset one another. In the midst of that energy and firepower, the two people ran straight into the center of the explosion and saw each other doing the same.D6Q
JuXSrWhen they got close to the point that their speartips could reach each other, the two spearmen moved in the same manner.DOqo
NXVISQA stab.FFE
eNCmZThe fastest and the strongest stab.Oqi5s
I8ZHarmonizing the mind, spirit and the body—5jYkoHy
cg9LwCombining the aspirations, Domain and the truth—eEt6Sgi
1vPfyfThey embedded their minds into the spear.3Rtd
Z8EsJ5hPenetration of Every CreationLAh
qcGAYA whole-hearted stab that nothing can block.p5N
nmWVKorin pushed forth with his strongest spear, and the response from Tates was—dUwJKPi
dGEAh7— Penetration of Every Creation.O9myBo
TC42vx““……!!!!””VvTbP
r4KikC6The two of them were shocked, but soon came to an understanding.7Rnh
2c0aCEO‘Every river led to the same sea,’ it was said.SfA
mVpj8hJust like how rivers would reach the same ocean regardless of where they began, it was not a coincidence nor a miracle that the two spearmen reached the same truth.mfsoX
3Yzvx7It was that they both had the same thoughts when it came to the ‘strongest attack’.yyYQP
A34A60– Ka…!nQPaNq
P9CMO– Kang…!quh1e4T
SFnThe spears collided, ripped each other’s palms and bounced out. Left empty-handed, the two of them still did not stop.ILaIoc
5PREven without a spear—tnD9fC
10EqW5bEven though their arm muscles were torn apart; even though it felt like their bodies were being sliced to pieces and their hearts were beating like there was no tomorrow—0ZG
I8Yk1DThe two spearmen did not stop.IV2
f78P5Until they killed each other; until they saw the ending.Yz1L53
JDr2aForward.Dmc1
O0FFearless of being injured.CBQU
nZ9lbNForward.qikT7z
sYBZZPacing their feet, they controlled their balance.RUL
mHMForward.8yZDS
mgFAnd closed the distance – going forward, following the closest trajectory to the enemy’s heart.YNQyi
9BxJSEight Trigrams: Mixed Origin2uSzb
oJxMTEight Trigrams: Fanged Fist1EjFFQ
0WzXP1The deadly punches were blocked by each other’s defense. While glaring at one another with little gap between them, they said to one another.Qsu
nze9“We should still end with a spear, should we not?”uSz24Y
Y6oYAJ“How rare that we have reached the same conclusion.”itRNgz
IBjfRwThey grabbed whatever weapon that was near them that could kill the other person.0StUw
WaoQKdoKorin picked up the Spear of Light,WWN
LLVAnd Tates picked up the Red Spear.LEhf01
YI7Shura, Aura, as well as the mana for the Sun and the Light were all depleted.hJm
M8KevIRWhat would decide the fight now was their spearmanship.ykL
LQ4QA frontal collision where no blocks, dodges or petty tricks could come into play.S26
R676QOminous Snake: Extreme Arts –A2u
AKJOminous Snake: Extreme Arts –Tbt
5v3GDYThe pinnacle of stabbing in Six Ways of the Spear, the Venomous Dragon rearing its head into the Domain.JkUy2B
E6MwLxIt was the quickest spear that prided in its immaculate speed. Their spears collided in the Domain as the aftershock of the clash destroyed and disintegrated everything nearby.ANaT7
5IQtE‘I’ll continue with the second Rearing Head. Let’s see how far we can go…!’SpCyrcf
JgJh0Tates retrieved the spear for a second Rearing Head as a smile of victory creeped up his lips. He quickly activated the second Rearing Head of the Venomous Dragon but it was then.5acB9R
vRS9– Swish120xcX
S87hiKorin’s spear moved gently and naturally like it was normal. The moment it collided against his spear—U3R
2DT– Kwack!zAcXFr
cJ30– Kwagagak…!bexbJ6
OnvDJThe spear penetrated through his neck, chest and shoulder.PUTr
OnZGF9A consecutive attack within the Domain – within the world of suspended time. The attack broke through the obvious common sense that one had to retrieve the spear to follow through with another stab.Nfoawl7
z2oThere was zero void between each attack, and it was a move that Tates knew all too well. Despite knowing it, he still couldn’t comprehend how it was possible.SGyhFxJ
YMSIVHow was Korin Lork using Erin Danua’s Void?ghVAl
d4WJeZKorin LorkMrIw9l4
1jfv9Named HerojgV
SadQ6WvSuccessor of the VoidPgCa4
1pWDE3From the very beginning, Korin had been a user of the ‘truth’ acknowledged by the system. He had two of the strongest ‘truths’ of Penetration and Void.2mWT
ECUic“Don’t you dare think it’s over…!”XbJae
oaLTates continued with the extreme arts of Ominous Snake. Korin, who had come to a momentary stop due to the aftereffect of Void, could not dodge the incoming spear.J8gj
2BLStab!reQwwPb
eddqUQThe Red Spear in Tates’ hands stabbed slightly above where the heart was. Due to the stabs of Void hitting him before, Tates couldn’t keep the spear straight and it missed the heart.Ojk3K
F8f5However, the same applied to the opponent’s attacks.mXJmm
nKen6nuThis wasn’t his first time seeing the Void – in fact, Tates had seen it countless times.jKuVEMs
Tb97It was an incredible skill that allowed several stabs to happen at once, but it came at the cost of reduced accuracy. Although there was a crack in his ribs, his collarbone was crushed and one of his arms was unusable… everything was fine as long as he wasn’t dead.0iy2Hem
e0yIThey simultaneously retrieved their spears. Both of them were in tatters. Although their spears had barely missed each other’s vitals, they were bleeding a ridiculous amount that would have left most people dead.isR
TgdKZd“It’s not over yet!”NDvuliH
zYf6Neither had enough strength for another stab, which left only one option that was both strong and threatening.b78MjLF
Q3c0yThe attack that rotated endlessly before using the force of the spin to suppress the opponent–gpOrKHL
UuZSpinning Heaveno8UqnG1
1IWBEXSpinning HeaveneuNwn
bUYOThey began slicing each other. The turbulent movement of the spear began slicing and cutting each other apart all the while avoiding each other’s spears to an eccentric degree.PtohkE
8mYOnly after countless slices and drops of blood… did Tates get pushed back all the way until he was leaning on the trunk of the World Tree before eventually coming to a stop.hRIr3Sv
26W0Y“…”k96V
dCQg“…”CKv7R
lE1wd2What decided the fight was the set of three wounds from the Void. Despite the problem with accuracy, the three consecutive stabs had already reduced Tates’ body to tatters.Q5ia0
7LdrNpfOn top of that, there was Korin’s [Regeneration of Tenacious Warrior] that let him recover his wounds in real-time albeit by little. That small difference was what allowed him to stay half-a-step forward.59nh
T050t“I won.”gGaVoq9
fSTWhile bleeding from all over his body, Tates looked at the warrior gazing at him.s1vNF
Mpi17tAfter 99 victories, he finally met his enemy on the 100th time. Seeing Korin declare his victory, what Tates felt wasn’t that of humiliation, but that of relief.RyUBE
NRJFlLM“Yeah… Seems like it.”9KzfxQ
AW2SDIt was the end of a wonderful fight that didn’t leave behind a single regret.YwtX
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