novelraw Chapter 194: Epic-Level Skill: Phantom Sword Dance!
Chapter 194: Epic-Level Skill: Phantom Sword Dance!
Chapter 194: Epic-Level Skill: Phantom Sword Dance![Charged Sword Slash] proficiency +50
At times like this, the disadvantage of having a high level actually becomes apparent.
Lin Mo's Mage profession level had already reached level 6, so the proficiency gained from kills was also calculated based on level 6. If his level were just 1 lower, and the opponent was 2 levels higher than him, he could have gained an additional 50% proficiency.
But even without that bonus, combined with the numerous gains from the previous battle, the proficiency progress for the [Charged Sword Slash] skill was almost full.
[Charged Sword Slash] Lv6 (273/300)
Almost there, it was almost about to level up!
This skill that had accompanied Lin Mo for so long was finally about to reach max level, complete its evolution, and become his second Epic-level skill!
In this situation, how could Lin Mo possibly wait?
Therefore, after quickly collecting the loot from that Silver Goblin, he immediately rushed toward the place where his Shadow Split had disappeared - where the other Silver Goblin had appeared.
At the moment before his Shadow Split vanished, he had already seen Sherfilia making her move.Sherfilia's strength was certainly not weak, but that Silver Goblin was also a Lord-level magical creature, and most likely had the same bloodline talent protection as the goblin Lin Mo had just fought. Sherfilia's assassination attempt might not go so smoothly.
Of course, the most important thing was that Lin Mo wanted to get some proficiency from it.
Proficiency from a level 9 magical creature! It had to be known that killing magical creatures 2 levels higher than you gave additional proficiency bonuses, and level 9 creatures were 3 levels higher than Lin Mo! In theory, the bonus should be even greater.
But the leveling up and evolution of the [Charged Sword Slash] skill shouldn't wait until then.
Along the way, Lin Mo casually dealt with several goblins with threat levels of 3-4 that he spotted.
Besides leveling up [Charged Sword Slash] to max, he also gained a bit of proficiency for the [Shadow Strike] skill.
"Skill [Charged Sword Slash] Lv6 (300/300) has leveled up!"
"Current skill [Charged Sword Slash] Lv7 (Max)."
"Gained attribute points: Strength +5!"
"Automatically evolved into new skill - Phantom Sword Dance!"
"Learned skill [Phantom Sword Dance]! Strength +3, Agility +2!"
An Exceptional-Grade skill reaching max level gave 5 attribute points. With these 5 Strength points, Lin Mo's base Strength attribute reached 52 points, meeting the standard for level 5. ＲåƝŎβЁ𝙎
Immediately following, the new skill [Phantom Sword Dance] evolved from [Charged Sword Slash] also provided Lin Mo with another 5 attribute points.
However, this time only 3 of the 5 points were Strength, with 2 points being Agility, which was somewhat unusual.
It seemed that [Phantom Sword Dance] might be a skill somewhat related to Agility?
Lin Mo first glanced at the promotion message.
"Promotion conditions met, profession Warrior (lv4) promoted - current profession Warrior (lv5)"
"Gained profession attribute bonuses: Strength +2, Agility +2, Constitution +2!"
The attribute bonuses given by the Warrior profession were relatively balanced.
That's why this profession was quite effective when dealing with opponents weaker than oneself, as there were relatively few weaknesses in attributes.
But when facing opponents stronger than oneself, it could feel somewhat awkward due to the lack of standout strengths.
Simply put, high floor, low ceiling - quite suitable as a mass profession, and there was a reason it could become the profession with the most practitioners on the continent.
Skipping past these messages, what came next was the main event.
Another Epic-level skill!
This was Lin Mo's second Epic skill after [Shadow Split], and he had already gained a deep understanding of just how powerful the [Shadow Split] skill was.
Moreover, unlike [Shadow Split] which was a highly functional skill, just from the name [Phantom Sword Dance], one could tell this was a pure damage-dealing skill!
Looking at the noble purple color of the skill icon, Lin Mo examined it carefully with excited anticipation -
[Phantom Sword Dance] Lv1 (0/20): Channel Qi and Blood into Sword Energy, unleashing swift consecutive slashes at the enemy, with the final strike dealing additional burst damage based on the number of Sword Energy hits landed previously!
Note: Sword Energy generation and flight speed are related to own Agility attribute. Maximum Sword Energy count is 5 + Agility/15. Each Sword Energy hit increases final burst damage by 3% when the final Sword Energy hits. As long as at least one Sword Energy has hit the enemy previously, the final strike gains "Guaranteed Hit" effect against the main target!
"Hiss—!"
Lin Mo drew a sharp breath.
The newly acquired Epic-level skill [Phantom Sword Dance] was very similar in form to his previous [Cross Slash] and [Charged Sword Slash], sharing many similarities - all being high-frequency damage skills.
But [Phantom Sword Dance] was not only stronger than [Charged Sword Slash], it also didn't require charging, instead being unleashed directly. You could unleash as many Sword Energy strikes as you wanted until reaching the maximum limit, and it also solved the problem of insufficient burst damage for this type of skill, with an additional "damage calculation" mechanism at the end.
Even this final, most painful strike came with a "Guaranteed Hit" effect, absolutely impossible to miss.
Two words - invincible!
Without a doubt, this was a skill with terrifyingly high potential.
If the user's Agility attribute was high enough, they could even unleash dozens or even hundreds of Sword Energy strikes, with each Sword Energy adding extra damage to the final strike. Dozens of Sword Energy strikes stacked together... the power was simply unimaginable.
However, this was also the biggest problem with this skill.
Namely, the hard requirement for "Agility" attribute, or rather, the strength of this skill was largely tied to the Agility attribute. Both the generation and flight speed of Sword Energy and the maximum number of Sword Energy strikes were related to Agility attribute.
Although the Warrior profession was relatively balanced in attributes, it ultimately still focused primarily on Strength attribute. Agility attribute might not be very low, but it couldn't be considered particularly high either.
So in the hands of an ordinary warrior, while this skill would still be quite powerful, it would ultimately be difficult to reach the skill's true potential.
But for Lin Mo, seeing such a requirement made him absolutely delighted.
Agility attribute? He had plenty!
Next, as per tradition, there was the evolution direction selection for this skill.
Please choose evolution direction -
Evolution Path 1: Sword Dance I: Maximum Sword Energy count changed to 6 + Agility/14
Evolution Path 2: Target Lock I: "Guaranteed Hit" Sword Energy count adjusted to the final 3 strikes
What to say?
Evolution Path 2, the effect of the "Target Lock" attribute, could to some extent improve the stability of this skill, while Evolution Path 1 was purely a numerical improvement, increasing the maximum Sword Energy count.
One was a mechanical enhancement, the other was a numerical improvement...
In the end, Lin Mo still decided to choose Evolution Path 1.
The reason was simple - Sword Energy flight speed was related to Agility. For ordinary warriors with insufficient Agility attribute, Sword Energy might not fly fast enough, requiring "Guaranteed Hit" to improve hit rate. But Lin Mo's Agility attribute was high enough, so he felt he didn't really need this.
Might as well choose the numerical improvement, which was more practical.
Moreover, Lin Mo's current total Agility attribute was 84 points. With the original 5 + Agility/15, that would be 5 + 5.6 = 10.6, but there was no such thing as half a Sword Energy, so it would only be ten strikes.
After the improvement from Evolution Path 1's "Sword Dance I" attribute, 84/14 exactly equaled 6, so Lin Mo could unleash 6 + 6 = 12 Sword Energy strikes, increasing by two strikes at once.
What was there to hesitate about?
Lin Mo directly made his choice, then continued rushing toward the other side, the direction where his Shadow Split had disappeared.
Just as the battle for Silverstream City was raging intensely, something was also happening under the night sky in Lania City.
"Haha, I never thought we'd get such a great bargain!"
"Who would have thought? These were all 'collected' with great difficulty, but before we could only watch as they were sent to those ugly goblins - such a waste."
"Shh—! Watch your mouth. Play around all you want, but don't casually discuss the decisions from above, or you might lose your head."
"Yes, yes... thank you for the reminder, brother."
That person belatedly realized his mistake, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
"Alright, alright, today is a happy day, let's not talk about these things. Come on, we have to enjoy ourselves tonight... brothers, pick whichever one you like, but remember to save the prettiest ones - the bosses might come over later."
"Brother, you're so thoughtful. With a brain like yours, you'll probably be promoted soon."
"Yes, yes, when that time comes, please don't forget about us, give us some guidance."
"Easy, easy..."
That person was also somewhat carried away by the praise, waving his hand as if he were already a leader.
They entered the gang headquarters, coming to a sealed basement through a hidden passage.
Torches hung on the walls, and by the faint firelight, they quickly moved through the long corridor.
Thinking about what was about to happen, every one of them was excited, their steps noticeably faster than usual.
"I saw this batch of goods before - the quality is really high. Apparently, there are even a few daughters of fallen minor nobles among them."
"Really? Then I'll have to carefully appreciate them. I never thought we'd get to taste nobility one day!"
Amid the discussion, they arrived at a dimly lit dungeon.
Torches also hung on the dungeon walls, but not inside the cells, to prevent those imprisoned from using them to commit suicide.
The leading gang member held a torch, shining it through the iron bars.
In this cell, three or four young girls were imprisoned, heavy iron chains binding their bodies, restraining their hands and feet in a spread-eagle position.
And in this dungeon, there were dozens of cells just like this one.
Seeing these men, the girls' bodies trembled involuntarily, but they couldn't speak because, to prevent them from committing suicide, their mouths were also gagged.
"Hehehe..."
The gang members couldn't help but laugh strangely: "Little beauties, you're quite lucky. The original plan had some deviations, so you don't have to be sent to the goblin nests anymore."
As these words fell, surprise appeared in many girls' eyes, quickly turning to delight and relief.
The leading guy watched the changes in the girls' expressions, his smile becoming increasingly twisted: "But unfortunately, this doesn't mean you're saved. The higher-ups require us to dispose of all of you. But don't worry, before that, we'll let you experience being women properly."
"Hahaha! This way, you can die without regrets, right?"
The group behind him also laughed along, and in the midst of their arrogant laughter, the faint hope that had just sprouted in the girls' eyes was once again shrouded in the gloom of despair.
"Well said! Accept our 'blessing' with gratitude!"
"Enough, enough, don't waste time with so much talk. More people will probably come later, let's start enjoying ourselves quickly."
"Right, while there aren't many people around, let's have some fun quickly... Where are the keys? Hurry up and bring the keys to open the door."
"The keys are with me."
A gang member said this while reaching toward his waist.
But the next moment, he suddenly couldn't feel his hand anymore.
A very peculiar feeling, as if his hand had suddenly fallen off.
He looked down and, by the faint firelight, happened to see his hand fall to the ground.
"Even getting keys takes so long. Don't tell me you'll finish faster than it takes to pull out the keys!"
"..."
His companions' urging still couldn't snap him out of his daze, until the intense pain finally washed over him.
After a brief silence, a piercing scream erupted from his mouth.
"Someone's here!"
After all, they were people accustomed to fighting and killing, so they immediately reacted, drawing their weapons and vigilantly looking around.
"Ah—!"
Another scream suddenly sounded. Everyone turned to look and saw that someone's leg had been very abruptly cut off. He immediately lost balance, falling to the ground, blood gushing out as he held his wound, crying and wailing in pain.
"Sir, although I don't know your purpose, I still advise you to think carefully. Our Great Boss will be here soon - he has strength close to a level 5 Professional. And everyone in Lania City knows that the Bloodsea Gang's background is unfathomable."
It was still that guy who thought himself clever. He maintained his composure, trying to make the other party hesitate through such communication.
But this was clearly useless. The next moment, he felt his neck become slightly cold, and then his perspective suddenly began to rotate.
The sound of a head hitting the ground echoed in the enclosed space.
The Bloodsea Gang members' fear was once again amplified.
But the figure hidden in the darkness was like the approaching Grim Reaper, unhurriedly dealing with them one by one, not missing a single one. Those who had been intentionally left alive earlier were also finished off.
Clear footsteps sounded again at the dungeon entrance.
A figure wearing a purple magic robe slowly walked in. Looking at the scene before her, she couldn't help but raise her head: "Isn't this a bit too bloody? Shaya."
A slender figure suddenly appeared before her: "For these scum, this is already letting them off easy."
"Haha..."
Flora laughed: "Of course, I'm just afraid you might scare these girls."
The girl called Shaya seemed to realize this problem too, somewhat awkwardly scratching her head: "Then... then what should we do?"
Instantly, that cold, expert feeling from before completely dissipated, as if she had turned into an idiot.
Flora shook her head: "It's already like this, no use worrying about it anymore. Let's quickly rescue them all."
As she spoke, blazing flames appeared in her hand, melting the nearby iron bars through sheer heat.
Although this made the dungeon temperature rise significantly, and the girls were sweating profusely from the heat, they still looked at the scene with excited faces.
They had been waiting in despair in this dungeon for several days, even witnessing some of those who came before them being taken away, sent to the goblin nests in the forest...
They thought it was already unchangeable, and when they heard those guys' words earlier, amidst their despair, they actually felt somewhat fortunate.
But now they were actually going to be saved.
A hero had truly descended from the heavens to rescue them!
"Thank you, thank you..."
Shaya used the dagger in her hand to easily cut through those thick, heavy chains.
Chains as thick as the girls' forearms were like soft pudding before her, easily cut through with precision that wouldn't harm them at all.
Flora nearby helplessly facepalmed, picking up the keys from the ground to unlock the chains.
This girl was really hopelessly stupid...
This time, since Flora had been delayed in returning and had written letters to the royal capital, Shaya had specifically come over, providing Flora with significant help.
After all, Flora was a mage. Although her strength was indeed considerable, tasks like stealth, tracking, and intelligence gathering were clearly not her forte.
Having a professional at such times was very important for her investigation work.
With Shaya's help, plus having the Bloodsea Gang as a known breakthrough point, they had indeed discovered clues.
Shaya suddenly stopped moving, looking toward the underground passage ahead.
Sure enough, after a dozen seconds, footsteps could be heard from ahead.
"Something's wrong, why is it so quiet?"
The newly appointed Great Boss of the Bloodsea Gang, who had brought his core subordinates to also come relax, suddenly realized something - those guys coming here to play would absolutely not be this quiet.
Could something have happened?
Sure enough, he soon smelled a strong scent of blood, then very seriously drew his weapon, standing ready and looking ahead.
"Everyone be careful!"
He reminded in a low voice.
The people following him were, after all, elites of the Bloodsea Gang, so they all became alert, drawing their weapons and advancing cautiously.
But whether they were careful or not actually made no difference, because just as they were about to approach the prison area, a flash of red light suddenly appeared in their vision.
The next moment, surging flames burst forth, almost completely blocking the entire underground passage.
Without giving them any time to react, the flames instantly swept past them.
The scorching temperature made the new Great Boss' face fill with horror.
If the flames hadn't suddenly split open a "gap" just before reaching him, he himself would probably have met the same fate.
"Why did you leave one?"
Shaya asked somewhat puzzled.
"Keeping him naturally has its use..."
Flora couldn't be bothered to explain to her - not to badmouth her own sister, but explaining things clearly to her would probably be quite effort-consuming.
The reason they were conducting these investigations was partly to rescue these innocent girls and crush the Lawrence Family's conspiracy, and partly to collect evidence of crimes.
And someone like this Bloodsea Gang leader before them was clearly a very good "witness."
So, he really needed to stay alive for now...
Flora and Shaya then unhurriedly rescued all the girls, taking them out of the dungeon first.
The fresh air made these girls' eyes fill with tears. They embraced each other, and for a while, the sounds of crying and confiding could be heard continuously.
Flora stayed in the dungeon, looking at the Great Boss who had only recently taken office.
"I..."
The Great Boss showed a terrified expression. Through the previous attack, he had already understood that this was not an opponent he could contend against.
"If I talk, will you spare my life?"
"If you don't talk, you'll die immediately."
Flora looked at him coldly: "If you talk, maybe not necessarily, you can choose for yourself."
Even without his testimony, with those girls still here, the situation with the Bloodsea Gang could already prove many things.
Having him would only speed up the process of bringing down the Lawrence Family.
"This..."
The other party clearly fell into hesitation.
"I'll only give you five seconds. After five seconds, I'll burn you to ashes bit by bit."
"Wait, I'll talk, I'll talk..."
Without even waiting for Flora to start counting down, feeling the searing temperature and recalling his subordinates' miserable state, he immediately became afraid and panickedly said: "Don't kill me, I'll tell you everything I know."
Even if talking didn't guarantee survival, it was still better than being burned to death immediately...