novelraw Chapter 347: Crimson Form
Chapter 347: Crimson Form
At the round table meeting, everyone's gazes focused on the camera hanging from Pelu's waist.
These countless stares all seemed to say:
"You're the chosen one, Pelu!"
"Maybe I shouldn't have reported about Lady Oli's children holding those pleasure parties in the Goldenfinch Kingdom... it seems to have damaged the Magic Bullet Family's reputation..." "I've committed so many misdeeds in Moonstone City, maybe I deserve to die..." Pelu softly defended herself:
"I am a reporter, not a messenger..."
Oli tapped her finger lightly on the table:
"Oh~, Pelu, you're a little... cutie. Plus, Captain Palu is your friend, we trust you."
After speaking, Lady Oli snapped her fingers.
A man brought out a special weapon case, on which intricate azure gears could be seen.
Everyone showed looks of envy - the patterns on that weapon case indicated it was the highest quality weapon from the Magic Bullet Family!Such weapons were created using origin bullets from A-tier rift magic bullets, and the Magic Bullet Family could only forge one every two years.
The man forcibly stuffed the weapon case into Pelu's hands.
Lady Oli said:
"A gift for the Black Hunter. Don't let it get stolen. When necessary, you can also use it to protect yourself. However, Miss Pelu, you have your own ways of protection.
After all, you're the chief reporter of the White Pigeon Press, quite capable in fighting..."
"More like capable of enduring beatings..." Pelu corrected mentally, glancing at her white-haired boss from the White Pigeon Press and the smirking reporter Lilith.
The white-haired boss of the White Pigeon Times waved his hand:
"Pelu, have a safe journey. You're about to get promoted, just needing one big news that shocks the Witch Sea. May the Black Hunter help with your promotion."
Lilith also forced out a smile:
"The news from the Rift Sea is all major news! Sister Pelu, your newspaper sales will definitely surpass mine, although it's difficult since I'm a reporter for the Witch Times..."
Pelu looked around at everyone. It seemed she didn't have much choice.
Cause too much trouble, and eventually you'll face retribution.
Moreover, her constitution was special. Although not strong in combat, when it came to enduring beatings, she was top-tier, making her indeed very suitable for finding the Black Hunter.
She smiled bitterly and accepted the equipment:
"No choice then. I really haven't seen the Black Hunter and Palu for a long time anyway."
At this moment, Disaster Messenger Rose coughed a few times:
"Miss Pelu, to enter the Witch's Coffin, you need to cross the boundary between the White Tower Sea and the Witch Sea - the Great Glacier.
That's already the border, the territory of the Book Tower. There, you might find them.
My apprentice An has gone to the Book Tower and will settle on 106th Street of the Book Tower. If you encounter problems, you can try writing to her for help."
"Oh, and if possible, I hope you can help collect some information about the Azure Beast. According to our Meteorological Bureau's observations, the Azure Beast has been in contact with the Blackfin Crew and is heading toward the Witch's Coffin..."
There's also that monster, the Azure Beast! Pelu cracked a melon seed with her teeth and said with a bitter smile:
"Leave it all to me."
After handing matters to Pelu, the merchants at the round table meeting breathed a sigh of relief.
Lady Oli closed her eyes, continuously tapping the table.
It was precisely because they lacked saint-level combat power that the Witch Sea had become unbalanced.
Now, there were too many rampant souls in the Witch Sea that needed harvesting.
She hoped that before that Saint arrived, the Black Hunter and the Witch wouldn't cause any major incidents, especially not releasing that monster, the Ice Witch...
Hopefully... Lady Oli prayed devoutly in her heart.
……
Noon, on the Ghost Ship.
Burry with heavy dark circles under his eyes was strengthening the ship. Little Crow hid on Water Spirit No.5, thirstily flipping through the Flower Witch's medicine-making books.
Fen was in the center of the deck, with Water Spirit No.2 on her head, motionless, practicing life meditation techniques.
One seagull after another landed on her.
On the nearby ship, the crew of the Ice Demon Pirates were also continuously testing various weapons and practicing more skills.
The danger level of A-tier rifts was far beyond what ordinary people could withstand. Even Palu, who mastered domains, couldn't guarantee his own safety.
And as captain, he bore more responsibility.
He needed to be stronger. Inside the Witch's Coffin, witches would receive preferential treatment. If I could become the Ice Witch... this is too difficult, but I must try... Palu looked at the photo in his hand and shook his head.
The sunlight is nice... Chen Qi gently stroked the lamp-moon sea dragon's forehead, and while the sea dragon showed a comfortable expression, he took the opportunity to pluck the newly grown sea fruit from the lamp-moon sea dragon!
Skillful hands!
Another ultra-rare lamp-moon sea fruit!
"Wuwuwu!"
The lamp-moon sea dragon reacted, nearly crying. That was its essential weapon for hunting, everything in its dragon life!
Without weapons, without hunting, it could only idle away waiting for death, becoming a dead fat dragon.
"Ahem, I'll buy you premium dog food... no, dragon food!"
The lamp-moon sea dragon meowed and calmed down.
After comforting it, Chen Qi stored the lamp-moon sea fruit.
Then he went to Fen's alchemy room and took a freshly made bottle of Lamp Sea medicine.
Chen Qi drank the Lamp Sea medicine.
After taking the Lamp Sea potion, he could intuitively feel the changes in his muscles and the clarity in his brain!
This clarity gave him confidence that he could learn any knowledge.
Whether it was transcendent knowledge, or advanced mathematics or programming and design!
Chen Qi's heart filled with confidence as he began planning his next steps.
Theoretically speaking, relying on Fen's status as the protagonist of the Witch Sea, plus Fen's unparalleled healing abilities as a support, his chances of getting into trouble inside the Witch's Coffin were extremely low.
But if he wanted to seek more transcendent resources, especially resources for domains, arrival skills, and resources for advancing to Saint, he absolutely needed to master powerful legendary releases.
They would depart tomorrow. Recently, the storms at sea were getting stronger, sea beast tides were increasing, plus the war - reaching the Witch's Coffin might take over two weeks... Chen Qi planned in his heart.
During this time, he needed to train the Coastal Apex Predators while simultaneously mastering the Rift Slash and the new abilities of the Frenzied Blood Bone!
Under normal circumstances, it would be impossible to master two completely new release skills within two weeks, even for Book affinity transcendents.
But with the Lamp Sea medicine and the Hunter's Fire enhancement, this wasn't an impossible task.
During this time, he had also acquired something good.
Chen Qi entered the bedroom and took out a 'Dream Learning Method' book, reading for three hours.
This was a book he bought from Jin Li using a bottle of Lamp Sea medicine. Its function was to allow skill learning in dreams.
Spiritual Core and inspiration also corresponded to the strength of the mental world.
The Dream Learning Method was a study method that only Lamp, Book, and Ice affinity transcendents could practice.
This was a quite useful skill for fourth-tier legends, especially for transcendents with high inspiration.
[You have mastered Dream Learning Method Lv1.]
After studying for a long time, Chen Qi took out the skill card for 'Rift Slash', then slowly closed his eyes and entered dreamland.
In that instant, his surroundings abruptly changed, and he found himself on a huge reef.
The sound of waves splashed against his pants legs.
And before his eyes appeared a small flame.
Hunter's Fire... Chen Qi opened his eyes and looked at the smooth reef before him.
A solitary island in the sea, a perfect training ground.
I kill in my dreams... Chen Qi stretched his muscles and bones, sensing this world.
The surging blue seawater, the slightly cool breeze, the warm sunlight...
This feeling was incredibly real, but at the same time, he was perfectly clear that he was dreaming.
But ultimately, it's just a dream.
Saint-level existences can truly create a world connected to themselves... Chen Qi took a deep breath.
Learning knowledge through dreams was a common ability for Book and Lamp affinity transcendents.
In dreams, one could recklessly use their own abilities!
Chen Qi didn't hesitate. Almost instantly, dark ten-meter tentacles burst from his back.
The twelve tentacles wriggled in the air. His originally human-sized form instantly became filled with a terrifying sense of danger and absurdity, like a monster from the deep sea.
This was his most commonly used combat form currently. In this form, his combat power increased exponentially.
The dark-fire hand could comprehensively strengthen him, plus his natural immunity to mental attacks - in terms of pure stat clashes between legends, he had almost no weaknesses.
Compared to stat-based combat, he was more afraid of the Black Death Doctor's black death poison, and moves like the Flower Witch's life drain.
These insidious moves weren't uncommon among legends, especially for transcendents who had reached Palu's level - their abilities were no longer pure strength, but displayed some extremely strong special characteristics.
Without prior preparation, the Black Death Doctor's poison could easily kill him, Palu's curse dice could weaken him, and Fen could easily drain him dry...
Right now, I'm just a pure stat monster... Chen Qi couldn't help but sigh.
Hopefully, the Rift Slash ability can let me master some special abilities.
Then, he took out the 'Rift Slash' skill card.
Chen Qi summoned a thread of flame with his hand.
This was the Hunter's Fire, a reward from his profession card quests that could help him quickly comprehend skills.
As expected, its comprehension method was similar to the Dream Learning Method... Chen Qi gently placed the flame in his hand onto the Rift Slash skill card.
However, he wasn't clear about the specific manifestation.
He saw the Hunter's Fire instantly devour the card, then violently burst into flames, converging into a tall burning human figure!
The 'flame' held a hunter's long knife, resembling the legendary Deep Sea Hunters!
Practical teaching? Chen Qi was shocked - this was the ability of 'Hunter's Fire'.
The hunter whose whole body was burning with flames held the long knife and simply said one word:
"Learn."
Swish!
The Hunter's Fire swung the long knife and fiercely thrust out a slash.
This slash seemed ordinary, but it tore through space!
Space was cut open with a bloody wound, from which came the sobbing sounds of infants. From within that wound, icy cold air continuously emerged...
Instantly, the entire world changed color, dyed with a layer of faint blue melancholy.
Then, the burning long knife pointed directly at Chen Qi's forehead!
Clang!
Chen Qi didn't hesitate, swinging his knife to block.
However, he suddenly discovered that his body had become extremely slow, like a snail.
His consciousness hadn't slowed down, but his speed had decreased by at least ten times.
So cold, so cold... Chen Qi stared at the spatial rift wound in the air, struggling to adapt to this extreme cold feeling.
The Hunter's Fire before him accelerated again, slashing out hundreds of strikes!
Completely impossible to see clearly, only countless afterimages visible... Chen Qi's pupils slowly contracted.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
The fire knife was so fast that it formed hundreds of sharp streams of light on his body!
One second passed, and his body suddenly had over five hundred additional wounds!
"Learn."
The Hunter's Fire sheathed the long knife.
In an instant, Chen Qi's body was chopped into a thousand-layer pancake, torn apart!
Swish!
However, after a brief moment, his body restored itself to normal, and he could move again.
"Huff, huff, huff..."
Chen Qi gasped for breath heavily, struggling to recall that previous strike.
This was in a dream, so pain perception would be greatly reduced, but that previous strike still made his body tremble and his heart stop.
That feeling of his body's speed being unable to keep up with his consciousness was simply bone-chilling and unbearable.
If this were reality, having taken this move, he would already be dead.
This is the Ice Witch's skill card, a release comparable to domains, no, it itself must lead to a special domain... Chen Qi adjusted his breathing and reassumed a defensive stance.
The Hunter's Fire was demonstrating Rift Slash for him. In this method, his improvement speed was unmatched by other transcendents.
Experience with the body, comprehend with the body...
Getting beaten is the best teaching method!
Chen Qi again assumed a defensive posture.
The Hunter's Fire also again assumed an iaido stance, then stepped forward, instantly slashing!
The blade's energy cut open wounds in the world, and with the enhancement of ice energy, the Hunter's Fire moved freely!
I'm like a fish on the chopping block, only able to watch the butcher knife approach, completely unable to resist... Chen Qi tried to awaken his body's instincts, resisting the extreme cold feeling.
Swish!
However, currently, he completely lacked the ability to counter Rift Slash.
His body was once again cut into apple pie by the Hunter's Fire's long knife.
And so, under the Hunter's Fire's 'Learn' commands, his body shattered again and again.
Ten times, fifty times, one hundred times, two hundred fifty times...
In the continuous pain, Chen Qi had already memorized every detail, every step of the Hunter's Fire releasing this move, and finally, could imitate these details.
Simultaneously, his spirit also began adapting to that extreme cold from another world.
However, there was still much lacking, needing at least one more month of practice... Chen Qi took a deep breath.
Due to not having high-tier Ice affinity comprehension, according to the current progress, he needed at least one month to move within this extreme cold.
The Hunter's Fire swung its knife again, saying:
"Learn."
The Hunter's Fire swung strike after strike.
Strike after strike!
This feeling was like being threatened with a knife to do advanced mathematics problems!
Learn!
……
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Chen Qi exhaled blood mist - this was already his three hundred fiftieth time being slain by the Hunter's Fire.
His mental energy had reached its limit.
Could he only reach this far... Chen Qi gasped heavily for breath, again assuming an iaido stance.
And the Hunter's Fire, tirelessly, also again assumed an iaido stance.
I cannot use Rift Slash to counter Rift Slash... Chen Qi thought to himself.
However, the Hunter's Fire wasn't undefeatable!
"Learn!"
The Hunter's Fire laughed madly, again swinging its knife to attack!
Block this strike!
This time, unprecedented anger flashed in Chen Qi's eyes as he erupted all the power in his body, attempting to rely on absolute strength to block this strike!
In that instant, his back cracked loudly as dark red Blade affinity energy violently expanded!
"Slash!"
Accompanied by a wolf's roar, the dark-fire hands behind him were instantly covered by dark red frenzied spiritual energy!
The dark-fire hands behind him suddenly thickened by double, with each tentacle's length reaching an astonishing twenty meters! Like angry giant's hands!
Dark red Blade affinity energy, combined with the Shadow Flame Demon's flames, covered his entire body, like a red giant wolf!
Simultaneously, power continuously surged!
"Slash!"
Chen Qi swung his knife.
And this slash containing anger fiercely surged out!
The crimson blade energy surged like a tsunami, covering the reef before him!
"?"
The Hunter's Fire momentarily froze, watching its body turn to ashes.
Whoosh!
And at this moment, the sea before him instantly collapsed, replaced by his bedroom full of knife marks.
A prompt appeared before Chen Qi's eyes.
[You killed the Hunter's Fire, successfully consuming one Hunter's Fire...]
[You have preliminarily mastered Rift Slash.]
[You have comprehended the Blade Release 'Crimson Stance' Lv1!]
"Ha, ha, ha, ha..."
Chen Qi used his knife to maintain his standing posture, gasping heavily for breath. His spiritual energy was already insufficient to support his practice.
But what is this Crimson Stance?
Chen Qi opened his panel to check his Crimson Stance.
This was a Blade affinity release he mastered because of his 'Gray Wolf Bone'. Its function was to greatly increase strength and agility at the cost of rationality, while becoming extremely frenzied.
This was a secret technique he comprehended in a state of extreme anger!
Can extreme anger also lead to comprehending moves? This works too? Chen Qi gasped heavily for breath.
Just now, in this state, he withstood the extreme cold and chopped the Hunter's Fire to death!
Chen Qi glanced - even at Lv1, Crimson Stance provided five times strength, three times agility improvement, plus massive Blade affinity energy bonus!
Why does it feel like I've taken another step on the path of becoming a stat monster? Chen Qi wiped the hot sweat from his forehead, his entire body collapsed down, looking out the window.
Outside, night had deepened.
Fen rested her chin on her hand, looking at the barbecue grill before her, thinking about what to eat tonight.
So hungry... An unprecedented sense of fatigue transmitted from Chen Qi's body.
His Dream Learning Method was only Lv1, so even in dreams, his body would make some movements - simply put, he was 'sleepwalking'.
In the dream, his body had already been drained empty, urgently needing treatment.