Han Ling clenched his fist, cracking the ground under his feet as he burst towards the face of the gorilla, blinking there faster than sound.

[Void Spark: Exploding Spark]

KABOOM!

-35212 CRITICAL!

[You have slain Berserk Gorilla, Kong]

[You have levelled up]

Han Ling grinned, finally reaching level 84. After gaining a level from the countless monsters in Amphitrite’s Hall, he found it extremely difficult to level up. Hearing that notification was a blessing.

Han Ling took a deep breath, furling his wings into his back. Aiko walked up to him, a strange expression on her face. “Did you get stronger again?” Han Ling nodded, “W-What in the world was that? I’ve never heard of anyone dealing over 30 thousand damage…”

“It was a final strike skill, it has a cooldown for 30 minutes, so it isn’t amazing.” Aiko grumbled, “Isn’t amazing… what a picky bastard.” Han Ling just smirked under the mask before a notification appeared in front of the pair.

[Move to the next floor]

The pair silently moved towards the stairs, each step seemed heavier than the last.

At the end was another hall, but this one was much wider, and Han Ling instantly recognized the monster sitting in the middle.

“Death Stinger…”

A giant black scorpion, bus sized body, car sized claws and a large deadly stinger tripping with green poison.

“Aiko, its carapace is hard, only use heavy attacks, light attacks will only be brushed off. I’ll distract it, use your strongest attack on the tail, get rid of the stinger first.”

Han Ling unfurled his wings and immediately dashed towards the beast.

The scorpion clacked its claws, one of them lurching forward open, attempting to crush the assailant in one go.

[Shimmering Flash]

Han Ling appeared above the scorpion, slammed the blade down on the hard carapace.

[Blocked]

-1567

“Tch!”

Han Ling leaped up, avoiding a scything claw. “Void Spark: Energy Barrage”

WHEW WHEW WHEW

Explosions rang out across the scorpions carapace, but even then, a few small numbers appeared on top.

-1211 -1102 -1001

“What a monstrous resistance. I don’t’ have anything to counter that…”

Han Ling leaped back, dodging another scything claw, but this time, the tail flashed and Han Ling gritted his teeth, slashing randomly just barely parrying the tail to the side.

“Shit!”

A claw came crashing down, too fast for Han Ling to even dodge.

“Void Sword Style: 4th form. Threading Slash”

Han Ling’s body glowed purple and his feet shimmered as if a mirage in a desert. The claw slammed down but Han Ling was already above the scorpion, twirling three or four times before slashing straight down at the mouth of the scorpion.

-14231 CRITICAL!

“Oh! So, the mouth is a weakness, its not that ha—” The word ‘hard’ was stuck in his throat, the poisonous stinger was aiming straight to his head. “Shit! I messed up!”

“Don’t fight the flood, be one with the flood, flow with the torrents. Lend me strength.”

Aiko floated on the air or should Han Ling should say ‘stood’. Her sword was in her sheath, but the blade slowly showed itself, a blinding blue.

She took a step on the air, stepping on something solid, but it rippled like a small touch on water. “Torrent Draw Style: Secret Art. Wrath of the Flood.”

SHING!

-15211 CRITICAL!

The scorpions great stinger was severed from its tail, at the same time, the hard carapace began to crack apart, revealing the soft flesh under.

Han Ling grinned under the mask, landing on the ground lightly before pulling his sword arm upwards.

“Void Sword Style: 3rd form. Silent Scream.”

TING!

-32141 CRITICAL! FATAL STRIKE!

Han Ling whipped his sword to the side, and it disappeared into light particles, he turned around, walking away from the scorpion that was split in half.

“Tsk, you just had to show off.” Aiko grumbled; her face slightly pale, her breathing heavy and laboured. “You alright?” Aiko shook her head, “I’m fine. Just took a lot more out of me.” “That was a secret art? Where did you even learn that?”

Aiko snickered, “This sword that Grandmaster Kurudan created came with its own Secret art skill, although I can only use it once a day, its something definitely worth a lot.” Han Ling nodded, completely understanding Aiko.

Styles or Arts are split into different categories, normal styles and arts are strong, but Unique or higher elements would have ‘secret arts’. A much more powerful attack compared to normal arts.

To be able to create a sword with secret arts on it… Kurudan really is an excellent blacksmith. “I won’t be able to do much in the next floor, sorry.” Aiko spoke with an apologetic expression. “Don’t be, I was the one who told you to use your strongest attack, just protect yourself on the next one.”

Han Ling drew Obsidian Hollow, eyes glowing purple, “I’ll finish it on my own…”

>>>

“That damn Fearcrow! If it wasn’t for that bastard we would have gotten here earlier!” Goblin Lord Zafar growled under his breath, glaring at the army of beasts approaching the gorge. “Oh? If it isn’t the great Lord Zafar? How come it took you so long to arrive even though this was right in front of your gate?” The wolf Beast man in front chuckled, eyes glowing red.

“Beast Lord Roogon…” Zafar’s expression crumpled, the Beast Empire actually sent one of their top combatants… they must know something about this rift…

“Lord Roogon, do you know what this rift means?”

“Who cares about that? I just want to fight!” With that, his claws were unleashed, reddish mana coating the steel like nails. Zafar had no choice but to raise his blade, greenish mana twisting around the great blade, flaring up to the sky.

“Stop!”

Another burst of mana reached the sky, dark tendrils of energy twisting into the air. A knight in black armour walked towards the goblin lord and beast lord, oozing dark mana from its body. Behind him was a slightly old man, an old slightly wrinkled face, but his face was full of smiles, as if he was a gentle old man. But the goblin and beast knew better…

“This mana…” Roogon’s grin widened even more. “T-This! Why is he here?” Zafar’s expression turned ugly, “Death Duke Iaren and the Death Sword Alataus… Fuck! Even the ‘sword’ of the Undead Empire has arrived… I can’t win.”

However…

“ALATAUS IS MINE!” Roogon leaped towards the old man, red transparent claws formed around his hands, swinging downwards like an axe. “Hoho, I didn’t expect you to be here Roogon, aren’t you supposed to be raping some poor girl?”

The claws suddenly emitted sparks, a sword appeared in the old man’s hand, a rapier-like blade. Roogon chuckled darkly, “You know fighting is my number one, sex is number two, kekekeke! Now die!”

Roogon pounced again, this time slamming his right claw onto the rapier, gripping onto it as he swiped his left claw. “Too slow!”

SHING!

Blood splattered the ground, gushing from the now severed hands of the beast man, yet his expression seemed indifferent, staring down at his dismembered hands as if he expected it. He shrugged, before howling into the air, red mana swirling around his hands, recreating muscle from new, and his hands were back to normal.

“Shall we continue?” Roogon gave the old man a beastly grin, mana flaring around his body. “Please.” Death Sword Alataus raised his rapier, dark mana twisting around the blade like a coiling snake.

WHAM! SHING! RUMBLE! BOOM!

The fight became a blurry mess of rapier and claws.

Goblin Lord Zafar grumbled under his breath, “Those damn monsters…” Goblin Lords were the top combatants in the Empire under the Goblin King, but Zafar was the weakest of the four lords, just barely pushing past the level of lord.

“Looks like you’re my opponent, Lord Zafar.” The black-armoured Duke unsheathed his sword, a rapier exactly like Death Sword’s. “I hope you do not disappoint.”

Anger boiled inside Zafar, his eyes slowly glowing green as he slammed his blade into the ground. “Die!”

Iaren noticed the green light glowing under his feet, leaping up in the air just in time to see a jet of green mana explode from the ground where he was. His rapier swished in the air, sending sword beams towards the goblin.

“Weak!”

He stomped his right feet forward, swinging his sword with a vehement force.

BOOM!

Then the three armies roared at the top of their lungs, slamming into one another, limbs and bones flying in the air at the collision.

A war between the three high ranked beings has started…