Chapter 49: Emberstrike
“Stonebreaker Strike…”
With a mere thought, he activated the new skill he’d acquired, channeling his origin energy. Instantly, his arm from fist to elbow transformed, taking on a stonelike surface.
He clenched his fist, surprised that despite the change, he felt no discomfort.
When he jabbed at the air, a faint shockwave lingered in its wake.
Having 200,000 experience points left, he chose to upgrade the skill, consuming 50,000 points and raising it to the uncommon grade.
You have successfully upgraded Stonebreaker Strike!
Name: Stone Crusher
Quality: Uncommon
Effect: Delivers a focused strike that deals an additional 100% of the user’s base physical damage. Upon impact, it weakens the target’s defenses, reducing physical defense by 6% for 5 seconds. When activated, the user’s arm becomes encased in a stonelike surface, increasing physical defense by 10%. This form can be maintained for an extended period but continuously consumes Origin Energy.
Additional Damage: 100% of base physical damage
Defense Reduction for Target: 6% for 5 seconds
Defense Increase: 10% (maintainable)
Duration of Stone Form: 20 seconds (extendable)
Origin Energy Consumption: 25 Origin Energy per minute while maintained
Skill: Rock Smash Deals 150% attack damage, unleashing explosive earth damage upon impact.
Cooldown: 8 seconds
Consumption: 20 Origin Energy
“Not bad…” Vincent nodded, satisfied with the upgrade. With 150,000 experience points remaining—insufficient for further upgrades—he continued farming, intent on filling his experience bar before calling it a day.
Deep within the third underground level, tremors shook the area, alarming various origin warriors.
“W-What’s happening?’
“I have no idea…”
In the distance, black shapes began moving rapidly.
“Look! Something’s coming!”
“Are those blackbite rats?!”
“No way! There’s a whole swarm of them!”
“Run if you don’t want to die!” shouted one quickthinking warrior, wasting no time as he sprinted away from the blackbite swarm. However, a shadow flashed, and one of the warriors, slower than the rest, found himself ensnared.
“Argh! Help me!”
Before anyone could react, the black shadow coiled tighter, squeezing him until blood streamed from his seven orifices. His body vanished into a burst of digital light.
Across the third underground level, the sea of blackbite rats swept through, mercilessly hunting down every origin warrior in their path.
Meanwhile, Vincent had just defeated his last mission target, killing a peak Tier 1 primal and filling his experience bar completely. As he gathered his loot, a scream pierced the air from somewhere nearby.
He turned in the direction of the noise, frowning behind his mask.
Moments later, he spotted a battered group of Vyrmins, covered in injuries, racing toward him. Behind them loomed a massive swarm of shadowy figures.
Recognizing the familiar sight, Vincent flashed a grin beneath his mask. “I wasn’t looking for you guys, but since you’re here…”
Ignoring the fleeing Vyrmins, he transformed his hand into an earthtype arm. With a single step, he leaped into the center of the blackbite rat swarm, landing a punch on the nearest rat with his Rock Smash skill. The strike obliterated the target and several others in a five meter radius, scattering rocks around him.
He continued, delivering punch after punch, releasing Rock Smash every eight seconds.
Boom!
Agonized squeaks filled the air as he slaughtered the remaining blackbite rats, each one dissolving into digital lights, leaving only emptiness behind.
Elsewhere in the labyrinth, the Mutated Blackbite Rat Leader swung its long tail, slicing an origin warrior in half. Suddenly, its head jerked up, sensing a signal.
Unbeknownst to both, they were moving toward each other.
Soon, Vincent spotted the massive rat leader, and with an earthshaking squeak, it lunged at him with astonishing speed, its thick tail whipping toward him.
This time, Vincent forwent his blade, opting instead to activate his Origin Power Enhancement, increasing his force attribute. He followed up with Stone Crusher, meeting the beast headon with a Rock Smash punch.
Boom! A shockwave rippled from the impact, and both Vincent and the rat leader were forced to stagger back. Cracks appeared on his stone arm, fragments falling to the ground.
“That thing has some tough defense…” he thought, observing the primal, which seemed equally shocked by his strength.
Satisfied with his progress, Vincent concluded, “If I want to defeat it, I’ll need to use my Tier 2 Epic Armament.” He summoned his Nightflare Blade, which emitted a faint fiery aura.
Sensing the weapon’s power, the Mutated Blackbite Rat Leader paused, instinctively wary. Yet it recalled its master’s command—to report back if it encountered this target. Emboldened by the prospect of capturing him, it bared its incisors, curling into a tight coil before rolling toward Vincent at high speed.
As the rat leader charged, Vincent blurred into motion, vanishing and reappearing behind it. Yet, as if guided by instinct, the rat leader veered, redirecting its path toward him.
Unperturbed, Vincent smoothly dodged, backflipping to gain distance. Seizing the opening, he slashed with his Nightflare Blade, unleashing a wave of crimson black aura that sliced through the air with remarkable speed, carving a fissure into the ground.
A deafening crack resonated as his Umbra Slash hit its target. The rat’s pained squeal filled the air, and when the smoke cleared, a deep wound lay open on its back, oozing blood and laced with lingering dark energy that hindered its recovery.
“Umbra Slash’s effect is working…” Vincent murmured, watching the creature’s wound reopen continuously, spilling more blood.
Despite its injuries, the rat leader rose on its hind limbs, its claws glowing with a bloodred light. As it prepared to attack, the reopened wound disrupted its focus, causing it to stagger.
Vincent seized the chance, flashing above the creature. His Nightflare Blade ignited with a redblack glow as he slashed downward, releasing a crescentshaped wave of shadowflame. The strike landed squarely on the rat’s head, trailing a burning dark arc behind it.
Bam! The impact shook the ground, sending a thick cloud of smoke into the air. The rat leader shrieked in agony as its massive body was flung against the wall, leaving a large crack.
This time, the wound was irreparable, the searing flames prolonging its suffering.
Without hesitation, Vincent raised his Nightflare Blade, its fieryorange flames blazing. With a slow, sweeping motion, he launched the flames toward the collapsed rat leader. As they landed, the flames erupted, filling the air with searing heat.
The Mutated Blackbite Rat Leader’s pained cries echoed briefly before fading.
When the smoke cleared, the rat’s burned corpse remained, slowly transforming into a black liquid orb. Rather than dispersing into digital lights, the orb suddenly shot toward Vincent, embedding itself within his abdomen, merging with his origin core.
You have received +100 Primal Energy!
You have received Rat Shadow Summoning!
You have received Rolling Bash!
You have received Fierce Strike!
The notifications flooded his mind, leaving him stunned.
“What the…?” He was at a loss for words.
Elsewhere, in the Blackbite Rat Labyrinth’s throne room, a dark figure lounged on a throne, a black snake coiling lazily around his arm. His crimson eyes flared suddenly.
“How did my servant die? How?!”
He snarled, “No matter where or who you are! I will find you!”
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