Chapter 65: Demon Hunting Hour
Rumble, rumble.
The forging furnace roared to life, high temperatures spreading through the alchemy laboratory, causing some nearby test tubes to shatter.
[Equipment upgrade in progress, estimated time: 3 hours 28 minutes.]
Su Xiao paid another 30,000 Paradise Coins to ensure the B-grade forging furnace wouldn’t be abruptly recalled. During this time, he only needed to wait, though leaving was not advisable while the furnace operated automatically.
He moved to an open area nearby, drew Dragon-Slaying Flash, and began his daily sword practice.
Su Xiao’s sword training wasn’t a mechanical repetition of slashes, thrusts, and parries. Instead, he swung freely, seeking inspiration in the motion to develop new techniques.
Long ago, he had discovered that self-developed moves differed from skills learned via scrolls. Skills from scrolls had cooldown periods; forcibly using them before the cooldown ended could cause severe backlash, potentially fatal.
Self-developed moves, however, were different. Most, once perfected, reached max level, and they had no cooldown.
For example, his Ring Break could be used several times in succession if his arm could withstand it, though doing so had little practical value in combat.
After extensive development, Su Xiao had created several sword techniques he frequently used in battle. When employing them, he didn’t habitually roar; he simply struck.
Among these, Ring Break and Sky-Rending were the most conspicuous, while the others appeared as ordinary slashes, differing only in force application and angle.
Clang, clang, clang…
Su Xiao’s swing speed abruptly increased, leaving silver slash marks in the air. This was a technique he had developed long ago, one he hadn’t even named. It could be called Rapid Slash—its principle was to temporarily exhaust stamina and strain the right arm, boosting slash speed. By forgoing movement, Su Xiao could deliver dozens, even hundreds, of slashes in a short time.
He rarely used this move. Unless he needed to break through an enemy’s defense quickly, he avoided it when direct strikes were possible.
While the idea of combining extreme attack speed with Cyan Steel Shadow Energy’s true damage seemed appealing, it was only superficially so.
When Su Xiao wounded an enemy, Cyan Steel Shadow Energy immediately invaded their body, devouring their internal energy and causing destruction—this was the source of true damage.
Thus, the true damage from Cyan Steel Shadow Energy didn’t manifest instantly with each slash. One slash, one instance of true damage was impossible; true damage required a process of energy devouring.
If he performed ultra-high-speed slashes, even if large amounts of Cyan Steel Shadow Energy invaded the enemy, the devouring process was a single event, not multiplied by the number of slashes per second.
Therefore, pursuing high-frequency attacks in close combat was pointless. Instead, it stiffened his entire body, giving the enemy an opening to counter.
Striking an enemy’s chest ten times for ten separate damage effects was far less effective than a single, full-powered slash that disemboweled them.
No matter how intense the battle, as long as the gap in strength wasn’t vast, killing an enemy required only a few critical strikes. Wild flurries were flashy but had low practical utility.
Su Xiao took a deep breath and slashed forward into the air. As the blade cut through the air, he vanished, leaving behind a single ongoing slash.
He used Dragon Shadow Flash to penetrate space, reappearing directly in front of that earlier slash.
The moment he materialized, he struck again.
Clang.
The two slashes, one from the front and one from behind, collided, forcing Su Xiao back several steps.
This pincer-like slash was “difficult to handle,” very appealing.
“Another useless move, but it has potential for refinement. Maybe after perfecting it, it could be used in combat.”
Su Xiao muttered, continuing to swing his blade. The technique had fatal flaws: the first slash’s power steadily weakened, eventually becoming weaker than a blade aura, and the second slash’s angle was rigid—after Su Xiao suddenly disappeared, the enemy would instinctively guard their back.
Su Xiao gradually immersed himself in the study of sword techniques. This was his passion, so he never found the constant swinging tedious.
Rumble… rumble… rumble.
The forging furnace’s noise diminished. Su Xiao paused his swings, his gaze fixed on the furnace.
[Upgrade in progress, remaining time: 23 seconds.]
He sheathed Dragon-Slaying Flash and strode quickly toward the furnace. Success or failure would be revealed in 23 seconds.
After assembling the Demon Hunter Set, Su Xiao had naturally inquired about upgrading it. The information was scarce, but one piece was valuable: the set’s evolution to Gold quality would result in a unique form, unlike any other Gold set.
Soon, the forging furnace came to a complete stop.
[Upgrade complete.]
Seeing these four words, Su Xiao breathed a sigh of relief—the upgrade had succeeded.
With a puff, a metal tray extended outward. Su Xiao looked at it and was visibly stunned.
“Where’s the Demon Hunter Gun and the nameplate?”
He reached forward and picked up a ring from the tray.
[You have obtained: Demon Hunter King.]
[Demon Hunter King (3/3)]
Origin: Cannot be directly produced from derivative worlds.
Quality: Gold (Set)
Category: Ring / Necklace / Gun
Durability: 80 (Ring) / 80 (Pendant) / 80 (Gun)
Attack Power: 133～153 (Gun · Inactive)
Equipment Requirements: True Strength 80 points, True Agility 80 points, complete one hunting trial (Completed).
Equipment Effect 1, Resistance (Passive): When Demon Hunter King is in ring form, reduces all abnormal status duration by 40%.
Equipment Effect 2, Unyielding (Passive): When Demon Hunter King is in pendant form, delays entering a dying state by 20 seconds when health falls below 10%.
Equipment Effect 3, Death Sentence (Passive): When Demon Hunter King is in gun form, Blood Bullets explode on impact, reducing enemy physical defense by 8%, healing effect by 6%, and movement speed by 3% for 4 minutes.
Note: Death Sentence (Passive) effect can stack up to five times, with maximum reductions of physical defense -40%, healing effect -30%, and movement speed -15%, lasting 20 minutes.
Note: Gun form has a maximum capacity of 5 rounds. Killing enemies generates varying numbers of bullets based on enemy strength, with a maximum of 5 bullets generated at once.
Inlay Effect:
Sea Heart (Light Gold Gem), Mana +400, Mana Recovery Speed +36 points (per hour).
Rating: 400+
Description: The upgraded Demon Hunter Set is a symbol of a demon hunter’s honor.
Set Effects (Activated):
Set Effect 1, True Power (Passive): True Strength +5, True Agility +4, True Stamina +3.
Set Effect 2, Witch’s Nightmare (Passive): Increases all melee damage by 60%, maximum health by 35%, and all abnormal status resistance by 28.
Set Effect 3, Demon Hunting Hour (Passive/Active):
Passive Effect: When not in combat, after the holder’s internal energy recovers to its cap, excess recovery energy is stored in Demon Hunter King.
Current Stored Energy (Mana): 0 points.
Active Effect: When stored energy in Demon Hunter King reaches 6,000 points, “Demon Hunting Hour” can be activated. In this state, all mastered abilities become cooldown-free and cost-free.
Note: Active effect lasts for 100 seconds.
Note: Active effect cooldown is 10 natural days.
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