Chapter 37: Formidable Enemy
Only Su Xiao and Buck remained in the room. Su Xiao had just upgraded his Cyan Steel Shadow ability, but he had no time to check it. However, he could personally feel the changes in the Cyan Steel Shadow energy within his body.
Su Xiao and Buck locked eyes. Though they hadn't fought yet, he could already feel the pressure brought by this enemy.
The Apostle's Eye floated into midair, beginning to scan Buck's information.
[Comparing both parties' Intelligence attributes... Comparison complete. Our Intelligence attribute is 2.4 times that of the enemy. Obtaining 100% of the enemy's data.]
Data as follows:
Name: Buck
Category: Half-Human / Divine Art Modification.
Health: 100%
Mana: 1760 points
Strength: 98 (True Attribute)
Agility: 90
Endurance: 95 (True Attribute)
Intelligence: 37
Charm: 14
Skill 1, Divine Punishment Constitution (Passive): Health +8000 points, Physical Defense +60 points, damage taken reduced by 25%, pain sensation reduced by 60%, immune to mental control abilities such as Charm and Mind Inducement (only immune to control effects derived from True Intelligence attributes below 99 points).
Skill 2, Axe Mastery (Passive): Increases axe-type weapon attack power by 252%, greatly improves axe-type weapon usage techniques, and grants Shock and Strong Knockback effects. If Strength attribute is higher than the enemy, there is a 30% chance to break through their block. When the enemy's block is broken, damage dealt by this attack is increased by 50%, and an additional 270 points of internal organ shock damage is inflicted.
Skill 3, Lumberjack (Active): Vigorously swings three axe strikes, each attack dealing True Damage equal to Strength attribute × 0.8.
Skill 4, Bite (Active): When Buck engages in close combat with an enemy, he will take the opportunity to bite their face with his patterned steel teeth. If bitten, a Strength and Endurance attribute check is triggered. If the check is passed, facial bite injuries are sustained. If the check fails, Buck will crush the enemy's skull, triggering an instant death judgment (if Health is above 30%, the instant death judgment is negated).
Skill 5, Wood Chewing (Active): After Buck eats wood, he recovers 2% Health per second. This skill can be used once every half hour, restoring a maximum of 75% Health per use.
Skill 6, Spinning Axe Throw (Exclusive Ability): Buck throws his lumber axe, performing two stages of attack: the throw and the spin. If the thrown axe hits, the target is stunned for 0.5 seconds. If the spinning axe hits the target's back, they enter a Bleeding state, losing 80 Health per second for 30 seconds. Bandaging or treatment will significantly reduce the bleeding damage and duration.
...
Quickly scanning Buck's attributes, Su Xiao narrowed his eyes. This guy didn't have many abilities, but they were exceptionally powerful. Just the Axe Mastery (Passive) alone was enough to demonstrate this burly man's strength.
More importantly, this guy's Strength attribute was a full 98 points. Although Su Xiao had the boost from the Demon Hunter Set, giving him 94 Strength, if their combat experience and techniques were similar, a 4-point difference in Strength would be very noticeable.
Buck took a drag from his cigar. The tip glowed red, and the cigar burned to ash at a visible rate. His round belly swelled up like a ball.
"Ptooey!"
Buck spat out the cigar from his mouth, and a large cloud of smoke surged forward from his lips. Su Xiao had only ever seen that kind of smoke output from a tractor in the countryside.
With a sharp *whoosh*, the cigar, now only five centimeters long, shot toward Su Xiao's face. He tilted his head to dodge, and the cigar embedded itself in the wall behind him, leaving a finger-thick hole.
Just as he dodged the cigar, a thick wave of smoke rushed toward Su Xiao. At the same time, Buck's legs bent, and the ground beneath his feet shattered inch by inch.
*Boom!*
Like a cannonball leaving its barrel, Buck charged straight at Su Xiao. Although he was leaping, he was only about half a meter off the ground, his feet ready to touch down at any moment. This guy had rich combat experience; he knew not to lose his center of gravity when facing an enemy.
Su Xiao's long blade slashed forward, the wind pressure dispersing the smoke. As the smoke cleared, a gleaming sharp axe came chopping down at his head.
An Energy Shield materialized in front of Su Xiao, and his body leaned to the side.
With a crisp *crack*, the 200-point-strength Energy Shield was shattered by Buck. His axe grazed past Su Xiao's shoulder.
As the short axe finished its downward swing, Su Xiao, his body crouched, slashed diagonally toward Buck's neck.
With a sharp *clang*, sparks flew. Buck's other short axe blocked Dragon-Slaying Flash, a notch chipped out of the axe blade.
Seeing his beloved axe chipped, rage surged in Buck's heart, but his expression remained calm, unaffected by his anger.
A tremendous force transmitted through Dragon-Slaying Flash. The ground beneath Su Xiao's feet cracked, and a few pebbles bounced up.
Buck's gaze flicked to those pebbles. His empty hand swung back with an axe strike aimed at Su Xiao's head.
At that moment, Su Xiao's Dragon-Slaying Flash was locked against Buck's other short axe. He kicked upward with his right foot, precisely striking Buck's wrist.
*Bang!*
A shockwave spread. A wine bottle on a nearby wooden shelf fell and shattered into glass shards.
His wrist struck, Buck took a step back. As he retreated, Su Xiao's foot, clad in a brown leather boot, hooked upward, kicking one of the previously flying pebbles.
The pebble shot straight for Su Xiao's chin, moving so fast it created ripples in the air.
Su Xiao leaned back, simultaneously tilting his head backward. A sharp pain stung his jaw. The pebble flew past, and with a *boom*, a fingernail-sized stone actually blasted a nearly two-meter-wide hole in the ceiling.
Just as Su Xiao leaned back, Buck tilted his head and bit down toward Dragon-Slaying Flash, which was locked against his short axe.
Just as Buck was about to bite the blade, the long sword shifted to the side. If he dared to continue biting, Su Xiao could slash upward and cleave his head open.
But at that moment, Buck's foot was already kicking toward Su Xiao's lower abdomen.
*Bang!*
Su Xiao flew backward rapidly. A layer of Energy Shield wrapped around his lower abdomen, like a layer of crystal.
Blood sprayed through the air. Large clumps of yellow, broken hair drifted down. The left side of Buck's face was a bloody mess, the skin slashed open, the wound incredibly smooth.
Cyan Steel Shadow energy surged into Buck's body. He just rolled his neck, completely unconcerned by the internal pain.
Rubble flew. Su Xiao slammed directly into the wall. His lower abdomen burned with pain. Before he could catch his breath, a short axe came chopping down at his head.
*Boom, boom, boom...*
Slash marks appeared on the wall one after another. Buck swung both axes, creating a blur of afterimages. Rubble and dust billowed up.
Su Xiao continuously leaped to the right. If he stopped for even 0.1 seconds, the short axe would land on his head.
*Hum~*
After a faint engine-like sound, Su Xiao, who had been continuously leaping, stopped. He kicked sideways toward Buck's head.
Buck's eyes widened. He pushed off the ground with force, his legs sinking directly into the floor.
With a *whoosh*, Su Xiao's side kick swept over the top of Buck's head. The powerful impact made Buck's ears ring, temporarily deafening his left ear.
But that wasn't the most fatal part. After his side kick, Su Xiao's long blade was already thrusting toward Buck's chin.
Buck had just ducked to avoid Su Xiao's kick. Now, with this thrust coming, he had no way to dodge. Su Xiao clearly had the advantage in speed.
Knowing he couldn't avoid it, Buck chose not to dodge. He raised both short axes and brought them down from above toward Su Xiao's head.
As the axes fell, Su Xiao suddenly vanished from in front of Buck. A stabbing pain shot through Buck's back.
*Pfft!*
The long blade pierced through his chest, the tip stained with blood, directly penetrating Buck's heart. Su Xiao had originally intended to cut off the enemy's head, but the opponent had raised his axes above his head. A slash at the neck would very likely have been blocked.
His heart pierced, Buck laughed, revealing his metal teeth. It had been a long time since he had fought an enemy so exhilaratingly.
"You... are definitely not the White Ghost."
Buck used his two short axes to clamp down on Dragon-Slaying Flash, preventing the long blade from causing secondary damage inside his body.