Chapter 3: The Chief's Desperate Counterattack
Contractor No. 13013. (To protect the hunter, this is a false number; no method can lock onto the hunter.)
Name: Su Xiao (Hunter)
Level: 7 (First Rank). Every 10 levels is one rank. Leveling up provides no attribute bonuses; it corresponds to the hunter's authority within Reincarnation Paradise, world difficulty, mission difficulty, etc.)
Health: 100% (This attribute cannot be fully digitized; it changes based on injury severity.)
Mana: 473 (Intelligence x10. Current mana recovery rate: 9 points per hour.)
Strength: 25
Agility: 24
Endurance: 14
Intelligence: 24
Charm: 3
Luck: 1 (Related to item opening, crafting, etc. This attribute is extremely difficult to increase; cherish any opportunity to raise it.)
Note: The standard attributes for an adult male are 5 points, with Luck at 1 point.
...
Keen Senses: Agility +
Running Star: Increases running speed by 15%.
Lightning Reflexes: Increases neural reflex speed by 5%.
Jumping Prodigy: Slightly increases jumping power.
...
As soon as the four options appeared, Su Xiao decisively chose the third. Opportunities to increase 'neural reflex speed' were rare, and in close combat, 'neural reflex speed' was crucial. He made his choice without hesitation.
A colorless energy surged into his body, beginning an unknown enhancement.
Just after selecting the Agility attribute reward, the reward for reaching 20 points in Intelligence with no equipment also appeared.
Heart of Stillness: Intelligence +
Mana Amplification: Increases Mana by 30 points.
Iron Will: Enhances resistance to abnormal statuses such as Charm, Hypnosis, and Mental Confusion.
...
There was no need to deliberate over the three choices. What Su Xiao feared most was being controlled, so he decisively chose Iron Will.
Su Xiao's current control immunity was already quite strong. Perhaps one day he could ignore all forms of control?
Thinking of this, Su Xiao's spirits lifted. If that were the case, his ability to fight contractors would reach its peak.
However, achieving complete control immunity was still a long way off. The reason he had previously resisted the control of the Blood Flower Adventure Group was that their control team's Intelligence or Strength attributes weren't high enough.
Cold Moon had managed to control Su Xiao for a short while, so he needed to be cautious in the future.
Leaving the Attribute Enhancement Hall, Su Xiao stretched his now significantly stronger body, a smile appearing on his face.
The sudden increase in attributes didn't cause a strong feeling of physical disharmony. He had experienced this situation twice before; now, he only needed a little adjustment to master his enhanced body.
Returning to his exclusive room, Su Xiao sat cross-legged on the bed and laid out all his gains from the Giant World before him. They were:
Soul Crystal (Small) x5
Leg Bone of Love (Green Weapon)
Knight King (Honor) 1/8 (Blue Arm Guard)
Bronze Honor Medal x2
Green Chest x2
Blue Chest x1
...
Su Xiao planned to first raise his Blade Mastery to level 10, then open the chests. After opening the chests, he would go to the Trial Grounds to adapt to his enhanced body. He didn't plan to summon a mirror image, as he didn't have many Paradise Coins on hand at the moment.
Su Xiao opened his skill list and picked up five Soul Crystals, beginning to upgrade his Blade Mastery.
Each level of Blade Mastery required one Soul Crystal (Small) + 1000 Paradise Coins.
...
The Soul Crystals in Su Xiao's hand shattered, and 5000 Paradise Coins were consumed.
Closing his eyes, his surroundings became pitch black. A brilliant white light appeared, and he 'saw' a figure formed from the fragments of the Soul Crystals appear before him. The figure was identical to him in height and appearance. It was standing in the void practicing swordsmanship, and the passage of time seemed to lose all meaning.
Slashing, thrusting, horizontal cutting—multiple movements changed continuously. The figure's movements grew faster and faster.
After an unknown amount of time, the figure finally stopped. It raised the blade in its hand and slashed towards Su Xiao.
'All things have a rhythm—steel, flowing water, etc. Initially mastering this rhythm allows one to cut water. Reaching a higher level allows one to cut through iron like mud. Fully mastering it allows one to cut whatever one wishes to cut, and not cut whatever one does not wish to cut.'
Su Xiao's eyes snapped open, and he instinctively drew his Dragon-Slaying Flash.
A flash of bright, snowy light passed by without a sound of breaking wind. This slash seemed very ordinary, yet its lethality had increased several times over.
Su Xiao's demeanor began to change, as if he had been practicing swordsmanship for over a decade. A unique aura emerged.
Sharp and ethereal—this was the aura produced after raising his Blade Mastery.
Su Xiao checked his Blade Mastery.
Blade Mastery: (Passive)
Skill Effect: Increases melee attack power by 28% and proficiency with blade-type weapons.
Level 10 Additional Ability:
Universal Rhythm (Beginner): This ability cannot be enhanced within Reincarnation Paradise; it can only be comprehended by the hunter themselves.
...
The change in Blade Mastery was significant. The newly added ability looked extraordinary, and the fact that it couldn't be enhanced within Reincarnation Paradise, only through personal comprehension, was notable.
What pleased Su Xiao even more was that Blade Mastery hadn't reached its maximum level after reaching level 10. This indicated that the path he had chosen had great potential.
Su Xiao tried to upgrade Blade Mastery again, just to see if the requirements for further upgrades had changed.
Soul Crystal (Medium)? Su Xiao asked Reincarnation Paradise, and the answer he received surprised him.
Su Xiao inwardly thought this was bad. If even checking the information for a Soul Crystal (Medium) was this difficult, then obtaining one would be...
A ship will find its way to the harbor when it reaches the bridge.
He was not only curious about how to obtain Soul Crystals (Medium) but also about what quality equipment above Blue quality was.
Furthermore, regarding the level information, Su Xiao's level was 7 (First Rank). What did this 'First Rank' mean?
These were things he would have to explore on his own; there was no rush for now.
Reincarnation Paradise wasn't just about life-and-death slaughter. Exploring the unknown was also interesting. Sometimes, omniscience could be a sad thing, as it would cause one to lose their purpose in life.
It was like how some rich people often felt unhappy.
What would it feel like to be born the richest person in the world? Need you ask? It would be awesome, of course!
Su Xiao took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, a delicate lighter appearing in his hand.
He was ready to open the chests!
Because of his bad luck, Su Xiao had no hope for opening chests until the cooldown of 'Flame of Luck' was over. Now, the cooldown for 'Flame of Luck' had just ended.
Consuming 500 Paradise Coins, the lid of the Flame of Luck lighter automatically flipped open, and a small, blue-green flame appeared.
Lighting the cigarette and taking a deep drag, Su Xiao quickly picked up a Green Chest. He planned to test his luck first.
The Green Chest slowly opened. There was no flash, which actually relieved Su Xiao. He was afraid his luck would run out prematurely.
...
A good omen. Su Xiao grabbed another Green Chest.
...
Su Xiao only glanced at the equipment that came out; it was a Green quality pair of gauntlets.
There were still three seconds left on the Flame of Luck effect. Su Xiao grabbed the Blue Chest dropped by Allen and opened it.
A dazzling blue light burst forth! Su Xiao's frustration from getting a 31-rating Blue equipment in the Giant World was swept away.
He had hit the jackpot this time. The flash from this chest was several times more brilliant than the flash from the last Blue Chest!
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