Chapter 71: 30 Minutes
The blood moon hung overhead, black snowflakes drifted down, and the surface of the Wandering Soul Sea became calm and waveless, like a giant black mirror.
On the deck of the Doom Number, Su Xiao and the Third Captain stood facing each other. Both had casual stances, but beneath the surface, killing intent lurked. Both were Technique Grandmasters; the outcome of the battle would be decided in an instant.
Black snowflakes landed on Su Xiao's shoulder without melting. After the curse was lifted, his condition had reached its peak. In fact, since entering the Demon Sea World, he had never been in such a focused combat state. Without the influence of the curse force, his connection to the Doom Number was also severed.
Su Xiao looked at the formidable enemy before him. He wasn't surprised by the enemy's appearance; this had been foreshadowed, and as many as four times.
The earliest foreshadowing came through the words of the Old Hag, who mentioned the existence of the Third Captain.
The second foreshadowing was when the Doom Number's second seal was lifted, and a heartbeat sounded from within the ship's hull. At that time, the Third Captain was gradually awakening, but he was inside the blood moon, and Su Xiao couldn't find the source of the heartbeat.
The third foreshadowing was the equipment description that appeared after the Black Crow Ring was fully set with six gems. The content was: "Sunk... in the darkness, will you awaken?"
As for the fourth, and final, foreshadowing, it was when Su Xiao rested in the captain's cabin of the Doom Number. He had an unusually realistic dream. In the dream, he was dragged into darkness. Above, there seemed to be light, but that light was gradually receding, and he was swallowed by the darkness.
With so many foreshadowings, it now seemed that each represented the Third Captain's eventual reawakening. Precisely because of this, after leaving the Eternal Life Island, Su Xiao didn't return to the Dim Light Island to replenish the cursed people; that would be meaningless for this battle.
It must be said that one of Su Xiao's earlier decisions was very wise. He had previously received an achievement mission. The content of this mission was to choose between the Crow Woman and one of the Sea Devotees, trust one of them, and kill the other.
The mission reward was a World-Class Chest, extremely tempting, but Su Xiao ignored this mission.
Judging from the current situation, if he had killed one of them back then, the remaining one might have come to the Doom Number to assist the Third Captain. The two people on the Dim Light Island restrained each other, and this balance couldn't be broken.
The air on the deck seemed to solidify. Su Xiao slowly raised his hand, and a horn slid out from his sleeve. As soon as this horn fell onto the deck, it stood upright.
This was the Sea King Horn. Su Xiao had abandoned the rewards for the main mission's third to fifth rings to fully activate it, and now it was finally useful.
[You have used the Sea King Horn (World-Exclusive Item).]
[The blessing of this world on the Third Captain of the Doom Number has been severed.]
[Hint: The Luck Attribute reduction effect that the Hunter is about to suffer has been negated.]
[The comprehensive combat power of the Third Captain of the Doom Number has been restricted. This restriction will last for 30 minutes.]
[The Sea Plunder ability has been activated. If the Hunter defeats the Third Captain of the Doom Number, you will permanently gain 2 Luck Attribute points.]
It turned out that having a long-term perspective was correct. Although the Reincarnation Paradise wouldn't issue missions that were certain death, if one was too greedy, it was only a matter of time before the mission developed to a point of certain death.
A mechanical eye floated up behind Su Xiao. This was his newly acquired [Eye of the Gods]. As a Holy Spirit Rank detection-type equipment, Su Xiao had high hopes for it.
[Comparing both parties' Intelligence attributes... Comparison complete. Our Intelligence attribute is 0.98 times that of the enemy. 75.9% of the enemy's data has been obtained.]
Name: Third Captain of the Doom Number · Nameless One
Category: World Child · Chaos · Evil.
Health: 100%
Sacrificial Life Force: 31500/31500 points
Strength: 216 (True Attribute · Suppressed)
Agility: 213 (True Attribute · Suppressed)
Endurance: 215 (True Attribute · Suppressed)
Intelligence: 203 (True Attribute · Suppressed)
Charm: 157 (True Attribute · Suppressed)
Skill 1, Solitary Pride (Passive, X): Nullifies all judgment effects of Eighth Rank or below. Super · Explosive Power Physique.
Skill 2: Mission · Will (Passive, Lv.75): Health +31000 points. Reduces Soul-type damage taken by 35%. High · Pain Tolerance. High · Willpower Breakthrough. Extremely firm inner resolve.
Skill 3: ???
Skill 4: Blade Grandmaster (Technique Class · Passive, Lv.59): Blade-type weapon attack power increased by 715%. Can permanently increase Blade Mastery level, Strength attribute, Agility attribute, and Endurance attribute by defeating powerful enemies.
Skill 5, Blade Grandmaster · Lv.10 Derivative Ability · Mind Severance: Nullifies all mental-type control effects.
Skill 6, Blade Grandmaster · Lv.20 Derivative Ability · Super Sense: Nerve Reflex Speed +217%, Dynamic Vision +190%.
Skill 7, Blade Grandmaster · Lv.30 Derivative Ability · Shaken Five Senses: Base · Nerve Reflex Speed +69 points, Base · Dynamic Vision +69 points.
Skill 8, Blade Grandmaster · Lv.40 Derivative Ability · Natural Resonance: Can control the power of nature and the world to a certain extent.
Skill 9, Blade Grandmaster · Lv.50 Derivative Ability · Blade Tremor: When clashing weapons with an enemy, it will cause multiple shockwave effects. 67% probability of causing limb numbness in the enemy, 12.5% probability of causing shock-induced dizziness in the enemy.
Hint: This ability comes with effects such as Strong Armor Break, Strong Defense Break, Strong Parry Break, etc.
Hint: After a melee attack hits an enemy, there will be a triple attack judgment: Base Damage + Slash Damage + Shockwave Damage.
Hint: Shockwave Damage is the user's True Strength attribute × 4.7 (1015 points of Shockwave Damage). This damage judgment ignores all defense effects.
Skill 10: ???
Skill 11, Self-Developed Blade Abilities (29 total): Detailed data for this type of ability cannot be detected. 17 Passive types, 12 Active types.
Skill 12, World · Torrent Tremor (Ultimate Ability Lv.27): ???
...
After a preliminary glance at the Nameless One's data, Su Xiao roughly judged the enemy's combat style: a grand and imposing frontal assault, coupled with extreme ferocity.
Su Xiao could be sure that this battle wouldn't last long. The enemy's Strength overpowered him; this could barely be dealt with during the fight. As for speed, even if he encountered an enemy with a higher Agility attribute than his own, he wasn't afraid. The 1.5 times body speed boost from the Azure Shadow King wasn't just for show.
Su Xiao locked eyes with the Nameless One, who was over ten meters away. He was waiting for an opportunity, and so was the enemy.
A black snowflake drifted past in front of them. Su Xiao suddenly vanished from his spot, and the surrounding snowflakes scattered.
The moment Su Xiao disappeared, the Nameless One slashed down with his blade.
Clang!
A sharp metallic ring. Su Xiao, holding the Dragon-Slaying Flash, came to an abrupt halt. The longsword in his hand was held horizontally in front of him, while the enemy's broadsword cleaved down.
The instant the two blades met, the deck planks under Su Xiao's feet cracked with a popping sound. His right arm went numb, and there was a buzzing in his ears. A shockwave force transmitted from the enemy's blade, first passing through the Dragon-Slaying Flash, then spreading to his right arm, and finally conducting to his chest and head.
Not only was there a buzz in his head, but Su Xiao also felt a tearing sensation in his heart.
Facing the enemy's powerful overhead chop, Su Xiao didn't resist it head-on. He tilted the longsword in his hand. The blades of the two swords scraped against each other, making a screeching sound. The broadsword slid sideways along the edge of the Dragon-Slaying Flash, deflecting the slash.
Su Xiao delivered a straight kick. With a clang, the Nameless One in front of him took a few steps back. At some point, the broadsword in the Nameless One's hand had been placed horizontally in front of him.
The broadsword in the Nameless One's hand cut through the air. Although the swing speed wasn't fast, the sound of it cutting the air was exceptionally distinct. Cyan Steel Shadow energy spread onto him, and the light in his eyes recovered a little.
"Not a bad... opponent."
The Nameless One spoke. His voice wasn't loud, even a bit hoarse, but even so, his presence was still domineering, just like his blade technique: exceptionally fierce, facing any enemy head-on.
A chill spread. Amu, holding an Ice Shield in his left hand and the Dragonheart Axe in his right, charged forward with large strides. Setting aside everything else, in terms of momentum alone, Amu had exerted it to the extreme.
Amu rushed to the front of the Nameless One, raised the Dragonheart Axe in his hand, and cleaved down, leaving an ice trail in the air as he did so.
Thump!
The shockwave spread outward with the Nameless One at the center. Baha appeared behind him but was sent flying backward. Baha's surprise attack had failed, and his entire body was now numb from the shockwave.
Compared to Baha, Amu, who was in front of the Nameless One, was in slightly better shape, but his body was also tingling, and his movements became extremely sluggish.
The Nameless One's pitch-black eyes widened slightly as he stared directly at Amu. Amu felt his surroundings turn pitch black, everything disappeared, and he felt as if he was about to be devoured by endless darkness.
Amu stood frozen in place. Almost simultaneously, the broadsword in the Nameless One's hand slashed down. The blade whimpered as it cut through the air, striking the Ice Shield in Amu's hand.
With a crackling sound, the Ice Shield was shattered. The broadsword's slashing momentum didn't stop, slashing diagonally towards Amu's chest. The blade of the broadsword looked blurry; this was the power of the shockwave, which multiplied the broadsword's slashing force.
Pfft!
The broadsword dragged out a trail of blood. Amu was cut in two. The half-arm holding the Dragonheart Axe flipped in mid-air. Amu's upper body fell, and only then did the darkness in his eyes disappear.
"Moo!"
Amu roared in anger. Ice spread from his severed arm, touching the Nameless One's chest.
The Nameless One didn't even frown. The moment the ice touched his chest, it was shattered, turning into large pieces of ice shavings.
The broadsword slashed down again, this time aiming straight for Amu's neck.
'Blade Path Sword: Blood Blade.'
Blood-red feathers appeared. A blood-red slashing mark flashed, tearing through the broadsword with a screech, once again deflecting its slashing momentum.
Zheng!
A black slashing mark swept past. The mast at the ship's bow fell, eventually toppling into the sea. The cut at the mast's break was as smooth as a mirror.
Su Xiao looked at the Nameless One ahead. The enemy was at least over two meters and thirty centimeters tall. Just standing there, he was like a wind tunnel, constantly radiating pressure outward.
Su Xiao grabbed Amu by the horn and threw him off the ship. Amu was too severely injured; if he stayed on the deck, his chance of dying in battle was over eighty percent.
The moment Amu fell into the sea, the surrounding water surface quickly froze. Although his ox face was filled with anger, he was indeed helpless. The Nameless One's blade was simply Amu's nemesis, a natural counter. That blade simply couldn't be defended against.
On the deck, Su Xiao slightly moved his right arm that was holding the sword. The numbness had subsided. The outcome must be decided within 29 minutes, or he would surely die today.