Chapter 92: Suppression
[Skill: Aura Release Lv.18 (Passive/Active)]
Skill Effect 1 (Active): Releases one's own aura outward at ultra-high speed, dealing 100 points + Willpower × 5 damage to enemies within 30 meters. This damage ignores armor/magic resistance/shields/equipment defense.
Tip: This skill has a cooldown of 6 hours.
Tip: This skill has no cost.
Skill Effect 2 (Passive): Allows continuous aura release within a 30-meter range (range increases with skill level). If an enemy's Willpower is 2 points lower than the user's, they will enter a state of panic. Panic can be dispelled by skills of the Mind Purification type.
Tip: When enemies enter panic, Stamina consumption +27%, Physical Defense -15, and there is an 8% chance of skill release failure.
Tip: As this skill levels up, aura intensity increases, and Willpower is slightly enhanced.
Tip: Due to absorbing a large amount of pure Blood Qi, Willpower +10.
...
Seeing the effects of Aura Release, a smile appeared on Su Xiao's face. He finally had a large-scale, no-blind-spot lethal skill. While Ring Break was also a wide-area lethal ability with powerful damage, its starting stance was too obvious, and its attack range was a circular cross-section.
Although Aura Release's lethality was inferior to Ring Break, it activated instantly, could weaken enemies, accelerate their Stamina consumption, reduce their Physical Defense, and even cause them to fail skill releases. A failed skill release in the heat of battle was a fatal mistake.
Su Xiao flipped through his skill list. He had quite a few skills, but most were passive.
His passive skills included: Blade Master, Absolute Magic Constitution, Mind's Eye, Spirit Shadow Constitution, Demon Mark, Heart Meditation, and Firearm Proficiency.
His active skills were relatively fewer, including: Azure Steel Shadow, Supreme Blade, Shave, and Aura Release.
The active skills he used in combat were only Azure Steel Shadow, Shave, and the newly acquired Aura Release. While it seemed few, these three abilities could combine into various combat methods.
The rest of his abilities came from equipment. When choosing equipment, Su Xiao also preferred passive effects.
Having too many active skills wasn't necessarily good. His combat revolved around blade techniques, with other abilities serving as support. For example, the newly acquired Aura Release was excellent support for his blade skills, especially the aspect of reducing enemy Physical Defense.
With the enemy's Physical Defense reduced, combined with the attack power of Dragon-Slaying Flash and Blade Master, every slash would cut deep. A few strikes, with True Damage plus slashing damage, would quickly put most enemies down.
Moreover, the moment Aura Release spread, enemies would suffer significant injuries and experience a brief moment of disorientation—that would be his best opportunity to close in.
In truth, Su Xiao wanted to acquire a teleportation-type skill. However, most teleportation skills were bloodline-based, so he had to settle for a charge-type skill like Shave.
Teleportation and charging were not on the same level. If Su Xiao mastered a teleportation skill, his combat power would multiply.
Yet, teleportation skills were beyond rare. The known feasible methods were few, with the most reliable being obtaining a certain eye—the Rinnegan of the Second Pillar.
Given Su Xiao's current strength, obtaining that eye was a pipe dream. He might as well go to sleep. Besides, it was unknown whether the Rinnegan would conflict with the Law-Destroying Shadow class, as the Rinnegan was also a bloodline.
After much thought, Su Xiao couldn't find a way to acquire a teleportation skill.
Leaving the Skill Upgrade Hall, Su Xiao stretched and headed toward his Exclusive Room. Multiple trips to the Ancient Battlefield had left him exhausted; he needed rest.
Returning to his Exclusive Room, Su Xiao entered the blade-training room, intending to experiment with the Aura Release skill.
First, he sensed his own aura. After all, this was his first time using the active ability of Aura Release.
A faint red aura instantly spread. The room fell silent, dust particles in the air froze, and fine cracks appeared on the walls.
Su Xiao was holding a test tube. Given the attack intensity of Aura Release, the tube should have shattered. Yet, it remained intact—a result of his deliberate control.
"High controllability, and fast enough to be nearly unavoidable."
After testing the new ability, Su Xiao went to bed and fell asleep immediately.
...
Two days later, at Xia's restaurant.
Bubu Wang had his mouth full of food, while Su Xiao leaned back in his chair, feeling stuffed. Xia's cooking was getting better and better.
"You still haven't told me what the War World was like? It seems a lot of people died this time. The number of newcomers in Reincarnation Paradise has noticeably increased."
Xia sat beside Su Xiao. As a Worker, she didn't need to participate in World Domination Wars, so she was curious about them.
"I don't know how many died in other worlds. In mine, counting enemy Contractors, probably over a thousand Contractors died."
Su Xiao had a cigarette in his mouth, his tone calm.
"Over... a thousand thousand Contractors?"
Hearing that number, Xia stammered. It was shocking news for her.
"No wonder prices have dropped recently. Such heavy casualties... so many Second Rank Contractors died. The War World must have been brutal. Sometimes being a slacker has its perks."
Xia was unashamed of her mediocre strength. In her view, since she couldn't even beat Bubu Wang, her strength was probably nothing special.
"How long has it been since you last entered a Derived World?"
"Hmm... about a month. Workers enter worlds roughly every two months."
"Is that so? Among First Rank, your overall combat power isn't bad."
Su Xiao exhaled a puff of smoke. Thanks to sparring with Bubu Wang, Xia's strength had noticeably improved. While her attributes couldn't increase, her combat experience had grown significantly.
"But speaking of which, Bai Ye, your combat power must be pretty strong, right? At least mid-to-upper Second Rank. 'Night of Decapitation'—you even have a title."
Xia smiled, having heard that nickname from somewhere.
"Who knows. Maybe I'm top-tier Second Rank. I'm off."
Su Xiao stood up to leave, but Xia suddenly spoke.
"You really like going 'chop' on enemies~"
Xia made a decapitation gesture.
"Pure rumor."
Su Xiao and Bubu Wang left Xia's restaurant. As they walked, Su Xiao felt he had forgotten something.
Inside the restaurant, Xia scratched her head, her smooth hair falling.
"Seems I forgot something... Oh right! He didn't pay!"
Xia quickly ran out of the restaurant, still holding a soup ladle.
"Eating without paying—I run a small business. I'm on the verge of bankruptcy."
Xia hesitated for a moment but didn't contact Su Xiao, planning to settle the bill next time he came.
...
[Hunter has reached the maximum stay limit in Reincarnation Paradise.]
[Returning to the Real World. Please remember the regulations of Reincarnation Paradise.]
Seeing the prompt from Reincarnation Paradise, Su Xiao immediately submitted an application to Reincarnation Paradise—an application to 'Break Physical Limits.' This time in Reincarnation Paradise, he hadn't gone to the Arena because he had been researching something in his Exclusive Room.
[Reviewing...]
[Review Approved.]
[Tip: The Hunter's physical attributes/passive skills will be suppressed. The five combat attributes will be suppressed to 5 points.]
[Suppressing...]
Shackles appeared around Su Xiao's arms, torso, and legs. As these shackles materialized, a wave of weakness hit him, and his five attributes were suppressed to 5 points.
[Tip: The Hunter's various passive skills have been suppressed to Lv.5 effects.]
In the Real World, active skills were unusable, so Reincarnation Paradise only suppressed Su Xiao's passive skills.
Su Xiao wasn't surprised by the suppression of his passive skills. Take his Blade Master Lv.39, for example—even if his attributes were suppressed, the lethality it could display was still formidable.
[Teleportation begins. Location: Real World.]
[Tip: Upon returning to the Real World, the Hunter will receive the 'Break Physical Limits' mission. Completing or abandoning the mission will lift the suppression effect.]
[Tip: The 'Break Physical Limits' mission can be issued up to three times. If all three attempts fail or are abandoned, the Hunter's attempt to break the 80-point barrier will fail.]
[Judging... The time limit for the Hunter's 'Break Physical Limits' mission is 3 to 5 days. No extension of the Real World stay limit is required.]