Chapter 186: Still No Different From an Ant
In this moment, Atomic Samurai gained a much deeper understanding of King's power.
Before, he simply felt that King was far stronger than himself, but he had no concept of just how wide that gap was.
Now, he understood what a true powerhouse looked like.
A true powerhouse didn't even need to move; their mere presence generated a pressure that could suppress a man's very soul.
Standing before King, the great Swordsmaster felt that he didn't even have the courage to draw his blade. He felt less like a warrior and more like a soft, helpless kitten.
"What is it, Atomic Samurai? Do you need something?"
King's deep, steady voice struck Atomic Samurai's ears like a localized thunderclap. He snapped back to his senses, his expression turning deathly serious and formal.
Atomic Samurai took a deep breath and spoke with absolute sincerity:
"King, I have a request. Please, spar with me. I need to feel the distance between my path and the summit."
Hearing the invitation, King paused. His first instinct was to decline.
He didn't really want to bother with the "little guy." The difference in their levels was simply too vast now. A spar wouldn't even be productive for someone at Atomic's level.
Under the crushing weight of King's raw stats, all technique became a pointless exercise in futility.
King also felt he had nothing to teach. The only thing he had that touched upon "Martial Arts" was his Imperial Fist; everything else he did was just a byproduct of having god-tier numbers.
Just then, the System inexplicably popped up, offering a choice for this seemingly minor event.
[Ding! Congratulations Host, you have triggered a Choice Event!]
[Option 1: Accept Atomic Samurai's request. Engage in a spar—the equivalent of an adult playing with a toddler. Let him see the flaws in his swordsmanship. Requirement: Avoid accidentally killing Atomic Samurai.]
Reward: System Item x1.
[Option 2: Reject the request. Enjoy your personal time and tell Atomic Samurai to go find enlightenment on his own. Teach him that only self-forged strength is true strength and that following another's path is a dead end.]
Reward: Random System Item x1.
[Option 3: Kick Atomic Samurai into the horizon and humiliate him. Tell him that without power, he is nothing. Order him to stay out of your sight, for even breathing the same air as such a weakling is an insult to your status.]
Reward: Title: [Combat High] x1.
Title Effect: Increases all attributes by 2% during battle. Effect disappears immediately upon exiting combat.
Oh? A triple choice!
King's eyes widened slightly. This was the first time he had seen three options presented at once.
Option 3 was an immediate "no." While King could be a bit cynical and manipulative, he wasn't a sociopath who enjoyed humiliating his fellow heroes for no reason. Atomic Samurai wasn't a villain, and King wasn't a "survival of the fittest" bully.
Options 1 and 2 were essentially "Yes" or "No" to the spar, with identical reward quality.
King ignored the third option and, after a brief thought, chose Option 1.
He was actually curious to see exactly how huge the gap was between his current self and a standard Dragon-level hero.
"Fine. I accept your request."
After several seconds of silence—during which Atomic Samurai assumed he was about to be rejected—King gave his answer.
Atomic Samurai was overjoyed. He immediately bowed deeply to King.
"I am eternally grateful. When shall we begin?"
King looked at his half-eaten, "viral" meal. He had been about to walk away from it, but the image of a certain elderly master popped into his head.
He paused for two seconds and spoke with a touch of resignation:
"No rush. Let me finish my lunch first."
Better not waste food. Every grain is the result of hard work, after all.
Even if the chef is a criminal for making ingredients this high-quality taste like hot garbage.
King finished the meal in record time. He and Atomic Samurai walked out of the restaurant and took to the skies, flying toward the uninhabited outskirts.
After having a world-shattering war with the Bald Demon, preparing to fight a "baby-tier" Dragon-level hero felt incredibly strange.
They landed in the wilderness, their boots sinking slightly into the soft yellow sand. King looked at the man across from him. Atomic Samurai's aura was so faint it was practically non-existent.
King's expression became increasingly weird.
Is he... really this weak? Or am I just that strong?
The difference between their auras wasn't just "Strong vs. Weak" anymore. It was the difference between a hurricane and the buzzing of a fly.
Even with Atomic Samurai standing right in front of him, in King's perception, the man felt no more significant than an ant on the ground.