Chapter 188: Atomic Samurai's Enlightenment
For the first time in his life, Atomic Samurai felt his entire path—his very way of life—be completely negated.
It wasn't a negation from an outsider, but a rejection from his own soul toward the road he had walked.
Failure itself wasn't the terrifying part. What was terrifying was that even he had thoroughly accepted this defeat as absolute.
Atomic Samurai felt something within him shatter, breaking along with the steel in his hand.
Just then, a figure stepped into his field of vision, blocking the sunlight and casting a long, heavy shadow over him.
Atomic Samurai slowly looked up. That domineering, majestic face was mere inches away.
"Do not be discouraged, Atomic Samurai. Do you know what you are lacking?"
"It is exactly what you are missing that has stalled your growth and left you trapped within your current bottleneck."
What?!
This string of questions from King instantly piqued Atomic Samurai's curiosity. He straightened his back, listening intently.
At the same time, he was internally shocked. How did King know I had hit a plateau? How could he tell that my path of the sword had reached its limit?
Seeing the look of utter surprise on the swordsman's face, the corner of King's mouth twitched upward ever so slightly.
Are you kidding? I have the power of the 'Plot' on my side.
But what kind of profound-sounding nonsense could he use to keep this guy in awe?
After a few seconds of calculation, while meeting Atomic Samurai's burning gaze, King slowly delivered his answer:
"It is an Indomitable Heart of the Blade. You have lost it, and that is the true reason you cannot breach the 'Mirror Water Realm.'"
"An Indomitable... Heart of the Blade...?"
Atomic Samurai froze. A spark of light gradually returned to his eyes.
Yes... perhaps it is precisely that. That resolve to swing the sword regardless of the odds, regardless of the terror... I lost it.
He thought back to the moment he was effortlessly one-shotted by that golden flame monster, Solar Sperm. In that instant, the pride and absolute certainty he carried had been crushed.
Since then, his "Heart of the Blade" had been on the verge of splintering.
That was why just now, every single one of his Atomic Slashes had been tainted with a subconscious sliver of cowardice. His mind was in turmoil; naturally, it could not remain as calm and flat as a still lake. And if the surface is disturbed, one can never reach the breakthrough.
A light breeze blew across the plains. Atomic Samurai stood there like a statue, having entered a deep state of meditation.
King wasn't in a hurry. While he waited for the swordsman to finish his "enlightenment," he used his psychokinesis to stealthily browse his phone, hovering it invisibly in the air.
I have to say, this Atomic Samurai really is a genius. I just pulled some random buzzwords out of my head, and he actually started a high-level meditation on the spot.
Inside the Mindscape.
Atomic Samurai stood upon the surface of a vast lake. His breathing was rhythmic and steady; his heart was finally quiet.
In his hands, he held a spiritual reconstruction of his broken sword. He kept his eyes tightly shut, King's words echoing like thunder in the silence of his soul.
An Indomitable Heart of the Blade...
No matter the hardship.
Even if I am defeated.
Even if my blade is snapped.
Even in the face of death.
Even when staring into a despair I cannot overcome.
I must maintain the heart of the blade that knows no retreat! Only by pressing forward can I grow stronger! Only then can I pursue the ultimate pinnacle of the sword!
Initially, the lake beneath his feet rippled with wave after wave of water, never-ending and restless.
But as Atomic Samurai snapped his eyes open, the ripples died down. The entire surface of the lake became a perfect, flawless mirror, reflecting his image with crystal clarity.
In this moment, Atomic Samurai found his true path. He shattered the bottleneck that had plagued him for years and stepped into the legendary Mirror Water Realm.
"Mr. King! I am eternally grateful for your guidance!"
Facing Atomic Samurai's praise, King simply waved a hand dismissively, his expression as stoic as ever.
"It is nothing, Atomic Samurai. This is the result of your own enlightenment and the fruit of your years of hard work. I merely gave you a small nudge."
Hearing this, a wave of warmth flowed through Atomic Samurai's heart.
"You are too humble, Mr. King. Without your surgical insight and pinpoint guidance, how could I have achieved enlightenment so quickly?"
Every word of praise was sincere. At this moment, his reverence for King had reached a near-religious level.
Watching Atomic Samurai rush off home to continue his meditation, King scratched his head, looking a bit helpless.
Why does this guy feel like an NPC? He pops out of nowhere to give me a quest, I drop two lines of dialogue, he gets a power-up, drops the quest reward, and runs away.
How strange. Whatever, don't think about it.
King closed his eyes and plunged his consciousness into his mind, listening to the celestial, cold chime of the System.
[Ding! Congratulations Host for completing Option 1!]
[Option 1: Accept Atomic Samurai's request. Engage in a spar. Requirement: Avoid accidentally killing Atomic Samurai. - COMPLETED]
[Ding! Rewards distributed! Congratulations Host for obtaining: [Time Stop Forcefield] x1!]