Chapter 54: The Correct Way to Use Bone Break
What struck Rovel as a little odd was that his training with Hua hadn't triggered a new mission objective. Perhaps there was a limit of two active missions from a single character, or maybe the time simply wasn't right yet.
He pushed the thought aside and focused on the new skill panel before him. The Cun Xin Fist Style could not only be advanced, but the proficiency required for its promotion was structured differently from his Basic Kendo. It was split into two distinct paths.
[Cun Xin Fist Style (Green)]
1. Cun Xin Fist Style: Structural Force: (0/10,000)
2. Cun Xin Fist Style: Integrated Force: (0/10,000)
As for the techniques he had already learned—'Rock Break', 'Cloud Mist', and 'Chaotic Thunder'—they were categorized as derivatives of the core style, meaning they didn't have their own proficiency bars to fill.
Still, a starting requirement of ten thousand proficiency points was ridiculously high. Rovel imagined any normal player would feel their head spin just looking at that number.
However, a pleasant surprise awaited him. As he began his training and increased the proficiency of his Cun Xin Fist Style, he felt the proficiency of his Basic Combat skill growing in tandem. It was a subtle, almost imperceptible connection, but it was there. Perhaps this was the true reason Hua had chosen to teach him this particular martial art.
The Cun Xin Fist Style was, in itself, a foundational art, but one that layered a unique understanding on top of the fundamentals of Basic Combat. In essence, the concept of 'Jin Force' was being added to his original foundation as an auxiliary enhancement, much like a DLC for a game.
Under Hua's careful guidance, Rovel's skill proficiency soared. Before long, his Basic Combat broke through to the 'Minor Accomplishment' rank, granting him a new passive effect.
[New Additional Effect: "Bone Break (Heavy)"]
[Bone Break (Heavy): If the target's Pain Value is below 80%, it is locked at 80%. Automatic HP recovery is halted. Duration: 24 hours!]
And then… that was it?
Rovel scratched his head, a little nonplussed. Wasn't this new effect from Basic Combat a bit too simple? A bit too crude?
His Basic Kendo had rewarded him with 'Sword Qi'and'Sword Intent.' The latter, his Clear Mirror Sword Intent, had been a qualitative leap in his overall power. Why did the reward for his fist-fighting skills feel so lackluster in comparison?
Though he wanted to lodge a complaint with the developers, the system, unfortunately, remained silent and offered no answers.
For the next while, Rovel dedicated himself to his training, seeking out Hua almost every day. She said little, but her instruction was earnest and impossibly precise. Soon, he was the first to max out 'Cun Xin Fist Style: Integrated Force,' completely mastering the art of generating explosive power from his entire body.
As a result, his Cun Xin Fist Style advanced from Green to Blue. Immediately, three new skills materialized in his skill list.
They were 'Inch Force: Mountain Collapse', 'Inch Force: Heaven Opening', and 'Inch Force: Thunderbolt'.
Like the initial techniques, these three had no proficiency bars; they were derivative arts born from his mastery of the core principle. Meanwhile, the original proficiency bar changed.
'Cun Xin Fist Style: Integrated Force': (0/10,000) had become 'Cun Xin Fist Style: Inch Force': (0/100,000).
According to Hua, although he had grasped the initial concept of Inch Force, he still needed to continuously refine it until it became second nature.
But Rovel was in no hurry. He shifted his focus and maxed out the proficiency for 'Structural Force'as well, advancing it to the next stage:'Dissipating Force'! With this second mastery, his Cun Xin Fist Style skill advanced once more, this time to Purple.
Two more derivative techniques appeared in his arsenal: 'Dissipating Force: Ink Chrysanthemum'and'Dissipating Force: Flying Willow'.
Compared to the instantaneous, explosive power of 'Inch Force', 'Dissipating Force' was geared more towards defense and footwork. It embodied the principle of striking after the opponent but arriving first, of using long-range planning to control short-range encounters.
[Dissipating Force: Ink Chrysanthemum]: A technique that perfectly fuses 'Cloud Mist'and'Rock Break.' The user moves with lightning speed, launching a continuous flurry of attacks at the enemy.
[Dissipating Force: Flying Willow]: Integrates Dissipating Force into 'Chaotic Thunder.' The original spherical burst of air pressure transforms into sharp, cutting blades of wind. With a wave of the hand, these air blades can be fired, making them not only faster but also far more difficult to defend against.
It even had a special property: if he encountered an enemy attempting to borrow and redirect his force, a well-timed 'Flying Willow' could easily shatter their attempt.
As the list of elaborate names grew, Rovel's head began to ache slightly. 'Hmm… this is starting to feel like memorizing combo moves in King of Fighters.'Although he had now comprehended both'Inch Force'and'Dissipating Force,'Hua showed no intention of teaching him the final, ultimate principle of the style:'Dead Force'.
Rovel didn't press the issue. He knew Hua must have her reasons.
As the days passed one by one, Rovel's skill proficiency continued to grow at an astonishing rate under her tutelage. And then, his Basic Combat actually reached its next stage ahead of his Basic Kendo… 'Great Accomplishment'!
[Basic Combat (White): Great Accomplishment]: 0/1,000,000
Just as he suspected, 'Great Accomplishment' wasn't the final limit. There were even higher realms beyond it. And with this new rank came a new additional effect for Basic Combat. As before, it was brutally simple.
[Additional Effect: Bone Break (Full)]
[Bone Break (Full): If the target's Pain Value is below 100%, it is locked at 100%. The body completely loses the ability to move. Ordinary medicine cannot provide a cure. Duration: 168 hours.]
Staring at the description, Rovel suddenly understood. A cold realization washed over him. This 'Bone Break'debuff wasn't just a simple combat tool. Its true purpose was to lengthen a person's'Death Vacuum Period.'
In "Honkai", dying resulted in a one-level drop and a mandatory 24-hour logout period.
But what if this debuff persisted through death? What if the timer continued to tick down even after a player respawned? If he applied 'Bone Break (Full)'to an enemy right before killing them…'Does that mean… when they log back into the game the next day, they'll still be under the effect of a seven-day debuff?'
If so, without access to special, high-tier healing methods, that player would be effectively crippled for an entire week. Their progress would fall catastrophically behind everyone else.
A slow smile spread across Rovel's face. 'Hiss… so crude. I love it.'He blinked, finally grasping the terrifying genius behind this seemingly simple debuff. The two paths were becoming clear. Kendo leaned towards the refinement of one's inner state, a spiritual improvement of the self. Fighting, on the other hand, was about the purest, most ruthless application of combat.'So that's how it is.'
Rovel glanced at the system clock. Only one day remained before the official server launch in the real world. In game time, that meant he had two more days to prepare.
"Hua, I want to improve my Kendo now. Is that alright?" he asked suddenly.
He still had Raiden Mei's A-rank mission hanging over his head: to defeat her in a direct confrontation while she was using the 'Hokushin Ittō-ryū.'"Kendo? Of course," Hua replied with a nod, her expression serene. "Your fighting techniques have already become second nature. From this point on, you can slowly refine'Inch Force'and'Dissipating Force' on your own."
However, instead of teaching him new sword forms or techniques, Hua began to instruct him on how to refine his 'Intent'.
"Sword Intent… can it be refined further?" Rovel asked, his curiosity piqued.
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