Chapter 57: Shenzhou Taijun, This Way Please...
"It's getting late. I'd better not disturb Mei."
Rovel had originally intended to hand the evidence over to Raiden Mei immediately, but a glance at the time told him she was likely already asleep. He decided it would be better to wait until morning and find her at the Kendo Club.
As for now... he might as well go and 'say hello' to the Funahiki family's people.
He was no saint. Since they had gone out of their way to plot against him, it was only fair that he taught them a little lesson in return.
According to Funahiki Shin's previous boasts, his family had contracted all the Death Soldiers in Changkong City. That made finding them laughably simple. All Rovel had to do was locate a single Death Soldier, and the Funahiki lackeys were sure to show up sooner or later.
With a destination in mind, Rovel began to weave through the city's quiet streets. Before long, his search bore fruit; he spotted a lone Death Soldier shambling aimlessly through an empty plaza.
At this late hour, most of the city's residents were already home, their windows dark and silent. The creature's appearance went unnoticed, causing no panic.
Rovel found a spot in the shadows not far from the monster, settling in to wait.
After about ten minutes, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed in the night. A group of men rushed into the plaza, surrounding a single figure at their center. Rovel's eyes narrowed, and he could clearly make out the name floating above the leader's head.
Funahiki Shin.
A flicker of disappointment passed through Rovel. It was a pity it wasn't Funahiki Gyō. He held no particular malice toward Funahiki Shin, viewing him as little more than a brainless thug—a pampered young master who enjoyed throwing his family's weight around to bully others. He'd seen countless people like him and had long since grown numb to their antics.
Funahiki Gyō, on the other hand... that man's disgusting, sycophantic smile had left a deep impression. Rovel had nearly been ensnared by his scheme. If not for his foreknowledge of the plot and the game-breaking power of the 'Elysian Realm', Bronya might have genuinely locked him away for three months.
Soon enough, the group of players surrounded the Death Soldier, falling into a practiced formation as they began their assault. Funahiki Shin, meanwhile, stood off to the side, observing with his arms crossed.
Rovel let out a quiet yawn as he watched. Their pace was agonizingly slow.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Death Soldier's health was whittled down to a mere sliver.
"That's enough," Funahiki Shin commanded. His men didn't hesitate, immediately stepping forward to sacrifice themselves to the monster's final, desperate attacks.
Just as Funahiki Shin prepared to step forward and deliver the finishing blow, claiming the experience for himself...
A shimmering wave of pure internal energy shot out from the darkness, striking the Death Soldier first.
[-71]
The monster's remaining health bar was instantly vaporized.
At the same time, a system notification chimed in Rovel's mind.
[Killed Death Soldier (Level 10), gained 300 experience points.]
'So the base damage of Chaotic Thunder is roughly equal to my Strength stat,'Rovel mused.'That's a bit on the low side.'
The technique's main advantage was its spammability and range. Its only real downside was its travel speed; it would be easy for any prepared opponent to dodge.
"Who's there?!" Funahiki Shin yelped, his expression a mixture of shock and anger. He never expected someone to be hiding in the shadows, let alone someone who could deal such high damage in a single hit.
His bodyguards, the highest of whom was only level four, immediately snapped to attention, forming a protective wall around him.
Funahiki Shin slowly retreated behind his human shields, his eyes scanning the darkness with wary vigilance.
A moment later, Rovel stepped out from the shadows, a faint, unbothered smile playing on his lips.
"It's you!" Funahiki Shin's eyes widened, his face gradually going blank with disbelief. "Wait... aren't you supposed to be locked up in ME Corp?!"
"I got lucky and escaped," Rovel said with a casual shrug. "I was actually hoping to run into Funahiki Gyō, but I suppose you'll have to do."
Funahiki Shin's gaze darted around, searching the area behind Rovel. Once he confirmed that Raiden Mei was nowhere in sight, the tension slowly drained from his shoulders.
So what if Rovel's attack dealt 71 damage? He had over a dozen bodyguards with him! Once that strange weapon of his that fired energy waves ran out of ammo, wouldn't this guy just be a lamb for the slaughter?
With that thought, Funahiki Shin's confidence surged back. He never once considered that the shockwave might have been a personal skill. After all, that kind of attack didn't look like something a human could produce.
"Hmph, your biggest mistake was escaping only to show your face in front of me," he sneered. "Without that NPC protecting you, let's see how you're going to get out of this one!"
He gestured forward, and seven or eight of his men charged at Rovel.
"Hua Jin—Chaotic Chrysanthemum."
Rovel's figure blurred, vanishing from his spot. In the next instant, he reappeared directly in front of Funahiki Shin.
Behind him, a series of damage numbers—all exceeding 250—erupted over the heads of the charging bodyguards. Their bodies flickered, then dissolved into shimmering fragments of data that faded into the night.
"Ah!!" Funahiki Shin was so startled he stumbled backward, tripping over his own feet and crashing to the ground.
The few bodyguards still standing by his side instinctively flinched back, their faces pale with terror.
What kind of insane damage was that? And what was with that impossible speed?
"Stop him! Quickly, stop him!" Funahiki Shin screamed, his voice cracking with panic. He frantically tried to open his menu to log out, but an air blade, sharp and invisible, cut through the remaining guards and struck him with pinpoint accuracy.
[-73]
His health bar was instantly cleaved in half.
To his mounting despair, as he repeatedly mashed the logout button, a series of cold system prompts began to flash in his vision.
[Ding! You are currently in a combat state and cannot log out.]
[Ding! You are currently in a combat state and cannot log out.]
...
Pure terror seized him. Funahiki Shin scrambled to his feet, desperate to flee.
But just as he turned to run, two feet appeared in his field of vision. He looked up to see that the bodyguards who had been by his side just moments ago had all vanished, leaving behind nothing but fading motes of light.
"Shine my shoes," Rovel said, a streak of mischief in his voice.
Humiliation warred with fear on Funahiki Shin's face, turning it a blotchy red. He roared and threw a clumsy punch at Rovel.
Rovel caught the fist with ease, his other hand striking the joint of Funahiki Shin's attacking arm with a precise, almost gentle tap.
[-1]
A single point of damage popped up over Funahiki Shin's head. It looked utterly insignificant, but in the next second...
"AHHHHH!!!"
A blood-curdling scream ripped through the night.
[Applied DEBUFF to enemy — Bone Fracture (Light)]
People like him, coddled young masters, usually set their pain sensory feedback to the bare minimum of 10%. The sudden application of the Bone Fracture debuff was equivalent to quintupling that sensation in an instant.
What Rovel had learned from Hua wasn't just the Cun Xin Fist Style, but also an incredible, precise control over his own power. He finally understood how he had survived Kalpas's brutal beating back then with only 80% of his health gone.
Funahiki Shin, who had been ready to fight back a moment ago, immediately collapsed to his knees, his face ashen as he clutched his broken arm. Large beads of sweat poured down his forehead, stinging his eyes.
He knew about the Bone Fracture debuff; someone had posted about its effects on the community forums. But that was an additional effect that only had a chance to trigger when the Basic Fighting skill reached Mastery proficiency.
This guy... Rovel actually...
"Where is Funahiki Gyō?" Rovel asked, his voice calm.
At the mention of the name, the searing pain in Funahiki Shin's arm seemed to vanish. It was as if his blocked meridians had been cleared, and even his vision sharpened.
Still, he asked cautiously, "May I ask... what business do you have with him?"
"It's certainly nothing good, I can promise you that."
Seeing the man hesitate, Rovel figured he wasn't going to talk. He placed a hand on Funahiki Shin's shoulder, preparing to apply a little more... persuasion.
"Shenzhou Taijun, this way please..."
"?"
...
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