Thriller Paradise

"A small swift to the swirl of clouds, the booming thunder heralds the approach of lighting! Steps that fell as rapid as rain cover the barren ground. Shadows that move like the wind sweeps the front of the cliff.

"The difference in foundation decides the difference in power. Wishing to end the battle fast, Flashes of Sword uses his killing skill when facing up against the fleeing enemy."

The narration was slightly slower than the action happening in real life, after all, the system requires time to translate the actions into words. Therefore, when the narration entered Feng Bujue's ears, Flashes of Sword had already launched his attack.

"The shadow of the blade cuts through the air, the particles shivering around the cold steel. Under the gloomy moon, the human shadows seem to have stood still. In this moment where everyone's holding their breath, the glint of the sword is the only movement. The clouds cover the moon, and when the world plunges into darkness, the sword reaches for its target!

"Ha! Flashes of Sword lunges forward, closing the ten steps between them in mere seconds. His first skill echoes far down the horizon. By the cliff, in the barren field, the sound of the cold steel is particularly ringing."

At that moment, Flashes of Sword used the skill of his title 'Sword Swift Like the Wind', Shining Moon Slash.

———

Skill Name: Shining Moon Slash

Skill Type: Active

Consumption: Fifteen percent of maximum Stamina Points, fifteen percent of maximum Mana Points.

Effect: Teleport to the front of a target within ten meters and gain an eighty percent increase of attack speed. Duration: three seconds. Cooldown time: ten minutes.

Remark: A blade skill weaving the light and the dark. Exceptionally fast, extremely dangerous, blurring the enemy's sight, attacking when their guard is down.

———

When Flashes of Sword appeared in front of Feng Bujue, the latter almost rammed right into the former's sword from his momentum. Thankfully, Feng Bujue reacted fast. He stepped to the left instinctively and raised the wrench in defense.

The blade ground against the wrench, creating many sparks. However, Feng Bujue merely dodged his enemy's first move and avoided the attack to his vitals. After that, during his battle with Flashes of Sword, his enemy manipulated his sword with perfect ease. With the buff of attack speed, he landed a few cuts on Feng Bujue. The blade left wounds on the inside of Feng Bujue's left leg, left shoulder, and back, causing the effect of bleeding.

"It is a battle of ultimate skills. Feng Bujue uses his unique weapon and all of his ability to turn the situation around. With his agile physique, he avoids the blows that would have pierced through his vitals! Every step is dangerous! However, a human's agility is not faster than the speed of a sword. The sword covers everywhere like a net, the glint shimmering like the scales of a fish. Feng Bujue slips in between the attacks and is left with evidence of his narrow escape."

"This narration sure knows how to spruce things up! Can't it see that I'm almost dead?" Feng Bujue continued to run. This meant that he had not surrendered yet. He knew very well that Flashes of Sword's earlier skill could not be continuously used or else his opponent would not just be level fifteen.

"Coldness gathering in his eyes, wind parting under his sword. The moon shows its gaze. Flashes of Sword moves his wrist and proceeds with his second skill!"

"Another one?" When Feng Bujue heard the narration, his opponent was already close behind him, the tip of the sword almost touching his back.

"Flashes of Sword's blade failed to hear the cries of cruelty from Feng Bujue."

At this point, Flashes of Sword stopped feeling awkward from the narration. In fact, he had started to get used to it. This second skill was a normal skill, Lunging Strike. Before Feng Bujue widened the distance between them, he could make use of this skill to follow up on his assault.

By then, Flashes of Sword had basically seen through Feng Bujue's ability. From the way Feng Bujue blocked his previous attack, he did not appear like a player who specialized in combat. Even though it was praiseworthy that he managed to dodge the attacks from Shining Moon Slash, that was the extent of the praise. With the speed that he had shown so far, he was not going to evade this strike, and that was going to end this Killing Game.

"The night is silent but the caress of the wind. The blade cuts through the night. This blade that is supposed to decide the outcome of the battle misses!"

"Oh‽" Flashes of Swords missed, and his expression shifted. He saw that Feng Bujue's speed had suddenly increased, and the distance between them was instantly drawn apart. A light scent of blood was the only thing that remained.

"Hmm… I should have known it would not be that simple. The kid has been hiding his true power." Flashes of Sword broke into a smile as his desire for an epic fight grew.

"In the nick of time, at the moment of death, Feng Bujue suddenly activates a strange skill. His physique's growth is unbelievable. With an improved agility that does not seem like his own, he slips away like a shot of lightning."

Bang, bang, bang…

Since he had activated Body Enhancement Spell, Feng Bujue would not keep on running forever. After introducing some distance between them, he turned around to aim at Flashes of Sword, who was not far away. He raised his pistol and fired. In ten seconds, he finished a whole magazine.

"This type of long-ranged attack is not going to work." Flashes of Sword smiled as he started to approach his adversary once more.

It was not that he had some kind of passive skill that could neutralize bullets; it was due to the armor he was wearing. The effect of the hidden helmet, armor, and gloves had the 'reflect' effect, and they were all excellent quality equipment. Long-ranged weapons were not going to harm Flashes of Sword unless his opponent was a godlike marksman and could land their shots at the same spot consecutively or aim directly at the man's eyes or neck.

Of course, if he was shot by a Winchester within ten meters, it would still cause some damage. But Feng Bujue was unable to do all that. He was not a player who specialized in marksmanship. Removing the magazine and replacing it with another, Feng Bujue put the gun away.

Hasty Repair is useless. Below-the-belt Shin Kick is only usable on monsters. I tried using Strategic Victory earlier, but it amounted to nothing, Feng Bujue thought to himself. The only skill I can use is Body Enhancement Spell, but I can't use it forever…

He looked like he was fleeing, but Feng Bujue wasted no moment to start analyzing his opponent.

He has already used two active skills. The teleport and attack damage of the first skill is very powerful. Most likely, it is a skill given by his title. It should take some time to cool down. Even if the second skill has no cooldown, it is merely a strike that is slightly more powerful than normal. It can be avoided.

Feng Bujue pulled out the dagger from his inventory and held it in his left hand. He held the wrench in his right hand. With the buff from Casey Jones' mask, my fighting mastery is D. Since he is the same level as I am, at most, his fighting master is also D. Theoretically speaking, that means we're on the same fighting level, and that's why I was able to escape his ultimate skill without using any skill of my own…

At this point, his opponent was already close to him. I've already activated Body Enhancement Spell, my speed and strength should be higher than his, and I have the potions as back up. This battle… is one that I can win!

"Flashes of Sword picks up his assault, and Bujue replies with aggression of his own! The two shadows crisscross over the battlefield, as their skills fly.

"The blade cuts through the chaos, while the strange skill strengthens one's core. This is a match between the blade and the magical. Temporarily, there is no telling who might win."

When Flashes of Sword saw the man's speed increase, he was already prepared. Feng Bujue's counter was within his expectations. This time, he did not adopt an aggressive assault. He focused on defending against Feng Bujue's attack while using fast but weak skills to limit Feng Bujue's mobility.

Perhaps due to his instinct from years on the battlefield, Flashes of Sword knew that Feng Bujue could not maintain his status for long. So, the aim was to drag the fight out, and the man would eventually lose.

"Facing a powerful enemy, Feng Bujue gets more vicious the longer he fights. He ignores the wounds forming on his body as he continues his relentless assault."

"Friend, you're not bad. Would you like to join our guild? I'll give you a shining recommendation." Flashes of Sword continued the fight with the man, and soon, he was forced into a completely defensive position. The shorter the weapon, the bigger the danger for the wielder. Feng Bujue's dagger and wrench moved like lightning, and the man's speed was higher than his opponent's. He surrounded Flashes of Sword, and there was not even a gap in his attacks. From the surface, it looked like Feng Bujue was on the winning side, but in reality, it was the complete opposite. He was sliding toward defeat.

This battle reflected the big difference between them in terms of battle experience. While Flashes of Sword was weaker in terms of both strength and speed, with just a wealth of battle experience and skill, he was able to maintain his current status without losing. Meanwhile, Feng Bujue was rapidly exhausting his Stamina Points and Life Points to keep up the assault.

"Thanks, but no thanks. Meeting a person like you once is more than enough," Feng Bujue replied. This was already a big compliment.

"Ha ha… Since you know defeat is imminent, why the pointless struggle?" Flashes of Sword asked again.

Feng Bujue did not answer and continued to attack. It was unclear what his goal was. A third of his Stamina Points had been depleted in this battle, and the condition of his Life Points was even worse. Even though the apparel that he wore could lower the effect of bleeding, that did not mean that his Life Points were not going to fall. Due to the cuts that he suffered earlier and the exhaustion from Body Enhancement Spell, his Life Points had dropped to below thirty percent.

Facing an opponent of Flashes of Sword's caliber, Feng Bujue did not dare act carelessly. If he waited until his Life Points reached ten percent before he took the potion, it might lead to a game over. Thus, he used his first potion when his Life Points reached thirty percent.

"You are only wasting valuable resources." The longer this battle continued, the easier it was for Flashes of Sword. He had gotten familiar with Feng Bujue's attack style, so he had more time to chat. "If you don't mind me being honest, dragging this out will only benefit me, not you."

"At least you're quite a straight-forward person. In that case, I shall respond in kind," Feng Bujue replied. He suddenly stopped attacking and jumped away from Flashes of Sword.

"A damaged body and an unwinnable battle. As unwilling as he is, what can he do?

"The sharp sting of murderous aura remains, but the waterfall-like assault has stopped. Is this the desperation of a cornered loser, or is he preparing for a final last stand?"

"You think a longer battle is more beneficial to you, and that is because you're considering the issue from the perspective of the battle." Feng Bujue continued the topic. "In reality, I too hoped that you would adopt a defensive stance and wouldn't hurry to finish the battle because I needed time to think about the answer to the hidden quest."

The casual smile on Flashes of Sword's face disappeared, and he took on a more severe expression.

"Dissecting the vicissitudes of fate with a smile, studying the Heavens and Earth, calculating one's destiny. Fearless and heedless, taking life and death with the air of the enlightened, unlike ghost, unlike god, more like a maddened man." Feng Bujue recited his heraldry and then heard the system announcement.

"Hidden Quest completed. You have obtained your unique Sorcery weapon—Death Poker.

"Sorcery weapons are forever bound to the player. They cannot be traded, dropped, or destroyed. They do not take inventory space and can be materialized anytime with a consumption of two percent of your maximum Mana Points. The item grows alongside the player."

Feng Bujue put his two weapons away, and with a thought, white light pooled around his hand before forming a deck of cards. His Mana Points fell accordingly, lowering to 147/150. He scanned through the item's attributes quickly and deactivated Body Enhancement Spell.

"Reciting his heraldry, gathering his mana, the body grows as if physically in size. Feng Bujue flicks his two fingers, and a magical weapon gathers in them. Without any skill, any planning, but a flash of light cut through the air, heading right toward Flashes of Sword."

"I've already told you. Such long-ranged attacks are usel…" The last few words got stuck in the man's throat because the playing card flew past his cheek, leaving behind a small wound.

"What was that?" Flashes of Sword's expression shifted. If he did not pick up the change in the situation in the nick of time and quickly move his head to the side, the attack would have sheared through his eye.

"It was a playing card," Feng Bujue replied calmly.

"Is that so… So that is the power of a Sorcery weapon," Flashes of Sword commented. "Looks like there is value in completing the hidden quest."

"Do you think I'll give you the luxury of time to think of your heraldry and then fight you when you have your own Sorcery weapon?" Feng Bujue asked as he tossed out another two cards. After the cards left his hands, they seemed to gain a life of their own. They floated through the air, cutting unreadable trails in the air as they charged at Flashes of Sword.

"Two more flashes of light. Flashes of Sword raises his blade to defend, the sword tasting the chilliness of the impeding attacks.

"A presence gathers around the sword, wreathing it in a white rainbow. A wall of force cuts forward, deflecting the two flashes of light away."

Flashes of Sword's hands were shaking because his sword was shaking. "The strange movement trail, impressive speed, and such a powerful force behind them…"

He knew that things were going to be worse. His opponent had fifty-four playing cards. Even though he had avoided one and taken down two with his blade, if this continued, it was only a matter of time until he was defeated.

"That's all the time I have for testing out the new weapon. It's time to start the attack for real," Feng Bujue said.

"The situation instantly turns, and the provocative announcement causes Flashes of Sword's face to fill with dread."

"Tsk…" Flashes of Sword tutted when he heard the narration. As furious as he was, he could not deny it. When he was chasing after Feng Bujue earlier, the narration did not color the man in shades of dread. Feng Bujue had even had the time to mock the narration.

This time, Feng Bujue took out his cards and expanded them in his hands. "How about a straight flush."

"Just as Flashes of Sword hesitates, Feng Bujue makes his move!"