Chapter 134 - Midak Balance Disruption Technique

[Tufa Slashing Sword: Second Stage Mastered (Total Three Stages)]

[Midak Cross Sword: Second Stage Proficient (Total Three Stages)]

[Yaka Blood Battle Axe: Second Stage Beginner (Total Three Stages)]

The list looked impressively neat. All three cold weapon techniques had reached the second stage, a level that would typically take a skilled veteran years, even decades, of focused practice to achieve. As for the third stage, that was the equivalent to a master's level in that weapon. Even after repeatedly killing the slashing sword knight more than thirty times, Cassius still hadn't reached that level.

Cassius wasn't too concerned since it'd just be an added bonus. His true foundation of power lay in the Wind Elephant Covert Martial Arts, specifically the Wind Elephant Fist and Elephant Soul.

Cassius clenched his fists, feeling the significant progress his Wind Elephant Fist had made during the intense three-hour battle. After all, he hadn't been fighting dark creatures that relied on instinct or strange abilities; he had been up against Decaying Knights who had mastered combat techniques.

When his fists clashed with various styles of combat, each encounter made him consider different ways to evade, strike, and defend—all of which enriched his Wind Elephant Fist. His skills sharpened every time he fought against different styles, different sects, and even different weapons. Battles that were a matter of life or death also pushed a person's limits, teaching them how to punch faster, connect moves better, and unleash more powerful strikes. All of this benefited a Covert Martial Arts Practitioner's Dao of martial cultivation.

Cassius's previous training had been too smooth of a ride; crushing weaker opponents didn't enlighten him with the true essence of combat insight. It was those evenly matched, back-and-forth, life-or-death struggles against proficient opponents that brought him profound benefits.

Humans were creatures that held a combination of the past, present, and future. However, in extremely perilous situations, past and future would be discarded to focus on the here and now.

Earlier, Cassius had only one question in his mind:

where should my fist go?!

He found this straightforward, pure sensation almost intoxicating. Cassius took a deep breath.

[Wind Elephant Fist Incomplete: Elephant Herd 68.0% (Total Three Stages)] → [Wind Elephant Fist Incomplete: Elephant Herd 71.2% (Total Three Stages)]

In just three hours of combat, his progress bar increased by at least three percent.

More broadly, Cassius realized that if he fought just ten more of these battles, he'd break through to the third stage of the Wind Elephant Fist. Unfortunately, he'd essentially have to pay for this kind of progress with his life.

No one would ever enter a life-and-death struggle of their own volition unless they were a martial arts fanatic who had trained themselves to madness. Cassius preferred battles where he could easily crush his opponent with his own two hands.

Fighting with opponents close to or above his realm was impressive, but it felt like walking a tightrope—frustrating and dangerous. It was nowhere near as satisfying as Cassius's preferred approach of using power in a higher realm to crush a lower one. When your fists and muscles were bigger, all you'd need is a single punch. Period.

Thus, his attitude toward martial arts advancement was simple: break through when it was time to break through, get stronger when it was time to get stronger.

It was pointless to constantly hold yourself back—what good was there to spend three to five years building a foundation? While you're still meandering at the professional level, I've already undergone my third-level accelerated blood flow! One immensely powerful punch, and your head would explode. The greater the strength, the stronger the body, and the more it nurtured an unbeatable momentum.

Was rapid advancement akin to building castles in the air?

Absolute nonsense!

Every rock-hard muscle on my body is tangible and visible. You can't possibly tell me that's fake. Keep talking, and I'll crush you with these muscles!

Cassius decided to return to Black Rain Manor first to complete his mission, collect dark essence, and push himself to the third-level accelerated blood flow.

Once that happened, with all three nodes connected to create a self-sustaining cycle, he'd be able to enter a whole new realm within the pugilist stage. Then, Cassius would have the strength to double-cross Black Rain Manor once again. In his current state, it was still risky to activate the second-level accelerated blood flow.

He glanced at the progress bar—there were six months left, or about one hundred eighty days.

Even though killing three Decaying Knights extended his time, it hadn't been easy. Never mind the fact that they could constantly revive themselves; each was a master of combat techniques in their own right.

Even among the highest ranks of the Hellsings, there were probably few knight-level members who could stand their own against them. The fact that the rank was called "knight-level" likely had something to do with the Decaying Knights.

Under the moonlight, Cassius staggered back to the small building.

First, he used the military medical kit he had specifically bought to bandage and treat himself. Afterward, he began dismantling some of the setups inside the building, according to what he remembered and his blueprints. Once done, Cassius rested for a few hours before resuming his dismantling and inspection.

Most of the traps had already been triggered, but there were still some that needed to be disarmed, and it took Cassius several hours to complete. After finishing the final touches, Cassius drove the fully loaded vehicle out of the manor under the cover of darkness. As he stood at the gate, he threw a match into Joachim Manor.

Boom!

The fire instantly roared to life, the special Sticky Oil of the Hellsings producing an unimaginable heat. The wildly dancing golden-red flames quickly engulfed the entire manor. Amidst the enormous flames, a black car sped down the road.

***

It was February 7, Year 107 of the Hongli Federation in Anta City of East Sea County.

With the vigorous expansion of overseas routes, the ships not only brought resources and goods from other countries but also introduced unique historical cultures, along with martial arts gyms from various countries. In particular, this sword gym, hidden in a secluded alley, belonged to a sword sect in the northern country of the Hongli Federation that specialized in using a cross sword.

According to the gym master, he taught a knight's sword technique that had been passed down through his family for centuries. It was a highly practical and combat-focused technique. The master wasn't talking out of his ass either.

Half a year ago, Anta City held an inter-martial arts gym exchange competition where masters of each gym participated for a chance to win prize money and fame. Many confident gym masters had joined so the competition was filled with experts.

It didn't matter to Ramon, the master of Coldflower Cross Sword Gym; he brutally took down many opponents and advanced to the top three, ultimately finishing in second place.

The placement was well-deserved and the news brought in a steady stream of students to Coldflower Cross Sword Gym, despite being in a remote alley. Ramon held a high status within Anta City's circle of cold weapon enthusiasts, and he often played the role of a stern instructor.

However, on that fateful day, he was almost completely obliterated by an even colder man, and to add salt to the wound, in the very field of cross sword combat that he excelled in!

Two figures faced each other in the open space, one tall and one short. A few disciples of the Coldflower Cross Sword Gym watched from a distance as Ramon, fully armored, gripped a long metal cross sword tightly with both hands. The sword's cold hilt was soaked from his sweaty palms.

Ramon's eyes under his mask were fixed on his opponent, not daring to look away for even a second. He was breathing quickly and heavily, his mouth dry, and his heart raced uncontrollably. The tall man across from him was exerting such immense pressure that it felt as if a mountain loomed before him.

Every time Ramon tried to strike, his opponent seemed to know in advance and he countered with astonishing techniques. Ramon felt as if he was standing naked and exposed before the man's gaze, completely seen through. The feeling of being overpowered was unbearable.

It reminded Ramon of when he sparred with his father when he was young. A similar thing had happened back then when his father had effortlessly anticipated every single one of his moves.

He cautiously took a few steps on the field, but couldn't find the courage to strike. However, with his disciples watching, his decades-honed resolve in swordsmanship wouldn't allow him to back down without a fight.

Ramon gritted his teeth and lunged forward, putting everything he had in thrusting his cross sword.

Clang!

The clash of metal rang out with a hum as the two long swords collided. Ramon's sword was deflected. But that was quickly followed by a silver blade cutting through the air with incredible speed and at a tricky angle.

The long sword slashed diagonally, forcing Ramon to quickly parry with a sidestep. As the blades clashed, he lowered his body to absorb the force then swiftly slid forward. His sword followed his movements and slashed horizontally.

Clang!

A long sword flew toward him, striking hard at his cross sword's point of balance.

Ramon's eyes widened in disbelief as his palm went numb. The force distorted his grip, and the cross sword flew out of his grasp, landing on the ground with a crisp ring.

He struck right at the balance point of my force! What kind of technique is this?! I've never seen anything like it...

Ramon gasped, his hands numb and mouth agape.

"Thank you for the match," the man across from him spoke in a low voice. He handed his cross sword to a student and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Ramon hurriedly removed his mask. "May I ask what swordsmanship you used just now? What technique is it?"

The man didn't turn around and continued walking toward the door. His voice was faint as he tossed out, "Midak Balance Disruption Technique."

It wasn't until the man's figure disappeared through the gym's door that Ramon snapped out of it. He began removing his protective gear. His white shirt underneath was glued to his back from the sweat.

"Midak Cross Sword... Balance Disruption Technique... Impressive..." he murmured weakly, feeling a bit drained. After a while, Ramon picked up the fallen cross sword, only to notice something unusual.

He casually swung it a few times, executing a few moves. He'd been stuck in this particular realm for a long time but he had finally made some small but crucial advancements.

Had he been guiding me all along? Well...thank you.

Elsewhere, on the bustling streets of Anta City, Cassius walked expressionlessly along the sidewalk toward his residence. Contrary to what Ramon thought, Cassius had no intention of instructing him at all. Ramon had accumulated enough experience, and it was due to the immense pressure Cassius brought that he made a slight breakthrough.

Over the past few days, Cassius had challenged many halls that used cold weapons in Anta City, familiarizing himself with the combat techniques of the three cold weapons he had recently acquired, and honing them. Every sect had its own essence and advantages leading to some remarkable results.

For instance, there was a small technique in the Midak Storm Cross Sword style called the Balance Disruption Technique that was quite practical in that it could destroy an opponent's balance point in their attacks.

The technique could potentially be applicable for sword and fist techniques, and surely the effects for the latter would be significant. However, Cassius would have to be the one to figure out how to absorb and adapt this technique into the Wind Elephant Fist.

He walked all the way back to his temporary residence after a simple lunch at the hotel. His suitcase in hand, he went around inspecting various carriage points in Anta City.

Cassius had encountered a significant problem over the past few days. Black Rain Manor was targeting him! Cassius's bell could no longer summon carriages at the carriage points!

This was likely one of Black Rain Manor's punitive measures; there was no change for marked-ones, but there would be no kindness for traitors. Even if Cassius managed to survive the Decaying Knights pursuing him, the shield mark on the back of his hand still had a piercing spear. His identity as a traitor weighed him down.

"A traitor. Then, so be it." Cassius didn't care much. He had already thought of a way to enter the Rainy World.

In the suburbs of Anta City, a few hundred meters away from the train station, a muscular middle-aged man carrying a suitcase walked briskly along the crossroads of a dirt road. Seeing a slender bronze pillar by the roadside, he stopped, took out a bell, and began shaking it vigorously. No sound came out.

In no time, a black carriage rumbled toward him. The carriage stopped, and the middle-aged man was about to step onto it, when a black shadow shot over like a whirlwind and leaped onto the carriage ahead of the middle-aged man. The man's clothes clung to his back as the wind blew.

He stared blankly ahead. The carriage curtain lifted, revealing a cold face, and a heavy envelope was tossed at him. "Sorry, something urgent came up. Here's your compensation."

The middle-aged man caught it and opened it to find a thick stack of Hongli Federation dollar bills inside. After a careful count, he saw it was quite a substantial amount.

"This much? A bit over the top just to save time, isn't it?" He shook his head but accepted it with a smile. While others liked to save a minute or two of time, he much preferred money. It was a perfect exchange.

The black carriage began to move forward. After racing along the road for a dozen meters, it suddenly vanished. A tall figure tumbled down from midair, rolling awkwardly on the ground.

The middle-aged man widened his eyes at the scene. He had never encountered such a situation before. "The carriage can disappear? That's something new!"

On the other side, Cassius stood up with a grim expression. "Damn it!"

He slammed his heavy fist angrily into a roadside tree, wood chips exploding like rain. A trunk as thick as a thigh flew straight out and planted itself into the ground. The man stood just half a meter in front of the trunk. His eyes were wide. "I saw the whole thing. I won't get eliminated, right...?"

In the end, the man wasn't eliminated. He worked with Cassius in summoning the carriage a few more times, but all attempts failed without exception. Half an hour later, Cassius allowed the man to leave. Cassius stood at the crossroads, looking up at the azure sky.

No one, not even Black Rain Manor, can stop me from completing my mission!

When he left, his expression was steely.

Cassius did have another idea in mind but it was relatively dangerous. First, though, he needed to catch another unlucky fellow for his experiment.