Aeron entered the top-grade room on the second floor of the main building.
Usually, there was a price to it as people would have to swipe their ID cards and use the Credits at a per-hour price.
But Aeron swiped his card, and it opened without any credits.
Naturally, if he dared to practice any other technique aside from the Battlefield of Death, then he would be kicked out and fined.
The sensors were on. They traced Aeron's chakra points circulation, and if it turned out to be a circulation of another technique instead of Battlefield of Death, the staff would be promptly informed.
He was given the room for free only if he was courting death.
He inserted his ID card into the slot next to the doorknob.
A hologram suddenly appeared in the center of the room, showing a body and its chakra points.
Not any other body, but Aeron's own body and his chakra points.
A line was forming, connecting chakra points gradually until a full circulation was completed.
Aeron watched with focus.
He had to follow what he saw.
Fortunately, Aira had taught him how to sense and flow Stamina and Prana through his unlocked chakra points while they were in the arena.
But before doing this, he had to check his gift.
Valiant Force Deck (B-rank) [ 1/4 cards—1 Inspirations—1 Epiphany ]
First, he triggered the Epiphany.
—
1. Power of Two (Carnage): When Thousand Impact Fist strikes a target, you will heal for 50 percent of the damage you dealt and apply 3 x Bleed. Bleed deals 10 percent of the damage you dealt with this attack every second for five seconds.
—
2. Power of Two (Fortitude): When using Power of Two, your physical toughness increases by 10 percent per stacked card, up to 100 percent.
—
3. Power of Two (Vorpal): Per card stacked, increase movement speed by 20 percent, up to 100 percent. When 5 Power of Two are stacked, create one Vorpal Impact Shot (3-star): shoot a fist projectile with high blunt impact damage equal to 200 percent x (Physique + Spirit) and reduce the defense of the target by 50 percent for 10 seconds.
—
'Wow…' Aeron was amazed.
The first option was quite powerful, increasing his offense.
The second option increased his survival.
But the third option did both. It increased his survival in the sense that his movement speed would be fast, and he would get a long-range attack like Vorpal Impact Shot, unlike the Thousand Impact Fist, which was a close-range attack.
'Alright.'
Aeron made his choice and picked the third option.
Afterward, he checked the Inspiration.
—
Option 1.
[ Valiant Burst ]
Card Quality: 2-star
Effect:
—> All targets within 5 meters of the user are stunned for 1 to 3 seconds. Gain 50 percent defense to your mental and physical stats per target struck, and reduce their movement speed by 50 percent. When using this on the same target, they are stunned for 1 extra second, and their movement speed is reduced by an extra 50 percent.
—
Option 2.
[ Valiant Hunter ]
Card Quality: 2-star
Effect:
—> Mark a single target within fifteen meters. For 1 minute, your movement and attack speed increase by 25 percent while the target is in your sight. Every successful hit extends the mark duration by one second and applies Mark of Hunter. When 10 Marks of Hunter are stacked on the target, you can trigger them to deal damage equal to all the damage you dealt to the target after applying the first Mark of Hunter.
—
Option 3.
[ Valiant Flurry ]
Card Quality: 2-star
Effect:
—> After using this card, your next attack card's effect activates two times, and for one minute, your hit count +1.
—
Aeron was dumbfounded.
All of these were so good.
But he could only pick one.
'I don't have much martial art proficiency right now, so the third option might not benefit much.'
'The second option is good, but the same problem. I have to hit ten times…'
There was only one sound option for him right now if he wanted to survive practicing Battlefield of Death.
Valiant Burst.
After making his choice, Aeron began without further ado.
First, he flowed stamina, which was something he could sense and control. It was a type of internal energy on which his body functioned.
He circulated it in the ten Vigor chakra points first, and then picked up Prana and circulated it.
It was surprisingly easy.
The moment he finished the circulation, Aeron felt dizzy.
And then numb.
His eyelids became heavy, his heartbeat drastically slowed down until it stopped.
Aeron's eyes shut, and he fell on his back, his consciousness drifting away.
After a brief darkness, Aeron found himself in a strange place.
Crackle!
BOOM!
The sky was dark with no light from anywhere. No stars, no moon. But clouds were plenty, and they cracked with thunder and flashes of different colored lightning.
The surroundings were utterly barren, with exotic bones found here and there.
"Battlefield of Death…" Aeron muttered.
He looked at his hands and body, and they were the same. It felt like he was in his own body.
'How magical.'
Looking around, he saw some big mountains afar and a forest that gave light as if they had things that illuminated those places.
After thinking for a moment, Aeron decided to go toward the forest.
But the moment he took his first step, something stirred.
Kreee…
A piece of bone he had just passed by began glowing.
In the next moment, several other bones belonging to different beings glowed and flew toward the first bone that glowed.
Aeron became stiff for a moment, but then he quickly created distance between himself and the thing happening before him.
In a few seconds, the glowing bones bent and adjusted, birthing darkness that was shaping it up, forming its flesh.
Aeron readied himself as cards floated around him.
His three Thousand Impact Fists had changed into Vorpal Impact Shot after his Power of Two card evolved.
And he also drew two Valiant Bursts by consuming forty Prana.
3 x Power of Two (5 stacks)
3 x Vorpal Impact Shot
2 x Valiant Burst
Soon, the monster formed.
A four-legged, two-meter-tall beast with two rotten human heads and two long arms.
'Holy shit.'
Aeron's eyes flickered as he commanded.
One Vorpal Impact Shot card glowed and turned into a glowing crimson-gold fist that shot toward the monster.
Aeron noticed he had to control the trajectory with his mind and managed to hit the monster's leg.
He was rational. He was excited, but now in complete efficiency mode.
The monster's leg broke and split from its body upon impact.
It cried and rushed at Aeron.
1 x Power of Two (5 stacks) activated.
Aeron turned around and ran before jumping with his full strength and turning his body.
Woosh!
His movement speed and physical strength had doubled, giving him enough momentum and force to launch him twenty meters in the sky as he got a good view of the monster and the surroundings.
His eyes sparkled.
It felt awesome.
1 x Vorpal Impact Shot, activate!
Now boosted by 100 percent due to the ongoing buff of Power of Two!
The Fist projectile shot like a bullet as Aeron focused while falling down.
The bullet shot straight toward the monster's head.
BOOM!
One head was entirely gone, and the other one lost almost ninety percent of its mass as they burst like watermelons due to the powerful impact.
The monstrous figure stiffened and screeched to a halt after a couple of seconds of dragging.
Aeron landed on his feet, knees bent as he endured the kinetic force before standing up, albeit staggered, and fell on his butt.
"Whew…" Aeron breathed and stood up. A smile hung on his face.
"It looks like the head was indeed the weakness."
[ Welcome to the Battlefield of Death, you lost soul, and congratulations. You have proven your existence. ]
[ Now you may register your name for others to see and start your quest, should you wish to return to the land of the living. ]