dkrc Chapter 1832 The First True "Cultivation": Choosing a Way to Face Death
Chapter 1832 The First True "Cultivation": Choosing a Way to Face Death
Chapter 1832 The First True "Cultivation": Choosing a Way to Face Death
"No, boss, calm down! Listen to me!"
"I'm really just here to go through the motions."
Although it was the truth, these words only added fuel to the fire for Lin Feng!
Just a formality?
Haha, do you think he believes that?
"You go to hell!"
Lin Feng completely lost his last bit of patience. The unstable energy he had gathered transformed into a dark golden shockwave. Although it was far less powerful than at its peak, it still distorted the air and shrieked as it rushed straight toward Sato Kazuma!
"Seriously!"
Sato Kazuma let out an exaggerated scream. His survival instinct instantly overwhelmed everything. He didn't care about his image anymore and practically scrambled to the side, simultaneously stretching his hand forward and shouting:
"Steal!"
This was entirely his subconscious reaction after being frightened. He didn't even expect to successfully steal anything; it was purely a desperate measure, or rather, it was the most instinctive skill he could unleash when facing danger as an adventurer.
However, just as his skill was activated...
The dark golden shockwave that had been rushing towards him with overwhelming force suddenly stopped in mid-air! At its core, a tiny, strange fragment that seemed to be formed from light vanished into thin air!
Without the support of that core energy, the entire shockwave structure instantly became extremely unstable, and the next moment it exploded violently in mid-air!
"Boom!"
The violent energy impact sent Kazuma Sato flying, tumbling through the air like a tattered sack before he finally managed to regain his footing, covered in dust and looking utterly disheveled.
"Cough cough. Pui pui!"
"That scared me to death! I thought I was about to die!"
Kazuma Sato patted his chest, panting heavily, still shaken; but soon, he froze, subconsciously looking down at his hands and then touching his whole body.
Wait, something's not right, something's really not right!
The dark golden shockwave looked so terrifying, and the explosion was so loud that it sent him flying far away, leaving him covered in dust. However, apart from the shock from the blast wave and the dust that got on him, he didn't even have a scratch on his body.
How can this be? !
Given the terrifying strength Lin Feng had previously displayed, even a casual strike from him while he was severely injured would be far beyond what my "small frame" could withstand!
Logically, he should be dead by now.
Is it
He suddenly looked up at Lin Feng, who was in the distance with a look of surprise and confusion. He then secretly glanced at Luo Hao, who stood with his hands behind his back at the edge of the battlefield, seemingly detached from the situation, and Esdeath, who stood on the other side with her arms crossed and a faint smile on her lips.
A clearer hypothesis has emerged.
Yes! That must be it! Boss Bai Xuan must have put some kind of protection on him to ensure he wouldn't die, so he's probably, likely, maybe safe now?
Once this idea takes hold, it grows wildly like weeds.
Kazuma Sato's already somewhat flustered and nervous heart started pounding even faster, but this time, it wasn't out of fear, but out of excitement.
He boldly walked towards where Lin Feng was.
Lin Feng's eyes sharpened. Although he was surprised by the abnormality just now, seeing that Sato Kazuma dared to approach him, his anger surged again.
He took a deep breath, his right hand forming a knife-like shape with his fingers together. A much more condensed and faster beam of light tore through the air, whistling as it slashed towards Kazuma Sato!
Sato Kazuma instinctively shrank his neck, but instead of dodging as before, he steeled himself and shouted again instinctively:
"Steal!"
call out!
The sharp blade of light, less than half a meter away from Sato and the True Face Gate, was once again as if its core had been ripped away by an invisible hand, instantly disintegrating into scattered streams of energy that vanished without a trace.
As for Kazuma Sato, his hair was only slightly messed up by the weak energy wind, but he was completely unharmed!
quiet!
A deathly silence filled the space between the two.
Sato Kazuma looked at his unharmed body, then at Lin Feng's expression, which looked as if he had seen a ghost.
One second, two seconds
"Haha, hahaha, hahahaha"
A low laugh came from Kazuma Sato's mouth. At first, it was a little uncertain, but soon the laugh became louder and louder, and more and more unrestrained!
He put his hands on his hips, straightened his body from where he had been hunched over to avoid the attack, and the fearful expression on his face completely disappeared, replaced by an extremely irritating, smug, and arrogant smile.
"I understand! I completely understand!"
"Hey! You over there, transmigrator who looks like you're about to die! Did you not eat? Your attacks are so weak, they're not even enough to tickle me!"
Lin Feng's face instantly turned red, he trembled with rage, and roared:
"you wanna die!"
He held nothing back, ignoring the backlash that threatened to break his body, and unleashed his remaining power with madness!
Dark golden energy spheres, sharp spear points, and shockwaves that distorted space hurtled towards Kazuma Sato like a storm!
"Steal!"
"theft!"
"Behold my masterful thieving skills!"
"Hahaha, thief! Thief! Thief!"
Kazuma Sato completely let loose, standing on the ground, not dodging or flinching, but instead striking various comical poses while shouting out the names of his skills.
Every time Lin Feng's attack approached him, it would strangely lack a crucial part, either collapsing and exploding prematurely, or its power would be greatly reduced, turning into a gentle breeze. The most serious time, it only made him tumble in the air, but he immediately regained his balance and continued his arrogant provocation.
Meanwhile, in Sato Kazuma's mind, a notification sound, audible only to him and originating from an unknown source, kept ringing:
[Theft successful! Obtained "Fragment of the Law of Destruction" x1]
[Theft successful! Obtained 1 unit of "Dissipated Divine Soul Energy"]
[Theft successful! Obtained "Robe (Torn)" x1]
[Theft failed!]
The stolen items were a mixed bag, mostly scraps related to Lin Feng's power system, some even completely useless, but Kazuma Sato didn't care at all!
What he cares about is the experience of "you can't hit me, but I can keep stealing your things!"
"Hahaha! Useless, useless!"
"All your attacks are ineffective against me, Sato Kazuma-sama! That's the difference in strength, you idiot!"
Kazuma Sato laughed arrogantly, even starting to mimic the tone of certain villainous characters.
He became more and more enthusiastic as he spoke, and slowly walked up to Lin Feng, resting his chin on his hand and looking at Lin Feng, who was panting heavily and clearly running out of strength, with an extremely smug expression:
"Hey, I'm telling you, don't waste your energy; seeing how hard you're working, I feel a little embarrassed."
"How about this, I, Lord Sato Kazuma, will take pity on you and sit here without moving, let you hit me! Hit me all you want! If you can even scratch a hair on my head, I'll admit defeat! How about that? Pretty fair, right?"
Lin Feng's condition was now at its worst.
The continuous forced exertion of power beyond his limits, coupled with the mental shock from the repeated neutralization of his attacks, left him with a life force as fragile as a candle in the wind, on the verge of being extinguished at any moment.
Why, why did this happen?!
The power he gained by giving up everything not only failed to shake Luo Hao in the slightest, but now he can't even do anything to Sato Kazuma?
And what's with that "steal" skill? Why can it even "steal" his attacks and then dissipate them?
Is this what this skill should look like?
What exactly did that time traveler do to Kazuma Sato? How twisted have the rules of this world become?!
Why? Why?
The answer to this question seems to be no longer important.
He closed his eyes, no longer looking at the smug and incessantly chattering Sato Kazuma, nor at the two mountain-like figures in the distance.
All the noise and ridicule from the outside world seemed to be shut out by an invisible barrier.
He's too persistent.
Obsessed with the purpose of that time traveler, obsessed with the incomprehensible power of Luo Hao and Esdeath, obsessed with Sato Kazuma's illogical "stealing" skills, and even more obsessed with why she had fallen into such a desperate situation and suffered such mockery and humiliation.
He was like a flying insect caught in a spider's web, struggling desperately, only to have the threads binding him tighten. Meanwhile, those cold, compound eyes hidden in the shadows watched his futile efforts with utter indifference.
Yes, it was in vain.
The gap in strength was so stark and hopeless that the outcome was already decided from the moment Luo Hao effortlessly wiped away his attack.
The subsequent struggles, the sudden burst of power, and even the humiliation at this moment are nothing more than a malicious joke that fate bestows upon us before death arrives.
He took a slow, deep breath, the air filled with the burnt smell of extinguished energy and the earthy stench.
Then, exhale that stale air in a long, drawn-out breath.
With that exhale, it was as if all the anger, resentment, fear, and humiliation that had been building up in his chest were being released as well.
He cares too much.
He cared about his opponent, about the process, and even about the undignified way he died; but at this moment, a strange calm, like icy lake water, gradually submerged his fiery and chaotic heart.
Since death is inevitable, why continue to cooperate with this farce?
Why should we let them continue to enjoy his pathetic final dance?
He can die.
From the moment he acquired the system and began traversing various worlds, plundering and killing for missions and resources, he was supposed to disregard life and death, even though at that time he never thought he would die because of his power, which was always one dimension higher than the mission world.
The blood on his hands is countless; he has destroyed countless civilizations and stifled countless geniuses. He is never innocent.
However, he could not die in such a way, like a clown on a stage.
Lin Feng braced himself against his knees, enduring the excruciating pain that felt like his bones were about to break and the weakness that came from having all his strength drained away. With great difficulty, yet with remarkable stability, he stood up again.
When he raised his head again, his face no longer showed the ferocity, madness, or despair he had shown before; only an almost indifferent calm remained.
Those eyes, once filled with dark gold light, have now returned to their original color, but deep within them lies a detached indifference that seems to have seen through the end.
His gaze calmly swept over Kazuma Sato in the air, over Raho on the cliff edge, over Esdeath watching with her arms crossed, and finally, as if piercing through layers of space, looked towards the source of that gaze that must have existed in the dark.
His voice was no longer as emotional as before, but had become clear and steady.
"That's enough."
"Let that time traveler come out, let the ruler of this empire come out."
"There's no need to continue this boring game."
His tone was calm, as if he were stating a very simple fact.
There was no pleading, no anger, and not the slightest wavering.
The gap in strength is like an insurmountable chasm.
It is an indisputable fact that he is destined to perish here today.
He did not resent the injustice of the world, because the so-called "fairness" was something he had trampled on when he traveled the world in the past.
Throughout his past journeys, relying on the power granted by the system and his own decisiveness, he has crushed countless so-called "chosen ones," slaughtered the "heroes" who protect the world, and destroyed prosperous civilizations.
To the beings of that world, he is the undisputed demon, the calamity that brings the end.
But to him, those were nothing more than mission objectives, ants hindering his progress, and numbers on resource points. He could not, and never even considered, having any unnecessary pity for a group of weak people.
That's the rule of the world: the strong prey on the weak.
Today, however, the roles have reversed, and he has become the weaker, more vulnerable "ant" who has been plundered and trampled upon.
Roles are reversed, positions are changed, that's all.
He accepted the outcome.
Since it's clear that what's done is done, just accept it calmly.
However, it shouldn't be in such a wretched state as before.
It roared in despair and struggled angrily, like a trapped beast driven to the brink of despair, or a clown making a fool of himself on stage for the amusement of others.
Looking back, he used the system to travel through the world, gaining power effortlessly. His overwhelming strength made him almost forget the meaning of "cultivation," which is not just about accumulating power, but also about tempering one's character.
While his power has grown rapidly, his temperament has remained at the initial stage, no different from ordinary people. In fact, he has become more impetuous and fragile because of the ease with which he has acquired power.
That is why he lost his composure and became so unable to control himself when faced with absolute power and near-teasing humiliation.
But now, in these final moments of life, after completely letting go of the obsession with life, a strange clarity has welled up in my heart.
He suddenly realized that this might be the first real "spiritual practice" he had ever undertaken since traversing so many worlds, facing death head-on and choosing how to greet it.
He should, and must, die as a dignified "strongman".
Even if this "power" is no match for a true strongman, at least at the end of his life, he preserved the last shred of dignity as a transmigrator and the owner of the system.
Instead of revealing such an ugly state, and meeting its end in despair and madness.
(End of this chapter)