Chapter 1221: YUNYUE VS CELESTIALS (V)
Chapter 1221: YUNYUE VS CELESTIALS (V)
ZHONG HUI knew he couldn't keep playing defense. Noctis was too fast and too slippery. If this kept up, the other would wear him down bit by bit. So, it's time to change tactics.
He waited, holding his mace low. Then he pretended to be off-balance. Just as expected, Noctis struck—materializing from a shadow behind him with daggers aimed at his back. But Zhong Hui was ready. He used [Brute Force], his muscles surging with temporary strength, and spun faster than Noctis anticipated. His mace crashed downward, forcing Noctis to abort his attack, and disappeared back into the shadow.
The elf reappeared near a cluster of glowing crystals, eyes narrowed. Zhong Hui didn't give him time to think. He used [Quake Slam] once again, slamming his mace into the ground. The shockwave shattered crystals, sending sharp shards flying. Noctis flipped backward, dodging most—but one grazed his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood.
A small victory, but Zhong Hui needed more. He charged, mace glowing. Noctis vanished yet gain. This time, Zhong Hui didn't stop. He barreled straight into the shadows where Noctis had been, swinging wildly. The mace tore through the darkness, missing the elf but destroying the surrounding stalagmites. Good. Less cover meant fewer shadows for Noctis to hide in.
Noctis seemed to realize this, too. He darted forward, not retreating—a rare direct attack. His daggers blurred, aiming for Zhong Hui's wrists. He barely raised his mace in time, blocking one dagger while twisting to avoid the other. The second blade missed his ribs by an inch.
Zhong Hui countered with [Wild Swing], his mace becoming a whirlwind of strikes. Noctis danced back, but one grazed his shoulder, but it's not enough to slow him down. The elf retaliated, his form splitting into three afterimages. All three lunged at once.
Zhong Hui gritted his teeth. Only one of those three was real. He picked left and swung, but it didn't hit anything. That mistake cost him. The next second, a dagger suddenly sliced across his side. And then... everything just stopped.
It's different from the effect of paralysis. Nor was it poison. His body just... froze. Like time itself had paused around his muscles.
He could still think, still see Noctis actions. But his arms wouldn't lift. His legs wouldn't move. Even his breath seemed suspended.
Zhong Hui watched as Noctis rushed towards him. No. This couldn't just end here like this.
***
Luo Yan's dagger finally found its mark, sinking into Gabriel's shoulder. A rush of triumph surged through him—after all their back-and-forth, he'd finally landed a hit. His daggers' passive effect kicked in instantly, freezing Gabriel in place for those precious few seconds.
He couldn't waste this opportunity. He had to finish this now.
As the target, every second this fight continued was another moment of risk. The longer it stretched on, the more chances the enemy had to take him down. He couldn't afford to play it safe - ending this quickly was his only real option.
Luo Yan used [Strike Kill], his dagger gleaming as he lunged for Gabriel's throat. But just before he could connect, Gabriel's body suddenly flared with light—first a soft gold, then deepening into an angry red. In the dim cave, the sudden brightness stung Luo Yan's eyes, making him instinctively want to blink and turn away.
He forced himself to keep going, squinting against the glare as he pushed forward. But then—
Gabriel's mace tore through the air, hurled directly at Luo Yan's chest. He had to twist his body to dodge. But because of that, he lost the chance to finish his attack.
He didn't have time to think. His focus was all on survival. Yet even as he moved, he caught flashes of Gabriel's transformation: the man's body had grown larger, his hair writhing like angry snakes. His eyes burned blood-red.
Luo Yan suddenly remembered something as he stared at the other's state. Gabriel was definitely in 'Berserk' mode. That was the only explanation. Gabriel had forced himself into a frenzy to break free from the frozen state.
Berserk mode wasn't a skill that a Berserker would use without thought.
When triggered, it flooded the user's body with raw, unnatural power. Their muscles swelled beyond normal limits. Their skin hardened like armor. For those precious seconds, every strike carried crushing force, and even direct hits barely made them flinch. It was like fighting a raging bull—one that couldn't feel pain.
But that power burned through resources fast. Their HP and MP drained like a broken faucet, dropping faster than normal combat could ever drain them. And when the frenzy ended? The crash was brutal. The avatar, pushed past its limits, would lock up for three… maybe five seconds—exhausted, vulnerable, completely open to attack.
Gabriel using Berserk mode meant only one thing—he planned to finish this before the backlash hit.
Luo Yan could have waited it out. Survived until the mode ended and Gabriel weakened. But as the target, he couldn't afford to gamble. Even a single mistake would cost him and his team this final match.
So he made up his mind. He would use that skill instead.
As Gabriel charged, Luo Yan dragged his daggers across his palms in one sharp motion. Blood welled up, coating the blades. He didn't retreat. Instead, he stepped forward—meeting Gabriel head-on.
The other swung his mace with a roar, the air whistling as it cut through space. Luo Yan ducked low, feeling the rush of wind above his head. He countered with a slash—not to wound, not to kill, just to flick his dagger close enough. The blade passed harmlessly over Gabriel's arm, but the blood already coating it scattered in an arc, splattering across Gabriel's skin.
Gabriel didn't slow. He pivoted, swinging again, forcing Luo Yan back. He feinted left, then lunged right, dragging his dagger just close enough to Gabriel's side. More droplets from his daggers flew. More blood sprayed.
A kick sent Luo Yan skidding, but he rolled with it, coming up in a crouch. Gabriel charged, mace raised high—but Luo Yan was ready. He sidestepped at the last second, attacking Gabriel. And more blood sprayed on the other.
Panting, Gabriel turned, eyes burning with rage. But Luo Yan just smiled because of the notification that appeared in front of him.
[The target has enough blood sprayed on him. You can now drag him to the shadow world.]