Chapter 88: A Voice of His Own
Su Hao's battered silver armor bore countless scars, the once-gleaming surface dulled by battle. Only his sharp, spirited eyes shone through, betraying his unwavering determination.
Across from him stood the King. His golden armor, once a symbol of regality, was now tarnished and splattered with blood. The intricate inscriptions etched by Su Hao's "The Radiance of Runes" glimmered faintly under the dim light. Despite the blood streaking his weathered face, the King exuded an aura of unshakable authority.
Su Hao's short blade flickered, the once-brilliant glow now a subdued, grayish light. As he readied himself, the runes on his armor pulsed, their intricate patterns flaring to life with a subtle hum.
The King raised his broken blade, its jagged edge trembling slightly as it pointed at Su Hao.
Though the King's Blood Qi radiated a force nearly tenfold greater than Su Hao's, Su Hao's mastery of runes had narrowed the gap. Direct confrontation was not an option, yet the possibility of victory lingered, fragile but real.
Without hesitation, Su Hao charged forward. His boots struck the ground with a forceful stomp, sending shockwaves through the earth.
‹Earth Spikes›
Sharp, earthen spikes erupted around the King with a staccato "puff-puff-puff~." Reacting instantly, the King leapt into the air, evading the deadly forest of spikes.
This was precisely what Su Hao had anticipated. Though the King's speed on solid ground far outmatched his own, they were equals in midair. Su Hao pushed off with explosive force, propelling himself toward the King.
His short blade gleamed with its dull, grayish light as he thrust it straight toward the King's face. The strike was simple and direct, yet laced with lethal precision.
The King's lips curled into a slight grin. It had been years since someone dared to challenge him so boldly. With a deft movement, he tapped Su Hao's blade aside with his broken weapon, following up with a horizontal slash aimed at Su Hao's waist.
Su Hao reacted instantly, retracting his blade to parry.
"Clang∼!"
The sheer force of the clash sent Su Hao hurtling backward. His body skidded across the ground, carving a deep trench in the earth.
Flipping to his feet, Su Hao steadied himself defensively, his mind racing. 'Is the difference in strength really this vast?' he thought
Fortunately, his protective runes—‹Barrier›,‹Hardness›, and ‹Deflection›—were still active, minimizing the damage.
The King landed gracefully, wasting no time as he burst forward with blinding speed, his broken blade arcing toward Su Hao in a devastating slash.
Su Hao rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike. He attempted a counterattack, but a massive kick from the King intercepted him mid-motion.
"Bang∼!"
The force of the blow launched Su Hao into the air. He crashed into the ground, tumbling through another trench before disappearing into a cloud of dust. The King, relentless, closed the distance in an instant.
"Swoosh∼"
Su Hao burst from the dust cloud, his form flickering as he appeared behind the King.
But the King seemed to have anticipated this. Without even turning his head, he swung his broken blade backward in a sweeping arc.
«Shadow Step»
Su Hao vanished, reappearing on the King's opposite side.
«Ghost Stab»
His blade darted toward the vulnerable seam in the King's armor. The strike, executed with precision, was aimed to exploit the smallest of weaknesses.
"Clang~!"
The King deflected the attack with a casual flick of his gauntlet and retaliated with a bone-crushing punch. Su Hao was sent flying yet again, crashing into the rubble.
Undeterred, Su Hao rebounded immediately, launching himself back into the fray. Each clash left him battered, but he refused to relent. The cycle repeated: attack, repel, recover, attack again. Every exchange brought him closer to understanding the King's patterns, but it also pushed his endurance to the limit.
After dozens of exchanges, the King observed Su Hao climbing out of a pile of rubble once more. His voice, steady and commanding, echoed across the battlefield.
"If this is the extent of your strength, then it ends here."
Su Hao wiped the blood from his mouth, his grin defiant. "This is just the beginning. Come at me!"
The King's eyes narrowed. With a roar, he unleashed a devastating technique.
«Void-Cleaving Blade!»
The air trembled as the King's blade descended in an overwhelming slash. Su Hao countered with a desperate maneuver.
‹Corrosive Ray›
A large, green semi-liquid mist sprayed toward the King.
A green, semi-liquid mist sprayed from Su Hao's blade, enveloping the King. The acidic substance hissed as it contacted metal and flesh.
The King swung his blade in a wide arc, dispersing the mist, but Su Hao was already in motion.
‹Electric Discharge›
"Crackle~"
Arcs of electricity surged from Su Hao's blade, coursing through the King's sword and armor and paralyzing his movements.
Seizing the opportunity, Su Hao closed the distance. His blade, reinforced by layers of rune enhancements, stabbed toward the King's eye.
«Ghost Stab»
The blade pierced above the King's eye, cracking through bone but failing to penetrate further. Golden patterns spread across the King's face, glowing like a dense web of energy.
With a burst of strength, the King swept his blade, forcing Su Hao to retreat.
Realization struck Su Hao. 'Some sort of body enhancement... a beast vein?' Even with runes like ‹Penetration›, ‹Sharpness›, and ‹Vibration›, his blade couldn't deliver a killing blow.
The King regained control of his body, blood streaming down his forehead, but he didn't so much as blink.
He laughed heartily. "Hahaha! These runes of yours… they're quite impressive. But you'll never get another chance like that!"
Su Hao's grin didn't waver. "Who says I need just one chance? If I can create one, I can create another!"
The battle resumed with renewed intensity. Su Hao's ingenuity and tenacity pushed him to his limits. Finally, after countless exchanges, he found his opening.
Using ‹Earth Spikes› and ‹Electric Discharge› in tandem, he delivered a decisive blow.
This time, the short blade embedded in the King's skull was driven deeper by a crushing double-fist strike from Su Hao, forcing the blade all the way through.
The King staggered, his towering frame collapsing into the depths of a pit.
Su Hao stood at the edge, trembling with exhaustion. His voice, hoarse but triumphant, echoed in the silence.
"I won!"
But the sound of approaching warriors interrupted his victory. Turning, he found himself surrounded by armed warriors, their weapons raised, their expressions filled with fury.
Despite his blood-soaked, battered form, Su Hao raised his short blade and roared, "The King of He'an is dead! I killed him! Come at me!!"
As the warriors surged toward him, Su Hao launched himself into the fray, laughing even as his vision blurred. His consciousness faded, but his heart swelled with pride.
He was content!
For the first time, Su Hao had chosen his own path (Death). In this world, he had made his voice heard.
...
End of this Arc