"Michael," Yohan squinted at his rival. "You arrived at the wrong time."
"What do you mean, the wrong time?" Michael smirked. "I've been watching you since you arrived. You even dared to play around? I thought you would come for me, and we'd settle the score once and for all."
"Me? Play around?" Yohan muttered, recalling what had just happened before this motherf*cker arrived. He had used almost all his strength in that punch, driven by frustration. At that time, he made sure to keep his eyes wide open and watch how that masked man could cut through his attack. And when he saw it, shock overwhelmed him.
The masked man didn't make any fancy moves—just a vertical slash, fast but lacking in power. However, this seemingly weak attack cut through the translucent light blue fist he had conjured with almost all his strength! Yes, he held back a bit, but it was negligible; it wouldn't have made a difference. That guy cut through his technique so casually that Yohan's confidence was immediately shattered!
But how?! That masked man didn't even mobilize the Qi around him! How could he 'touch' his technique and even cut through it using just a f*cking tree branch?! This is more than a humiliation! Does it mean my strength, my cultivation, my talent, and my years of hard work only compare to a tree branch?!
Just thinking about it made Yohan want to smash everything around him! As a threatening aura emanated from him, his dazed eyes turned to Michael, who was saying something with a mocking smile on his face. Since Yohan was deep in thought, he only caught the last part.
"... Are you listening? What? Did you get so scared that you can't speak anymore?" Michael asked, running his hand through his hair. "I don't blame you. Even when I look in the mirror, I always get scared because of how talented and handsome I am."
"Scared?" Yohan raised an eyebrow, his muscles growing bigger and harder as an intense aura erupted from him. "Michael, you don't know sh*t! But first, I'll defeat you, then I'll get back at him!"
The smile on Michael's face disappeared, replaced by a cold look. Although he didn't know what his rival was talking about, he felt a surge of frustration hearing Yohan's voice. "I'll show you that only one king can sit on his throne!"
With a shout, the haze around Michael intensified while the roar of a serpent echoed in the surroundings. With a bang, he disappeared from his spot, and when he reappeared, the dark blue serpent emerged from his body and attacked the muscle-bound martial student!
Seeing this, Yohan slammed his foot on the ground, his body becoming a blur as he appeared right before the serpent. His fist glowed with an intense cool blue, and with a punch, an almost two-meter translucent fist shot out! It was the same technique he had used against the masked man. But this time, he wanted to see if there was something wrong with his technique, or if that guy was insanely strong.
With a glimmer of hope, a strong explosion erupted, sending shockwaves and dust into the air! Some martial students below, already struggling to take another step, were sent flying back, their bodies rolling down the stairs and landing at the foot of the mountain.
Hearing the explosion from behind, Apollo didn't turn around; he just continued moving forward.
"So it doesn't matter how strong their attacks are?" the beggar muttered, recalling his previous battle. The last attack from Yohan was probably strong enough to cause a building to collapse, yet Apollo's tree branch had cut through it like it was nothing. "This Simple Sword Technique is overpowered."
He couldn't help but think highly of the System Store. Even this cheap battle technique was extraordinary, so the pricey ones must be even more incredible. Just imagining the effects of techniques worth a hundred Alm Points or more made Apollo excited.
But what I have right now is more than enough, Apollo thought. Although he still didn't know the limits of this technique, he was confident he would be able to complete his mission. However, it was better to be prepared.
While some of the martial students were watching the battle below, he walked past them, deep in thought.
If I were to fight someone with the same technique as mine, how would I handle them? Apollo put a hand under his chin. Fighting someone who could cut through anything would be tough. No matter how strong the attack, it would just end up in half. So, if Apollo were to fight someone like that… Suddenly, his eyes glinted with understanding.
The solution was simple—anyone with intelligence could come up with it if they really thought about it.
I'll have to protect against the residue, Apollo thought. Even if he could cut through an attack, if the residue was still enough to hurt him, he would take damage. His enemy might not care if their attacks got cut as long as they landed something.
Furthermore, he couldn't defend his blind spots, like his back or above him, unless he sensed the attacks before they arrived or was fast enough to counter them. His enemy could exploit this weakness, especially if they had techniques that allowed them to attack from all sides.
Or if they were smart enough, they could distract him until they landed a blow, or send so many attacks that he couldn't keep up anymore. They could also use the environment, like collapsing the ground he was standing on, burying him in a pile of rocks and dirt.
"I'd be dead if someone fast attacked me before I could even pull out a weapon," Apollo muttered bitterly. Thinking about it, he realized just how much the Simple Sword Technique was lacking. It was an amazing technique, but once its weakness was discovered, the user became vulnerable.
What if I revise it, just like I did with the Simple Breathing Technique? This idea made Apollo's eyes shine with excitement.