Chapter 370 Sword Slash!

The broad expanse of the town square was the perfect battlefield for Xia Nan, allowing him to freely unleash the mobility advantage brought by [Fang Hunt].

The impromptu strategy they had devised before the clash allowed him to break away from the Blackwood Squad the moment the crystalline enemies charged, circling to the flank and drawing off several foes whose attention was fixed on him.

This ensured he could use his speed to rapidly reinforce his two teammates if needed, while preventing his lack of synergy with the Blackwood Squad from disrupting their coordination.

Unfortunately, [Night Mother's Gaze]—unlocked after [Fang Hunt] reached max proficiency—had little effect on these crystalline enemies, whose minds were already clouded and out of control. Otherwise, he could have eased the pressure on his teammates.

Even so, the massive commotion Xia Nan deliberately caused while shifting his position successfully drew seven of the twenty-seven crystalline enemies away from the main group.

Trailing the wolf howls echoing through the air, they followed him to the side of the square.

Without a shred of hesitation, once he had created enough distance to ensure his movements wouldn't affect the Blackwood Squad, Xia Nan decisively spun around and charged at the nearest crystalline enemy.

As for the enemies, his currently known intel was:

1. Outstanding Strength and explosive power, likely reaching the Class Grade level;

2. Extremely high physical defense; the crystalline granules on their skin were even tougher than some metals used for crafting armor;

3. Weak consciousness, zero tactical awareness, and a complete lack of combat techniques—inferior even to the lowest-tier Adventurers.

Taking all this into account, the method to deal with them was obvious.

To sum it up in a single phrase: avoid strengths and strike weaknesses.

Since their Strength was outstanding, Xia Nan was more than happy to leverage his advantage in speed and Agility, using [Fang Hunt] to kite and harass them.

Given their hazy consciousness and nonexistent tactics and skills, he simply treated them like a slightly smarter pack of beasts. There was no need for elaborate schemes; relying on simple strategies that a competent fighter would see through at a glance was actually more effective here.

The only troublesome aspect was their remarkable physical defense.

Of course, exactly how "remarkable" it was still required Xia Nan to test it personally.

A long, drawn-out wolf howl rang through the freezing air. Having reached max-level Mastery and undergone a qualitative change within the dreamscape of the [Dream Weaving Corridor], [Fang Hunt] shrouded Xia Nan in the massive phantom of a black wolf.

Using the blade as fangs.

His absurd speed and mobility were on full display.

His Agility attribute, resting at a high 10 points, ensured he maintained ample reaction speed even at such a blistering pace.

While not exaggerated to the point of "bullet time," it was enough to clearly track the trajectory of everything around him.

"Clang!"

Sparks flew!

Boasting bonuses to both "decapitation damage" and "slashing damage," the [Ember Fall] straight sword flashed across a crystalline enemy's neck, bolstered by the sheer momentum of [Fang Hunt].

To gauge their defensive strength as accurately as possible, Xia Nan didn't unleash [Spinning Slash] or [Gravity Etching]. He relied purely on the physical force of his arm and the innate sharpness of the blade for a simple test.

The result was entirely within his expectations.

The skin, overgrown with pink crystalline granules, indeed boasted outstanding physical defense.

The [Gray-Black Straight Sword]—capable of effortlessly lopping off a normal creature's head and shattering bone—did not provide the satisfying resistance of slicing through flesh and blood when it met the crystalline enemy's neck.

Instead, it fed back a bizarre sensation: hard at first, then rubbery and soft.

Xia Nan clearly saw crystalline fragments shatter and fly as the straight sword struck with intense force and a razor edge, but the sheer power behind the blade was absorbed and buffered in the process.

Despite targeting the softer neck, the strike barely left a bloody scratch.

He didn't feel the slightest bit discouraged by this.

If anything, he breathed a sigh of relief.

'It doesn't matter—as long as it breaks their defense, it's fine.'

The thought flashed through his mind in an instant, further completing his battle plan.

His figure morphed into a black wolf, its slender limbs treading upon the shadows as he bounded gracefully among the crystalline enemies.

Not rushing to land a lethal blow, Xia Nan patiently utilized his Agility advantage. Moving with a fluid, hit-and-run tempo, he delivered sword strike after sword strike to the necks of the seven crystalline enemies chasing him.

In barely twenty seconds, his incredibly high attack frequency left his opponents' necks covered in bloody lacerations.

The crystalline granules originally attached to the surface had been cleaved and scraped away, exposing the bleeding, slightly pink skin beneath.

Figuring the setup was just about complete...

Xia Nan suddenly halted his high-speed movements amidst the enemies, shedding the phantom black wolf.

Standing firmly in place, panting slightly, he raised the [Gray-Black Straight Sword] horizontally beside him, entering a charging stance.

The crystalline enemies were in a haze, acting almost entirely on pure instinct.

Seeing Xia Nan stop, they roared and pounced at him all at once.

Thanks to his deliberate positioning during his evasive maneuvers, the previously scattered and unorganized enemies had now formed a remarkably neat, semi-circular encirclement, rapidly closing in on his position.

Five meters—three meters—two meters—

The distance rapidly shrank, yet Xia Nan, caught in the center of the encirclement, made no move to retreat or dodge. Even the black wolf phantom behind him slowly dissipated. He stood perfectly still, his brow slightly furrowed as if he were meticulously controlling something invisible.

The window of opportunity lasted only a fraction of a second.

The moment the last crystalline enemy took a step forward, entering the attack range of his longsword...

Xia Nan's body suddenly trembled, his face paling a few shades. His subconsciously quivering pupils revealed a violent wave of vertigo striking his brain.

Hum—

An invisible ripple expanded outward from his body as the center.

All seven crystalline enemies maintained their forward-pouncing posture.

But their toes had already left the ground.

Drastically weakened gravity, combined with an invisible attractive force from above, made them appear entirely free from the earth's gravitational pull.

They levitated briefly.

Turning these poor fools into suspended live targets.

"Swoosh!"

The fully charged [Gray-Black Straight Sword] reflected the enchanting glow of the light beam from the sky above, leaving a perfect pink arc in the air.

[Spinning Slash]!

Through incredibly precise and ingenious gravity manipulation, Xia Nan pulled all seven crystalline enemies besieging him into mid-air.

They looked like seven stupid geese hoisted by their heads, necks stretched out, helplessly flapping their wings.

The crystalline granules on their necks had already been smashed and scraped off. Facing the immensely powerful rotary strike empowered by [Spinning Slash], the outcome was completely devoid of suspense.

Squelch—

Blood mixed with pink crystals sprayed out in unison, like timed fountains in a hotel garden.

Five severed heads were hoisted neatly by the "fountains" of blood, spiraling upwards.

Nearby, half a cleanly sliced skull flew through the air, thick white fluid mixing into the spray of crimson.

Seven crystalline enemies. One sword strike eliminated six.

Only the last one remained. Being the furthest from Xia Nan and leaning back slightly before the sword swung, it had luckily evaded the fatal blow.

The gravitational pull vanished, and its feet slammed back onto the ground.

Yet its knees gave way, and it collapsed onto its rear.

The foul-smelling, warm blood of its companions rained down upon its body.

For a moment, even though its mind was already incomparably muddled by the gemstone's charm...

...this crystalline enemy—dressed in a decent robe, perhaps once a merchant in Sheep Horn Town—seemed to be shocked by the scene unfolding before it.

It sat paralyzed on the ground, completely motionless.

Seizing the opportunity, Xia Nan stepped forward. Bold yet meticulous, he gently tapped the [Pastel Gemstone] on its chest with his fingertip.

The [Silver Ring] on his right hand vibrated, but the mechanical voice of the [Dream Weaving Corridor] prompting a recharge did not echo in his mind.

He realized the enemy was likely too deeply eroded by the gemstone. Its state was similar to the light barrier enveloping the town—impossible to absorb.

With a flick of his wrist, the straight sword slashed across his front once more.

The hideous hands reaching out for him as he approached froze in mid-air.

Framed by the blood spurting from its severed neck behind it, the head spun into the air.

With this, all seven crystalline enemies that had chased him were decapitated and slain.

His attention briefly scattered due to the translucent characters flashing before his eyes, but he quickly refocused.

"Ding!"

"Proficiency +2"

"[Gravity Control] lv1: (27/100)"

He only gave it a passing glance, not looking too closely.

Having resolved the enemies on his end, Xia Nan didn't even pause to catch his breath. Gripping his straight sword, he rushed to support the two from the Blackwood Squad.

There were twenty-seven crystalline enemies in total.

He had killed seven of them in one go using a combination of [Gravity Control], [Spinning Slash], and [Fang Hunt].

Of the remaining twenty, fifteen were firmly held back by the dwarf Thordin, leaving the last five to Margaret.

Although the female Swordsman was two levels higher than Xia Nan, she lacked the experience of the secret realm, leaving her physical attributes somewhat inferior to his.

Similarly, while the [Swordsman] Class made her combat style resemble Xia Nan's, she neither possessed an absurd combat technique with sky-high potential like [Gravity Control], nor a core skill like [Fang Hunt] that could serve as the foundational architecture of her fighting style.

Her overall strength was clearly much weaker.

Facing the siege of five crystalline enemies, she had managed to impressively dispatch two of them, but had sustained minor injuries in the process.

His gaze swept over her. Seeing that her condition was still decent and that she seemed to have found a method to deal with the crystalline enemies, Xia Nan withdrew his gaze.

Margaret probably didn't need his help.

But compared to the two of them clearing the battlefield, the dwarf Thordin on the other side of the square was in critical danger.

As a Level 4 [Shield Warrior], he had pushed his utility to its absolute limit.

Facing such a large number of foes, he had forcefully withstood the siege of the majority of the enemies all by himself.

But holding out until now, no matter how strong his Constitution was, he was nearing his breaking point.

Firmly planted on the ground like tree roots, the legs supporting his body trembled slightly. His cheeks were flushed red, and sweat drenched his face, completely soaking the shirt beneath his armor. His jaw was tightly clenched, yet his lips had lost all color, and his round eyes were entirely bloodshot.

Even the shield of light extending outward from the round shield in his hand flickered and wavered, looking as though it would be shattered by the crystalline enemies in front of him in the next second.

Holding the highest degree of trust in his teammates, this stout and straightforward dwarf hadn't paid any attention to Xia Nan and Margaret's movements since initiating Taunt on the enemies at the start of the battle.

He entrusted his back to his teammates, pouring his heart and soul into blocking attacks, alleviating the pressure on the battlefield, and buying as much time as possible.

Facts proved that his trust was well-placed.

Just as the light shield in Thordin's hands flickered like a loose connection and nearly extinguished, a wolf howl abruptly exploded by his ear.

Rushing over from the other side of the square, Xia Nan—commanding the black wolf phantom in an incredibly fierce posture—crashed explosively into the fifteen crystalline enemies.

With the situation on the battlefield differing, the countermeasures naturally varied as well.

Right now, his teammate's stamina was overdrawn. He needed to buy the dwarf a brief window to withdraw from the frontline and recover.

He no longer moved with the same graceful evasion and hit-and-run tactics he had used to find an opening earlier.

Instead, he maximized his speed and explosive momentum to sow absolute chaos among the enemies.

While his killing efficiency was much lower than before, it provided Thordin with ample time to catch his breath.

"Huff— Huff—"

The dwarf was so exhausted he could barely speak. Seeing his teammate finally arrive to support him, he instinctively took a few steps back. Pulling a stamina recovery potion from his belt pouch, he gulped it down while glancing toward the direction Xia Nan had come from.

Then, he saw the seven headless corpses of the crystalline enemies.

"Fuck!"

"Moradin's beard! (Dwarven slang) That's fucking badass!"

The dwarf panted heavily, involuntarily exclaiming with a renewed, invigorated expression.

Feeling his stamina rapidly returning thanks to the potion, he didn't rest for even a second longer. Banging his shield toward the crystalline enemies, who were now in utter disarray due to Xia Nan's intrusion, he roared, "Hey! You mongrels! Look over here!"

The battle ended much faster than anticipated.

The crystalline enemies infected by the [Pastel Gemstone] initially seemed extremely troublesome due to their incredibly high physical defense.

But as they grew familiar with them and grasped their weaknesses, the battle became much easier for Xia Nan and the two highly experienced Class Holders.

While a single strike might struggle to break their defense, repeatedly attacking the same spot to wear away the surface crystalline granules revealed that their internal bodily structure was merely average. Their vital spots still existed, and a single sword thrust was enough to completely strip them of their combat capabilities.

Throughout the entire battle, there were twenty-seven crystalline enemies in total.

When the final head, overgrown with pink crystalline granules, was lopped off by Xia Nan in the town square, barely ten minutes had passed since the battle began.