Chapter 277 - 276: First Snow

Chapter 277: Chapter 276: First Snow

My Spirit Attribute has now increased to 140, and I also have the cost reduction bonus from my Magic Robe.

’What kind of changes will there be...’

At a mere thought, Magic Power began to circulate.

Swift Blessing, Gift of Barbaric Strength, Indestructible Body!

After casting the three Empowerment Magic spells in quick succession, Zelir clearly felt the changes in his body.

An invisible current of air coiled around his legs and waist, his body suddenly becoming light and agile.

Then, the Magic Power transformed into an explosive Power, fusing perfectly with his muscles.

Finally came the bonus to his Constitution.

His skin grew taut and resilient, and the density of the muscles beneath it increased as well.

The three Attributes—agility, Power, and Constitution—were all strengthened simultaneously!

Compared to before, his Casting Speed was not only much faster.

The effects of the Gains had also grown more potent, scaling with the increase in his Spirit Attribute.

Zelir calmed his mind to feel the effects.

The dark silver circuits on the Lining of his Magic Robe and along its hem pulsed like a heartbeat, glowing faintly.

They captured all the excess Magic Power that had dissipated into the air during his Casting.

Then, after being filtered and purified by the Rune Array, it was channeled back into his body.

The feeling was like getting an instant partial cash-back from a merchant for every Gold Coin spent.

In his sea of consciousness, his Blue Bar reserves had only dropped by about a quarter.

This was a considerable improvement compared to before, when it would have consumed half of his Blue Bar.

’Hmm... Not bad.’

A satisfied smile crept across Zelir’s lips.

’There are four others on the team besides me.’

’When we face a strong enemy, Marcus will definitely need an Indestructible Body Gain. After all, he has to be the main tank up front and soak up damage.’

’Gray and Maki, our damage dealer and flanker, will also need Gains.’

’They usually get both Gift of Barbaric Strength and Swift Blessing to increase their damage and speed.’

’As for Valles...’

’He doesn’t really need any Gains. Like me, he stays in the back and deals damage. Giving him Gift of Barbaric Strength won’t increase the damage of his Thunder Arrow anyway.’

’At most, if a Demon gets into close range, I’ll give him a Swift Blessing to help him escape.’

’By that count, even if I cast six Empowerment Magic spells at once, I’ll still have about half my Blue Bar left.’

’That leaves enough to attack comfortably, so I won’t have to use a Source Energy Crystal Stone to recover my Magic Power right after casting the Gains.’

’That stuff is pretty expensive, too...’

After a while, the effects of the Gains gradually subsided.

At some point, the already gloomy sky had turned even darker and heavier.

The biting cold wind died down, replaced by a solemn tranquility.

A cool touch landed gently on the tip of Zelir’s nose, melting into a droplet of water.

"Hmm?"

Zelir looked up at the lead-gray firmament.

Tiny white crystals were drifting down silently from the clouds.

At first, it was just a few scattered specks, but they soon became a dense flurry, like torn cotton fluff, dusting the vast landscape.

It was the first snow of the year.

"It’s snowing..."

Zelir murmured in appreciation.

He slowly extended his right hand, palm facing up.

A crystal-clear, hexagonal snowflake spiraled down, coming to rest quietly in his palm.

Even his Magic Robe was gradually being veiled in a layer of white.

"Hoo..."

Zelir exhaled softly.

His combat power was boosted once more, his life-saving reserves were replenished, and the aftereffects of his last ordeal had fully healed.

’Everything is ready.’

Zelir brushed the accumulating snow from his shoulders and turned, the black hem of his robe carving an arc through the snow-covered ground.

It was time to take on a new Challenge.

...

「The Training Grounds.」

A cold wind howled, sweeping across the empty sand pit.

Two figures stood in the center of the grounds.

Gray and Maki faced each other.

Unlike the one-sided bouts of the past, Gray’s presence was now no weaker than Maki’s.

His blond hair was tousled by the wind, but his expression was unnaturally calm.

His usual playful grin was gone, replaced by the sharp edge of a newly drawn blade.

Maki’s arms were bare, his muscles bulging like granite.

He held a large, two-handed Wooden Sword reversed in his grip, its tip dragging on the ground. His presence was just as steady.

Neither man moved, but an invisible clash had already begun.

"Come on."

A grin spread across Maki’s lips, his voice rumbling like thunder.

"Let’s see how much faster your sword has gotten."

"You’ll see..."

Gray lowered his center of gravity, poised to strike.

The sky was still overcast, leaden clouds hanging low.

Snowflakes began to drift from the clouds, swaying lazily toward the training pit.

But they never had the chance to land. A sudden burst of pressure pulverized them into dust!

It wasn’t the wind—it was Gray’s Fighting Qi!

The increase in Power that came with his promotion gave him the confidence to launch a direct assault on Maki.

Gray’s form blurred, leaving an afterimage as his Wooden Sword shot straight for Maki’s face.

So fast!

More than twice as fast as he used to be!

Faced with this sudden, lightning-fast thrust, Maki’s pupils contracted slightly, but he didn’t retreat a single step.

"Hah!"

With a sharp cry, Maki moved. The heavy Wooden Sword seemed weightless in his hands.

He didn’t dodge. Instead, with a flick of his wrist, he turned the blade sideways, positioning it precisely in front of him like a Shield.

THUD!

The wooden weapons collided with a muffled sound.

The immense recoil traveled up the hilt, and Gray used the momentum to sidestep to the right.

Undiscouraged by the parry, he flowed with the movement, lowering his stance. The tip of his blade pivoted, slashing upward from a fiendishly difficult low angle.

Maki remained perfectly composed.

He twisted slightly at the waist, causing the large Wooden Sword to pivot with him.

Taking advantage of his weapon’s greater length, Maki brutally forced Gray’s upward slash down.

His strategy was clearly to defend and counterattack.

THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!

The flashes of their blades became a blur as the two Middle Level Swordsmen fought, the air filled with the sound of rapid collisions.

"Ha!"

Unable to break through, Gray only grew more excited with every exchange.

Pure battle lust burned in his eyes, a searing heat surging through his limbs.

After another violent clash, a powerful horizontal sweep from Maki forced Gray back two steps.

But instead of retreating to create distance, he quickly readjusted his footing and charged back in!

Gray stomped hard on the sand, creating a deep pit, and unleashed a charged Vortex Slash!

This time, a faint cyan Fighting Qi visibly swirled around his Wooden Sword.

Maki, of course, noticed the ferocity of Gray’s attack.

The large Wooden Sword he wielded was now also wreathed in a pale white Fighting Qi.

He also refused to dodge, meeting the attack head-on!

The exchange did not decide a victor.

The instant the two tyrannical streams of Fighting Qi—one cyan, one white—collided in mid-air, the Wooden Swords at the center of the storm were the first to cry out.

Weapons made of this material simply couldn’t withstand the Fighting Qi of a Middle Level Warrior.

Wood splinters exploded outward, scattering like fireworks.

A powerful shockwave kicked up the dust and sand, creating a temporary screen of yellow grit.