Chapter 83: Pushing Past His Own Limitations

Nero threw himself to the side as a sword flashed past his neck.

WHOOSH!

The blade cut through his loose hair and struck the stone behind him. He rolled across the ground before springing up and backing away.

’What the fuck? I haven’t even looked around yet!’

Blue sparks lit the creature’s face as it pulled its sword free. It had a pig’s snout and thick tusks above a humanlike body covered in rusted armor.

A foul smell reached Nero even from several steps away. It smelled like rotten meat left in a hot room.

’A Piglin Soldier?’

He knew that face from the Gate Beast records. People on Earth Star had given them a common name because the soldiers all looked alike.

Their armor and plain swords made them seem like slow foot soldiers. However, they could produce blue lightning to boost their speed.

There was a stronger kind called the Piglin Leader too. It was burlier than the soldiers and could shape its lightning into weapons and other constructs.

Nero hoped this Gate didn’t have one.

The soldier snorted and rushed him again. Lightning flashed beneath its feet as it crossed the gap with its sword raised.

This time, Nero watched its shoulder instead of the blade. He stepped outside the swing and drove his fist into its ribs.

BANG!

Cell Energy burst from his hand on contact. The armor caved in as the Piglin flew into a broken pillar and fell beneath the rubble.

Nero kept his fist raised until it stopped moving.

’Good. I can kill them.’ He heaved a sigh of relief.

They all had 2.0 Power Index and without a sword, he was less confident but his cell energy was working and he had to use it to push past his limits.

With Sword, it would be too easy.

His relief lasted until he heard metal scraping against stone. Four more Piglin Soldiers emerged from the ruins ahead.

They spread out as soon as they saw the corpse.

Nero backed toward a wall before they could surround him. Beyond them stood rows of broken buildings beneath a dark sky.

There were no students or soldiers waiting to help him here. Even Edward had said he wouldn’t come.

Cell Energy glowed around his knuckles while Mana flashed in his blue eyes.

He had to end this quickly. There was no time to think.

The first soldier lunged as another rushed along his right side. Nero struck the flat of the first sword and knocked it past his shoulder.

He stepped in before the Piglin could pull back. His other fist slammed into its chest and released a blast through the armor.

BOOM!

The dying soldier crashed into the one behind it. Nero turned toward the attack from his right, but the blade was already close.

He twisted away and felt steel slice across his upper arm.

"Shit!"

Before it could swing again, he caught its wrist and drove a glowing fist beneath its jaw. Its head snapped back as blue energy burst past its tusks.

The last standing soldier thrust at his exposed side.

Nero barely dragged the sword off course with Telekinesis. It scraped his ribs instead of piercing them, giving him room to kick the Piglin away.

His heart hammered as he released the mental grip.

’Only when I have to. I need to train my cells.’

The soldier he had knocked down was getting up behind its dead companion. Nero fired into its chest before facing the last one.

It rushed him through the smoke. He ducked beneath its sword and punched straight into its stomach.

BANG!

The blast lifted it off its feet and threw it across the path.

Nero bent over with his hands on his knees. Blood ran down his arm as he checked his remaining energy.

[Cell Energy: 154/210.]

Fifty-six units spent already. He couldn’t keep wasting so much on each kill.

A shrill cry rose from deeper in the ruins. More grunts answered it, followed by the scrape of boots.

Nero tore a strip from his shirt and tied it around his arm. Then he moved toward the cries before fear could talk him out of it.

The next pair attacked in a narrow place. He let their first charge pass before hitting one behind the knee.

As it fell, he fired beneath its chin. The second lost its sword arm to a close blast and died against the wall.

Nero kept moving, though each new fight left him breathing harder.

He aimed for gaps in their armor instead of trying to break every plate. His eyes helped him spot the brief twitch before each lightning charge.

Yet seeing an attack didn’t mean his tired legs could always avoid it. By the time he reached a wide courtyard, blood soaked one sleeve and his ribs hurt with every breath.

[Cell Energy: 72/210.]

Something heavy scraped across the ground ahead.

A Piglin rose from a stone seat at the far end of the courtyard. It stood a head taller than the soldiers, with thick arms and scars across its snout.

Blue lightning crawled over its chest plate. A huge sword rested in one hand while its other hand closed around a spear made entirely of lightning.

’A Piglin Leader.’

Nero’s feet stopped moving as it looked at him.

The killing intent made his skin crawl. This thing had clearly killed countless beings before, and it showed no fear of the blood covering him.

It seemed to be choosing where to stab him.

’I should have kept that wish to myself.’

The lightning spear left its hand before Nero finished the thought.

He flung himself behind a pillar.

BOOM!

Stone burst across the courtyard as the spear struck. Nero stumbled from cover and found the Leader already upon him.

Its sword swept toward his waist.

He jumped back, but the tip cut across his stomach. Before he landed, a lightning hammer formed in the creature’s free hand.

Nero fired at its wrist.

The blast spoiled its aim, and the hammer smashed into the ground beside him. Sparks burned his leg as he rolled clear.

He forced himself up and fired at its chest. A shield of blue lightning formed before the shot could land.

CRACK!

His blast tore a hole through it, but the Leader had already stepped aside.

’It can defend itself too?’

Another spear formed above its shoulder. Nero ran toward it instead of waiting for the throw.

The spear struck behind him as he ducked beneath the sword. He planted a fist against its armor and poured out Cell Energy.

BOOM!

The plate split, exposing flesh beneath it. The Leader grunted and slammed its forehead into his face.

Pain burst through Nero’s nose. A heavy knee struck his stomach before he could regain his footing.

He flew backward and hit the ground hard.

[Cell Energy: 18/210.]

Nero pushed himself up as blood dripped from his chin. His arms shook so badly that he could barely hold his guard.

The Leader advanced with its sword dragging behind it. Three lightning spears formed above its back.

For a moment, Nero wanted nothing more than to run.

Then he remembered why he had entered the Gate.

’If I can’t get past you, how am I supposed to become stronger?’

He forced his aching legs straight and called on the cells throughout his body. Blue light covered his arms as he charged.

The first spear struck where he had stood. The second tore past his shoulder while the third came straight for his chest.

Nero shoved himself sideways with Telekinesis.

The spear burned through his shirt as he stumbled into reach. He drove his fist toward the cracked chest plate.

A lightning shield caught it.

"BREAK!"

His last stored energy burst against the shield. Both shattered in a flash of blue, leaving his fist pressed against bare flesh.

[Cell Energy: 0/210.]

The Leader raised its sword.

Nero tried to release another blast, but nothing came out. His body screamed as he drove his legs harder against the ground.

’Come on! You’re still alive, so keep working!’

He called on every cell he could feel while throwing his other fist forward. His muscles clenched until he thought they would tear.

Then heat surged through him.

It spread through his chest and down both arms as his cells changed. Mana rushed into his body, feeding the growth while fresh Cell Energy formed throughout him.

The sword began to fall.

Nero caught the Leader’s wrist with his left hand.

CRACK!

Bone broke in his grip.

His eyes widened, but he didn’t waste the chance. He drove his right fist into the broken armor with all the strength pouring through his body as he activated his cell energy.

BOOOOM!

Blue energy tore through the Piglin Leader and struck the stone seat behind it. The seat burst apart as the creature’s sword slipped from its hand.

Nero let go, and its body fell at his feet.

He stood over it with blood running down his face. Just then, his system window activated.

A system window appeared through the fading blue light just then.

[Cellular Reservoir is advancing to D-Rank.]