Quariea, who had been charging toward Zhua at incredible speed, suddenly froze.
Her eyes locked onto his wounded shoulder, where blood was flowing freely.
“What… is that? Is that blood?” she asked, genuine surprise filling her voice.
Her expression faltered slightly.
Zhua glanced at his shoulder.
His face instantly turned pale.
What flowed from the wound wasn’t ordinary crimson blood.
No.
It glowed.
It shimmered with a faint stellar radiance, as though countless tiny fragments of stars were suspended within the liquid pouring from his right shoulder.
A memory surfaced in his mind.
[Star Being: Your entire body has become stellar. Your organs, your blood—every part of your existence is made of stars.]
“Ah… hahaha… hahahaha…”
He laughed inwardly.
A laugh bordering on madness.
He hadn’t thought the description was literal.
He had assumed it was merely symbolic.
I’m screwed.
Great…
so much for staying unnoticed!
He looked back at Quariea.
His voice was calm…
But laced with irritation.
“It’s nothing… it’s because of…”
He sighed.
“…Ah, screw it. It’s because of my Unique Attribute.”
“I really hate surprises.”
Quariea looked at him strangely, countless questions running through her mind.
She glanced at her blade.
Then at his glowing blood.
She pouted slightly.
“You’re no fun. How am I supposed to cut you apart? I worked really hard!”
Zhua genuinely wondered what was wrong with her.
Seriously…
Couldn’t she act like a normal person?
Although…
He didn’t actually dislike women with strong personalities.
Quariea was undeniably beautiful.
Even so, he had no intention of pursuing anything beyond friendship with her.
She was only seventeen.
Mentally, he was far older than that.
And more importantly…
His own moral principles wouldn’t allow such a relationship.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Zhua focused on the battle.
The situation had become even more complicated.
First…
Quariea was stronger than he had expected. This chapter is updated first at g.com.
Second…
Her mysterious ability seemed capable of making every one of his attacks miss.
Perhaps it interfered with his senses.
Third…
The secret of his Unique Attribute had been partially exposed.
He couldn’t allow anyone to discover its full nature.
That meant he had to end this fight as quickly as possible.
This is going to be harder than I thought.
Maybe…
the bloodline of the Primordial Goddess of Destiny can help me somehow.
Thinking about it was easy.
Actually doing it wasn’t.
He had no idea how to awaken the abilities of his dragon bloodline.
Normally, the blood of the Primordial Goddess of Destiny should have allowed him to use draconic traits.
Yet…
Nothing happened.
He felt incomplete.
As though that bloodline had only awakened halfway.
Do I have to reach the Awakened rank before the blood of that great goddess fully awakens?
He was almost certain that was the answer.
Until then…
He would simply have to make do.
Quariea’s arrogant expression returned.
She prepared to attack again.
This time, she charged in a zigzag pattern to throw him off.
She’s probably trying to make me bleed even more.
At least…
that’s what a normal person would do.
Though who knows with this lunatic.
Quariea slashed toward Zhua’s side.
At the last second, she shifted her angle and aimed straight for his throat.
Zhua wasn’t fooled.
Three miniature stars instantly appeared behind his left shoulder and shot toward Quariea’s head.
She barely managed to evade them by leaping backward.
A tiny drop of blood slid down Zhua’s neck.
He wiped it away with one finger.
Smiling confidently, he pressed forward without giving her time to recover.
He tightened his grip on his katana.
Raising it overhead, he brought it down in a diagonal slash, attempting to split her apart.
The blade narrowly missed her eye as she threw herself backward.
Seriously…
can’t she just accept getting hit for once?
Without hesitation, Zhua summoned three miniature stars into his hand and fired them.
Quariea relied entirely on instinct, springing backward to avoid them.
Zhua rushed after her in a straight line.
He extended his free hand behind him.
He merged them into a single, concentrated star.
Still gripping his sword…
He suddenly made the star disappear.
What’s he doing?
Quariea wondered.
She charged toward him as well.
Their blades collided once more.
Zhua drove a knee into her stomach, lifting her body into the air.
Instead of resisting, Quariea used the momentum to propel herself even higher.
Zhua attacked.
He missed.
In the next instant…
She was behind him.
Zhua spoke calmly.
“I was right.”
“Your ability throws your opponent’s senses into chaos.”
“I figured it out from that last exchange.”
Quariea froze for the briefest moment.
Zhua smiled.
He noticed her blade suddenly tilt beneath his throat before she struck with overwhelming speed.
Her attack carried pure killing intent.
“Your own senses are affected too.”
“But only slightly.”
“It probably happens gradually.”
“And the effect is weaker than it is on everyone else.”
“They’ve already started.”
Zhua spoke with absolute confidence.
He leaned forward just enough.
Quariea’s blade sliced harmlessly through empty air.
Behind Zhua’s left shoulder…
A star suddenly reappeared.
It was the concentrated star he had seemingly made disappear earlier.
In reality…
It had never vanished.
Using the Hunger Will born from his Dao, Zhua had devoured the star’s very presence.
Only for a brief moment.
It had been far easier because the star was a manifestation of his own mental strength an extension of his own existence.
The hidden star burst into life.
A brilliant beam shot forward.
“Damn it, you!”
Quariea shouted.
Her words died in her throat.
The beam pierced straight through her body.
Fortunately…
It missed every vital organ.