Sykes

Biodata

Appearance

Sykes is a muscular, roughly two-meter-tall man with rugged features, normally concealed beneath a full suit of silver plate armor 36 37 48.

• He is first seen sitting in the center of the ruined Beast Arena, holding a greatsword 36.
• His armor includes a removable helmet, leaving his head vulnerable when it is knocked off 45.

Personality

Sykes is confrontational and enjoys testing opponents. He initially offers to spare Lin Yu, then demands to be entertained and mocks their attacks. He expresses particular frustration with opponents who can fly 36 37.

After Lin Yu severely injures him, Sykes admits that he underestimated them and fights more seriously. He adapts to a second use of Repulsion and uses potions and evasive movement to regain the advantage 37 38.

Abilities & Skills

Qi Manipulation

Sykes uses crimson Qi for defense, movement, and physical enhancement.

• Extinguishes flames and blasts open the swamp trapping his feet 36.
• Condenses Qi into platforms to change direction in midair 38.
• Covers his body in Qi to withstand an attack and reinforces his flesh when attempting to escape a hold 38 46.
• His Qi cannot dislodge Guan Canghai’s party after Lin Yu’s ritual greatly increases their physical attributes 45 46.

Greatsword Combat

Sykes combines powerful leaps with quick greatsword strikes, allowing him to threaten airborne opponents 37 38.

• Swats apart Lightning Balls and Wind Blades with his sword 37 38.
• Cuts through the stone pillars of Lin Yu’s Earth Cage 37.
• Uses Repulsion’s force to redirect himself in midair after anticipating the spell 38.

Equipment & Items

• Rune plate armor — Its defenses withstand Lin Yu’s non-ritual spells and the boosted party’s swords, although three Explosive Flame Bombs destroy it during the first fight 36 37 45.
• Shining Silver Greatsword — A heavy rune weapon with Sharpness. Guan Canghai later uses it to decapitate Sykes 46 48.
• Dimensional Bag — An alchemical bag with one cubic meter of storage space; one is found among Sykes’s possessions 46 47.
• Potions — Sykes uses a life potion to restore his health and severe injuries, drinks four strengthening potions, and applies another potion to his sword 37.

Story Role

First battle with Lin Yu

Lin Yu discovers Sykes in the abandoned Beast Arena, where the boss has 40,000 health. Sykes’s armor withstands Lin Yu’s ordinary spells, but three Explosive Flame Bombs reduce him to 2,500 health and destroy his armor. He dodges a follow-up blast and restores himself with a life potion 36 37.

After Sykes strengthens himself and his sword, Lin Yu allows him to cut their body in half, grabs him, and detonates three Explosive Flame Bombs at point-blank range. Sykes dies, awarding Lin Yu a King’s Soul; Lin Yu also dies after their Life Extension spell ends 37 38.

Party battles and farming

Lin Yu later returns with Guan Canghai’s party and uses a ritual to boost its members’ attributes. They overwhelm Sykes, knock off his helmet, and restrain him while Guan Canghai uses Sykes’s own greatsword to decapitate him and destroy his head 44 45 46.

The party repeatedly defeats Sykes after he respawns, taking turns landing the finishing blow to collect King’s Souls for advancement. His equipment, potions, and Dimensional Bags also form part of the loot 46 48 49.

Notable Quotes

“Come on, show me everything you can do. Try to entertain me!” 36

“Ugh, another one who can fly. I hate running into people who can fly!” 37