Testing the Sword, Part 2

A dull tearing sound echoed in the air. The young man swung the greatsword in his hand, not with any particular technique, but with sheer brute force.

Using such a greatsword rendered the Beichen Ichi-ryu he learned from Raiden Mei largely meaningless. The reason was that Beichen Ichi-ryu, which emphasized speed and explosive power, was better suited for a regular katana.

Furthermore, Chang Guang had him test the sword not to assess his combat ability, but the weapon's performance.

For this reason, it was necessary to avoid overshadowing the weapon by using overly advanced techniques that would interfere with the judgment.

Clearly, Fu Hua understood this. Yet, without using any technique, she neither dodged nor evaded, instead blocking the sword with the composite sword Xuanwu, which appeared overly light compared to the greatsword.

The powerful, heavy attack was like a stream flowing into the ocean, causing not a ripple. The strength of martial arts lies in technique and power, and the young woman not only far surpassed Su Qing'an in technique, but utterly crushed him in terms of power as well.

This was only natural. If this were a sparring match, it would be Fu Hua guiding Su Qing'an. Even if she only used the power she could display, the gap between them was still too vast.

He knew this well, but this was a sword test.

Its very purpose was to ascertain the sword's performance, while allowing Chang Guang to collect the data she wanted. All other conditions were secondary.

Honkai Energy began to condense. The greatsword was like a slumbering beast, gradually reviving and revealing its ferocity as it fused with Honkai Energy with each breath.

The force of the blows grew heavier. After parrying the next sword, Fu Hua realized the greatsword had undergone some change.

Su Qing'an, as the wielder, naturally understood this even better. The sword felt like an external organ through which he controlled Honkai Energy.

Even without the circulation established by Void Sword Qi, he could now use Honkai Energy without expending much effort.

But the price was that such an "organ" was part of his body, and he had to bear the erosion of Honkai Energy on his body.

He realized a difference, unlike what Chang Guang had said.

Having died twice from Honkai Infection, he had some authority on this matter.

With his initial Honkai resistance, if he were to endure this level of Honkai Energy erosion for five minutes, he would risk contracting irreversible Honkai Sickness without immediately injecting Honkai Serum.

And such a precious strategic resource could hardly be used as a daily consumable.

With his current Honkai resistance, he could maintain this Honkai Energy output for extended combat.

The greatsword seemed to possess some self-operating capability for Honkai Energy. Upon full activation, it automatically channeled a portion of the absorbed Honkai Energy into his body.

If this were the effect, wouldn't people with high Honkai resistance have their basic strength and stamina requirements greatly relaxed?

In this light, Honkai resistance was a crucial factor in all senses.

Even with the greatsword augmenting his strength, Fu Hua still easily blocked every blow. For Chang Guang, the focus of this sword test was no longer the composite sword Xuanwu, which was the initial reason for assigning the task.

Fu Hua's role was like a human post, helping to probe the greatsword's power. Therefore, she simply blocked without counterattacking.

Meanwhile, the instrument on Su Qing'an's wrist and the greatsword's built-in sensor were used to analyze precise data on his body's reaction to the greatsword.

Had it reached its limit? The augmented strength of the greatsword reached a certain threshold, with the rate of Honkai Energy absorption and consumption reaching a balance.

But this was merely the weapon's basic function. In terms of gears, the greatsword was currently in first gear, the mode Chang Guang mentioned that even a normal man could use for five minutes.

Second gear increased the efficiency of Honkai Energy absorption to its limit. The effect was that, in the perception of both Fu Hua and Su Qing'an, the greatsword seemed to swell momentarily.

It was a world beyond the clarity of the naked eye. Honkai Energy coiled around the sword like a ferocious demon, baring its fangs and claws, like a beast freed from its shackles, displaying its power to its enemies and its restraints.

The result was that both Su Qing'an and Fu Hua faced pressure on a completely different level than before. Fu Hua's pressure came from increasingly heavy and swift attacks, while Su Qing'an's pressure was the violent erosion of Honkai Energy.

With his previous Honkai resistance, he would contract Honkai Sickness in one minute and become a Mortal in two.

To use the power of Honkai to fight Honkai, the price paid was this.

Countless lives had long since fallen in pools of blood, becoming sacrifices before the Honkai. Through this, Su Qing'an felt the grim reality of the apocalypse even more deeply.

Chang Guang herself admitted this was the gentlest weapon among anti-Honkai weapons, yet for ordinary people, first gear was already a soul-devouring demon blade.

Second gear was an abyss-dwelling, vengeful demon dragging you down.

As for the final third gear, it opened the last sealed cage. The overflowing Honkai Energy, like burning sparks, was converted into immense thermal energy, continuously supplied from within the greatsword.

This portion of Honkai Energy came from the weapon's dedicated channel. According to the design, first and second gear used ambient Honkai Energy, while third gear released the normally stored Honkai Energy along with ambient Honkai Energy.

Theoretically, the primary purpose of third gear was for a desperate final blow.

It was not designed for sustained combat, but to face more powerful Honkai Beasts by directly compressing and releasing all its power. After this strike, the weapon itself would sustain damage.

It could be described as a mutually destructive attack that burned everything.

And now, Su Qing'an unleashed such a strike.

The heatwave brushed against his face before it even got close, the scorching sensation making his senses uncomfortable. Terrifying thermal and Honkai energy intertwined, forming a fierce aura.

The composite sword Xuanwu was forcefully melted and severed one second after touching the sword's body.

"Inch Punch, Mountain Collapse," the young woman whispered calmly, her weapon lost. She clenched her slender, pale fingers into a fist and immediately swung.

Honkai Energy intertwined on her fist, forming a transparent yet solid barrier. Intense kinetic energy, thermal energy, and Honkai Energy all came to an abrupt halt.

The greatsword was held steady by the young woman's fist as if it were a toy made of foam board, not budging an inch.

The weapon's Honkai Energy continued to roar and burn uncontrollably until...

"Detecting body erosion by Honkai Energy. Halting weapon operation."

The greatsword and the instruments on the young man's wrist began to issue warnings. In the distance, Chang Guang activated the weapon's built-in limiter, forcibly shackling the weapon.

A large amount of air current erupted from the weapon, cooling the greatsword's blade. A portion of the residual Honkai Energy flowed back internally. The young man gasped for breath; in that instant, Honkai Energy had indeed eroded him.

If he remained in that state for three minutes, he would be in grave danger.

Even if the risk was low, testing the performance of a Honkai weapon wasn't exactly a pleasant task.

His hands were protected by specialized gauntlets, so they were fine, but his other body parts that were too close to the greatsword were incredibly red. If such a weapon were used to its limit and he survived, the best-case scenario would be extensive burns.

"Cough, cough." He coughed forcefully. The sensation of Honkai Energy surging into his body had left him traumatized, and he instinctively felt fear. Although this Honkai Energy erosion was brief, it still reminded him of the pain of his two deaths.

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