Gambler's Life

The pale-blue Arcane Radiance flowed along the blade, breathing like a living thing.

That faint glow gave Xia Lin a fleeting sense of confidence.

The kobold Chosen of God moved again.

This time, it was not a fist, but a claw covered in golden scales. With a shriek that tore through the air, it reached for Xia Lin's throat.

Fast!

But Xia Lin's nerves were taut. The [Ring of Swift Wind] took effect at the same time, and he suddenly twisted his waist and lowered his shoulder. His foot slid half a step backward, and his entire body narrowly dodged the attack, almost skimming the ground.

The golden claw wind grazed his cheek. Several strands of black hair were sliced off by an invisible force and drifted down.

The instant he avoided the claw strike, he stamped hard against the ground, shifted his center of gravity forward, and tensed the muscles in his arm.

The long sword imbued with Arcane Radiance was no longer swinging wildly. It transformed into a precise streak of blue lightning, following the opening left by the claw strike and stabbing viciously toward the kobold Chosen of God's relatively soft armpit.

[Pierce]

Sssch—!

The resistance coming from the sword tip, that sensation of cutting through tough leather, made Xia Lin's heart leap into his throat.

Got it!

Dark-gold blood radiating scorching heat sprayed from beneath the monster's arm like a tiny fountain, splattering his hand with sticky liquid.

"Roar—!!!"

The deafening bellow echoed through the cavern. It was no longer pure intimidation like before, but mixed with unmistakable pain and fury.

The kobold Chosen of God abruptly retreated a step, staggering slightly for the first time.

It lowered its head. Its burning golden eyes fixed on the wound beneath its arm—a wound that was not deep, yet was bleeding "divine blood."

Then, that gaze, like two red-hot brands, suddenly swung toward the long sword in Xia Lin's hand, which was flowing with pale-blue Arcane Radiance.

"Ha! Just as I thought!" Xia Lin's heart pounded wildly. The exhilaration brought on by adrenaline temporarily overwhelmed the waves of burning pain from the wound in his right shoulder.

A smile mixing madness and relief spread involuntarily across his face. "I knew it! That turtle shell of yours isn't invincible!"

The wound was not large, and it might even heal in the blink of an eye under the power of that strange divine force. But it had undoubtedly proved one thing—the monster was not unbeatable!

He quickly reassessed the "Chosen of God" before him.

The creature was astonishingly fast, and its strength was absurdly great. One punch had been enough to cripple Barrett.

But its movements... were broad and forceful, filled with primitive savagery and strength, yet completely devoid of technique.

Straight punches, sweeping blows, claw strikes... It only had those few moves, over and over.

Its attack intentions were obvious, and its openings were just as obvious.

It was purely relying on its high attributes, granted by its transformation through divine power, to crush its opponent.

"It's all just numbers..." Xia Lin panted heavily and licked his cracked lips. "As long as I handle this carefully and drag it out for a while, I should be fine!"

He needed to buy Kasimir some time. That ice-faced Duelist was definitely preparing some kind of killing move.

However, just as Xia Lin made up his mind and prepared to rely on technique and his magic weapon to keep fighting on the move—

After letting out a low growl, the kobold Chosen of God unexpectedly... completely ignored Xia Lin before it.

Its burning golden eyes abruptly turned toward Kasimir behind the stone pillar to the side and rear.

Not good!

The monster suddenly drove off with both legs, its massive body once again transforming into a golden meteor.

It abandoned Xia Lin, this "minor nuisance," and charged straight toward Kasimir, who was concentrating on his preparations.

"Hey! Over here!" Xia Lin roared. Without a second thought, he immediately abandoned his plan to keep fighting on the move.

He suddenly stepped forward and raised the long sword imbued with Arcane Radiance horizontally before him, forcing himself into the path of the charging kobold Chosen of God.

He had no choice. Kasimir could not be disturbed!

Boom!!! It was like being struck by a charging rhinoceros.

Xia Lin felt an irresistible force surge through the sword. His arms went numb, the web between his thumb and forefinger split open, and blood poured out!

His body was forced backward, both feet plowing deep tracks into the ground. But he clenched his teeth and refused to let go.

"Come on, you mongrel!" Xia Lin's eyes turned crimson from the blood rush and agony. The intense sense of impending death stimulated his nerves, instead provoking an almost insane, savage ferocity.

He steadied his stance. His long sword no longer sought to evade. Instead, it darted out like a venomous snake, using the opponent's momentum to entangle, block, and deflect!

This was the "entangling combat" technique of Basic Swordsmanship! He used the sword's body to control the enemy's attack path and search for a chance to counterattack.

The kobold Chosen of God's attacks grew increasingly violent!

Golden fists and claws swung in alternation. Every time one grazed Xia Lin's body, it tore his leather armor and left behind a bloodstain of varying depth.

Every time he met one of the attacks with his sword, the heavy force made the blade wail. The vibrations shot straight up his arms, and even the gaps between his bones creaked. Several times, he nearly lost his grip on the sword.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The clash of steel rang without end, sparks flying in all directions.

Relying on the reaction speed provided by the ring and the slight advantage granted by the Arcane Radiance enchantment, Xia Lin struggled to hold on beneath the torrential assault.

His feet moved rapidly within the narrow space, sword light flashing. He clung to his position like a nail driven into the ground, guarding the sole hope behind him.

Every part of his body cried out in pain. The wound in his right shoulder split open again from the violent movements, warm blood continuously draining away and soaking his clothes. His vision began to darken in waves.

His mind was compressed to its limit, like a bowstring that could snap at any moment.

Any mistake in judgment, any block that fell short, would end with his body torn to pieces.

Once again, after deftly using the side of his blade to draw away a heavy straight punch, like a bullfighter teasing a bull, the kobold Chosen of God overextended and revealed an extremely brief opening.

Its left knee—the spot Xia Lin had repeatedly attacked with his enchanted sword.

The scales there were damaged, and dark-gold blood still seeped out faintly!

He suddenly lowered his body and drew the Light Crossbow from his waist with his left hand.

There was no time to aim. He relied entirely on muscle memory.

Whoosh!

The short bolt shot through the air and struck the kobold Chosen of God's only exposed weak point with pinpoint accuracy: its left knee.

Pfft!

This time, the bolt burrowed deep into the wound that the magic weapon had torn open earlier without the slightest obstruction!

"Roar—!!!!!"

The kobold Chosen of God let out a deafening howl of pain that reverberated throughout the entire mine!

The golden flames in its eyes surged wildly. It seemed it had never expected this dying "insect" to have such a vicious trick left.

Just as Xia Lin thought it would tear him apart like a wounded beast, disregarding everything else, its movements suddenly became incredibly strange.

A speed far beyond anything before erupted in an instant.

Xia Lin's vision blurred.

A large hand covered in golden scales suddenly seized his right ankle like an iron clamp.

The next moment, an utterly irresistible, terrifying force surged through him.

The world spun!

The enraged kobold Chosen of God swung his entire body through the air as easily as tossing a tattered sack. He traced a desperate arc before being hurled viciously toward the bottomless dark cliff at the edge of the cavern!

The sensation of weightlessness enveloped him instantly, wind roaring past his ears.

He looked down at the darkness rapidly expanding like the mouth of a giant beast, then at Kasimir's statue-like figure and the slender sword that had finally gathered enough power and begun to radiate an aura of destruction.

At that moment, the Duelist's voice, utterly emotionless yet perfectly clear, came like a final ultimatum:

"Your sacrifice will not be in vain."