Ability Fusion

"There's another trick up your sleeve?!"

Lu Li's heart sank, and he sucked in a sharp breath.

He had originally planned to kill Chen Hao from a distance with Lightning Arrow.

But now that Chen Hao had advanced to Lv.4 and his physical attributes had surged, that method clearly would not work.

Did he have to fight him up close?

Although the Platinum Rank [Blade Arm] had a chance of killing Chen Hao, doing so would mean placing Lu Li himself in danger.

Even with the combat experience he had accumulated in his previous life,

his current physical condition after being reborn could not support such an intense battle.

The result would most likely be mutual destruction.

Should he take the gamble?

"Lu Li! I will kill you!!!"

Just as Lu Li was thinking, Chen Hao in the distance stepped forward.

Red mist churned around the Scarred Bald Man's body as he actually forced his way toward Lu Li through wave after wave of Lightning Arrows!

Lu Li stood stunned for a long while before suddenly laughing.

He laughed at himself for becoming so timid.

In his previous life, he had been ignorant and clueless, yet he had still made something of himself.

Given another life, he would only become stronger!

The [Swift] ability activated. Lu Li's figure blurred as he began running through the Multimedia Classroom.

The dense rain of Lightning Arrows temporarily ceased. Those attacks could not kill Chen Hao anyway, and would instead only increase the strength of his ability.

To kill him, Lu Li needed a single fatal strike.

Using the terrain to his advantage, Lu Li maintained his distance from Chen Hao.

The Soul Soldier that Chen Hao had torn apart earlier had not actually vanished. Lu Li had recalled it in advance.

Though he had lost several Soul Points, the remainder was enough to form another Lv.2 Soul Soldier.

However, Lu Li did not intend to use it immediately.

He needed to gather all his combat strength into one point. Only then would he have a chance to kill Chen Hao in a single blow.

Ducking beneath the chair Chen Hao hurled at him, Lu Li swiftly ran to Ying Zi'an's corpse.

The Soul Devour ability activated silently.

[Devoured the soul of a Lv.2 Player. Soul Points +4]

[Plundered ability—Sharp Claw (Silver)]

[Detected that "Sharp Claw" and "Blade Arm" are both abilities of the "Sharp" series. Perform enhanced fusion?]

They could be fused?

Right, they could undergo enhanced fusion!

Lu Li had nearly forgotten about that.

Identical abilities Plundered through Soul Devour could trigger advancement quests, and completing them would raise the ability's rank.

Abilities from the same series, meanwhile, could undergo enhanced fusion!

Though Lu Li did not know what the result of fusion would be, one thing was certain—

The fused ability would definitely be stronger than before!

"Fuse!"

Without hesitation, Lu Li immediately chose to fuse the abilities.

At this critical moment in battle, even the slightest improvement could increase his odds of victory!

[Ding! Ability fusion successful!]

[Due to the excessive rank gap between "Blade Arm" and "Sharp Claw," no new ability emerged.]

["Blade Arm" effect increased: gains the "Laceration" effect, trigger chance 50%.]

"It's actually the Laceration effect!"

Lu Li was overjoyed.

The "Laceration" effect could continuously affect the target, and after stacking multiple times, it could inflict "Severe Wound"!

Once the "Severe Wound" effect took hold, the target's movement speed would be greatly reduced.

Lu Li's steps halted, and he stopped sprinting.

Originally, he had intended to find an opportunity to land a fatal blow on Chen Hao.

But now that [Blade Arm] had gained the "Laceration" effect, his approach to the battle had to change.

He would wear Chen Hao down slowly!

Even if the entire process continuously Amplified the opponent's ability, as long as he inflicted "Severe Wound," Lu Li could seize the initiative!

Seeing Lu Li suddenly stop, Chen Hao immediately froze as well.

His expression turned extremely vigilant as he looked at Lu Li suspiciously.

"What? You know you're dead for sure, so you've stopped running?"

Lu Li chuckled.

"I admit it, I really didn't expect your ability to be this strong, or that you'd be carrying ten Second-Order Mana Crystals on you."

"But who dies here is still anyone's guess!"

As soon as he finished speaking, black mist suddenly rose behind Lu Li!

The Soul Soldier condensed once more. The black mantis beat its wings and soared into the air, quickly hovering above Chen Hao's head.

Like a Sword of Damocles that could fall at any moment!

Meanwhile, Lu Li himself began pacing forward slowly, closing in on Chen Hao bit by bit!

"A Summoning Class talent? Looks like you fooled Xiao Hao quite thoroughly..."

Chen Hao split his attention to examine the black Soul Soldier overhead. He clearly seemed to know something.

But the Soul Soldier did not seem inclined to give him time to think.

The black mantis let out a shriek, then shot toward Chen Hao like a cannonball the next instant!

At the same time, Lu Li's figure suddenly accelerated.

Though he was about to be attacked from both sides, there was not a trace of panic on Chen Hao's scarred face.

On the contrary, he wore an extra hint of smug satisfaction, as if he had seen through everything.

"A student is still a student. So naive. Do you really think I'll fall for the same trick again?!"

Chen Hao charged straight at Lu Li, showing no intention of guarding against the Blade Mantis at all.

He was convinced Lu Li was repeating the same old trick.

Trying to use a Summon Object that looked powerful but was actually fragile enough to shatter in one hit to draw his attention.

The true killing move would come from Lu Li himself.

Wasn't that how Tian Yuhao had died?

How could Chen Hao possibly fall for it again!

Just as he was about to collide with Lu Li, a dazzling white light suddenly flashed before Chen Hao's eyes.

An arc of lightning struck him squarely in the face without warning, temporarily robbing him of his vision.

When he opened his eyes again, there was nothing ahead of him. Lu Li had vanished without a trace.

"You little rat!"

Chen Hao tried to locate him, but suddenly felt pain in his back and ankle.

The Soul Soldier's attack had already landed, leaving two long wounds across his back.

Meanwhile, Lu Li slid forward, using the blade his right hand had become to make a shallow cut across Chen Hao's ankle.

The Summon Object was the main attacker?

No matter!

They were all insignificant wounds!

Chen Hao understood that under the effect of [Bloody Slaughter], every nonfatal injury would only become fuel to make him stronger!

He locked onto Lu Li. As long as he killed him, the Summon Object would automatically dissipate as well.

But Lu Li was like a slippery loach. Every time Chen Hao was about to catch him, he slipped through his fingers.

Instead, Chen Hao himself had been cut more than a dozen times by Lu Li.

Although those wounds felt like mosquito bites to him, why was Lu Li getting faster and faster?

No...

It was not that Lu Li had become faster. It was that Chen Hao himself had become slower!

Chen Hao suddenly realized what was happening and glanced at the Data Panel.

In the status column, the effect "Severe Wound" was glaringly displayed!

"You brat, you cheated!"

Lu Li raised his hand and threw out a Lightning Arrow, retreating again.

At the same time, he divided his focus to control the Soul Soldier, intending to deliver Chen Hao a heavy blow!

He had thought Chen Hao, whose speed had slowed, would focus all his efforts on guarding against the Soul Soldier.

Yet he had not expected the Scarred Bald Man to go completely mad!

The red mist around his body all flowed into him, and in an instant, his eyes turned blood-red like a Demon from hell!

The "Severe Wound" effect was removed!

Chen Hao's speed surged as he lunged at Lu Li!!

"Die!!!"