Charging Up

"So—the system just rewarded you with a Root Skill, and then you used that Root Skill to create this weapon?"

Ten minutes later.

Lu Xiu explained to the two of them what she had done with the reward after acquiring the new skill.

After listening, the two fell silent.

After a long while, Shen Nian couldn't help but ask a question.

Lu Xiu, holding the Judgment, nodded slightly upon hearing this. "Yes."

"I----"

Looking at Lu Xiu's nonchalant demeanor.

Shen Nian couldn't help but reach out and rub her cheeks, trying to clear her mind.

Others fight to the death, and they're lucky if they even get a system reward.

As a result, Lu Xiu not only obtained a fundamental-level skill, but also managed to create a divine weapon!

"Comparing yourself to others will really make you miserable."

Shen Nian muttered to herself, feeling that the SSS-level skill she had just acquired suddenly wasn't so appealing anymore.

This is outrageous!

That's insane!

but.

She quickly realized, "Wait, Lu Xiu, can you make new weapons?"

"It should be possible."

Lu Xiu nodded. "But we're out of materials now. I plan to try and get some as soon as the dungeon and deck-building features reopen."

"That----"

Shen Nian grabbed Lu Xiu's arm, her eyes sparkling, just like a puppy.

Looking at her expectant face...

Lu Xiu couldn't help but chuckle and gently poked her forehead.

I know what you're trying to say.

Lu Xiu chuckled and said, "I'll keep an eye on it for you. But your weapon must be pretty good now, right? I can't guarantee I'll be able to get the materials to make a weapon of the same level as [Judgment] in the future."

"I know—I wouldn't dare dream of weapons like yours; I'll just make do with what I have."

Shen Nian said directly, "I do need a spare weapon. My current weapon is just a skill launcher, and besides—you looked really cool dual-wielding before! I want to try that feeling."

"Handsome—you have good taste!"

Lu Xiu was pleased to hear this.

----So easy to coax.

Hearing the laughter, Shen Nian looked up, amused, and met Lu Xiu's gaze.

Due to the passive effect of [Judgment], Lu Xiu's originally clear black and white eyes turned crimson again, like rubies illuminated by light, indescribably beautiful.

She was already a beautiful young woman with delicate features and fair skin. Now, paired with those beautiful eyes that shimmered like pure rubies, there was no sense of incongruity at all. On the contrary, it made her beauty even more stunning.

Especially when she smiles, a crimson light ripples gently in her eyes, as if an unusual color has fallen into them, like the final touch.

Previously, Lu Xiu had only activated this state during battles.

Shen Nian hadn't seen it up close either.

Now I finally see it.

But the stunning beauty right in front of him was a devastating blow to Shen Nian.

She stared blankly at Lu Xiu's face, her mind blank for a moment, leaving only one straightforward thought.

It's so beautiful!

"What?"

Lu Xiu noticed that Shen Nian had suddenly stopped moving, so she stretched out her fair hand and gently waved it in front of her eyes.

Shen Nian blurted out, "You look so beautiful! I never knew red eyes were so attractive!"

"I don't like hearing that—"

Lu Xiu was exasperated and quickly turned off the passive mode.

At the same time, a cool little hand reached out from the side and precisely grabbed Shen Nian's nape.

"Why?"

Shen Nian felt her collar tighten, and she was dragged back two steps like a kitten being lifted up, forcibly creating distance between herself and Lu Xiu, who were almost touching.

She turned her head sharply and met Jian Li's cold, clear eyes.

Shen Nian: "----"

"Too close."

Jian Li released Shen Nian's collar, then looked at Lu Xiu: "This skill can't be used carelessly. It consumes 90% of your current health. If you draw this sword, you'll be in danger yourself."

That's why it's called the final blow.

Lu Xiu smiled and said, "It wasn't meant to be used casually in the first place."

"----It's best to use this when someone is around."

"Yes, I know."

Lu Xiu looked at Jian Li, who was giving her Jian Li: "So, do you need to change your weapon?"

Jian Li thought for a moment, then gently shook her head. "I don't need it for now—but can your Root Skill utilize existing weapons and combine them with other items to create new weapons?"

Lu Xiu realized something. "You want the Coordination Bureau to provide the materials?"

"Um.

Jian Li nodded. "If you can do that, you won't be under so much pressure. Even if the next few dungeons aren't suitable for the frontline soldiers, the frontline won't collapse."

Lu Xiu pondered for a moment upon hearing this, "Then contact Yan Fushou later and get me some of the weapons we currently have the most of. We need both melee and firearms, as well as suitable props."

"Good."

Jian Li immediately opened the communication panel and contacted Yan Fushou.

At this time...

Shen Nian suddenly realized something. "Wait a minute, Lu Xiu, what you just showed was only the reward for being number one in battle merits. As the number one on the Architect ranking, didn't the system give you any rewards?"

Shen Nian's reminder made Lu Xiu realize it too.

Indeed, in the preliminary results, she ranked first on both leaderboards.

The reward is doubled.

I was so focused on fusing [Judgment] that I forgot about the other reward.

"That's right, I almost missed it."

Lu Xiu brought up the System Panel again and, sure enough, saw a new skill.

[Special Skill: Power Accumulation]

[Rating: Mythic Grade]

[Type: Passive/Rule-based]

[Effect Description: 1. Concept Endowment: You can endow your active skills, normal attacks, and even some item effects with the concept of charging. Some skills with charging can also become unlimited charging.]

As long as it is not actively released, the skill's power, range, and hit detection will increase dramatically as the charging time progresses.

[2. Charge Up: Gain the concept skill called "Charge Up" and you can freely set the [health point deduction frequency] (e. g., every ten minutes, every hour or every calendar day, automatically deduct a certain percentage of health points).

As long as you continuously pay with your life points, this skill will theoretically accumulate power indefinitely. The moment you choose to unleash it, all the accumulated power will erupt in an instant according to your will.

[Cooldown: None.]

[Consumption: No base consumption (If the current health of the node deducting health is insufficient to cover the cost, the charge will be forcibly interrupted, and the accumulated energy may explode directly.]

[Note: Watch closely—this is my final blow!]

Lu Xiu: "----"

Shen Nian asked curiously, "How was it?"

Lu Xiu showed the two of them the skill panel.

Two people:

"----"

The instant I finished looking at the skill panel.

Shen Nian and Jian Li fell silent again.

"Endless charging? Added to any skill or item?!"

After a long silence, Shen Nian said, "Doesn't that mean we can coordinate with the Judgment's sword-drawing technique?"

"Theoretically, it's possible."

Lu Xiu nodded.

Jian Li then asked, "That charging concept skill, can it charge indefinitely? Eventually creating a scene like a nuclear bomb?"

"Theoretically, it's possible."

The two fell silent again.

After a while.

Shen Nian suddenly grabbed Lu Xiu's shoulder and said very seriously, "Lu Xiu, tell me honestly—aren't you the goddess?"

"----"

Lu Xiu was a little confused by her sudden question, "What do you mean?"

Shen Nian's expression was more serious than ever before. "Actually, privately—everyone has a theory that you are actually the goddess who orchestrated all of this behind the scenes, but they've never been too shy to ask you directly."

That brings us to this.

Shen Nian paused, looking into Lu Xiu's beautiful eyes. "Now, on behalf of the vast majority of suffering people, I'd like to ask you—is that right?"

Looking at Shen Nian's serious expression.

Lu Xiu was speechless.

What Kayaba Akihiko?

"No, how could that be? If I were a goddess, wouldn't it be better to just create a system instance for you guys? Why bother with a civilian instance?"

""

Shen Nian looked at Lu Xiu's face and heard this unequivocal answer.

After learning that Lu Xiu was just a player like them.

Shen Nian didn't feel relieved at all; instead, she felt that her worldview had been even more strongly impacted.

"That's too strong!"

Shen Nian couldn't help but murmur a sentence.

Putting everything else aside, just look at the two skills Lu Xiu recently acquired—putting them together is truly terrifying!

An invincible mechanism.

Terrifying numbers.

Deceptive Modeling.

Shen Nian looked at the pretty girl standing there, who seemed harmless to anyone who saw her.

Who would have thought?

Beneath that harmless and beautiful appearance lies something terrifying.

Thinking of this...

Shen Nian took a deep breath and called out very solemnly, "Lu Xiu."

"Um?"

Can I hug your leg?

"----no."

Lu Xiu subconsciously brought her long, straight, beautiful legs together and took a small step back.

I wasn't talking about that hug!

Shen Nian looked at Lu Xiu's disgusted expression and couldn't help but laugh.

Although I somewhat wanted to—that's not what I meant!

She was about to say something more.

[Server-wide Announcement]

[The arena period has ended, and the dungeon function has been reopened.]

The Architect feature has been reopened.

[Multiplayer dungeon mode is now available.]

[Border Barrier have been weakened; you'll likely be matched with players from other regions.]

"Alright, stop fooling around."

Upon hearing the announcement, Lu Xiu looked at Shen Nian again. "I'm going to Construction Space to see how the multiplayer dungeon works. What about you guys?"

Shen Nian thought for a moment and looked at Jian Li.

Jian Li said directly, "Yan Fushou has already gone to check the armory of the Coordination Bureau, but it will take some time for the weapons to arrive. Let's go check out the multiplayer dungeon first, see who we can be matched with, and if we can find out about the situation in other areas, we'll let you know as soon as possible."

"Good.

At the same time.

Franca.

The dog-eared girl started frantically clicking matchmaking the moment the system dungeon opened.

"Nine Provinces! Nine Provinces! Match me with someone from Nine Provinces! Please!"