Facing Fear

Three months later...

Deep voices echoed on the mountaintop at night. Sharp arrows pointed to the sky, piercing the air as they flew towards the moon, then burst into flames, transforming into a blazing sun that dispelled the darkness.

The blazing sun did not dissipate; instead, it transformed into a shooting star and hurtled towards the archer who had fired the arrow. The archer opened his arms, embracing the sun as if a father were embracing his child.

A layer of Golden Armor appeared on his body, and then, sharp blades emerged, which were the Blade of Hell. These Blade of Hell were either curved like tree branches or protruded like lion's teeth.

Facing the blazing sun, the Blade of Hell seemed to be tempered, displaying beautiful flame marks, and the Golden Armor inside seemed to flow and merge with these sharp blades.

"Ah--!"

With a triumphant roar, Karna's Blade of Hell seemed to respond to its master's emotions, clashing against him like sharp blades yearning for battle, sparking each other.

"Looks like it's ready?"

At the foot of the mountain, Rama with the Axe looked at the blazing sun in the sky, smiled and nodded, while Bai Mo also nodded slightly. In his hand, he played with a round, mechanical object that looked like a clock face, but it was none other than the calculation core given to him by Kuaiji Type Zero.

"That's about enough. Next, this will help him get through the initial adjustment period. However, there's one more thing that needs to be done."

"What is it? Do you have some other special tricks?"

Faced with the question from the Rama with the Axe, Bai Mo shook his head and said, "If I were to use all my special moves, he would have to study here until he's middle-aged or even old."

Moreover, true strength lies not in the techniques, but in the user. Trying to learn too much at once is futile; what he has now is enough for him to benefit from for a lifetime. However, he still needs another experience to truly transform himself.

The Rama with the Axe looked at Bai Mo Bai Mo, who slowly uttered two words: "Fear."

"To become a true strong person, one must face those stronger than oneself, truly feel the threat to one's life, and overcome that fear of death. Otherwise, it is impossible to achieve victory against overwhelming odds."

To become the strongest, you must pass this test.

At this moment, Bai Mo hoped to help him complete this challenge in some way; otherwise, he would either not step into the realm of the strongest, or he would have to undergo an extremely painful ordeal.

Now, he is pondering which method to use.

A voice drifted from afar, accompanied by the melodious sound of a flute and the gradual clatter of horses' hooves. A familiar voice called out, "What are you troubled by? My friend, why not speak your problem aloud? Wouldn't it be better to have another mind to help you think?"

Rama with the Axe, looked and saw a man adorned with gold jewelry and wearing a peacock feather crown riding a horse, swaying leisurely as he arrived. It was Krishna.

Upon seeing this person, Rama with the Axe felt a unique sense of familiarity.

Greetings to you, Rama with the Axe, and to Kama.

"Do you like coming to find people late at night? That's not a good habit," Kama said, while Krishna smiled and looked at the sky.

"Oh, it's already evening. I really couldn't tell. I just came to let you know that Pandavas and the Hundred Sons of Dhritarashtra will finish their studies and return to Hastinapura."

And if nothing unexpected happens, Karna will exceed everyone's expectations, right?

Bai Mo nodded, and then Krishna sat down beside him without any hesitation and asked, "So what are you still thinking about?"

"This strict teacher intends to let his disciple experience real battlefield combat firsthand, allowing Karna to quickly grow from a child into a warrior."

Rama with the Axe with the Bai Mo. Bai Mo looked at the two people beside him. Rama with the Axe on his left and Krishna on his right were both incarnations of Vishnu. It looked very strange.

"Oh, that's easy. Isn't there a suitable opponent right here? Right? The great Brahmin protector?" Krishna said with a smile to Rama with the Axe. Upon hearing this, Bai Mo understood his intention.

"That's good. Now is the best time to discuss Karna's background. But we still need to confirm it."

Bai Mo nodded, indicating his approval of the method.

The next day, Bai Mo summoned Karna to his side and said, "Your Hell War Armor and archery skills are already sufficiently honed. If you want to gain more experience, you need to learn through real battles and combat."

Before that, Karna, I need you to answer a question for me: what is your need for power? If it is to make a name for Tianxia, then the power you have so far is sufficient.

But if you want to go further, you need to go through real trials and tribulations.

Bai Mo asked Karna, confident that Karna could defeat even the Pandavas.

Upon hearing Bai Mo's question, Karna immediately pondered. The young man had not yet determined his life's goal, so he replied:

"I want to go further, even if it's just to improve myself, and I have no reason to stop here."

Bai Mo nodded slightly at the answer, and after confirming it several times, he glanced at the Rama with the Axe, who also nodded slightly. The two seemed to have confirmed something.

"Today, you will face the final test of your training, a comprehensive assessment of your strength and archery skills. The examiner is none other than Rama with the Axe. Go deep into the mountains. Today, let Rama with the Axe see what you have learned, and then I will determine whether you are qualified to graduate."

Hearing Bai Mo's words, Karna nodded, his eyes filled with anticipation. Then, without looking back, he and Rama with the Axe, wielding his axe, headed into the mountains. Upon arrival, he asked:

"Then, Venerable One, what is the test my master gave me?"

"Assessment? There's no assessment. Pick up your weapons, Kshatriya!"

Upon hearing this, Karna was stunned. He looked left and right, and when he was sure he was alone, he asked, "Venerable One, are you speaking to me? I am the son of the coachman."

Rama with the Axe, wielding his axe, stood up, his eyes filled with chilling killing intent. He said, "Stop lying. I've been deceived by you twice. If I had known you were a Kshatriya, I would never have let my archery skills fall into your hands."

I swore an oath in this life to annihilate all Kshatriyas, and now, the time has come for it to be fulfilled! Die!

After saying that, Rama with the Axe, charged directly at Karna. Although the old man was extremely old, his power had not diminished in the slightest. Karna felt as if a shooting star was rushing towards him.

Instinctively, the Golden Armor appeared, followed by a loud bang. Karna felt a sharp pain in his internal organs, and everything around him seemed to be rushing backward.

He was sent flying by a single axe blow from Rama.

Golden Armor, impervious to swords and spears, was attacked directly by Rama with the Axe axe. Karna flew up and crashed into a mountain, collapsing it like a stone skipping across water, tumbling and rolling.

He struggled to maintain his strength and release his energy. Under Bai Mo's training, the pain in his internal organs quickly disappeared as he adjusted his breathing.

"What's going on? The Venerable One said I am a Kshatriya? How is that possible?"

Before Karna could even think, a figure appeared in the sky. With a roar, Rama with the Axe, cleaved Mount Hua in two with a single blow, the axe landing heavily on the mountainside and splitting the entire mountain in two.

Karna rolled away to dodge, somewhat bewildered, even dropping his bow. Rama with the Axe, glanced at the bow at his feet and kicked it at Karna.

"Raise your weapons, I do not kill the unarmed."

At this moment, Karna truly realized just how terrifying the old man, who had been outmatched by Bai Mo in the game of chess, possessed.

"You dared to impersonate Sudo's son to deceive me, you inherently evil Kshatriya brat!"

This axe that slaughtered all Kshatriyas, the Rama with the Axe Brahmin protector—you shall experience its power with your life!