Chapter 154: Touching the Limit, Release!
At the once-nameless stall in the E-district of the bazaar, a massive commotion was brewing. It wasn't because of any rare treasure on display, but because the Reincarnators who had gathered here were all infamous. They were the names most often mentioned among the vast population of low-to-mid-tier players.
Once, in the East Sector, the three most prominent low-tier teams had been [9527], [Fatal Fury], and [The Fifth Element]. Each team was founded on a different philosophy, and all three had achieved great success in the first tier of power. They had climbed through the mission rankings, growing stronger, defeating their rivals, and either killing or absorbing the many lone wolves and monsters of their generation. They were the teams most likely to become the next high-level powerhouses.
But then, a rumor had spread that [9527] had obtained a special [Card], and had subsequently suffered a catastrophic failure in a mission world. Their core members were all killed. As a "Farming Team," the death of their core meant the complete and utter collapse of their organization. No one expected the "slaves" they had left behind to amount to anything. In the following weeks, the remnants of [9527] were ruthlessly hunted by other Reincarnators. The news faded, and [9527] became history.
[The Fifth Element] was built on "emotion and bonds," a minority philosophy in this generation of the Nexus. The team was centered around the naive but powerful [Kai]. With his two fists, he had straightforwardly beaten a path for his team. Famous lone wolves like [Old Ghost], [Akira], and [Roach] had all flocked to his banner. They had operated like a true team, a true family, giving a great deal of hope to the disillusioned Reincarnators of their era. Their coordination was tight, and they even lived together in the real world. They had won many battles against stronger opponents.
But the terrifying [White Mask] had successfully schemed against the naive [Kai] in a certain mission world, leading to the deaths of several core members and the swift decline of the team. It was then rumored that they had been completely wiped out in the Jujutsu Kaisen world by the newly-risen monster, [Mercenary Tao].
And so, the appearance of [Rose Tiger]—the leader of [Fatal Fury], the sole survivor of the "big three"—drew a lot of attention. [Fatal Fury] represented the mainstream team-building philosophy of this era: a ruthless union of the strong. They had abandoned all sentiment, morality, and emotional attachment, suppressing all personal feelings in the name of the collective's profit. They had absorbed the most monsters and lone wolves. They were the most lawless team, but their mission rewards were always the highest, and the fierce internal competition had forged their members into exceptional fighters.
Rose Tiger listened to the chatter of the crowd, feeling his anger rise. These fools. They couldn't see the storms brewing in the upper echelons of the Nexus. All they could do was gawk at people at his level and gossip.
"Why isn't Mercenary Tao here yet?!" he snarled.
At his side, a woman in a high-slit cheongsam, codenamed [Fleur], lit a cigarette. "Boss Tiger," she said, her voice a lazy drawl, "if you have somewhere to be, I can handle this trade for you." She was done pretending. The story of [Fatal Fury] should have ended long ago. Rose Tiger's own power growth had stalled. He could no longer suppress all the other members. For a team like theirs, where strength was everything, their collapse was inevitable.
She looked at Rose Tiger, who was sitting cross-legged, seemingly floating in the air. He, of course, knew what his teammates were thinking. He didn't want the team to dissolve, not out of any sense of loyalty, but because he knew the only reason a [Titled] Reincarnator like the [Crimson Sorcerer - Luo Xi] had offered him such favorable terms was not because of his personal strength, but because of the strength of the [Fatal Fury] team he commanded. That woman needed his entire team. He had to at least keep half of his core members to maintain his own status in the second tier of power and fulfill her requirements. Therefore, he absolutely could not allow [Fleur] to leave. These vials of [Compound V]… he would rather let the [Far East Magic Society] get them than let her.
"Hahaha!" A woman in a white, pointed hat was laughing so hard that tears were coming to her eyes. "Hey, pinky. Already trying to suppress your subordinates' resources? How pathetic."
Unlike the low-level Reincarnators, her team, the [Far East Magic Society], was an old and established power that had long since entered the second, and even third, tiers of strength. They had their own intelligence networks and could predict the rise and fall of teams like this. The ugly state of [Fatal Fury] was a story they had seen many times before. A union of the strong was the correct path, yes, but without one, single, absolute powerhouse to suppress all dissent, such a team was just a pile of sand. And [Rose Tiger] was clearly stuck. Rumor was he had received his advancement quest two worlds ago and still hadn't completed it. He had clearly lost control of his pack of wolves.
The woman's codename was [Snow Witch]. Her skin was snow-white, with a few translucent crystals on her face that sparkled in the light. Her hair was a pale blue. She was the number three in the Magic Society, rumored to have already entered the third tier. Rose Tiger just glanced at her and said nothing.
Tap, tap. The sound of footsteps. Rose Tiger and the Snow Witch both turned, but it wasn't Kaito. It was a slender Reincarnator with two swords, one black and one white, strapped to his back. His gait was steady, his shoulders perfectly still, and he wore a suit of light, silver armor.
[Black Butler]'s monocle flashed. He had found his file. The newcomer was a lone wolf from the second tier, codename [Show]. His mission completion rate was extremely high, and he was known for his thorough exploration. He was an all-rounder, and one of the rare few with no black marks on his record, which was why he was being scouted by [Azure Sky].
[Show] glanced at the situation, saw that they were all here for the Compound V, and turned to leave.
BOOM!
The air was torn apart. Someone was approaching at a berserk, explosive speed.
"Hey, hey, hey! The auction hasn't even started yet, and you're leaving?!"
Kaito Shirogane's body was radiating a white steam. Because his avatar's skin was already red, it wasn't obvious, but his body temperature was incredibly high. His heart rate, his breathing, his pulse—all of it was at a level that would make a doctor in the real world question his own sanity. But Kaito himself was ecstatic.
[Through arduous training, Rokushiki - Tekkai (B-) Lv1 has been upgraded. Current: Lv3.]
[Rokushiki - Tekkai (B-) Lv3: Instantly tense your blood and muscles, hardening your body to the consistency of steel. You are resistant to blades and can withstand high damage. You cannot move while this ability is active.]
[Your Constitution +1. Current: 20+ (20+3)]
[Karma Reincarnator EX051, you have officially touched the Constitution limit break. You may, at any time, accept the limit break trial mission at the Rank Management Office.]
[Through arduous training, the Special Proficiency Martial Arts Aptitude has been upgraded. Current: Lv7 (5+2)]
[Martial Arts Aptitude Lv7: The realm of a grandmaster. You can channel your force as you will, from any stance. Your force is continuous and can strike from a distance, plucking a leaf to harm a man.]
[Martial Arts Aptitude has reached Lv7. You may select one specialization direction.]
[A: Overturning Mountains and Seas (Rare). Your force is a surging tide. When a martial artist attacks, their force is amplified by an additional 30%.]
[B: Illusory Shadows. You have complete mastery of motion and stillness. When you move, you will leave behind after-images.]
[C: Like an Abyss, Like a Prison (Scarce). You have broken the shackles of body and technique and have begun to step into the realm of the spirit. You are beginning to master the special power known as 'Yi'.]
Though it was the most vague option, Kaito had chosen C without hesitation. Compared to A and B, which could be achieved through pure strength and speed, this "Yi"—this "intent" or "will"—was a completely nebulous attribute, full of uncertainty. But he knew it was the path to a higher realm of martial arts.
The benefits Kaito had gained from his training were astonishing. It wasn't just the level-ups. In his hundreds of sparring sessions with the Shen Wulong puppet, he had finally begun to grasp the secret of his "immortal" techniques.
[Release (Special Ability): Stimulate specific nerves and acupoints to burn cellular vitality in exchange for a short-term, massive boost to cellular activity and metabolism.]
This was not the [Release] of the Kure Clan. It was his own degraded version, learned through mimicry and analysis of Shen Wulong's "Logic." He couldn't yet master all of its myriad, mystical variations. Shen was a monster who knew every secret of the human body, who could exert superhuman destructive power from a normal physique. Kaito, by attacking him and tanking his blows with Tekkai, had finally learned how to amplify his own muscle power.
He was now certain that the Kure Clan's [Release] and the Worm's [Possessing Spirit] were both derived from this same, core technique of Shen Wulong's. He had done just what they had done: he had learned from the master. The only difference was that Kaito learned much, much faster... and deeper.
By "burning" 60% of the cells on his body's surface, Kaito had achieved his current state. His body was steaming, and his physical abilities were massively enhanced. Even without activating his talent, all of his stats were at the "20+" level. He was, without a doubt, the strongest and most well-rounded Reincarnator below the limit break.
[Show] stopped walking. He looked at Kaito's strange state, frowning. The man radiated the aura of a wild beast, but when he looked at him, he felt as if the man were growing taller, his presence accumulating.
This guy, [Show] thought, is strong!
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Guys We cross the 400 power stone goal and as promise here the bonus chapter
Next goal 500 power stone,come on guys you'll can do it, good luck.
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