Wow! The item-dropping rate is really high!

```

[You have spent 100 points of general experience to learn, converting it into 50 points of "Combat Proficiency" experience.]

Even without learning any special attribute bonuses, Bai E continued to spend experience to enhance his progress on his sparring task.

"Both must proceed at the same time."

The experience computed by time and the experience converted by learning must be spent simultaneously to advance the progress in perfecting expertise.

[Your combat abilities have now formed a strong personal style, integrating all that you have learned, and you will obtain a unique personal combat system. Current integration progress: 85%...]

86%...

87%...

90%...

In continuous rapid exchanges, the progress also rapidly increased.

Facing Bai E, who had activated "Absolute Defense," even the powerfully enhanced Blood God struggled to inflict fatal damage on him.

The astonishing defensive power allowed Bai E to opt for a bolder style of fighting, focusing less on his own safety in the midst of battle and directing all his attention to the sole objective of defeating his opponent.

Fortified guard, interception, pressure points, flurry attack, joint locks, combo hits, whip strike... Bai E's mastery of special attributes took turns in action, gradually integrating from a previously scatter-shot application to a cohesive whole.

As the integration of various techniques became more harmonious, Bai E could strongly sense that the perfected offensive routines were like ripening fruits forming in his mind.

Regarding how to fully utilize his entire strength to execute a fighting style unique to himself, Bai E became increasingly confident.

As if dispelling clouds to see the sun, a realization dawned upon him.

[You have spent 200 points of general experience to learn, converting it into 100 points of "Combat Proficiency" experience.]

[Your combat abilities have now formed a strong personal style, integrating all that you have learned, and you will obtain a unique personal combat system. Current integration progress: 100%...]

Time elapsed: two and a half minutes.

Battle is the best occasion to verify theories.

Never before has Bai E felt such a profound "understanding" of battle.

His opponent stood there as if numerous bubbles leaped off his body, each indicating a different method to defeat him.

Countless methods awaited execution.

"Huh," Bai E exhaled deeply.

At last, it had come.

[Sparring task — Bareknuckle. Current progress has reached 100%; specialty is generating...]

[Please select the special attribute you wish to serve as the core of your personal fighting style: combo hits, fortified guard, seizing opportunities, joint locks, interception, pressure points, whip strike, flurry attack.]

Under the ghastly green night vision lens, the panel resembling a pale blue screen appeared unaffected before his eyes, waiting for Bai E's decision.

There were eight choices in total, each representing different specialties, and the core essentially dictated the direction of subsequent specialties.

If considering only the present, no matter how powerful the Blood God's body, it remains human, so techniques specifically targeting the human body—joint locks, pressure points—would undoubtedly be the prime choices. However, they have great limitations, implying that their effects on other types of enemies might be restricted.

No choice should be made based solely on the current situation; unless the other options are significantly inferior, these two are unlikely to top the list.

Fortified guard and interception? Too conservative and passive. Bai E has never been one to wait passively. If he could flatten the opponent in one encounter, why would he opt for a lengthy battle? Pass!

Seizing opportunities and whip strike, each capitalizing on the ability to find openings or using obscure techniques with the flexible extremities of the body, centering the core on either of these seems too much like a gamble. Bai E couldn't even imagine what kind of specialties they would form.

That leaves combo hits and flurry attack.

Both attributes specialize in high-frequency attacks, except one relies on the momentum of stacking bursts and overdrafts, growing fiercer with each strike, and the other relies on exploiting every part of the body to produce unexpected sequences of attacks.

Speaking of which, flurry attack also relies on the body's elements...

So, it's decided—combo hits.

The decisions in his consciousness happened incredibly fast, with the analysis of the pros and cons of each of the eight special attributes completed almost instantaneously.

[Core confirmed: Combo hits.]

[Specialty is generating...]

The next moment, the pale blue screen shattered before his eyes as a fist large as a sand pot broke through and slammed towards him.

Bai E steadied his breath with a heavy voice and blocked with his arms.

"Bang!"

His figure was instantly sent flying.

The boost from Absolute Defense was still active; though his body was unharmed, the tremendous force of the punch still sent Bai E flying uncontrollably.

Crashing into the rugged stone wall was far from a pleasant feeling, and beneath the sensation of a quaking earth and tumbling rocks, dust fell continuously.

Bai E struggled to his feet, clutching his chest. Even under the enhancement of Absolute Defense, Bai E still felt his breath tight in his chest.

As the battle wore on, his opponent also gradually increased his strength in the fight, to the point where even at full Overlimit Drive, Bai E could not match the Blood God's power.

```

Is this the power from a demon? It's a completely different power boost from the Rat People, and furthermore...

The drop rate subtitle above their heads showed that the opponent hadn't completely become a demon's Believer or chosen one.

What must drop wasn't a "blessing," but merely a "gaze."

This demon...seemed to be even more formidable than the "Benevolent Father" that the Rat People once devoted themselves to.

At least in terms of outright combat ability.

What's more critical is that, after joining the demon's ranks, the strongest move Blood God seemed to have gained was the rapid strike he could use every so often.

This strike far exceeded the limits of human reaction, fierce and unparalleled in strength.

Had it not been for Absolute Defense, my grave would be meters high with grass by now.

But...that ends here.

Let's see if you've obtained more power from the demon or if I've obtained more power from the cheat!

[Skill exchange mission—Underground Fighting, completed.]

[Mission Reward: Specialization—Instant Slay a Hundred Heads, generated.]

[Instant Slay a Hundred Heads: After days and months of honing your own skills, you have reached the pinnacle in applying your techniques.

From now on, you can use all your skills to deliver an "instant" ultimate strike against your target.

The multiplier for this strike is decided by the "Spiritual Energy" or "Action Power Reserve" you expend, using up to 5 points of Spiritual Energy or 50 points of Action Power Reserve to create a maximum effect of "9" times the actual hit, which can be considered as "a single hit" when striking the same target or "simultaneously" when hitting multiple targets;

Because of the different "bare-handed" or "weapon (non-firearm) type," the strength of your strike will also differ. The power of the strike initiated with a "ranged weapon" will be "2" times your "bare-handed" state based on the specialization abilities you currently possess.

Even without expending any Spiritual Energy or Action Power Reserve, this skill can still enable your normal attacks to achieve at least "2" times the actual hit effect, but your body will need time to recover from the load of such an instant burst (Cooldown: 5 seconds).

(Growth Potential: From now on, every special attribute you gain in "Combat Specialization" or "Weapon Specialization" will be reflected within this specialization. After sufficient growth, the power of this specialization will receive an unimaginable and extraordinary enhancement.)]

Every specialization, like a short essay, is bound to be unbelievably powerful.

Even without looking at the display on the panel, Bai E instinctively knew how to use this newfound specialization the moment he acquired Instant Slay a Hundred Heads.

Confronting his onrushing opponent, Blood God's face was a picture of madness from his intoxication with the fight...Bai E gave him a similarly chilling smile in return.

In his vision, Blood God's figure blurred, yet the attack that almost surpassed sight failed for the first time in their battle.

As the palm's afterimage misleadingly swept past the eyes, Bai E moved skillfully to the side of Blood God.

By the time his hesitant gaze followed Bai E's movement, Bai E had already moved behind him.

Experts are always most guarded against attacks from behind; under absolute combat reflexes, Blood God reached back to grab, but Bai E's steps never stopped, retreating to the side just as Blood God extended his hand.

Within the confines of the narrow corridor, Bai E created an impossible off-angle attack opportunity through his footwork.

Bai E's personal combat style, centered around "combos," wasn't just about chaining attacks; it integrated all his special attributes together.

The combination itself was important, but how to exploit the greatest vulnerability needed for executing combos depended on cooperation with other special attributes to find the opportunity.

No vulnerability? Then create one!

"Bang!"

An upward karate chop crashed against Blood God's lower jaw, and before the hit's double-effect could manifest itself on his body, Bai E's incessantly moving feet had already swept past Blood God's back again.

Time seemed to slow down in that instant. Blood God's developed dynamic vision allowed him to catch the moving figure surrounding him, but the response of his nerves, like someone drunk, was always half a step late.

Unable to keep up with the changes, unable to predict.

The phantom-like Mystifying Steps became an unreachable spectral bubble for Blood God; what seemed like random steps followed a special trajectory in perfect sync with the rhythm of the attacks.

"Slap~"

"Bang!"

Bai E's attack was no longer straightforward punches, but attacks made with both palms...

Fan, chop, lift, slash, smash!

The towering figure of Blood God was toyed with in the palm of Bai E's hand like a puppet, his instinctual offensive capability only dragging him deeper in pursuit through a quagmire.

And even the completely crazed outburst of "rapid strike," born from utter rationality, was futile.

Whether it was reason or brute force, both utterly abandoned him at this moment.

Hard clashes that fueled Blood God's blood to boil, and the blood of both combatants surged with his desire to fight, but being played with one-sidedly was unbearable.

"Roar!"

A reckless roar erupted, and furious killing intent spread like a gale, rippling outwards.

In the face of this sudden outburst, Bai E's attack rhythm was disrupted.

As his body was involuntarily blown back, he saw the lettering above his opponent's head subtly shifting—

[95A09/Blood God (Human) (Chaotic) (Elite)—Using "Lucky Strike" for the kill may drop: Guaranteed (3500 combat experience points, Gaze: Blood Trial)…]

In that high-dimensional space unreachable by ordinary people, an indescribable, unfathomable, unobservable, intangible existence glanced at this place for the first time…]