359 Chapter358-The Vast Gap in Strength
John's gaze was as tranquil as still water, seemingly oblivious to the raging inferno within the young man's eyes.
Loving_Lollipop glared at John through gritted teeth, ablaze with anger, and without hesitation, chose to attack once again.
His longsword conjured a mass of red energy out of thin air, burning like a fierce fire.
The wild fire elemental energy churned around Loving_Lollipop's body, forming a ring of flame that acted as a protective shield, swirling and intertwining to envelop him.
At the same time, his body merged into the flames, becoming indistinct and blurry.
"Dragon Fire Slash!"
Loving_Lollipop roared, the energy within the firewall rapidly draining and surging into his longsword.
[Dragon Fire Slash (Unique Skill): A Dragon Slayer Warrior's exclusive skill that condenses and compresses fire elemental energy to form a flaming barrier around the body and imbues the weapon with fire elemental damage. On the slash, it inflicts 5000 points of true damage with a 12% chance of causing a burning effect…]
The blade of the longsword came down fiercely, its flames enveloping a violent aura, thrusting towards John's body.
But John merely smiled slightly, his Divine Blade swaying gently in his hand.
Instantly, the blade's radiance scattered in all directions like waves of light, slicing the flames into disarray.
Following that, the fine yet powerful sword beams, still carrying momentum, collided directly with Loving_Lollipop.
Loving_Lollipop's complexion changed dramatically, the protective ring of fire around him shattered in an instant.
He felt an invisible force emanating from the sword beams strike him hard.
The intense pain made Loving_Lollipop stagger backward, blood rushing to his throat, nearly spurting out.
"What kind of power is this?!"
He looked at John in astonishment, his heart filled with shock.
His Dragon Fire Slash was the strongest single-target attack skill he had mastered at his current level, a skill that had always been invincible in past battles.
Never before, like today, had it been crushed by an opponent's single move, let alone followed by subsequent damage.
And judging by John's expression, it was clear that the move was cast casually, without any strain.
John offered a slight smile and said nonchalantly, "This is what true power is. With your current strength, it is beyond your comprehension."
With a thought, his Divine Blade instantly radiated a dazzling light, and with a gust of wind, its energy lanced toward Loving_Lollipop like lightning.
Loving_Lollipop hastily raised his longsword to meet John's onslaught.
A violent clash sounded, and the surrounding air seemed to solidify.
All of Loving_Lollipop's strength was focused on his longsword, yet he still couldn't withstand John's formidable assault.
With every swing, John's Divine Blade stormed down like a torrential downpour, relentlessly striking at Loving_Lollipop.
Each attack impressed upon Loving_Lollipop the overwhelming sense of oppression and the disparity in power.
He exerted his full strength but still couldn't alter the situation; the predicament of being passively beaten was excruciating.
Indifference shone in John's eyes as he said calmly, "The ranking on the Arena Leaderboard doesn't mean you're a true strong player. Don't think that just because you've broken into the top ten of the Arena Leaderboard, you're already a competent warrior; you're far from it..."
"What you're experiencing now is the real gap between our strengths. Does it fill you with despair?"
Loving_Lollipop's face turned crimson with effort as he gasped out, "This is just a game, what are you lecturing about?!"
"Just a game?" John's gaze sharpened slightly, he spoke softly, "If you lack firm conviction to advance even in a game, what achievements can you hope for in real life? Whether in a game or in the real world, these traits that span through one's life are essential for everyone!!"
A trace of resignation flickered in Loving_Lollipop's eyes, and for reasons unknown, he felt as if he were back at school, enduring the torture of a teacher's lecture.
"Galewind, I won't give up. Even if you are powerful, one day I will surpass you!" he declared, clenching his teeth in defiance.
John's smile was slight; this was the very declaration he had hoped to hear.
As long as the youth had unyielding resolve, he would possess the potential to constantly surpass himself.
"Good, I look forward to your growth," he said encouragingly.
Their exchange unfolded during a lull in the battle, while the aftershocks of their fight reverberated throughout the arena, drawing the gazes of countless players.
Spurred on by John, Loving_Lollipop once again mustered his fighting spirit.
He recalibrated his state of mind and lifted his longsword, ready to launch a stronger attack.
The battle was more intense than anyone had anticipated, and the display of the combatants' skills was an eye-opener for the other players.
Under John's guidance, Loving_Lollipop began to tap into the potential deep within himself.
Although still outmatched, his assaults were now far more strategic than at the outset.
This revelation brought a brighter gleam to John's eyes; he had discerned yet another commendable trait in the young warrior.
It appeared his capacity to learn was rather extraordinary...
The battle waged on, John's Divine Blade moving with the same unwavering consistency, its offensive as relentless as tidal waves in the deep sea, striking at Loving_Lollipop time and again.
Feeling the immense pressure from his adversary, Loving_Lollipop's body trembled violently from the drain of his physical strength, but he bit down hard, resolutely facing John's assault.
The sounds of their fierce collisions were incessant.
This time, Loving_Lollipop's defense tenaciously withstood John's attacks.
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the arena hall tensed.
Eyes glued to the virtual stage, the crowd murmured among themselves in hushed tones.
Could a miracle truly happen today?
There's always a certain fascination with the fall of the undefeated, and many were curious to see what it would look like for the invincible Galewind to be bested...
On the virtual platform, John was momentarily taken aback; he hadn't anticipated that Loving_Lollipop would be able to withstand that strike.
Loving_Lollipop's breath was labored, yet the fighting spirit in his eyes surged more fiercely. He ground his teeth and declared, "Galewind, I won't be easily taken down by you! I will never admit defeat!"
The flame energy within his body surged, intensifying the fire on his longsword.
It seemed as though he had invoked some Arcane Skill to forcibly amplify his strength, elevating the young warrior's power to a level that now demanded John's attention.
A glint of appreciation flashed in John's eyes, but his hands remained relentless.
He swung the Divine Blade once more, launching an attack as swift as lightning towards Loving_Lollipop.
Gripping his longsword tightly, Loving_Lollipop met John's assault with a resolute expression.
The flame energy infused into his blade, resulting in one powerful slash after another.
With a light chuckle, John maneuvered the Divine Blade, its radiance flickering like lightning, swiftly neutralizing Loving_Lollipop's offensive.
The fierce battle continued for a time, neither side showing any sign of yielding.
Both their strengths were escalating, making the spectacle of the fight increasingly intense.
The onlookers marveled, unprepared for the duel to be this riveting, both combatants exhibiting a prowess that seemed otherworldly.
Above the arena, swords clashed, sparks flew.
John moved with the fluidity of a dragon, always sidestepping Loving_Lollipop's strikes in time, retaliating with the swiftness of a thunderclap.
"You've made progress, but it's still far from enough to turn defeat into victory," John said with a smile, his voice laced with deliberate mockery.
Loving_Lollipop seethed with anger, clutching his longsword tightly, channeling all his strength as if to imbue the blade with his fury.
A surge of immense power burst forth from him, causing the platform itself to tremble subtly.
"This move, you absolutely won't be able to dodge!" Loving_Lollipop roared like an enraged dragon.
His longsword radiated a blinding red light, the flame energy shaping into a snarling fire dragon upon the blade.
It seemed similar to the energy dragon he had released earlier, but John could sense that this flame dragon's might far exceeded that of the previous energy dragon.
It had grown an entire size larger, nearly filling half of the arena.
A flicker of recognition crossed John's mind—could this be an advanced version of the previous skill?
"Flame Dragon's Roar!" Loving_Lollipop bellowed, pointing his sword forward.
The fire dragon flew straight at John, its gaping maw aiming for his body.
John's gaze sharpened, sensing the terrifying force behind Loving_Lollipop's attack.
Such a potent skill might overpower many opponents, but for John, it was still negligible.
With an air of indifference, he lifted the Divine Blade, a dusky glow of the sword's light fleeting.
Loving_Lollipop's body shuddered violently as the fire dragon disintegrated in an instant.
He was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily onto the platform.
Struggling to rise, Loving_Lollipop's eyes widened in horror to find deep sword marks in his armor, blood slowly seeping through.
The young warrior hung his head in defeat, murmuring to himself, "Why? I am also a player with a hidden class. Why is there such a vast gap in our strength? Even after giving it my all, I still can't make you retreat even a single step…"
Your gift is the motivation for my creation. Give me more motivation!
White_Ink
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