Chapter 168: Totem

Although the Spirit Warrior's path differs from the Mage's three advancement routes of Legend, Domain, and Arcane, its essence remains the same: to become stronger and harder.

Yet in practice, each Spirit Warrior develops distinct differences upon advancement based on their unique realizations.

Take the Orc Amy, for instance.

She is already close to the Seventh Tier; the Orc path centers on the Wrath Flow, with 【Frenzy】 as its core.

At that time, Spirit will transform into substantial, surging flames of wrath, and its power will be strongly linked to the user's emotions.

A Frenzy Flow Orc in a rage is an opponent no one wishes to face.

The Seventh Tier of this path also emphasizes willpower training to bolster mental resistance.

After all, Mages possess numerous means, including illusionary mental spells like 【Despair Gaze】 and 【Hypnotic Patterns】, capable of calming enraged Orcs.

Of course, this school is not exclusive to Orcs.

Other races can also follow this path by learning the 【Berserker】 Spirit Art, which is one level below 【Frenzy】.

Besides the Wrath Flow, there are several others.

Rod knows of three.

First is the Totem Flow, a path that establishes a connection with ancient natural totems through rituals to gain their protection and power.

Second is the Iron Body Flow, a warrior school centered on resistance skills, pursuing a steel body with immunity to all attributes; its practitioners advance through extensive training and medication.

Third is the Iron-Sundering Flow, a path where one forges a complete connection with their weapon; they abandon defense, spells, and Spirit power, instead finding the path of sword strikes within their heart.

But ultimately.

These are merely schools with not-so-obvious distinctions, unlike the Mage's three routes where only one can be chosen.

It is said that many Spirit Warriors cultivate two or more routes simultaneously.

Before them, the feathered woman Caroline, bathed in a sudden burst of Bai Guang.

She is a Magic Swordsman of the Totem Flow, the path most chosen by those who dual-cultivate Spirit and Magic.

Judging by her fighting style, she also cultivates part of the Iron-Sundering Flow.

She spreads her wings, the blinding Bai Guang shining like the sun.

A giant sphere of light manifests in the night sky, taking the moon's place.

It establishes a Totem power too intense to gaze upon directly.

"My Totem is named Light—Radiant Flash!"

With her words finished.

The Bai Guang transformed into a pillar of light, enveloping Rod.

In the next instant, the translucent dragon scales on Rod's skin retreated like a receding tide, scale by scale.

【Dragon Scale Art】 was dispelled?!

There was no time for further thought; the feathered woman bearing Bai Guang dove from the half-sky, striking down like a heavy hammer.

A pillar of pink-purple resentful fire shot skyward.

The Ground Warden on the ground, clad in fearsome and domineering armor, suddenly opened thirty-six demonic eyes on the disgusting long sword wreathed in pink-purple resentful fire.

【Domain of Fear】!

Caroline's body stiffened slightly, her will loosening a fraction.

"Domain?"

The dispelled Radiant Flash was immediately seized upon by the opening.

The opponent's 【Dragon Scale Art】 climbed back onto his body once more.

【Aethelorn's Flash】, hailed as the Kingdom's Technique, erupted again!

But this time, it was Eight Flashes!

Caroline focused entirely, suddenly bursting with light, instantly deflecting all eight sword strikes.

She rushed toward Rod at full speed, moving with divine swiftness, striking every single one of the second 【Eight Flashes】 that followed immediately, aimed right at her face, from all directions!

Yet with every clash against the resentful fire, the brightness of the long sword in her hand dimmed slightly.

Clang!

The Shaking Soul Blade, covered in tiny hands, clashed with the long sword resembling a light tube.

Two massive forces erupted and collided instantly.

The floor beneath their feet exploded into a crater, scattering fragments and fine stones.

But Sixth Tier power was insufficient to counter Seventh Tier, even under the state of 【Sighing Resentment Shakes the Heavens】.

Rod's right hand was swept aside, deflecting the trajectory of the Shaking Soul Blade, and he was nearly knocked flying.

Crack!

A tear was ripped open in the 【Sighing Resentment Shakes the Heavens】 mask by the light, revealing half of Rod's surprised face.

He retreated rapidly.

However, in the blink of an eye, Caroline closed the distance, stepping in front of him, drawing her long sword to her side, poised to strike.

"Radiant Flash."

The pillar of light enveloped him once more, dispelling both 【Dragon Scale Art】 and 【Sighing Resentment Shakes the Heavens】.

"Phantom Sword: Dragon Tooth."

In an instant, facing the surging sword light, Rod, with no defensive Spirit Art, felt his throat burn red like a hot iron.

A powerful, blinding orange-red light erupted suddenly.

The red light, scorching and hot, carrying the power of a spore bomb, gathered and compressed to the extreme, then exploded with a roar into a violent energy pillar thicker than an adult.

Roar!!!

【Dragon Breath】!

Superimpose the 【Blessing of the Ancient Sky Tree】 to enlarge!

The enlarged version of the Dragon Breath roared, engulfing the entire body of the Winged Person, Caroline. The massive destruction and impact force blasted her back heavily on the spot, smashing through the floor, and driving her into the ground on Rank Street along the path of the Dragon Breath, melting the tiles and soil into a semi-circular deep pit.

In mid-air, the huge white light sphere dimmed and extinguished.

Caroline lay on her back on the ground, spitting out a large mouthful of blood with a "Wah!"

Most of her wings were burned away, her cloth clothes turned entirely to ash, and even the breastplate and the armor on her thighs were melted by the ultra-high-temperature Dragon Breath, riddled with numerous holes.

And her flesh was even worse; countless blood-soaked holes of varying sizes, melted and rotted, covered her body.

Although a faint white light still stabilized and repaired her, albeit extremely slowly, she was extremely weak at this moment.

"What... is this?!!"

Caroline was utterly stunned; she simply could not comprehend what kind of Spiritual Art this was. Dragon Breath? But he is human!

Was it modified by spells? Impossible! There is no trace of Magic Power here!

As a Seventh-Rank, she could not fail to distinguish the difference between Spiritual Power and Magic Power.

Moreover! How could the Dragon Breath used for human body modification possess such immense power?!

The walls of the Hyacinth Inn had already collapsed.

On the second floor, Rod half-knelt down as if drained of strength.

Sweat drops the size of beans continuously dripped onto the ground.

"So weak... I haven't been this weak in a long time..."

His trembling hand pulled a bottle of healing and stamina-restoring Li De Mo Fa potion from his spell satchel, and he gulped it all down.

He felt the gentle potion slide down his throat into his stomach.

The powerful digestive force brought by the Dragon Stomach immediately made him feel much better.

The last time he used Enlarge in the Open-Air Labyrinth, he rested for a full ten minutes.

Although he had improved a lot, he shouldn't expect this time to be easy either.

The throbbing pain in his body assaulted him almost without cease.

"It's not time to rest yet..."

Perhaps the Winged Person had no strength left to fight, but there was still a Seventh-Rank demon.

Rod rested for ten or so seconds, then forced himself to stand up.

He came before the Winged Person, Caroline.

Her aura was gone; mud and ash had made a mess of her, leaving her in a wretched state.

She struggled to support her body, but failed.

"What exactly was that?" She could only stare fixedly at Rod.

Rod wanted to raise his sword and stab into her body.

But when he raised it, he discovered that the 【Soul-Trembling Blade】 had already reverted to its fragile, ceramic-like sword form.

【The Soul-Trembling Blade lacks a blood regeneration and circulation system; the ancient Little Person race lineage can no longer be sustained and has dissipated completely.】

【'Steel Bones and Iron Flesh', 'Little Person Polydactyly' have lost their effect.】

"..."

Rod really wanted to curse, but he truly had no strength left.

He pulled out the 【Dedicated Body Sword】 and, with difficulty, thrust the broken edge into her abdomen.

The Winged Person let out a reluctant, muffled groan.

"I didn't stab your heart, rest assured."

Rod looked down, "State your name, Winged Person."

But the other ignored the death threat, staring fixedly at him in silence.

Rod had no choice but to recite his lines on his own.

"Very well, my name is Rod, but you are not allowed to call me that, because from now on you must call me—Master."

【Enslavement Failed.】

His smiling face froze.

(End of this chapter)