Chapter 146: Again, an Ambush!

Having witnessed the battles of Michael I and Luz and others in full, Wu Chang had already figured out Michael I's fighting pattern.

Besides possessing immense strength and regenerative abilities like other monsters, Michael I's power primarily relied on his shape-shifting Wang Zuo.

The Golden Wang Zuo had five forms: Wang Zuo, Wang Guan, two-handed greatsword, golden armor, and golden scepter.

Each form corresponded to one ability; Michael I's limit—or rather, the Golden Wang Zuo's limit—was to manifest two forms simultaneously.

If all possible combinations could be countered, one could gain the upper hand in battle.

Wu Chang's True Self swung his fist and shouted at Michael I: "Bite down hard!"

What did it feel like to be locked onto by a punch with 170 points of strength?

It was roughly like finding a demolition ball cart from the movies, swinging a giant iron ball three to four meters in diameter in front of you like a pendulum.

At least in the Wasteland Realm, no one could ignore such oppressive force.

Michael I certainly couldn't.

He immediately donned the golden armor and the Golden Wang Zuo, carefully guarding against Wu Chang's iron fist while planning his counterattack after defense.

The golden armor represented supreme defense; when worn, even if surrounded and attacked by Luz and others, Michael I would suffer not a single scratch.

The Golden Wang Zuo represented control over space, allowing enemies to be pushed away or enabling the user to escape the battlefield—but at great cost.

When Michael I first awakened, he had torn out the heart of an old noble to power the Golden Wang Zuo.

He had used the Wang Zuo's abilities only four or five times in battle, already consuming nearly half the noble's heart, which contained Blood Moon energy; if the battle dragged on, it would be depleted soon.

Supreme defense paired with spatial control—this was Michael I's gesture of respect toward Wu Chang's strength attribute.

But Wu Chang showed no respect toward Michael I.

He unleashed his True Self to issue a threat, waited for Michael I to retreat into defense, then lunged violently toward the corpse of the monster beside Luz, opening his mouth to devour its vitality and Blood Moon energy.

Fight?

Wait till I finish eating these monsters and stack my strength above two hundred, then I'll fight you properly!

"Impudent!"

Michael I quickly realized he had been tricked, slapped the armrest of the Golden Wang Zuo, and unleashed an invisible energy wave that slowed everyone in the arena to a crawl.

Wu Chang's True Self froze mid-gulp, mouth wide open, about to swallow the energy before him.

Then Michael I transformed the golden armor into Wang Guan and clapped his hands together.

The Tomb of Eternal Life instantly became an arena of gladiators; Wu Chang's body, True Self, and Aileen all appeared simultaneously within the gladiator arena.

Michael I activated the Wang Guan's ability; according to Wu Chang's observations, the Golden Wang Guan functioned like an energy amplifier, greatly enhancing the effect of any other Wang Zuo form when worn simultaneously.

Previously, he had used the Wang Guan to amplify the Golden Wang Zuo's spatial ability to construct the Inner World, trapping Luz and others inside the Tomb of Eternal Life.

This time, however, the usage differed: to prevent the True Self from stealing loot, he moved the battle to an unfamiliar space, eliminating any chance the True Self might steal.

Though it seemed Michael I's strategy succeeded, it actually suited Wu Chang's intent perfectly—opening the Inner World locked away one of Michael I's forms, greatly reducing battle variables.

As the Inner World's effect activated, the red crystal formed from the noble's heart on the Golden Wang Zuo shrank drastically, now only one-tenth its original size.

It would vanish completely soon.

Since Michael I had summoned the arena to fight three at once, Wu Chang certainly wouldn't miss this righteous mobbing.

The moment the arena appeared, the sky above darkened, heavy black clouds rumbling with thunder, engulfing the entire arena and partially blocking the Blood Moon's light shining upon the Tomb of Eternal Life.

The weakened Blood Moon influence caused Michael I's internal energy flow to momentarily stutter.

In that instant of vulnerability, Wu Chang's True Self transformed into a giant hand seventeen meters tall, crossing half the arena to smash a punch at Michael I.

Michael I, whose battle experience made him seem anything but a king, showed no panic at the sudden massive fist—he stabilized his internal energy instantly and activated the Golden Wang Zuo's spatial control to teleport diagonally forward.

Evading the punch, he appeared beside the True Self's wrist, his Wang Guan transforming into a two-handed greatsword, rising upward to meet the descending strike.

To an observer, it looked as if Wu Chang's True Self was deliberately ramming its wrist into the blade's edge.

The Golden two-handed greatsword represented unstoppable attack; during battle with Luz and others, even monsters covered in scales or capable of brief metalization could not resist its blade.

The True Self in its Whale Form could not either.

Even though Wu Chang's True Self had adjusted the punch's trajectory in time, it was still struck by the golden blade—muscles and bones strong enough to support a seventeen-meter body crumbled like paper; more than half the arm, including bone, was cleaved open.

This was even after he reacted in time—if he had been slower, he'd already be on his knees, clutching his severed arm and screaming, "My Wang power!"

Michael I struck and pressed on, driving the Golden Wang Zuo behind the True Self's head, aiming to sever its neck.

At the last possible moment, Aileen arrived.

As a master of light magic, Aileen's use of holy light had transcended the limits of conventional spells.

At this moment, she condensed holy light into a pair of wings, briefly gaining flight, then charged forward with unwavering resolve, striking the golden blade's edge before Michael I's sword could descend.

The unwavering light, wrapped in powerful will, could not be cut even by the golden greatsword; Aileen not only deflected the attack but also smashed Michael I and his Wang Zuo flying.

After knocking Michael I away, Aileen didn't pursue; she swung her warhammer like a staff toward Wu Chang.

Vast holy light surged from Aileen, engulfing Wu Chang's True Self; with a warm sensation, his nearly severed left arm restored completely.

The True Self clenched its fist—the healing magic was powerful, with no stiffness or lag.

Having a powerful healer beside you was just that reassuring.

After healing the True Self's severed arm, Aileen did not stop; holy light formed intricate runes, swirling around both of them.

Soon, four distinct runes encircled them, each granting a buff: increased speed, damage reduction, increased strength, and continuous health regeneration.

With this full set of buffs, the True Self's combat power rose by at least thirty percent, filling him with an invincible, "heaven has no handle, earth has no ring" feeling.

He instantly understood: you've been buffed—go get yourself killed.

But before he could savor the surge in power, Michael I, who had crashed to the ground, transformed his golden greatsword into a scepter; an invisible shockwave erupted from its tip.

The shockwave dispelled the daze caused by Aileen's unwavering charge and instantly shattered the buff runes surrounding both of them.

This was the scepter form of the Golden Wang Zuo: purging negative states from oneself and positive states from enemies.

Besides purification, the scepter originally imposed a mental attack check, forcing those who failed to submit and temporarily lose the desire to attack.

But none present had willpower below seventy—so the mental attack effect was utterly useless.

Seeing Mikael I shake off his dizziness, Aileen floated in midair, extending her arm to shield Wu Chang's True Self—seventeen meters tall—behind her, saying, "You can't withstand his attacks; stay behind me until you get an opening."

If someone asked Wu Chang what was more reassuring than having a powerful healer standing behind him, he would surely answer: having a powerful healer who can fight standing in front.

Aileen activated Steadfast Charge again and charged toward Mikael I.

Just as Mikael I prepared to transform his scepter into a greatsword, he suddenly noticed a bolt of lightning erupting from the thundercloud above him, streaking straight for him.

Born with the power of the Blood Moon within him, he was innately fearful of lightning; he dared not underestimate it, so he transformed his scepter into golden armor and took the lightning strike head-on.

He could endure lightning, but not Aileen's Steadfast Charge.

The pressure Aileen exerted on him was even greater than that of Wu Chang's True Self, whose super-tier strength he had faced; the golden armor could block damage but could not remove control effects.

He had already experienced Aileen's Steadfast Charge—the stun effect it carried posed a grave threat; if he were stunned and both Aileen and Wu Chang's True Self closed in, they could pound him endlessly, forcing him to maintain the golden armor and leaving him no chance to use his scepter to dispel the stun.

Then all that awaited him was the moment his energy ran out—and he'd be crushed by a single blow.

Fortunately, his trump cards were not limited to one.

As the second lightning bolt struck, he clapped his palms together. Aileen, who had been less than a meter away, froze in midair—as if moving in slow motion.

If observed closely, one could see Aileen had not truly stopped; her body continued moving at the same speed, but that final meter became an impassable abyss between them.

This was the ability of the Wang Zuo: spatial folding.

He continuously folded the space between them, not only neutralizing Aileen's attack but also creating a narrow prison that trapped her within a tiny region.

As a cost, the red crystal embedded in the Wang Zuo was completely depleted, and it began draining his core energy in large amounts.

But temporarily sealing his most threatening target was more than worth it.

Boom!

As the third lightning bolt struck, the figure hiding afar exhausted his energy, and the thundercloud above vanished.

A creature with no energy left was no different from trash.

One trapped in a spatial prison, one with depleted energy—for him, the only remaining enemy was that big brute.

Dealing with a brute who relied only on raw strength was effortless.

Just as Mikael I had already declared victory in his mind, he saw True Self sprinting toward him and shouted one final word:

"Man!"

!

Man? What did that mean?

Mikael I frowned, staring at Wu Chang's True Self as he lunged with his elbow; he felt locked on—just like Aileen's Steadfast Charge, another lock-on technique.

Sure enough, all brawn and no brains—just never learns.

He sighed, waiting until Wu Chang's True Self drew within a meter, then clapped his palms together once more, activating spatial folding again.

This time, he did not create a spatial prison—first, because Wu Chang's True Self was too large, and forming a prison would drain too much energy; second, if he sealed this brute, who would he strike?

Before he could shift his golden armor into a golden greatsword, he saw the spatial fold fail to stop Wu Chang's True Self—his massive elbow, the size of a dump truck, pierced through the fold and slammed into him, sending him and the Wang Zuo flying.

This time, Mikael I flew farther than before; he crashed into the arena's stands, collapsing nearly a quarter of the structure.

Fortunately, he had not yet switched out of his golden armor; otherwise, a 170-point strength elbow strike to the face would have turned him into a puddle on the spot.

Even though the golden armor blocked all direct damage, Wu Chang's strength was too great—some force penetrated the armor, inflicting considerable injury.

Simultaneously, the various effects embedded in the Manba Iron Elbow severely impacted him; even with half the debuffs negated, he still suffered blindness, bleeding, and weakness.

Damn it—how did so many powerful freaks appear after I slept for a while?

If I had possessed this kind of power back then, why would I have gone through so much trouble chasing after the Divine Relic?

Due to blindness, Mikael I was plunged into darkness; he deduced the brute's approach through ground vibrations and persistent subconscious alarms.

If this continued, he would die.

No choice left.

Out from his hand, apart from the Wang Zuo and golden armor, emerged the third form of the Wang Zuo: the scepter.

As the scepter touched the ground, a violent shockwave erupted, flipping True Self backward and dispelling all his debuffs.

Mikael I slowly opened his eyes; his irises burned blood-red, like a demon from hell.

Originally, he could only use all three forms of the Wang Zuo simultaneously after undergoing the Blood Moon's second baptism and fully completing Blood Moon Immortality.

He had been prematurely awakened, and his second Blood Moon baptism had failed halfway; if he absorbed all the Blood Moon energy from Lu Zhi and the others, he might still salvage it.

But now, forcibly using power not his own had sealed the total failure of his Blood Moon Immortality.

Failure meant he, too, had become a monster like Lu Zhi—forever unable to attain immortality.

They had robbed him of the path to immortality through the Blood Moon—then let them become part of him, forging him a new path to immortality!

Using the Golden Scepter to dispel negative states, the Golden Scepter and Golden Armor dissolved into golden particles, reforming into the Wang Guan and a greatsword.

Mikael I poured all his energy without reserve into the Wang Guan and the golden greatsword; amplified by the Wang Guan, the golden greatsword extended a blade of light, its length reaching the heavens—nearly forty meters.

Swinging this forty-meter-long two-handed greatsword, combined with Mikael I's spatial control, could easily cover the entire arena—leaving no escape.

And the golden greatsword's trait: once struck, death was certain.

At this moment, Mikael I abandoned all defense, channeling every ounce of power into this single strike.

"Die!"

With a roar, he raised his greatsword—when suddenly, a faint *shiiii* pierced the air; from the corner of his eye, he glimpsed a sliver of silver.

The sound was low and brief, devoid of violent explosion or deafening thunder—only the plain, unadorned rush of wind.

Yet after that sound, Mikael I felt a chill at his brow; he reached up, touched it—and found a hole, blood oozing from it, flooding into his eyes.

All the gathered strength in his body drained rapidly through the tiny hole, vanishing in an instant.

He felt overwhelming weakness; he lost control of his body, his legs buckled, and he collapsed onto the ground.

With bitter defiance, he stared toward the direction the silver light had come from—there, the creature he had deemed trash, his energy spent, was blowing on a strange small metal fragment.

What exactly happened?

Huh.

Wu Chang blew on the barrel of his gun, gazing at Mikael I slumped lifelessly in the distance, a surge of triumph swelling in his chest.

One shot, soul pierced!

He was born to be a backstabber!

As the boss of the Abyss Game dungeon, which one doesn't have a few hidden tricks? From the start, he had prepared for Mikael I to hold back some secret move.

But Mikael I wouldn't have too many hidden cards; if his normal state could simultaneously control two forms, his ultimate trump could at most be a powerful hidden form, or the ability to control three forms at once.

If it exceeded that range, it wouldn't be a hidden trick—it would be battlefield breakthrough.

Although he had countermeasures if it reached that point, as long as it didn't come to that, he could eliminate Mikael I using his prior preparations.

The method? Ambush!

Zhen Wo's body was too large, the pressure from its strength too overwhelming, and because it had stolen loot, it had drawn Mikael I's special attention—it could not serve as the ambush candidate.

He had originally considered having Ailin launch the ambush, but because of Mikael I's counterattack, Ailin had been forced to appear early to save Zhen Wo and heal its wounds, losing all concealment and becoming unusable as a surprise force.

Thus, the final burden of the ambush fell solely on his true body.

So, after the battle began, Wu Chang's true body activated Heavenly Thunder Summoning, generating a thundercloud that engulfed everyone.

He didn't hide his form at all; instead, he used this method to emphasize his presence, afraid that Mikael I might miss him.

Only after the three bolts of Thunder Summoning struck, making Mikael I sense his energy was depleted, did he activate his social anxiety, hiding far away and beginning to charge up.

The key to the ambush was his newly upgraded item: Dawn's Weight Hammer.

After future modifications, Dawn's Weight Hammer gained a new item called "Multi-Function Expansion Pack," expanding Dawn's Weight Hammer with five modes: sniping, penetration, charging, ricochet, and explosion.

Wu Chang used the charging mode.

"Skill Name: Expansion Mode—Charging"

"Skill Description: Hold down the trigger continuously to enter charging state; every 3 seconds sustained adds one layer of charge, up to a maximum of 8 layers. When fully charged, combine all bullets in the magazine into one and fire, dealing 400% damage."

"Note: Special effects carried by the bullets are amplified by the charge stack."

Through the charging state, Wu Chang merged eight silver bullets into one—a. 7 caliber of devastating power, combined with the silver bullets' doubled damage against monsters—so long as Mikael I was hit while not in Golden Armor, he would either die or be left critically wounded.

In fact, the result was even more successful than Wu Chang had predicted.

The bullet struck his brow, instantly sending Mikael I into critical condition, rendering him unable to control the Golden Wang Zuo; the arena's world shattered instantly, and Ailin broke free from the spatial prison.

He guided Zhen Wo toward Mikael I—the boss was down, now came the time to reap the rewards.

(End of Chapter)