Chapter 293: Time Jump

When the historical scene dissipated completely, Luo En still sat quietly in the chair, not moving for a long time.

That strange experience of crossing time and space still echoed in his heart, as if Aierka's indigo eyes were still watching him through the long river of time.

The silver pocket watch in his hand emitted a subtle warmth, like a heart still having residual heat.

"Time Jump..."

He gently stroked the precise engravings on the pocket watch's surface, every mark recording the creator's heart's blood:

"In essence, it is extreme self-time acceleration, raising the operating speed of consciousness and flesh to a degree ordinary people cannot understand.

Although the movement distance is limited and magic consumption is huge, it can maintain complete attack ability during the movement process."

This technique was extremely compatible with the ability system he currently mastered.

Although traditional teleportation had a longer distance and lower consumption, it could not perform any operations during the transmission process, existing with an obvious tactical gap.

But Time Jump was exactly the opposite—although the distance was limited, the movement process itself was a perfect attack opportunity.

A light of deep thought flashed in Luo En's eyes:

"Time King Aierka seemed to deliberately display the essence of this technique in that memory.

She had long expected that a successor would observe this history and hoped to pass on this craft."

He stood up, took a deep breath, and began to try activating the recording function of 'Thousand-Change Phantom.'

Silver light flickered in the depths of his pupils, and that unique energy fluctuation began to surge in his body.

Unlike recording simple skills usually, this process was exceptionally complex.

Aierka's technique level was too high, and the understanding of time laws contained within far exceeded his current cognitive range.

The entire recording process lasted nearly ten minutes, during which fine sweat beads seeped from Luo En's forehead, and his spiritual power was almost squeezed to the limit.

【Technique recording detected】

【Recorded ability: Time Jump】

【Warning: This technique consumes a huge amount and has extremely high requirements for the caster's spiritual power】

【Warning: Continuous use may lead to time perception disorder】

"As expected, it's not so easy to master..."

Luo En wiped the sweat from his forehead, but the excitement in his eyes was hard to hide:

"However, since the recording is successful, it means I can use it."

He carefully made his first attempt.

As the energy of 'Thousand-Change Phantom' surged, an unprecedented feeling swept over his whole body.

Time seemed to have turned into viscous honey, and everything around him fell into an extremely slow state.

And his own thinking and limbs maintained normal—no, supernormal operating speed.

In this strange state, Luo En easily 'strolled' from one end of the room to the other.

To outsiders, this was a teleportation, but he himself clearly felt the process of every step of movement.

What was even more surprising was that in the time acceleration state, he could completely perform complex spellcasting actions.

"This feeling... it's just like possessing the great power to manipulate time in an instant."

Luo En stopped and carefully experienced the experience just now:

"And it consumes the reserve energy of 'Thousand-Change Phantom,' not my own magic.

This means I can use it multiple times continuously without worrying about magic depletion."

A bolder idea emerged in his mind.

If 'Time Jump' was combined with the pocket watch's 'Time Stasis' ability, what effect would it produce?

A dangerous light flashed in his eyes:

"While I am moving at extreme speed, let the enemy fall into time stasis...

The suddenness of this attack is almost impossible to defend against. Even a wizard of a higher level would likely find it hard to survive in this state."

However, the risks of this technique could not be ignored either.

Continuous use might lead to time perception disorder, or even affect his basic living abilities.

………………

In the afternoon, warm sunlight spilled down through the skylight of the training room.

Luo En came to this place specially designed for high-intensity combat, preparing to conduct a new round of weapon technique training.

"After these months of training, cold weapon combat has reached a considerable level."

Luo En checked the weapon in his hand:

"But Aksa said that a true weapon master must be proficient in the coordinated use of multiple weapons. Let's try some more complex combinations today."

He walked to the console of the simulated combat device, his fingers tapping lightly on the complex rune array:

"Start high-intensity simulation mode, adjust Aksa's combat power to the peak of the Morning Star level. Simultaneously activate my substitute puppet as an auxiliary."

A low hum came from inside the device, and massive energy began to gather.

Unlike usual, the energy consumption this time was obviously larger, and the entire device was trembling slightly, showing the combat intensity about to be conducted.

Sitting in the chair, Luo En skillfully closed his eyes and opened them again.

Amidst flickering light, Aksa's familiar tiger-man figure appeared in the center of the arena.

But this time, his momentum was completely different.

The already burly body became even more robust, muscles as hard as if cast from refined steel, every breath bringing a slight fluctuation in the surrounding air.

Fierce light like a beast flickered in those tiger eyes, but he still maintained the calmness and precision unique to a weapon master.

"Ha! I really miss this feeling."

Aksa moved his arms, his joints emitting a series of crisp sounds, dense like a chain of cannon fire:

"Back then in the virtual arena of the Central Land, I defeated seventeen challengers in a row in this state, ultimately gaining the title of 'Blade Ghost'."

His gaze fell on Luo En, his eyes revealing a light full of fighting spirit:

"Kid, I won't go easy on you like usual today.

The reinforced me has a fifty-fifty chance of winning against most Morning Star level wizards.

Of course, provided the opponent doesn't control me with a spiritual blast at the start of the battle."

Almost simultaneously, the substitute puppet beside Luo En also completed the activation program.

After long-term nourishment by the Abyss crystal energy, the puppet had undergone significant changes.

Its height had grown to nearly two point one meters, a head taller than Luo En.

The muscle lines were extremely distinct, every piece as perfect as a sculpture, and the scales on the skin surface presented a deep purple-black, the edges flickering with starlight-like faint light.

Most impressive were those compound eyes, like two purple gems embedded in the night sky, revealing a wisdom and cruelty transcending conventional creatures.

"Let's change to a different combination today."

Luo En took a refined steel long spear from the weapon rack, the spear body about three meters long, the tip sharp as a needle, the weight and balance adjusted just right:

"I use the long spear for mid-range attacks, and the puppet is responsible for throwing short knives and close-range surprise attacks.

What I want to test is the efficiency of multi-weapon coordinated combat."

He handed a set of refined throwing short knives to the substitute puppet, each having a perfect center of gravity distribution, specially designed for long-range throwing:

"Of course, my goal is not to defeat you, Master Aksa, but to improve my close-combat skills as much as possible in this process."

Aksa grinned, revealing sharp teeth:

"Very good idea, but..."

He bent down and picked up a two-handed battle axe from the ground, the axe blade wide and thick, able to easily split armor and shields:

"I will also use a combination of multiple weapons; the truly terrifying thing about a weapon master is being able to switch to the most suitable weapon at any time according to the battle situation."

The battle was on the verge of breaking out.

In the center of the arena, three figures stood in a triangular confrontation, a tense and dangerous atmosphere permeating the air.

"Start!"

Luo En gave a low shout, his figure rushing out like an arrow from a bow.

The long spear wandered like a poisonous snake in his hand, the tip pointing straight at Aksa's heart with a shrill sound of breaking air.

This strike condensed the results of his training over the past few months; speed, power, and angle were all perfect.

At the same time, the substitute puppet circled out from the flank like a ghost, throwing three short knives simultaneously.

Each aimed at Aksa's key parts—left shoulder, right knee, back of the neck—blocking most of his evasion routes.

They had practiced this coordination countless times, the timing grasped just right.

Facing the pincer attack from front and back, Aksa not only did not panic but revealed a sneer of contempt.

The two-handed battle axe vanished in his hand, and he flipped his hand to switch to a single-handed axe and a small round shield.

"This is the first lesson of a weapon master—flexibility and adaptability!"

He easily parried Luo En's long spear thrust with the round shield, the angle so clever that the long spear's attack trajectory was deflected, stabbing into the empty space to the side.

Almost simultaneously, a simple wave of the single-handed axe knocked down all three throwing short knives.

The entire movement was smooth and flowing, without a trace of excess action.

"So flexible..."

Luo En's pupils shrank, looking at this scene in surprise:

"At that angle, the arm shouldn't have been able to defend against attacks from two directions simultaneously!"

"Kid, this is the gap in experience."

Aksa turned the weapon in his hand triumphantly:

"Every weapon has its best usage scenario; the key is whether you can make the correct judgment in an instant.

A two-handed battle axe is suitable for wide-open combat in open terrain, but when facing multiple targets, breaking it down into single-handed weapons is more flexible."

Before the words fell, he had already launched a counterattack.

The single-handed axe whistled toward the substitute puppet, while he himself charged toward Luo En holding the shield.

This offensive and defensive tactic made him feel huge pressure.

"Whoosh—"

The thrown single-handed axe carried terrifying rotational force, the air being torn apart and emitting a shrill whistling sound.

The substitute puppet wanted to dodge, but discovered that the axe's flight trajectory seemed to have long predicted its movement route.

Helpless, the puppet could only take this strike head-on.

"Bang!"

The huge impact force made the puppet involuntarily retreat several steps, and obvious dents even appeared on the scales on its chest.

And on the other side, Aksa, charging with the shield, had already approached, the shield striking straight at the face.

Luo En hurriedly raised the spear to parry, but the power Aksa condensed was really too great.

The impact force of the shield strike was transmitted to the spear shaft, shaking his arms numb, almost unable to hold the weapon.

"Power, speed, technique, you are still far behind!" Aksa pursued relentlessly, pulling a single-handed sword from his waist, forming a perfect offensive and defensive combination with the shield.

The long sword was tricky like a poisonous snake, every strike aiming at Luo En's weak links.

Luo En could only be forced to defend, the long spear dancing into a sheet of silver light in his hand, barely blocking Aksa's continuous attacks.

But as the battle deepened, he obviously felt the pressure.

Aksa's attack rhythm changed constantly, sometimes dense like a storm, sometimes suddenly pausing, inducing the opponent to reveal flaws.

This rhythm control ability was exactly the most terrifying thing about a weapon master.

"It's not over yet!"

Aksa suddenly retracted the sword and retreated, his right hand waving, and a flying knife appeared in his palm.

The next second, the flying knife turned into silver light and shot toward Luo En, its speed so fast that even afterimages were hard to capture.

At the same time, the round shield in his left hand also flew out, attacking from the side in a weird arc.

In an instant, Luo En faced attacks from three directions.

The flying knife from the front, the shield from the side, and Aksa himself charging with the long sword.

This three-dimensional attack method fully demonstrated a weapon master's ability to control the battlefield.

"Flowing Barrier!"

Luo En almost instinctively released his most reliable defensive spell.

The silver-gray liquid instantly formed a flowing barrier around his body; this was a life-saving means he relied on in countless battles.

Facing the almost indestructible flowing defense, the long sword in Aksa's hand suddenly lit up with a peculiar light.

The sword tip seemed to have found some specific target, precisely stabbing at an almost invisible weak point on the barrier.

"Art of Seeking Gaps?!"

Thoughts flashed like lightning; Luo En remembered the ultimate technique of a weapon master that Aksa had once mentioned.

That was a terrifying ability capable of insight into any flaw; even the most perfect defense had its weak links.

"Crack—"

A sound like glass shattering rang out, and Luo En's proud Flowing Barrier was pierced by a sword.

The long sword continued forward with sharp sword energy, pointing straight at his heart's vital point.

At the critical moment, the substitute puppet arrived in time.

It rushed toward Aksa regardless of everything, its claws aiming straight for the tiger-man's back of the neck.

Aksa helplessly retracted the sword to defend, which allowed Luo En to escape a disaster.

"Wonderful coordination!"

The tiger-man nodded approvingly: "However, you are still too green."

He suddenly released all weapons, meeting the puppet's claws with bare hands.

Aksa's hands accurately grabbed its wrists, then threw it heavily onto the ground with a textbook-like shoulder throw.

The entire arena trembled because of this strike, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the ground.

Although the substitute puppet had amazing recovery ability, this strike also made it temporarily lose its ability to act.

And Luo En, having lost the puppet's support, immediately fell into an even more dangerous situation.

Aksa picked up the weapons again, this time choosing a double-edged long sword.

The sword light flowed like mercury, every strike carrying a fatal threat.

The battle reached a white-hot stage, and the entire arena no longer resembled its initial flatness.

The ground was covered with deep gullies, which were traces left by Aksa's axe strikes;

The walls were full of fist-sized holes, which were the results of Luo En's long spear thrusts;

The substitute puppet's claws left even more shocking scratches.

The power of every attack exceeded ordinary people's imagination, any one of which could easily destroy steel buildings.

"It seems that simple technique improvement can no longer make up for the gap in strength..."

Luo En thought of a way to break the situation while struggling to parry:

"Must use stronger power."

He took a deep breath and issued a special spiritual command to the substitute puppet.

The puppet, which was entangled with Aksa, immediately received the signal and left the battle without hesitation, rushing toward Luo En's direction.

"Want to combine attacks? Too late!"

Aksa sneered, the long sword in his hand turning into a silver lightning, chasing after the puppet.

The puppet's action, however, exceeded his expectations.

It did not stop to fight side-by-side with Luo En, but jumped up when it was still three meters away from Luo En, its entire body beginning to undergo peculiar changes.

The purple-black scales began to soften and flow, and the hard muscles turned into a liquid-like form.

In Aksa's shocked gaze, the substitute puppet wrapped around Luo En's right arm like a mass of living slime.

This process was both weird and shocking, just like the symbiote 'Venom' possessing someone in a movie.

The black-purple 'Venom' quickly permeated into Luo En's skin, fusing with the flesh and blood of his right arm.

Visible changes immediately began to occur.

The muscles of Luo En's right arm began to swell, and purple-black patterns emerged on the blood vessels under the skin.

"This is the fusion under the 'Avatar Stance'..."

He gripped the long spear tightly, feeling the surging power like a tide in his body:

"Not simple power superposition, but a temporary improvement at the physical level."

His physical fitness underwent a qualitative leap in an instant.

Muscle density increased several times, nerve reaction speed was greatly enhanced, and even time perception became more acute.

Most importantly, the combat instincts originally dispersed on the puppet were now completely fused with his consciousness.

That was a killing intuition almost like a beast, able to find the enemy's fatal weakness in an instant.

"Interesting!"

Aksa not only did not feel fear but excitedly licked his lips:

"Let me see how strong you can be in this state!"

He held the sword with both hands, assuming the most standard attack stance.

However, the next second...

Luo En's figure suddenly vanished from the spot, his speed so fast that even Aksa could only capture a blurry afterimage.

"What—"

Before he could react, the tip of the long spear was already pressed against his throat.

Purple-black energy condensed at the spear tip, emitting a death aura that made one's heart palpitate.

The speed and power of this strike far exceeded any previous attack, even leaving a visible energy trajectory in space.

"Puff—"

The long spear pierced Aksa's throat without any obstruction, and the purple-black energy erupted instantly, tearing the tiger-man weapon master's figure to pieces.

I got up, killed him in one move, what else is there to say.

Simulated battle ended.

Luo En stood in the center of the devastated arena, breathing heavily.

Although the Avatar Stance was powerful, the consumption was also extremely astonishing.

Not only was there a massive loss of magic, but his flesh also bore a huge load, as if every cell was wailing.

Even more terrifying was that he could feel this state causing some kind of permanent damage to his body.

Muscle fibers appeared with micro-tears, and the nervous system also had slight confusion.

If used in reality, it would likely require consuming the pocket watch's time reset ability to fully repair.

【Simulated battle ended】

【Combat Evaluation: Complete Victory】

【Cold Weapon Combat (Proficient) Experience +5】

【Intuitive Reflex (Entry) Experience +2】

"The duration of the Avatar Stance is only less than thirty seconds, and the side effects are extremely severe."

Luo En analyzed the combat process just now:

"But it cannot be denied that the combat power in this state is indeed terrifying.

The power of that strike just now is likely enough to severely injure most wizards of the same level; as for the Moon-Sun level, we'll have to fight to know."

He walked to the edge of the arena, looking at the traces left by the battle.

The originally flat ground was now pitted like the surface of the moon, and the walls were also covered with cracks and holes.

"The battle at the formal wizard level is indeed astonishing in its destruction of the environment."

Luo En had his own understanding in his heart:

"But there is a very fatal problem: my control over the reinforced physical strength is not precise enough.

Although Aksa also had great destructive power, every strike of his had a clear target, rarely causing irrelevant collateral damage."

This gap reflected the importance of experience.

Veteran extraordinary beings, through long-term training, could precisely project power onto the target without causing irrelevant damage to the surrounding environment.

This was not only out of consideration for saving energy but also a manifestation of higher-level combat techniques.

"It seems I still need more actual combat practice."

Luo En was formulating his next training plan in his heart:

"Especially the control over the Avatar Stance, it must minimize side effects while ensuring power."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 294 =====