Chapter 186 — Lucky Break

Chapter 186: Chapter 186 — Lucky Break

Chapter 186 — Lucky Break

Victor’s heart raced.

The giant Snake-Eyed Goliath was coming straight for him.

Its enormous mouth opened as it tore through the water, its single eye locked onto Victor.

Victor activated Rapid Flash Step.

But for the first time since learning the technique, he knew it wouldn’t be enough.

Too fast.

The creature was already too close.

Victor could feel the danger closing in before it reached him.

If he activated Rapid Flash Step now, he might not move quickly enough.

And then—

Something clicked.

Victor had already been standing at the threshold of the next stage.

Rapid Flash Step wasn’t truly a separate technique.

It was an incomplete form of the advanced version of Flash Step.

For months, he had refined his movement, increased his speed, reduced the Spiritual Energy required, and slowly approached the point where the technique would naturally evolve.

He had simply been missing something.

Understanding.

Now, with death rushing toward him, that final piece fell into place.

The incoming Snake-Eyed Goliath suddenly seemed slower.

Not because the beast had changed.

Because Victor’s understanding had.

An overwhelming realization flooded his mind.

The principles of Flash Step.

The movement of Spiritual Energy.

The compression of space between one point and another.

The precise moment to release his energy.

Everything connected.

Victor’s eyes widened.

So that’s it.

The understanding struck him all at once.

The technique he had practiced countless times suddenly became something completely different.

Flash Step—Advanced Form.

Victor activated it.

His body vanished.

The Snake-Eyed Goliath’s jaws snapped shut on empty water.

Victor reappeared several dozen feet away.

For a moment, even Victor didn’t move.

He simply stared at the beast.

Then a smile slowly spread across his face.

That speed...

He had never moved this quickly before.

A Spirit Gathering Rank Six or Seven cultivator would have difficulty even seeing his movements clearly.

And this was underwater.

Victor couldn’t help laughing internally.

I was just about to get my neck ripped off.

He looked at the enormous Snake-Eyed Goliath.

Now it can’t even keep up with me.

Life really was strange.

Danger could push a person further than safety ever could.

Victor’s smile widened.

"Let’s see how fast you really are."

He disappeared.

Flash Step.

He reappeared to the left of the beast.

Then vanished again.

Right.

Behind.

Above.

Below.

The movements happened so quickly that the Snake-Eyed Goliath could barely react.

It turned its enormous head toward Victor.

He was already gone.

The beast attacked again.

Nothing.

Victor appeared several feet from its face.

The creature had gone from chasing Victor relentlessly to struggling to understand where he even was.

Victor couldn’t help feeling excited.

Advanced Flash Step.

He had finally done it.

But there was one problem.

Victor glanced toward the entrance.

Grace and Zack were waiting nearby.

I can’t show too much.

They already knew he was strong.

They didn’t need to know exactly how strong.

Victor deliberately restrained himself.

Even so, he was still moving faster than either of them could properly track.

He gathered the remaining Black Heart Fungus and turned toward the exit.

Then he activated Flash Step.

His body blurred through the water.

He passed through the narrow entrance.

Grace and Zack were still looking into the cavern when Victor suddenly appeared behind them.

Victor smiled.

"Are you guys going to destroy the hole?"

Zack froze.

Grace turned.

Both stared at Victor.

Neither had even realized he had already passed them.

Zack blinked.

Then he laughed underwater.

Victor pointed toward the entrance.

"Now would be good."

Zack nodded.

He turned toward the stone passage and pulled his fist back.

Then he punched.

BOOM! ℴ

The surrounding rock shattered.

Large chunks of stone collapsed into the passage, sealing the entrance behind them.

The Snake-Eyed Goliath slammed into the newly collapsed tunnel from the other side.

BOOM!

The impact shook the water.

More rocks shifted.

For a moment, Victor wondered if the entire passage might collapse.

Then the movement stopped.

The barrier held.

For now.

The three were already leaving.

They swam as quickly as possible through the cavern.

Victor glanced back once.

The collapsed passage remained intact.

He turned forward.

They continued swimming.

After several minutes, the water gradually became shallower.

Finally, Victor broke through the surface.

He pulled himself onto the rocky ground and took a deep breath.

Grace and Zack emerged shortly afterward.

The three of them sat down for a moment, catching their breath.

Victor looked at the storage ring on his finger.

Fourteen Black Heart Fungus.

They had done it.

All five ingredients were finally in their possession.

The Body Armor Potion could finally be made.

Zack wiped the water from his face.

He looked at Victor.

"So, how many were you able to grab?"

Victor smiled.

"Fourteen."

Zack’s eyes widened.

"Fourteen?"

"Yep."

Victor held up his fingers.

"Roughly five each."

Zack laughed.

"That’s amazing."

He looked at Victor for a moment.

"How were you moving that fast underwater? I could barely even see you."

Victor paused.

Zack narrowed his eyes playfully.

"Have you been holding out on us this whole time?"

Grace also looked toward Victor.

Her expression remained calm, but there was clear curiosity in her eyes.

Victor laughed awkwardly.

"No, no. I just had a lucky breakthrough with one of my techniques."

Zack immediately asked,

"What technique?"

Victor looked at him.

Then looked away.

"Uh..."

He scratched the back of his head.

"It’s just a technique. Nothing important."

Zack stared at him.

Victor smiled innocently.

"Really. Nothing good."

Zack continued staring for another few seconds.

Then he laughed.

"Fine."

He understood.

Victor wasn’t going to explain.

Grace remained silent.

She simply looked at Victor for a moment before giving a small nod.

Almost as though she understood exactly what he was doing.

Victor didn’t say anything else.

He stood and looked toward the path leading away from Region F.

They had finally gathered everything they needed.

Now they only had to return to the Tower.

And make the potion before the week ended.