Close Combat Mage

Chapter 389 – Passing Another Checkpoint Pt. 2

Upon returning to the inn, the four companions returned to their own rooms to begin self-training, pouring all their energy into completely absorbing the results of their past training. This was all in preparation to pass through yet another checkpoint next week.

A week later, they finally left their own rooms. When Suo Jia looked around at his companions, he couldn’t tell that after a week of cultivating themselves and absorbing their learnings, they had all made progress–especially in terms of their spirit and temperament. It was as if they had completely transformed!

Suo Jia’s temperament had grown more steady. Although he had just turned eighteen, his calm and stable air was the same level as an eighty-year-old sage’s. There was no room for sparks or flames in him; he seemed as if he would remain unmoved no matter what.

Xiang Yun seemed to have grown more profound. His expression was serene yet powerful, and with the seven blades he carried on his back, he walked with a dignified air. Without even doing anything, anyone could tell at a single glance that he was not someone that could be messed with.

Roger was still like a barrel of gunpowder; the corner of his mouth slightly raised as his provoking eyes constantly scanned his surroundings. If anyone dared to challenge him, he would definitely jump straight into a frenzied battle without hesitation.

Nicole had reached the point where, although she was clearly in one spot, anyone trying to get a closer look at her would see only a blur, giving anyone a hard time locating her. It was as if one was looking at an intangible mirage.

After making the appropriate preparations, Suo Jia’s group left the inn. Suo Jia and Xiang Yun had expected that since a week had already passed since they had made their announcement, all the people that were stuck here and desperate to pass through the third checkpoint would be crowding the city area, prepared to head out with their party. However, when they walked out of the inn, all they encountered was a completely dead street, without a single person’s trace to be found.

Suo Jia froze in astonishment and scanned their surroundings, shaking his head in confusion. He then immediately led his group out of Illusion City, straight towards Green Forest Canyon. It didn’t really matter if the other adventurers joined, their presence didn’t determine the result of the fight anyways!

Suo Jia’s party didn’t worry too much on their way there; rather, from beginning to end, they kept their mental state calm to keep themselves at their peak states. Thus, after a week of traveling with their newly found vigor, they arrived back at Green Forest Canyon with unprecedented grandeur.

Suo Jia turned around to face the others and said, “I don’t think I need to say much regarding today’s battle; we’ll all split up by ourselves and then later join back to work together as a team. No matter what happens, it can only result in one of two ways: either our entire group is wiped out, or we eradicate the homicidal maniac!” Suo Jia then turned and raced ahead first. The fight was officially starting!

As soon as they turned around the corner, the Green Forest Canyon appeared within sight. The large open space right before it was currently packed with people; at closer glance, one could tell that there were over 3000 adventurers all crammed in the space, seemingly waiting for something!

Suo Jia grinned and shook his head at the sight, and then directly leapt over the crowds to rush straight into the canyon. At the same time, Roger and Xiang Yun each flew out, flanking him on both sides…

The three of them disappeared again as soon as they appeared, but those short few seconds were enough for everyone to notice their presence. When the 3000 adventurers saw those three figures rush through strongly like the wind, they couldn’t help but feel excited, and immediately start pouring into the canyon in pursuit.

Suo Jia stopped on top of a tree with a proud smirk on his face. The true reason they had invited everyone along wasn’t to help their fight, but to draw the crazy killer out to this specific location!

Jumping down from the tree and over everyone else’s heads, he continued to lead the other adventurers racing through the canyon.

Soon, they arrived at the battlefield where they had previously encountered the crazy killer. At this moment, Suo Jia stealthily concealed himself, silently waiting for the homicidal maniac to appear.

“Ah! Ugh…” As expected, as soon as the adventurers all arrived at the location, miserable cries began to ring through the air. Hidden on top of a large tree, Suo Jia noiselessly observed the scene. With great concentration, he finally managed to lock onto that slim, elf-like green figure!

The slim figure’s movements were beyond nimble, darting and weaving around the trees as fast as a bullet by rebounding off of the tree trunks. This boosted their speed to a point where they couldn’t be caught!

“Fwoosh…” The figure managed to cross a distance of over 40 meters in a single second by pushing off 4 tree trunks along the way. As they sped through the forest, their hands continued to dance around in the air, and each movement resulted in one of the adventurers’ deaths!

Although theoretically, an archer should be able to shoot down anyone no matter their speed, this figure’s movement patterns were too strange to follow. It seemed that with some kind of thread they were shooting out from their hands, they were able to instantly change their trajectory at any moment, seemingly disobeying the laws of physics!

After watching the green silhouette reap the lives of over a dozen people and then disappear into the dense foliage of the forest, Suo Jia’s expression hardened. With such fast and unpredictable movements, even large scale magic would be ineffective!

“Where do you think you’re running off to?!” Just then, an extremely familiar voice shouted out from below him. Suo Jia watched as Roger stood before the homicidal maniac, cutting off their path and immediately initiating a fierce battle!

This had been a careless mistake on the crazy killer’s part; having assumed that Roger hadn’t changed from half a year ago, the killer had tried to stealthily jump down behind Roger for a backstab. But he hadn’t imagined that half a year later, Roger was no longer the same as he was before!

Without even turning around to face the attack approaching to stab him from behind, Roger leaned forward, his left leg still on the ground as his right leg swept around like a pendulum, and swung downwards to send an explosive kick towards the killer’s chest.

The homicidal maniac couldn’t help but be taken aback by Roger’s instant reflexes. Since Roger’s center of gravity was currently shifted forwards, the attack would miss its target if it continued on its current trajectory. In addition, the killer would end up getting struck by Roger’s counter!

The crazy killer was definitely not a god; if he took this kick, his bones would undoubtedly shatter. Roger could basically see the ending scene of flesh and blood filling the air.

However, the crazy killer was a homicidal maniac after all; if he could be killed off so easily, he wouldn’t have survived up until now. Although initially taken aback, his mouth curved to form an intrigued smirk as he suddenly pulled back his left hand that was not holding the blade…and his posture shifted unnaturally, suddenly changing directions from forwards to backwards, and therefore closely evading Roger’s kick!

Although to any other person, this kick would seem lethal–an attack that over 80% of people would die from–this homicidal maniac was not only unafraid, but even smiling and gazing calmly at Roger, whose foot had been less than a centimeter away from him. There were no traces of panic coming from him at all!

As the kick swept through empty air, the crazy killer didn’t continue retreating, nor was Roger intimidated by this result. His body followed the momentum of the kick and somersaulted forwards. The instant both his feet landed on the ground again, Roger immediately activated the power of his Hormone fruit. At the same time, the maniac killer activated an unknown battle skill; the thin blade in his hand instantly multiplied to form three blades that flew at Roger’s throat, heart, and abdomen!

Suo Jia’s eyes lit up at this sight. Based on both this and their previous encounter, he was starting to get an idea of what kind of person the crazy killer was. This guy clearly thought of himself highly; since the sneak attack had failed, and Roger had managed to almost decapitate him, he had grown infuriated. Rather than immediately leaving the area, he had instead chosen to first regain face!

But truthfully speaking, at this close range of two meters or so, even Xiang Yun might not be able to be Roger’s opponent. This was especially true now that Roger had activated his Hormone fruit and become extremely powerful. At this point, Suo Jia could already anticipate the homicidal maniac suffering! If he could still completely overwhelm Roger like this, then there would be no point in continuing the battle, as that would basically make the crazy killer a god…

Just then, Roger and the homicidal maniac finally exchanged attacks. A cruel smirk formed on Roger’s face as he angled his body slightly so that the three blades missed his vitals…and as the blades pierced through his body, Roger sent three kicks flying at the killer in retaliation. With the Hormone fruits’ effects, Roger’s speed wasn’t any slower than the opponent’s. It was at this moment that one could truly see how powerful the Hormone fruits could be!