Chapter 246: Axe Mastery Talent Multiplied By x10,000!

-----

After Ignias finished explaining more about Spiritual Constructs and what the Purgatory Express he could summon really was, she suggested that he unsummon it right away. The cost of maintaining it would be far too high for him at his current level of power.

"Anyway, I would recommend unsummoning it for now. It is draining your spirit energy like crazy," she said with a clear note of concern in her voice.

"I know..." Riven answered, already directing his will toward the massive Spiritual Construct that still loomed behind him. "Disappear for now."

He reached out and touched the side of the Purgatory Express. The entire giant train responded instantly to his command. It began to break apart into countless particles of red and yellow light mixed with pure flames. Within seconds the colossal machine vanished completely, leaving only a lingering heat in the air and the faint scent of scorched metal.

"Done... Now, oh?"

There were two new Talents he had acquired besides his three new skills. Riven was now finally able to examine what they truly offered.

Ding!

[Talent Acquired: [Axe Mastery – D Rank]: You’re naturally talented with wielding Axes of all kinds, and whenever you wield one, you know exactly how to swing it and damage a foe effectively. Axes you hold have their weight halved so you can move them with ease, and their Damage Dealt doubles, while attacks with them ignore one tenth of a foe’s physical defense, with a miniscule chance to destroy heavy armor.]

[x10,000 Reward Multiplier Activated!]

[Talent: [Axe Mastery – D Rank] has been multiplied by x10,000!]

[You have acquired the Talent: [Divine Axe Art – SSS Rank]: Your talent over Axes has ascended to the level of near divine, where cultivators who have refined their talent with an axe would step into after thousands of years of training and battles. Your enlightenment comes with the instant mastery of any Axe you hold and the ability to exude their maximum power. You can innately awaken the Axe Spirit Soul from any Axe or Heavy Weapon you hold with your hands, and unleash devastating attacks capable of piercing both Defense, Soul, and Spirit of foes. If the armor they wear is weaker than this Talent’s Rank it will shatter. You can unleash Divine Cleave, Spirit Axe Ascension and Horizon Cross to cut through anything, dealing long-ranged physical damage by combining Blade Energy with the Axe. Damage dealt by Axes or Heavy Weapons increase by 5000%, while the weight of any Axe or Heavy Weapon increases by ten times. Synergy: Heavy Weapon Mastery + Divine Axe Art = World-Shaking Calamity Ax – Atlas.]

"Oh...!"

Riven had not realized just how amazing this new Talent truly was until the power began to stir inside him the moment he became fully aware of it. A deep, resonant strength woke within his arms and hands, as if every muscle already knew exactly how to wield the heaviest of weapons with perfect precision.

Divine Axe Arts manifested almost automatically as he held Fenrir’s Fang in his hand. The sword suddenly stirred and trembled as if it had a will of its own. In that moment Riven understood something important. Divine Weapons, although they could be fixed into a single permanent shape, could also move and reshape themselves according to their master’s talents and advancements into the divine weapon arts.

Crack, crack...!

CRASH!

As if it were breaking free from a restrictive shell, the sword exploded outward and transformed into something entirely new. A giant black and red axe appeared in its place, covered in a dark wolf motif. The blade itself was jagged and lined with sharp fang-like metal edges. The entire weapon was several times heavier than before, yet that increased weight only made it far deadlier.

Although most people would believe that making a weapon heavier would only make it harder to control, and they would not be wrong under normal circumstances, the Impact Force it could generate upon hitting a foe would also become several times higher. With the divine weapon now weighing over a full ton on its own, it was more than capable of smashing through enemies with ease and finishing them within mere seconds of contact.

What felt even more incredible was the Blade Energy that began coursing through his body and flowing straight into the metal. His skin started merging with the surface of the axe, turning a deep pitch-obsidian color as if the two had become permanently connected.

The divine weapon pulsed strongly as its internal divine soul continued to grow and awaken. The newly conscious blade spirit left Riven genuinely perplexed for a moment as he felt its presence settle into place.

FLASH!

"Ah!"

Something even deeper happened next. The blade and Riven connected on an entirely new level, forging a true contract as the newly awakened spirit within the weapon decided to bond with him almost instantly and without resistance.

With this bond complete, Riven would now be able to summon the weapon at will and even store it safely inside his Divine Spirit Heart. What was more, if the weapon were ever destroyed somehow, it would be able to regenerate fully from within that heart.

"Amazing...!"

But the most important change was the new living bond itself. The connection between him and his weapon allowed him to share some of the weapon’s own powers. He could feel its divine strength coursing through his veins, making the internalization of advanced techniques and arts feel more natural and achievable with every passing second.

"Let’s see..."

Riven tightened his grip on the divine axe and rose into the air with a powerful beat of his Dragon Wings. He flew high above the same mountain he had pierced earlier and then unleashed Horizon Cross, a super long-ranged physical attack that released the full force of the axe through concentrated Blade Energy.

The result was nothing short of massive.

RUMBLE!

BOOOOOMMM!!!

The entire mountain was cleaved cleanly apart by the single strike. Huge sections of rock crumbled and collapsed into a cloud of dust and debris that spread across the landscape for kilometers.

-----