Volume 3 Chapter 177: The Awakening Of Chronos Eye’s Mastery

The dungeon had fallen into a silence so oppressive that even the faint clicking of rifle mechanisms sounded unnaturally loud.

Rio stood at the center of the shattered chamber, Crimson Bloodmoon resting comfortably in her right hand. Its dark crimson blade reflected the pale blue light radiating from her eyes, while the aura surrounding her body continued to intensify. Dust drifted through the air, illuminated by the strange glow, and tiny fragments of stone trembled across the broken floor as though an invisible force were pressing down upon the entire chamber.

Around her, the members of Necroshama struggled to maintain their composure.

Only moments earlier, they had entered the hidden dungeon believing the outcome was already decided. They possessed overwhelming numerical superiority, with approximately fifty players against a handful of opponents. Twenty riflemen had taken positions behind their front line, while their officers stood ready to ensure that nobody escaped. Redus, the guild's fourth-ranked member, had even stepped forward personally to deliver their ultimatum.

They had expected Rio and Ryota to kneel, surrender their equipment, and suffer the humiliation of being defeated in front of witnesses.

Instead, their confrontation had taken an unexpected turn.

The woman they had intended to intimidate had blocked a rifle bullet with her sword. Her companion had already demonstrated an absurd ability to manipulate force, and the situation had deteriorated so quickly that Necroshama's own members were beginning to question whether they had made a terrible mistake.

Worse still, Rio had just revealed that she was the leader of Crowned Era, an Apex-ranked guild.

Redus tightened his grip around his greatsword. He tried to preserve his authoritative expression, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed him. Several steps behind him, Erik had gone noticeably pale. He recognized Crowned Era's name, of course. Anyone who paid attention to the major guilds would have heard of it, even if they had never encountered its members personally.

However, knowing a name and standing face-to-face with its leader were two entirely different experiences.

The rumors described Rio as an exceptional swordswoman with extraordinary combat instincts, unusual equipment, and a habit of defeating opponents who should have possessed every possible advantage. Those stories had never adequately conveyed the pressure she could exert simply by standing in front of someone.

Rio's blue eyes continued to glow.

Then, without warning, a translucent notification appeared before her.

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]

[Chronos Eye Mastery Unlocked]

[Mastery Requirement Fulfilled]

[All Current Skills Have Been Evolved and Infused with Chronos Eye's Power]

Rio's expression changed slightly.

"...Oh?"

The notification expanded, and several new windows appeared in succession.

For the first time since entering the dungeon, her attention shifted away from Necroshama. She focused on the floating system messages, reading each line carefully while the blue aura surrounding her body pulsed in time with the strange sensation spreading through her limbs.

The first notification concerned a skill she had used countless times since beginning her second life.

[Sword Skill: Moonlight Melody]

Evolution Complete.

New Skill Acquired: Chronos Melody

Rio's eyes moved across the description.

[Chronos Melody]

An evolved sword technique infused with the power of Chronos Eye.

The user releases a crescent-shaped slash of blue-scarlet temporal energy. When the attack strikes a target, Chronos Eye's power is applied to that target, allowing the user to manipulate its temporal flow.

Rio read the description twice.

A crescent-shaped slash composed of blue-scarlet energy.

Unlike the original Moonlight Melody, which relied primarily on the cutting power of a projected sword attack, Chronos Melody could carry the effect of Chronos Eye directly through the slash itself. The skill had evolved beyond a simple ranged sword technique. It could now deliver temporal manipulation without requiring Rio to close the distance and physically strike her opponent.

That was a substantial improvement.

Previously, she had needed to land a physical hit before she could apply Chronos Eye's effect. The limitation had forced her to rely on careful positioning, rapid combinations, and her understanding of an opponent's movements. Against a dangerous enemy, even the smallest opening could be difficult to create.

Now, however, she could create that opening from a distance.

So I can apply Chronos Eye through a sword slash now.

Rio's smile widened slightly.

Against an opponent who relied on speed, she could disrupt their movements before they reached her. Against a heavily armored enemy, she could interfere with their timing and create an opportunity for a follow-up attack. Even a brief alteration of an opponent's temporal flow could determine the outcome of a battle, particularly when combined with the precision of her swordsmanship.

And that was only the first evolution.

Another notification appeared.

[Sword Skill: Butterfly Dance]

Evolution Complete.

New Skill Acquired: Chronos Butterfly

Rio raised her eyebrows. Unlike Chronos Melody, which expanded the reach of an existing offensive technique, this skill had developed in a completely different direction.

[Chronos Butterfly]

An evolved defensive sword skill infused with Chronos Eye's power.

When the user is struck by an incoming attack, the skill activates its temporal effect around the user's body, reversing the damage received through Chronos Eye's power and releasing blue temporal butterflies.

Targets that come into contact with the butterflies will be affected by Chronos Eye.

Rio fell silent.

Butterfly Dance had originally been a relatively simple skill. It summoned small energy butterflies that pursued designated targets and inflicted damage when they made contact. Although its raw offensive power was limited, Rio had recognized its potential for utility and had purchased it despite the widespread belief that it was practically worthless.

Now the skill had evolved into something almost unrecognizable.

It was no longer merely an attack designed to chase down an enemy. It had become a defensive countermeasure capable of turning an opponent's aggression against them.

When an incoming attack triggered the skill, Chronos Butterfly could reverse the damage inflicted through its temporal effect and release a swarm of blue butterflies. Anyone who touched those butterflies would be exposed to Chronos Eye, allowing Rio to interfere with their movements and control the pace of the ensuing battle.

An enemy who attempted to overwhelm her with repeated attacks could end up activating the very ability that punished them for doing so.

However, Rio immediately recognized an important distinction.

The skill did not make her invincible.

The reversal applied to damage handled by Chronos Butterfly's activation; it did not mean that every wound she had ever suffered would disappear, nor did it guarantee that every possible attack could be erased without consequence. Its protection depended on the skill activating and its temporal effect successfully handling the incoming damage. An attack that exceeded its capacity, bypassed its effect, or struck when the skill could not activate would still pose a danger. Nor did the skill imply that Rio could repeatedly reverse any amount of damage without limit.

That distinction mattered.

A defensive ability that could negate every attack without restriction would remove the need for judgment. Rio had no intention of treating it that way, especially when she had only just unlocked its evolved form.

Damage reversal followed by a temporal counterattack.

Her expression became thoughtful.

Even with its limitations, the skill's potential was enormous. If several melee fighters attacked her in quick succession, the resulting butterflies could affect multiple opponents. Combined with her direct control over temporal flow, Chronos Butterfly could transform a dangerous defensive situation into an opportunity to control the entire battlefield.

It also complemented her existing combat philosophy.

Rio preferred to gather information, observe her opponents, and identify the most efficient way to defeat them. She did not believe that the strongest skill was necessarily the one that inflicted the most damage. A technique that forced enemies to reconsider their approach could be just as valuable as one that destroyed them outright.

Chronos Butterfly rewarded that philosophy by punishing reckless aggression while creating opportunities for counterattacks.

She had purchased Butterfly Dance because she believed a skill's value depended on how it was used.

Now the system had rewarded that decision in a way she had never anticipated.

"...That's actually pretty good."

The words escaped her quietly.

Ryota glanced toward her, his attention briefly shifting away from the Necroshama players surrounding them.

"Something interesting?"

Rio raised one finger without looking away from the system window.

"Wait a second."

She continued reading.

The skill descriptions had finished updating, but another notification had appeared beneath them. It was smaller than the others, almost easy to overlook, yet its presence immediately caught her attention.

[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED.]

Rio blinked.

"...A new skill?"

Her curiosity took over. She opened the notification, revealing another window.

[Sword Skill: Chronos Harmony]

Skill Acquired.

Rio's eyes widened slightly as she began reading the description.

[Chronos Harmony]

The user infuses Chronos Eye's power into their body and blade, temporarily applying its temporal effect to themselves.

By advancing their personal temporal flow, the user accelerates through a predetermined sequence of movements, unleashing a five-strike multi-slash attack across an area in front of them.

Rio remained completely still for several seconds.

Then she slowly lowered her gaze toward Crimson Bloodmoon.

The new skill did not merely manipulate the time of an opponent. It allowed her to apply Chronos Eye's power to herself, advancing her personal temporal flow so that she could execute a rapid sequence of attacks.

Five strikes.

One activation.

An area attack.

And because the technique was infused with Chronos Eye, its effectiveness would depend on her ability to coordinate the temporal effect with her swordsmanship.

It was not simply a matter of swinging faster. She would be altering the relationship between her own movements and the time experienced by everything around her, allowing her to complete a sequence of attacks within a window that would ordinarily be too short for a normal fighter to exploit.

For a moment, Rio felt an unexpected thrill.

She had spent years mastering Evermount's combat systems in her previous life, yet Chronos Eye had always been one of the most difficult abilities to fully understand. Its potential had been extraordinary from the beginning, but unlocking its mastery seemed to have opened an entirely new path for her.

Her existing skills were no longer isolated techniques. They were becoming extensions of the same underlying power.

Chronos Melody could deliver temporal manipulation through a ranged slash. Chronos Butterfly could reverse qualifying incoming damage and punish attackers with temporal butterflies. Chronos Harmony could accelerate Rio's own actions, allowing her to unleash a five-strike attack across an area.

The possibilities were almost overwhelming.

Almost.

Rio had never been particularly fond of allowing excitement to interfere with her judgment. She finished reading the description, closed the status window, and allowed the notification to disappear.

Then she smiled.

It was a genuine, satisfied smile.

Now this is interesting.

The pressure around her changed again.

The blue aura gathering around her body settled into a more controlled flow, tracing faint patterns around her arms and shoulders. Crimson Bloodmoon gleamed in her hand, and the light reflecting from its surface seemed to resonate with the blue glow of her eyes.

Across the chamber, Redus watched the transformation with increasing unease.

He had seen the system notifications appear. He had seen the aura surrounding Rio grow stronger, and although he could not read the details of her private skill window, he could tell that something had changed. Whatever power she had been preparing to use, it was no longer the same power he had witnessed when she deflected the bullet.

Rio finally raised her head.

Her gaze swept across Necroshama's formation before settling on Ryota. He was still standing beside Suo, his posture relaxed despite the rifles pointed toward him. For a brief moment, the two exchanged glances.

Neither needed to say much. They had been together long enough to recognize each other's intentions from the smallest changes in expression.

Rio had finished examining her new abilities.

Necroshama had already fired upon their group. Two of Rabbit's companions were dead, and Rabbit herself was wounded and struggling to remain conscious. There was no longer any possibility of resolving the situation through conversation alone.

Ryota's expression became slightly more serious. He gave Rio a small nod.

Rio returned the gesture.

The fight was unavoidable.

Now that Chronos Eye had reached a new level of mastery, she intended to make sure Necroshama understood exactly how serious its mistake had been.

Redus noticed the exchange and disliked it immediately.

He had no idea what Rio and Ryota had communicated, but he did not like the way they were looking at each other. There was no panic in their expressions, no desperation, and no indication that either of them was considering surrender.

They were treating his entire force as though it were an inconvenience.

His jaw tightened.

"Enough!"

He raised his hand toward the riflemen.

"Open fire! Don't let them move!"

Twenty rifles shifted into position. Metal mechanisms clicked as the gunmen adjusted their aim, their barrels settling on Rio and Ryota. Several targeted Suo as well, while others kept their sights trained on Rabbit, who was still struggling to remain upright despite her injuries.

Redus pointed toward Rio.

"Kill the swordswoman first!"

Then he gestured toward Ryota.

"Take the white-haired man down before he can use that ridiculous ability again!"

The riflemen pulled their triggers.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The chamber erupted into gunfire.

Bullets tore through the air from multiple directions, their trajectories converging on Rio and Ryota. The sound of the shots reverberated between the stone walls, filling the dungeon with a deafening roar.

Suo froze.

She had barely enough time to register the first volley before Rio moved.

The silver-haired swordswoman stepped directly in front of her, placing herself between the frightened scout and the incoming bullets.

Crimson Bloodmoon flashed.

The first bullet struck the blade and ricocheted away with a sharp metallic ring.

CLANG!

Rio twisted her wrist, changing the angle of her sword as another projectile approached. The second bullet glanced off the crimson steel, while the third struck the flat of the blade and was redirected toward the stone wall.

She moved with astonishing precision. There was no wild swinging and no unnecessary motion. Each adjustment of her wrist intercepted a projectile that would otherwise have reached her or Suo, redirecting its momentum rather than attempting to overpower it through brute force.

The riflemen continued firing.

Rio continued deflecting.

Then, with a subtle change in the angle of her blade, she redirected one of the incoming bullets toward the firing line.

BANG!

The projectile struck a Necroshama gunman in the chest. His health bar emptied, and his body dissolved into particles of light.

Another bullet followed moments later, deflected by Crimson Bloodmoon and sent back toward a second rifleman.

BANG!

Another player vanished.

The firing line faltered.

Several gunmen instinctively stopped shooting, staring at the swordswoman who was turning their own attacks against them. They had expected to overwhelm Rio through sheer numbers, but she was using their formation against them. The more they fired, the more opportunities they gave her to redirect their bullets.

"Stop shooting!" one of the riflemen shouted. "You're hitting our own people!"

The command came too late. A third redirected projectile struck another member of Necroshama, forcing the surrounding players to scatter.

Rio remained in front of Suo, her stance steady and her expression almost disappointingly calm.

Suo stared at her back. She could see the crimson blade moving in short, controlled arcs, intercepting each incoming projectile before it could reach them. It was difficult to believe that a sword could defend against gunfire so effectively, yet Rio was doing it as though she had practiced the technique a thousand times.

"Rio..." Suo whispered.

Rio did not look back.

"Stay behind me. Don't move until I tell you."

Her voice was calm enough to cut through the gunfire.

Suo immediately nodded and turned toward Rabbit, who was lying on the ground with one hand pressed against her wounded shoulder.

"Rabbit! We need to move!"

Rabbit tried to push herself upright, but pain forced her back down.

"I—I can't..."

"Then I'll help you."

Suo hurried toward her, keeping low as the gunfire continued around them. She slipped an arm around Rabbit's waist and carefully helped her move away from the firing line. Rabbit grimaced as she tried to put weight on her injured knee, but Suo supported her and guided her toward Rio's position.

Rio shifted her stance slightly, maintaining a defensive position that prevented the remaining riflemen from obtaining a clear shot at either woman. She was not merely protecting herself. She was creating a safe space for the others to move, forcing Necroshama to reconsider every shot they attempted to take.

As long as the riflemen continued firing from their current positions, they would have difficulty approaching without exposing themselves to their own redirected bullets.

Redus watched the scene with growing fury.

"Stop wasting ammunition!"

He drew his greatsword from his back. The enormous blade emerged with a metallic rasp, its dark surface catching the blue light surrounding Rio. Redus tightened both hands around the hilt, his expression twisting with humiliation.

He had brought fifty people into the dungeon to crush a small group of opponents. Now his riflemen were hesitating because a single swordswoman had made their own weapons a liability.

He refused to accept it.

"Move aside!"

Several Necroshama swordsmen immediately stepped forward behind him.

Redus raised his greatsword.

"We'll finish this ourselves!"

Then he charged.

His boots struck the stone floor with heavy impacts as he rushed toward Rio, the massive weapon trailing behind him. Several swordsmen followed, spreading out to attack from different angles.

Their objective was obvious. If they could force Rio to defend against multiple melee attacks simultaneously, she would no longer have the freedom to redirect the bullets. They could overwhelm her through numbers and create an opening for the riflemen to resume firing.

Rio recognized the tactic immediately.

She glanced toward Suo.

"Get Rabbit behind me. Both of you stay close."

Suo nodded and continued supporting Rabbit, guiding her toward a safer position behind Rio.

The remaining Necroshama players began advancing.

Rio turned back toward them, Crimson Bloodmoon resting at her side. Her blue eyes glowed faintly as she studied the approaching formation. Redus was the first to reach her.

"YOU'RE FINISHED!"

He raised his greatsword above his head and brought it down with tremendous force. The weapon descended toward Rio's shoulder, its weight and momentum creating a sharp whistle through the air.

Rio did not dodge.

Instead, she shifted her stance and allowed the attack to reach her.

Suo's eyes widened.

"RIO!"

The greatsword struck Rio directly.

BOOOOOOM!

The impact shook the chamber. Dust burst from the floor, and a shockwave spread across the surrounding stone. Redus felt the weapon connect and immediately believed he had succeeded. For an instant, he smiled, certain that the force of his attack had finally broken through her defense.

Then the blue light around Rio intensified.

A notification flickered across her vision.

[Sword Skill Activated: Chronos Butterfly]

The moment the attack struck, temporal energy spread around Rio's body. Chronos Butterfly activated, reversing the damage from the blow through its temporal effect. The impact did not leave her staggered or injured as Redus had expected. Instead, the energy gathered around her like a protective field before bursting outward in a cloud of blue butterflies.

The creatures appeared delicate, almost beautiful. Their wings shimmered with pale blue light, while thin scarlet patterns traced their edges. They drifted around Rio in a gentle spiral, moving through the dust that filled the chamber.

Redus froze.

"...What?"

The butterflies spread across the space between him and Rio. Several flew directly toward the swordsmen rushing in behind him.

One attacker instinctively swung his weapon to clear them away, but his blade passed through empty air. Another swordsman reached out to brush a butterfly from his shoulder.

The instant his fingers touched its wings, the blue light flared.

[Chronos Eye Applied.]

His movements slowed.

The sword he had been raising seemed to move through invisible resistance. His arm became sluggish, and his attempt to step forward turned into an awkward shuffle. He tried to force himself to move faster, only to discover that his body no longer responded at the speed he expected.

The same effect spread to another swordsman who brushed against a second butterfly, then a third.

Within seconds, several of Necroshama's attackers were struggling to move at their normal speed. Their attacks lost coordination, their formation collapsed, and the space around Rio became a trap for anyone careless enough to touch the drifting butterflies.

Redus stared in disbelief.

He had struck Rio with a direct hit from his greatsword, yet she had suffered no apparent damage. Instead, his attack had triggered a skill that released temporal butterflies and applied Chronos Eye to his own men.

He tightened his grip around the weapon.

"...What kind of defense is that?"

Rio looked at him.

"A useful one."

Her answer was so casual that it only made the situation more humiliating.

Before Redus could respond, Rio shifted her gaze toward the swordsmen surrounding them. Her blue eyes shone, and Chronos Eye activated once more.

The air around the attackers seemed to distort as she manipulated the temporal flow surrounding their bodies. Their movements slowed further, leaving them struggling to raise their weapons or reposition their feet.

One man attempted to charge. He managed only a few sluggish steps before stumbling. Another tried to swing his sword toward Rio, but his attack moved so slowly that she could have stepped aside without even changing her expression.

The difference was immediate and humiliating.

A moment earlier, Necroshama's swordsmen had believed their numbers would allow them to overwhelm her. Now they were barely able to coordinate their movements.

Rio took a single step forward.

The swordsmen instinctively tried to retreat, but their slowed movements made the attempt clumsy. One stumbled into another, and both nearly fell as they struggled to recover their balance.

Redus watched the scene, his expression turning from fury to disbelief.

She was manipulating their time.

She was not simply moving faster than them or anticipating their attacks. She was changing the rate at which they could act, disrupting their ability to respond to her movements.

And the more desperately they struggled against the effect, the more obvious the gap between them became.

Redus roared and charged again.

"STOP PLAYING WITH US!"

He swung his greatsword horizontally, aiming to catch Rio before she could use her temporal abilities to disrupt him.

Rio raised Crimson Bloodmoon.

CLANG!

The two blades collided, and sparks erupted between them.

For a moment, Redus managed to force Rio's sword backward through the sheer weight of his weapon. He leaned into the clash, muscles tightening as he attempted to overpower her.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN HUMILIATE NECROSHAMA AND WALK AWAY?!"

Rio's expression remained calm.

"No."

She shifted her grip and redirected his greatsword to the side.

"I think you already did that yourselves."

Redus's eyes widened.

Rio stepped into the opening before he could recover. The blue aura around her body intensified, and the temporal flow surrounding her changed as she applied Chronos Eye to herself.

For a fraction of a second, the world seemed to lose its rhythm.

She activated her newest skill.

[Sword Skill: Chronos Harmony]

The system notification appeared for only an instant.

Then Rio moved.

Her body advanced through time, allowing her to execute a rapid sequence of movements that ordinary eyes struggled to follow. Crimson Bloodmoon traced five distinct arcs through the chamber, each strike following the previous one with almost no visible delay.

The first slash struck Redus's greatsword, forcing the weapon away from its defensive position. The second cut across his armor, while the third struck his side before he could turn to meet it. The fourth passed through the gap in his guard, and the fifth delivered the finishing impact.

SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING! SHING!

The five strikes seemed to overlap, their sounds merging into a single devastating sequence. A blue-scarlet trail remained suspended in the air for a fraction of a second before fading.

Redus's eyes widened.

He had barely registered the first strike before the final one landed.

The force of the combination launched him backward.

CRAAAAASH!

His body slammed into the stone wall with enough force to crack the surface. The impact shattered sections of his armor, sending broken fragments scattering across the floor. His greatsword slipped from his grasp and clattered away as he collapsed against the wall.

Several Necroshama players standing nearby were caught within the attack's area of effect. The sweeping strikes reached them before they could retreat, sending two flying backward while another crashed onto the ground beside Redus.

For a moment, the entire chamber fell silent.

Redus struggled to lift his head. His armor was broken, his weapon lay several meters away, and the woman he had ordered to kneel was standing in front of him without a scratch.

Rio lowered Crimson Bloodmoon and briefly examined the blade before looking toward the remaining Necroshama members.

"Anyone else?"

No one answered.

The riflemen had stopped firing. The swordsmen who remained standing were still struggling against Chronos Eye's temporal effects, their movements slow and uncoordinated. Several had abandoned their weapons, while others stared at Rio with expressions that suggested they were beginning to question every decision that had brought them into the dungeon.

Rio turned slightly toward Suo and Rabbit.

"Are you two alright?"

Suo stared at her, struggling to find the words.

"...I..."

She looked toward Redus, then at the shattered armor scattered across the floor.

"...I think so."

Rabbit remained silent, her face pale from pain and shock. She had watched Rio block bullets, reverse a direct hit from Redus's greatsword, and defeat multiple opponents in a sequence of attacks so fast that she could barely follow them.

She had known Rio was powerful.

But she was beginning to realize that the word powerful was nowhere near sufficient.

Behind Rio, Ryota finally stepped away from the group he had been facing. A number of Necroshama members lay scattered across the ground around him, and the remains of Erik's summoned hammer had begun to fall apart in his hands.

Ryota glanced toward Rio.

"...You done?"

Rio looked at him.

"Almost."

She turned back toward Necroshama.

The blue butterflies continued drifting through the chamber, their delicate wings glowing softly in the darkness. Their beauty was deceptive. Anyone who touched them risked being affected by Chronos Eye, and anyone who attempted to attack Rio again would have to contend with the evolved skills she had only just begun to understand.

Rio did not assume that the new abilities made her untouchable. She had already considered the limits of Chronos Butterfly, and she knew better than to rely on damage reversal as a substitute for proper defense. A sufficiently dangerous opponent could still find a way through her abilities, particularly if she grew careless or exhausted her options.

But Necroshama was not that opponent.

They had relied on numbers, weapons, and intimidation. Once those advantages had begun to fail, their formation had fallen apart. Their attacks had become disorganized, their confidence had crumbled, and their leader had been defeated before he could understand what was happening.

Rio's eyes glowed blue as she surveyed the chamber.

For the first time since entering the hidden dungeon, the members of Necroshama understood that they were no longer the ones controlling the situation.

They had come to punish Rio and Ryota for humiliating their guild. Instead, they had forced Rio to reveal the true nature of her power.

Chronos Eye had evolved beyond a skill she used to gain an advantage in close combat. It had become the foundation of an entire fighting style, allowing her to strike from a distance, punish incoming attacks, and accelerate her own movements when a decisive opening appeared.

And this was only the beginning.

The awakening of Chronos Eye mastery had just begun.