Chapter 103: Pause (II)

The goblin warrior’s head separated from its neck and spun through the air. Its headless body staggered forward before collapsing into the dirt, while blood sprayed across the surrounding grass.

The severed head struck the ground and rolled to a stop near the goblin leader’s feet.

For a fleeting moment, the remaining goblins stood frozen in disbelief.

Then the clearing erupted.

Their initial shock transformed into overwhelming rage, and every goblin rushed toward Veronica without hesitation. Swords slashed through the air, clubs descended with brutal force, and several warriors attempted to surround her from different directions.

Yet none of their attacks reached their target.

Whenever a weapon approached Veronica, the goblin wielding it would suddenly freeze for a fraction of a second. The interruption was brief, barely long enough for an ordinary observer to understand what had happened.

But against Veronica, that tiny window was more than sufficient.

She moved between the attacks with precise, economical steps, her weapon flashing whenever an enemy became vulnerable. A sword thrust stopped inches from her body, and she used the opening to cut its wielder across the throat. Another goblin lunged at her from the side, only for its body to lock in place before she drove her blade through its chest.

One by one, the goblins fell.

Their numerical advantage meant nothing when they couldn’t complete their attacks. Every attempt to overwhelm Veronica merely gave her another opportunity to exploit their momentary helplessness.

From the shadows, Jackson watched the entire exchange with a focused expression.

So this is how her Pause talent works...

He remembered Veronica’s status window from the first time he had encountered her.

Her ability had immediately caught his attention, and for good reason. The power to interrupt an opponent’s actions, even for a brief moment, could completely change the outcome of a battle. Against a stronger enemy, a single interruption might create the opening needed to deliver a fatal strike.

It was precisely because of this talent that Jackson had avoided challenging her directly.

He preferred to understand an opponent before risking his life against them, and Veronica’s ability was far too dangerous to approach carelessly.

Now that he had unexpectedly encountered her in combat, he had no intention of wasting the opportunity.

Their duel was approaching.

Any information he could gather about her talent might prove invaluable.

Jackson remained hidden behind the tree, watching her every movement. He paid particular attention to the instant when each goblin froze, the duration of the interruption, and how Veronica positioned herself to take advantage of it.

At first glance, her ability seemed almost unfair.

No matter how fiercely the goblins attacked, they couldn’t touch her. Their strength, numbers, and weapons became meaningless whenever she activated her talent at the critical moment.

But as the battle continued, Jackson began noticing something else.

Veronica wasn’t completely unaffected by the repeated use of her ability.

A faint flush had appeared on her face. Her breathing had grown more rapid, and the rhythm of her movements was no longer quite as smooth as it had been at the beginning.

The changes were subtle, but Jackson had been watching her too closely to miss them.

Her attacks were becoming fractionally slower.

Her pauses between movements were growing longer.

And although her expression remained composed, the strain was becoming increasingly difficult to conceal.

Jackson’s eyes narrowed.

Spiritual force exhaustion...

The realization came naturally.

Awakened individuals at the Second Sequence possessed magical power that allowed them to perform extraordinary feats, but their talents could still demand spiritual force, a resource derived directly from the soul.

Veronica’s ability was exceptionally powerful, yet every time she interrupted an opponent’s movements, she was likely consuming some of that precious resource.

Against a single enemy, the expenditure might be negligible.

Against a group of opponents attacking from multiple directions, however, the cost would accumulate rapidly.

The longer the battle continued, the greater the strain on her spiritual force.

Jackson’s gaze sharpened as he studied her movements again.

So that’s the limitation.

This was valuable information.

Veronica’s talent was still terrifying, but it wasn’t without weaknesses. If she couldn’t maintain the ability indefinitely, then forcing her to expend spiritual force could gradually reduce the advantage she enjoyed in combat.

Of course, discovering a weakness and exploiting it were two entirely different matters.

Jackson wasn’t foolish enough to assume that this observation would automatically allow him to defeat her. Veronica was a formidable Awakened with considerable strength of her own, and even without relying on her talent, she was far from an easy opponent.

Still, knowing that her ability had a cost was better than facing it blindly.

Meanwhile, the battle was approaching its end.

Despite the strain, Veronica never lost control of the situation. She adjusted her movements, choosing her moments carefully rather than activating her talent indiscriminately. Whenever a goblin committed to an attack, she interrupted it and delivered a decisive counter.

Within a few more exchanges, the last goblin collapsed.

The clearing fell silent.

Bodies littered the ground, and the metallic smell of blood mingled with the damp scent of the forest. Veronica stood among the fallen goblins, her weapon hanging loosely at her side.

She had emerged victorious without suffering any visible injuries.

Jackson watched her quietly from his hiding place.

He had learned something useful, and he had no reason to expose himself unnecessarily. As far as he was concerned, the observation had already been worth the time.

He began considering how best to withdraw without attracting attention.

Then Veronica moved.

She calmly wiped the blood from her weapon using the clothing of a fallen goblin. After cleaning the blade, she straightened and turned toward the trees.

Her gaze settled directly on the place where Jackson was hiding.

For an instant, neither of them moved.

Veronica’s beautiful eyes were as cold as ice. There was no uncertainty in them, no hint that she might merely be looking in the wrong direction.

She was looking straight at him.

Jackson’s expression remained unchanged, but his thoughts shifted immediately.

When did she notice me?

Veronica held his gaze for another moment before speaking.

"Haven’t you watched enough? Why don’t you come out?"