—
Screee!
The party covered their ears as the Mother Worm released an ear-piercing shriek. The soundwaves sent sand flying in every direction. The force of the billowing sands was akin to a forming sandstorm.
“Why is its screech so powerful?!” Ezra shouted over the noise.
“Huh?!”
The entire party struggled to understand what she was saying. So she leaned close to Kieran and spoke next to his ear. This action made a sweet breath waft past his nose while tickling his ear.
“I said—why is its screech so powerful?”
“Oh! It’s most likely a high-level boss!” Kieran responded.
The screeching stopped a few monts later, but an enormous sand eruption followed as the 20-ter-long Mother Worm reappeared. Compared to their first run-in with this beast, the Mother Worm’s current appearance differed significantly.
Not only did it reveal a massive horn similar to the Sand Severing Sand Worm, but there were several of them, double and even triple the size that flowed down its back.
“That’s new….” Nean gulped while analyzing the sight before him.
“It’s enraged right now. We only intruded before, but the situation now is different. We’ve killed its offsprings,” Kieran answered.
He slowly stood up despite the residual exhaustion that weighed heavy on his mind, gripping Crimson Ashrune with a resolved expression.
“Wait—!” Sera moved her hand, placed it on Kieran’s chest, and looked at him with trembling eyes. “Are you sure you’re in any condition to fight? You just said you were ntally exhausted. When we started the ga, multiple warnings notified us of the aftereffects.”
The warnings she spoke of referred to the ones Kieran skipped while talking to the faerie. He was accustod to Zenith Online already, so he understood the debrief process.
“Probably not, but I do not need to be as reckless. I have all of you by my side,” Kieran responded, placing his free hand on Sera’s. This gesture consoled her and soothed her worries..
She gave a subtle nod while retracting her hand.
anwhile, the party discerned the Mother Worm’s information.
「 Lv.41 Colossal Mother Sand Worm (Unique BOSS)
Field Boss
Insect Type, Sand Type
Health: 2,750,400/2,750,400 (100%) 」
‘A Field Boss, is it? Then it serves us well that we’re a small party. Otherwise…’
ɴ[0)ᴠᴇʟ The thought of this boss’s Health inflating many tis higher unsettled Kieran.
Whim!
Kieran’s blade emitted a subtle hum as Blood Mania cloaked his presence in an extraordinary sight. After continually using this skill, Kieran’s affinity with the power intensified. The crimson wisps that separated from his body and dispersed into the air were thicker and carried more energy than before.
Additionally…
“Hooo!”
Kieran exhaled and closed his eyes.
‘This state of dulled perception isn’t bad. This range reduction has led to focus my perception on myself. Doing so allowed to understand a few things about this power.’
A vibration occurred atop Crimson Ashrune as Kieran used the benefit of Focus to increase his manipulation of this skill. Despite the coating’s completion, Kieran Health continued dropping.
65%…50%…30%…
The Health decline continued until Kieran opened his eyes. At that mont, his Health froze at 15% while a sort of blood cocoon ford around the hand that wielded Crimson Ashrune.
‘I won’t dare say I’ve mastered this power, but I understand its flow much better now. Blood Mania isn’t just the sacrifice of vitality; it’s the manipulation of it.
〈System: Your mastery of «Blood Mania» has naturally deepened.〉
〈System: «Blood Mania» Skill Rank has changed.〉
〈System: Your understanding has resonated with the control and manipulation aspects of «Blood Mania». The details of this skill have been anded accordingly.〉
「 Blood Mania (Lv.3)
Skill Rank: *S → *S
Skill Type: Hybrid
Mastery (06.66%)
*New «Vampiric Blood Encrustation» – The user encrusts a dium of choice in a hardened blood coating. The coating adopts the dium’s qualities and heightens it at a 0.1% Health per second cost. While active, this effect triggers the user’s Lifesteal Trait.
*New «Blood Strengthening» – The user can empower blood attacks or strengthen their power by exhausting vitality. The amount of Health required varies depending on the blood attack’s skill rank. Basic attacks are set at 10% strengthening per 1% of Health.
100% – 81% Health: Attack Power 15%
80% – 51% Health: Attack Power 30%
50% to 21% Health: Attack Power 50%
20% or below Health: Attack Power 125%
*New «Vim Restoration» – Dissolving the Vampiric Blood Encrustation returns the exhausted vitality but maintains the sa level for Blood Strengthening for 60 seconds. The user can use this effect twice before it enters a 300-second cooldown period.
Prerequisites: True Berserker 」
Everything about Blood Mania underwent considerable changes. While Blood Mania didn’t beco so powerful it was considered a broken skill, the detrints of this skill beca manageable. Managing his Health before this change was sowhat tricky.
However, the change from S to S caught Kieran’s eye. As far as he knew, such a ranking didn’t exist. But, the system revealed why the skill was given this unprecedented ranking.
〈System: «Blood Mania» possesses more untapped potential. Its current grading is stronger than S Rank Skills but weaker than SS Rank skills. It will be treated as an S Rank Skill until it truly evolves.〉
‘So that’s how it is,’ Kieran inwardly noted before glancing down at Crimson Ashrune, more importantly, his left hand that wielded it while stimulating the Vampiric Blood Encrustation passive.
The blood cocoon that wrapped around Kiernan’s hand seconds prior had ford a refined version of the gauntlet used to fight against Jackson. It continued just past his wrist.
Everyone looked at Kieran as the air around him transford.
While Kieran still gave off an unbelievably dangerous sensation, it was as if he had reined that feeling in, or rather, brought it under subtle yet incomplete control.
“Whoa! Dude, your hand!” Bastion exclaid.
Everyone reacted to Bastion’s remark, focusing on Kieran’s hand. One question crept into their mind—did it hurt? It seed like the crystallized blood rged with his skin.
“Yeah. With misery cos sunshine,” Kieran smiled cryptically. “Ezra, take the lead. Show the results of my advice.”
“Understood!” Ezra said.
“Bastion, Nean—prepare to intercept the outco of her actions.”
“Camila,” Kieran suddenly said, which gained Camila’s gaze. “I don’t know what has upset you, but don’t harbor those feelings and let them poison your heart. I noticed that Ezra kept looking in your direction. She worries about you.”
“I didn’t ask her to worry,” Camila answered with a slight frown.
Kieran turned towards her with a soft expression. “Excellent leaders will always worry. Discontented teammates will lead to them questioning their abilities to lead. Confide in your guild master. It’s clear she’s a genuine person.”
Camila blinked while struggling with what Kieran said. Voicing her problems was not sothing Camila often did, or at all for that matter.
Kieran could tell this was the case because she carried the sa feeling that he died with—feeling wronged.
“I—”
“There’s no need to answer. Just think about my suggestion,” Kieran interjected.
Snap!
Kieran snapped his fingers and glanced in Altair’s direction. “Assist.”
It was only one word, but Altair understood the ssage.
“Luna.”
“Yes, Aatrox?” Luna’s clear eyes filled with admiration while awaiting instruction.
“You are excellent. Now, keep up with Altair; I know you’re capable of it. I’m not sure what holds you back but act with confidence. Relax your shoulders and move with vigor. Announce your presence at all tis,” Kieran comnted.
The party couldn’t understand where Kieran’s change in deanor ca from. But, it stemd from Kieran coming to an understanding—why should he change his core because of another person’s actions? Fall into despair and live that lonely life once more?
It was sothing he chose not to do.
Thus, his personality that fell to the depths of his soul after his parent’s unfortunate death flourished once more—he spoke his mind and did so without relenting.
Luna stamred, but when she looked into Kieran’s calm gaze, all her ntal struggles seed to wash away.
“Your dream is to be an amazing leader, yes? Don’t sully that dream by thinking you’re inferior.” Kieran looked around and nodded. “None of you are inferior. It’s all about the effort we put in—so tell . Are we going to defeat this boss?”
“That thing is dead!” Bastion shouted, which was soon followed by Nean’s chant.
“Off with its head!”
The party’s morale was instantly set ablaze as Kieran took a steady yet powerful step forward. His slow, asured gait was like the descent of a blood deity who would achieve everything they sought without being restrained.
Kieran had beco unfettered!
Liberation of the mindset was one of the most powerful transformations that could ever transpire.
This change marked the beginning of a new path—a path rife with conquest and camaraderie.
Whoosh!
Kieran sped forth, leaving a deep footprint in the sand. Kieran’s lip curved upward into a devilish smile that revealed his sharp canine teeth. He drew back his sword-wielding arm while hovering his free hand above it.
Zeut!
Kieran suddenly disappeared and reappeared tens of ters away, just steps behind the others that rushed into battle.
The True Berserker’s slumber was over.
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