"[Activating 'Taunt' Lvl 2!]"
Theo's roar acted as a physical shockwave, vibrating through the sand as he forced the Sentinel's aggression onto his massive frame. The Red Sand-Centipede hissed, its many-segmented body arching to strike the mountain of a man, but the party was already in motion.
"[Activating 'Wind's Claw' Lvl 3!]"
"[Activating 'Ten-Strike' Lvl 3!]"
Eliza unleashed a flurry of wind blades that carved deep grooves into the creature's chitinous shell, while Elias blurred forward. His spear became a literal streak of light, driving ten precise thrusts into the monster's joints in the blink of an eye. Their coordination was seamless, a testament to why they were considered the 'Atlas' Guild's elite.
John Snow didn't wait for the dust to settle. His hand found the hilt of his katana, his aura flaring with a cold, concentrated light.
"[Activating 'Sword Energy' Lvl 4!]"
"[Activating 'Twilight Sword Technique: First Form: Crescent Moon' Lvl 4!]"
With a single, fluid draw, a massive crescent of sword aura sliced through the air at a terrifying velocity. It struck the Sentinel's head with a sickening crunch, a blow powerful enough to decapitate almost any B-Rank or even A-Rank mob.
Yet, as the smoke cleared, the Sentinel remained standing. Its wounds began to glow with a dull, earthy light as the sand around its feet swirled upward to repair its shattered shell.
"[Activating 'Dune's Blessings' Lvl 6!]"
"[Info: Due to the effects of 'Dune's Blessings', all Magical Effects are being nullified.]"
The creature shrieked, and from the shifting dunes around us, dozens of smaller centipedes began to surface, their eyes fixed on the party.
"Damn it! How the hell are we supposed to kill this thing if our Skills won't stick?" Elias cried out, his spear held in a defensive stance as the swarm began to close in.
The party's panic was understandable, but these "babies" were old news to me.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Blessings of the Stars: Divine Restraint' Lvl 1!]"
"[Notice: The effects of 'Dune's Blessings' and 'Divinity' are resisting each other!]"
Golden ethereal chains erupted from the void, lashing around the main Sentinel and its swarm. The sheer weight of the 'Divinity' forced the creatures into the sand, though the Level 6 [Dune's Blessings] began to strain against my Level 1 chains. The air crackled with the sound of opposing authorities grinding against each other.
I only needed a second.
"[Activating 'Heavenly Demon's Technique: Second Form: Heaven Splitting Strike' Lvl 1!]"
I gripped the 'Lizard King's Polearm', drenching the blade in a thick, suffocating shroud of 'Demonic Energy'. With a single, explosive swing, I cleaved the main Sentinel and its entire surrounding swarm in half. The B-Rank polearm, already weakened from previous battles, couldn't handle the sheer output of the higher Rank technique and shattered into a thousand useless fragments the moment the strike connected.
"[Congratulations! You have defeated the 'Red Sand-Centipede' and its swarm!]"
"[Notice: You have obtained the first 'Sun-Token'!]"
"[You Level Up!]"
"[Notice: Successfully allotted +2 Stat Points to 'Strength' and +1 to 'Mana'!]"
The party stood in stunned silence, staring at the bisected remains of the monsters and then at the broken weapon in my hand.
"What just—" Elias started, his voice trailing off. The raw difference between their calculated teamwork and my overwhelming output as a 'Support' Class Ranker left them unable to find words.
I hadn't actually needed to use such a high-tier move to kill a B-Rank mob, but I had a very specific motive for the flashy display.
"[Congratulations! You have successfully completed the Copy Condition 'Show him an overwhelming display of Sword Technique'!]"
"[Notice: You have successfully copied the A-Rank Skill 'Sword Energy' Lvl 1!]"
"[Notice: The Copied Skill has been successfully added to the 'Memories of the World'!]"
That was it. John Snow's pride was his sword, and by showing him a technique that transcended his understanding, I had fulfilled the condition. [Sword Energy] wasn't something you could just buy in a shop; it was the result of a lifetime of honing one's spirit. John had spent countless hours mastering his blade to reach Level 4, but here I was, taking it in an instant.
Kekeke. Call me a cheater if you want, but this is how you play the 'Tower of Trials'.
"You really do need to work on that nasty smile and personality of yours, Arthur," Melchior's voice drifted lazily from the ring into my mind.
I just shrugged. Life was good.