NOVEL NEXT Chapter 204: Enemies From The East[1]
Gabriel fell into a dilemma, going through skill after skill again, hoping to find one flaw.
There was only one he rarely used— Silk Combustion thread. However, this skill was very destructive and dealt damage to multiple enemies at once.
The reason why he rarely used it was because he didn't have enough control over its aftermath.
Gabriel wasn't ready to lose his only AoE skill, so he ruled that one out.
As for the others, they were skills he used in almost every battle, and they complemented his build well as a Berserker.
Thinking too much about it gave him a light headache. In the end, his gaze settled on Vicious Pounce, and he compared it to Bull Rush.
There was no competition. Bull Rush far outmatched Vicious Pounce.
'Vicious Pounce has served me well, but compared to Bull Rush… it's like comparing a child's kick to a warhorse's charge. One launches me forward a few meters, the other multiplies my agility and lets me crush anything in my way.'
Gabriel knew that with each level up Vicious Pounce would become powerful. However, the same applied to Bull Rush.
Bull Rush was not only higher in rarity, even its effects far surpassed Vicious Pounce at level one.
Then imagine how terrifying it would become by the time it reached its final level.
A cold smile appeared on Gabriel's face.
The old had to go if he wanted to evolve.
He gave the mental command.
[Ding!]
[Do you wish to permanently delete Vicious Pounce?]
[Yes / No]
"Delete it."
A sharp stab of pain ran through his body as the imprint of Vicious Pounce was torn from his soul. His muscles twitched violently, and for a moment his vision spun. Then, just as quickly, it was gone—erased.
[Skill Deleted Successfully!]
[Slot Vacant.]
Afterward, Gabriel quickly learned the skill.
The Bull Rush scroll dissolved into motes of light, flooding into his chest. Gabriel gritted his teeth, holding his breath as the energy merged with his being.
[Ding!]
[You have learned Bull Rush (Legendary)!]
[Bull Rush Lv.1]
[Rarity: Legendary]
[Description: Launches forward like a charging bull, ignoring terrain and knocking enemies aside. Grants +40 Agility for 5 seconds. Cost: 35 MP/Qi]
Gabriel opened his eyes slowly, his heart hammering. He could already feel the raw speed in his veins, like his body was begging him to test the skill.
Bull Rush wasn't just a movement skill—it was dominance in short bursts, a way to close the gap against faster enemies or retreat when cornered. Paired with his Berserker strength, he now had both offense and escape in his arsenal.
Yet, he felt as if he had lost a piece of himself by discarding Vicious Pounce like that.
'I'll have to be careful. From now on, only skills that can scale into the future are worth my slots.' Gabriel made a mental note.
Looking at his Extraction Points, which were now at 544, he decided to play with his new skill.
It was already powerful, but it could be better.
He still had a mountain of Extraction Points left, and unlike before, he no longer hesitated about spending them. This wasn't the time to hoard. He needed power.
"Extract Bull Rush?" Gabriel said quietly.
[Do you wish to extract the skill Bull Rush? Cost: 200 EP?]
When Gabriel saw the absurd amount, he forgot to breathe for a few minutes.
When he had extracted Parry, it had only consumed 100 EP.
'Is it because it's a legendary skill?' he frowned tightly. This was the only explanation he could think of.
Unlike extracting corpses, skill extraction and fusion consumed mountains of EP.
Gabriel gritted his teeth and went through with it.
"This better be something good," he thought.
"Yes."
Instantly, his chest burned as a violent surge of energy erupted through him. His muscles tensed, his veins bulged, and the glow of Bull Rush flared inside his soul.
For a moment, he felt as though he were actually being dragged by the horns of an enraged beast.
Just as fast as it came, the glow subsided, and a new screen flashed across his retina.
[Ding!]
[Bull Rush has leveled up!]
[Bull Rush Lv.2]
[Rarity: Legendary]
[Description: Launches forward like a charging bull, ignoring terrain and knocking enemies aside. Grants +70 Agility for 6 seconds. Collision impact deals minor damage and stuns weaker foes. Cost: 40 MP/Qi]
Gabriel exhaled, his lips curling into a smile, realizing that his gamble had paid off.
Compared to Level 1, the difference was massive. +70 Agility would nearly double his movement speed in a fight. The added stun effect meant he could interrupt enemies mid-skill, breaking their flow before they even realized what happened.
'Now I really want to test this out.' He thought, feeling a surge of adrenaline rush through his veins.
Gabriel checked his Extraction Points again. They were now down to 344, and although he was tempted to use them again, Bull Rush Lv.2 was more than enough for now.
Knock. Knock.
Suddenly, a knock came from the door and Gabriel's eyes narrowed. He glanced at the table and saw that the arm had already turned to dust before replying. "Enter."
The door creaked open, and Anna stepped in. Her expression was tense, her hair slightly disheveled from running.
"Master, we have a problem," she said quickly, not bothering to bow, which showed how urgent the situation was.
"An armored truck is heading straight toward us from the eastern direction."
Eastern direction? When Gabriel heard this, he could only think of one group.
The Eastern Camp…
It was much faster than he had expected. However, this was not the time to dwell on it.
"Numbers?" he asked moments later.
"Unknown, but at least a dozen inside. Could be more. They're moving fast," replied Anna.
Gabriel rose and walked toward the door, his boots echoing on the wooden floor. Anna instinctively moved aside, though she quickly followed.
"Prepare the defenses. Get everyone capable of fighting armed and in position," Gabriel ordered. "I'll deal with the truck personally."
***
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