As Blake's fist smashed into the floating sphere, a smug grin spread across Cao Cao's face. He was convinced that Blake would be overwhelmed by his attack, suffering heavy injuries.
These seven spheres, part of the subspecies Balance Breaker of True Longinus, were known as Polar Night Longinus Chakravartin. Each possessed a unique and devastating ability:
Cakkaratana (Wheel Treasure): Destroys weapons upon contact.
Itthiratana (Gem Treasure): ???
Assaratana (Horse Treasure): Teleports the target it touches. Cao Cao could also use it on himself to instantly reposition.
Maniratana (Wish-Fulfilling Jewel): Redirects incoming attacks in another direction.
Hatthiratana (Elephant Treasure): Grants overwhelming lifting strength.
Gahapatiratana (Householder Treasure): ???
Parinayakaratana (General Treasure): The strongest of the seven, capable of unleashing a devastating attack. However, it has restrictions and requires certain conditions to activate.
Though the full capabilities of the Gahapati and Hatthi Ratana were still developing, their raw power alone made them formidable weapons.
The sphere that blocked Blake's attack was the Mani Ratana, which absorbed the force of his punch!
Cao Cao's confidence swelled. Any second now, the stored power would be unleashed right back at Blake, delivering a crippling blow. After all, this was the first real battle where he had fully utilized his subspecies Balance Breaker!
BOOM!
But the next moment shattered his confidence.
Just as the absorbed force was released, aimed straight at Blake's head, Blake effortlessly dodged, shifting to the side as if he had anticipated the counterattack.
Cao Cao's eyes widened in disbelief. How did he know?!
Before he could react, Blake had already closed the distance again, his movements precise and relentless. Without hesitation, he delivered a brutal spinning kick, tearing through the air with a deafening sonic boom.
"Damn it!"
Cao Cao had no choice. Gritting his teeth, he activated Assa Ratana, teleporting just in time to evade the strike.
But Blake was already moving again. As if reading the battlefield perfectly, he adjusted mid-motion. Another sphere, Cakka Ratana, lit up in Cao Cao's hand, unleashing a devastating shockwave.
Yet, the same eerie pattern repeated.
Blake, seemingly unbothered, stomped the ground hard, launching himself into the air with perfect timing. He flipped midair and delivered a crushing axe kick.
CLANG!
Desperate, Cao Cao raised True Longinus to block the blow, but the power behind it was beyond anything he had expected.
After all, Blake's strength was now amplified fourfold by the Boosted Gear.
PFFT!
A crushing force, like a mountain collapsing onto him, surged through Cao Cao's body. His arms buckled, pain ripping through his muscles. Blood spewed from his mouth as he crashed to one knee, his face turning pale.
But Blake had no intention of stopping.
His body blurred again, a violent gust swirling around him as he launched another brutal kick straight toward Cao Cao's head.
He's too fast!
Cao Cao's expression twisted in panic. At the very last millisecond, the Mani Ratana finally reactivated, absorbing Blake's attack.
Then, in an instant, it released the stolen energy, launching it right back at Blake!
WHOOSH!
But Blake was already moving. His body became enveloped in a swirling green wind, pulling him out of the attack's path with perfect precision.
Taking advantage of the brief opening, Cao Cao gritted his teeth and activated Assa Ratana again, teleporting himself to safety.
Though the battle seemed long, in reality, it had lasted less than a second.
Blake and Cao Cao were warriors at the pinnacle of human combat, their speed almost impossible for normal eyes to follow.
"How?! How do you know my abilities?!"
Cao Cao, still struggling to regain his breath, stared at Blake in shock. His voice trembled with disbelief.
Blake had countered him at every turn. His secret techniques, ones that should have granted him an overwhelming advantage, had been completely seen through!
And now, Cao Cao finally understood.
Blake hadn't returned Excalibur and switched to the Boosted Gear just on a whim.
No, Blake knew.
He knew that Cakka Ratana could destroy weapons.
He knew that Mani Ratana could absorb attacks.
Instead of gambling on weapon strength, Blake had adapted. He had chosen raw power.
"How?! Tell me!"
Blake smirked. "Why? Probably because you're ugly."
The real reason? Anyone who had watched High School DxD in a past life would recognize Polar Night Longinus Chakravartin and its seven abilities. In the original series, these orbs had pushed the protagonist's team to the brink. They had even been powerful enough to clash with Azazel, a being at the pinnacle of the Satan Class.
Blake wasn't just fighting. He was rewriting fate itself.
But something was still off.
Why hasn't Cao Cao used the Itthiratana, which seals female abilities?
And why hasn't he used Gahapatiratana, which creates clones?
It didn't matter. Blake had already won the mind game.
"Georg! Change of plans, retreat! Stall Blake with everything you've got and capture Lia!"
Cao Cao might have been arrogant, but he wasn't a fool.
He had lost the element of surprise, taken serious injuries, and his ultimate trump card, Parinayakaratana, wasn't ready.
There was no point in continuing.
"Understood!"
From the swirling mist, Georg's voice rang out. The fog world churned violently, expanding to engulf Blake.
Cao Cao, glaring at Blake, let out a bitter sneer.
"Blake, once I master all seven treasures, I'll be back. And next time, I'll take my revenge."
His figure slowly faded into the mist.
"You think you can trap me here with Dimension Lost?"
Blake barely spared him a glance.
The fog swirled violently, its mystical properties forming an inescapable labyrinth.
Cao Cao scoffed, gripping True Longinus with arrogance.
"Heh. Dimension Lost may lack offensive power, but its defensive and trapping abilities are unmatched. There's no.. "
CRACK!
Cao Cao's words froze in his throat.
His eyes widened in sheer terror as he saw Blake's left hand.
Space itself twisted and warped, and within it, emerging from the distortion, was a weapon unlike anything he had ever seen.
It wasn't a sword.
It had no blade.
The hilt connected to a round, three-sectioned platform, each part spinning in reverse, defying conventional logic.
And yet, the mere sight of it sent a chill down Cao Cao's spine.
For the first time, he felt true fear.
Blake smirked.
"Let me introduce you to something far beyond your little tricks."
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Note: New Fic Arthur not Artoria
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