CHAPTER 180: First Segment. (Part-8)

The prerequisite to learn it was to bring all 9 Minor Sword Masteries to Lv.30 and to combine three each into a Major Sword Mastery.

Converting all 9 of them into 3 Major Sword Masteries was something even the Tier-5 Sword Partitioners would find had to accomplish.

For Kensei to be able to tap into Sword Intent in the midst of combining three Minor Sword Masteries into his first Major Sword Mastery, it would only mean he awakened the 'Sword Heart'!

A Weapon Heart was something that rivals the Bloodlines, exclusive to the Weapon Innate Talent users.

Only by becoming one with their Weapon could one awaken a Weapon Heart.

Even Kensei himself didn't realise he awakened a Sword Heart while submerged in a state of Enlightenment.

It was what let him manifest the Sword Intent and used that to control the transitioning Sword Aura and protect Kensei when Seath was about to attack him.

As the Sword Aura reached closer and closer to Stage-4, Kensei's Spirit Energy expended at a rate his reserves exhausted in less than three minutes.

The streams of Sword Aura that continuously attacked Seath had vanished, and Kensei still remained in the same position with his eyes closed, unaware of the onslaught his Sword Heart had brought upon Seath.

Felarial was dumbfounded to see someone awaken a Sword Heart at Tier-3. But at the same time, Seath's ability to glitch through the Space-Time Continuum itself came as quite a shocker for him.

If it weren't for that, Seath would have already been defeated. He was about to intervene, but before that, Kensei was the one to exhaust Spirit Energy before Seath could.

At that point, as long as Seath attacked, he could defeat Kensei, but he didn't hurry to do so, lest his opponent had some other way to turn the tables.

Just then, Felarial heard Jay's voice in his mind once again. He was a bit surprised, but he still did as Jay asked.

Felarial then announced, "Since the Earth's Combatant, Kensei was no more in the condition to fight, I declare the 1st Bout as Earth Team's loss.

Taking the matter of Kensei's rare opportunity into consideration, I postpone the 2nd Bout until Kensei exits his state of Enlightenment.

To maintain fairness, the Owlite Team's Combatant, Seath, could use this time to recover his Spirit Energy and Stamina and contemplate on whom to choose as his next opponent."

Seath stood still, finding it hard to believe he had won. He could use at most three times with what was left of his Spirit Energy.

If their fight dragged any longer, he would have lost the Bout without a doubt. Someone as prideful as him wasn't able to digest the fact that he almost lost without the slightest bit of retaliation.

But at the same time, as a Sword Innate Talent user himself, Seath couldn't help but hold Kensei in high regard.

He got off the Stage and recuperated as he waited for Kensei to finish his Enlightenment. Since the combatant who won couldn't use Spiritual Fruits to recover for their next Bout, he could only depend on his natural regeneration.

A little more than half an hour later, Kensei opened his eyes and only then did the pain hit him. Just after his leg was sliced off, he entered the 'Immersive Enlightenment State' with no awareness of anything that happened around him.

As he looked around in confusion, Andrea made her way onto the Stage and briefed him on everything as she reattached Kensei's severed leg.

As everyone watched, they both got off the Stage and took their seats in the Earth Team seating rows. Kensei didn't remain silent and apologised to Jay.

"Don't be sorry. We just lost a Bout, not the Match. Besides, you have gained a lot from it. So, this wasn't entirely a loss."

At Jay's nonchalant reply, Kensei bowed his head and took a seat by the side.

Right after that, Seath climbed onto the Stage and picked Dante as his opponent for the 2nd Bout.

Seath pondered on defeating his new opponent with pure physical attacks so that he could save his slightly recovered Spirit Energy for the next Bout.

"Before we start, can I ask why you chose me when there was another Tier-2 member in my Team?"

Dante's query caught Seath off guard since there was no hint of worry when facing him.

After giving it a thought, he attributed Dante's carefree behaviour to giving up on the Match.

Since there was no penalty for losing a Match, the Earth Team wouldn't have to worry about losing Evaluation Points in their next four Matches.

As long as they could be careful and send their Omega Chosen right off the bat, winning was no longer an uncertainty.

"It doesn't make any difference. I will choose your Team's other Tier-2 member for the 3rd Bout."

Watching Seath go as if he had already won the Match made Dante chuckle at his ignorance, even more so at Seath mentioning he would choose Jay as his next opponent.

Dante brought out his from his Storage Ring and assumed his fighting stance before taunting Seath, "For that, you have to defeat me first."

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[ (Rare Grade): A Long Bow that could even rival a grade above its own.

Effect: Strength+28^, Agility+22^

Requirements: 40 Strength, 40 Agility

Durability: 100/100

Inherent Skills: (Rare), (Rare).

(Active): Upon activating this, the arrow shot will be enlarged to 100 times its original size, depending on the distance it covers in the arrow path trajectory.

(By the time the arrow crosses 100 meters, it enlarges to 10 times its original size and so on.)

Skill Effect Range: 1000 meters.

Cost: 50 Spirit Energy per shot.

(Passive): Upon pulling the bowstring, an Aura arrow will be automatically spawned into the drawing slot.

Daily Limit: 25 arrows (any more would cost 10 Spirit Energy per arrow.)

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