Chapter 241

Chapter 241: Blood Shadow Serpent

Blood Frenzy, the Berserker’s signature move.

When activated, it sharply boosts the Berserker’s attack power and speed while drastically lowering their physical defense and magic resistance. The skill continuously drains the user’s blood and vitality to fuel this enhanced state.

Both terrifying to enemies and taxing on the user, this skill pushes the Berserker to their limits. Though Awakened Ones possess magic-enhanced bodies that can withstand Blood Frenzy’s strain longer, even they couldn’t sustain it indefinitely. Exhaustion would inevitably follow the assault.

By activating this skill, Batolun had committed to an all-or-nothing gamble. Given Midi’s dominant counterattack, this seemed like a decisive choice—yet something felt wrong to Midi.

In his past life, seasoned Awakened Ones never used Blood Frenzy lightly. Berserkers already lacked speed and mobility skills—activating this self-destructive timer made no sense unless facing true mortal peril. Reaching Awakened status was too hard-earned to risk recklessly. Batolun’s move felt less like resolve and more like desperation.

Then Midi remembered: this wasn’t a deathmatch, but an arena competition. Why not surrender instead of fighting to the bitter end? Most of Midi’s ten prior opponents had been too weak to yield before being obliterated, but the defensive gladiator had survived by holding out. A level 56 Berserker like Batolun could’ve retreated gracefully. Why force a life-or-death scenario when even Blood Frenzy couldn’t tip the odds?

Against time-limited skills, Midi simply needed to stall. As a dual-wielding Demon Swordman, his agility far surpassed Batolun’s cumbersome greatsword strikes. This reeked of a trap.

Midi silently activated his Dragon Sealing Sword, spreading his aura into an invisible four-meter detection sphere. Though defenseless, it’d alert him to any intrusion—even a mosquito’s.

With a cold smirk, Midi launched a "Triple Slash" at empty air, using the recoil to leap backward—the textbook response to Blood Frenzy. Let Batolun think he was playing into the stalling tactic.

Batolun’s face darkened as Midi escaped his reach, yet a sly grin flickered beneath. "Think you can flee?" he roared. The demon god on his left arm blazed crimson as bloody killing intent swirled around him like a whirlwind. He lunged, greatsword screeching through the air.

Berserker skill: Blood Awakening

When a Berserker’s vitality drops critically, this skill accelerates their metabolism, boosting greatsword speed, swing rate, and movement.

With the endurance of an Awakened One, this move complemented the vitality-draining Blood Frenzy, serving as the most effective speed boost for a Berserker.

Though Blood Awakening provided enhancement, it wasn’t an explosive skill. Even while Midi solely used Sword Soul skills, Batolun couldn’t pin him down, merely narrowing his movement range.

Yet as Midi focused on dodging, Batolun’s shadow underwent a horrifying transformation. The mottled silhouette under the lamps twisted into a serpentine form, slithering across the ground toward Midi’s feet.

Engrossed in combat, Midi missed this change entirely. The paper-thin shadow clung to the ground, undetectable even by his expanded aura.

Simultaneously, Batolun intensified his assault, switching thrusts for sweeping slashes. Wild swings of his greatsword kicked up clouds of sand and stone in the arena, while chaotic bloodlight radiated outward. The resulting chaos obscured the battle from both stands and VIP boxes – Batolun’s precaution against revealing his trap through audience reactions.

Neither Midi nor spectators noticed the shadow-serpent coiling silently, poised to strike.

Another skirmish erupted. Taking a wound willingly, Batolun weathered Midi’s silver blade-strike to corner his foe. With a downward slash, he conjured towering blood flame – the Demon Swordman skill: Demon Slash!

Midi could’ve countered, but playing along with Batolun’s scheme, he feinted before dodging.

Instantly, the lurking Blood Shadow Serpent struck from behind. Upon leaving the ground, the flat shadow ballooned into a barrel-thick python. Its flared neck displayed venomous crimson patterns as fangs sprayed black venom – lethal enough to melt even Awakened Ones.

Batolun grinned maliciously at the imagined carnage… until the serpent’s jaws snapped empty air.

Midi accelerated impossibly, as if possessing rearward vision. Not only evading, he pivoted and bisected the serpent with a graceful horizontal slash. The creature dissolved into scattering black droplets.

Batolun paled, disbelief etching his features. Only then did spectators realize they’d witnessed a lethal exchange hidden beneath the spectacle.

The stands roared while the arena fell tomb-silent – stark opposites.

After prolonged seconds, Batolun rasped, "How did you know?"

"Thought you hid it well?" Midi mocked. "Too clumsy."

A smart man’s foolish act stands out. Beyond the oddity when Batolun first activated Blood Frenzy, his sudden switch to slashes while stirring dust confirmed Midi’s suspicions. What expert abandons proven tactics without ulterior motives?

Though the shadow-serpent stayed hidden, its materialization triggered Midi’s heightened senses. Fast as it moved, this fraction of a level 56 Berserker’s power couldn’t match an Awakened One of Extraordinary Awakening.

Midi dodged effortlessly, then ended the threat with surgical precision.