Chapter 440

Chapter 440: Half-Sight Perception

"Speed against power? Don’t mock me," Risen roared with loud laughter. "Did you think those petty tricks could fool me?"

As the experts had deduced, Risen appeared rough but wasn’t reckless. Whatever clues Midi and the martial arts master noticed, he saw them too.

Speed served merely as cover – Alexis hid another card up his sleeve.

Any tactic requiring concealment couldn’t be honorable.

That was Risen’s conclusion.

During the bonfire gathering’s final match meant to showcase strength, Risen had held back while sparring with Midi. Such half-hearted displays wouldn’t impress Mososbury City’s picky major families.

To both avoid exposing weaknesses to Alexis and properly demonstrate his might, Risen immediately unleashed his ultimate technique – Dragon’s Blood Flame!

Like Midi’s Golden-Red Sword Lights, this blood-colored fire blended offense and defense seamlessly, nearly flawless in execution. Though Risen’s dragon blood lacked Midi’s purity, its raw intensity made his Blood Flame overwhelmingly stronger.

Wreathed in crimson fire, Risen charged forward relentlessly, determined to crush his opponent through sheer force.

Yet Alexis showed no fear before the raging inferno.

A sneer twisted the warrior’s usually blank face.

"You believe this flame can defeat me?" Alexis spat at the Black Dragonkin before glaring up at Midi’s private booth. "Or that it troubles me?"

Seeing Midi casually conversing with Death Scorpion’s martial arts master in the grand arena’s finest seats made Alexis’s gut churn.

Not long ago, he’d been Wolfspider tribe’s unchallenged Great Warrior – deferred to by chieftain, elders, and Black Dragon Priestesses alike.

During the territory challenge, that human had been his collared slave, fighting whomever Alexis commanded while he claimed all credit. Now?

This upstart stole his rightful position, turned simpleton Dragonkin against him, and lounged with powerbrokers while Alexis stood battle-scarred below.

Rage burned through his veins, yet the blood oath bound him. Even the Dark Dragon God’s gaze restrained his fury.

His blades sang free as dozens of Nether Flame Arrays ignited across the arena floor. Ghostly fire swallowed the combatants.

Steel flashed through flames.

Blood sprayed.

"What?" Master Hawke blurted out.

"Impossible…" Simon murmured, squinting.

The stands erupted – loudest from the Fire Lizard Tribe’s section.

"No…" Risen choked, staring at the bleeding gash across his waist.

Due to the protection of the Blood Flame, Alexis’s swift sword strike caused minimal damage.

Though hot blood sprayed across the arena, Risen sustained no serious injuries.

Yet having his proudest trump card shattered so effortlessly dealt a psychological blow no expert could endure.

How could the Blood Flame be broken?

And by Ghost Cry’s casual slash?

This doubt flashed through every spectator’s mind instantly.

But none could grasp the truth – not even Level 65 martial master Hawke or Death Scorpion’s Simon, despite their vantage points.

It mirrored Midi’s victory over Ulhan – clear in execution, yet mysterious in method.

However, Midi’s triumph involved elaborate preparations and risks.

After all, no one could restrain a Battle Mage’s spiraling patterns once unleashed.

Yet Alexis defeated Risen in a breath – no buildup, no feints, no dramatic reversal.

Facing Risen’s Dragon Heritage-powered Blood Flame, Alexis merely deployed a Nether Flame Array before shattering defenses with pure speed.

How?

"This is Half-Sight Perception," Eighth Apostle Rot’s voice rumbled.

"What’s that?" Midi frowned.

"Beyond basic telepathy lies environmental awareness," Rot explained. "Then comes Half-Sight Perception, and higher still – Full-Sight Perception. This technique enhances environmental awareness completely, detecting not just surroundings but all energy flows!"

"Now I see." Understanding dawned on Midi.

The high-tier mind-related ability Half-Sight Perception combined with untraceable speed formed Risen’s natural counter.

As a Golden-Red Sword Lights user, Midi knew this offense-defense fusion’s weakness.

Though appearing seamless, the energy flowed like water across the body.

The wielder’s will shifted energy density between areas for attack or defense.

Thus defenses varied in strength across locations.

Alexis’s Half-Sight Perception mapped these fluctuations perfectly.

Facing Risen’s psychic energy defense rivaling high-level Thought Capturers, Alexis didn’t attack blindly. He analyzed every detail before striking with his curved blade!

Midi realized Alexis must have provoked Risen’s reaction after deploying the Nether Flame Array.

Any reaction caused uneven Blood Flame distribution.

Striking the weakest point then guaranteed breakthrough.

Though dealing minor physical damage, the mental impact proved devastating.

Once shaken, even high-level Thought Capturer defenses would crumble against psychic attacks.

As a psychic user himself, Midi understood this perfectly.

Alexis was executing this exact strategy.

Half-Sight Perception surpassed Midi’s own skills, remaining undetectable to him.

But through Rot’s aid, Midi saw countless Threads of the Mind radiating from Alexis, forming an observation dome around Risen. Every movement, magic flow, even Dragon Power currents became transparent – no detail escaped.

Under this surveillance, Alexis could create flaws through relentless attacks where none existed.

Each flaw meant broken defenses.

Black Dragonkin blood stained the arena as Risen’s wounds multiplied.

Yet his immense Vitality and recovery prevented critical damage.

But the Blood Flame couldn’t last forever. Compared to Alexis’s rapid assaults, Risen’s trump card would deplete first.

Then the mid-level Thought Capturer would stand no chance.

Having previously underestimated Alexis’s mind-related abilities, Midi now reached maximum alertness witnessing Half-Sight Perception.

This technique surpassed Midi’s own level – overwhelming a mid-level Thought Capturer effortlessly.

But Midi soon realized another miscalculation.

Alexis refused to wait for Risen’s Dragon Power exhaustion.

A battle of attrition didn’t suit his display of strength.

He sought perfect victory by crushing Risen at peak condition.

"Time’s up," Alexis declared coldly, swinging his curved blade.

Blue light suddenly erupted from Risen’s wounds – even healed ones!