TOMWDET Chapter 195.1

Thought (part 1)

 

“Clemens.” Su Li called out this name during his fall.

 

He faced the night sky, feeling the pull of gravity, his voice so calm it caused no ripples.

 

Clemens looked toward Su Li, clearly seeing the young man’s figure falling from high altitude.

 

Tiny, powerless, without any elemental fluctuations.

 

Once he truly crashed to the ground, death would be certain.

 

Battlefield judgment and recognition of facts all informed the observers of this.

 

But the fear buried deep in their hearts was silently alerting everyone.

 

He wouldn’t die.

 

The moment this thought appeared, gravity had already pulled Su Li close to the ground.

 

Boom——!

 

Su Li, who had already drawn everyone’s attention on the scene, once again forcibly gathered those gazes.

 

Dust filled the air, and the young man standing steadily on the ground truly didn’t look like someone who had fallen from high altitude. He appeared more like he had been taking a leisurely stroll.

 

Through the smoke and dust, green eyes gazed through the gray darkness at Clemens’ pure black figure. Su Li chuckled softly, “I really wanted to act as a fountain commander, after all, no need to do any work.”

 

When Clemens suddenly rushed out from the void, Su Li, who had originally been sitting on the Raven’s back, was filled with the lazy attitude of someone just waking up. He first slowly stood straight on the Raven’s back, then when Clemens rushed to his side, he quietly retreated backward, actively falling from high altitude.

 

The human-formed Clemens’ eyes revealed surprise. The [Tiger] hadn’t expected that this rule-based attack ability could be dodged by Su Li.

 

And he had made it look so effortless——

 

“How did you do it?” The human-formed Clemens narrowed his dangerous eyes, his voice accurately reaching Su Li’s ears.

 

Su Li didn’t answer, but instead took a few steps forward.

 

After leaving his landing position, the young man raised his head to look up at the man floating in the high sky, speaking in what he considered very understandable terms:

 

“In MOBA-type games, to prevent characters without mobility from being brutally faced by rush-type professions, game planners generally give advice: always pay attention to the minimap.”

 

Su Li tilted his head, the curve of his mouth carrying an obviously malicious aura.

 

In terms of combat habits and combat awareness, once the elements stored in the ring could support his body in making various ideal movements, the complex information in Su Li’s mind would be enough to make him the most top-tier warrior.

 

If one thought Su Li lacked clear battlefield judgment based on his appearance, that would be a grave mistake.

 

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand.” Su Li looked at Clemens with regret.

 

Although retiring and living comfortably after working hard enough was his life goal, this didn’t mean Su Li would completely abandon his attention to the gaming industry.

 

Since coming to this other world, many conversations related to games could no longer be naturally exchanged with anyone.

 

“But ultimately, this unexpected move of mine only stems from the fact that I’m very clear that if something happens to me, it would be bad news for everyone related to me.”

 

“This way, I can only constantly imagine in my mind: if you choose to attack me, what should I do?”

 

Su Li’s explanation seemed worse than no explanation to Clemens.

 

When watching others fight, one would naturally construct various thoughts of participating in their mind. But construction didn’t mean reality could change as imagined.

 

Su Li’s standing movement had been too leisurely, his retreating steps showed complete composure, and even when falling, Clemens could clearly see the understanding in Su Li’s eyes.

 

This definitely wasn’t as simple as mental imagination, was it?

 

Clemens locked onto Su Li tightly. “That was just a probing attack, this isn’t my full strength.”

 

“Is that so?” Su Li lowered his head to adjust his sleeves, then straightened from his bent posture. He raised his head with a light tone. “But this isn’t my full strength either.”

 

This attitude…

 

Clemens’ heart suddenly lifted.

 

He looked too carefree.

 

Wouldn’t he feel fear toward the enemy’s strength?

 

If Su Li knew this question, he would immediately give the answer: no.

 

But the [Tiger] couldn’t understand.

 

He could feel that many humans feared him.

 

This fear might be mixed with too many things, appearing impure and unable to provide him with sufficient dark elemental power, but the mere existence of fear was itself a kind of strength enhancement for Clemens.

 

However, the [Tiger] couldn’t sense any panic or fear from Su Li.

 

What Clemens wanted to do, and the only thing he could do, was create an indescribable fear for Su Li.

 

Clemens’ body became like liquid, disappearing from the air once again.

 

This time, Su Li no longer had that overly leisurely attitude.

 

But the [Tiger] still couldn’t sense tension from him.

 

The young man was even saying: “Whether merging with darkness or merging with nothingness, as long as you attack, you must have a physical form.”

 

During this time, the dark elements shot from Clemens’ palm were perfectly blocked by various elements surrounding Su Li.

 

As for the subsequent close-combat attacks, Su Li wasn’t flustered at all.

 

He hadn’t learned any orthodox martial arts with private inheritance, but Tai Chi had always been required study.

 

Redirecting force, using four taels to move a thousand pounds, aiming at the skeletal joints of limb movements during the opponent’s punches and kicks…

 

Various attack methods that seemed natural to Su Li appeared to have reached perfection due to his high-speed processing ability of realistic information in his mind.

 

The more Clemens fought, the more alarmed he became.

 

The storage ring that constantly absorbed elements and transmitted them into Su Li’s body made the turtle shell formed by various elements around him virtually indestructible.

 

During close combat, the attacks Su Li initially delivered were as powerless as scratching an itch.

 

Not only could they not cause substantial damage to Clemens, they could barely even break through his defense.

 

But until the young man got used to using his fists and feet, channeling power from his palms, fingertips, calves, feet, any place that could contact Clemens, performing high-density elemental point strikes…

 

Though it was martial arts, Clemens felt that whenever his body contacted Su Li, he was enduring close-range attacks from a mobile elemental turret.

 

In the blink of an eye, the two had exchanged dozens of moves.

 

They continuously struck each other on the ruined, chaotic terrain, in the wilderness.

 

The growth potential that humans possessed seemed to be infinitely accelerated in Su Li.

 

Starting with only basic Tai Chi techniques, until Clemens discovered that all his attacks had become tools for improving Su Li.

 

Evenly matched.

 

Su Li’s movements became increasingly skilled. The young man, who had finally broken through the 1.7-meter mark, struck Clemens’ shoulder with fierce posture and swift movement during a backflip.

 

The latter’s scapula area clearly produced a burst of explosive sound.

 

Su Li’s control and usage of elements appeared extremely extreme to the monster beast.

 

Clemens, who should have retreated due to the force or used the force to close the distance between them faster, only felt the tearing pain of power almost penetrating his bones.

 

Knockback effect?

 

None whatsoever.

 

Clemens had never experienced such a frustrating battle. He felt he wasn’t facing an opponent, but facing a swamp that could only be passed through head-on.

 

Yet he couldn’t pass through. He could only struggle desperately like prey captured by the swamp…

 

Clemens actively retreated, merging into darkness once again.

 

In the wind, faint human conversation came from the distance.

 

And a heart rate that remained steady at seventy-two beats per minute.

 

Everything was so clear before Su Li’s “eyes.”

 

“Thump, thump——“

 

The pure black figure was once again accurately reflected in the green pupils.

 

Egbert, who had actively given up participating in the battle after Su Li’s fall, couldn’t help but cry out in alarm.

 

In Egbert’s eyes, Su Li standing in the clearing had completely lost his opponent since Clemens merged into darkness.

 

But the enemy’s disappearance wasn’t a retreat after being unable to resist, but secretly watching for the next best opportunity to attack.

 

“Bang!” The dull sound of physical contact and the slight explosive sound after elemental collision rang out together.

 

Su Li raised his arm, bending his body sideways, his right hand accurately catching Clemens’ attack aimed at his neck.

 

In the darkness, Clemens clearly saw that Su Li’s eyes completely reflected his own image.

 

And the young man…

 

Since Clemens hid in darkness, Su Li hadn’t even turned to check the surrounding environment…

 

——He just stood there.

 

——Under everyone’s gaze.

 

“Battle instinct isn’t some mystical sense,” Su Li gripped Clemens’ arm tightly. “It’s more of a psychological game.”

 

Clemens felt it.

 

That feeling of being completely seen through that everyone who had confronted Su Li would notice.

 

It was as if no matter how you acted, even going against your own consciousness and making completely different moves from the past, you could still be seen through—that terror.

 

Clemens merged into darkness again in Su Li’s grasp.

 

An empty voice that didn’t know where it came from, yet filled the entire area, rang out:

 

“I almost forgot, this is a battlefield.”

 

“Battlefields are never one-on-one confrontations.”

 

As soon as this sentence ended, Su Li looked with surprise toward the position where the other three who had previously confronted the [Tiger] were located.

 

“That’s what he said,” Roy said with three parts mockery, the rest all disdain.

 

“It sounds like serious words, but once you think that his purpose is to attack us to make the little master lose his current composure, it becomes quite laughable.”

 

“He’s clearly the Beast King, the one who eliminated the great Beast Tribe and even actively abandoned the entire Beast Tribe territory—such a cruel person.” Roy showed an amused expression. “Yet he plans to drag us into a one-on-one confrontation to increase his own advantage?”

 

“How ridiculous.”

 

Lan Zhe’s mouth twitched, patting his shoulder. “Stop talking. Even if we don’t know where that king is now, I can imagine his expression of being angered to death by you.”

 

Egbert held his heavy sword with its tip pointing to the ground, leaning his waist against the hilt. He crossed his arms and sneered. “If he could really be angered to death, that would be wonderful.”

 

“This would save not just a day or two of effort, you know…”

 

Before Egbert could finish his words, the sword he had been leaning on fell directly to the ground.

 

Egbert had been attacked.

 

Before surprise could fully appear in the other two’s eyes, Egbert quickly rolled over and gripped the heavy sword that hadn’t completely fallen to the ground.

 

The sharp blade portion and Clemens’ palm, transformed into tiger claw form, collided heavily.

 

The sparks from metal collision and the airflow stirred up by elemental collision made everyone’s hair fly backward continuously.

 

Egbert naturally knew he couldn’t compete in terms of elements, so he quickly released his strength, using that suddenly increased force to retreat a great distance backward.

 

Then, Egbert pointed his weapon directly at the young man’s figure that had condensed at his original position.

 

“You picked the most inappropriate person.” Light elements appeared on Egbert’s blade.

 

And Egbert’s words were proven shortly after.

 

He had a bit of madness in him.

 

Because he wasn’t sure how much power was needed to break through the dark elemental belt around Clemens and the high-strength fur defense of the monster beast’s body, Egbert could only choose to give his all with every attack.

 

Most of his power hit empty air, but the small portion that did collide with Clemens still made contact.

 

The damage was shallow.

 

Almost as soon as blood appeared, Egbert could see Clemens’ body tissue healing visibly.

 

He fought more and more frantically, with no defense whatsoever in his movements. In the blink of an eye, Egbert’s right hand holding the sword had twisted.

 

To prevent Egbert, whose mind was full of thoughts like “as long as I can break defense, as long as damage exceeds automatic recovery, I’ll eventually be able to kill him,” from getting himself killed, Lan Zhe and Roy exchanged glances and tacitly joined the battlefield.

 

Unfortunately, Clemens, who had pushed elemental power to its limits, skillfully mastered hit-and-run tactics.

 

The [Tiger’s] power was strong. If he didn’t actively release force, others engaging the [Tiger] head-on would only end up like Egbert’s twisted and shattered arm, losing combat ability in an instant.

 

If Roy hadn’t reacted quickly and directly dragged him into an ice defensive barrier, Lan Zhe might not have been able to give him medicine for quick treatment.

 

Lan Zhe gave Egbert medicine for recovery while Roy used ice to create defensive walls covering all three.

 

The two-star mercenary listened to the cracking sound of Egbert’s arm being straightened and said, “The little master said earlier that Clemens becomes physical at the moment of attack.”

 

“Obviously we can’t continue fighting passively like this. We should…”

 

Before he could finish speaking, the ice barrier began to shatter like a mirror.

 

“@&” Roy cursed uncontrollably.

 

Should what?

 

As long as Roy didn’t give an answer to this question, there seemed to be countless possibilities.

 

And the possibility Su Li chose was to actively participate.

 

After elements from the ring entered his body, they were controlled by the young man like extensions of his limbs. The elements materialized into two long chains of mixed colors.

 

When Clemens’ next attack came, those chains were like hunting dogs that had caught a scent. The moment the [Tiger] appeared, the chains directly pierced through both his shoulders.

 

But somehow Clemens moved, and as elements wrapped around the chains, when the [Tiger] merged into darkness again, those elemental light bands that had been around Clemens’ body followed the chains to Su Li’s side.

 

“Boom boom boom——” Continuous explosive sounds rang out.

 

In the smoke and dust, Su Li’s muffled grunt could be faintly heard.

 

“Just as you said, as long as I attack, I must condense into physical form, thus possessing the characteristic of being attackable.” Clemens appeared dozens of meters away in the high sky, his shoulders already stained red with blood. His merciless gaze was like a non-human looking down on the mortal world. “But similarly, as long as you choose to attack, it will also create gaps in your ‘completeness.'”

 

“Your power doesn’t come from yourself.”

 

“While these powers can form excellent defense when driven, they can never be controlled by you to create earth-shattering attacks.”

 

The distant humanoid monster beast suddenly smiled.

 

Then his smile faded, his expression cruel. “You are no longer the you with absolute defensive power. From the moment you chose to attack, your entire body has been full of openings.”

 

“Humans cannot achieve true perfection.” The dust settled, and Su Li had a red trace at the corner of his mouth that had already been wiped away.

 

“To guarantee both absolute defense and create absolute attack—if I could really achieve this level, you’d be thinking too highly of me.”

 

“As for what you think are openings all over my body…”

 

Su Li also smiled, his smile didn’t suddenly appear and disappear, but remained on his face throughout.

 

The [Tiger] frowned. He could see that Su Li currently had at least a dozen fatal weak points around his body.

 

Once hit, that body unprotected by elemental power would surely die!

 

But…

 

Clemens couldn’t hit them.

 

When he once again tried to repeat his old trick, attempting to transmit his power to Su Li’s surroundings so that the controlled power, after being absorbed by the ring and transmitted into Su Li’s body, could control that power belonging to him to attack the young man’s internal body again…

 

Those chains mixed with multiple colors, like a condensed galaxy, directly passed through above Clemens’ collarbone.

 

Then completely emerged from the butterfly bone behind him.

 

Su Li looked at Clemens, whose movements had instantly stiffened, and smiled again.

 

“Indeed, your discovery that my power doesn’t originate from my body formed an absolute disadvantage for me. But correspondingly, you, who actively input your power into my body, also because of this, lost your characteristic of merging with darkness.”

 

“After all, how could power belonging to you be rejected by you?”

 

Clemens could make the dark elements absorbed by the ring attack Su Li’s internal body after being transmitted into it. Similarly, Su Li could also use these dark elemental powers, mixing them into the chains, utilizing the characteristic that these elements belonged to Clemens to actively attack Clemens, who had merged into darkness—an unattackable state.

 

All this happened and ended in an instant.

 

And the result was just Su Li saying with some regret: “Not piercing your heart directly—what a pity.”

 

This regretful thought and tone should have been reflected in facial details, but those green eyes showed no emotional expression whatsoever.

 

Su Li had originally planned to directly pierce Clemens’ heart with the chains.

 

It’s just that at that instant, the special existence called the Human Spirit seemed to continuously cry out in the depths of his mind——he couldn’t and shouldn’t do that.

 

In the end, Su Li could only try to restrict Clemens’ movements.

 

This aerial confrontation made everyone—whether the trio watching nearby or other humans in the distance—unconsciously hold their breath.

 

Qi’s lips trembled. “This kind of battlefield is too terrifying…” The long period of holding his breath made the young king’s face flush red. When he finally remembered he could breathe, he couldn’t control his heavy panting.

 

“When has a battlefield ever not been terrifying?” Willard glanced at Qi, then secretly turned his head and took a deep breath.

 

“Don’t think about other things, keep watching.” Julius stared intently at Su Li’s direction. “Now definitely isn’t the most dangerous moment yet.”

 

“Maybe human form makes the [Tiger] more flexible, but beast form will only make Clemens even strong…” er…

 

Before the last word could be spoken, the battle situation changed once again.

 

The [Tiger] appeared again.

 

The elemental chains shattered with a thunderous crash, various elemental factors scattered, and Su Li, who had been precisely controlling this weapon, lost strength the moment the chains disappeared and nearly collapsed to the ground.

 

Sustained combat? That was thinking too highly of Su Li, who would be exhausted from running 800 meters.