Nia

Fantasy Library, Chapter 146-150

Added 2025-03-31 18:19:44 +0000 UTC

Chapter 146: Comprehensive Differences

Ever since acquiring Ophis's "Snake," Kaiser had continuously wondered how he could utilize this power to achieve its maximum worth.

This "Snake," containing the greatest amount of Ophis's power, was simply too precious. Leaving it unused would truly be a reckless waste.

Yet, directly using it was also problematic. Not only could it not completely become his own, but there was also the risk of it being reclaimed at any moment. Thus, Kaiser was reluctant to directly use it unless absolutely necessary.

As a result, Kaiser had kept this "Snake" hidden away until now.

Only when he met Azazel and remembered the matter of artificial Sacred Gears did Kaiser suddenly come up with this series of ideas.

If he could replace the Heavenly Dragon's soul with Ophis's "Snake," sealing it within a dragon-type Sacred Gear as its core, then not only would he obtain a powerful dragon-type Sacred Gear, but he could also solve the hidden dangers associated with the "Snake."

After all, as long as this Sacred Gear qualified as a "weapon," Kaiser could completely control it through his Unique Authority, transforming it into a part of himself. He would never need to worry about this power becoming uncontrollable or being reclaimed again.

Any exclusive weapon recognized by his Authority would have Kaiser as its sole master—no one could take it away by any means.

"Next is the most crucial step."

Relevant knowledge surfaced in Kaiser's mind.

The technique for sealing a dragon into a Sacred Gear was detailed thoroughly in the materials regarding artificial Sacred Gears.

The Down Fall Dragon Spear developed by Azazel was created precisely through this technology, sealing a Dragon King within it.

This was Kaiser's primary goal in trading with Azazel.

Only with it could his vision become reality.

Most importantly, Azazel's Down Fall Dragon Spear was clearly modeled after the Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing. His research on the Divine Dividing was exceptionally profound, resulting in his dragon-sealing technique being infinitely close to the original.

For Kaiser, who wanted to create a second Divine Dividing, this was undoubtedly an extremely valuable resource.

Immediately, Kaiser grasped the pure white wings and placed them into the "Snake."

"Hmm..."

The head-to-tail connected black snake was instantly attracted by the dragon power within the wings. As if coming to life, it slowly turned into a mist-like form, gradually flowing into the wings.

The process was slow; even though the black snake continuously poured into the wings, its body size only shrank by a slight amount.

However, this "Snake" contained nearly one-tenth of Ophis's power. Every bit of power injected into the wings each passing second could be described as immense, causing the aura of the wings to visibly strengthen at a rapid pace.

At the moment the "snake" entered the Divine Dividing, it seemed to become recognized as a part of the Sacred Gear itself, finally allowing Kaiser's authority to control it.

With Kaiser's control, although the process of sealing the dragon's power was slow, it remained as smooth as before, encountering no problems at all.

Thus, after about half an hour, the "snake" in Kaiser's hand had already shrunk to half its original size.

Then, the Divine Dividing ceased its absorption.

Seeing this scene, let alone Kaiser himself, even Kuroka, who had been observing from the side, could sense that the dragon power within the Divine Dividing was already saturated and could no longer absorb the "snake."

However, this was already enough.

"Boom—"

When pure white aura rose from the Divine Dividing, shaking the air and even the foundations of the entire villa, Kuroka knew that Kaiser had succeeded.

The supposedly unique Longinus, the Divine Dividing, equal in fame to the Boosted Gear and known as one of the strongest dragon-type Sacred Gears, had now given birth to a second one.

With a dazzling brilliance flashing in Kaiser's eyes, golden patterns appeared from the hand he pressed upon the Divine Dividing, spreading across the entire Sacred Gear.

When the golden patterns sank into the Divine Dividing and merged with it completely, this newly born Longinus became Kaiser's personal weapon, integrating itself into his body.

"Whoosh—"

Behind Kaiser, the Divine Dividing suddenly unfolded, immediately lifting his body into the air, and under Kuroka's gaze, he flew out toward the window.

In Kuoh Town, from a small villa, a figure trailing a stream of light rushed out at astonishing speed, instantly breaking the sound barrier and transforming into a streak of light, flying toward the sky.

"Accelerate!"

Kaiser perfectly controlled the Divine Dividing behind him, causing the wings to vibrate vigorously and stir up air waves, dramatically increasing his speed.

To his perception, these wings were like his own limbs, completely under his control, allowing him to freely soar through the air with all kinds of difficult maneuvers.

This feeling was completely different from flying by riding the hot winds of Ser-Veresta, or by controlling gravity around himself with Gravisheath.

When riding the hot winds of Ser-Veresta or flying by manipulating the gravity around him using Gravisheath, he felt as if he were riding an elevator—not truly flying upward himself, but rather being carried upward by something. What he truly controlled were these two Lux-type Armaments themselves, not his own body.

Flying with the Divine Dividing, however, was entirely different. The wings behind him were truly a part of his own body, allowing him to soar freely through the sky, rather than being carried along.

The speed, too, was not the same as flying using the abilities of the Lux-type Armaments—it was several times faster.

Most importantly, this sense of freedom allowed Kaiser to fight in the air without feeling any worse than fighting on the ground; in fact, it might even be smoother.

"Whoosh—"

Accompanied by the roaring hurricane winds, Kaiser's figure stopped.

He had already flown out of Kuoh Town and had traveled an unknown distance, unexpectedly arriving directly over the sea.

"Truly fast."

As he gazed out at the endless ocean and boundless sky, Kaiser felt somewhat exhilarated.

"Although it was created through a trick-like method, under the double enhancement of Ophis' 'snake' and my own authority, this Divine Dividing will definitely not be inferior to the original—in fact, it might even surpass it."

The most obvious method of comparison was their abilities.

In Vali's Divine Dividing, without activating the Balance Breaker, its ability activated every ten seconds.

However, Kaiser's Divine Dividing could halve the power of any object it touched every three seconds and convert it into his own strength.

The shorter activation interval of the ability was precisely the clearest indication of which of the two was stronger.

Not only was there a gap in the halving ability, but also in the absorbing ability.

The original Divine Dividing could absorb the halved strength and convert it for personal use, but it could not restore stamina, merely increasing one's strength. Furthermore, due to the limitations of the holder's physical body, it could not endlessly absorb strength; otherwise, the body wouldn't withstand it.

Therefore, the Divine Dividing would release excess power that the host couldn't handle through its wings, thus ultimately limiting the host's strengthening.

However, Kaiser's Divine Dividing, though likewise unable to restore stamina and only capable of increasing strength, and similarly limited by physical constraints to prevent infinite absorption, would not release the excess power. Instead, it would store this surplus power within the Sacred Gear.

If the host absorbed power reached its time limit, this stored power would then disappear.

At that moment, the original Divine Dividing could only activate its halving ability again to seize the opponent's strength and continue strengthening oneself. However, Kaiser's Divine Dividing didn't need to do this; instead, it directly drew from the power stored inside the Sacred Gear.

Furthermore...

"Balance Breaker."

Kaiser unfurled his wings widely, activating the Balance Breaker.

"Boom!"

Instantly, pure white aura surged from Kaiser's body, piercing through the sky.

Within the aura, pristine white armor began to appear all over Kaiser's body. A dragon tail grew out from the back of the armor, and blue jewels emerged on various parts of his body.

"Boom!"

The aura rapidly intensified. By the time Kaiser transformed into the armored White Dragon form, this aura had become a storm, raging fiercely across the ocean surface.

The Balance Breaker of Divine Dividing—[Armor of the White Dragon Emperor].

After turning Divine Dividing into his specialized weapon, Kaiser naturally mastered all of its powers, including the Balance Breaker.

"As expected, all of my power has been explosively unleashed, and I can activate the halving ability anytime and anywhere, without any time restriction."

Feeling the immense power coursing throughout his body, Kaiser closed his eyes.

"Although it's the same Balance Breaker, due to my Sacred Gear being stronger, the explosive release of power on my side after activation is undoubtedly greater than Vali's."

"As for the ability—even though both can activate it at will—in the Balance Breaker state, the more frequently the ability is activated, the greater the strain on one's body, not to mention the consumption from maintaining Balance Breaker itself."

"In comparison, when I activate the ability in Balance Breaker state, the consumption should be less than Vali's, and the cost to maintain the Balance Breaker state should also be lower than his."

Vali could maintain Divine Dividing's Balance Breaker for a month without activating any abilities.

What about Kaiser?

If he used the original Divine Dividing, he could at least maintain the Balance Breaker state for fifty days. But with his current Divine Dividing, he could maintain the Balance Breaker form for at least three months.

That was three times longer than Vali could.

"And then... it's this, right?"

Under the pure white dragon-shaped helmet, Kaiser's eyes flashed with sharp brilliance once more.

"Boom!"

A pure white aura tens of times more terrifying than before suddenly erupted from his body, whipping up huge waves across the ocean surface.

"[I, who am about to awaken—Am the Heavenly Dragon who lost all to the principles of supremacy—]"

Kaiser raised one arm high, chanting this incantation.

There was no curse-like whispering. As his aura surged powerfully, Kaiser smoothly chanted the spell.

"[I envy the "infinite" and I pursue the "dream"]"

"[I shall become the White Dragon of Supremacy]"

"[And I shall take you to the limits of innocence]"

A fearsome aura impacted the skies and seas, stirring the winds and clouds.

"Juggernaut Drive."

Kaiser activated the Juggernaut Drive that Azazel and the others greatly feared, fully unleashing the deepest level of power within Divine Dividing.

Chapter 147: Fascinating Power

"Juggernaut" is a power possessed by all Sacred Gears that contain sealed existences.

Although Kaiser's Divine Dividing did not seal the soul of the Heavenly Dragon, it had sealed the infinite power of the Dragon God—Ophis' "snake."

Thus, Kaiser's Divine Dividing naturally also possessed the power of "Juggernaut," enabling him to activate Juggernaut Drive.

However, at the very instant he activated Juggernaut Drive, Kaiser sensed a slight discrepancy.

"This feeling... seems somewhat different from Vali Lucifer's Juggernaut Drive."

As Kaiser perceived the power of "Juggernaut," the scorching golden patterns within his body started glowing, and he suddenly understood something as if through divine inspiration.

"That's right. My Divine Dividing and Vali Lucifer's are ultimately different."

"Under normal activation or Balance Breaker usage, it's not a problem. Due to sharing the same origin, their abilities and other aspects are basically the same; the only difference is their strength."

"But once the power of 'Juggernaut' is activated, the differences between them truly become apparent."

"Juggernaut" is a temporary, forced lifting of the Sacred Gear's seal, maximally unleashing the power of the sealed existence within.

Yet, the power sealed within Kaiser's Divine Dividing was not a Heavenly Dragon's soul—but rather, Ophis' "snake."

Even though both could activate the power of "Juggernaut," their fundamental difference would inevitably cause their Juggernaut forms to differ.

"My Divine Dividing's 'Juggernaut' shouldn't be like this..."

"It should be..."

"Like this..."

Kaiser closed his eyes, then abruptly opened them wide.

In the next second, Kaiser began chanting a brand-new incantation.

"'I, am the dominator—'"

"The one who seizes the untarnished dominion of the White Dragon—"

"With infinity in my grasp, I command the fabric of dreams—"

"I shall reign as the ultimate Dragon God—"

"I shall cast you into the abyss of nothingness—!"

This incantation no longer felt as ominous; instead, it was filled with serenity, emptiness, and ethereal tranquility.

The chant was mysterious and majestic, lacking the original dominance yet inspiring even greater awe.

After reciting this incantation, the pure white aura erupting from Kaiser's body like a volcanic explosion unexpectedly turned black.

As if the hidden truth within the pure white had revealed its true form, a noble and abyss-like blackness gradually replaced the white, causing Kaiser's entire body to emit a deep black aura.

Immediately afterward, blackness also began to replace the white on Kaiser's armor, turning the once immaculate pure white armor into a supremely noble, deep black.

Including the dragon tail and the wing bones of his wings, these originally white parts also turned black. Only the gems on various parts of his body remained blue, and the wing membranes remained transparent blue, accentuating the mysterious and distinguished blackness even further, entirely free from any sense of darkness or evil.

At that moment, Kaiser felt terrifying power filling every part of his body.

"So this is my Divine Dividing's 'Juggernaut Drive,' huh?"

Kaiser raised his hand, looking at his hand armor that had turned completely black except for the gem, feeling as though a casual punch from him could trigger landslides, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

This was not an illusion, but a true, tangible power.

Even though it was entirely different from Vali's "Juggernaut Drive," Kaiser could clearly sense that he now possessed power comparable to gods, perhaps even surpassing them.

Because his Divine Dividing was stronger than Vali's, and the "serpent" sealed within his Divine Dividing was even stronger than the Heavenly Dragon who only retained its soul.

After unleashing this power, Kaiser felt he could already compete against the chief gods and god-kings of various mythologies. Even among the top ten strongest beings in the entire world, aside from Ophis, he could hold his own.

"The consumption isn't as great as Vali's Juggernaut Drive either. He can only sustain Juggernaut Drive for a few minutes due to his massive Demonic Power, but I can maintain it for at least half an hour."

This wasn't just because Kaiser's Divine Dividing had lower consumption than Vali's, but also because Kaiser absolutely would not lose control or lose his rationality, allowing him to perfectly control the power of Juggernaut Drive and thus extend its duration.

"And this ability—after entering this state, I can activate Divide and Absorption infinitely, without any upper limit to endurance."

Kaiser was extremely astonished upon discovering this point.

This was because Kaiser's Juggernaut Drive was releasing the power of the Infinite Dragon God.

After unleashing this power, Kaiser's Juggernaut Drive had gained the characteristic of "infinity," allowing him to ignore his own endurance limits, continuously enhancing his power without restriction.

As long as he could afford the consumption, Kaiser could use Divide and Absorption to infinitely weaken his enemies and infinitely strengthen himself, until his stamina or aura ran out.

This was absolutely an unexpected pleasant surprise.

"Although the consumption issue still exists, as long as I keep growing stronger in the future, I'll be able to handle greater consumption, thus extending Juggernaut Drive's duration and further enhancing the power gained from activating its abilities."

"This is a characteristic of limitless potential, enough to accompany me my entire lifetime."

"Not to mention, as I grow, my Sacred Gear will also grow."

Kaiser unconsciously immersed himself in beautiful fantasies and the immense sensation of power spreading throughout his body, nearly unable to extricate himself.

This was an entirely different feeling from when using the True Longinus.

The True Longinus was extremely powerful, but its strength lay within itself, not within Kaiser, who wielded it.

Kaiser only unleashed its power, but it didn't cause his own strength to grow.

Divine Dividing was different. Whether activating abilities, Balance Breaker, or Juggernaut Drive, Kaiser's own strength would increase.

This sensation of endlessly expanding personal strength was truly captivating.

Crucially, in this state, Kaiser could also wield the True Longinus.

If both Longinus Sacred Gears were brought out simultaneously, activating Balance Breaker or Juggernaut Drive at the same time, what kind of scene would that create?

Just thinking about it made Kaiser's heart surge with excitement.

Of course, using two Longinus simultaneously would definitely increase consumption even further.

Unless absolutely necessary, it was better to use them separately.

With these thoughts, Kaiser gradually shook off the state of obsession and regained calm.

"By the way, can this state of mine still be called Juggernaut Drive?"

Kaiser pondered this question.

"Well, let's still call it Juggernaut Drive. After all, it's just the maximum release of sealed dragon power. Even if I'm a Dragon God, and Vali is a Heavenly Dragon, we're both still dragons."

Kaiser released the Juggernaut Drive, and even lifted the Balance Breaker, allowing the pitch-black armor to disperse into countless points of light.

Instantly, the overwhelming sensation of power filling his body vanished. The sudden drop in strength made Kaiser feel somewhat uncomfortable.

"No wonder past generations of the Red Dragon Emperor and White Dragon Emperor, upon learning Juggernaut Drive, would use it without hesitation in battle, even risking losing control to unleash greater strength. This sensation of immense power capable of matching gods indeed can easily lead one astray."

Kaiser silently warned himself, reminding himself that he would be the one controlling power, not the other way around.

However…

"Half of Ophis' 'snakes' remains. Since Divine Dividing has been successfully recreated, it should be completely possible to replicate Boosted Gear in the same manner."

Kaiser inevitably had such a thought.

Boosted Gear possessed the ability to continuously double the host's power, and could even transfer that power to others, objects, or phenomena, making it easier to increase strength compared to Divine Dividing.

Kaiser didn't dare imagine just how terrifying a strike would be if he used Boosted Gear to assist the Balance Breaker of his True Longinus, multiplying the God-slaying power of the [Spear of Divine and Demonic Judgment] to its utmost limit.

It was certain that ordinary gods could not withstand such a strike—it would be fatal upon contact.

Thus, the more Kaiser thought about it, the more excited he became.

"Hmm, rather than just thinking about it, I should take action. I'll find an opportunity to pay the Red Dragon Emperor a visit and pluck the jewels from his Sacred Gear."

If he managed to accomplish this, he would become an unprecedented—and perhaps never-to-be-repeated—holder of three Sacred Gears.

Moreover, these three Sacred Gears were all Longinus.

"Among the Longinus, True Longinus undoubtedly ranks first. Divine Dividing is ranked sixth, on par with fifth-ranked Boosted Gear. They are not only the strongest dragon-type Sacred Gears but also the closest to the top-tier Longinus."

"That being said, my Divine Dividing is far stronger than the original one; it can definitely rank among the top four, making it a top-tier Longinus."

"Top-tier Longinus—artifacts capable of destroying an entire nation depending on how they're used, and even having a significant impact on the world."

There had always been only four top-tier Longinus; perhaps now there were five.

No, not merely five. When Kaiser recreated Boosted Gear, there would be six.

…No, that's still not right, not six.

"It should be seven."

Suddenly, a realization flashed through Kaiser's mind like lightning, finally allowing him to understand something clearly.

"So, the fourteenth Longinus had already appeared long ago. It's just that I didn't realize it, and no one else noticed it either."

At this moment, the figure appearing in Kaiser's mind was precisely that youth holding a spear identical to his, dressed in traditional Chinese attire, and bearing a fearless smile on his face.

"Cao Cao… You've really hidden this deeply."

Kaiser muttered quietly, then abruptly smiled.

"No wonder I've always felt such extraordinary fighting spirit from you."

"No wonder you seem so persistent about determining a victor with me—only you never said it out loud."

"So that's how you've been thinking."

Kaiser raised one hand.

On it was etched a magic circle capable of contacting the Hero Faction and teleporting him to their temporary base.

Without hesitation, Kaiser activated the magic circle, causing it to unfold beneath his feet.

In the next second, Kaiser disappeared into the magic circle, leaving no trace behind.

Chapter 148: "Twilight" and "Dawn"

In an alternate-dimensional space—Hero Faction's temporary base.

"Zheng—"

A red glow appeared along with the magic circle, transferring Kaiser here.

Kaiser raised his head, observing this space filled with mist, and after a while, turned his gaze toward a distant mountain.

There, an aura remained concealed yet distinct, fluctuating slowly and steadily, like a quietly burning campfire in the wilderness—although not fierce, it remained conspicuous.

Kaiser narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, directly walking toward that mountain.

He wasn't in a hurry, walking slowly, taking nearly three or four hours before finally arriving at the mountain's summit.

"Rumble..."

A waterfall appeared in front of Kaiser. Beneath the waterfall was a large lake, surrounded either by cliffs or forests. The scenery was quite pleasant, giving off a feeling like a secluded paradise, resembling a landscape painting colored by dyes.

Cao Cao stood beneath that waterfall, bearing the impact of the cascading water, his whole body drenched.

"What a rare visitor."

While enduring the force of the water with closed eyes, Cao Cao spoke the moment Kaiser approached, as though clearly seeing everything despite his eyes being shut.

"I thought you would never return here again, Kaiser."

As he spoke, Cao Cao stepped out from beneath the waterfall, opened his wet eyelids, and grasped his spear. He looked just like a martial artist undergoing rigorous training, every movement naturally exuding a carefree and unrestrained aura.

"So you're training." Kaiser ignored Cao Cao's teasing and glanced at him, saying, "I thought highly technical warriors like you would usually only hone their skills, not physically train their bodies."

"It sounds like you're joking," Cao Cao replied dismissively as he walked to the lakeside, picking up a towel from a rock. Wiping his hair, he said lightly, "Even those who emphasize technique must spend time training their bodies. Otherwise, how can they wield heavy weapons?"

"Whether swinging a sword, a blade, or a spear, one needs to rely on the physical body and consume stamina."

"The same is true for Sacred Gears; each use consumes stamina and aura, especially Balance Breaker, which particularly requires these as fuel."

"If one doesn't prioritize physical training, then even if one masters the Sacred Gear's power to perfection, what good would it do?"

After drying his hair, Cao Cao didn't bother drying his body any further, immediately putting on his clothes.

"In this regard, you've done better than anyone else. After all, you've even cultivated Touki without learning Senjutsu or any other system that manipulates energy. You've surely undergone extensive training, honing your body enough to rival Devils, Angels, Fallen Angels, and other supernatural beings."

Having finished dressing, Cao Cao returned to his usual appearance as a young man in traditional Han clothing. Holding his spear on his shoulder, he smiled at Kaiser.

"I'm definitely inferior to you in this aspect. But since I don't want to fall too far behind, I can only spend more time training."

These words were clearly something Cao Cao would say only because he regarded Kaiser as a rival.

Kaiser didn't respond to this remark and instead directed his gaze toward the spear in Cao Cao's hand.

The spear hadn't changed since before. Whether in appearance or impression, it closely resembled Kaiser's Holy Spear.

Especially that sacred aura—no matter how much Cao Cao tried to hide it, it couldn't be concealed completely.

"Now can you properly tell me about that spear?"

Kaiser's words caused Cao Cao's eyebrows to slightly raise.

"So that's what you're here for," Cao Cao said with a half-smile. "Judging from your look, you seem to already have an idea about this spear's origin."

"More or less," Kaiser said calmly. "That spear probably didn't look like this before, did it?"

Hearing this, Cao Cao chuckled and said,

"Have you ever heard of the Sacred Gear called 'Moon Spear'?"

Moon Spear.

Actually, Kaiser indeed had heard of it.

When the idea of using lower-ranked Sacred Gears as materials for crafting Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing arose, Kaiser had investigated the various existing lower-ranked Sacred Gears through channels like the Hero Faction and Kuroka.

Although his main focus was on the lower-ranked Sacred Gears of the Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing, he also paid some attention to other lower-ranked Sacred Gears, gaining a basic understanding of them.

The Moon Spear, like the Twice Critical and Dragon Wings, was the lower-ranked Sacred Gear of a certain Longinus.

The Twice Critical was the lower-ranked Sacred Gear of Boosted Gear, the Dragon Wings were the lower-ranked Sacred Gear of Divine Dividing, and the Moon Spear was precisely the lower-ranked Sacred Gear of the True Longinus, a Sacred Gear possessing holy attributes.

However, unlike Dragon Hand and Dragon Wings, although the Moon Spear was a lower-ranked Sacred Gear, it wasn't commonly found.

Because Sacred Gears with holy attributes were already quite rare, the Moon Spear, being the lower-ranked Sacred Gear of the strongest and original Longinus, directly corresponding to the legendary Holy Spear, was extremely scarce—its rarity comparable even to the "Twilight Healing."

Now that Cao Cao mentioned this Sacred Gear, could it be...

"It seems you've realized it," Cao Cao said, noticing Kaiser's changing expression. He immediately raised the spear in his hand, presenting it right in front of Kaiser.

"That's right. My original Sacred Gear was precisely the lower-ranked Sacred Gear of the True Longinus—the Moon Spear."

"When I was very, very young, I awakened this Sacred Gear. It accompanied me throughout the first half of my life, fighting alongside me for nearly twenty years."

"When I resolved to defeat all supernatural beings—even gods—with only a human body, it responded to my resolve and underwent an evolution."

Because of this, no one knew that the fourteenth Longinus had already been born—in Cao Cao himself.

To defeat all supernatural beings other than humans.

To defeat gods with a human body.

To prove humanity's potential.

To challenge humanity's limits.

Cao Cao indeed always possessed such ideals, or rather, an almost obsessive faith. Even in the later stages of the original story, he maintained this belief, to the point that he was eventually chosen as one of the candidates for humanity’s strongest, recognized as having the capability and potential to compete for the title of strongest human.

With such convictions, the strength of his will was certainly extraordinary; thus, it seemed only natural that his Sacred Gear would evolve.

All Longinus Sacred Gears in the past had undergone similar processes, gradually growing, evolving, and transforming from ordinary Sacred Gears, eventually standing out to become Longinus.

The lunar spear in Cao Cao's hand had now become one of them.

"I gave it a new name—Holy Spear of Dawn."

Cao Cao spun the spear elegantly, placing the world's second Holy Spear behind his back, and grinned.

"I've heard that the Red Dragon Emperor and the White Dragon Emperor have always been counterparts and rivals. Even after being sealed into Sacred Gears, the artifacts containing their souls have never ceased fighting against each other, no matter the era."

"When this Holy Spear of Dawn was born, I thought that perhaps it could also become a rival and opponent to the True Longinus, which was originally its superior Sacred Gear."

"The fate of the Two Heavenly Dragons is known to everyone; then we, who both wield Holy Spears, might also be destined to become lifelong rivals."

At least, Cao Cao had held such thoughts, anticipating this possibility all the way until now.

"As expected, though you appear rational, you're actually a battle maniac."

Kaiser wasn't nearly as delighted as Cao Cao; instead, he spoke rather flatly.

"That's because I've always been fighting." Cao Cao replied naturally, "A mere weak human, daring to imagine defeating all races stronger than humanity, even seeking to defeat gods—if not genuinely fond of challenging strong opponents, how could such an insane idea even arise?"

"It's not just me; basically all members of the Hero Faction love battle, because we're not accepted by society."

"Only battle can equally accept everyone."

Cao Cao pointed the spear's tip at Kaiser, staring at him as he asked:

"Aren't you the same?"

Cao Cao considered himself gifted in seeing through others.

From the first moment he met Kaiser, he had already seen clearly that this long-awaited rival of his was, in truth, very enthusiastic about combat.

Unfortunately...

"I don't dislike fighting; I also feel excited when facing powerful opponents. But I haven't reached the point of devoting everything to battle, becoming a fanatic who lives solely for combat," Kaiser immediately refuted without hesitation. "Can you please not categorize me with your kind?"

From the very first time he appeared in the official ranking battles at Seidoukan Academy, Kaiser had realized that perhaps he was secretly inclined toward fighting.

Reality was filled with too many frustrations and too many rules. He had once bent under their weight. Perhaps exactly because of this, deep inside, he had always longed for the strength to break through it all.

This caused Kaiser, after becoming the librarian of the Fantasy Library, to begin increasingly letting loose, becoming more reckless and unrestrained.

Yet, he would never confuse priorities or risk everything purely for combat's sake.

He chose to fight only to achieve what he wanted to see, touch, and obtain.

He would enjoy combat, but he would never become a combat fanatic merely for the sake of enjoying battle.

Of course, in Cao Cao's eyes, there was essentially no difference.

"I'm the same as you. I fight desperately and enjoy battle in order to fulfill my heart's desires and see the scenery I long for."

The way Cao Cao looked at Kaiser still seemed as if he was looking at a kindred spirit.

Only, his fighting spirit toward this "kindred spirit" was too strong—so strong it truly gave off the feeling of a destined rival encounter, reminiscent of the Red Dragon Emperor and White Dragon Emperor.

"Since you've already recognized the origin of my spear, it's time to fulfill my dream."

Cao Cao no longer concealed his fighting intent, staring ecstatically at Kaiser.

"Your Holy Spear of Twilight and my Holy Spear of Dawn—let's settle which spear is stronger right here and now."

The Holy Spear in Cao Cao's hand instantly emitted a brilliance as dazzling as the dawn.

In response, Kaiser's expression remained calm, yet the Holy Spear appeared in his hand, emanating a deep twilight-like glow.

Sacred fluctuations began to run rampant, colliding against each other, causing the atmosphere itself to become chaotic...

Chapter 149: "Holy Spear" Vs "Holy Spear"

"Rumble..."

In the mountain forest, the sound of the waterfall cascading downward echoed clearly; though loud, it was not disturbing.

Kaiser and Cao Cao stood facing each other, both wielding Holy Spears that emitted dazzling radiance, causing sacred aura to ignite upon the two spears.

One person's expression was calm, while the other brimmed with fighting spirit. The two continued to confront each other in this manner, causing their sacred auras to collide several times.

At a certain moment, both suddenly raised their Holy Spears simultaneously, pointing them at each other. Their spear tips opened widely, gathering brilliant light onto them.

"Boom—"

The next instant, an explosive roar drowned out even the sound of the waterfall, resonating throughout the entire mountain forest.

Both Holy Spears simultaneously released immense amounts of aura, unleashing a torrent-like brilliance. The two streams of light collided instantly, triggering a blinding explosion of radiance.

The explosion of light expanded outward like a nuclear blast, not only sending large amounts of dust and rock flying, but also cleaving away a large portion of the surrounding forest and nearly cutting off the waterfall itself.

The collision of sacred power against sacred power displayed overwhelming destructive force, setting off this fierce battle.

"Clang—"

The distance between Kaiser and Cao Cao had unknowingly shortened to zero. Both simultaneously thrust out their Holy Spears, their spear tips colliding heavily, producing a crisp ringing sound.

Sparks scattered along with blossoms of light formed by the sacred power. Kaiser and Cao Cao stared at each other through the radiance: one revealed a surprised expression, while the other wore a smile on his face.

"How about it? My Holy Spear isn't bad, right?" Cao Cao said with a smile. "I know the spearhead of the True Longinus is extremely sharp; normal Sacred Gears simply can't withstand its slashes. That's why I condensed a large amount of sacred power at the spear tip to assist my attacks. Looks like the effect is pretty good."

By causing sacred power to clash against sacred power, Cao Cao's Holy Spear successfully blocked Kaiser's spear, allowing him to confront it head-on.

"Swish!" "Swish!" "Swish!"

Suddenly, Cao Cao withdrew his spear and rapidly retreated. During his swift retreat, he consecutively thrust three times, sending out three dazzling spear-lights toward Kaiser's throat, chest, and abdomen.

"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!"

Kaiser swung his Holy Spear, using its shaft to consecutively knock away the three spear-lights. Unexpectedly, Cao Cao's spear, after being deflected, seemed as if it possessed its own consciousness, immediately turning back again.

"Clang clang clang—"

The surprise on Kaiser's face deepened, yet his movements slowed not in the slightest. The Holy Spear, longer than his own height, was wielded with agility as natural as his own limbs. Whether slashing with the spear tip or blocking with the spear shaft, he deflected all incoming attacks. Yet, Cao Cao's spear would still turn back every time it was knocked away, continuing to strike toward his vital points.

"Renzuru—"

For an instant, Kaiser recalled Toudou Kirin's technique, but soon rejected this thought himself.

"No, this isn't Renzuru—"

Renzuru utilized the opponent's force to redirect the trajectory and accelerate, creating an uninterrupted chain of attacks.

But Cao Cao's spear was different. It didn't redirect according to Kaiser's force; rather, it seemed to distort inertia, returning on its own the instant it was deflected.

Maintaining a certain distance from Kaiser, Cao Cao continuously thrust out his spear in attacks, making Kaiser feel as if the more he knocked away Cao Cao's spear, the higher the frequency of attacks he received.

Under these circumstances, Kaiser naturally couldn't keep blocking indefinitely. After several seconds, he involuntarily stepped back.

As if having anticipated this outcome, Cao Cao directly opened the spear tip.

"O spear—"

He chanted softly, causing a great amount of sacred power to surge forth from the tip of the spear, transforming into a violent torrent of fiery radiance that rushed toward Kaiser.

"Puchi—"

While rapidly retreating, Kaiser slashed down with his Holy Spear without attempting to dodge. The sharp spear tip directly cleaved through the incoming torrent of light, splitting the sacred aura cleanly in half.

However, unbelievably, the aura that was split in two actually turned back. Instead of dispersing left and right of Kaiser, it converged back toward him, striking his body from both sides.

"Boom—"

An intense explosion of radiance erupted once again, setting off a terrifying shockwave that blasted large amounts of sand and stone into the air, forming billowing clouds of dust and smoke.

Only then did the spear tip of Cao Cao's Holy Spear close, its brilliance slightly restrained, as it was casually rested upon its wielder's shoulder.

"Come out—"

Cao Cao's face showed no pride, still wearing a smile as he said, "I know an attack of this level cannot harm you."

Just as Cao Cao finished speaking, Kaiser's figure slowly emerged from within the rolling dust.

White light surged from his body, and a large amount of vitality visibly transformed into Touki, erupting outward to form a defensive barrier, leaving him completely unharmed.

"I see," Kaiser seemed to understand something, and said, "Your spear possesses the ability of trajectory correction, doesn't it?"

"Something like that," Cao Cao did not deny, but openly admitted, "Whether it's close combat using the spear or releasing holy power, it can calculate the position and trajectory precisely at the moment of attack, making second, third, and even fourth or fifth adjustments. This is the second ability of the Holy Spear of Dawn."

All Longinus possess two or more abilities.

For example, the True Longinus has three abilities; Divine Dividing has two abilities—halving and absorption; Boosted Gear has two abilities as well—boosting and transferring. Every Longinus has multiple abilities.

However, the lower-tier Sacred Gears beneath Longinus generally possess only one ability. Like the Twice Critical, it only has the boosting ability, and the Dragon Wing only has the halving ability. As the lower-tier Sacred Gear of the True Longinus, the Moon Spear only had the ability to release holy power, without a second ability.

Of course, that was when it was still the Moon Spear.

Now, this spear has evolved into a new Longinus, naturally obtaining a second ability.

"Although it's a very simple ability, it's quite practical in battle," Cao Cao lightly tapped his shoulder with the spear shaft, saying without any hint of boasting, "The abilities of the Holy Spear of Dawn are actually quite simple as well, such as having a very sharp spear tip or the ability to freely extend or retract the spear shaft. These sound ordinary, but when combined, they're terrifying."

Indeed, it was so.

The abilities of the Holy Spear were not the dazzling type, but once combined, their effectiveness in actual combat became extraordinary.

For example, the spear tip of the Holy Spear, although extremely sharp, would be useless if it couldn't strike the enemy. Only by combining it with the spear shaft's ability to freely extend and retract could it unexpectedly deliver a devastating strike, piercing through any opponent's body.

Cao Cao's Holy Spear was the same; its second ability was merely to self-correct the trajectory of attacks, but it was extremely practical in battle.

"If used flexibly, it can even achieve something like this."

While speaking, Cao Cao slammed the spear shaft into the ground beneath him, shattering it and sending rubble flying.

The scattered stones did not spray randomly in all directions. Instead, they turned into projectiles, shooting violently toward Kaiser, exploding one after another against Kaiser's Touki defense.

The trajectory correction ability of the Holy Spear of Dawn could even affect external objects.

"Tell me, if what flew toward you just now weren't stones, but throwing weapons capable of breaking through your Touki defense, what would happen then?"

Cao Cao said these words meaningfully, seemingly intending to put pressure on Kaiser.

Unfortunately, Kaiser ignored him.

"Hum..."

Accompanied by the humming of the atmosphere, the Holy Spear in Kaiser's hand suddenly elongated, the spear tip transforming into a flash of light, thrusting rapidly toward Cao Cao.

Cao Cao seemed provocative, but secretly he had long been on guard. The moment Kaiser raised his spear, Cao Cao guessed his intended action and opened his spear's tip.

Holy aura erupted forth, forming a powerful attack. Cao Cao once again unleashed a strike that surged like a torrent of light, meeting the flashing spear tip piercing toward him.

"Boom—"

The spear tip stabbed fiercely into the holy aura, creating an intense conflict. Like needle against needle, one side continued drilling forward, scattering the light violently, while the other advanced directly, intending to overwhelm the opposition.

Seeing this, Kaiser did not hesitate and released holy power at the spear tip, detonating it.

"Boom—"

A third explosion of light appeared, blasting everything away.

The ground instantly crumbled under the impact, sending rock fragments flying continuously and causing the terrain to sink, shaking the entire mountain.

"Clang—clang—clang—clang—clang—"

Kaiser and Cao Cao clashed once again, their spears flashing violently as they exchanged intense blows.

"Clang."

Cao Cao was the first to forcibly block one of Kaiser's strikes, and he was blown back by the astonishing strength Kaiser unleashed. The ground beneath Cao Cao's feet collapsed from the impact, wiping away the composure from his face.

"As expected, if it comes down to physical abilities, I cannot have the advantage."

Cao Cao confirmed this point and, in less than half a second, swung his spear, gathering the power of light at the spear tip, striking at the spear Kaiser raised.

"Clang."

Kaiser directly knocked the spear aside, but instead of advancing, he retreated swiftly, quickly avoiding the returning blade of light as it passed by him.

"Huff..."

The next second, Kaiser abruptly erupted like a ferocious beast, launching himself forward. The spearhead of the Holy Spear in his hand opened up, condensing a blade of light, slashing down like a streak of lightning.

"Bang!"

A terrifying force exploded. Cao Cao, who hurriedly raised his weapon to block, was immediately blasted away again, crashing into the waterfall behind him and sending up a massive spray of water.

"Kaiser—!"

Shortly after, the water splashed violently again as Cao Cao charged out, soaked from head to toe, yet his face was filled with ecstatic excitement from the fierce battle.

Without hesitation, Kaiser dashed forward again. The blade of light formed by the spear tip fiercely slashed down, but Cao Cao cleverly thrust out his spear, hitting Kaiser's spear shaft and directly knocking it aside.

The Holy Spear in his hand radiated with brilliance. Cao Cao spun around, sweeping horizontally, sending a vast wave of holy light roaring toward Kaiser.

"Bang!"

Kaiser's body shuddered slightly as he withstood the blow, his Touki surging violently around him, yet he remained unmoving, completely ignoring the impact.

The two continued their intense clash, the aftershocks of their battle terrifyingly powerful.

As time went on, Kaiser gradually gained the upper hand...

Chapter 150: I Won't Underestimate You

"Bang!"

Atop a towering mountain, a bright flash appeared along with a loud explosion, pushing forward a figure in front of it, driving it straight into the dense forest.

Dust flew everywhere, yet the flash continued to relentlessly push forward, like a laser beam sweeping across the earth, violently plowing the ground apart with the figure at its forefront, carving a deep trench into the earth.

Everywhere it passed, the surrounding trees fell in droves, dust rising continuously like rolling dragons, creating a tremendous commotion.

"Clang!"

After a moment, the flash was finally deflected by the figure wielding a spear, revealing its original form.

It was, surprisingly, an elongated spear shaft.

At the other end of the spear, Kaiser still stood atop the mountain peak, gripping his spear and retracting the deflected Holy Spear.

"Huff... Huff..."

Meanwhile, within the forest filled with countless fallen trees and a savage trench, Cao Cao stood with his feet deeply embedded in the ground, his breathing unknowingly becoming rapid.

"...Have I exhausted too much stamina?"

Cao Cao exhaled, stabilizing his breathing.

"It seems you still need more training, Cao Cao."

Leaping down from the mountain peak, Kaiser jumped into the forest, landing in front of Cao Cao and closely observing him.

"I've already worked very hard, but humans still have disadvantages in this aspect after all. Even when spending the same amount of time, effort, and dedication to physical training, other races achieve far greater growth than we humans do. It really makes me wonder how you trained in the past."

Cao Cao shrugged, acting indifferent, yet his gaze was very serious.

"In a direct confrontation, I still can't match you."

Cao Cao also realized that as time went on, he was gradually falling into a disadvantageous position, being suppressed by Kaiser.

This wasn't merely because Kaiser's physical strength far exceeded his own, giving him an advantage in prolonged battles. It was also due to the emerging gap in strength between their two Holy Spears.

Cao Cao had to admit: considering Sacred Gear strength alone, the True Longinus might indeed surpass his own Holy Spear of Dawn.

In the beginning, this difference wasn't obvious, but as the intensity of the battle increased, the divine Aura radiating from the True Longinus gradually began overpowering the holy energy of the Holy Spear of Dawn.

"Your spear must have undergone some evolution or enhancement, right?"

Cao Cao stated this guess with certainty.

"It has indeed been strengthened." Like Cao Cao, Kaiser didn't conceal anything, calmly replying, "The current True Longinus is indeed stronger than before. Many people have noticed this."

"Indeed. When you were sparring with others from the Hero Faction, this had already become very obvious. The various attributes of your Holy Spear have surpassed previous records, making it practically like a completely different spear." Cao Cao helplessly spread his hands, saying, "If your spear were still at its original strength, I wouldn't have been beaten to this state."

After all, according to Cao Cao's estimation, his Holy Spear of Dawn possessed a strength comparable to a high-ranking Longinus.

At least, among the Hero Faction, the wielders of the other two Longinus admitted that their Sacred Gears were weaker than the Holy Spear of Dawn.

Of those two Longinus wielders, one was Georg, who possessed the fourth-ranked Dimension Lost. The other was the child Kaiser had briefly paid attention to when first joining the Hero Faction; that child held the third-ranked Longinus—Annihilation Maker.

It was a Longinus capable of creating various magical beasts through imagination—the stronger the imagination, the more diverse the beasts it could create.

Cao Cao had once directly fought against those two wielders. As a result, whether it was Absolute Mist or Annihilation Maker, both were easily overcome by his True Longinus.

This proved that the True Longinus stood above these two Longinus in terms of class, at worst able to match Zenith Tempest, which ranked second among the Longinus, perhaps even rivaling the first-ranked Longinus—the original True Longinus.

This was also why Cao Cao dared to compare his spear to the original True Longinus. He did not think his spear would be inferior to that legendary spear by much.

But now it seemed, whether Cao Cao's Holy Spear was inferior to the original True Longinus, no one knew. However, compared to the True Longinus in Kaiser's hand, Cao Cao's spear was undoubtedly weaker.

Because Kaiser's spear had already been enhanced by Unique Authority, making it stronger than the original spear.

The Holy Spear of Dawn, which might not even be able to win against the original True Longinus, could not stand a chance against the current True Longinus.

"If we continue fighting like this, I'll probably lose."

Cao Cao said this calmly, his expression composed.

"...Your expression doesn't look like that at all."

Naturally, Kaiser would not be misled by Cao Cao's words.

Though Cao Cao seemed to have fallen into a disadvantage a moment ago, suppressed by Kaiser himself, after fighting until now, this man had not even sustained the slightest injury, only consuming some stamina.

In terms of pure strength, Kaiser was far stronger than Cao Cao, but Cao Cao truly lived up to his reputation as an exceptionally skillful fighter, his techniques exceedingly impressive.

Even though he had clashed head-on many times and was repeatedly knocked back, logically, given Cao Cao's far inferior physical strength, he should have long been overwhelmed by Kaiser's explosive power. Yet Cao Cao resolved this problem with superhuman skill.

He knew exactly how to disperse force, and precisely how to recover his stance. Even when he was struck fully by Kaiser's charged attacks, he could neutralize nearly ninety percent of the force at the moment of impact. The remaining power, even if it knocked him away, was insufficient to cause any substantial damage.

Every collision between them was meticulously calculated—angle, position, and even the result of each clash. Thus, Cao Cao could respond and counterattack instantly every time, forcing Kaiser to repeatedly bear his attacks head-on.

If not for Touki defense, Kaiser would definitely have been injured before Cao Cao.

Even now, although it appeared Kaiser held the overwhelming advantage, Kaiser could clearly sense that Cao Cao was calmly observing him the entire time, carefully analyzing each of his actions, diligently searching for a weakness, quietly waiting for an opportunity to deliver a decisive strike.

For this purpose, Cao Cao had actually been secretly holding back his strength, only using ninety percent of his power, reserving the remaining ten percent to unleash a sudden, thunderous attack upon Kaiser at any moment.

His fighting style was exactly like this—filled with tactics, calculations, countermeasures, and schemes, coupled with impressive technique, thus creating his exceptional, technique-oriented combat style.

Frankly speaking, if Kaiser hadn't clearly known from the original work what kind of person Cao Cao was, he might not have noticed these subtleties.

If he had no guard up and genuinely believed he had suppressed Cao Cao and victory was in hand, he would inevitably reveal some fatal opening, allowing Cao Cao to turn the tables and win.

Precisely because Kaiser understood Cao Cao from the original work and was vigilant, he was able to perceive all the subtle things Cao Cao had secretly done.

"I won't underestimate you, Cao Cao,"

Kaiser declared clearly.

"Until I have thoroughly defeated you, I definitely won't become careless."

Those who became careless against Cao Cao eventually lost—including Azazel, Vali, and even the original protagonist.

In the original work, Cao Cao had once simultaneously faced these three individuals and achieved victory through cunning and tactics—a record of absolute brilliance.

Even Ophis had fallen victim to Cao Cao's schemes, losing most of her power and significantly weakening as a result.

In the later stages of the original, the three factions—Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels—were nearly defeated by Cao Cao leading the Hero Faction, clearly indicating just how terrifying this person was.

Vali himself even openly admitted that among humans, aside from Tobio Ikuse, the only one capable of forcing him into Juggernaut Drive was Cao Cao.

In other words, Cao Cao could directly confront god-class power and had the ability to contend with it.

"You'd better go all-out."

Touki surged wildly around Kaiser's body, and the holy spear in his hand became brighter than ever, making his voice full of pressure.

"Otherwise, I'll strike first."

Hearing this, Cao Cao narrowed his eyes.

"...Is that so?"

He tapped his shoulder lightly with the spear's shaft, eyes closed, smiling for a good while before finally opening them—his eyes blazing fiercely with fighting spirit.

"Then I won't hold back any longer."

As he spoke, Cao Cao raised the spear in his hand.

"Clang—"

A dazzling brilliance burst forth from that long spear.

"Balance Breaker..."

Cao Cao softly uttered these powerful words.

As soon as those words fell, the dazzling radiance from the spear instantly spread behind him, transforming into a halo emitting holy radiance.

Around the halo, pitch-black spheres appeared one after another, encircling Cao Cao.

"[Polar Night Longinus Chakravartin]!"

In this moment, Cao Cao appeared as majestic as the legendary Chakravartin, his figure greatly magnified by the divine radiance and the seven surrounding spheres.

Then... he suddenly disappeared.

"......."

Almost the instant Cao Cao vanished, Kaiser reacted, fully releasing the Touki from his entire body.

"Swish!"

In the very next second, Cao Cao suddenly appeared behind Kaiser, thrusting his spear toward him.

"Boom!"

The tip of the True Longinus struck squarely onto the surging Touki, fiercely colliding with it.

A bold and fearless smile appeared on Cao Cao's face.

"You've fallen for it."

As soon as he said that, one of the pitch-black spheres behind Cao Cao flew forward.

It traveled along Cao Cao's spear, shooting out like a cannonball, and collided with Kaiser's Touki defense.

"Bam!"