Abyssal Awakening

Chapter 579 Stealing The Instant Draw

Taking a deep breath, Alyss focused her mind.

She analysed the powers that Qiu Qiu had demonstrated and came up with the theory.

When the Ghost disk is paired with the sense of taste, it allowed her to absorb and redistribute the energy similar to their fifth Sigil.

The only difference is that Qiu Qiu limits her target to one person and needs her attacks to hit or be in close proximity.

Since that was the case, physical attacks were all Alyss could do while hoping that her energy wasn't siphoned away through touch!

Controlling the shards of Kara, she had Alice merge them together with blood and metal threading through the centre, turning it into a spear!

Twirling the spear in her hand, Alyss lunged forward for a stab.

*CLANG CLANG!!!

An upward swipe followed by a downward slash.

However, Qiu Qiu parried it with her spear and tried to counter with a slash.

Blocking it with the shaft, Alyss stabbed it into the ground and kicked her in the chest.

*BANG!!!

Creating some distance between the two of them, Alyss tossed the spear before kicking it with her foot, shooting it towards Qiu Qiu who was about to dodge to the side.

To her surprise, black limbs reached out from the ground and whipped the spear around like a rope dart! With the attack now coming from behind her, she sheathed her blade.

Instant Draw – Soul Chaser!

Not only did she parry the spear, she also parried Alyss who tried to go in for a sneak attack.

However, this has given Alyss a clue. Stay connected through empire

A smile curled up on her face.

Jumping back, she recalled the spear and broke it into two halves.

One turned into a spear while the other turned into a blade similar to Qiu Qiu's.

Widening her eyes, Qiu Qiu couldn't believe what she was seeing.

That stance, that aura… It was impossible!

Instant Draw – Killing Arc!

Creating a crater beneath her feet, Alyss accelerated in front of Qiu Qiu with her blade already mid swing!

*BANG!!!!

Catching the blade between her hands, Qiu Qiu gritted her teeth as the sounds of bells rang out.

Around them, spectral phantoms of foxes jumped out in an attempt to attack Alyss.

'The weakness of the Instant Draw style, I know it well. You might be able to copy but you don't know it as well as I do!' Qiu Qiu grinned, thinking she'd won.

However, seeing the confidence in Alyss's expression, a bad feeling rose up in her chest.

The shards around the blade loosened up.

The difference between the two of them was that Alyss's weapon had no fixed form! What was the blade could turn into the sheath!

Instant Draw – Soul Chaser!

Her form flickered momentarily as the foxes were cut apart.

Slash marks manifested across Qiu Qiu's body.

"!!!"

Quickly jumped back, she was about to throw a healing vial into her mouth when the container was cut in half by Alyss.

'She's getting faster!'

Instant Draw – Killing Arc!

Instant Draw – Killing Arc!

Both fighters unleashed the same attack as their blades clashed, creating sparks that whipped against their surroundings and kicked up the water in the lake.

As they locked blades, Qiu Qiu was beginning to recognise just how dangerous Alyss was!

It was only a brief exchange and she didn't even use her martial arts a lot. Yet that brief exposure was enough for Alyss to understand the weakness and strengths of this power.

"Don't leave me disappointed now. Are there only two forms of your martial arts? Seems a little lacking don't you think?" Alyss provoked as she stomped down, expanding her own Zone!

There were three states of Zone as taught to her by the Apostles belonging to Solaris.

Offensive, Passive and Absolute Zone.

When executing the Instant Draw – Soul Chaser, the Offensive zone was absolutely needed. It's a Zone that heavily focuses on the offensive power while leaving the user relatively defenceless should the enemy breach the boundary.

But there was one change that she wanted to make.

During her demonstration, Qiu Qiu never fully expanded a Zone for Killing Arc! From her understanding of the movements and path of the blade, Alyss realised that the Killing Arc demanded the third form of Zone. Absolute Zone!

An area of absolute control to bring out as much power as you can for one strike. An attack that destroys whatever enters your range. Far more powerful than the Offensive Zone but at the same time, demanded more from the user.

It was a Zone that not many could master as evident from Qiu Qiu's incomplete strike.

Releasing a pulse of energy to push Qiu Qiu away, a dark aura seemed to hide Alyss's appearance as the Absolute Zone expanded with Qiu Qiu being in the range.

She could feel the threat of death from all directions as her mind began to panic. An impossible idea appeared.

Did she master the Instant Draw?

A martial art that she's been trained in since she was a child, a martial art that helped her get a spot in the Demon Extermination Squad, her pride and joy, was stolen and mastered?!

"Impossible! I refuse to accept this!" Qiu Qiu shouted as the disks behind her began to shift.

Hell Realm + Sense of Touch!

Demonic markings manifested across Qiu Qiu's body as crimson flames burst out and transformed into a raiment.

Eliminate the feeling of pain, isolate the anger, enhance the defences of the body!

Pushing her defences as high as she could, Qiu Qiu rushed towards Alyss who was standing perfectly still.

Her eye was closed as her mind was focused. She didn't need the sense of sight to observe her surroundings.

In the Absolute Zone, everything is known to her.

Instant Draw – Perfected Killing Arc.

*CRACK!!! SHATTER!!!

"You have my thanks. Hopefully, the others will show martial arts similar to what you have shown me." Alyss smiled.

Behind her, Qiu Qiu stood frozen in place.

Her blade was broken and there was a ghastly diagonal slash across her chest.

Blood poured out from her mouth as the wheel behind her faded away.

"Im…possible…" She muttered as her vision blurred.

Collapsing on her knees, Qiu Qiu's chest heaved up and down with laboured breaths.

Her mind was focused on Alyss's slash. The demonstration of the Absolute Zone, how the Killing Arc should look like.

The beauty of control, the tyranny of having your fate dictated by someone else.

The eternity that exists between the boundaries of life and death.

When a person is harmed, the mind remembers the experience and adapts. Should you face that experience once more, your mind would've figured out a solution.

But when facing death, what can the mind do?

Feeling the blood drain from her body, Qiu Qiu felt countless memories flood her mind.

It was her brain going through everything she had experienced in her life, every ounce of knowledge she had experienced in a futile attempt to transcend death.

The mind's last desperate attempt to survive.

'Ah… So this is death.'

*BANG!!!

Feeling a burst of energy behind her followed by an Absolute Zone, Alyss immediately turned around ready to attack but her pupil constricted in shock.

In front of her, Qiu Qiu's broken blade was inches away from her face.

The wheel behind Qiu Qiu appeared once more and this time, it rested on the section of Deva and Form.

Qiu Qiu's gaze was unfocused but there was a smile on her face.

Instant Draw – Transcendent Samsara.

It was a single moment. But in that moment, Qiu Qiu would've won.

Falling over and passing out, there was no more movement from Qiu Qiu as the energy faded away and same with the zone.

Standing there, Alyss furrowed her brows and stared at the woman.

###

"ARG!!!!" Waking up in a panic, Qiu Qiu sat up in a cold sweat.

Flinching from the sense of pain, she glanced down and saw that she was covered in bandages. Most of her wounds have healed thanks to a healing vial but she wasn't fully recovered yet.

On the table next to her were her belongings and the fragments of her shattered blade.

Her memories were a little fuzzy but she could still remember the main exchange between her and Alyss.

There was no doubt that Alyss stole her martial arts and perfected the Killing Arc.

Clenching her fist, Qiu Qiu forced herself to stand up and gather her belongings. She didn't know why Alyss spared her but she had to report this.

Not only that, but she needed to figure out what to do next time in order to properly win.

Just as she was about to leave, an old man blocked her way.

"Payment for the treatment and food." He held out his hand.

Blinking her eyes, Qiu Qiu realised that Alice must've left the bill to her.

Just as she reached into her bag for her wallet, she found a single note.

[This is payment for my dress.]

". . . "£$^!%"£^$^$£^%$^%!!!!!!!"

###

Weighing the wallet on her hand, there was a smug smile on Alice's face as she was currently travelling with Jin.

'I'm pretty surprised that you let her live.' Alice asked as Alyss wasn't the kind to show mercy.

Especially since that girl came at them with the intent to kill.

'She seemed interesting. If I let her be, she'll chase after me and show me more stuff later.' Alyss replied while practicing the new martial arts in the mental space.

Hearing this, Alice smiled as she knew the truth.

Her twin was just a little annoyed that Qiu Qiu got one over her at that last moment. There was no denying that Alyss dropped her guard and if Qiu Qiu's weapon wasn't broken, that attack would've landed.

However, this trip was just as much for herself as it is for Alyss and thus she wouldn't say anything else. She'll simply support her twin's actions from the back.