Celestial Human Diagram

As the javelin flew toward him, Chen Chuan stood his ground, blade in hand. His expression was calm, and he showed no intention of dodging.

Just as the weapon was about to strike his forehead, a long staff shot out from the side and caught the javelin. With a simple flick, it sent the projectile flying far into the distance.

Yuan Qiuyuan retracted his long staff and shot a provocative glance at the man who had thrown the javelin.

The Duty Samurai remained silent. After throwing the one javelin, he made no other moves and simply continued striding toward them.

Chen Chuan noticed that as the distance closed, the trio’s speed and rhythm were clearly increasing, their breathing adjusting and quickening in tandem.

To his right, Qin Qingque seemed completely unaffected. She steadily raised her rifle, fired, worked the bolt, and then fired again.

After enduring the gunfire and closing to within 150 meters, the two men behind the Iron Demon once again took the javelins from their backs and hurled them at Chen Chuan’s group.

This time, however, they didn’t just throw one. They hurled all their remaining javelins in a single volley. Simultaneously, with a scrape of his Armor, the Iron Demon leveled his Long Spear and charged forward.

After hurling their javelins, the two Samurai behind him let out a unified shout and charged forward in his wake.

As the three men charged, Yuan Qiuyuan and Qin Qingque suddenly felt a crushing pressure wash over them, causing their breath to hitch. They didn’t know where it came from, but its presence was undeniable.

A glint flashed in Chen Chuan’s eyes. He felt it too. As someone skilled in the techniques of the Domain, he immediately recognized what it was. ’The three of them have combined their Domains to envelop us, exerting immense mental pressure.’

He had only read about this technique in data files; this was the first time he had ever witnessed it in person.

It required the users’ Domains to be in perfect sync. Sometimes, it even demanded they abandon their sense of self and completely submit to another—a rarity among Third Limit Fighters.

However, considering they still maintained the master-vassal relationships of a bygone era, it suddenly made sense.

’If I let this pressure continue, it will absolutely affect my teammates’ minds. They’ll have to expend more Divine Constant just to resist it.’

’And this is the Merging Land. Besides the fight itself, we have to consider the fluctuations in the Activity Index. Mental stability is more important than anything else.’

His Snow Monarch Blade was already drawn. He stepped forward, parrying the last of the falling javelins as he advanced to meet the trio head-on. Simultaneously, he released his own Domain, pushing back against theirs.

The instant their Domains met, he felt as if he had slammed into an impossibly thick barrier. It was deep and stable, seamless and unmoving. It was, for lack of a better word, utterly dead.

’A Biological Domain is a Fighter’s information aggregate. While each is unique, they all possess a certain lawful fluctuation. Theirs, however, did not.’

’It’s as if they aren’t merely human, but something else entirely.’

’Granted, someone skilled in these techniques can alter their Domain, but I can tell they haven’t made any changes at all. This is just how it is, naturally.’

Even without a full sprint, they crossed the hundred-meter distance in a heartbeat. Just as Chen Chuan stepped forward to engage, the Iron Demon was upon him, channeling the momentum of his charge into a powerful thrust with his Long Spear!

Chen Chuan saw the spear tip aiming for the space between his chest and neck. He timed it perfectly, swinging his blade outward to parry.

’He’s charging straight at me. His momentum is fierce, but he’s sacrificed any subtlety. If he can’t retract that spear in time, I’ll press my blade forward, slide it along the shaft, and cut straight down his centerline!’

Yet, the moment blade and spear met, a shower of sparks erupted.

At the same time, a tyrannical Power began to seep into his body. This Power was perfectly formed, flawless. Though the Mutated Organization within him began to guide and neutralize it, the invading Power was so tough and condensed that it was difficult to wear down.

And if it couldn’t be fully neutralized, he had no choice but to brace himself and endure it.

His gaze was deep and serene. ’So this is the combat prowess of a Fighter whose mind and body are near-perfect, just like the files described? A typical Third Limit Fighter, hit with that Domain pressure and an attack with this kind of Power, would likely have their stance shattered with a single thrust.’

But with his current physique, he was more than capable of withstanding and neutralizing this force. At the same time, his own Power was transmitted back into his opponent.

Both men’s feet sank, embedding them in the muddy ground as a shockwave of energy radiated outward. It didn’t seem to interfere with either of them much, however.

The Iron Demon pulled back with his rear hand, retracting the spear. His torso barely seemed to move, but the spearhead was already jabbing toward Chen Chuan’s waist.

Chen Chuan was prepared. Gripping his blade with both hands, he struck down, knocking the spear shaft aside. With the clash of Power came a loud DANG, and both their bodies trembled once more.

After a fractional pause, they clashed again.

This kind of exchange was a brutal contest of strength and physical endurance. The constant impacts of Power had locked them both in place, leaving almost no room to shift or channel their energy.

With such limited room for adjustment, there was little opportunity for advanced techniques. It was a situation where pure strength overwhelmed finesse, forcing them to meet every blow head-on.

Each blow had to deliver a sufficient impact of Power to the opponent. If one’s strength faltered even slightly, the other would be able to recover faster from the next exchange and apply even greater pressure.

’I have a way to break this offensive,’ Chen Chuan thought. ’I could use my Second Self to absorb the impact. That would instantly neutralize the Power entering my body and allow me to seize the upper hand.’

’But I’ve never faced an opponent who musters their full strength for every single blow. This battle is a crucible, honing my body, my spirit, and even my Domain.’

’Of course, I’ll use it when I have to. The Second Self is a part of me; there’s no burden in using it.’

’Most importantly, I have a feeling that this isn’t the full extent of his power. For that reason alone, I need to wait. I can’t be too hasty to reveal my hand.’

Just then, the sounds of combat erupted from his left and right. His two teammates had engaged their opponents. From this point on, if anyone on either side couldn’t hold their ground or was forced to retreat, the entire stalemate could be shattered, leading to a swift defeat for one party.

However, he trusted his teammates. And through his Domain’s perception, he didn’t need to look to know exactly how they were faring.

Yuan Qiuyuan’s side of the fight was fierce and spirited, while Qin Qingque’s was swift and agile. Both were holding their own quite steadily and were, in fact, pressing their opponents. Even if the slightest problem arose, he would be able to detect it instantly and adjust accordingly.

As Yuan Qiuyuan and Qin Qingque engaged their opponents, they both independently discovered the same thing: these two Duty Samurai possessed formidable physiques, solid fundamentals, and a wealth of combat experience. There were no obvious flaws in their offense or defense.

Even a fighter of a higher caliber would struggle to defeat such opponents quickly. Recognizing this, both of them suppressed any thought of a swift victory to go help their comrade and instead settled in, patiently looking for an opening.

The two Duty Samurai were eerily stoic in battle, betraying no emotion. Their duty was simply to relieve the pressure on the Iron Demon and intercept his enemies. They didn’t need to do anything special, not even strive for victory. They just had to hold the line until the Iron Demon decided the outcome of his own fight.

Inwardly, however, they were quite surprised. In the past, any Fighter who crossed blades with the Iron Demon usually couldn’t withstand the overwhelming Power that erupted from his every blow. After just a few exchanges, they would be forced to retreat and resort to evasive maneuvers.

But the more they did so, the less they could endure, and the battle would be over before long. They never expected that this opponent would be able to steadily trade blows with their Captain.

Still, this alone wasn’t enough to worry them. They knew their Captain’s strength was far greater than what he was currently displaying.

As Chen Chuan and the Iron Demon continued to clash, the immense Power they exchanged drove them deeper into the earth. A noticeable pit began to form where they stood. Since neither man moved from his spot, the depression grew wider and deeper until, from a distance, only the upper halves of their bodies were visible above the ground.

After several minutes of this exchange, Chen Chuan noticed that his opponent’s strength was gradually increasing. A glint flashed in his eyes. He, in turn, released the restraints on his own Mutated Organization, allowing his power to soar.

As they continued to pour more power into their attacks, their clashes were no longer as simple as they had been at the start. Their weapon swings didn’t look particularly fast, but the Power transmitted with each impact grew fiercer and fiercer.

Each exchange was preceded by a dull roar as their weapons cut through the air, followed by an explosive shockwave upon impact. A single contact would send the surrounding mud rippling outwards in concentric circles, like waves on the surface of a pond.

The spectacle of the battle drew the attention of Yuan Qiuyuan and Qin Qingque, but they quickly refocused, refusing to be distracted.

Fortunately, the opponents they faced, while tough and steady, were clearly not the type to capitalize on openings. Even when their focus wavered for a moment, the Samurai’s behavior didn’t change.

Then again, this could also be interpreted as a sign of their absolute trust in the Iron Demon. They felt no need to take any initiative, confident they only needed to wait for him to claim victory.

Although Chen Chuan and the Iron Demon had clashed countless times, with each blow mobilizing his entire Mutated Organization, he didn’t feel the slightest hint of exhaustion.

The Circulation Technique allowed his Mutated Organization to cover his entire body, and it had been continuously tempered with special medicines on top of that. His progress had been incredibly fast.

’To be honest, even without relying on my Second Self, I could keep fighting like this for a day or two without any issue. I’m sure he could as well.’

’But I know he isn’t willing to drag this out. He abandoned his previous strategy of avoidance and sought us out this quickly because he was acting on false intelligence. It seems time is not on his side. He’ll have to change his strategy soon.’

The Iron Demon moved even faster than he had anticipated.

After several more collisions, he finally managed to parry the man’s Long Spear, only to find that the force that should have staggered his opponent had no effect whatsoever. The Long Spear swung, spun his Long Blade aside, and with another thrust—SWISH—it was stabbing right at his face!

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