Chapter 151: Simplifying the Complex x Gravitational Blade: Rising Dragon
Buddhism teaches that sentient beings are reincarnated into "Six Realms," also known as the Six Paths of Existence. They are...
The Realm of Hell... The Realm of Hungry Ghosts... The Realm of Animals... The Realm of Humans... The Realm of Gods... and... The Realm of Asuras!
Asuras are without heaven, without earth, unbound and unrestrained, yet possessing virtues that rival the gods. They often have fearsome appearances, are born from anger, and love to fight. They dwell on Mount Sumeru, or scatter along the coasts, or hide in the depths of the sea. Those who cultivated the Ten Virtues in past lives but were particularly consumed by wrath, pride, and doubt are reborn as Asuras... their most prominent feature being—
Multiple arms!
"You didn't know this either?"
In the long corridor, by the window.
Maha looked dangerously at Zeno. Multi-armed Asura, 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva, the Buddhist 'Heart Source'... the moment Roy revealed his four arms, Maha immediately thought of Netero. Coincidentally, the boy had just returned from the Hunter Exam. To say that dog of a man hadn't made contact with the child, or even said something to him... Maha didn't believe it for a second!
Zeno, with a bean-sized "Injustice" stamped on his forehead, opened his mouth to protest his innocence. But meeting the Oldest Master's gaze, he shut it again. He knew... no matter what he said, the old man wouldn't believe him. He secretly wondered... Did Netero really tell Roy something he shouldn't have?
His white hair fluttering, Zeno suddenly recalled Netero's repeated joke... "Why not let me adopt Roy?"
A chill ran down his spine!
He blurted out, "Grandfather, it must be Netero's doing!"
Just as I thought... "I knew it!" Maha snorted noncommittally. "Just wait... I'll settle the score with him later!"
Whoosh! Three blades in hand!
[Searing Essence] combined with Ken enveloped the blades... "Snow-Walker" and the "Cane Sword" turned red, ignited, surging with turbulent flames, the edges slowly turning a terrifying white. The "Training Blade," held gently in Roy's third hand, flowed with shimmering water-light, serene and peaceful, a stark contrast to the dominance of "Fire"...
It was indescribably strange, yet oddly harmonious... giving off an indescribable feeling.
"Is this your trump card?"
Snap! Silva lashed out with his whip. Roy's free hand manipulated the magnetic field, condensing a [Magnetic Shield] to temporarily block it. Then... the battle seemed to hit the "fast-forward" button, instantly jumping into the "express lane"!
"Sun Breathing, First Form: Dance... Eighth Form: Solar Halo Dragon Dance... Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance... Seventh Form: Piercing Rain Drop..."
With three blades in hand, Roy was no longer confined to a single Breathing Style. Instead, he unleashed both "Water" and "Sun" Breathing, hacking madly at Silva!
Flame... water light... connected into a sheet, sweeping down overwhelmingly... The incompatible "Water" and "Fire" were opposed yet unified, reflected in Illumi's vacant pupils. My foolish, dear little brother watched the frantic interplay of "whip shadows" and "blade light"...
He unconsciously swallowed, unable to keep up with Silva and Roy's speed even with Gyo!
Fast!
Faster!
Roy attacked with three arms, freeing up his fourth to manipulate the magnetic field, sometimes attracting, sometimes repelling, disrupting Silva's rhythm. With his mind split four ways... the boy was fighting like a man possessed!
Impressive swordsmanship, imaginative tactics, supported by four arms...
Silva dealt with the boy's attacks unhurriedly, his eyes full of admiration, but his mouth remained as cold as ice, his words indifferent. "If this is your trump card, then today ends here!"
Full Aura Release!
BOOM! An explosion seemed to go off in Roy's heart!
A warning bell rang in his mind. His blade faltered, and Silva seized the opportunity, whipping him away. Mid-air, Roy locked onto Silva below... The man's waist-length silver hair flew upwards, his body radiating a brutal, tyrannical aura. His presence, in this instant—
Skyrocketed, erupting with a deafening boom!
Enhancers and Emitters, unlike Conjurers, Transmuters, and Manipulators, didn't bother with flashy tricks... Silva whipping Roy away was a pure display of the "Beauty of Stats"!
"My strength is above yours."
"My aura quantity is above yours."
"My understanding of Nen is above yours."
"So, son, tell your father... how can I lose?"
Unless... [Mechanism Kill]!
"Heh heh heh... Zeno, what do you think would happen if I whipped him three times?" Maha glanced at Silva, then at Roy, who had smashed into the ground after being flung away. His hands, clasped behind his back, were itching...
Zeno: "..."
He lowered his head, mimicking Silva's words. "Grandfather, your strength is above his, your aura quantity is above his, so... if you really fought Silva, I don't know how you could lose..."
"Tsk." The old man smacked his lips, seemingly pleased... He projected his voice into a thin line, seemingly speaking to Silva, or perhaps Zeno, or maybe even... the boy struggling up from the ground. "There's truth to the saying 'Greatest truths are simple'... Methods are like life. Don't add, subtract..."
Remove anxiety, remove internal friction, remove unnecessary relationships. Focus on the present, the person in front of you, pursue the ultimate 'Mastery'...
"Is Great-Great-Grandfather telling me to simplify the complex?"
The web of his thumb had split open from Silva's whip strike. Blood dripped down his skin... drip... drip... Roy leaned on his cane sword, gasping for breath, his brow furrowed. He chewed over Maha's words repeatedly. Suddenly, blessed with insight... he remembered what Maha had said when teaching him "how to blend with nature": "Draw lessons, imitate, then create, and walk your own path..."
He slowly realized his problem!
"I... don't have anything of my own!"
"Breathing Styles" borrowed from Demon Slayer, [Magnetism] borrowed from Moritonio's "Iron-Stained Bipolarity," "Four Arms" from the "Hand Demon," "Swamp Space" from the "Swamp Demon," "Deception" from the "Man-Faced Ape"...
I have too many methods, and will have more in the future... When the time comes, which one should I use? Or... will I fall into "choice paralysis," caught by the enemy while hesitating, and forced into a dead end?
"Subtraction... I need to do 'subtraction'..."
His furrowed brow relaxed, his ragged breathing steadied. Roy took a deep breath and looked up at the sky... his eyes bright with the answer.
Fusion!
He had to fuse all these complicated "methods" together!
Simplify the complex!
"Why not... start with the [Magnetism] and [Blade] I'm most familiar with!"
"In me the tiger sniffs the rose." Roy transformed back to his original appearance, retracting the two extra arms. He dropped the cane sword and training blade, letting them stick into the ground before him, and gripped only "Snow-Walker," assuming the most basic "Iaijutsu" stance... Feet spread in a bow stance, sword at his hip. At a certain moment, he gently closed his eyes...
He converted all his "Nen" into "Magnetism," forming Ken, coating the blade, and unleashed a fierce upward draw!
Then he sheathed the sword with lightning speed...
Softly, he whispered: "[Gravitational Blade: Rising Dragon]."
Under the blue sky and bright sun, purple magnetic energy formed a giant dragon, roaring as it soared into the heavens, pierced the atmosphere, snatched a meteorite in its jaws, and turned to dive straight down...
☆☆☆
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