Chapter 45: Unleashing the Storm
Lei Feng's gaze lingered on the place Grandmaster Zhi disappeared from for some time, then he exhaled deeply and turned his gaze downward to examine the two objects Grandmaster Zhi gave him before he left.
The first—another skill book.
Its silver-blue cover pulsed faintly with energy, and two glowing words shimmered across its surface:
Thunderclap Strike
He opened it eagerly and nearly dropped it in shock.
"Rare+?!" he gasped. "This is a Tier 3 skill!"
His heart raced. Skills like this were priceless—treasures ordinary people would never dream of having.
"Master isn't stingy at all!"
The second item, however, made him pause.
It was a black medallion, smooth and cool to the touch, with glowing golden script etched across its surface. One name blazed with divine brilliance:
TIAN ZHI
The energy pulsing from it was strange—entrancing, almost alive. Lei Feng's fingers trembled.
As he stared, a strange pull gripped his mind. His soul felt as if it was about to leave his body.
With a jolt of willpower, he yanked his gaze away, breathing hard.
"What the hell is this thing?!
Then—a voice echoed in his head.
"Come to Arcadia Prime. It's a city not far from Volaris City. Head to the Celestial Pagoda in the mountains. Show them the medallion—then you'll find me."
Lei Feng blinked.
"Master?" he whispered.
Grandmaster Zhi's familiar laughter rang in his mind like bells.
"Listen, boy," the voice continued. "Now that I've left the goblin territory, my elemental domain will collapse in fifteen minutes. Be ready. They'll come. Don't fall again."
The voice faded, but its warmth lingered in his chest.
Lei Feng stood still for a moment, then smiled.
"Such power… This is what I desire. I won't just keep up with my peers—I'll surpass them. One day… I'll become a master even more peerless than you."
His grip tightened on the medallion.
"Don't worry, Master. I won't disappoint you."
He turned toward the horizon, his eyes alight with thunder.
"Brace yourselves, goblins… you're about to become my stepping stones to greatness."
----
Tick Tick Tick.
Lei Feng stood before a transparent barrier with ever-changing elemental patterns. His blue eyes were shining with fierce light, his dark blue robes sparkled with a soft sizzle of lightning, the very fabric shimmered with a faint glow under the warm evening sunlight.
On his waist, just below his black leather belt embedded with storm runes, lay a sky-blue scabbard that coiled with restrained lightning energy. Resting within was his sword—Storm Piercer. On the other side of his waist lay another scabbard hanging around, this one was ordinary, old, and plain, deep black, and in it rested his first sword—the Nameless Sword.
Lei Feng had an idea: if he was going to be serious with Swordsmanship, why not go all out? Although he couldn't use both swords simultaneously and wasn't planning on doing that anytime soon, he wanted to familiarize himself with the style.
Lei Feng held his phone in his hand, set on a fifteen-minute timer. The phone ticked with the timer as time chiseled by. He had a profound gaze as he stared at the world beyond this elemental barrier, the high collar framing his face also giving him a dignified look.
Then—
Tick Tick Tick!
00h:00m:00s
[Count Down Complete]
Lei Feng's expressionless face suddenly broke; his lips curved up into a grin as he watched the elemental barrier magically shatter before him like glass.
"Goblins, here I come, don't run!"
Lei Feng muttered, and his eyes flashed with lightning. He suddenly stepped into the hollow in front of him. It was the same goblin territory, only that this time he was already deep within because of the recent battle that had dragged on for too long.
The air grew thick, the trees were gnarled and wilder, their branches intertwining to form a choking canopy that allowed only dim, scattered beams of sunlight to pierce through. The ground was damp and uneven, covered in rotting leaves, broken twigs, and strange, nauseating odors that clung to the air. Shadows danced constantly, and a chilling, oppressive silence ruled, broken only by the occasional rustle or the low, guttural grunts of hidden goblins.
The last time Lei Feng entered here from the outside, he had felt an ominous feeling that kept him on high vigilance. The heart of this place he was currently standing in felt even more ominous and darker, but Lei Feng felt no vigilance, only amusement.
"Last time I was here, I was so tense, I couldn't even predict an ambush. I was just one level 9 Awakener against so many Level 11 goblin scouts and Level 12 goblin archers. But this time..."
Lei Feng's voice trailed off as his blue eyes shone brighter. His eyes landed on the system screen before him, showcasing his status bar.
>[Status Panel]
Name: Lei Feng
Level: Awakener Lv. 16 (Magic Novice)
Class: Arcane Swordsman
Elemental Affinity: Lightning
EXP: 0 / 475
HP: 260 / 260
MP: 210 / 210
> ━━『 Attributes 』━━
Strength: 56 (+2)
Agility: 38 (+2)
Endurance: 37 (+2)
Intelligence: 16 (+2)
Perception: 22 (+2)
Free Stat Points: 10
>[Additional Attribute]
Attributes:
• Elemental Resistance: Lightning +100%, Wind +70%
• Enhanced Agility: +50%
• Charm Modifier: +30%
"I am not the Level 9 Awakener anymore," Lei Feng said with a cold voice, his eyes turning to one of the tall trees in the surrounding hollow with a deep stare. The trees were very tall and had a dark canopy that restricted a person's vision.
But with Lei Feng's heightened perception, he could easily figure out he was being watched from above. From his previous experience, he already knew what was happening—the goblin archers were on the move.
Meanwhile, hidden atop the tall trees under the cover of darkness, goblin archers readied their bows and arrows. One thing was different from their attitude; they had previously displayed a sinister grin or sadistic smiles. Now, they were tense, even as their hands gripped their arrows; their hands trembled. Lei Feng's stare seemed to peer into them, as if he could see them. It wasn't the stare of a prey but a predator.
"They can clearly feel I am stronger, so they are hesitant to attack and are trying to plan a perfect battle strategy. Sorry, but I wouldn't give you such time."
Shizzle Shizzle Shizzle.
Mana surged around Lei Feng, his robes fluttered gently with the wind, his aura surged. Intricate silver embroidery traced lightning bolts across the hem and cuffs, winding like living veins of storm essence. His body sparkled with visible lightning, he looked like a storm given form.
Hah, Lei Feng slowly exhaled, releasing mist from his mouth. His eyes glowed dangerously as he stared at the goblins.
"LightningFlash!"
ZZZAAAAAK-ZAP!
Lei Feng suddenly disappeared, leaving a trail of lightning and afterimages. With one swift motion, he already appeared on the trees, his body like a lightning incarnate illuminating the surroundings with surging lightning essence.
This was the power of a rare+ skill! Even Lei Feng was shocked by how fast he moved. It felt like teleportation.
"Looks like I underestimated the power of a Tier 3 skill," He mumbled.
Ahhh!
The goblin archers shrieked in fear as they witnessed Lei Feng's ghostly speed. Their yellow eyes widened in horror.
Lei Feng took advantage of the goblins' dismay to stabilize himself. With one swift motion, he unsheathed Storm Piercer. ZZZZT! A sharp electric sound pierced the air as his sword sparked with cold light, the blade gleaming with arcs of lightning.
HUNKRUK-NUM!
One of the goblin archers shouted in their goblin tongues. Immediately, arrows rained down from all directions, fired at Lei Feng with desperation.
Swiish! Swiish!! Swiish!!!
Lei Feng smiled and with an explosive force, he charged forward to the goblin who just shouted. SHHHRK! The goblin screamed in fear as Lei Feng appeared before it like a lightning bolt.
Swoosh!
The goblin's eyes widened as the sword slash reflected before its eyes. Before it could comprehend what was happening, it suddenly felt its body grow lighter; its head flew from its body, spinning in the air.
Ding!
Successful Kill!
+60 EXP
EXP: 60/475
Lei Feng frowned as the sound chimed in his head, distracting him for a moment. He turned to the side of his eyes, only to see a sea of arrows reflecting before his eyes.
Shit!
He cursed out loud.
He swiftly navigated the surroundings, his enhanced agility and sword skills allowing him to dodge and weave through the hail of arrows with ease. With a few swift jumps, he traversed the distance between trees, his movements a blur as he closed in on his targets.
He landed on a massive tree trunk, where a goblin archer took cover on. Before the goblin archer could react, Lei Feng swiftly took it down with a single, swift strike. The archer's body split in two, and Lei Feng felt a surge of satisfaction.
Ding!
Successful Kill!
+60 EXP
EXP: 120/475
He turned to face the others, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The goblin archers were relentless, their arrows flying towards him from all directions. Lei Feng exhaled slowly, his chest heaving with exertion.
"Hey, System," he said inwardly, feeling a bit annoyed by the constant notifications. "Can you shut those off for now and only display them after I level up?"
Ding!
Request Granted!
[System will only display notifications after you level up]
Lei Feng nodded, his eyes scanning the surroundings once more. He noticed his Mana had dropped significantly.
"MP: 170/210," he muttered to himself.
He realized that using Lightning Flash had taken a toll on his reserves. "My control over Mana is still weak", he thought.
The goblin archers, enraged by their fallen comrades, continued to fire arrows at Lei Feng. He could see the madness in their eyes, their faces twisted in a snarl. Some goblin scouts were even approaching him, carrying heavy clubs.
He narrowed his eyes and sure enough, below he could see dozens of goblin scouts carrying heavy clubs, their yellow eyes waiting in vigilance.
"Hahaha! They think I would fall so the can take advantage to corner me," Lei Feng laughed.
His eyes turned cold, his grip on the sword hilt tightening. "Let this end," he said, his voice low and menacing.