79: Chapter 79 Bloody Battle at the East Gate (Part 1)

"Ding! Remaining time for the city defense formation: 29 minutes 47 seconds."

I stared at the bright red countdown on the system interface, sweat dripping down my forehead.

Thirty minutes.

Just thirty damn minutes!

The light barrier of this city defense formation looked intimidating, shimmering like a giant golden bowl covering the city wall, but I knew clearly—this was a one-time consumable. Once the time was up, pop, it would be gone.

By then, those bastards from the Shadow Pavilion outside the city would be like hungry wolves seeing meat, howling as they charged into the city, and our meager manpower simply wouldn't be able to hold them off.

"Ergou, what should we do?" Ye Liuli stood beside me, gripping her staff so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

I narrowed my eyes and peered outside the city.

A vast crowd, all people from the Shadow Pavilion, black and dense like ants moving house. But in the middle of this rabble, there was one guy who was particularly eye-catching—

Blood Hand Asura.

This guy stood right at the front of the formation, wearing blood-red leather armor, toying with two daggers in his hands. The blades of the daggers shimmered with an eerie green light; it was obvious they weren't regular weapons—they were definitely poisoned.

The most crucial thing was this bastard's positioning.

Standing there, he acted like the backbone for the Shadow Pavilion minions. Their attacks were organized and disciplined, wave after wave hitting the light barrier. But whenever Blood Hand Asura raised his hand slightly, they immediately shifted formations, advancing and retreating with precision.

"See that?" I pointed at the area outside the city with my chin. "That bastard in red is the command core."

Ye Liuli followed my gaze, her brows slightly furrowed: "Blood Hand Asura, level 35 Assassin, one of the four guardians of the Shadow Pavilion... Ergou, what are you planning to do?"

"What am I doing?" I grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. "Taking him out!"

"Are you crazy?!" Ye Liuli's eyes widened. "He's 10 levels higher than you! The Assassin class specifically counters your melee style; going out there is just suicide!"

"Suicide?" I patted my chest. "Liuli, when have I, your Brother Dog, ever done anything I wasn't sure about?"

Actually, I had no idea either.

A 10-level gap is usually an unbridgeable chasm. Moreover, the Assassin class is a natural nemesis for melee fighters—high burst, high mobility, and stealth. Anyone targeted by him wouldn't even know how they died.

But there was no choice now.

Once the formation breaks, the whole city is finished. Instead of sitting and waiting for death, it's better to take the initiative and give it a shot!

"Liuli, listen to me." I put away my playful expression and said seriously, "I'll go out and drag Blood Hand Asura down. You stay here and command the big picture. If I can kill him, the Shadow Pavilion will be leaderless, and we'll win. If I..."

"Shut up!" Ye Liuli suddenly interrupted me, her eyes slightly red. "You are not allowed to say that word!"

I was stunned for a moment, then chuckled: "Alright, alright, I won't say it. Anyway, I was just making an analogy. I, your Brother Dog, am blessed with great fortune; how could I die so easily?"

After saying that, I turned around and shouted: "Elites of the Dawn Guild, follow me!"

"Guild Leader, I'm going too!" Tie Zhu stood up, carrying a large axe.

"Me too!" The little loli mage jumped up and raised her hand.

"Count me in!" Archer Old Zhang also stood up.

Looking at these brothers and sisters, my heart felt incredibly warm. This is what it means to be brothers—knowing it's a mountain of blades and a sea of fire, yet still accompanying you through it!

"Good!" I waved my hand. "Let's go!"

There was a small door in the light barrier for people to enter and exit. I took more than a dozen elites and slipped out, and the light barrier closed immediately behind us.

As soon as we stepped out, a thick murderous aura rushed toward us.

The Shadow Pavilion minions saw us come out and charged forward with howls. Without a word, I drew my sword and slashed!

"Sky Breaker Slash!"

A golden sword aura swept out, instantly cleaving the three unlucky guys at the front and sending them flying. Their health bars were wiped clean, and they turned into white light to respawn in the city.

"Dawn Guild is working here, bystanders get lost!" I roared at the top of my lungs. "Blood Hand Asura! Your Grandpa Dog is here, if you have the guts, come out for a duel!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd opposite automatically split into a path.

Blood Hand Asura walked out slowly, a playful smile like a cat playing with a mouse on his face.

"Yo, isn't this the recently prominent Chen Ergou?" He looked me up and down. "A level 25 little swordsman dares to challenge me?"

"Cut the crap!" I held my sword horizontally. "Let's fight!"

"Interesting." Blood Hand Asura licked his lips. "Since you're in such a hurry to die, I'll grant your wish."

Before his voice faded, his figure suddenly disappeared!

Assassin skill—[Stealth]!

My heart tightened, and I immediately activated [Sword Heart Clarity], pushing my perception to the limit.

On the left!

Almost instinctively, I dodged to the right. A cold light grazed my neck, drawing a string of blood beads.

-587!

"Yo, quite a fast reaction." Blood Hand Asura's figure appeared not far away, with surprise on his face. "Actually able to dodge my [Backstab]?"

I touched the wound on my neck; it stung terribly.

If I had been even a split second slower, I would have already respawned in the city.

"Is that all you've got?" I feigned calmness and grinned. "I, your Grandpa Dog, thought you were something amazing; turns out you're just a rat who likes to sneak attack!"

"Stiff-mouthed!" Blood Hand Asura's face darkened, and his figure disappeared again.

This time it was even faster!

My eyes blurred, and a bone-chilling coldness came from behind.

[Flash Step] + [Backstab]!

An Assassin combo!

I didn't have time to dodge and could only take it head-on!

-1024!

A terrifying damage number floated above my head, and my health bar dropped by a third instantly!

"Holy crap!" I winced in pain and backhanded with a [Sweeping Thousand Armies] sword strike, forcing back Blood Hand Asura who wanted to pursue.

"Tsk tsk, your skin is quite thick." Blood Hand Asura looked at me playfully. "But it doesn't matter, I have plenty of time to play with you."

As he said that, he disappeared again.

The next few minutes were simply a nightmare for me.

Blood Hand Asura was like a ghost, appearing and disappearing; every time he appeared, he left a wound on me. My health dropped rapidly, and I was chugging red potions from my backpack like they were free.

"Damn it, this bastard is so disgusting!" I cursed in my heart.

The Assassin class is practically a bug—can't hit him, can't run from him, just stuck being beaten.

If this keeps up, I'll definitely be worn down to death!

"No, I need to think of a way..." While dodging in a sorry state, I thought quickly about a countermeasure.

Blood Hand Asura's advantage is speed and stealth; his disadvantage is... defense!

To pursue extreme burst, Assassins usually put attribute points into Agility and Strength, making their health and defense relatively weak. As long as I can seize an opportunity to land a heavy blow, I might have a chance!

The problem is, how to seize the opportunity?

This bastard is as slippery as an eel and doesn't give me a chance for a head-on fight at all!

"What? Can't take it anymore?" Blood Hand Asura's voice came from all directions. "Weren't you quite arrogant just now?"

I gritted my teeth and said nothing, just holding the sword handle tightly.

My health bar had already dropped below 20%; if I take two more hits, I'm done for.

Just when I was almost desperate, suddenly—

"Blood Hand Asura! Your opponent is me!"

A white sword light descended from the sky, aiming straight at Blood Hand Asura!

Blood Hand Asura clearly didn't expect this, forced to reveal his figure and cross his daggers to block.

"Clang!"

Amidst the sound of clashing metal, Blood Hand Asura retreated three steps, his face changing slightly.

I looked up and immediately became happy.

"Senior Brother Qin!"

The person who arrived was none other than the chief inner disciple of the Sword Pavilion, Qin Wuji!

Behind him followed a dozen inner disciples of the Sword Pavilion, each one aggressive and murderous.

"Junior Brother Chen, are you alright?" Qin Wuji landed beside me and asked with concern.

"Not dead yet!" I grinned and drank a large red potion. "Senior Brother Qin, you came just in time!"

"The Elder sent me to support the East City Gate." Qin Wuji's gaze was like lightning, staring at the Blood Hand Asura opposite. "Leave this guy to me, you go and rest."

"Don't!" I quickly stopped him. "Senior Brother Qin, let's team up and kill him!"

Qin Wuji was stunned for a moment, then nodded: "Alright!"

Blood Hand Asura looked at us, his face so gloomy it could drip water: "Two against one? Is the Sword Pavilion so shameless?"

"Cut the crap!" I spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva. "Why didn't you say it was shameless when you were bullying me earlier?"

"Exactly!" Qin Wuji also rarely cursed. "When dealing with you evil heretics from the Shadow Pavilion, why bother with the rules of the pugilistic world!"

"Seeking death!" Blood Hand Asura roared and took the initiative to attack!

This time he didn't dare to play stealth attacks, because Qin Wuji's [Sword Heart Clarity] realm was much higher than mine, and Blood Hand Asura's stealth was completely transparent in front of him.

The three of them fought into a ball!

Qin Wuji's sword techniques were open and honest, every sword strike carrying majestic momentum. My sword techniques were strange and unpredictable, unconventional, specifically looking for openings in Blood Hand Asura to strike.

One righteous and one bizarre, the coordination was seamless!

Although Blood Hand Asura was high-level, facing our pincer attack, he gradually fell into a disadvantage. His health bar dropped steadily, and his face became uglier and uglier.

"Damn it!" He gritted his teeth. "You forced me!"

After speaking, he suddenly took out a blood-red pill from his bosom and swallowed it in one gulp!

"Not good! It's a Berserk Pill!" Qin Wuji's face changed drastically. "Retreat quickly!"

But it was too late.

Blood Hand Asura's body suddenly expanded, his eyes turned blood-red, and a thick bloody aura emanated from his body.

"Hahaha!" He laughed wildly. "To force me to use this move, you guys died worthily!"

"Blood Shadow Clone!"

In an instant, Blood Hand Asura's figure split into five; five identical Blood Hand Asuras appeared simultaneously, attacking us from different directions!

"This..." Qin Wuji was stunned. "Which one is real?"

I narrowed my eyes, feeling the fluctuations of the five clones.

On the surface, these five clones were identical, even their auras were exactly the same. But my [Unrestrained Sword Intent] told me—

The second one on the left!

There was a slight, imperceptible lag in that clone's fluctuations!

"Senior Brother Qin, the second one on the left is the real body!" I shouted. "You are responsible for dragging the other clones, I'll go kill him!"

"Alright!"

Qin Wuji didn't say a word, waved his long sword, [Ten Thousand Swords Return to Origin]!

Countless sword auras turned into a sword net, enveloping all four clones at the same time.

And I transformed into a golden streak of light, taking the second clone on the left straight on!

"Impossible!" The real body of Blood Hand Asura's face changed drastically. "How could you see through my Blood Shadow Clone?!"

"Because your Grandpa Dog is awesome!"

I roared, all the spiritual power in my body surged wildly, gathering at the tip of my sword!

"Sky Breaker! Moon Slash! World Destroyer!"

"Three styles combined!!!"

Golden, silver, and blood-colored, the three sword auras intertwined and merged, turning into a terrifying sword light that destroyed the world!

This sword strike condensed all my essence, energy, and spirit!

This sword strike is the peak strike of me, Chen Ergou!

"No—!"

Blood Hand Asura let out a desperate roar, wanting to dodge, but it was too late.

The sword light pierced through his chest, bringing up a spray of blood!

-9999!

A shocking damage number floated up, Blood Hand Asura's health bar was wiped out instantly!

He widened his eyes, full of disbelief: "Impossible... how could you... see through my... Blood Shadow Clone..."

"Because your Grandpa Dog," I gasped, grinning, "is cheating."

Blood Hand Asura's body turned into a white light and went back to the city to respawn.

The Shadow Pavilion army outside the East City Gate was suddenly in chaos!