Chapter 147 The Final Bow 2

Instead of using [Annihilate] for all seven blows of [Hammer Spin] Aurum decided to not dilute the buff over seven blows and save it all for his last strike. Hiro's lesson resonated deeply with the San-Baka. In the fun camp, they battled without pause thus they also used their skills nonstop.

[Hammer Blow] which was Aurum's strongest skill used Aura to magnify his strike and repeat it five times, each time stronger than the last. Throughout fun camp, the number of monsters Aurum smashed to pieces went in the high sixties.

As he continued repeating the skill, getting trampled during the stupor window, he eventually learned [Hammer Blow]'s next iteration [Hammer Spin]. This skill unlike its predecessor isn't limited to only one target. Aurum gained the ability to either split the strikes between opponents or focus them all on one opponent.

This skill was like giving wings to a tiger. The son of Standar spun like a top smashing monsters with his greatsword in an attempt to crush them. Luckily the bone swords Hiro forged inherited the attributes of [Bloodline of Steel]. Consequently, all the swords if infused with Aura increased in durability and density.

The weapon's increase in density turned it heavier while the added durability allowed it to withstand Aurum's sadistic use of his weapon. Hiro's bone swords were carefully selected, the greatsword he and Aurum use are made from the spine, arm, and legs of the Steelapes.

Hiro grew fascinated at how the monsters used their aura to become heavier or tougher. After figuring out he couldn't eat the flesh due to being more metal than meat, he salvaged them to create weapons instead.

This modification, allowed Aurum's weapon to not only survive the punishment but further strengthen it effectively becoming something similar to a battering ram due to the force and weight. The son of Standar actually applied Hiro's lesson to even the way he used his weapon. His motto changed from "hitting a target with his maximum strength" to "Either my sword breaks or you do."

Due to the change in mindsets, Aurum no longer fell back when he encountered tough opponents. He started behaving like a jackhammer. If you cannot destroy it in one strike. Then keep hammering the fucker till it breaks. This is why he didn't bother to evade Tino's barrage.

In the future, he will encounter situations where evasion is not possible. Out of the three from his group only he had an all-rounder style. Lars relied heavily on agility, this forced his battle style to involve feints, quick attacks, and evasions. Fulgeo on the other hand was a burst fighter. His skill [Magic Swordsman] allowed him to use both Aura and Mana at the cost of being half-baked in both.

The son of Renacida, being intelligent as he is started to use Mana skills and Aura skills in concert when he fought, using both to eliminate the Stupor window of the other. His fighting style grew more flexible the more skills he learned. And having access to two of the three skill masteries naturally allowed him to see this as his biggest advantage.

Aurum felt left behind. His friends choose different routes. One went all in on one thing allowing him to leave the other two in the dust. The other created a hybrid combat doctrine leveraging two ways of fighting. What did he have? Aside from having a decent Aura the man had no other noticeable combat-related abilities to speak of.

After much contemplation and guidance from Hiro, he decided on one thing. "I will be unstoppable. Like air when I come for you, you will die or let me pass. I will never retreat." This philosophy wasn't so much a way of fighting but rather an insane personality quirk. But Aurum used this to guide his combat doctrine.

Thus since then, he never evaded. He took the damage, blocked or redirected it. Hiro taught him the basics of a martial from Earth. "Aiki-Ken" which if roughly translated means, "Harmony Sword". During the fun camp through much training and wounds due to mistakes, Aurum gained a unique passive skill. [Harmony Swordsmanship]

The skill allowed for a massive increase in the ability to defend against blows by force redirection. Like a top, the redirected force is used to prepare for the next counter. This skill gave Aurum the ability to effortlessly deflect any strike that comes from in front of him. From basic strikes to even skills, nothing got past the son of Standar so long as it was on his range level.

In an unsportsmanlike manner, Hiro wanted to experiment and used [Psycho Illusion] and [Mana Shotgun] in a duel with Aurum. The end result? A bloody mess of a heavily injured man afterwards. The Butcher praised the skill for allowing Aurum to block 30% of the blows and even commented saying it fit him perfectly due to his skill [Divine Arbiter].

Using [Harmony Swordsmanship] Aurum moved like a gentle breeze and slowly chipped at Tino's defenses. Once all conditions were met the man would then invoke [Hammer Spin] transforming him into a violent hurricane! Devastating his opponent through overwhelming force.

Tino who finally got out of skill lock had yet to see the damage he received. He bellowed in anger frustration evident in his voice. "What the hell happened to you bastards? How in the world did you gain so much power in just three months?! Tell me!"

The bodyguard who had heightened emotions from adrenaline and pain continued talking when almost 90% of his torso disappeared. He had every organ in his chest ripped out with even his spine severed below the shoulder blades. As blood started gushing out, his body only remained standing due to his lower abs and shoulders still connecting his left and right sides.

Aurum, who felt pity for a second answered the dying man who only had a few seconds to live. "We threw our humanity behind and willingly turned into monsters." Tino who heard the answer smiled as he left the words "Monsters huh? Guess that makes sense."

While System users had incredible resiliency, the requirement to survive fatal injuries was for the brain to remain intact, the heart to still exists, and for the spine to still be in one piece. Due to the strain on his now hollow frame, Tino's shoulder blade flexed and snapped. The loss of the only thing keeping him together caused the man's body to collapse on itself in a bloody heap.

Just like that Tino Malosi a level 75 [Adept] who everyone feared in the underworld died without fanfare nor even a worthy death. With his passing, Don Carlo fell on his ass his voice shaking from fear.

"That's impossible! Tino has never lost! I gave him all the good stuff. This is not real. This is a dream, right? I am dreaming? HAHA, I must be!" As the Don turned delusional the woman beside him slapped him into reality. "GET A GRIP YOU FUCKING PIG! TINO IS DEAD GET OVER IT! DO SOMETHING!" Unfortunately, Tino was a slave Don Carlo inherited from his father, the bodyguard served more like a father figure than just simply a servant.

Gadhala who saw that the man beside her still couldn't come to his senses stood up and once again stripped into her birthday suit. With her hand fully healed from Don Carlo's expensive potion, she waltzed towards Aurum and Co, trying to be as sexy as possible.