Chapter 228 World Suppression, Internal Anguish

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“Nngh!” Kieran’s eyes widened as the pressure bearing down on his body suddenly amplified. Ronan hadn’t performed any irregular action, yet it felt as if the gravity surrounding his body had increased threefold.

Ronan’s indifferent cerulean eyes swept toward Kieran’s struggling expression, and he blinked again. From threefold, the swathing pressure Kieran forcibly withstood increased to fivefold.

The ground began to crack underneath the pressure as even triggering Blood Mania’s activation became difficult. When had he ever gone against a force so great it inhibited the use of his skill?

System: The user is being targeted by a dangerous force. The user’s «Will» is being challenged. «Will»’s subsystem is being activated. The effects of «Willpower» are surfacing.

System: Now that the «Willpower» subsystem is activated, the user’s Vengeful Soul may act as a vessel to contain one’s Willpower. [Current Willpower: 10]

After the Willpower subsystem was activated, Kieran felt a soothing presence that alleviated much of the pressure.

Kieran activated Blood Mania during that brief moment and erupted with fearsome momentum.

However, Ronan crossed his arms and tapped his finger against the inside of his elbow. The action paved the way for an even more frightening pressure to bore down on Kieran’s back.

At this point, Kieran’s left knee was three centimeters from touching the ground as he resisted to the greatest extent possible.

“Unrelenting. Unyielding. But subpar power,” Ronan spoke, speaking his opinion of Kieran’s current situation. Afterward, he continued to relay his perspective. “I can sense it from you—Will. The unique power Barbarians have cultivated and taken a step further. But... in this crude form, it is not enough.”

‘Strong. Terrifyingly strong,’ Kieran thought to himself. This wasn’t the first time he had come in contact with an Advanced Being; however, it was the first time he had done so without sufficient strength.

The disparity in power was a true eye-opener for Kieran. After all, after experiencing a rebirth, while Golden Brigade was the source of his wrath, Kieran didn’t eye the guilds as his opponents.

No, in his opinion, only the NPCs were his actual opponents. They held the true power within this world. Even if their lives were finite compared to a player’s, their influence and might remained far superior.

That superior power was the reason Kieran deemed them his ultimate adversaries and, in a sense, a goal. Sure, conflict amongst the players would be inevitable, but it would never be his focus—it couldn’t be.

Focusing on a pittance of an enemy would only hinder his progress in the end.

System: The user’s «Will» has risen to 2 points.

System: The user’s «Will has» risen to 3 points.

System: The user’s «Will» has risen to 4 points.

System: The user’s «Will» has....

System: The user is undergoing a primitive «Will Refinement»!

Ronan’s brow arched after witnessing the subtle yet continuous change in Kieran. From the almost kneeling position of a knight pledging their allegiance to a cause, Kieran rose until his leg formed an obtuse angle.

Unknowingly, Ronan’s lips curved into a faint smile. This was the first time he showed any emotion throughout the entire competition.

‘It’s just as Master Archival mentioned. Anyone fortunate enough to receive Commander Scar’s attention is far from normal. I can sense it—he’s a normal human, yet his Will is solidifying and purifying as we speak.’

However, Ronan’s smile was a precursor for a dreadful series of events. He extended his hand with an imperious presence. Only a slight Mana fluctuation could be felt as Ronan’s hand discharged a stifling ripple.

“World Suppression.”

Ronan’s voice was flat yet deep, invoking alarm in all those unlucky enough to hear it. An indent formed in the ground surrounding Kieran as Crimson Ashrune suddenly dropped like it weighed a few tons.

If not for his current Strength and the Vampiric Blood Encrustation reinforcing his hand, Kieran was sure his wrist would have snapped from the sudden increase.

System: The current force is becoming unbearable for the user’s current «Constitution». Prolonged exposure may lead to extensive injuries. Distance is advised.

‘Oh really? Distance is advised?! And how do you suppose I distance myself, you damned system?!’ Kieran internally snarled.

As if responding to his thoughts, the system answered his question.

System: The user may complete their «Will Refinement» to create distance. The current pressure can be thwarted for 0.1 seconds if the user’s Will becomes powerful enough.

“!!” Kieran’s eyes widened in disbelief. Did the game’s system just respond to his thought birthed from his internal anguish? To confirm his suspicions, Kieran asked another mental question.

‘What is the success rate of a Will Refinement?’

“...”

Kieran awaited a response, but nothing came, which made Kieran question his assumption. Was the system responding to his thought, or was it systematically providing a solution to support its advice?