#518Chapter 518: Is the Blood of the Great Snake a Bloodline Curse?AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Chapter 518: Is Orochi's Bloodline a Bloodline Curse?
Cheng Tian could distinctly feel as if a veil had been cast over his spiritual power. Although he could perceive his surroundings to some extent, there was a very noticeable sense of sluggishness.
And this was the feeling brought about by the sealing of Cheng Tian's innate skill slots as well.
It was precisely because he was about to be restricted that Cheng Tian had directly used a combination of moves that would have been considered trump cards in the past during his fight with Sea Horse.
Resilience! Invincible! Strongest! The team only had the president, so after a very obvious shady deal, Cheng Tian officially entered the semi-finals and would compete against the winner of the upcoming Neon Team or Rage Team for the championship of this King of Fighters '97 tournament.
From the top sixteen onwards, items, equipment, professions, and skills successively entered an entirely red, unusable state, until the victory or defeat in the finals.
As the saying goes, it's easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury to frugality. This feeling of having once possessed everything but then losing it all was indeed quite difficult for Cheng Tian, especially when his first fixed skill, Hundred Demons' Night Parade, was sealed upon entering the space. Cheng Tian felt entirely out of sorts.
But Cheng Tian also realized at the same time that if he could break through the veil currently covering him, especially his spiritual power, then it would undoubtedly be an extreme breakthrough.
However, even in a state of four restrictions, Cheng Tian was very confident that his abilities seemed to be more numerous than some veteran Black Iron players.
His talents, Taiji True Eye, Sun's Protection (Pseudo), and his most relied-upon Game Master, all remained.
The template loading brought by Game Master, as well as the additional items and skills derived from clearing main story dungeons in the past, were also fully retained.
At the same time, the void garage and legend points attached to his title were still usable.
Cheng Tian tried snapping his fingers, and a slightly purplish flame of spiritual power danced forth from his fingertip.
Indeed, the development and use of his own spiritual power through spiritual combat techniques were also retained. Although its operation was not as smooth as before, it was indeed still usable.
Coupled with the low attribute compensation brought by the bloodline change, Cheng Tian still had the power to fight.
Looking at the series of talents and their derivatives that were still usable, Cheng Tian became even more convinced that other players' extreme breakthroughs were likely not as harsh as his own.
But then again, the closer he got to the finish line, the more vigilant he needed to be about unexpected events, especially after last night's incident. Cheng Tian could even roughly guess what would happen.
The only uncertainty was when the opponent would choose to appear.
Now that he no longer had the Dominator's specific scanning ability for humanoid groups, Cheng Tian also lost his targeted warning ability.
Fortunately, Irene could still sense abnormalities in her surroundings by listening to the wind's whispers... provided the opponent didn't use higher-level power to suppress the information the wind's whispers could bring.
While Cheng Tian was sorting through his currently usable abilities and trying to find reasonable combinations and possibilities, Irene was also in a state of high tension.
According to Cheng Tian's description, her challenge ritual actually only had one clear goal left, but it would also be the most difficult one to deal with. It would definitely be a lie to say she wasn't nervous.
However, watching Cheng Tian, who was clearly in an extremely weakened state due to the four restrictions, calmly take out a notebook and draw in it, her restless and anxious mood gradually calmed down.
Cheng Tian and Sea Horse's departure naturally meant the Neon Team and Rage Team's entrance.
This was also the standard fighting flavor that King of Fighters '97 should have.
The Neon Team, as the defending champions from the previous tournament, naturally carried more expectations.
Compared to the Neon Team, the Rage Team as a whole had a somewhat muddled feel.
It was as if they reached the semifinals without putting in much effort. From the perspective of preserving strength, the Rage Team should be the most complete.
In this match, they were going to have a good fight with the Neon Team.
It was still the standard 1v1 rotating elimination system. Kyo Kusanagi and Ralf, as captains of their respective teams, stood in the general position. Goro Daimon and Clark were the mid-level fighters, and Benimaru Nikaido and Leona were the vanguards.
At this point, there was no need for a host. So, Cheng, who was waiting with his teammates, undoubtedly focused his attention on Leona.
Kyo Kusanagi, whose spirit was still somewhat listless, was also a holder of a Sun God Gem Shard. However, based on his positive actions and thoughts, the Sun God Gem Shard did not cause erosion but rather a mutually beneficial enhancement. Therefore, Cheng Tian and Kyo Kusanagi were currently in a relationship of peaceful competition.
Whether in the finals or privately in the future, the two would have a martial arts-filled duel, and the winner would then reasonably take the other's Sun God Gem Shard.
However, there were quite a few variables concerning Leona.
As a descendant of the Hakkesshu, this girl also had the potential for a rampage, and from a game perspective, it was the same level of rampage as Iori Yagami.
What's more, Goenitz, who had originally led her to rampage and kill her parents, had been resurrected through power inheritance. The possibility of him using Leona's rampage again to create an opportunity, or even finding a way to sacrifice Leona, was quite high.
So far, among the Orochi Hakkesshu, Gaian, Yashiro, and Chris have been confirmed dead, and in a way that prevents reincarnation. Among the remaining five, Leona is temporarily normal, Ryuji Yamazaki is on the run, Goenitz has been resurrected, and there's a possibility that Vice and Mature, who were killed by Iori Yagami's rampage in the previous tournament, might still be around.
Cheng Tian, using his spiritual power clearly enveloped in a thin film, diligently scanned his surroundings. But until the vanguard battle, where Benimaru Nikaido's super special throw, "MAX Great Thunder," electrocuted Leona, leaving her charred and spitting white smoke, he neither scanned the imagined figures nor did Leona go into a rampage.
"Hmm~~~~~"
Stroking his chin and drawing out the sound, Cheng Tian's expression was a bit subtle.
If he were High Nicole, he would definitely cause trouble around Leona's rampage, as it's easier to fish in troubled waters.
So, thinking from another perspective, perhaps the opponent had a better card up their sleeve?
Actually, when the Rage Team had come over, Cheng Tian had considered letting Leona try the "Gene Repair Pod."
The repair scope of this item was not limited to limbs and organs; genetic diseases and bloodline curses were also within its repair range.
So, the question is... does Orochi's bloodline count as a bloodline curse?
C