"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Amid the cheers of the Tidal Legion soldiers, two figures streaked down from the sky, landing at the very center of the training grounds.
"Ohhhh!"
"Commander Bolton will definitely win!"
"Go for it!"
With the entrance of Locke and Bolton, the entire training field instantly exploded with excitement.
This was a battle between Sanctuary-level experts.
In this world, perhaps ninety-nine percent of people had only heard of Sanctuary experts without ever seeing one.
And among those who had seen a Sanctuary expert, maybe only ten percent had ever witnessed a true battle at this level.
Even these elite soldiers of the Tidal Legion were seeing a Sanctuary duel for the first time.
"Come, Locke!"
Bolton swung the long spear off his back, twirling it into a blazing spear-flower. Its gleaming point thrust straight toward Locke.
"I'll show you the difference between us."
With that, a torrent of aura erupted around Bolton. Violet battle-qi surged upward, empowering him with overwhelming might.
"Boom!"
Bolton stomped down hard. The ground cracked underfoot, and his entire body shot forward—turning into a streak of violet lightning that pierced through the air toward Locke.
His current speed was far greater than when they first met.
Locke had expected this.
Bolton was a warrior; before he grew accustomed to the aerial combat of a Sanctuary expert, he couldn't bring out his true strength.
But now that he had solid footing, both his speed and power had risen dramatically.
Facing the incoming strike, Locke used his usual approach.
"Phantom Mirage!"
Five silhouettes burst out from Locke's body. One shot into the sky; the remaining four scattered in different directions.
"Boom!"
Bolton's spear pierced through the Locke standing still on the spot—shattering the illusion—yet his speed never slowed as he thrust at another fleeing silhouette.
"Your little tricks won't fool me anymore!"
"Take this!"
"Thunderfall!"
"BOOM!"
Bolton's violet aura crackled into a net of lightning that sealed off every escape route. Countless bolts erupted from his spear, cascading like a waterfall toward the chosen target.
"Oh?"
Sensing the power in those thunderbolts, Locke raised an eyebrow.
As expected—no one capable of reaching Sanctuary was simple.
From this lightning, Locke could clearly feel the presence of Law-force.
Bolton… had also comprehended a thunder-type Profound Mystery.
However…
If Bolton believed this was enough to defeat him, he was being far too naive.
Within the thunderous storm, Locke's form was struck by countless bolts—before shattering into motes of light.
"What?!"
Seeing this, Bolton instantly realized the truth—the one he struck was still only an illusion.
But… how was that possible?
He had maintained oneness of man and nature, locking onto Locke's true presence with his spiritual sense the entire time.
Under such a state, how could he choose the wrong target?
Unless… the man before him possessed spiritual power far stronger than his own?
"Pa."
Locke's voice came from behind.
He had somehow appeared silently behind Bolton, one hand resting casually on his shoulder and the other pressing a sword gently against his neck.
"You lose, Commander Bolton."
Feeling the cold edge on his throat, Bolton's face flushed red then pale.
Two full hours—he had spent that long devising a method to counter "Phantom Mirage," hoping this victory would cement his authority within the Tidal Legion.
But everything had collapsed in an instant.
After this battle, his prestige was ruined.
While this sly bastard—using nothing but tricky moves—would rise to the top.
"How did you do it…?"
"Why don't you ask yourself why I couldn't do it?"
Locke knew exactly what Bolton wanted, but he had no intention of explaining.
Bolton had clearly prepared a trump card to deal with him—but unless Locke completely broke his spirit, Bolton would keep coming back to bother him.
When they entered the training field, Locke sensed the moment Bolton entered oneness of man and nature, and instantly understood where the man's confidence came from.
Unfortunately for Bolton, when it came to mental power, a Sanctuary mage like Locke wasn't just stronger—he was on an entirely different tier.
Locke had simply left a speck of spiritual force on one of his phantoms while fully concealing his true presence.
Bolton fell for it immediately.
If every Sanctuary expert in the Wakanda Plane was as straightforward as Bolton, Locke could probably shout "I'll take on ten at once!" without worry.
Bolton's face turned dark red with embarrassment and fury.
Yet he couldn't say a word.
He had lost twice—and still didn't understand how.
The gap between them… was simply too great.
Was this man really a civilian-born wanderer?
"Raaaah!"
Driven into humiliation, Bolton erupted with blinding lightning. Caught off-guard, Locke was blasted backward.
Worse—bolts of lightning burrowed into Locke's body, raging wildly and tearing him apart from the inside.
"Pu—"
Locke coughed up a mouthful of blood, eyes turning cold.
If not for the ninth-order battle-qi in his body softening the blow, and his physique—tempered by qi—reaching the level of a seventh-order warrior…
He would have already been dead.
A mage struck head-on by a warrior of equal level was almost guaranteed to die.
Locke instantly merged his mind with the Laws and entered oneness of man and nature, using the Profound Mystery of Illusionary Fog to expel the invading thunder Law from his body.
Then, channeling Law-force, he cast an enhanced Aqua Therapy to stabilize his wounds.
His gaze locked on Bolton.
Anyone who tried to kill him… would not be forgiven.
"Celestial Dance Treasure Wheel—Five-Senses Severance."
Locke spoke the name softly.
In that moment, his vast spiritual power surged into Bolton's soul-sea—
—and stripped him of all five senses.
(End of chapter)
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