Chapter Seventy-Seven: Confronting the Swordsman of Sin

"Sinner," Old Hu's voice inevitably drew everyone’s attention. The weight of his expression was matched by the heaviness in their gazes as they looked toward the figure wielding a three-foot black blade. "I never expected it would be a sinner, a swordsman condemned. To think that the transformation of the Ancient Stone Forest was caused by a Sinner Swordsman—could this be a designated boss?"

Ye Yu seemed to have some understanding of the figure before them, though not as much as Old Hu, whose face was grave. "This Sinner Swordsman has already lost his mind. When the battle begins, support classes should fall back; leave it to—"

As Old Hu spoke, the Sinner Swordsman’s form suddenly shifted, letting out a guttural roar. He stepped forward, the black blade in his hand thrusting out in a chaotic flash of swordlight. With just a step, he surged several meters forward, launching himself directly at Ye Yu’s position, arriving before him in the blink of an eye.

"Damn, how can he be so fast!" Ye Yu’s expression changed as he muttered inwardly. But just then, Old Hu had already darted forward, placing himself between Ye Yu and the Sinner Swordsman. His massive shield swung out, blocking the incoming strike. The Sinner Swordsman's sword crashed into Old Hu’s shield with a thunderous clang.

Boom—

Old Hu was forced back by the blow, colliding heavily with Ye Yu. The two slid nearly half a meter before coming to a stop. Clearly, Old Hu had not managed a perfect block.

"Thank you." Though Ye Yu had already reacted, and might have dodged the sudden strike, he still offered Old Hu his gratitude.

"This Sinner Swordsman’s attacks seem to be able to break through blocks. Even with a perfect guard, you may still suffer residual force—like striking through a mountain to hit an ox," Old Hu explained.

Looking closer, the Sinner Swordsman stood nearly two meters tall, clad in a tight swordsman’s garb. Sharp, visually striking pauldrons adorned his shoulders, and over his right eye was a black feather-shaped eyepatch. Shrouded in swirling black mist, he appeared as a sword demon risen from the abyss.

Though Old Hu had withstood the blow, his stance remained as steadfast as ever. He flicked his three-foot blade, sending out an invisible, razor-sharp aura, locking his gaze on Old Hu, who stood resolutely before him.

"This boss doesn’t even give us a chance to finish talking—just attacks right away. The AI isn’t very sophisticated, not much refinement here," Ye Yu remarked, his brows furrowed. Yet a faint smile played at his lips as he looked at the Sinner Swordsman. He twisted his neck and joints, a violet glow gathering around him, and said coolly, "I’ve rested enough. Time to show what I can do."

"The Sinner Swordsman’s stats lean toward extreme agility," Luo Feng observed from afar, having witnessed the scene unfold. The Sinner Swordsman closed almost fifty meters in less than two seconds.

At that moment, Huang Hong frowned, gripping his spear tightly. With a sudden thrust, a cold gleam shot forth, carrying a fierce momentum toward the Sinner Swordsman.

But the Sinner Swordsman merely glanced at it, then stepped back, leaping lightly. His toes tapped the tip of the spear, and he evaded effortlessly, instantly opening several meters of space. His fluid movements stunned everyone; such evasive reflexes were extraordinary.

"Damn, that reaction is incredible. I timed my strike perfectly, yet he dodged so easily," Huang Hong exclaimed.

Ye Yu smiled slightly and replied, "Otherwise, how could he qualify as a boss in this dungeon? Whether or not he’s the final boss, his attributes are several times stronger than those of the boss that opened the Ancient World map segment."

Suddenly, the Sinner Swordsman gripped his black blade with both hands, swinging it before him in a semicircular arc. A wave of sword energy rapidly spread from his position, expanding at an astonishing rate.

Ye Yu’s pupils contracted sharply. "Get back!" he shouted.

Old Hu, however, stepped forward with his shield raised. With a clear, crisp sound, a large portion of the sword energy was deflected by Old Hu’s shield, creating a distinct gap in the wave. As the energy expanded, so did the gap, allowing everyone to slip through and avoid the attack.

"Leave it to me. This time, I can block the Sinner Swordsman’s sword energy," Old Hu declared, his voice resolute. The cold determination on his face grew sharper as he raised his shield high, his longsword poised behind him, advancing steadily toward the Sinner Swordsman.

Ye Yu did not stop Old Hu, for he saw the fighting spirit burning in Old Hu’s eyes. Compared to his earlier, tentative moves, Old Hu was now ready to show his true skill.

"It’s up to you now, Old Hu," Ye Yu thought, repositioning his group behind Old Hu. With Old Hu drawing the Sinner Swordsman’s focus, Ye Yu and the others had time to prepare.

Huang Hong’s spear glowed with a crimson aura, its hue deepening as the energy intensified.

Ye Yu placed his ancient zither horizontally before him, his fingers lightly resting on the strings. A chill flickered in his eyes as he fixed his gaze on the distant Sinner Swordsman.

"I’ll trap him!" Tan Cong stepped forward, summoning his totem. The control-skill totem was cast, instantly trapping the Sinner Swordsman.

Yet the Sinner Swordsman casually swung his blade, sending three flashes of swordlight that shattered the totem to dust. He burst from the remnants, leaping gracefully, and his black blade suddenly aimed at Ye Yu in a fierce slash.

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