Zenith Online: Rebirth of the Strongest Player

Back when Soulless executed the slash against Kieran with the creepy pressure, the control he exhibited over his movements and how finely he condensed the attack revealed his current standard.

His improvements was one of the reasons why he was curious to know how Khaos fared against him.

Before Zenith Online's launch, where Umbra and Advent were of similar popularity, Soulless and Khaos were more or less of similar skill, with Khaos emerging slightly superior.

However, when the game began losing its popularity, Soulless removed himself from the environment and engaged in nothing but intense training to capitalize on his immense talent.

Because of this, his body had reached a state where he could withstand the frequent consumption of X-060.

Or, X-hancers of a 60% concentration.

After landing his strike against Kieran, Soulless' view of Kieran changed subtly.

It was almost imperceptible, but there was a hint of disdain in his eyes. After all, Soulless felt that Kieran's actions didn't match his earlier words.

How could he take on all three of them if he couldn't withstand this attack? But Soulless couldn't fathom that Kieran understood his class better than he did.

Of course, Soulless' disdain stemmed from the fact his earlier attack was a basic one. The only skill he activated was Spectral Tread, to exchange places with his Phantom Rend.

In his current form, all basic attacks appeared as Phantom Rends.

"When the mouth writes a check your actions can't cash, it is truly a sad ordeal," Soulless voiced.

A moment later, he unleashed another Phantom Rend but this time, he swung his blade three times.

Whoosh!

Soulless appeared at the position of the first Phantom Rend.

'False hope and confidence,' Kieran thought. Though amused, his expression remained neutral as he responded with an Accel Shift.

However, because of his skillful evasion, Soulless used another charge of his Spectral Tread to change places with the second Phantom Rend.

This action placed him behind Kieran.

Clang! Crrrrrrr!

To create an air of severity, Kieran waited until the final moments to respond by swinging Crimson Ashrune behind him.

The clash of their blades produced a sonorous noise that bled throughout the battlefield, creating a distasteful outcome.

The screech shouldn't have been that powerful, but Kieran realized that the nature of Soulless' attacks heightened the dismaying and disorienting effects.

'This is precisely why dealing with ghost-type individuals could be seen as frustrating,' Kieran thought.

As he narrowed his eyes, Kieran witnessed as Soulless consumed another Spectral Tread to appear at his side. This time, however, Soulless' blade was enveloped with a dense and netherly aura.

"Ghost Overdrive: Phantasmal Slash!"

In an instant, a wave of immense pressure appeared, followed by the wails of spectral creatures. Soulless' attack quickly escalated into something that resembled a deluge of cold darkness.

However, this darkness differed greatly from the one Altair produced.

If the darkness Altair produced was synonymous with the void of nothingness, then the one Soulless produced was likened to a cold, damp place with a haunting night.

Nevertheless, the presence of this attack didn't affect Kieran's mental state. He quickly tightened his grasp of Crimson Ashrune and responded at breakneck speeds, quickly unleashing a skill of his own.

"Blood Wave!"

A mix of deep crimson-red and purplish-blue energy intertwined and clashed against one another, soon resulting in a somewhat cataclysmic explosion.

Boom!

Fwoosh!

Kieran and Soulless exited from the aftermath of the attack at equal speeds, but Kieran was higher in the air due to his stronger jumping ability. While in the air, Kieran glanced at his Health bar.

'Considering that my Blood Wave can muster power resembling that of an A Rank Skill, Soulless attack should be a genuine A Rank Skill. Though I want to overpower him, he has yet to reveal that rumored ability that I must be wary of,' Kieran thought.

Based on what Kieran gathered from Soulless' actions, this current form greatly empowered all of his ghost-type skills, being aptly named Ghost Overdrive, which adopted the presence of whichever ghost Soulless chose.

Because Soulless was aware of Kieran's immense STR, he chose to let Hulking Throgal possess him, to greatly increase his physical capabilities. But, because of their earlier clashes, Soulless refused to engage in a challenge of physical might.

Eventually, Kieran returned to the ground and waved his sword before creating additional space between him and Soulless.

Some viewed this as Kieran running away, but Kieran had already devised a plan to deal with the power of Soulless' released form.

'Based on how much his power has increased, it's safe to assume that Soulless' class is amongst the highest caliber within the spectrum of Legendary Classes. Though Mythic Classes are believed to be insurmountable, they aren't. Some classes can excel given the right environment or the proper opponent,' Kieran thought.

The ability to draw ghosts into one's body was a frightening aspect in itself. But to unleash their power through perfect emulation was even more harrowing.

Even though his knowledge of Zenith Online's lore wasn't the best, Kieran knew that there existed a spectral creature of every type. Several of them had invaded the realm and it became the talk of the forum.

Against these creatures, many players suffered a tragic demise.

"That attack of yours. You mustered it very quickly and even then, it was strong. Tell me, why do you foolishly go against the guilds instead of submitting to one?" Soulless questioned.

Before responding, Kieran scrutinized Soulless with a scornful look. "If you're willing to be stifled by a presence like those guilds, then be my guest. I, with my aspirations, have no desire to do so. Even someone of your talent is nothing more than a Vice Guild Master that must adhere to the will of another."

As he listened to Kieran's words, Soulless seemed unencumbered, blinking as if he had no relation to this topic. "One must know their limits before they can break them. I understand the importance of pace and biding my time."

"Biding your time?" Kieran laughed lightly and shook his head. "I have done that before. A delusion of a mind trapped in an illusion. Perhaps after our conflict settles… you'll be awakened and the truth will no longer elude you."

Bang!

Unlike before, where he took a passive stance, Kieran rushed forward and raised his blade, bringing it down swiftly.

"Crimson Current!"

Surprisingly, his Crimson Current was augmented greatly, reaching a condition that rivaled an A Rank Skill in presence and ferocity.

However, Soulless shook his head. "I am not delusional, I am logical. Are you aware of the monsters we refer to as the Leviathans? If they move... you will have veteran Luminaries targeting you. In the end... they will break you."

"Whether it's the Doomsday Dominion, Slayer Asylum, Heroes Paradox, or the others…. I will not shy away from the challenge. What you consider monsters, I consider a goal. I'll simply become a beast capable of devouring a Leviathan," Kieran responded.

Rather than continue engaging in conversation with Kieran, Soulless quickly sheathed his blade and executed a lightning-fast quickdraw.

"Ghost Draw: Spectral Severance!"

With that, a ridiculously sharp attack slashed through the Crimson Current, slashing it in half to create a gap large enough for Soulless to avoid the attack.

However, rather than despair that his attack was ineffective, Kieran smiled faintly.

This smile didn't go unnoticed, prompting Soulless to momentarily glance behind him. Though bisected by Soulless' attack, the Crimson Current continued unabated, heading into the sea of players in the distance.

〈System: Your «Infamy Value» has risen to 18.〉

〈System: Your «Infamy Value» has risen to 40.〉

〈System: Your «Infamy Value» has risen to 70.〉

〈System:…〉

〈System: Your «Infamy Value» has entered the Third Degree.〉

Third Degree Infamy required at least 100 points of Infamy, which meant one had to either commit a heinous crime of considerable proportions or kill up to 100 people.

Until one reached Third Degree Infamy, amassing Infamy happened in a constant linear fashion.

Afterward, however, the amount of Infamy gained per kill or crime was dependent on how vile that act to gain the Infamy was. If Kieran were to mutilate someone, it would undoubtedly accrue more Infamy than a simple kill would.

A torturous kill was more heinous than a swift one, after all.

"When I said that I may very well be the worst menace on this battlefield, I wasn't lying. Let me show you precisely what I mean," Kieran stated.

A second later, a strange ripple released from Kieran's body, inundating the area with a ruthless presence.

This was naturally the Ruthless Catharsis ability attached to Kieran's new passive.

As he had surpassed the threshold to reset his skills at B Rank and below, Kieran did just that.

After resetting the skill, Kieran unleashed another humongous Crimson Current.

Unlike Kieran, Soulless couldn't just unleash another Spectral Severance to deal with this attack. Thus, he charged his energy and slashed his sword, unleashing a Phantom Rend that traveled faster and farther than normal, swiftly reaching the edge of the Crimson Current.

Fwoosh!

As Soulless switched places with a Spectral Tread, he felt an overwhelming sense of danger overcome him. As he looked to his right, Soulless realized a large blade was quickly approaching.

With all his B Rank Skills reset, Kieran could similarly unleash another Seethe Burst without an issue. And this skill was one Kieran used to claim a great number of lives.

It was admittedly his best skill of sudden one-shot killings.

Sadly, Soulless was not an individual who didn't understand how to save himself.

"Dual Ghost Release!"

While keeping the abilities of Hulking Throgal active, Soulless was suddenly enveloped in a great deathly wind.

A second later, he used the special ability of the ghost, Volant Wynsol.

"Intangible Step!"

It was only for an instant, but Soulless' body became intangible and invincible.

This moment of invincibility allowed him to brave Kieran's Seethe Burst without suffering the slightest bit of damage.

Once his body regained its tangibility, Soulless looked at Kieran with a subtle smug smirk. Such a fast reaction speed was naturally an edge that only an inhuman individual possessed.

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