Chapter 23: Triple Breakthrough (1/2)

After dodging the attack, Jake brought out his bone sword. With a deft hand, he threw one of them at Ray.

Ray detected the attack beforehand. The familiar blue light coursed through him as he blitzed away.

Before he could decide on his course of action, an undetected arrow appeared in his sight.

This time Ray could not dodge, he only managed to cross his arm, blocking the arrow from puncturing his heart.

”Ahh, that hurts,” Ray shouted furiously.

”I warned you, ” Lola said, her face normal, but with a hint of seriousness.

Ray scoffed at her as he brought up his injured left arm, and dragged out the arrow from it.

”I--”

Ray was interrupted by Jaya, who swept him off his feet. She double stomped him.

As if feeling pleasure, she kicked him away like a football.

Ray, who was in the air, was getting frustrated. Veins popped out of his previously calm face.

Still, he was not spared a moment. Floating after having just received an attack, he saw Nico close to him, his hands clapped together in a smashing style.

*Boom!*

Before Ray could get back to the ground, Nico smashed him down.

Dust filled the surroundings. The trio was happy as such an attack should knock out Ray…...that was what they thought. But Jake knew it was far from over. With his sharper vision, he could see a figure drenched in overflowing blue energy.

'That is spirit essence,' commented Jake. Master Luca had told them what spirit essence is. It was an ability only wielded by those above the Physique Modeling realm. Jake didn't know much about it, but he knew it could be used to augment one's physical attributes.

”Hahaha. Now, you have done it. I am gonna kill you guys,” a vengeful voice was heard amidst the dust.

Suddenly, a blue light flashed. It was Ray's sword, thrown with tremendous speed heading straight at Lola!

”Lola!” with good reflexes, Nico jumped at Lola, pushing her down with him.

”Whew”

He thought he had dodged the attack until he felt a sharp pain in his leg.

”Nico, your leg!” shouted a worried Lola.

”Don't worry. This not enough to take me down,” smiled Nico at his sister.

He stood up to show her, staggering. The sword had only grazed him, it wasn't enough to make him bleed….still, the attack was deadly. If he hadn't saved Lola in time, who knows what would have happened to her.

He looked at the figure coming out of the dust-filled area. It was Ray, with blue energy swimming across his body. His wounds opened, blood poured out, but he didn't feel any bit weaker than he previously did. Instead, he felt a lot stronger!

”Kneel,” commanded Ray.

A heavy pressure exuded from him as he commanded the group. The pressure was proof of the gap between him and the group. It was a pressure that could only be used on those of weaker cultivation base.

Jake felt like the weights of ten elephants were applied on his shoulder. It was only his will keeping him from kneeling.

”It is like gravity is working in his favor,” commented Nico as he tried to resist the pressure. He was having it easier than Jake as he possessed a naturally strong body and also he was of a higher cultivation base. The same applied to Jaya and Lola.

Jake spat blood as he tried to resist the pressure. It was getting heavier every second.

'I guess I will have to do it. It can't be helped,' sighed Jake.

After seeing through Ray's facade, Jake desperately sought a backup plan, as he had predicted this outcome. Ray was ultimately a realm above them. If not for his injuries, Jake reckoned that he would have killed them already.

Therefore, Jake had prepared a plan to ups his stake of winning. It was simple. After the battle with the beasts, Jake had accumulated enough to break through to the next stage, but he couldn't as he would be left vulnerable. So, if needed, Jake could force a breakthrough on himself. Though it would be quite risky and might damage his body, Jake was sure that he would be okay.

With a shout, Jake summoned all the accumulated energy in him, as he reviewed the next stage

'Fourth stage is the skin tempering stage. I just have to let the familiar hot rush flow through my skin'

Jake closed his eyes for a second as he concentrated. Feeling the hot rush, he tugged at it and directed it to his skin. Immediately, Jake could feel his skin flaying. His skin gained a shade of red as it burned hot.

After what felt like an hour, but was actually a second, the hot feeling stopped and Jake entered a new height of strength. Still feeling he could still breakthrough, Jake prepared for the next one.

'Fifth stage is the flesh and muscle stage. It is the same with the previous stage; I just have to temper my muscle and flesh with the hot rush.'

Not wasting any second, he proceeded. Concentrating again, he felt the hot rush, but he noticed it was weaker than before. Tugging at it, he willed it into his muscles and flesh.

What followed next was a surge of immense pain as the hot rush pounded into his muscles. He could feel them getting more elastic and firm. After the entire ordeal, he slipped into his thoughts.

'I barely have enough accumulated energy for the next breakthrough, still, I have to risk it!'

'The sixth stage is the Organ tempering stage. I can do this.'

In the outside world, not more than five seconds have gone by. Jaya, who noticed Jake's inactivity.

”What is up with him?”

Jake wasn't the type to lose focus in battle. She felt like he was most likely doing something important.