Chapter 252: Cursed Eyes of Truth, Start of the Training
[Eyes of Truth (Artifact+)]
[Description: Grants the ability to see through all lies, illusions, and disguises. Passive and activates the moment you will it.]
"Oh…"
This wasn't a combat skill.
It was more suited for negotiations or unraveling deceptions.
Not exactly what Alex had been hoping for.
But...
Ding!
[Cursed Eyes of the King and Eyes of Truth detected.]
[Merging...]
Ding!
[You have gained the Cursed Eyes of Truth.]
"Alright," Alex muttered, though it didn't feel very exciting.
He knew that a passive that could reveal any sort of lies in someone's speech was useful, but he wanted more combat-focused ones.
If he could acquire just one skill/ability that could push him to become stronger than a god, then he would be happy.
This ability wasn't going to help him in battle, and that was exactly where he needed all the help he could get right now.
He and Kaelios' clone were locked in relentless combat after all, and Alex didn't see himself winning any time soon.
With no weapons, it was a brutal match of bare fists, though Alex relied on his claws to give him an edge.
Yet no matter how fast or fiercely he attacked, he couldn't land a single blow.
Hours turned into what felt like an eternity.
[You have died.]
[You have died.]
[You have...]
He had seen the death notification dozens, maybe hundreds, of times already.
It was getting maddening.
And do you know what is even worse?
After a few tries, and realizing that the [Cursed Eyes of Truth] truly didn't gave any sort of advantage, Alex immediately tied to check his second skill's description.
[Threads of Fate (Artifact+)]
[This skill allows the user to...]
Fwish! Bam!
He was struck by the clone instantly.
[You have died.]
"Huh?" Alex was shocked, "Let me read my description!"
"Nope~" Kaelios laughed, "You can't do that until you defeat the clone in a one on one without any abilities."
"You can't be serious..."
Every time Alex tried to check his abilities, the clone would interrupt and kill him.
He couldn't even finish reading their descriptions before being struck down again.
And even when he attempted to use the abilities without reading, the system stopped him.
Beep!
[You cannot grasp the power of this ability without reading its description.]
It didn't make sense.
Normally, basic spells like [Fireball] or even advanced ones like [Bleeding Claws] could be activated instinctively once acquired.
But these new skills? They demanded full understanding.
That was why Kaelios, the God of Destiny himself, was training Alex in such a ruthless way.
The power of a god were different from anything anyone could get, it wasn't easy to use.
If Alex didn't fight back, the clone would kill him instantly, offering no mercy.
"Are you sure it has the same power as me?!" Alex yelled, dodging two vicious strikes.
"Yep~" Kaelios replied with a grin, "Exact same attributes. And just so you know, it's not using any abilities. If it did, you wouldn't last a second."
"Damn it…"
Alex cursed under his breath.
Over the hours, he'd come to realize just how foolish he had been.
Slay gods with sheer willpower? What a joke.
The God of Destiny wasn't even possibly the strongest deity, he was just one of the top five.
No one knows who would be the real winner, even Kaelios couldn't truly affirm that he would win.
That still left four others on equal footing, not to mention the countless other gods who possessed combat skills and powers beyond comprehension.
Even gods considered "weak" by divine standards, like the [God of the Abyss], were leagues above any mortal.
A level 1500 player or NPC wouldn't stand a chance against a god at level 1000.
Alex should have known better.
But now that he understood, he wasn't going to act recklessly again.
If he ever wanted to stand a chance at defeating a god, he had to train harder than he ever thought possible.
He would train to the point even the God of Destiny would realize that he could truly become a God Slayer.
But first...
Fwish! Boom!
[You have died.]
Training came first.
...
Two Days Later
The clock read: [4 days 17 hours 37 minutes...]
Two more days of relentless fighting, and Alex made significant progresses in his battle, though not enough to win.
Kaelios, of course, was thoroughly enjoying the spectacle.
"You know," Alex grumbled, narrowly avoiding a punch to the gut, "this has to get boring eventually."
"Not a chance," Kaelios said with a laugh. "Watching you fail and die repeatedly is endlessly entertaining. Mortals are funny."
Alex wasn't given a single moment to rest.
No sleep, no reprieve, nothing.
Yet, oddly enough, he didn't feel exhausted.
"Is it because I keep dying?" he wondered aloud.
Kaelios smirked, "The power of a god flows through you now. You won't tire so easily."
"Figured as much," Alex muttered, deflecting another series of attacks from the clone.
As much as he hated to admit it, this endless battle was starting to pay off.
His movements were sharper, faster, more precise.
He was beginning to match the clone's speed and strength.
Kaelios observed silently, a faint glint of approval in his eyes.
"As I thought," he murmured. "That human probably has the most potential out of them all."
Then it happened.
Amidst the chaos of battle, something clicked in Alex's mind.
'I've got you,' he thought, spotting a subtle opening in the clone's relentless attacks.
He ducked under a swing, dodging with perfect timing.
Then, channeling every ounce of strength he had, Alex delivered a crushing punch to the clone's face.
CRACK!
The clone shattered into a cascade of glowing particles, disappearing into the air.
"Oh?" Kaelios raised an eyebrow. "I thought it'd take you at least another two days."
"I don't have time for that," Alex replied with a grin. "I've got a bloodline to acquire."
Without wasting a second, Alex opened his panel. Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire
"Hold on," Kaelios interrupted. "The deal was that you get to read one ability after beating the first clone. That's it."
Alex frowned but didn't argue.
He was beginning to understand Kaelios' method of training.
Five stages. Five clones.
Each time he defeated a clone, he'd unlock the opportunity to read one of his new abilities.
And until he mastered that ability, he wouldn't be able to progress to the next stage.
It was a brutal system, but Alex had to admit, it was effective.
[Stage 2 will start after you read your second ability.]
"Thought so," Alex nodded, "Let's do this."
He didn't need any break even though he had fought for 2 days, he simply wanted to master his new perks and destroy everything.
Ding!
[Threads of Fate (Artifact+)]
[This skill allows the user to perceive the invisible threads of fate that intertwine with every living being.
You can see the threads surrounding a target, predicting their exact actions for one minute with perfect accuracy. By understanding these threads, you can redirect the target's movements to your advantage.
If conditions are right, the [Thread of Weakness] will appear, a faint, crimson thread marking the opponent's inevitable downfall.
Seizing this thread guarantees instant victory, rendering any defense or escape futile.
Consumes 20 Destiny Points; no cooldown.]
"What the..." Alex stared at the description, stunned.
Kaelios chuckled.
"Impressive, isn't it? But don't think for a second that it'll make things easier for you. The next clone has already mastered it. You haven't."
Alex clenched his fists, a determined glint in his eyes.
"Let's do this," he said, ready to face whatever came next.