Chapter 72: Blood-Burning Drive

"Crack!" With a crisp, sharp sound, Wang Yu’s expression shifted. He exerted all his strength to shed the crushing weight of Wendy’s greatsword, rolling away to put distance between them.

"Ah, Brother Wang Yu, I’m so sorry! I just can’t control my output once I start fighting." Before Wang Yu could speak, Wendy was already stammering an apology.

"Huff... it’s fine..." Wang Yu glanced at his right arm, which he had used to brace against the greatsword. It now hung limp at his side; the shoulder joint had been dislocated by the sheer force of the blow.

"Click." He dropped his short axe with his left hand and gave his right arm a sharp, forceful tug. Ignoring the agony of the joint snapping back into place, he began to flex it. The sudden surge of pressure hadn't been Wendy’s strength—it was the sword itself, which had suddenly increased in weight.

"Hum..." Wendy’s greatsword was vibrating, emitting a low, droning roar. Only now did Wang Yu notice that the serrations on the blade weren't meant for cutting. The faint, intricate runes etched into the jagged edges were pulsing with a soft, violet light.

Energy, resembling electrical arcs, crackled between the teeth of the blade.

The sword, which Wang Yu had felt was manageable moments ago, was now being dragged by Wendy, its weight so immense that it carved deep furrows into the earth, causing the surrounding ground to spiderweb and crack.

Clearly, the weapon’s weight had become terrifying.

"This sword was custom-made by my grandfather. I’ve always been naturally strong, so he enchanted it with 'Gravity Magic' to help me leverage that advantage."

"Hehe, but I fight on instinct, so once I get going, I find it hard to stop. Sorry I hurt you, Brother Wang Yu."

"But you’re incredibly strong! We’re both mid-tier apprentice knights, right? My strength is top-tier for our rank, but yours is even greater!"

Wendy scratched her head, looking genuinely troubled. Her strength had always been her greatest pride, yet she had just discovered that Wang Yu surpassed her.

"You’re younger than me; you’ll have plenty of room to grow. Besides, being able to wield a sword enchanted with gravity—or rather, weight magic—shows you have immense talent. Don't sweat the details; my own battle aura is quite mediocre."

Wang Yu spoke casually. While he held an advantage in raw strength, it was a byproduct of his obsessive focus on physical conditioning, which left his total battle aura reserves lower than his peers.

"Gravity magic? Oh, that sounds much better than weight magic! I’ll call it gravity magic from now on! Do you want to keep going, Brother Wang Yu? I can put this sword away if you need me to."

Wendy clearly didn't grasp the concept of gravity, but she liked the sound of the name. She pointed to a standard greatsword on a nearby rack.

Wang Yu shook his head. If Barret had arranged this sparring session, there was a reason for it. Wendy wouldn't be allowed to crush him in every aspect, or the training would be meaningless.

Barret likely wanted to improve his adaptability—perhaps by using agility to evade the sword’s crushing weight and avoiding a direct clash with Wendy’s greatest strength. By constantly wearing her down with speed, he could secure a victory. After all, Wang Yu’s constitution was superior to Wendy’s, not just his strength.

However, Wang Yu decided against following Barret’s likely strategy. He wanted to test his own limits.

"Wait, let me change weapons. Keep using your greatsword, Wendy!" Wang Yu signaled for a pause.

He walked to the edge of the arena, stowed his short axe, and pulled out the matching piece to his iron gauntlet.

These gauntlets, left behind by the old knight, were the most durable material he had ever encountered. He usually kept one hand bare for dexterity, but the weight and quality of the gauntlets were identical.

He donned the second gauntlet and returned to the center.

"Uh, Brother Wang Yu, are you sure? I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold back and I’ll hurt you again." Wendy looked distressed, hesitant to strike at his empty-handed form.

"It’s fine! Wendy, just give it your all!" A shout came from the sidelines—it was Avia.

"Ah, Sister Avia, then I won't hold back! Don't be mad at me, Brother Wang Yu!" Wendy took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and shed her hesitation, instantly entering a combat state.

"Huff, watch out, Brother Wang Yu." She gripped the hilt with both hands, dragging the violet-arcing greatsword behind her. Her muscles coiled, and battle aura surged through her limbs, propelling her forward in a sprint.

"Right." Wang Yu assumed a defensive stance, meeting her charge with a calm gaze.

"Hum!" The sword emitted another heavy drone. The violet light dimmed, and the weight vanished, allowing Wendy to accelerate instantly. In a few strides, she was upon him.

She swung the blade over her head, her body arching back. As the sword descended, the violet arcs flared again. The sudden, massive increase in weight transformed the strike from a slash into a crushing blow.

Wendy’s style wasn't about brute force; it was about the fluid manipulation of the sword’s weight, using its unpredictable mass to shatter her enemies.

The sword plummeted. The force behind it was no longer Wendy’s strength, but the gravity of the world itself. Her immense power served only to guide the trajectory.

The greatsword crashed down. It carried a terrifying, crushing presence. It was a weapon of pure, unadorned power.

Wendy felt a pang of regret; she had used too much force. If a short axe had left Wang Yu dislocated, an empty-handed strike might leave him crippled.

"I should pull back some of the weight..." she thought, her spirit reaching out to the sword’s core to dampen the gravity magic.

But then—*Clack! Thud!* Two iron-clad palms shot upward, meeting the descending blade just as it began to accelerate.

"Boom!" The immense weight forced Wang Yu’s knees to buckle. His feet sank into the packed earth, and his arms trembled violently, but he held it.

His skin flushed crimson, and he stood his ground, bracing the crushing weight with his raised hands.

"Hoo-hoo!" Heavy, rhythmic breathing escaped his nose and mouth, accompanied by a plume of white steam. Wang Yu’s state was similar to his "berserk" mode against Oka, but with a crucial difference.

Three forces were now intertwined within him: his muscles, his battle aura, and his blood.

He had created a new technique: Blood-Burning Drive. By combining the "Bloody Gale" secret art with the "Boiling Blood" method, he had found a way to use his blood as a conduit for power.

The "Bloody Gale" allowed a knight to manipulate their own blood. Wang Yu had taken this further, using the ripple-like transmission of his battle aura to control his blood internally, providing not just power, but a cooling and protective layer for his organs.

The berserk state was no longer a suicidal technique. With his blood acting as a buffer, the strain on his body was manageable. The only limits were his stamina and his battle aura reserves.

Three minutes. That was his limit.

Under the influence of the Blood-Burning Drive, Wang Yu unleashed strength that defied his rank. Like a monster in human skin, he forced the gravity-laden sword to a standstill.

"Aaaah! It’s so heavy!" As Wang Yu successfully held the blade, the two of them were effectively locked in a stalemate.

Wendy’s strength was inferior to Wang Yu’s, and under the pressure of the Blood-Burning Drive, she was overwhelmed. The sword’s own weight began to push her backward.

She stumbled, unable to resist the tilt of the blade. "Hum!" She quickly deactivated the gravity magic. The sudden loss of weight caused Wang Yu’s muscles to lose their resistance, and he faltered for a split second.

Wendy, experienced as she was, didn't miss the opening. She abandoned the sword and pivoted, throwing an elbow toward his ribs.

"Boom!" But Wang Yu was faster. In his driven state, he was terrifyingly quick. He shifted his weight, his body sliding sideways, and countered with a shoulder bash.

Wendy’s elbow strike was shattered by the impact. She was sent flying, rolling twice before finding her balance. Before she could recover, Wang Yu was already upon her.

"Swoosh!" His fist tore through the air, a blur of iron-clad knuckles stopping just inches from her nose. A single drop of sweat rolled down Wendy’s forehead. She swallowed hard; if that blow had landed, her skull would have shattered.

"So... so strong, Brother Wang Yu... I-I lost." Wendy’s voice trembled. She was truly frightened.

Wang Yu’s sudden burst of speed and power had left her with no room to react. The feeling of being on the brink of death was not something one could face with indifference.

"Huff..." Wang Yu exhaled. The crimson flush faded from his skin, and his muscles relaxed. A slight tremor remained—a minor side effect of the overload—but he felt satisfied.

He clenched his fist, a smile of contentment on his face.

Wendy hid behind Avia, who had run over to check on them. The boisterous girl shrank back, looking at Wang Yu’s sunny smile with lingering fear. This man... why was he so terrifying?