Road to Mastery: A LitRPG Apocalypse

Chapter 345: Defying Tyranny

The clash was too unexpected. Jacks fist shot out, and then Cranxiao flew back. Moreover, a cracking sound clearly came from his fist.

The cultivators in the crowd, most of whom were dreadfully awaiting Jacks defeat, took a moment to process this.

What?

Cranxiaolost the exchange?

Even Baron Longform revealed a stunned expression. Even the all-knowing Sage blinked in surprise once before saying, Oh, I see. It was about time. Only Brock and Dorman, who knew of Jacks recent increases in strength, showed smug expressions.

Cranxiao flew back for only ten feet. The thousandfold gravity took hold of him and smashed him into the ground, cratering the hard stone. Even he was stunneda moment later, his features contorted, and he flew into a rage. The stone under him cracked further as he shot upright.

How!? he roared.

Jack kept that calm smile on his face. He slowly retracted his fist. By being stronger than you.

What sort of concept was this? A peak D-Grade with the battle power of a late C-Grade? It was unheard of!

Cranxiao finally realized hed fucked up. Hed provoked someone he never should have. As for the crowd, they finally cheered! Their shouts reached into the void of space, filling it with enthusiasm.

They didnt know how this had happened. But they didnt care! In their eyes, Jack was suddenly a hero!

Jack Rust! they chanted. Jack Rust!

Cranxiaos face darkened further. Hed fucked upbut it was too late to step back now. A massive warhammer appeared in his hands out of nowhere; it was nine feet long and possessed a solid-looking hammerhead made of dark stone. Jack couldnt identify the material, but it was so heavy it almost sucked in his Dao perception.

Cranxiao was sweating. His hands were shaking. Wielding this weapon in thousandfold gravity was a massive strain for him, requiring a large portion of his Dao to support it.

However, he had correctly judged that against Jack, frontal power was the name of the game.

Cranxiaos eyes sharpened. His aura billowed out unrestrained. He was no longer fighting to dominatehe was fighting to kill.

Without a word, he charged out. His hammer rose to the sky and crashed down.

Jack grinned. Life Drop, activate! Suddenly, a deluge of life energy filled his body, infiltrating every nook and cranny. His skin itched, his bones groaned. He grew a foot in height and two extra arms sprouted out below his armpits.

Jacks four-armed form was originally a battleform that increased his bodily power. It still wasbut, when used on top of his already-enhanced body, even Jack didnt know the limits of his current power. He only felt a bottomless, limitless strength, as if he could punch the sky asunder and shatter the earth.

The moment he transformed, the knowledgeable people in the crowd felt disbelief. They could recognize a Life Artifactbut it was actually in the hands of a D-Grade?

The hammer was still crashing down. Cranxiaos domain rolled outan oppressive gray pushing against Jack, locking down the surrounding space and preventing his escape, forcing him to meet the hammer head-on.

Jack roared. Purple stars erupted, flying everywhere. They were instantly suppressed by Cranxiaos gray domainJacks Dao remained far weaker than the other mans, but it was enough to give him freedom of movement.

He could have dodged. However, in that moment, as his body was filled with endless vitality, he didnt want to. His fist sailed upward, a comet in a clear sky. His knuckle met the falling hammer. Space shook. The ground rumbled. The hammerhead was too hard to break, but its wielder was not.

Cranxiao felt like hed struck a mountain. His hammer stopped mid-swing, then recoiled. The impact traveled down to his palms and tore apart their webbing. He barely managed to hold onto the hammer as he once again flew backward, his hands dripping blood.

What!?

The crowd was shaken. This was sensational! If Jack had used some powerful skill to defend against Cranxiaos casual strike, that would be one thing. But now, Cranxiao had taken out his weapon, released his Dao Domain, and attacked with full force. And he had still been forced back!

What the hell was happening? How was this the power of a peak D-Grade?

Jack laughed out loud. His hand had shattered in that exchange, but it was already patched up. He shot forward. His Dao remained suppressed by Cranxiaos, barely enough to let him move freely, but that was all he needed.

He possessed excellent titles and almost six hundred extra stat points from body tempering. He was already far superior in bodily power, and then hed even activated the four-armed battle form which enhanced him further.

At this point, he didnt even need his Dao. In the Cathedral, where the thousandfold gravity was supposed to be a major constraint for everyone, he was fighting as freely as if he was on Earth. His every punch carried tens of tons of strength.

With his body alone, he was an unstoppable warrior. How could Cranxiao match up?

Jacks assault was relentless. He fell on his opponent, shooting out punches faster than the other man could react. Every punch was a falling comet, every swing a death sentence. Cranxiao didnt even have time to feel shocked. He was forced on the defensive, blocking desperately as he retreated.

His Dao specialized in oppressing weaker opponents. He usually relied on overwhelming strength to win his battles. Facing someone with even more overwhelming strength, just what could he do?

He wasnt even fast!

Hammers were not good in close-quarters defense. Jacks fist slipped through, striking Cranxiaos abdomen like a cannonball. Cranxiao flew back, spitting blood all the while. While he did possess some self-regeneration, it wasnt enough to heal wounds in the blink of an eye.

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Don Cranxiao was injured!

The crowd went crazy. They didnt know what they were seeing, but it was like a dream come true. Their throats went hoarse from shouting, and their chanting echoed across the entire Cathedral.

Jack Rust! Jack Rust! Jack Rust!

Jack had been one of them until now. They saw themselves in his despair. Now, when he erupted with unprecedented strength and pushed back the tyrant, they believed in him wholeheartedly. In just a few seconds, Jack had become these peoples hero!

Cranxiao crashed against a cabin wall. He could still fight. Before he even stood, as Jack approached, Cranxiaos eyes went blood-shot and he shouted, Tyrannical Aura!

A wave of terror spread outward. Jacks steps faltered. He felt an attack on his psyche, the certainty of death if he kept defying this overlord. Cranxiaos aura crashed down on his soul like a second hammer, suppressing him through fear.

But who was Jack? He had fought for his life since the Integration. He had faced death dozens of time. He had challenged and defeated an entire B-Grade faction before millions of people. He had ruled a planet.

How could a mere bully stop him?

Jack roared out. His own skill was unleashedBrutalizing Aura! Cranxiaos terror was pushed back, brought to a standstill by Jacks. The two auras clashed mid-air, grounding against each other, sparks flying in the void. It was like two bloodthirsty beasts fighting for dominance.

And Jack was not pushed back at all!

His Dao may have been limited by his cultivation, but when it came to resolve, he was confident that he would lose to no one!

Cranxiaos eyes widened! The crowd roared out more cheers. On the rooftop, Baron Longform narrowed his eyes in suspicionJacks skill was too similar to his own aura. Was it a coincidence?

Jack reached Cranxiao again. Hammer and fists clashed. Jacks hands were broken, but Cranxiao was sent flying back, passing between two cabins to land in the empty fields outside. The crowd hurried to make more space.

Jack walked out from between the cabins like a god of death.

You wanted to harm me and my friends, he said. You wanted to kill me. I hope you are prepared to pay the price.

Cranxiao shot upright with hatred in his eyes. His hair was dirty, blood stained his shorts, and his face was warped in pain. However, most of his power remained.

I am Don Cranxiao! he bellowed crazily. I have never been defeated by someone weaker than me. It will not happen today! Come at me, you ant! Let me show you the power of tyranny!

His aura boiled over. More and more of his Dao was pulled out of his body, focused on the hammerhead which glowed with a dark gray light. Bloodthirstiness erupted, filling the void, and the crowd took a few more steps back.

Cranxiao was betting everything, including his very Dao, on this strike. If it failed, he would no longer be a tyrant, but it was precisely that gamble which amplified his power! He raised his hammer and charged forward.

Overlord Hammer!

Jack didnt underestimate Cranxiaos final attack. The purple stars around him spun faster. His Brutalizing Aura flared. He clenched his fist, and the worlds light and sound were drawn inside, making it a single purple star in an endless night.

He shot it out. A starry trail followed. His entire hand exploded against the falling hammerhead.

Meteor Punch!

The sound was swallowed up in the blast. A burning shockwave erupted. The crowd covered their eyes, the ground cratered and shattered, stones crossed the air.

A hammer flew high.

The high gravity cleared the dust instantly. When it did, Cranxiao was revealed on the ground. His hands bled profusely. His breath was shallow, and more blood streamed out from between his lips, while the right side of his chest was caved in. Jacks punch hadnt only stopped the hammer, but it had also broken through to strike Cranxiaos body.

As for Jack, he stood straight. Blood was pooled under him, but his hand was already regenerating at a rapid pace. As the crowd watched with wide eyes, his four-armed form receded, revealing an exhausted but victorious man.

Jack Rusthad won!

The crowd erupted in cheers. They thought they were dreaming, but that didnt stop them. Brock nodded with pride, Dorman smiled brightly, and the Sages eyes were sparkling.

As for Jack, who stood over his opponent, his gaze remained hard. He did not seem ready to walk away.

This was a duel to the death. They had agreed so in the presence of an Envoy, and Cranxiao had already announced this to everyone. If Jack wanted to strike out and kill Cranxiao right now, nobody could accuse him.

That was exactly what he intended to do. His fist rose, purple light budding over it.

Stop! a voice cried out. Baron Longforms aura was billowing from the rooftop on which he stood, his face carrying caution. He didnt want to offend someone as promising as Jack, but he couldnt let his cousin die. Let him leave. This is over. He will never bother you again.

Hmph! Jack sneered. If he won, would he let me live?

Longforms brows fell. Youre going too far.

So what? This is a duel to the death, with everyone here and an Envoy as witnesses. I have every right to kill him.

That man is my relative. Your duel has concluded. If you harm him any more, I guarantee that you will die a horrible death.

The crowd had gone silent by now. Jack may have wonbut he couldnt possibly defy Baron Longform. Even if he couldnt do anything right now, defying him was a death wish!

Jack was well aware of that. This man was not an enemy he wanted to make. The sensible solution would be to let the matter gohe had already won, anyway.

But how could he stop now? Don Cranxiao was a detestable bully, a man who had harmed a lot of people. He absolutely deserved death. Moreover, if Jack let him live, who knew how Cranxiao would get revenge in the future? He might target Jacks friends or even Jack himself in a moment of weakness. It was certainly something a man like him would do.

And, besides all thosethe Fist was not a Dao of thoughtless mercy. When defeating a blood enemy, there was only one conclusion.

Death!

Jacks fist abruptly struck down. Stop! Longform shouted again, releasing his full aura and dashing forward, but it was too late. Jacks knuckle exploded on Cranxiaos throat, cleanly severing his head from his body. A hateful, disbelieving look was plastered on that ugly face for eternity.

Longform landed beside Jack a moment too late. He stilled for a moment, his body exuding waves of tyrannical aura. Without looking at Jack, he said, You have made the wrong enemy.

Then, his aura receded. It was withdrawn and hidden deep inside himself like he felt no fury or hatred at all. Passing his hand over Cranxiaos body and head, Longform made them both disappear, then calmly walked away without giving Jack another glance.

These acts terrified Jack more than if Longform had thrown a tantrum. This was not a hotheaded brute like CranxiaoLongform was a calculating, cold-hearted, powerful tyrant. His calmness made him a hundred times more dangerous, to the point where Jack was seriously worried.

However, he had done the right thing. When the consequences came, he would just have to deal with them. And, since they were already enemies

Wait a moment, Jack said.

Longform paused. Are you talking to me?

Cranxiao and I had bet twenty Dao stones on our duel. It was also agreed that if we perished, the debt would be paid by our friends and family. I couldnt possibly force you to complybut you wouldnt abandon your cousins honor, would you?

Longforms aura was still, like a volcano about to erupt. As he turned around, his eyes were dark and cold, overflowing with killing intent. Jack feared that hed gone too far. However, Baron Longform reached into his pocket and fished out a small sack, tossing it over at Jack with enough force to defy the thousandfold gravity. Jack caught it cleanly.

The crowd had gone deathly silent. Longform then kept walking, eventually disappearing behind a corner.

A moment passed. Then another. The entire crowd found their voice again, and they cheered with enough intensity to shake the Cathedral. Their eyes were starry, their expressions brightto these low-rankers, Jack Rust was one of them who suddenly erupted with potential, killed Don Cranxiao, and openly defied Baron Longform. He had done what none of them would dare or be able to do.

He was their hero!