Solo Max-Level Newbie - Chapter 391: Lü Bu Fengxian (2)

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*Name*: Lü Bu Fengxian
*Gender*: Male
*Age*: Unknown
*Level*: 212

*Strength*: 155
*Agility*: 113
*Stamina*: 120
*Magic*: 30
*Horsemanship*: 203

*Available Stat Points*: 0

*Class*: Spearman
*Unique Ability*: [Red Hare Rider]
*Skills*: [‘Sky Piercing Halberd’ Lv29], [‘Iron Will’ Lv28], [‘Berserk’ Lv27], [‘Spear of Betrayal’ Lv27].

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[Replication Condition: A trait as treacherous as cutting down one’s own foster father without hesitation. Despite this, Lü Bu is celebrated as the strongest warrior in *The Romance of the Three Kingdoms*, possessing all the qualities necessary for survival. However, he also has one critical weakness. Prepare a trap targeting this weakness based on historical references. By disrupting his composure, you can replicate one of his unique abilities or skills.]

—

*Red Hare Rider*.
A top-tier horsemanship-related ability.

While spearmanship was already a familiar field, this unique ability, *Red Hare Rider*, was something Kang Jinhyuk absolutely wanted to acquire for its strategic value.

As he read through the replication conditions, Jinhyuk’s lips curled into a knowing smile.

“As expected of Lü Bu.”

He had anticipated this, including the specific conditions for copying Lü Bu’s abilities. To that end, he had already prepared a crucial item in the Coin Exchange before coming here.

The stage was perfectly set.

“Trash mobs are unnecessary.”

Jinhyuk tilted his head slightly, his taunt directed squarely at Lü Bu.

The atmosphere grew colder, sharper than before.

“Amusing! I wasn’t certain when you killed Hua Xiong, but now… That strength! Yes, you’re the one who’s mastered that cursed art.”

Lü Bu’s previously composed demeanor was gone, replaced by a gleaming madness in his eyes. His murderous aura flowed in streams from his body, declaring this as his true form.

“This one is mine. You all deal with the other one.”

“Understood, my lord. Please enjoy yourself without concern.”

Gao Shun, who had remained still until now, led his elite guards toward Chun Yoosung.

If left alone, the balance of power would collapse.

In any other situation, Jinhyuk wouldn’t have cared whether that leech Chun Yoosung lived or died. But to fulfill the replication condition, Chun Yoosung’s survival was essential.

He couldn’t allow him to die.

“Ugh!”

Jinhyuk instinctively moved to intercept.

However—

*Boom!*

“……!?”

Jinhyuk was thrown back as Lü Bu swung his Sky Piercing Halberd, cutting off his path.

“Do not lose focus. Judging by your performance, it seems you haven’t fully mastered that ability. Get careless, and you’ll be in pieces.”

“……Have you fought someone who used Heavenly Demon Divine Art before?”

“I faced someone like that once in the past.”

*Clang!*

Barnard and the Sky Piercing Halberd collided, sending sparks flying in all directions.

A tense stalemate.

Jinhyuk rotated his body clockwise.

*Boom!*

Lü Bu’s attack, aimed at Jinhyuk’s flank, was blocked by his spear shaft. Simultaneously, Lü Bu swung his halberd in three arcs, splitting the ground into shreds.

The power was monstrous, yet his balance remained unbroken. Lü Bu’s flawless integration of offense and defense was truly deserving of his legendary status.

“With only 2-star energy, it’s tough to overpower him.”

If that’s the case…

Jinhyuk opened a spatial rift.

“Ready for instructions.”

A girl with blue hair and a pair of short spears emerged.

“Frey, assist that guy over there and clean up the small fry. Chun Yoosung will deal with the pests; you only need to handle the weaker ones.”

“Eliminate all enemies… Not a difficult task. Probability of success confirmed at 99.85%.”

“Also, make sure he checks his subspace inventory. I’ve sent him a gift. Hand him this note too. If he refuses, just say ‘video.’ That’ll make him comply.”

“Understood. I’ll deliver the message.”

Frey nodded and dashed toward Chun Yoosung’s location.

“What is that girl?”

“Arrogant…! Does she think this is a playground… Gah!”

The soldiers of Gao Shun’s unit, who had underestimated Frey’s petite figure, soon faced a living nightmare.

They couldn’t stop her.

*Thwack!*

*Stab!*

Her spears darted like lightning, piercing every soldier in her path.

Even shields protecting vital points and counterattacks with spears and swords couldn’t catch her shadow.

In a blink, over twenty soldiers lay dead.

And Frey’s momentum didn’t falter.

*Tap. Tap.*

Moving like a weasel, she targeted the enemy’s weakest points.

A lieutenant with a hole in his throat staggered and collapsed. The soldiers he commanded fell into chaos, and their ranks were swiftly annihilated.

—

“Lü Bu… Fengxian.”

Lü Bu’s eyes widened.

“How can such an entity appear here… No, how can it be under the control of a mere player?”

Sherry muttered in disbelief.

—

With Frey handling the situation, the path was clear.

Now was the time to conclude this labyrinth’s climax.

*Step.*

Jinhyuk approached Lü Bu.

“So, it seems a direct duel between you and me is inevitable.”

Lü Bu also stepped forward, gripping his halberd tightly.

—

*Boom!*

The Sky Piercing Halberd and Barnard collided head-on.

Under normal circumstances, there was no way a small dagger could withstand the massive, artifact-class halberd weighing hundreds of kilograms. A mere graze should’ve shattered it.

But this was no ordinary battle.

*Boom!*

Despite being barely 180cm tall, Jinhyuk pushed back Lü Bu, who towered at over 3.5 meters.

*Clang!*

Lü Bu deflected a dagger aimed at his right side, only to take a direct kick from the opposite direction.

His massive frame was flung nearly 10 meters.

Lü Bu sprang up and leapt to the side.

*Boom!*

A massive crater formed where he had just stood.

‘What… What kind of monster is this?’

The longer the fight dragged on, the more Lü Bu felt his lips drying out.

*Crash! Boom! Clang!*

Their exchange was so fast it was barely visible.

Lü Bu struggled to keep up, each clash feeling heavier than the last.

“This martial art wasn’t this strong before. It was never like this…!”

He recalled the past battle against someone who had used the so-called Heavenly Demon Divine Art.

But this… This was entirely different.

“Judging by your surprise, you must’ve fought a knockoff before. Don’t go spouting nonsense about the Heavenly Demon Divine Art ever again.”

“There’s no chance for that anyway. Today, here, the history of your pathetic death after a lifetime of betraying others will repeat itself.”

Jinhyuk’s voice carried a calm certainty, unfazed by Lü Bu’s oppressive aura.

Lü Bu narrowed his eyes, the killing intent in his gaze sharpened.
“It’s true I underestimated your ability, but don’t get cocky. I’ve yet to show you my real strength. Wipe that arrogant smirk off your face, or I might just slice it off along with your lips.”

As he spoke, crimson sparks crackled in the air, and a massive horse materialized by Lü Bu’s side—his legendary mount, the *Red Hare*.

Lü Bu pulled a leather flask from his belt, uncorked it, and drank deeply. A silver liquid coursed down his throat.

[‘Moon’s Spring Water’ has been consumed!]
[All stats temporarily increased by 300%!]
[Lü Bu has activated his unique ability: *Red Hare Rider*!]
[Due to the Hero’s Specialization, Phase 2 has begun!]

Scarlet system messages flashed in rapid succession.

Lü Bu wielding his Sky Piercing Halberd was already fearsome enough to rival an entire army. But Lü Bu atop the Red Hare was nothing short of invincible.

Jinhyuk felt the weight of an intense magical force pressing against his skin. It wasn’t quite on the level of the Sun’s Spring Water, but the Moon’s Spring Water boasted absurd effects nonetheless. It drained the user’s stamina and magic but granted them overwhelming power for a brief period.

“So, the real game starts now, huh?”

*BOOM!*

Lü Bu’s form vanished.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Jinhyuk, his Sky Piercing Halberd raised high.

*Whoosh!*

Jinhyuk dodged the attack by a hair’s breadth, but he was immediately met with a relentless flurry of thrusts, dozens of them aimed at a single point.

“Hiiieeeing!”

The Red Hare reared violently, making the trajectory of Lü Bu’s strikes nearly impossible to predict.

“Now this is a fight worth my time,” Lü Bu smirked as he maneuvered his spear with newfound ease.

The combination of the horse’s mobility and the high vantage point made Lü Bu’s attacks exceedingly difficult to counter. Jinhyuk could feel the pressure mounting with every passing second.

To copy Lü Bu’s ability, he needed to push him to his limit. But at this rate, it would be tough to corner him.

“I was hoping to avoid using anything above 2-star energy, but… no choice now.”

Even if it was risky, Jinhyuk resolved to crush him with overwhelming force.

*Fwoosh!*

The aura around Barnard intensified, growing darker and sharper.

“For the record… I haven’t been going all out either.”

[*Heavenly Demon Divine Art: Third Style*]

Jinhyuk unleashed one of the most spectacular techniques of the Heavenly Demon Divine Art—a style capable of slicing heaven and earth in a single instant by detonating the user’s stored magic.

[*Celestial Blossom Overflow*]

A radiant white line curved elegantly through the air.

—

Lü Bu’s instincts screamed danger. His body moved before his mind could fully process it.

*Slash!*

A long gash appeared along the Red Hare’s neck, blood spurting in thick streams. Any slower, and the horse’s head would’ve been severed completely.

“Hiiieeeing!”

“You insolent brat!”

Lü Bu roared, his fury erupting. Crimson energy surged along the shaft of his halberd as he poured every ounce of strength into his next attack.

*Thud-thud-thud!*

The sheer momentum of the Red Hare’s charge combined with Lü Bu’s strike was devastating. What followed was a battle more intense than anything before, a whirlwind of deadly exchanges.

“Fall back! All of you!”
“If we get caught up in that, we’re dead!”
“How can something like this even be called a fight…?”

Those watching from a distance hastily retreated, terrified of being caught in the storm of destruction.

*Crash! Smash! Clang!*

The clash of steel echoed endlessly. Neither side held back, each move aimed to kill.

How much time had passed? Neither combatant could say.

“Hah… Hah…”
“Huff… Huff… Cough… Gah…”

Though the prolonged battle showed no decisive winner, exhaustion began to take its toll. Both fighters were drenched in sweat, their breathing ragged. Each attack had drained their stamina more rapidly than anticipated.

Lü Bu staggered.

*Now.*

Jinhyuk gave the signal he had been waiting to use.

A soft sound accompanied the faint fragrance of flowers spreading across the battlefield.

A figure emerged, her jet-black hair smooth as silk, her features delicate and ethereal. She radiated an elegance and beauty so profound it stunned everyone into silence.

“Aah…”

Lü Bu’s pupils quaked.

That scent, that face—there was no mistaking it.

It was her. The one he had been captivated by in life. The one he had searched for even after ascending the Tower of Trials.

“Aah…”

*Clang!*

The Sky Piercing Halberd fell from Lü Bu’s trembling hands as he reached out toward the figure, unable to believe his eyes.

The sole reason he had abandoned wealth and glory to remain trapped in this labyrinth—the promise made by Hastin to reunite him with *Diao Chan*.

And there she stood, adorned in resplendent white robes, half her face obscured, her presence stealing the air from the battlefield.

“I’ll kill you, Kang Jinhyuk. No matter what else happens, I will end you.”

It wasn’t Diao Chan who spoke, but Chun Yoosung. His gaze locked on Jinhyuk with a murderous intent that could not be masked.