Bul-Kathos's fury surged to new heights.
The power of mages, in simple terms, came from channeling mana to commune with elemental rules, wielding those rules in battle.
As a result, they were practically enslaved to those rules.
Or rather, mages who disregarded the rules gradually lost their ability to wield elemental forces. Thus, Bul-Kathos could only grudgingly tolerate his irritation.
But tolerance was not approval!
"If you think this power can restrain me, go ahead and try to stop my slaughter!"
His voice grew more impassioned, his rage teetering on the edge of overwhelming his reason.
As the world's greatest blacksmith, Bul-Kathos couldn't fully master the power of time.
But breaking a localized time loop? That, he was confident he could manage.
Immense power began to gather within his body. His next move was to fully infuse his fury into his form, letting anger awaken the bloodline inherited from his ancestors!
Wrath of the Berserker!
Bul-Kathos's body swelled, nearing a height of over three meters.
His work clothes shredded under the strain, and his hair and beard grew wildly, merging into a tangled mane.
A pair of menacing horns sprouted from his forehead, forming a demonic visage.
If Crusaders inherited more angelic blood, barbarians undeniably leaned toward demonic lineage!
Nephalem, depending on their class, tapped into their bloodline's power in distinct ways.
A pair of illusory, crimson energy wings gradually materialized behind Bul-Kathos, their hue identical to that of Imperius, the Archangel of Valor!
A sturdy pole rose against his back, bearing a war banner that fluttered fiercely!
"Mage, this is your final warning!"
Any goodwill Bul-Kathos had felt toward the Ancient One shattered in that moment.
He was ready for a fight to the death!
"Please, calm yourself!"
The Ancient One closed her eyes briefly, a trace of sorrow in her voice as she spoke calmly.
Their friendship teetered on the brink of collapse, leaving only the Supreme Sorcerer and the Barbarian King to face each other.
Bul-Kathos fell silent. He tilted his head skyward, opening a maw filled with jagged teeth.
"Xia!"
"Ha!"
"Wa!"
Three distinct war cries thundered through the time-frozen dimension!
The air roiled with the tempestuous shockwaves they unleashed!
Battle Rage: Bloodshed!
War Cry: Veteran's Warning!
Threatening Shout: Grim Harvest!
With these three war cries activated, Bul-Kathos was fully prepared for battle!
"This world doesn't need transcendent warriors to protect ordinary people!"
The Ancient One drew the Eastern-style longsword Bul-Kathos had gifted her. Bright yellow energy shimmered along the blade, flowing like water.
Bul-Kathos reached into his pack and pulled out a massive warhammer!
Its head alone rivaled the Ancient One's tall frame. Holy power pulsed within it, lightning and divine light radiating unmatched sharpness!
Hammer of Judgment!
Originally the weapon of the Archangel of Justice!
When Justice chose to become mortal and descended to the human realm, this weapon was entrusted to the only Nephalem capable of dual-wielding heavy arms.
Barbarians, upholding justice and near-reckless bravery, were the only ones who could face Justice's scrutiny without guilt!
"Justice! It endorses my actions!"
Bul-Kathos roared, but how could a clash of ideals resolve so easily?
The massive two-handed hammer crashed toward the ground!
The power of the ancestors formed three barbarian specters behind him!
He had yet to unleash his full strength. The ancestral spirits could channel his fury to manifest anew, fighting for justice.
For now, he merely concentrated their power into the hammer, smashing it into the ground!
A sharp crack resounded from the point where the siege-hammer-like weapon struck.
Dense fissures radiated outward!
The Ancient One, gripping the sword, charged at Bul-Kathos!
A tall woman charging a towering, ferocious giant over three meters tall.
It evoked the tragic valor of a fearless Don Quixote facing Goliath!
Bul-Kathos swung the hammer horizontally toward her!
A crisp snap rang out from the sword.
The blade, a symbol of their friendship, broke!
As the hammer neared her face, the Ancient One summoned the Eye of Agamotto with her free hand. In an instant, the space reverted to their initial standoff.
But Bul-Kathos's body didn't revert.
"So that's it! This isn't our first fight!"
He growled through gritted teeth!
The power of time could reverse events, but it had no effect on a barbarian in Wrath of the Berserker state!
His Nephalem blood kept his body in its transformed state! Though his memories were rewound, his physical changes didn't lie!
In a mere instant, Bul-Kathos deduced the truth of the Ancient One's power from his body's state!
"Or rather, you've attacked me more than once!"
He now believed she had deceived him!
"You only fear my power, not respect me as a person! No matter how many times you've struck, you clearly haven't seen my full strength—otherwise, you'd already be a puddle of blood!"
His fury neared its peak, showing no sign of abating!
The Ancient One began to feel the pressure.
This was her second time using the Time Stone against him, yet she hadn't anticipated his body could resist temporal alterations.
Now, no words could undo the misunderstanding fueling his rage!
"Mage! I'll give you one chance!"
His eyes held disappointment, though it was buried beneath blazing fury!
The Ancient One was the first person he'd met in this world—a mage, no less.
For the first time, Bul-Kathos felt friendship with a mage, even considering guiding her serene presence to seek the ancestors' approval!
He was willing to share barbarian strength and Nephalem blood with his new friend, but now he felt betrayed!
"Use your time power to save that innocent family!"
He stared at her, struggling to force out the words.
"Then make every mage disappear from my sight! You don't want to feel the Barbarian King's wrath!"
By the end, his voice was a guttural war cry!
"Bul-Kathos…"
"You don't get to say my name!"
Author's Note:
I don't often write in chapter notes, but this book's performance has surpassed the collection of my first million-word martial arts novel at its completion, which has me quite excited.
It's almost laughable—my million-word martial arts novel had a mere 102 collections on its final day.
From that book, I learned never to casually alter the outline or compromise the story for potential gains.
That book is my regret; I couldn't tell the story as planned, collapsing under constant revisions.
I'll carefully consider everyone's suggestions, but please allow me to stubbornly follow my vision for the story's direction.
If you find this book enjoyable, please cast a few votes or let me know I'm doing alright.
If one day you can't read on, I hope you'll leave a message to say goodbye.
As a flop of an author, I haven't faced much criticism or insults. If you're upset, I can only apologize and feel regret.
What else can an author do?
I can't disrupt my rhythm to cater to specific plot demands—that's irresponsible to both sides.
I can only guarantee that every character and plot point has meaning. No one wants endless battle scenes, so some daily life moments will persist.
But I promise—no half-hearted writing, no dropped updates.
I likely won't post single-chapter interruptions to your reading experience, except for notes like this.
Everything else goes here.
(End of Chapter)