Awakened Talent: 10,000 Exp Converter!

Chapter 173: A Gift

His voice was firm, cutting through the silence of the chamber like a blade, resonating with an unshakable resolve.

"Why are you still siding with humans?"

While Clauny stood bewildered, unsure of the context of their conversation, Vincent’s stern expression softened for a fleeting moment before twisting into a smirk, as if he had just heard something absurdly amusing.

He replied simply, yet with unwavering conviction, "Because I’m a human."

In truth, Vincent could see where Vash was coming from, but he wasn’t Vash.

Though he, too, harbored doubts about humanity—especially the leaders of this era—he couldn’t deny his own nature. At the end of the day, he was human.

His parents were human. His loved ones were human. He was human.

To not side with humanity would be nothing short of foolish. That said, it didn’t mean he blindly trusted every human he encountered. Continue reading stories on Freewebnovel

He was a human with his own beliefs, his own principles, and his own code.

The chamber fell into a heavy silence, broken only by Vash’s sudden, booming laughter.

"Hahahaha!"

Vash laughed uncontrollably, one hand pressed to his forehead as though he had just heard the most hilarious joke in existence.

The chamber itself seemed to tremble under the weight of his laughter, the walls vibrating with each burst of sound.

When Vash’s laughter finally subsided, the chamber returned to an uneasy stillness, the air thick with tension.

Vash’s eyes gleamed with an unreadable intent, his lips curling into a sly grin.

"Heh, you’re right. That was foolish of me to ask. You’re a human."

He chuckled softly, the sound dripping with amusement, before repeating, "You’re a human…"

His words lingered in the air, heavy with implication, and he gave Vincent a look that was both calculating and enigmatic.

Vincent felt a flicker of confusion at Vash’s odd expression, but he quickly pushed it aside, his focus sharpening as he braced himself for any sudden attack.

Yet, contrary to Vincent’s heightened alertness, Vash continued speaking in a casual, almost dismissive tone, as if the idea of a fight was the furthest thing from his mind.

"Relax a little, kid. Do you really think you’d still be standing there if I wanted to fight you?"

Vincent’s confusion deepened, his brow furrowing as he struggled to make sense of Vash’s demeanor. He decided to voice the questions burning in his mind.

"Not trying to fight? Aren’t you the one behind the breakouts happening on the Novice Continent?"

At Vincent’s question, Vash’s lips curved into a subtle smile, but he didn’t directly answer. Instead, he sidestepped the inquiry with a cryptic response.

"I just wanted to meet you, that’s all."

Vincent’s frown deepened, his suspicion growing with every word Vash spoke. He didn’t buy it for a second.

Vash noticed his skepticism and let out a small, exasperated sigh, shaking his head as if dealing with a stubborn child.

"You’re such a doubtful kid. Alright, I wanted to meet you because I thought you were like me. But it seems I was wrong... for now." His voice trailed off, leaving an unsettling pause that hung in the air like a storm cloud.

Vincent caught the last part of Vash’s sentence, and it only deepened his unease.

His frown tightened, his mind racing to decipher the hidden meaning behind Vash’s words.

Suddenly, Vash turned his head sharply to the side, as if something had caught his attention.

For a brief moment, his expression darkened, a shadow passing over his features before he regained his composure.

He turned back to Vincent, his tone now carrying a note of finality.

"Unfortunately, I’ll have to cut our conversation short. It was nice meeting you."

With that, he rose to his full height, his presence commanding and imposing.

"I’m sure we’ll meet again, and when that time comes, I hope you’ll join me by then..."

With a casual wave of his hand, a swirling red portal materialized beside him, its edges crackling with energy.

Just as he stepped toward it, he paused, as if remembering something important.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I can’t simply leave without giving you a gift for our first official meeting."

The moment the words left his lips, a massive figure plummeted from above, crashing into the ground with a deafening impact that shook the chamber to its core.

Dust and debris filled the air, and the ground trembled beneath Vincent’s feet.

"Hehe, I hope you like my gift."

Without waiting for Vincent’s response, Vash stepped into the portal and vanished, leaving behind only the faint hum of energy as the portal closed.

Vincent no longer had the luxury of worrying about Vash.

Before him stood an almost 20-meter-tall primal if it was standing, its hulking form radiating raw power and menace.

Its eyes glowed with a feral light, and its low, guttural growls echoed through the chamber, sending shivers down the spines of anyone who heard them.

Umbra Tyrant — Tier 3 (2?) (Half-Primalized)

The Umbra Tyrant was a chimeric beast, a monstrous fusion of power and darkness. Its body resembled that of a sleek, muscular panther, covered in dark purple fur that seemed to absorb all light, giving it an almost otherworldly appearance. Glowing tendrils formed a pulsating crown on its head, and its enormous wings, tattered at the edges, oozed a shadow-like mist that trailed behind it like a sinister aura.

Seeing this, Vincent felt an immediate sense of danger, his instincts screaming at him to prepare for the fight of his life.

He slightly turned his head, glancing over his shoulder at Clauny.

"Get to the back and protect yourself. I’ll end this quickly."

Clauny hesitated for a moment, her concern evident in her eyes, but she knew her limitations. Reluctantly, she complied, stepping back to a safer distance.

"I understand. Please be careful."

Vincent simply nodded in response, his focus already shifting back to the towering beast before him.

As soon as Clauny moved to the back, the Umbra Tyrant let out a reverberating growl that shook the chamber, causing faint tremors to ripple through the ground. Dark energy began to gather around its glowing tendrils, coalescing into a pulsating dark orb.

It was the Umbra Tyrant’s skill: Dark Pulse!

With a stomp of its massive leg, the dark orb shot toward Vincent like a laser cannon, its speed almost blinding. It was upon him in an instant, but Vincent was ready. He activated the second skill of his Obsidian Aegis armor: Aegis Ward!

Skill 2: Aegis Ward

Effect: Projects a protective barrier that absorbs a substantial amount of incoming damage for 8 seconds, providing a significant boost to defense in critical moments.

While active, Aegis Ward also enhances resistance to all elemental attacks by 15%, making the wearer more resilient against magical effects and elemental-based attacks.

A translucent shield of crimson and black energy formed around him, just in time to meet the incoming attack.

Bang!

The dark energy pulse collided with the Aegis Ward, the impact producing a deafening sound as Vincent was slightly pushed backward, his feet sliding across the ground. The dark pulse dissipated after three seconds, leaving him unscathed.

The Umbra Tyrant growled, clearly annoyed by its failed attack. Without hesitation, it charged its tendrils once more and launched another Dark Pulse!

Boom!

This time, Vincent didn’t rely solely on his Aegis Ward to absorb the full force of the attack. Instead, he activated the second sub-skill of his Stoneheart Gauntlet: Stonebound Guard!

Sub-skill 2: Stonebound Guard

Effect: Stonebound Guard generates a barrier of dense rock around the user, reducing all incoming damage by 50% for 12 seconds.

While active, this shield emits a shockwave when struck, dealing 60% of the user’s base physical damage as earth damage to nearby attackers within a 2.5-meter radius, with a slight knockback effect.

A dense rock barrier materialized in front of him, intercepting the dark pulse.

Boom!

Despite the barrier’s damage-reducing effect, the dark pulse shattered the rock shield instantly, though its force was significantly weakened by the time it reached Vincent’s Aegis Ward.

Seizing the opportunity, Vincent activated his movement skill, Spectral Rift, and teleported into the air above the Umbra Tyrant. At that moment, the effect of his passive skill, Impervious Silver Armor, was fully active. The skin of his right arm gleamed with a metallic silver sheen, radiating power.

He didn’t stop there. Vincent activated his epic-grade skill, Rending Strike!

Name: Rending Strike

Grade: Epic

Direct Impact Effect: Cleaves through armor and shields, adding 60% of base attack as pure physical damage, bypassing defenses.

His fist glowed dangerously with crimson light, the energy crackling around it like a storm waiting to be unleashed. But Vincent wasn’t done yet. He activated the third skill of his Obsidian Aegis—Umbra Retribution!

Skill 3: Umbra Retribution

Effect: When activated, Umbra Retribution stores up to 15% of the damage received over 5 seconds and then releases it as a shockwave of dark energy, dealing that accumulated damage to nearby enemies within a 6-meter radius. This shockwave has a moderate chance to stagger foes, creating an opening for counterattacks or retreat.

Vincent could feel an overwhelming surge of strength coursing through him, a thrilling sensation that made his heart race.

With a loud grunt, he hurled his fist toward the massive head of the Umbra Tyrant.

"Ha!!!"

BOOM!

An overwhelming force erupted upon impact, accompanied by a deafening explosion.

The shockwaves that followed were so powerful that the chamber trembled violently, dust and debris raining down from the ceiling.

"Kyaaah!"

Clauny, standing at a distance, let out a yelp as the shockwaves reached her, forcing her to shield her eyes and brace herself against the force of the blast.

Vincent and the Umbra Tyrant disappeared into the thick smoke that now filled the chamber, the aftermath of the devastating collision.