God-Tier Extraction Talent: Reincarnated in a Game-like World!

Chapter 351: Killing another Hero Rank

’My health points, its dropping at a rapid pace.’ Dante noticed as the flowing earth continued to push him back, but that still was not enough to create any real distance from his opponent.

Gabriel gaze was locked onto his bleeding chest, his expression almost feral, like that of a beast that had locked onto its prey.

’He seems so focused on my chest. Both of his last two attacks targeted that exact spot... and now again. Could it be a passive effect of his sword?’ Dante’s thoughts spiraled into a chaotic mess.

Although a battle freak, he was still intelligent enough to see through the pattern forming in front of him. Therefore, he made a mental note not to allow Gabriel to land another hit on his chest again.

With Bull Rush activated, Gabriel covered the short distance between them instantly, the skill several times more powerful than Dante’s Earth Ripple.

Shing!

With a violent strike, Crimson Judgement split the air as it headed straight for Dante’s chest. Gabriel’s eyes were wide open, focused, making sure he did not miss the exact spot.

Time slowed.

The blade of the great sword inched forward.

Then it struck.

Gabriel’s eyes glinted in excitement.

Then he saw it.

The attack had not landed on Dante’s chest but instead slammed into his arm, which had been raised at the very last second.

"Son of a..." Gabriel’s expression darkened as the remaining window of time to initiate Crimson Pressure passed.

Dante leapt backward, creating about ten meters of distance between them.

"I do not know what you are planning to do, but I figured I would not allow you to hit me at that same spot three times."

Naturally, not even Gabriel could remain calm after that. He was clearly pissed. A chance to end Dante had just slipped right out of his grasp

But he understood things won’t go his way every time.

Meanwhile, Dante’s breathing was labored, exhaustion glistening across his face. He quickly retrieved a stamina potion and a mana potion and consumed them.

Gulp. Gulp.

Afterward, his mana increased slightly and his pale skin looked a bit more radiant, but the exhaustion still lingered in his eyes.

His grip on his weapon tightened. Dante was seriously considering whether to continue fighting or to run for his life. His opponent was proving to be far more troublesome than expected.

Gabriel did not attack immediately. Even he took a moment to catch his breath. The last few minutes had seen both of them going all out from the very start.

Scarlet, observing from the side with the others, narrowed her eyes.

"Those eyes... he is thinking about retreating."

Geoffrey frowned deeply and spat on the ground.

"That is impossible. Master would never retreat from a fight."

"Look closely," Sophie said calmly, a small smile appearing at the corner of her lips.

Geoffrey glanced toward his master again, taking a closer look.

Dante’s eyes flickered from side to side, as if searching for an escape route. Then his expression darkened as his gaze dropped to the blood pooling beneath his feet.

’It cannot be. Master would never.’ Geoffrey still refused to believe it.

Slowly, Dante lifted his gaze toward Gabriel.

The latter stood calmly, grip firm on his blade. He bounced lightly from side to side, preparing to launch himself forward once more.

’He is only level 50. He should be worn out by now.’ Dante frowned deeply as he watched Gabriel’s stance.

That arrogance from earlier was not baseless.

Now he understood it.

Still, Dante did not want to flee. Intense pain burned in his chest from the two previous sword strikes, blood steadily gathering beneath his boots.

Despite the pain, he knew retreating would be a massive blow to his pride. He would never be able to raise his head again among his peers.

’I have to use it then. It is better to give it one last try than flee.’

The hesitation vanished from his eyes, replaced by a blazing flame of resolve that did not go unnoticed by the onlookers.

"Better. If you had fled, I would have lost the last bit of respect I had for you," Gabriel said calmly, still bouncing lightly on his feet.

Dante did not respond. He closed his eyes briefly.

Then they snapped open.

"Molten Lava!"

Creakk crack!

The ground beneath Dante’s feet answered his roar.

Creakk crack!

The earthen arena trembled violently as glowing veins of molten light spread outward from his position. The soil darkened, hardened, then began to glow a deep, furious red.

BOOOM!

Heat exploded outward.

Players watching from the edges staggered back instinctively, some raising their arms as a wave of scorching air slammed into them.

The compressed earth softened, then melted.

Lava surged upward.

Not in a wild eruption, but controlled. Deliberate.

Streams of molten rock wrapped around Dante’s legs, climbing his body like living armor. The heat distorted the air around him, warping his silhouette.

Gabriel continued bouncing on his feet, ignoring the heat beating against his face.

Dante exhaled slowly. The pain in his chest was still there, burning, screaming, but it was being drowned out by something else now. Resolve.

The lava hardened into jagged plates around his arms and shoulders, cracks glowing like veins beneath obsidian armor. His spiked hammer like weapon slammed into the ground, sending molten splashes in every direction.

"This was never meant to be used against someone at your level," Dante said, his voice low and heavy, echoing unnaturally. "But you forced my hand."

The floor could no longer be called ground. Large sections had turned into semi molten sludge, bubbling and glowing. Heat waves rippled constantly, making every breath uncomfortable.

Sophie felt her heart tighten at the sight of the center of the camp. Nearly half of it had been destroyed. It would take an enormous amount of work to repair all the craters.

Gabriel tightened his grip on Crimson Judgement. He stopped bouncing.

Then he exploded forward.

His speed was so sudden that even Dante struggled to track him.

Yes. This was what he had been doing all along. He had not been bouncing for no reason, but to build power through his legs.

BANG!

The molten ground cracked beneath his feet as he crossed the distance in an instant, heat tearing at his clothes and skin. Dante swung his hammer downward with brutal force.

BOOM!!!

Lava sprayed like shrapnel. Gabriel twisted mid charge, the hammer grazing past his shoulder before smashing into the ground behind him and leaving a molten crater.

Shing!

Crimson Judgement slashed upward toward Dante’s torso.

CLANG!

The blade struck hardened lava armor instead of flesh. Sparks and molten fragments burst outward. The resistance was immense, far greater than before.

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed.

Dante roared and slammed his elbow forward.

BOOM!

Gabriel crossed his blade instinctively. The impact sent him sliding backward across the molten terrain. Smoke rose from his boots as the soles partially melted.

He did not fall.

Instead, he activated Burrow Shift and reappeared right beside Dante, striking his chest once again, this time with his full strength.

BANG!

[Critical Hit!]

After targeting the same location repeatedly throughout the fight, a critical hit was triggered, and Dante’s health plummeted further.

"One more!"

This time, Gabriel did not care about his own safety. He surged forward recklessly, ignoring the heat as he thrust forward furiously.

Shing!

Dante’s eyes widened.

Too close.

Too fast.

He tried to shift.

Tried to raise his arm again.

But his body lagged by a fraction of a second.

The reason became clear instantly.

A small glowing circle had appeared beneath his feet.

"[Stonebind Trap]"

That reaction was all Gabriel needed.

The blade struck.

Right at the cracked, bleeding point.

BOOOOM!!!

Crimson Pressure detonated.

Blood and molten fragments exploded outward as Dante was launched backward like a ragdoll, crashing into the far wall of the camp with a thunderous impact.

[Ding! You have killed a Hero Rank.]

[Ding! You have received + 105EP.]

[Please choose what to extract.]