Chapter 152: Armory And Weaponry Creation
With a wave of his hand, the Level 9.3 Overlord conjured a multitude of swords, launching them in a deadly barrage toward Linsley. His gift, Armory and Weaponry Creation, granted him the ability to summon weapons and armor at will.
Unlike the previous Overlord who relied on conditional mind-control to overpower his opponents, this Level 9.3 Overlord possessed raw combat prowess, making him formidable in direct battle.
While rule-based gifts could sometimes allow users to surpass their own power level, they often imposed limitations that weakened them if specific conditions weren't met. In contrast, this Overlord's abilities allowed him to unleash straightforward, unrestricted attacks, even if he couldn't defeat someone stronger than himself.
Linsley's Real Fantasy gift, while also rule-based, had few limitations of its own, as he could set the constraints on his creations. The more severe the self-imposed restrictions, the more powerful his artifacts became.
Watching the hailstorm of swords flying toward him, Linsley sighed, "Swords? Against guns? You're sorely outdated."
Without moving from his golden throne, Linsley raised his sniper rifle and took aim, a glint of amusement in his eye. "I'll show you that times have already changed."
As he pulled the trigger, the golden arsenal around him erupted into a thunderous barrage of bullets and explosives, intercepting and obliterating the incoming swords with deadly precision.
The Overlord was unaware that Linsley had already subdued another of his colleagues and demolished a branch of the Gale Foundation. Unbeknownst to him, Linsley's true strength was at Level 9.8.
With Linsley currently concealing his power and projecting only the flux pressure of a Level 9.1 Overlord, the Overlord believed he held a distinct advantage.
With a sneer, the Overlord conjured a thousand more swords, arrogance gleaming in his eyes. "Is that all? You're barely an Overlord, a mere newcomer. Your bullets are no match for my blades."
Without giving Linsley a chance to respond, the Overlord unleashed a relentless torrent of a thousand swords, firing a hundred blades per second like the rounds of a machine gun.
Linsley only scoffed, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Your swords won't even get close. You'd do well to keep your distance—because right now, you're well within my range."
Rather than calling on his vast Unlimited Gun Works arsenal, Linsley simply leaned back in his golden throne, resting one hand casually on the armrest.
As the first hundred swords neared him, they abruptly froze, hovering in place just two meters away as if they'd hit an invisible wall. It was as though Linsley had perfected a field so untouchable that even an Overlord's fierce onslaught couldn't breach it.
The Overlord's attack lay halted in the air, a testament to Linsley's Social Distancing (Purple) talent.
Linsley's ability, while subtle, gave him an immense advantage: as long as he had energy, he could prevent any attack from coming within two meters of him, provided it wasn't a rule-based attack.
Thanks to his Lawless (Gold) talent, he felt confident even against most rule-based attacks—as long as they didn't exceed the upper limit of his gold-grade simulation talent.
He understood that he couldn't withstand the instant-death ability of a Type 3 entity or anything beyond that level. But there was no need to worry about that; the sheer presence of such a being would be enough to end him, making the thought of withstanding their attacks nothing short of wishful thinking.
For opponents around his level or just slightly higher, Linsley felt little need to worry about rule-based attacks. His Physical Immortality (Gold) talent made him impervious to death by any physical means, so physical attacks posed no threat.
However, he did have a significant vulnerability: a soul-based attack could still end him, as his Physical Immortality (Gold) talent only protected him from physical harm, not threats to his soul.
That's where his Social Distancing (Purple) talent came into play. It extended the two-meter barrier to also block soul-based and mind-based attacks, adding a critical layer of protection against his greatest weakness.
Seeing his countless swords halted by an invisible barrier, the Level 9.3 Overlord refused to believe that Linsley's barrier was truly impenetrable.
Determined to break through, he summoned a staggering one hundred thousand swords into the sky, pouring flux into each weapon without concern for the cost.
With a dramatic sweep of his hand, the Overlord commanded the entire arsenal to descend upon Linsley in a relentless rain of steel.
Unmoved, Linsley watched as the massive downpour approached, unfazed by the overwhelming attack. As each sword closed in, his barrier held firm, halting them all just two meters from his position as if repelled by an invisible force field.
The Overlord's expression shifted, frustration mixing with disbelief.
"Impossible," he growled, watching his weapons float uselessly in mid-air, held back by Linsley's barrier.
Linsley leaned back in his golden throne, a faint smile playing at his lips. "I warned you to keep your distance. But if you're so eager to see the limits of my power…" he trailed off, his eyes glinting with a hint of menace as he raised his hand.
With a flick of his wrist, he activated his Unlimited Gun Works, summoning a fresh array of golden firearms above, each one trained precisely on the suspended swords.
"Let's see how your swords hold up against the might of my Unlimited Gun Works," Linsley said, his voice carrying a tone of finality.
In a synchronized movement, Linsley's golden arsenal unleashed a blinding barrage of bullets and explosive rounds, each shot striking the suspended swords with pinpoint accuracy.
The resulting detonations filled the sky with flashes of light and bursts of shattered metal, as the Overlord's one hundred thousand swords disintegrated, reduced to mere fragments under Linsley's relentless onslaught.
Watching his precious armory obliterated in seconds, the Overlord staggered back, his face twisted with shock and rage. "You… How dare you mock me like this!"
"Mock?" Linsley's voice dripped with calm disdain. "I haven't even begun."
Before the Overlord could react, Linsley waved his hand, and a massive golden cannon materialized beside him, its barrel aimed directly on the Overlord.
"You wanted to test my defenses," Linsley continued, "now it's time you see the power of my guns!"