My Computer Leads to an Instance Dungeon

It was like certain street dance steps—if one's skill and experience were great enough, they could create the illusion of walking on air, or of moving forward when they were actually retreating.

In essence, it was a trick of the eye, exploiting certain glitches in the brain's perceptual patterns.

Just a moment ago, Ellick had used this very footwork technique to deceive Pat, creating an illusion of distance that made him lose his balance.

Once Fang Zhen identified it as an advanced technique rather than an Extraordinary Ability, he relaxed.

Ellick's footwork was truly exquisite and masterful, a sight to behold. It was a skill that could only be achieved through long, arduous years of honing and refinement. Its effect was exceptionally brilliant; he moved with ease even while being besieged by six members of the Whig Society, at times even seeming to toy with his opponents as if in a game.

However, Fang Zhen wasn't afraid of Ellick's tricks.

He had a skill that was a perfect counter to Ellick's Body Technique.

Having observed and understood the situation, Fang Zhen raised his long spear and charged into the fray.

At this moment, Ellick was playfully weaving between the blades and weapons of Gwendolyn and the others. His occasional strikes forced them to activate their Gang Zan Seals just to defend themselves.

Ellick had forced Gwendolyn's group onto the back foot without even using any other skills.

Gwendolyn and Karen tried several times to use the same method that had killed the elder Ellick—using the Kun Sha Seal in succession to pin him down. But his bizarre and agile footwork denied the Whig Society members any opportunity to even use the seal.

Just as Gwendolyn and the others were crying out in alarm, helpless against Ellick, Fang Zhen charged in.

He joined the battle, long spear in hand, his expression perfectly calm.

A faint, condescending smile appeared on Ellick's face. He began to shift his position, flickering erratically before Fang Zhen, making it impossible to tell if he was advancing or retreating.

Fang Zhen remained calm and suddenly thrust his spear forward.

Yet the spear seemed to strike nothing but an afterimage left by Ellick.

The corner of Ellick's mouth twitched upward. He lunged forward, intending to close the distance before Fang Zhen could retract his spear. A long weapon was a major disadvantage in close-quarters combat.

Suddenly, something happened that took Ellick by surprise.

Fang Zhen made no large movements. He only took a tiny half-step back while simultaneously making a minute, lightning-fast adjustment to his spearhead's angle. The new position seemed to be empty space, creating what looked like an opening.

But this seemingly flawed move caused Ellick's expression to change dramatically.

As fate would have it, Ellick's real body chose that exact moment to close in on the very position where the spear tip now pointed. The spear was waiting for him, making it seem as if the Vampire Count were throwing himself onto its point.

The tip of Fang Zhen's spear was coated with the Blood Burst Secret Medicine.

Ellick was also wary of the Blood Burst.

Ellick shifted his footwork, creating another visual distortion to narrowly evade the spear tip he had nearly impaled himself on. He tried to retreat a few steps to create distance, planning to reposition and look for another opening.

But nearly half a second earlier, Fang Zhen had already changed the angle again, executing a Progressive Barrier Capture into empty space.

A look of shock appeared on Ellick's face.

The agile Vampire Count had retreated right into the path of the spear's preemptive strike.

If he didn't evade immediately, the long spear would pierce straight through his left chest.

Ellick instantly changed his footwork, dodging to the side.

But half a second before that, Fang Zhen had already initiated a horizontal sweep, once again aimed at empty air.

And Ellick had moved right into the path of the sweeping spear.

At that moment, the color finally drained from Ellick's face.

'Once is luck. Twice might also be luck.'

'But three times? That has to be skill.'

Ellick had no idea how Fang Zhen was seeing through his movements. But now, having had his actions predicted three consecutive times, the Vampire Count had clearly lost the upper hand.

Fang Zhen continued to press his attack, using not profound combat arts, but the most fundamental and stable of spear techniques: thrusting, sweeping, cleaving, and shaking.

However, the placement of each of his strikes was perfect.

Compared to the simple, fundamental nature of his spear-work, Ellick's Body Technique was far more uncanny and agile. He appeared to be moving at nearly twice Fang Zhen's speed.

And yet, despite his apparent speed, Ellick was losing the initiative with every move. He was constantly being forced by the 'slower' Fang Zhen to alter his trajectory just to barely avoid the spear coated with the Blood Burst Secret Medicine.

Moreover, Fang Zhen pressed his advantage relentlessly. His uncanny spear-work had already forced Ellick into a specific rhythm.

Ellick still appeared to be moving nimbly, but his every step was a forced reaction. If he didn't move, he'd be struck.

Due to the spear's uncanny, predictive attacks, Ellick's bizarre footwork was forcefully disrupted, and he was beginning to lose his ability to maintain the strange, disorienting visual effect.

Watching from the rear, Karen was completely dumbfounded.

Karen finally understood what it had been like when he had fought Fang Zhen.

After so many exchanges between Fang Zhen and Ellick, their weapons had yet to make contact even once. Yet Fang Zhen had completely dismantled his opponent's footwork and backed him into a corner.

'Such spear-work... it's simply divine!'

For Fang Zhen, who was in the thick of the fight, the experience was entirely different.

He was finding it incredibly easy.

The reason was simple: his Sensory Precognition was the perfect counter to Ellick's brilliant yet bizarre footwork.

He could ignore whatever visual illusions Ellick created; all he had to do was attack the position his Sensory Precognition foretold.

Ellick's Body Technique, which was like an Illusion Technique, was completely exposed before his Sensory Precognition.

At the rear, the members of the Whig Society saw that Ellick was trapped by the momentum of Fang Zhen's spear. Reacting quickly, they began to encircle him from all sides, looking for an opportunity to land a critical strike on the Vampire Count with their Blood Burst-coated weapons.

Soon, Fang Zhen felt the fight reaching its critical juncture.

'Two more strikes, and I can force Ellick into a corner!'