Infinity, The Arcade Age

On his way to the pirate ship, Qin Ming had already activated Essence Drain to amplify his stats. His current base attributes were 41/51/15/26.

Although his Agility wasn't exactly weak, it remained his biggest shortcoming.

In a direct confrontation, he still couldn't match Wind's speed. That man's Ice River Flash Step was simply too broken, granting him terrifying mobility.

Forget 15 Agility—even 30 Agility might not be enough to keep up with him.

But today, Qin Ming wasn't fighting alone. Hidden in his clothes was a crucial helper: Tinker Bell, the mystical creature armed with an A-rank skill.

Fairy's Blessing allowed her to cast various buff spells on Qin Ming, enhancing his Strength, Agility, Constitution, or Spirit. The only restriction was that only one buff could be active at a time.

With Agility now buffed, Qin Ming's speed skyrocketed to 30 points. His reaction speed had doubled, making him more than capable of tracking Wind's movements.

Wind, who was accustomed to overwhelming his enemies with sheer speed, was caught entirely off guard.

Qin Ming's punch slammed into Wind's body, driving him halfway into the wooden deck. With a snarl, Qin Ming grabbed Wind by the neck and clenched his other fist, which was now engulfed in white flames.

The next moment, he delivered a relentless barrage of punches straight into Wind's face.

Three bone-crushing strikes later, the once-handsome face of Wind was reduced to a mangled mess of blood and bruises. The white flames seared into his body, reducing his Defense by 25 points.

For a speed-focused combatant like Wind, his defense had already been paper-thin. After this debuff, it was effectively reduced to zero.

Qin Ming was about to follow up with another attack when the wall beside them suddenly exploded outward.

A roaring gust of wind and a surge of power heralded the arrival of Rage, who had been waiting behind cover, charging his trump card.

A-rank Ultimate Skill: Cosmic Phantom!

"DIE!!!" Rage bellowed, his body trailing afterimages as he lunged forward like a missile.

But Qin Ming was ready this time. Although dodging was impossible, he had enough time to react.

In a brutal act of pragmatism, Qin Ming grabbed the barely-conscious Wind and used him as a shield!

BOOM!

The devastating punch tore through Wind's chest, leaving a gaping hole where his heart used to be.

Even though the damage had been reduced by 75% thanks to the adventurer contract, Cosmic Phantom was still an apocalyptic-level attack.

The force carried through, slamming into Qin Ming's chest and sending him skidding backward across the deck.

But Qin Ming refused to let go. His iron grip latched onto Rage's arm, pulling him closer as he stabilized his stance.

Fairy's Blessing – Constitution (+15 Constitution)

With 20 points of damage reduction, 60 Constitution, and an additional 10 Defense from his equipment, Qin Ming had become an immovable wall.

Blood dripped from Qin Ming's lips as he glanced at the cracked golden bracers on his arm, which had barely held against Cosmic Phantom's power.

He gritted his teeth and raised his other hand, now blazing with white fire, and swung it down viciously on Rage's elbow.

Sonic Hand Slash – Melee Version!

With his Strength buffed to 60, the strike cleaved through Rage's arm like a hot knife through butter.

Blood sprayed across the deck as Rage stumbled backward, clutching his severed arm and screaming in agony.

Meanwhile, Wind's lifeless body collapsed onto the ground, the hole in his chest still smoldering.

But Qin Ming didn't stop. His hands spread wide as violent winds and white flames began to swirl around him.

Ultimate Move: Charged Sonic Hand Slash – Fivefold Barrage!

WHOOSH-WHOOSH-WHOOSH-WHOOSH-WHOOSH!

Five blazing blades of wind and fire shot forward in a relentless storm. Rage, who was already critically injured and defenseless, was reduced to bloody ribbons in an instant.

Flesh, bones, and scraps of clothing scattered across the deck in a crimson rain.

The proud warrior, handpicked and nurtured by his team, was no more.

Rage had been a prodigious adventurer. His talent, Shadow Master, allowed him to copy all the skills of a plot character once his favorability reached 500 points.

Every skill he possessed—Machine Gun Punch, Combat Techniques, and even Cosmic Phantom—had been copied using this ability.

If he had been given enough time, he could have learned even more terrifying S-rank abilities.

But potential meant nothing when you were dead.

Qin Ming stepped on Rage's severed head, his face impassive as he ground it into pulp beneath his boot.

"You were strong… but you picked the wrong enemy."

Wiping the blood from his face, Qin Ming turned around.

To his surprise, Wind's body was gone.

"Ran away again, huh? Where do you think you can run to?" Qin Ming growled, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to give chase.

But something made him stop.

A chill ran down his spine as he turned around slowly, his gaze locking onto the shadows near the ship's cabin.

A figure emerged from the darkness, his polished boots clicking against the wooden planks as he stepped into the light.

His voice reached Qin Ming's ears before his face became visible.

"Well done, Peter Pan. You've handled my little pawns beautifully."

The figure finally came into view—a man dressed in a sharp pirate captain's coat, a gleaming hook in place of his left hand, and a cruel smile on his lips.

"Captain Hook…" Qin Ming said, his voice low and dangerous. "Or should I say… Peter Pan?"

The pirate captain chuckled darkly, tipping his hat slightly.

"Oh, please. Just call me Captain Hook. I left that childish name behind a long time ago."

The sea breeze carried the scent of salt and blood across the deck as the two men faced each other.

(End of Chapter)