Return Of The Strongest Player

'What if I… expand my circuit?'

A preposterous thought entered Arthur's mind, causing even him to laugh internally at the absurdity. But then again, he was in no position to protest and was desperate enough to try anything.

The expansion of one's mana circuits was an entirely unexplored field that Arthur thought about researching in his former life. However, blinded by the success, he never ended up pursuing it, relying solely on his tremendous power.

However, now, in a situation where a single wrong move would only speed up his inevitable death, he was forced to think big.

Outside the box.

'Regression has gotten the best of me… For me to even consider such an utterly absurd possibility is… absurd. Ever since regression, I've been risking my life, playing on possibilities and probabilities…'

Arthur smacked his forehead, shaking his head in bewilderment. A cold glint shone in his crimson eyes.

'One day, I'll truly get myself killed.'

'Hopefully, that day won't be today.'

Gritting his teeth, Arthur attempted to push himself up but failed miserably. His head crashed into the stream of water, but he was able to prevent himself from drowning before the water entered his body.

Gasping for breath, Arthur shed tears involuntarily. The pain that coursed across his body was already bad enough, but what was worse was the sensation of his vitality slowing being consumed to preserve his life.

Suddenly, Arthur felt a hot liquid rise. It assaulted his taste buds, His eyes widened, and the crimson streaks running through his sclera condensed, becoming more visible. His mouth inflated.

Blargh! 

Blood escaped his mouth, mixed with vomit and saliva. A stinging sensation assaulted his head, and the area between his ears and temples burnt. 

'The expansion of mana channels… It involves the careful disconnection of existing circuits, after which one can forcefully grow replacements. It's the lengthening of mana circuits through a process called Agonizer Nova.'

Arthur laughed internally, finding the name to be absurd. However, through some inconceivable way, the crimson-eyed man felt that the name truly resembled his imbecilic behavior. He couldn't imagine the amount of regret he would feel if the process was unsuccessful.

Even if it succeeded, it would only delay the destruction of his shriveled-up mana circuits. But most of all, it would save him from imminent death.

'If I die, it'd be the most shameful death ever…'

Arthur glanced at his surroundings, letting out actual laughter. It didn't take long for him to realize that wasn't the correct decision, as his stomach threatened to collapse, while an immeasurable amount of blood escaped his body.

He might have popped a few blood vessels.

'Dying in the middle of nowhere… When no one knows me. My family will never know I died here, and neither will anyone else.'

His eyes shone with sorrow for a split second before reverting to their regular, cold selves. However, at that moment, the spark of determination ignited in those pupils of his, resembling his unwillingness to die a meaningless death.

'When I die in the future, I want a massive funeral.'

This time, he laughed internally.

Letting out an internal sigh, Arthur first sped up the circulation of the minuscule amount of mana that remained in his circuits. He could practically sense the obstructions in his channels, and the sharp pain that assaulted his obliques as his mana circuits were moistened once again.

Dry mana circuits were the worst nightmare for any warrior or mage.

As the circuits were revitalized, Arthur's strained expression loosened slightly. Following that, he summoned the mana stone, allowing a bit of mana to flood into his circuits, straining them but refilling them slightly.

This was utterly stupid.

But it was also necessary, as Arthur could not perform the procedure without moving his body. And, moving it in such a pitiful state felt like a thousand needles were piercing his body simultaneously.

It was an absurd amount of pain.

That was why he needed a bit of mana to heal himself, after which he could perform the procedure. However, the catch was that a single slip-up would result in the annihilation of both his mana circuits and the blood vessels surrounding them.

Since the mana within his circuits would spill, there was no guarantee that Arthur would survive such an outcome.

However, since he was already attempting something he found impossible, why not reduce the difficulty of the very procedure by increasing the risk? He would either survive or die today. There was no in-between.

Arthur could not accept being a cripple his entire life.

The mana flooded his circuits, causing immense pain to course across his entire body. The procedure was bound to be absurdly painful, and the crimson-eyed man was almost certain of his failure.

But he couldn't give up.

He immediately used [Judgment Regeneration], maintaining a stoic expression as his mana circuits tore slightly. But he wasn't worried, since if the procedure succeeded, regenerating the half-broken circuits wouldn't be a problem.

If push came to shove, he could simply abandon that part, replacing it with the expanded circuits, instead.

What truly mattered was Arthur's dexterity and focus. 

Veins bulged from his skin, dying most of his peachy exterior a deep shade of verdant green. His teeth were clenched, producing an unpleasant noise, while his vocal cords suppressed the blood-curdling screams that threatened to escape his overly dry lips.

A crimson hue surrounded his skin, and a few of his wounds began closing. His expression loosened for a split second but soon reverted to its original, strained self. Arthur's consciousness had flickered.

For a split second, he was on the verge of death.

Even while healing, his body couldn't contain the damage. Arthur let out strenuous breaths, feeling a sharp pain in his chest. His eyes were bloodshot, and he felt light-headed. He had almost died.

One could refer to it as a near-death experience.

The light at the end of the pathway was absent as if Arthur's soul would delve into an eternal abyss after death.

But was it truly death, or something else?

Arthur did not have time to consider such meaningless things.