IUD-CHAPTER 247 TERRIFYING

“Drip…”

Beneath this faint sound, Sherlock took a gentle step forward.

The smoking pipe in his mouth had vanished.

In his hand appeared a cane, the timing of its arrival unknown.

Sherlock, resembling a genuine elderly person, walked toward Fang Li step by step, just like a true old man.

However, as Sherlock drew closer, an almost terrifying presence swelled within his body.

Sensing this extraordinary presence, Fang Li widened his eyes slightly.

“This is… Hysteria Mode?!”

“The correct term should be Hysteria Savant Syndrome,” Sherlock chuckled. “No need to be surprised. I-U is, after all, a place that shares all techniques. I learned Tohyama Kana’s Invisible Bullet, and Vlad was once a member here. He brought us the technique to copy genes from others’ blood, and with that technique, I possess the same constitution as the Tohyama Clan.”

“Yet, entering this mode requires certain conditions,” Fang Li subconsciously said, then realized shortly afterward, exclaiming, “So that’s how it is. Similar to Vlad, triggering the Hysteria Mode by entering a near-death state?”

“Exactly. Aside from the basic type of Tohyama Clan’s Hysteria Savant Syndrome, there are also numerous derived forms, and one of them is this near-death eruption,” Sherlock revealed with a fearless smile, continuing, “And as you can see, I’m an old man with a limited time left. In this situation, I can enter this state anytime, anywhere, which you referred to as the Hysteria Mode.”

“Of course, I am the leader of I-U. Besides Invisible Bullet and Hysteria Mode, I’ve learned many other skills.”

“At least, I’ve basically learned the abilities of all current I-U members.”

This was a truly terrifying fact.

As a genuine extraordinary individual, Sherlock had already been a bona fide superhuman presence more than a century ago.

And in these past hundred years, Sherlock had become the leader of I-U and acquired a multitude of abilities.

Moreover, Sherlock wasn’t merely powerful; his intellect was top-tier in the world, with his deductive ability nearly bordering on precognition. He certainly wasn’t just the type for brute force combat.

Such a Sherlock was already quite fearsome.

Now, with the amplification of Hysteria Mode, the leader of I-U had truly become a formidable monster.

At the very least, from the swelling of the muscle, uncontainable presence emanated from Sherlock, Fang Li could be sure that even someone like Dyaus Pita (Heavenly Father) might not be his match.

In other words, in the reckoning of the Main God’s Dimension, Sherlock was a Fourth-Rank existence.

(No wonder the difficulty of Side Quests is A-rank.)

Fang Li couldn’t help but smile wryly in his heart.

(Even though I’m only a Fifth-Rank, why do I keep facing opponents higher ranked than me?)

The Dungeon World’s Quest Difficulty was Fifth-Rank.

However, that was at most the difficulty of only the quests. It didn’t encompass the overall world’s difficulty.

In the previous world, Fang Li had faced both Dyaus Pita (Heavenly Father) and Aphrodite, who were not the targets of his Main Quest, but that didn’t mean Fang Li wouldn’t encounter such opponents.

This time was no different.

Defeating the leader of I-U was merely the content of a Side Quest.

Fang Li’s Main Quest didn’t require him to defeat the Fourth-Rank Sherlock.

Therefore, Fang Li’s Quest Difficulty was indeed Fifth-Rank.

Watching Sherlock smiling at him all the while, Fang Li began to hesitate.

Just at that moment, Sherlock suddenly spoke.

“Feel free to use it.”

This statement left Fang Li momentarily stunned.

“Why? Aren’t you contemplating this matter?” Sherlock said with a faint smile. “Considering whether or not to use your hidden trump card against me.”

This time, a chill ran down Fang Li’s spine.

“Based on my deductions about you, you should indeed have a card up your sleeve that can turn the tide in critical moments,” Sherlock said confidently. “However, that card comes with severe consequences when used, such as powerful side effects.”

Fang Li’s grip on Moonlight Dagger tightened.

“It’s okay. If you want to use it, go ahead,” Sherlock’s smile remained unwavering as he continued, “Anyway, this is the final battle. If you don’t give it your all, you might regret it.”

“… Perhaps that’s true, but right now, I’m sure that once I use the Stigma, that’s when I’ll regret it,” Fang Li took a deep breath to calm himself, speaking calmly, “For someone with a logical precognition ability like you, this type of ability with strong side effects probably not only can’t threaten you but might also be used against me. I hesitate precisely because of this.”

“Now, your behavior further confirms that my suspicion is correct,” Fang Li lifted the dagger in his hand, pointing it toward Sherlock.

“So, I’ll use all my power in this state to defeat you.”

“A wise choice, indeed fitting for the sought-after S-Rank Butei,” Sherlock’s smile gradually turned dangerous.

“Then let me directly counter you.”

With that, Sherlock forcefully struck his cane with his hand.

“Pā——!”

With a sound of shattering, Sherlock’s cane cracked open, revealing the weapon within.

It was a sword.

A sword that had narrowed over time, resembling a straight blade, a resilient Knight sword of European make.

“This is an imperial treasure I borrowed from Her Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom in the past. It’s said to be a sword once used by a Knight champion,” Sherlock smiled slightly and continued, “I won’t tell you its name, so you don’t lose confidence against this blade right away.”

“Don’t worry, no matter how powerful the weapon is, I won’t lose my confidence facing it,” Fang Li closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his ice-blue Mystic Eyes appeared in his pupils.

“For me, any sword that can be broken holds no distinction.”

“Whether it’s you or that sword, I will be the one to kill.”

“Interesting.” Sherlock raised the sword in his hand, his voice resonating.

“Then let’s give it a try.”

In the instant the words fell, Fang Li and Sherlock moved simultaneously.

“Swish——!”

Amidst the sound of rushing wind, both of them vanished on the spot.

When they reappeared, they were already in the center of the hall.

“Clang——!”

Amidst the crisp sound, the sharp dagger and the renowned Holy Sword clashed heavily, sparking a shower of sparks.

……