Die, Replay, Repeat

Chapter 262 - Thunder Retribution

When everyone arrived, Fang Moli and Xiao Zhenhua were already locked in combat with Joker.

The S-tier Specter they had been fighting lay dead, reduced to nothing but ashes by the overwhelming energy of the Xuanyuan Sword.

It was clear Fang Moli had successfully prevented Xiao Zhenhua's death and had even managed to kill the S-tier Specter once again.

This time, the situation was much better than before.

Last time, none of the captains had been able to break away from their battles to assist, leading to Xiao Zhenhua's tragic death. Fang Moli had used his last ounce of strength to slay Joker’s clone and then the Specter, leaving him exhausted and on the verge of collapse, unable to continue fighting.

But now, thanks to Fang Xiu’s careful planning, the entire battle had shifted in their favor.

The tide had turned. Not only did Fang Moli still have enough energy for one final strike, but there were also four other captains at his side.

Joker glared at the approaching Fang Xiu and the other captains, his expression darkening.

"Fang Xiu! I never imagined my entire plan would be ruined by you!" Joker’s eyes blazed with cold fury, his killing intent radiating off him in waves.

At this point, Joker harbored an intense hatred for Fang Xiu.

His plan had seemed foolproof. According to his calculations, Fang Moli should have already been ambushed and killed by Yan Changshou. Then, with the Pokers and Yan Changshou's forces joining together, they would have easily overrun the headquarters.

But now, because of Fang Xiu’s interference, Fang Moli was still alive, Yan Changshou was dead, and Joker's key subordinates had all gone silent. Especially Ace of Spades—Joker hadn’t seen or heard from him at all, and he had no idea whether the man was dead or alive.

Even his plan to lure out Fang Moli’s final strike using a clone had been foiled by Fang Xiu.

Joker had gone from being on the verge of victory to now standing utterly alone, all because of Fang Xiu.

Surrounded by the captains, Joker's expression grew as dark as a storm.

Li Xiaoru, slightly tipsy from the adrenaline of battle, burst into laughter. "So, you're Joker, huh? Your name suits you—now you're just a clown all by yourself! Scared yet?"

“Scared?” Joker scoffed coldly. “Ever since I became fifth tier, there has been nothing in this world that I fear!”

Seeing Joker’s arrogant demeanor, Fang Xiu couldn’t help but think of the many other foes he had faced before—the Angel, the Wedding God, and so on.

It was always the same. People believed they were invincible until they encountered something truly terrifying.

BOOM!

Joker’s power surged as he unleashed the full force of his fifth-tier energy. His body glowed with a blood-red light, shining brilliantly in the darkness.

“Even if my plan has failed, so what? As long as I’m still standing, the Pokers will never lose!”

Li Xiaoru and the other captains tensed up. Now that they were truly feeling the power of a fifth-tier opponent, they finally realized the vast gap between them.

"You guys just need to hold him down, and I'll finish him off with my final strike," Fang Moli said, sensing the strength in numbers on their side.

His voice carried a subtle hint of arrogance as if he was already envisioning himself as the hero of the battle.

However, none of the captains paid him any attention. Instead, they all turned to look at Fang Xiu.

“Fang Xiu, what’s the plan for this fight?” Li Xiaoru asked.

Xiong Tianguang chimed in directly, “Xiu, I’m waiting for your command.”

Luo Qingxin didn’t speak, but her eyes were fixed on Fang Xiu, clearly awaiting his instructions as well.

Fang Moli stood there, speechless. It felt like, once again, his moment of glory had been stolen from him.

But then, Fang Xiu said something that left everyone confused.

“You guys fight however you want for now. This is my first time going through this part of the story.”

The entire group froze, puzzled by what he meant. None of them had the faintest idea what Fang Xiu was talking about.

But they didn’t have time to dwell on it, because Joker had already launched his attack.

In truth, Fang Xiu hadn’t experienced this moment before. He had yet to die at this specific point, so he couldn’t foresee every outcome.

Still, Fang Xiu wasn’t worried about causing any confusion with his cryptic words. After all, he knew he would eventually reset the timeline if things went south.

…

Joker struck first, his body flashing with lightning as he charged toward the captains, his fifth-tier power making the air crackle with energy.

Li Xiaoru, Xiong Tianguang, and Luo Qingxin immediately sprang into action, each unleashing their own abilities in response.

Arrows rained down from Li Xiaoru’s summoned generals, Xiong Tianguang’s mantis-warrior dashed forward with blinding speed, and Luo Qingxin conjured freezing winds that sought to encase Joker in ice.

The battlefield exploded into chaos as the two sides clashed, but even in the middle of the fierce combat, Fang Xiu remained calm, observing everything with a measured eye.

He knew he didn’t have perfect foresight at this moment, but he also knew his team was capable. They had faced tougher challenges before, and Joker, though powerful, was not invincible.

*'Just hold out for a bit longer,'*Fang Xiu thought to himself, his mind already turning over potential strategies for the fight ahead.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The deafening sounds of battle echoed through the skies.

Joker was fighting alone, holding off the four captains and Xiao Zhenhua all by himself.

Meanwhile, Fang Xiu had wisely kept his distance, watching the battle unfold from afar.

Even though Fang Xiu had mentally prepared himself, the power of a fifth-tier opponent still took him by surprise.

Despite being outnumbered five to one, Joker held the upper hand. In fact, if he wasn’t constantly wary of Fang Moli’s Xuanyuan Sword, their group would have been utterly crushed by now.

As Fang Xiu observed the fight, he gained a deeper understanding of the unique abilities that came with reaching the fifth tier. Just like how fourth-tier psychics had Domains, the fifth tier came with something far more terrifying: Mindflare.

Mindflare seemed to have the ability to completely ignore the powers of other psychics. It possessed both immense offensive and defensive capabilities.

Luo Qingxin’s countless ice shards shattered harmlessly against the blood-red glow of Joker's Mindflare, not even scratching his physical body.

Li Xiaoru’s Heavenly Spear strikes were no better—every slash was blocked by that unyielding blood-colored barrier, as though it were an impenetrable wall of light.

Even Xiong Tianguang’s Dark Binding and Xiao Zhenhua’s All Equal were useless against Joker.

The Mindflare negated everything thrown at him, making him nearly invincible, like a character in a game with both magic and physical immunity.

The only thing capable of piercing Mindflare was Fang Moli’s Xuanyuan Sword. But without absolute certainty of success, Fang Moli didn’t dare activate the sword’s full power. A single missed strike would mean their inevitable defeat.

Suddenly, Joker shouted, "Domain Activated, Thunder Retribution!"

At his command, dark clouds gathered in the sky, and countless lightning bolts, like writhing dragons, roiled within the clouds.

With a sharp downward thrust of his hand, Joker unleashed his next move.

"Dragon Bolt!"

BOOM!

A massive lightning dragon descended from the heavens, crashing down toward the captains.

Fang Moli and the others immediately activated their own Domains, desperately trying to fend off the attack.

But just as they were about to withstand it, Joker’s body erupted with blood-red energy, which fused with the lightning dragon, turning its color a deep, ominous crimson.

The attack's power surged, overwhelming their defenses.

In a single moment, the five combined Domains were shattered, and Fang Moli and his comrades were sent flying, bloodied and wounded.

"We can't drag this out any longer. I have to use my final strike now, or we’ll never get another chance," Fang Moli said gravely, his face set with determination.

The others exchanged glances, then, without hesitation, charged at Joker together.

Their goal was clear: to hold him down and create an opportunity for Fang Moli’s final blow.

Watching this unfold, Fang Xiu shook his head. He could already see the outcome—they were going to lose again.

If they couldn’t seize their chance early in the fight, what hope did they have now, injured and battered?

It seemed like relying on the captains of the headquarters was futile. In the end, Fang Xiu would have to reset everything.

Sure enough, Fang Moli eventually unleashed his final strike.

The cost was devastating.

Luo Qingxin sacrificed herself, transforming into pure ice to freeze half of Joker’s body.

Xiao Zhenhua’s heart was pierced, but with his dying breath, he used both arms to hold Joker’s legs in place, pushing his ability to its absolute limit to restrict Joker’s movements.

As for Li Xiaoru and Xiong Tianguang, they had already died earlier in the battle.

Even with these sacrifices, Fang Moli’s final strike was off target.

The two fourth-tier captains had given their lives to buy only a brief moment of restraint.

Joker's Mindflare was simply too powerful—too resilient for them to overcome.

In the critical moment, Joker managed to dodge, and Fang Moli’s sword only severed his arm.

Joker lost an arm, but his life was never truly in danger.

THUD!

Fang Moli fell to his knees, his expression utterly defeated. He used the Xuanyuan Sword to prop himself up, his forehead dripping blood onto the ground.

"Did we... lose?" he muttered to himself in despair.

Meanwhile, Joker, though missing an arm, was consumed with wild, uncontrollable laughter. The severed limb, unable to regenerate due to the power of the Xuanyuan Sword, was a minor inconvenience to him. He could always graft a new one later.

What mattered most was that he had won.

"Hahaha... From now on, I reign as the strongest in the world!" Joker declared triumphantly.

At that moment, Fang Xiu, who had been silent up until now, spoke calmly from his position.

"So, is that the only line you know how to say?"

The mocking words cut through Joker’s laughter, causing him to pause and glare at Fang Xiu with venomous hatred.

"You think you’re funny, don’t you?" Joker growled, his eyes narrowing. But Fang Xiu’s expression remained unreadable, his face as calm as ever.

Deep down, Joker couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling Fang Xiu’s words stirred. But before he could act on that instinct, Fang Xiu was already preparing to reset the game once again.

After all, it was just another failed run. There was no need to worry—he would simply start over and win the next time.