CHAPTER 72.

The nation of Ofril had tracked her. They were fed up with their mages being killed, so they had to do something about it⁠—

Or that’s what Amber assumed as everyone dispersed from an incoming mass of fireballs. Amber used the 3rd Rank of Quick Dash and the camp was blown to smithereens. Pieces of tent, food, and other objects flew across the cave opening as the ceiling trembled and cracked.

The adventurers quickly gathered together in an almost choreographed manner, making a formation to stand against the incoming attacks, and at that, Amber’s eyes widened seeing the level 152 Metamorphic Bear charging at them. She thought they were done as it swiped, but it was quickly repelled by a deflect before a mage blasted it away.

At that, Amber nodded to herself, realizing she didn’t need to worry about them. That left Asil, who was nowhere to be seen⁠—

“Amber,” he called in a whisper.

He was invisible, it seemed. Amber didn’t answer and instead focused on dodging three spells that were lunged on her with the use of Quick Dash.

“Kill her! She is the one!” the leading mage called in anger. “Then, kill the adventurers.”

Then a moment later, Asil spoke.

“I can’t remain around the battlefield for much longer, but this is a good opportunity to polish your Essence so you can eventually form your nucleus. Good luck.”

Amber raised her brow at that, as monsters rushed at her. She was already planning on doing that.

“I shall try to pick a mage to fight, goodbye.”

And with that he left, and Amber was left to think.

Eventually form my nucleus?

Based on what she understood, she first had to polish and get better with her Essence, then she would get enlightened and form it or whatever⁠— a straightforward process.

But eventually? Amber didn’t want that, this was the best opportunity to do so. So why not now? Sure, she was missing the last step, to be enlightened, so all she had to do was⁠—

Force myself to be enlightened, she concluded.

It would be quite a challenge, but now that she had learned about a lot of things, she felt quite confident. She lacked practice, but this was the best environment to practice.

With a smile Amber turned to the rushing crowd of monsters. She then saw the mages pointing their staffs at her, and for a moment she felt like she was going to be fighting an unwinnable battle, but that wasn’t the case. While she probably would struggle for her life or even get killed in the past. Now things were different, now she had access to a different kind of power altogether.

Essence.

Amber used Fulminating Slash at the crowd of rushing monsters, there were mantises, alligators, wolves, deformed beings⁠— but they all got blasted by the fire and the leading monster got his cranium split in half. Then, without hesitation, Amber rushed as spells barely missed her.

While she didn’t have a clear thing to do in her mind, she knew that she had to push what she understood, do more and push further than what she ever had before.

So, with Cursed Supreme Momentum, Crimson Fervor, Crimson Break, Crimson Fuel, and Essence, she enhanced her attributes to a realm they had never reached before. She swung upon a level 151 Briskel Worm and nearly cleaved it in half.

The monster reeled back spitting acid, and Amber in response, burned. Her entire body lit ablaze, destroying any of the deadly liquid that could have fallen on her. Her Essence was hard at work, maintaining body enhancement while doing something else was already hard enough for her. To think about reinforcing each and every part of her muscles⁠— to think about her breathing⁠— to think about how to manipulate the energy flowing through her body.

It was an insurmountable task that many would have thought impossible, but for Amber it was nothing but a challenge, and a reason for her to push her fine skills of Essence control. Which is why she had to push everything she understood.

“It’s the best way to learn after all,” she whispered to herself.

Amber flipped over a charging monster, as a spell that was flung at her simultaneously missed. Then she lifted her hand, feeling the moisture in the air before drawing from it.

I don’t like water… it wasn’t an element she particularly enjoyed working with in terms of Essence. But, that was in large quantities, something she wasn’t going to do now⁠—

She pointed her finger at a monster, and a small silvery thread sparkled in the air for a moment.

In fact, she was going to do something she had tried during her training, but couldn’t do before. However, now she felt more confident⁠— it was the only water based attack that she ever saw potential in.

Breathe.

“Burst,” she whispered.

And following her command, the silvery thread engorged— tearing a bullet-sized hole in the monster, and the Essence that laid dormant within her rippled briefly, but Amber frowned.

Weak. It was weak. Water isn’t the answer.

Right now, she had to try everything; everything she could think of and everything she had tried in the past. While she didn’t know what she was exactly looking for, she knew that was what she had to do. Because only then would she form her nucleus⁠— the heart of her core. She had felt it with her previous attack⁠— in fact she could feel it every time she messed around with her Essence in new ways. However, now it was more prominent than ever.

And it was a sign, a sign telling her to find out more.

To push further.

Amber landed as monsters swarmed in her direction, and she raised her hand. There were numerous elements she had learned, but few ways to make them lethal. At least, with her power level. But she didn’t let that stop her.

Her Essence flared, and Amber pointed her fingers which were crackling. It was something she had yet to try but always had in her mind.

She turned to the next monster that was rushing to her and slashed.

An iridescent cleave flew and hit the monster, and⁠— made it convulse as it went flying past her and hit another monster. Once more, Amber felt Essence within her slightly shift, but it wasn’t enough.

In fact, it wasn’t even an attack she liked.

Amber stomped, discombobulating numerous monsters and allowing her to get out of the way. And finally, she turned towards the mages, which most seemed to be attacking at a barrier that the adventurer group erected. But instead of ignoring them, she rushed with the 3rd Rank of Quick Dash.

Perhaps it was the mentality she was in, but right now she had to undertake every possible challenge and come out on top.

The mage that she landed next to turned in a hurry, and Amber punched, hitting the barrier. Her essence flared, and her hand was ignited ablaze as well as crackling with electricity. More⁠— and the fire became yellow, the electricity crackled and the barrier⁠— broke.

Her hand grabbed onto the mage and electrocuted him before burning him alive, and then she threw him at another mage.

Amber could feel her Essence stirring, but once again⁠— it just wasn’t enough.

She turned towards the rest of the mages that were now aiming their spells at her.

“Extinguish.”

“Shatter.”

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“Explode.”

And in return, Amber used Fulminating Slash, the white flash hit the ground with an explosion swallowing all of the spells. And Amber took the chance to use fire.

Cursewelder disappeared into the storage and her hands joined together and slowly separated making a rod of fire. One that was increasingly getting longer.

It was something she had been experimenting with, but not to this degree. Not to this extent. All she had been able to do before was a very crude bow of flames, but now she wanted to make a full weapon.

Its long and smooth shaft slowly appeared, and soon enough she reached the tip making it sharp and filling it to the brim with Essence.

This was what she had come up with, this is what she had been doing with the arrow in the bow of flames. But now, it was to a much bigger. Even though it felt like a slow process in her mind, it all happened in less than a second.

Amber felt her Essence ebb and flow, slowly pulsing with the rhythm of her breathing, all while she pulled back the spear. She was going to end all of the mages once in for all.

“Destroy.”

And she threw it. The spear flashed across the room as her Essence stirred like never before, and a moment later a warrior flashed into existence. And with a shining sword he⁠— deflected.

A flash of red streaked to the other side of the cave and hit with an explosion of flames that should have been a lot more lethal than what it actually was. Evidently, she had failed somewhere along the process.

Then, she turned towards the man who had just appeared.

[Warrior. Lvl. 161]

It was probably the highest leveled person in this room, which put Amber on guard as she took out the Cursewelder. And the man, in response, smiled.

“And here I thought you were a mage, but you’re a warrior too. Does that mean you have a Legacy Branch?” he asked, his tone almost mocking. “Don't worry, I’ll go easy on you. You know, level difference and all.”

Amber frowned at his words, and he dashed with a burst of explosive speed. She blocked and⁠— was made to take numerous steps back from the sheer difference in strength.

“Huh, you are a lot stronger, than I thought,” he praised. “But don’t worry, I’ll put you out of your misery.”

“Just try,” she snorted.

She took a deep breath, now what she needed the most was for her Essence to enhance her, to make her stronger. Her muscles tensed, as her body welled with Essence, and for a moment she felt her strength drastically increase, and she was⁠—

Hit.

Amber barely blocked, and her concentration was thrown out of the window for a moment. But she quickly steeled herself again, enough for her to hit back against the warrior. The two swords collided and Amber used the chance to use Cursed Cleave along with the swing.

It went past the man’s sword and hit him in the shoulder, drawing a burst of blood. Amber smiled, but the man basically brushed it off and swung again. Making her take a step back. She still hadn’t enhanced her body enough⁠— right now, estimating, she was getting about a 25% increase to her base stats with Essence.

But she needed more.

Amber dodged the spell of a mage, before throwing a Fulminating Slash his way, causing him to dodge in a panic, and be called out by his peers.

“Let Wegner deal with that plague, let’s dispatch the adventurers, they are killing our monsters⁠— ugh!”

She saw a spell hit in the background and could only assume it was Asil’s doing, but Amber paid no mind to that. Instead, she whipped her hand and burned. She burned all the encroaching monsters, making them back off once more.

The warrior, meanwhile still attacked, forcing Amber to continuously block and sometimes even get cut. But she ignored that, instead⁠— she completely tunned out and focused on what mattered.

She focused on drawing from her Essence in a deeper way. To draw more of it.

It exited her incomplete core and went into her body. The more that came out, the more she could feel it almost coursing through her muscles as if it was part of her blood. But she didn’t stop there, she drew even more and swung against the warrior who returned with a lightning quick strike.

And the warrior was pushed back, his eyes widened.

“How?”

Amber swung down with the Cursewelder using all her strength, forcing the warrior to block as his sword cracked. And he⁠— grunted, pushing mana into it mending it. Then, he dashed back as he stared at her with surprise. This time, he had no mocking grin, no nothing. He looked as serious as he could be, as if he was looking at a worthy foe.

Then, a mage was blasted in the background, which the warrior took note of.

“At this rate, the operation will be a failure,” he started. “So, no more games.”

Amber in response, rushed him, not planning on letting him continue his monologue. She swung upon his being, and that’s when she heard him whisper.

“Use twenty years.”

In a single moment, a diabolical and red aura exploded, blocking Amber’s attack for him. She was pushed back and stared for a moment in surprise. Twenty years…? Use…? Amber didn’t exactly know what that mean, but it didn’t sound good.

The warrior cracked his neck and then rushed. Amber blocked and⁠— she felt her bones tremble with pain from the sheer strength of the attack. Then, he followed up with a quick swing that she had to use the 3rd Rank of Quick Dash to evade.

Amber jumped back and through her Sharp Instincts skill predicted where the warrior would show up⁠—

Fulmination Slash.

She swiped and the warrior appeared at that spot and basically ate the attack, which made Amber smile before she realized that he seemed completely unharmed. The red aura around him whirling.

“It’s useless! Magic is useless!”

He rushed and Amber barely blocked his attack, which sent her flying back. She didn’t understand how strong he had grown from whatever he had done, but it was clearly⁠— pretty fucking strong.

She slid across the ground only for the warrior to arrive and strike again. This time he used a skill reminiscent of Cursed Cleave, which tore a large gash across Amber’s shoulder with a burst of blood.

“What’s wrong? You’re going to die at this rate!”

Amber didn’t have it in her to reply, instead she focused more of her Essence, she drew more until⁠— her insides shifted. She didn’t know in what way, but she was allowed to draw an increased volume, before it was like a water hose, and now it was akin to a small stream. Now, she felt like she could use Fulminating Slash with both of her hands, and now⁠—

She could enhance herself more.

Amber pushed, more Essence to flow into her body as she felt her muscles be torn and rebuilt to be stronger. She struck back against the warrior but was pushed back all the same. Something was beginning to happen to her body, almost as if it was tearing apart, but not in a bad way.

She dodged another strike, and then the warrior got an increased speed that she was forced to run away from. She used Cursed Stomp which lightly delayed him, but her other skills were eaten by the red aura surrounding him⁠— it was a barrier. Or most evidently a barrier.

And as Amber felt her body nearly crack, she managed to land a hit which bounced off⁠— which basically confirmed it was a barrier.

The warrior grinned and Amber electrocuted⁠— causing him to jolt as it transferred through her sword, and saved her a potentially nasty injury.

Finally, she pulled back only to notice she was panting. She could feel her body breaking, but it was no longer in a good way. Maybe it wasn’t meant to hold that much Essence, maybe she was going about it in the wrong way, but Recovery of Curses didn’t seem to be healing her either⁠— almost as if not detecting it as a problem.

And yet, she could feel it. She could feel that it was wrong.

Amber allowed all of the Essence to return as a dull pain enveloped her body, she was doing it wrong. She was forcing her body to take ludicrous amounts of Essence ⁠— most of it from the Cube of the Stars ⁠— to grow stronger.

The warrior stared at her for a moment, perhaps he was wary, or perhaps he was gloating on the fact that she looked tired. But this time, rather than saying anything he rushed.

And Amber, closed her eyes.

It was wrong. The way she was using Essence was wrong.

She had been guided earlier, to push it through certain channels, to make it denser and let her body absorb it. Let her body be changed by it.

Once more, she drew her Essence, but this time she let her body absorb it, and she let her being revel in it. And for a moment, she felt nothing, and then⁠— it was as if a door opened.

Her entire being strengthened as new channels for Essence opened.

Amber swung in a counterattack and the warrior was pushed back immediately, much to his surprise. Once more, he had been caught off-guard and once more, he used his Legacy Branch with gritted teeth.

“In exchange for fifty years of my life, grant me the power to end her⁠,” he whispered.

And that’s when she realized the true nature of his Legacy Branch.

The man was enveloped with an even stronger barrier, and that’s when Amber had enough. He wasn’t particularly more durable, but he was much stronger with it.

So, she knew she just had to end him.

She dashed at the man who stood there.

“It’s useless, my barrier will protect me from any attack you can possibly throw at me!”

“Let’s see then!”

Amber used Fulmination Slash, which was basically eaten, and then as the warrior raised his sword, she used Curse Battery a multitude of times.

Explosions of cuts and fire engulfed the warrior as she whispered.

“Abyssal Blast.”

A purple explosion engulfed him as Amber heard a shattering sound, and that’s when she used Essence. Not in any fancy way, not in any particular way, but to enhance her body⁠— and this time, she used it right.

She was overcome by a faint blue light as she swung forward, the warrior burst swinging as well and⁠— his sword was cut, his head⁠— went flying, and Amber’s incomplete core⁠—

Shattered.

[All your attributes have increased by 20.]

She had attained her nucleus, the heart of the core, and she had also attained something else.

God’s Physique.

And her eyes grew wide as she saw all it could do.