Chapter 23
Since the System had effectively locked the natives of the Elemental Dimension to a single element, it compensated their innate gift with an additional ability.
(Elemental Freeform Style)
Description: All attacks involving your innate element will automatically behave as if you used a skill, with the grade depending on the complexity of the move and the understanding of your element.
Ska’dur kept the ability Elemental Freeform Style in mind as he observed the lava lake below, feeling pressured by how high Torg’s base stats were. Although Ska’dur hadn’t used any skills, the attacks he landed had only chipped away a few percentages of Torg’s health, and he doubted he’d be able to damage Torg if he didn’t have the War Array trinket boosting him.
While Ska’dur was brooding, the lava lake erupted as Torg rose, white flames rolling off his skin and warping the space around him. Grinning, Torg spoke, “Your outburst earlier surprised me, and now I wish you were level 1,000 so we could fight to our heart's content.”
“Hm,” Ska’dur grunted, shifting his stance.
There was a brief silence as Ska’dur and Torg stared at each other, scrutinizing their opponent, until Torg pointed a finger and said, “Fireball.”
Unlike the Fireballs Ska’dur was familiar with, this one instantly struck his shoulder and exploded, dealing a few thousand damage before Ska’dur could react.
Even though Ska’dur’s high fire resistance defended him well, his expression turned grim. Judging by the speed and explosive force, Torg had elevated a skill commonly used by novice mages into a deadly weapon, from a rare grade skill into something beyond mythic. What if he used higher grade skills instead?
“Interesting,” Torg remarked. “Again.”
When another Fireball emerged, Ska’dur acted instinctively and changed a few of his monster traits, switching from ones focused on strength to agility and reaction speed. His increased perception allowed him to observe the incoming Fireball split into a dozen equally powerful ones. However, having already adapted, Ska’dur calmly stepped forward and twisted his body to avoid them by a narrow margin.
“Good. Again,” Torg repeated, wondering where Ska’dur’s limits lay.
At Torg’s command, another Fireball appeared and split into 32, some moving faster than others. Irked by Torg’s comments, Ska’dur advanced while expertly dodging the next wave, yet Torg shot out more with every step he took.
48.
64.
86.
102.
All the Fireballs Ska’dur avoided flew into the distance and ravaged the landscape, each one creating holes over thirty feet wide and melting everything within to form pits of lava.
At some point, the volleys turned into an endless barrage, and under Torg’s control, the Fireballs weaved through the air in arcs, approaching Ska’dur from multiple directions. Even then, Ska’dur drew ever closer, slapping away whatever Fireballs he couldn’t avoid.
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When Ska’dur forced his way into striking range, Torg’s hand that pointed forward shifted into a palm, followed by a word, “Flamethrower.”
WOOSH!
A massive wave of white flames spewed out from Torg’s palm. As it washed over Ska’dur, Ska’dur utilized the Slipstream Marlin’s ability to teleport a short distance, instantly arriving behind Torg, a punch backed by a Life Energy empowered skill already in motion.
Piledriver!
Alarmed by the Life Energy contained within Ska’dur’s attack, Torg conjured a Mana Barrier just as Ska’dur’s fist burrowed into his back.
CRACK!
The penetrative quality of Piledriver successfully broke through Torg’s Mana Barrier and sent him flying uncontrollably, with Ska’dur planning to give chase until he noticed white flames spreading up his arm and across his entire body. The heat emanating from the flames was too much for Ska’dur’s armor, and they started melting on the spot.
Thinking quickly, Ska’dur utilized Mana Manipulation to create a layer of mana over his body, where he then mimicked a snake shedding its skin to remove the glue-like flames. His idea was successful as he detached the layer of mana and tossed it away, all the flames stuck to the mana instead of Ska’dur’s body.
While Ska’dur dealt with the flames, Torg recovered from Ska’dur’s attack, and there was now a considerable distance between them. Instead of resuming the fight, Torg glanced at the falling ball of flaming mana before focusing on Ska’dur, saying, “Impressive, you’re the fastest person to find a solution to that move. I’m surprised.”
Ska’dur furrowed his brow, remaining silent. For a while now, Torg’s attitude had been irritating him. It was like Torg was sparring with a junior, what with him starting with Fireball and Flamethrower, both mediocre skills. He also constantly wanted to converse.
Enough was enough.
The Innate Nation had too much on the line for Ska’dur to treat this fight frivolously, so he decided to unleash a power Torg couldn’t ignore. Taking out a laminated box from his inventory and opening it, Ska’dur plucked the celestial grade Energy Bloom Tonic from inside, popped the topper, and poured its contents down his throat. He ignored its sweet, fruity taste and recalled its information.
(Celestial, Potion) Energy Bloom Tonic
Description: For ten minutes, you will re-absorb 90% of any consumed energy.
Mana.
Everyone dreamed of defeating an enemy by overwhelming them with skills, though hardly anyone could make their dreams a reality. Mages, in particular, had to stay mindful of their mana reserves during a fight. They weren’t like warriors who could rely on their base stats to ensure victory once resources ran dry.
That’s where the Energy Bloom Tonic came into play, effectively boosting a person’s mana reserves multiple times. And that wasn’t all. The benefits were far greater for someone like Ska’dur, who had Life Energy.
Ska’dur possessed the transcendent grade Mana Body, which boosted skills by one grade, and he had Life Energy to empower their modifiers. By combining both, he could raise any skill by two or more grades, depending on how much Life Energy he spent. With the potion, he no longer needed to save his Life Energy for emergencies.
To start, Ska’dur did something he only did once during peacetime as an experiment. He consumed 100% of his remaining Life Energy to boost not a skill, but his body.
BOOM!
The moment Ska’dur willed it, yellow energy erupted from him in obscene amounts. It towered high into the sky, breaking apart the clouds above and flattening the trees on the ground below. Feeling the overwhelming power surging through his very veins, Ska’dur unleashed a hearty roar, his voice echoing across the battlefield.
Due to an infusion of Life Energy, your primary stats are increased by 150% for 5 minutes. Afterward, temporarily gain the status effects ‘Fatigued’ and ‘Weakened’ for three hours.
On top of the external buffs and War Array trinket, Ska’dur gained an additional 150% to his primary stats, skyrocketing his power to levels he couldn’t control. Furthermore, he regenerated 90% of the Life Energy he just consumed, allowing him to do many things.
From afar, Torg observed the billowing yellow energy surrounding Ska’dur, never for a moment thinking that it came from a transcendent grade skill. If he knew, he wouldn’t give Ska’dur a few moments to adjust to his new condition.
While Torg watched, Ska’dur forcibly brought the pillar of Life Energy under his will, converging it until it remained a few feet from his body. Flicking like fire, the Life Energy encompassed Ska’dur, bathing him in a yellow hue.
Ska’dur understood he was now racing against the clock, and so in the next five minutes, with every fiber of his being, he was going to unleash everything he had.
It was time to go wild.