Dorian’s grip tightened on Oliver’s neck. Oliver couldn’t breathe as darkness crept at the edges of his vision, threatening to consume him whole. A single tear slipped down his cheek.
“Over here, you smooth-faced shit!”
The sudden shout broke through the haze of pain. Dorian turned his head, eyes narrowing as he saw Zane rushing at him with the ferocity of a charging bull.
Dorian scoffed dismissively and hurled Oliver away like a piece of trash. Oliver's body rolled across the floor, each impact sending shockwaves of agony through him until he finally came to rest in a crumpled heap.
With a flourish, Dorian activated the third ability of the Elemental Fusion relic. The air around him crackled with energy as a fierce gust of wind erupted from his body, creating a cyclone that swept through the restaurant.
Zane staggered, his momentum faltering against the invisible barrier of force. “What the hell?” he grunted, struggling to maintain his footing as the winds whipped around him.
“Phantom Step,” Dorian intoned with chilling calmness.
In an instant, he was gone—leaving only a shimmering trail of afterimages in his wake. The wind propelled him forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. He closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye.
Crackle!
A bolt of lightning shot from Dorian's outstretched hand, striking Zane squarely in the chest. The impact was brutal; Zane's body convulsed as he absorbed the full force of the attack.
Steel Body Relic!
Dorian’s fist connected with Zane’s face like a hammer against an anvil, sending him crashing into the wall with bone-jarring force. Dust and debris exploded around them as Zane spat out a mouthful of blood, his vision blurring as he struggled to rise.
Cough! Cough!
Oliver lay on the floor, gasping for air as he fought to fill his lungs with precious oxygen.
Dorian sighed heavily, dismissing them with a wave of his hand. “One is just average trash while the other is a lower rank than me. Just give up; both of you stand no chance against me.” His voice dripped with contempt.
Unlike Zane and Oliver, who were both Lessor rank 2 Lexarchs, Dorian was an intermediate Lexarch and could use multiple relics without needing to worry about his soul energy running out. Oliver had just average talent while Zane was somewhat better than him but not nearly enough to take on Dorian who not only was talented but also of a small realm higher than both of them. If only Jace was still here, then they could at least have a chance.
Oliver, still remembering how he would have lost his life a moment ago if Zane hadn’t attacked him, felt fear slowly coursing through his veins. But he couldn’t surrender because anyone who surrendered or disobeyed orders in the Ravens would be chased and killed by them.
With trembling limbs, Oliver pushed himself off the ground. His broken bow lay tattered beside him. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he activated his Tomesmith relic and conjured a crossbow from thin air.
Dorian rubbed his temples in annoyance at their resilience. “Fine, I will just kill you then.”
Zane’s eyes darted around wildly, searching for anything that could turn the tide in their favor. Suddenly, they landed on something behind Dorian—a glimmer of hope ignited within him as an evil smile spread across his face.
“Hahaha! Good! Good! Go ahead and kill me then!” Zane made his decision as he then charged forward with reckless abandon.
Swoosh!
At that moment, Oliver released his arrow.
Dorian steeled himself as magma surged forth from his hand, hurtling toward Zane—but Zane dodged just in time, narrowly escaping disaster.
With lightning speed granted by Phantom Step, Dorian evaded Oliver’s arrow effortlessly before closing in on Zane once more.
“Steel Body” Dorian announced.
Zane gritted his teeth and raised his arms defensively just as Dorian unleashed another punch.
Bang!
The force sent Zane skidding across the floor until he crashed into the restaurant counter. Dorian was about to rush forward again but then he caught sight of Zane’s malevolent grin—a grin that sent chills down Dorian’s spine.
“Kekeke! Even if you're stronger than us, you’re still only a man,” Zane taunted mockingly. With surprising strength, he ripped off the top of the counter and reached inside.
Dorian's confidence wavered as dread washed over him as he watched Zane pull something out.
Zane emerged holding something—or rather someone—a woman whose terrified expression mirrored Dorian's growing horror.
it was the waitress.
“See? Come on now! Kill me! You said you would kill us right?! Come now!” Zane yelled triumphantly as he tightened his grip on her head.
“Uuuugh!” Tears streamed down her cheeks as she clutched her head in pain, desperately trying to escape his grasp. “Dorian… save me… please”
Panic surged within Dorian as he stammered out words trying to calm Zane down. “O-okay! Calm down! J-just don’t hurt her and I will leave. I promise I won’t do anything to your friends.”
Zane’s grin widened wickedly as he replied with chilling nonchalance, “No can do.” He used his other arm to deliver a light punch to her gut.
The waitress doubled over in pain and vomited—her body wracked by fear and agony.
“I SAID GET YOUR DISGUSTING HANDS OFF OF HER!” Dorian roared, fury igniting within him like wildfire as he prepared to charge forward again—but froze when the girl’s pained scream pierced through him like a dagger.
Zane's voice dropped to a menacing growl, "Uh Uh Uh, Dorian. One wrong move and you'll never see her pretty face again. Is that what you want?"
Dorian's jaw clenched, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "Let. Her. Go," he snarled through gritted teeth.
A cruel laugh escaped Zane's lips. "Oh, I don't think so. In fact, I think it's time we evened the playing field a bit." His gaze locked onto Dorian's, unwavering and cold. "Take out your relics. All of them."
Dorian's eyes widened in disbelief. "You can't be serious."
"Dead serious," Zane replied, his voice dripping with malice. He pressed his fingers against the waitress's temple, eliciting another pained cry. "Every single relic from your mind core. Now. Or I start breaking things that don't grow back."
The waitress sobbed quietly as she looked at Dorian.
Dorian's gaze darted between Zane and the terrified woman. Sweat beaded on his forehead as the weight of the decision bore down on him.
Zane's patience wore thin. He shouted, "I'm not playing games here! Relics out, or her blood's on your hands!"
A tense moment passed before Dorian slowly raised his hands in surrender. "Alright," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Alright. Just... don't hurt her."
Dorian then ever-so-slowly began to take out his relics.
…
Swoosh Swoosh
The supervisor flicked his head from side to side, his eyes straining against the oppressive gloom as he tried to find Javier. All he could hear was the eerie howling of the dense fog, which seemed to swallow every other sound. The mist clung to his skin, cold and clammy, heightening his sense of unease.
Suddenly, his eyes hardened with determination, as he willed his Sand-shifting relic and a wall of sand appeared above him
Crash!
Javier suddenly appeared as he crashed into the sturdy sand barrier, his spectral blade digging deep into the sand shield. Then, as quickly as he had appeared, Javier leapt away, disappearing into the fog before the supervisor could even retaliate.
The supervisor frowned, he didn't have a detection relic, a fact that now seemed like a grave oversight. He could only rely on his finely honed senses to block Javier's sneak attacks.
'This is not a good situation,' he thought, his mind racing through possible strategies. 'My opponent is clearly trying to waste time and take occasional cheap shots at me. I could try to shoot out my sand in all directions to catch him, but that would leave me vulnerable and if he manages to escape… No, too risky. Including my Sand-shifting relic, I only have the 100 Fist relic and adaptive skin relic on me.' The supervisor's fingers twitched, itching to act, but he held himself in check, knowing that a hasty move could spell his doom.
Then Javier's laugh echoed from the fog. “Hahaha, what's the matter, big shot? Running out of ideas?” Javier taunted, his voice dripping with mockery.
“...Little punk” Supervisor grumbled.
"Tick tock, tick tock! We've got all day, you know. Or..." Javier chuckled. “You could always try your luck. Spray and pray, right? Either way, you’re finished!”
The supervisor stood there silently, neither moving nor speaking, not even attempting to rebuke Javier's taunts. The dense fog continued to swirl around him and his sand snakes stuck close to him as he contemplated about his situation.
'Is he finally giving up?' Javier thought as he kept moving around in the fog, not daring to stay in one place for fear of giving away his position.
On the sidelines, Theo watched with a perplexed gaze. He could only hear Javier's taunts coming from the other end of the fog. His hands were involuntarily clenched at his sides.
"How long until the lullaby starts?" Seren, who was standing beside Theo, asked with a hint of urgency in her voice.
"Less than 5 minutes," Theo replied, his voice tight with anxiousness. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, each beat a countdown to their impending action.
"Okay. At the 30-second mark, we…" Seren began explaining the next step in his plan, her words low and measured. Theo listened intently, but a nagging worry gnawed at him.
"But how will Javier survive if he's holding back the supervisor and the guards for us?" Theo interrupted, his concern evident.
Seren didn't answer him, her silence more than enough response. The weight of unspoken implications hung heavy in the air between them.
THUMP
Both Seren and Theo whipped their heads back towards the fog as a deep thud resounded, breaking the tense silence.
THUMP
Another impact followed. "What's going on in there?" he wondered aloud, becoming increasingly restless. He would have rather preferred the eerie silence to these ominous sounds.
Inside the fog, Javier moved swiftly, his form a blur as he darted from place to place. However, an incredulous expression had settled on his face.
THUMP
He watched in disbelief as the supervisor continuously used his 100 Fist relic, punching himself in the gut with brutal force.
THUMP
The supervisor's face contorted slightly as he endured the self-inflicted pain. 'Hah... Hah... I will definitely make him suffer for making me do this to myself,' the supervisor thought with contempt through his labored breathing. Then, with grim determination, he clenched his jaw and produced another fist in the air before driving it into his own gut again.
This bizarre self-flagellation continued for the next minute. Javier watched silently from his hiding spot in the fog, growing increasingly anxious. He didn't want to attack, knowing that at most he could only stop the supervisor for a few seconds. He didn't have the soul energy to launch a sustained assault.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
THUMP
The supervisor suddenly stood straight, his eyes gleaming with a determined glint. 'Hmmm, this seems good for now,' he thought. Then, with purposeful strides, he began running.
'What's he playing at?' Javier couldn't wrap his head around the supervisor's actions. Regardless, he knew he had to attack and prevent the supervisor from escaping the fog.
Swoosh
Javier increased his speed, closing in on the running supervisor.
Spectral blade!
He slashed towards his target. The snakes trailing close to the supervisor immediately moved to intercept, forming a protective barrier.
Javier smirked. He activated his Leaping Frog relic, smacking his foot against the floor. Instantly, he changed directions. Smacking his foot again, he rerouted and launched a devastating attack at the supervisor.
Slash!
The sound of cutting flesh resounded through the fog. "Finally! Did you think that last-ditch effort was going to save you? Hahaha! How do you like that? Getting done in by a rank 1!" Javier laughed heartily, believing he had finally defeated the supervisor.
"That… still fucking hurt," the supervisor's voice cut through Javier's laughter, stopping it cold.
As the thick fog in front of Javier dissipated, he was stunned to see the supervisor standing there, looking at him with a cold glint in his eyes. Javier's spectral blade had dug into the supervisor's chest, drawing a line of blood that dripped to the floor.
"The cat finally caught the rat, huh?" the supervisor said as he moved closer to Javier, despite the blade digging deeper into his chest.
"Fuck!" Javier cursed, immediately deactivating his spectral blade and trying to retreat. But it was too late.
Grab!
The two sand snakes leapt at Javier, quickly looping around his arms and legs, restricting his movements.
"Let go, you ugly fuck!" Javier snarled, struggling against his bonds.
"Why the hell do you curse so much? Do you enjoy it or something?" the supervisor commented dryly as he removed his blood-stained shirt. Javier's attack had left a deep slash across his chest.
"Damn it, now I have to go to that hag to get stitched up," the supervisor grumbled. "But at least this rank 1 Adaptive Skin relic was good for something."
He turned to face Javier, whose eyes now burned with a mixture of anger and anxiousness. The supervisor's lips curled into a cold smile, savoring his victory.
“For a moment there… I almost thought you had me. Now then, shall we discuss your… miscalculation?”
…
THUMP
"Oh, the thumping sounds started again," Theo said, his voice laced with worry and curiosity. He strained his ears, trying to decipher what was happening within the fog.
"I want to see what's going on in there. This fog is so annoying, can’t see anything!" Theo complained, frustration evident in his tone. He squinted, as if sheer willpower could penetrate the dense barrier.
But then, as if responding to his silent plea, the fog began to thin. Wisps of mist curled away, dissipating into the air. Theo wore a confused look, startled by this sudden, seemingly magical fulfillment of his request.
However, the scene that gradually revealed itself made his legs weak. The fog fully dispersed, unveiling a nightmarish tableau that seared itself into Theo's mind.
There stood the supervisor, his muscular torso bare and glistening with sweat. A long, angry slash ran diagonally across his chest, blood still oozing from the wound. But it was the casual brutality of his posture that truly chilled Theo to the bone.
The supervisor held Javier aloft with one hand, gripping the young man's face in a vice-like grip. Javier's body dangled limply, like a broken puppet.
Theo's eyes widened in horror as he took in Javier's condition. His body was covered in deep, mottled bruises that ranged from angry red to sickening purple. But worst of all were his limbs - one arm and one leg were clearly broken, twisted at unnatural angles that made Theo's stomach lurch.
"No..." Theo whispered, the word escaping his lips in a horrified exhale.
The supervisor's eyes gleamed with malicious amusement as he turned his attention to Seren and Theo. "Seren, did you really think your pathetic plan of keeping me busy would work?"
Seren remained stoic, her face a mask of calm despite the turmoil in his eyes. Theo, on the other hand, was visibly shaken, his body trembling as he struggled to process the scene before him.
"Cat got your tongue?" the supervisor taunted. "Or perhaps you're finally realizing the futility of your actions?"
The supervisor's gaze settled on Seren, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "Oh and Seren, let's not forget our little bet. You'd better have some good information for me, or I’m going to have to enjoy breaking some things that won’t be fixed..." He left the threat hanging in the air.
Seren's mind raced, weighing his options. There was only a little bit of time left until the lullaby went off. ‘Do I have to do this now…’
The supervisor saw his expression as he said, “What? Still got something left to say to me–”
Ptooey!
The supervisor was cut off by a sudden unexpected sound.
With unnatural slowness, he turned his widened eyes to face Javier. A glob of spit slid down his cheek, and Javier, despite his battered state, wore a defiant grin.
"What… you forgot about me already?" Javier rasped, his voice weak but filled with determination. "I'm still here… you bastard."
Veins bulged on the supervisor's forehead, his rage barely contained.
"SEREN!"
Suddenly Javier yelled.
Seren's attention snapped to Javier.
"How much longer?" Javier asked, through his laboured breaths.
With a solemn expression, Seren replied, "One minute."
A manic smile spread across Javier's face. "Perfect. That's all I need to kick this asshole's ass!"
In a flash, Javier activated his relic with his unbroken leg and delivered a powerful kick to the supervisor's chest.
BAM!
The impact sent the supervisor flying back several meters, freeing Javier from his grip. Javier crumpled to the floor but immediately began pushing himself up with his one good arm. With tremendous effort, he managed to stand on his single unbroken leg, his bloody and broken form swaying slightly as he faced the supervisor.
Javier's breathing was rough, but his eyes burned with an unquenchable fire.
The supervisor, barely containing his fury, spat out, "What can you even do in that state?"
Javier took a deep breath. Then, with a determined glint in his eyes, he declared, "You're about to witness why underestimating Rank 1 Superiors is a fatal mistake."
Suddenly, Javier's eyes hardened, his body stiffened, and his blood began to boil as he roared, "Rank 1 Leaping Frog Relic: BREAK!"
Inside Javier's MindCore, a relic in the shape of a sleeping frog pulsed with blinding light. Cracks spiderwebbed across its surface before it shattered completely. The aura from the Leaping Frog relic engulfed Javier's body, cloaking him in a menacing green glow.
"T-that's the special ability a Lexarch gains when they reach Rank 1 Superior," Theo gasped, falling to his knees as he pointed at Javier. "The power to break a Rank 1 relic through ranks!"
Javier's bones quivered, and his heart raced dangerously. Through gritted teeth, he growled, "I can barely control this relic yet. I'll have to end this quickly."
"What the hell are you morons doing?!" The supervisor bellowed at the guards. "Forget the fucking bet and kill them all!" He shouted. He felt a bad premonition because of what Seren said before and couldn't care less about the bet anymore.
“Advanceeeee!”
“Kill them all!”
The guards charged forward, shouting battle cries as they readied their relics.
THUCK!
But then suddenly, three guards at the front of the horde suddenly lost their heads, their bodies crumpling to the ground. The guards behind immediately froze as they saw their companions' dead bodies in front of them. Then their eyes locked on Javier, who stood in the same spot, but now holding all three severed heads of their companions.
Javier threw the heads at their feet, his voice low and menacing. "Take one more step, and your lives are forfeit."
The guards retreated, visibly shaken by Javier's brutality and sudden explosive increase in strength.
"Useless maggots!" The supervisor snarled before shouting, "Sand snakes!" His two sand snakes shot forward at alarming speeds, closing in on the motionless Javier. Just as they were about to strike—
THUCK!
Javier vanished.
"He disappeared!" A guard yelled in shock.
"No, look up there!" Another pointed to the ceiling.
All eyes turned upward to miraculously find Javier hanging upside down, his gaze fixed on the supervisor below. Rage contorted the supervisor's features as he gnashed his teeth.
THUCK!
Javier kicked off the ceiling with morbid speed, leaving a crater in his wake. For the first time, the supervisor felt his life truly threatened. He quickly bent down, touching the floor as he yelled, "Sand Shifting Relic!"
The ground beneath him disintegrated into sand as the sand then formed a protective shield over his head.
Crash!
Javier crashed into the sand shield. The spectral blade in his hand digging deep into the barrier, sending cracks spiderwebbing across its surface.
Javier looked into the supervisor's eyes with a calm gaze, unfazed by the man's flaring anger. "Attack!" the supervisor bellowed. The sand lashed out.
THUCK!
But Javier vanished instantly, reappearing on the ceiling before leaping down again and shooting at the supervisor.
The supervisor tensed, hastily erecting another sand shield as Javier appeared beside him. "Die!" A flurry of spectral fists materialized, pummeling towards Javier.
Crash!
Once again, Javier evaded easily, appearing in a different location.
The supervisor found himself completely outmatched in terms of speed.
THUCK! Javier leapt to the ceiling.
THUCK! He appeared beside the terrified supervisor.
THUCK! Back to the ceiling.
Javier continued utilizing his relic, gradually increasing his speed like a spring coiling tighter with each bounce between floor and ceiling.
THUCK! THUCK! THUCK! THUCK! THUCK! THUCK!
The rapid succession of sounds echoed through the hall.
"...Oh my god," some guards murmured, falling to their knees. Javier moved with such blinding speed that he was barely visible, and his speed was still increasing!
Theo watched, utterly baffled. This display of power far exceeded that of a rank 1 Lexarch, or even a Lesser rank 2. Seren's eyes narrowed as he keenly noticed Javier's knee bending at extreme angles.
'...This won't last long,' he observed.
"Get up, we only have 30 seconds left. We're starting now!" Seren urgently instructed Theo.
30
"O-okay, got it," Theo replied, willing a relic in his mind. Suddenly, chirping sounds filled the air as a soul puppet bird burst into the hall through a vent. The bird appeared midair before emitting a blinding flash of light. As the light faded, a towering beast emerged before Seren – a tiger-like creature with thick fur and ferocious eyes.
29
"Get on!" Seren commanded. He and Theo quickly climbed atop the tiger. "GO!" Theo ordered.
ROARRRRRRRRR
The tiger let out a deafening roar before launching into action, scaling the tall shelves filled with crates.
The supervisor watched helplessly as Seren and Theo made their escape, while Javier continued to regard him with a calm, almost pitying gaze. He, a mighty rank 2 Lexarch, felt utterly powerless against these rank 1s.
27
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it all!" the supervisor snapped, disregarding his soul reserves as he pressed his bare hands to the floor. "SAND MAUSOLEUM!"
Immediately, the entire hall began to shake violently. The floor, walls, and ceiling started crumbling into sand. The tiger, mid-climb on the shelves, momentarily lost its balance before leaping to a more stable shelf.
"He's trying to destroy the whole building!" Theo yelled in alarm.
23
"AHAHAHA! What will you do now, Javier?! Pretty soon you won't have anywhere to jump from!" The supervisor's maniacal laughter echoed through the disintegrating hall, his desperation evident in his reckless actions.
Javier scoffed disdainfully. "Rank 2 Leaping Frog Relic!"
In an otherworldly display, Javier then suddenly began to kick off the air itself!
He lunged at the supervisor. The supervisor barely managed to react, jerking his head back to avoid Javier's spectral blade by a hair's breadth. Javier leapt away again, further enraging the supervisor whose veins now bulged on his forehead.
17
"THIS IS MY FINAL ATTACK!" Javier roared, increasing the frequency of his jumps as he moved through the air.
THUCK! THUCK! THUCK! THUCK! THUCK! THUCK!
The sounds echoed through the crumbling hall.
13
"I want you to die!" The supervisor bellowed as he willed all the sand in the area and turned it into a wave, rode it into the air, with hundreds more waves following behind him.
10
"Moonblade relic!" Seren yelled, extending his hand forward. A half-crescent moonblade shot out, creating a hole in the roof. The tiger beneath them roared, increasing its speed towards the newly formed escape route.
9
"Javier, you are the first person to piss me off this bad!" The supervisor raged. Atop his sand wave, he swung his arms at Javier and shouted.
"Rank 2 Sand Shifting Relic: Burial Tide!"
A massive tide of sand, large enough to engulf the entire hall, shot forward towards Javier.
8
"Run!" The guards on the ground frantically scrambled for the exits, trying to avoid the colossal attack.
"Fuck off! Rank 2 Leaping Frog Relic: 3 Leaps Forward!" Javier yelled, pouring his remaining soul energy into this final move.
7
"First Leap!" He kicked off the air with such force that the G-force began cracking his kneecaps and ribcage.
"A Rank 1 will never defeat me!" The supervisor shouted as the burial tide engulfed Javier whole.
6
"No!" Theo screamed, watching in horror.
"AHAHAHA! So much for your final attack!" The supervisor laughed triumphantly.
5
"Second Leap!" A voice resounded from within the tide, accompanied by slashing and crashing sounds.
The supervisor’s laugh immediately died down as he looked at the wave of sand in horror.
4
"Final Leap!" Javier burst out of the sand tide, his last leg now broken as well.
"Spectral Blade!"
3
The supervisor, terrified to his core, instinctively raised his arms to block. Javier's blade slashed through, severing both arms.
"UGHAAAAAA" The supervisor cried out in agony. Javier's blade then dug into his neck, but before it could complete the cut, the blade suddenly dimmed and disappeared.
2
"...Damn.... it" Javier muttered his last words as he fell to the ground.
Thud
His final attack had faltered as his soul energy ran out at the critical moment.
"UGAAAHAAAHA" The supervisor rolled in the sand, both hands severed and bleeding profusely. "I swear I will kill you! I vow to kill you as long as I live!" he wailed.
1
TONNNNNNNNNNNN
A sudden bell-like sound reverberated through the entire Backdoor Collective's building.
"We have to get out now!" Seren commanded. The tiger let out another roar before leaping through the hole in the tattered ceiling, bursting out into the cool breeze of Glowhaven with Seren and Theo on its back.
TONNNNNNnnnnnnnnnn…….
The sound died down and for a second, the entire Collective's building fell into deep silence.
…RUMBLE!
Then suddenly, an earthquake shook the entire structure before–
CRASH!!!
A giant pillar of light burst out from underground and exploded, swallowing half of the collective, along with Javier, the supervisor, and nearly engulfing Seren and Theo in its brilliant, destructive radiance.