Drake didn’t recognize how much easier combat was with Vanish constantly firing Dread Beams, until she was forced to fight alone. The boy was taking time to create and level up minions, using Drake as an intermediary to ask Aurora what she believed his choices would result in.

“I have three choices for the healer’s offensive skill, it says, Life Orb, Lich Beam, and Vigor Drain,” stated Vanish as the former healers body lifted itself, its skull rolling across the battlefield, and floating to resettle itself upon the skeletons shoulders while the healer came to a knee before Vanish.

Those choices are all interesting, but I doubt a regular healer would have access to something called Lich Beam, I wonder if their undead state is affecting what upgrade options Vanish has, Thought Drake as Aurora gave her own ideas for Drake to relay.

“Aurora says she thinks life orb is an area of effect skill that explodes, and drains life from opponents before returning to the user, healing them, lich beam is more than likely a ranged version of the red energy you see around my weapons, I believe it is also a life draining technique, and neither one of us know what vigor drain is.”

Drake concentrated on her breathing, every move dedicated to both attack and defense, Drake trying to emulate how the first Denizen she fought moved.

She felt that everything around her moved slowly as her starved senses shifted her perception of reality. This was perfect for combat, and the meditation helped her stay calm, but Drake still worried about having to feed again so quickly.

Hopefully you need to eat again because of all the fighting Drake, calm down, it may not always be like this.

“Her mind kept drifting away from her worries and she accepted her inability to concentrate on matters beyond combat, and helping vanish grow.

“What should I choose,” asked Vanish.

“Drake took a while to respond. She was having flashes of one of the most famous martial artist of all time continually popping up in her head. Which at first made the movements of her right Brute arm seem coincidental, but the arms hand shifting into a fist and performing a flurry of blows on a skeleton completely independently from Drake, made Drake wonder if the arm was pulling from her memories.

No way…

“Umm, I don’t know buddy, I’d go for the life orb, especially if it is going to attack multiple foes, but I don’t know if that is going to help with your exhaustion, vigor drain might, but so may the defensive options, or even the system options, if you can’t choose, let’s just move on and come back to it!”

The skeletons numbers were that of an overpacked rave, making Drake feel as if she had no room to move. Every strike killed a skeleton, only for two to try and take its place.

Drake became a swirl of crimson as her weapons lashed out in a spiraling cursive of maneuvers. The air painted with the crimson trails of both her weapons.

A Novice ranked skeleton charged through the pack, Aurora warning drake about the former Berserk’s charge. What should have been a powerful opponent, was grabbed by her defensive arm, the impact causing a gush of air to explode throughout the mob; Drake only sliding back a few feet.

A smirk drew across her face, before she roared at the massive figure that struggled to break away from her defensive arm, its grip on its skull so tight that the bone began to crack. Drake didn’t give it a chance to escape, sweeping her offensive weapon through its torso, obliterating the large frame the moment it reached out to grab her.

The rage that filled her chest in that moment swept away all attempts at reason and dedication to her moving meditation ability. Power thrummed through her torso and she rushed into the middle of the encroaching masses of Skeltons, indiscriminately attacking anything that moved.

Her natural ability to move her body in anyway she wanted had been honed to perfection in her own earthen physique, and was now only limited by Aurora’s shorter figure, slight lack of flexibility, and the unrefined muscle stamina that would come with discipline and daily exercise; but that was before Drake took control.

Aurora’s bodily makeup as a Cultivator was far more limitless than Drake’s original body had been, and Drake could feel how much more was left untapped in her new bodies musculature, which Drake had all plans on remedying. Not through light exercise, or even yoga, but all out combat.

Though Drake had just killed a Novice monster, she knew a Novice Cultivator would be on a completely different scale of magnitude. Weak opponents would only result in her not gaining any true skill, which made Drake hungry for a challenge.

Her mind filled with the sensation of power she felt come from the Denizen, and she let the feeling come to life within her entire body.

The combination that the Denizen had performed became a framework in her mind and the killing of skeletons became as easy as breathing in that moment. Drake seizing on a power she’d only seen used a few times, remaking the sight in her mind as she spoke each stance out, performing them as she fixated on the forms mentally.

Palm strike.

Her defensive brute arm flashed outward, killing two skeletons before her.

Flying back fist.

Her offensive arm of the Brute lashed out, her swing arcing out in a streaking flash, killing four skeletons.

heel drop.

Drake raised her foot skyward, her foot making a concussive sound as it reached its apex,. Crimson energies flowing inward from her weapons, traveling through her body, and collecting around her upraised foot.

Drake’s foot fell like a meteor, and though she didn’t hit a single skeleton with the kick itself; the powerful red wave of destruction that rolled out once her foot pressed down flatly killed every skeleton within a yard around her.

She couldn’t hear Vanish’s gasp of shock, nor could she hear Aurora’s inquiries at her well being. Her mental guardian instantly stunned to silence.

Only her internal voice was left beside the sounds of battle and her breathing, calling for more, envisioning what she could become. A powerful conceptualization born, growing stronger with every movement.

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Stomp.

She lifted her opposing leg, her foot dangling with a trembling might as she raised her knee upward. More skeletons charged her, and Drake slammed her foot down, crimson energy rippling down her torso and toward the ball of her foot the very moment it made impact.

A second wave rolled out less powerfully, sweeping the legs out from underneath the charging monsters.

Everything in that moment slowed further for drake. She spread her legs slightly, lowering her center of gravity, and jumped.

The crimson energy she gathered the entire night up to that point, flowed through her as she performed a perfect spinning roundhouse.

By the light of the maiden, yelled Aurora, and finally Drake was able to hear her speaking.

Drake’s kick missed all the foes that fell toward her. She couldn’t help but note that had it landed, she would have taken the heads off all of the skeletons that immediately surrounded her.

The kick was completed too slowly to land flush; just barely missing all the toppling opponents. Not only because her timing was off, but because her leg was far too short for the technique she’d just tried to pull off.

What just happened, Drake asked mentally, hoping Aurora had an answer.

You were just moving like a Genocide master.

“Genocide master, what is, started to ask Drake only for a notification to pop up in the corner of her vision.

*Notification* - Status Update -

Technique Unlocked - Through the strength of your memory and understanding of the body, you have been granted access to the dead art of Genocide. This martial art is said to be the art born to kill celestials and even shift reality through its usage.

Warning - even the basic maneuvers used in this technique can destroy the bodies of those not physically strong enough to handle the powerful backlash that comes with each strike.*

“Drake duck!”

Drake glanced back to see a skeleton holding a red orb with a swirling black light at its center, and a second orb hurtling through the air toward her.

What the fuck is that…!

Drake barely managed to duck in time. Yet her defensive Arm of the Brute still independently decided to raise a palm upward, blocking the incoming orb.

the collision resulted in a wave that swept through the crowd of skeletons with such force that the ground around Drake shook. Skeletons for nearly three yards were completely destroyed, not broken apart as they were when drake crushed them, but turned to dust.

Drake rose, looking around in shock. Her eyes fell on a wide eyed Vanish, his mouth hanging open.

“I’m so,” started Vanish trying to apologize.

“Oh my god that was so fucking cool, did you see that!”

Drake gave him a thumbs up as she turned back toward the incoming skeletons, missing the black beams tinged with crimson, flash into her, Vanish, and his newly summoned skeleton. However she did feel the burst of vitality that made her feel as if she’d just slept peacefully all night.

“woah, man I feel great…”

…

Aurora was beginning to feel like she’d been sent on a journey with two monsters. The pair of Cultivators were supposed to be unranked, yet they seemed as strong as some Adepts.

Or maybe even stronger…

Aurora discussed the rest of Vanish’s options with him through Drake, trying to become used to the two. Truly concerned with how they refused to back down from the endless mobs of skeletons.

At one point she asked if they planned to run. Drake responded with factors in regards to their situation Aurora couldn’t help but agree with.

One, Drake worried that the castle behind them may have an even stronger foe lying in wait within. Stated that the path down the mountain may be even more flooded with skeletons than they originally assumed. As well that as long as they could easily kill the skeletons and gain attribute points, that the fight at hand may be their only chance to gain a true foothold in the dungeon.

Aurora knew Drake was right, and was even becoming jealous that she wasn’t more involved.

She was able to take pride in the fact that Vanish was more open to her suggestions however, and of the three defensive options given to his skeletal healer, Minor Deflection Armor, Lich Skin, and Devil Guardian, Vanish chose the latter at Aurora’s prompting.

Aurora had pointed him in that direction, believing the choice to be a summon meant to defend, and seeing on how they needed numbers, Vanish agreed. Not a few moments later, a demonic dog built itself from the surrounding bones. Its body filled with a blackened musculature that reminded Aurora and Drake of the Denizen. Yet it was the summons crimson ruby eyes that solidified their belief that the summon was related to the Denizen classification of monster.

The dog didn’t let anything approach Vanish and the former healer now minion, biting off the ankles of approaching skeletons with bone shattering chomps. As well to Drakes shocked surprise, it also managed to drag the Novice skeletons with durable enough bones off their feet to make easy targets for Drake, which she honestly appreciated.

Something has got to be wrong with me, but that demon dog is definitely cute…

His final choice left Aurora stumped. He was forced to choose between a skill called, Soul Sacrifice, another called Rebirth, and one named Core Eater.

Drake thought Core eater was the best choice. Worried that the sacrifice skill would result in him losing his skeletal minion without giving a good enough payout for the loss; and that Rebirth may actually bring the skeletal healer back to life, giving them more problems than they already had.

“Yeah, I don’t like the potential of either one of those things happening,” said Vanish, picking Core Eater, only for them to find out that the undead no longer had cores, making the move unusable.

Between the healer’s constant Life orbs, the Devil guardian, and Vanish’s Dread Beam, Drake was finally able to take a break.

She sat next to Vanish, and the pair chatted, speaking on their plans for upgrades, and what they wanted to accomplish.

“Hey, did you get attribute points when I was killing skeletons,” asked Drake. Vanish nodded, and Drake’s brow unfurled.

“Okay, cool, thought it was odd that my attribute point pool was still rising even though I’m not fighting.”

Vanish grunted, the majority of his focus on the battle, and his continued attempts to bring the martial artist skeleton he’d kept his eye on into his group of minions.

“Damnit, it keeps failing,” groaned Vanish.

Do you think it is because we haven’t leveled up, asked Drake, hoping Aurora would have the answer.

More than likely, but maybe not, he is focusing on a lot of things right now, maybe he should try when you return to the fight, offered Aurora; Drake nodding and telling him the same.

“Your probably right, I just really wanted to make this that much easier, with that extra minion I doubt that we wouldn’t be able to last the night at least.”

“Yeah, I think your right,” agreed Drake.

“Have you thought about raising an entire minion yourself, not just a body part I mean?”

Drake shook her head.

“No, at this point I want two mage arms, and maybe the legs of a rogue or martial artist to wear as leg armor, may not even be possible, but if I can figure out a way to give myself a bit more height, I think that Genocide art or whatever its called may be easier to use,” said Drake smirking.

Doesn’t sound like a bad idea, or too unreasonable if done right, added Aurora.

“Hmm, I see, I may have to try something similar if I can pull it off,” said Vanish with a smirk of his own, just before he fired back to back Dread Beams into the skeleton mob.

“You have taken to this whole necromancy thing pretty well, I don’t doubt that you can pull off anything you set your mind to kid.”

“Thanks, I’m doing my best,” said Vanish as black energy wrapped around his hand, and he used bone manipulation to give Drake a thumbs up.

“No problem its the truth, but I better get back over there, seems like the mob is getting bigger, take a second to try and reanimate that martial artist though, you can pull back your minions if you need a second, I promise I won’t die,” Drake said playfully as she rolled her neck, slowly turning to face the mob.

“Okay, will do!”

Drake gave him a thumbs up of her own and spread her legs to widen her stance.

“Okay Drake…,” said Drake underneath her breath speaking only to herself.

“Its time to finish this….”

…

Drake wanted the fight to be over as soon as possible. Not because she was tired. Nor because she needed to feed. Not even because of the steady increase to the difficulty of battle.

She was excited. She now had not 1, or two, but four mage arms to play with. She wanted to see the capabilities of her new toys, and couldn’t help but compare the feeling she was having now, to the feeling she got when waiting for a new MMO’s release.

The mages didn’t seem to have access to their previous magics from what Aurora explained. Apparently both of the mages she’d taken down were considerably rare classes, but Drake hadn’t been slowed or hindered in the slightest by either one of the two.

She’d nearly destroyed the body of a former storm mage, and the body of the former metal magus, but Aurora had made sure to point the pair out well in advance before Drake’s explosive combat style resulted in the loss of both opportunities.

Her previous feat at the channeled focus of power while using the martial forms of Genocide had not been repeated since. She had a feeling that it had been her boiling fury that had allowed her to tap into the art form, and hadn’t managed to summon the sensation since.

Breathe Drake, we have to walk before we run or fly… There is no need to rush. You may want to get to the ascended rank as soon as possible, but you won’t make it there if you die first.

This was the main reason Drake hadn’t decided to splurge on spending her attribute points. She worried she wouldn’t get a true grasp of what she could achieve at her current perceived limits, especially if every time she tried to push herself she chose to rely on the offered upgrades instead.

She knew that in every fantasy game she’d played, the most attractive aspect was becoming stronger. The attractiveness of new skills and abilities was unrivaled. Only problem with that in her current situation was that this was her real life.

She knew the stat points could quickly become like that of performance enhancing drugs.

Or, that if she didn’t truly explore what every skill, ability, and technique was able to accomplish, learning their every intricacy and the depths of what they could do individually, all of her efforts would more than likely make her foundation weak.

It wasn’t until she began to fight in this new realm that she started to understand what a combat foundation truly was. Her foundation consisted of, the strength of her body, the versatility of her skills, through power output and or variety of mechanisms, and her ability to survive in any situation.

With Aurora’s knowledge I may also be able to refine my tactics as well, thought Drake, forcing herself to refocus on the fight at hand. She knew her mind was just as important as her body. Not every situation would be built from violence, or solved by brutality.

The elegance of a tactician will push you far Drake, remember that…

“Rise!”

Drake turned back at Vanish’s shout to see his body consumed with violent black energy, his arm raised out toward the martial artist he was struggling to reanimate. Her eyes went wide at the sight, as darkness wrapped itself around the bones of the former martial artist and solidified throughout the skeletons frame, creating a very familiar structure.

Aurora, did he just make a Denizen?

Ummm, yeah, I think so…