Ray flew as fast as his wings allowed him to do so, which was pretty damn fast. The wind whipped against his face and pressed his robes against his body. Thankfully, the effect of the wind’s drag went down a great notch when he used Occultic Apparition upon himself. The blanket of dark energy rippling over him seemed to make him more aerodynamic somehow.
It was strange. He had never properly considered the mechanics of flight before. Not with his summonable wings, at least. He knew how it worked in physics, but these ones he could pull up with Primal Summons definitely didn’t need to comply with silly laws of the universe.
His wings only looked like wings. They didn’t flap periodically, didn’t beat like hummingbird’s wings to continuously keep him afloat. Nothing.
It was almost as though he had jetpacks attached to his shoulder blades. Jetpacks that were mounted on actuators that could direct their imparted momentum in any direction he wished. Highly convenient for using, though. He’d have to give them that.
[Warning!]
Presence of the Primordial indicates your presence has been detected by Total Perception [Tier 2]. Presence of the Primordial has nullified the enemy aura, Sylvan Pride [Tier 2].
Ray’s thoughts trailed away as he neared the exact location where the formerly captive humans were. He grimaced.
They were already being assailed by the Sylvans from the rear. Just three of the five. The remaining two were trying to contain the Duskshell in the distance. But three would be more than enough, considering how easily they were tearing through the new Denizens.
Until Ray arrived to change the tide.
He flew over them for the first exchange. No point in landing right in the middle of the brawl that had ensued. Ray didn’t want any of the humans to get caught up in his attacks.
His sudden appearance had just the effect he had hoped for. The Sylvans drew back from attacking the rear of the human group. They were wary of this unknown approaching them with such speed and power. Power that might not have been as great as theirs, even individually, but none of the new Denizens should have had the kind of power Ray was displaying.
Ray landed about a dozen yards behind them. His heart thundered in his chest, his blood singing. He was ready for the fight.
What was going to happen now? Would the alien trio decide to take him out together before rounding on the other humans? That wouldn’t be ideal, but with the help of his wings and other skills, he was certain he could keep them busy while the others made their getaway. Or—
Ray swallowed. Or, they could leave one of theirs to deal with him while the others continued hunting the escapees.
But that was fine. For Ray had landed at exactly the right location for the central Sylvan to decide to deal with him. The Sylvan who possessed the same array of skills and abilities as the one Ray had killed not that long ago. A Sylvan he had already figured out how to beat.
“I don’t know who you are,” the Sylvan said as he approached, brandishing the same curved sword that tapered to a point as his dead comrade had. “You’re clearly not like the rest But you’ll fall like all the other animals.”
Ray: I only managed to get one’s attention on me. The rest are still hunting the others.
Maya: Don’t worry, we’ll take care of it. You focus on what you need to do.
Ray: Good luck.
Big words from someone who couldn’t even come close to handling any of the Sylvans alone, but Ray tried not to think too uncharitably. If nothing else, Maya seemed like she at least had a big heart. Even if big hearts didn’t win life-or-death battles.
Plus, she was right. He had to focus on his fight. There was only so much one person alone, even at Ray’s level, could do.
The Sylvan charged him. Just as expected. Since he was so obligingly heading straight, Ray blasted him in the face with a Chaos Chymify. A Pressure Block easily stopped the blast, but that didn’t matter. Ray wasn’t looking to damage to his opponent directly.
What he aimed for was to inflict Insanity.
Ray knew the tactic he had to employ against the Sylvans. At least, the kind of Sylvans he had fought the first time.
They were too fast. Their skills were well-rounded too, possessing powerful defensive, offensive, and evasive options. Ray couldn’t overcome them with pure power. He couldn’t outfight them directly. Nor could he keep up with their speed or strength either. Their stats had to be quite a bit higher than his.
But if his last fight had taught him anything, it was that they had no counter to his Insanity. Apart from severe training and mental conditioning, of course.
The Insanity he afflicted was now at Tier 2, however. That should overcome even the most rigid of training. Ray was counting on it to debilitate his opponent, opening the Sylvan up for a proper, Mana-infused Shatterclaw for the killing blow.
To that end Ray didn’t stop using Chaos Chymify. He didn’t even bother hiding the fact that he was dual-wielding two Talismans. Twice the attack rate meant proccing Insanity twice as fast. That was aside from the fact that he had passed another Chaos threshold recently, which would hasten the affliction proc even more.
In other words, this Sylvan was a goner.
Of course, Ray’s opponent realized what was going on pretty quickly. Just after the first couple of hits from Chaos Chymify that he had blocked, the Sylvan had begun feeling the effects of the Insanity. So, he attempted to dodge.
“Not so fast,” Ray said.
Then he used his wings. The Sylvan’s charge had brought him way too close to Ray. Close enough that Ray could slam down his wings on either side of his opponent, cutting off all escape routes save for a rearward retreat.
With no other room to manoeuvre, the Sylvan could only retreat back. However, that kept him in Ray’s line of fire. Just what he had counted on. So long as the Sylvan didn’t dodge his attacks, the Insanity affliction would proc soon. Though, he ought to consider himself lucky that his opponent had decided to retreat instead of goring him through with that sword.
Nevertheless, as soon as the Sylvan was out of the dark wings’ range, he tried to dodge. But that was when the affliction finally set in.
Ray’s constant barrage of attacks had finally filled up the charges of the Talisman of Focused Fury. His latest Chaos Chymify multiplied into two, applying twice the Insanity in one blow. That did it. That was strong enough to finally make the affliction set in.
It was rather terrifying to see the effects of Tier 2 Insanity compared to the Tier 1 Ray had possessed before. As soon as the affliction fully set in, virulent red sparks cavorted around the Sylvan’s temple. He screamed, his hands immediately clutching his head as he contorted over himself. Spikes of red-black energy poked out all over his skull.
Ray definitely didn’t want to experience something like that himself, but he grinned hard. Now was his chance. He pulled back his arm—
The Sylvan managed to straighten. Even in the midst of clear pain, his training kicked in. An almost instinctive move that saved him from the ongoing agony he was lost to. With a quick flick of his wrist, the Sylvan pulled out what looked like a small capsule and shot it into his mouth.
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What?
Ray wasted no time summoning up a Shatterclaw and immediately flinging it at his opponent. The spell connected, but even as it did so, his opponent threw himself back, making the follow-up Shatterclaw miss.
“This power,” the Sylvan said. His tone of disgust had an underlying note of fright in it. “This is Chaos. Lifeblood Chaos. How in the world did you come to possess it, human?”
He said human like it was the worst insult possible. But more than that, Ray was minorly intrigued that this Sylvan seemed to know his Path and the powers he possessed. Probably not a good thing. Which was why, instead of answering, he attacked.
They exchanged quick, powerful blows. Ray’s Shatterclaws crashed against the Sylvan’s Pressure Block time and again. Conversely, he was forced to dodge the Wind Whips and the occasional Storm Dance whenever the Sylvan got close enough as well. But Ray was no longer making headway. He wasn’t even standing on even footing.
Just as with the last Sylvan, he was being pushed back. The plan he had attempted had been foiled.
He understood how, of course. If Ray could hold and use Mana Crystals to regain Mana, then why couldn’t there be consumable items that cured one of various afflictions? That meant he had to resort to Plan B.
It was never a good day when it was time for Plan B.
“Looks like I’ll just have to beat the answer out of you,” the Sylvan said.
It was looking like he could do so. Ray was being knocked back, barely dodging his enemy’s blows. He was on the back foot. There would be no companions to rush to his rescue now.
In fact, the battle farther away tried to tug at his attention. Screams, the clangs and clashes of weapons, and stranger sounds—probably people using various skills and spells—all tried to distract him. The screams were the biggest culprits. Especially the shrieks. The ones that sounded painful. They threatened to drag his thoughts and eyes to the fray.
But Ray had to focus on the Sylvan attempting to kill him. Had to make sure he survived this encounter. Had to make sure his Plan B worked out.
Plan B didn’t involve proccing Insanity again. It wouldn’t work. Ray could already see the Sylvan holding onto another capsule to ward off the encroaching Insanity even from the attacks that were blocked. But there was one more trick up his sleeve.
A trick that was bolstered by the sudden rush of unexpected allies. The Imps were here.
“It’s almost like being saved by weird, evil eagles,” he muttered.
The first one cannonballed in from the right with so much force, it pushed the Sylvan back despite his use of Pressure Block. He countered, killing the monster with one slash of his sword. But then more arrived, harrying and harassing the Sylvan with next to no regard for their own safety. Ray almost wanted to tell them to take it a little easier.
But he was more enamoured by the fact that he now had a distraction to make use of.
Ray focused intensely. Get away from the Sylvan. He hadn’t expected it to work, and if it hadn’t, he would carry out his plan regardless of the Imps that got caught in it too. Surprisingly, they listened to his unspoken command. It appeared the effects of the Tower Node were still active to some extent.
All the Imps rushed away. The ones that were still alive, at least. That left the Sylvan open for one small direct attack. Ray didn’t use Shatterclaw just then. Instead, he called forth Mottling Membrane.
The spell created a barrier of black and red energy growing outwards. Constructed of chaotic energy, the hemisphere expanded at a blistering pace.
Ray wasn’t expecting it to protect him much against the Sylvan. He definitely wasn’t expecting to deal any significant damage either. Just to prove that point, the Sylvan barged through the membrane of crimson and dark power, the Pressure Block shield pressed against his arm. But when he looked to swing his sword and cut Ray in half, he paused. No one was there.
For Ray had already jumped. One of the benefits of Mottling Membrane was the obscurity it provided. That hemisphere of energy would let no one on the outside see what was going on inside.
As such, Ray had taken full advantage of that fact and thrown himself upwards, under the ever-rising ceiling of the spell. The Sylvan’s swing missed wildly. But Ray’s pinpoint accuracy could never miss. Not from this point-blank range.
He crashed down on top of the Sylvan with a slam of his Shatterclaw. The first one was blocked easily by just shifting the shield of compressed air upwards.
But Ray grinned as he fell.
He twisted and slammed down his other hand as he reached the ground in front of his opponent, calling up another Shatterclaw. Then yet another, thanks to the charges of his Talisman of Focused Fury filling up once more. And this time, Ray made sure to put his Mana Infuser Ring to good use, sacrificing all his Mana into raising his Shatterclaw to Tier 5.
The slam dunk of dual, empowered Shatterclaws finally broke the Sylvan’s defences. That shield of compressed air vanished as a dozen conjoined slashes the size of large refrigerators smashed down. The Sylvan’s scream was cut short as he ended up crushed.
[Enemy Defeated—Sylvan]
Acrobat Assaulter [Tier 3] Sylvan: [Level 16] x1
Essence: +2,400
Mana Restored: +160
Essence to next level: 2,510/6,400
Ray couldn’t exult in his victory for long. There was no time to pat himself on the back for defeating the kind of opponent he had struggled far more against just a few hours ago. He could almost have claimed this victory for himself, but then again, he couldn’t discount the help he had received from the Feathered Imps.
With a quick twist, Ray turned around to see the rest of the battle. Was there a spot where he could dive in and lend a hand? Tired though he was, he could at least regain enough Mana with another crystal and try to help with his spells.
The chaotic mess was going to make things difficult. But then again, maybe his assistance wasn’t going to be necessary.
The former human captives were making their greater numbers felt. Sure, there were a few too many people lying broken and bleeding around the Sylvans’ feet. But it was obvious to even untrained eyes like Ray’s that the aliens were getting overwhelmed.
Different powers were coming into play all at once. Bursts of elemental damage from things like fireballs, waves of water, spikes of jutting earth, and more. Some people attacked directly.
One person encased himself in stones and crashed into one Sylvan to knock the alien over. The alien arose too quickly, kicking away the brave man, but not before more attacked.
The humans’ rally had been helped by the Imps appearing out of nowhere and bolstering their efforts. All the Brighthorns accompanying the Sylvans would have made things a lot worse if not for the timely arrival of the Imps. They had come in and attacked both the Sylvans and their vicious pets, their habitual fury doing well to push back their enemies.
Ray was sure he saw Maya, Dory, and Randall at different areas of the little battle too. Whatever power they might or might not have had, they definitely didn’t lack for courage.
The Sylvan on the right got overwhelmed soon enough. One too many people using their skills all at once, one too many counters being blocked using shields that didn’t dent or break. The alien just couldn’t stand against that many people.
It was one on the left that was proving to be more troublesome. Ray considered lending a hand there, but he had to find an opening to do so. People kept rushing at the Sylvan, heedless of how many of them had fallen or been beaten back, retreating while licking their wounds and crying out in pain.
Huh. They were almost like monsters that way. Like the Imps, who were relentless in their aggression. He supposed that’s what happened when push came to shove.
When there were no other choices save to survive by any means possible or die.
The Sylvan continued its desperate fighting. People had left their mark on the enemy. The Sylvan’s armoured robes were torn, with wounds bedecking its face and hands. Ah, so the Sylvan’s Recovery had to be down and out for the count. Still, several of the humans were beaten back, creating some space. Enough space for the Sylvan to run.
Ray jerked forward, ready to stop it, but someone else got there ahead of him.
A familiar-looking woman in ragged clothing squared up in front of the Sylvan. Ray realized this one was armed with an axe. The blade was the same question-mark-shaped one that the curved sword sported, just bigger and wides and flatter, like an axeblade needed to be.
The Sylvan swung, almost with impunity. So fast. The axeblade blurred as it sliced through the air. Despite leaping back pretty quickly, the woman was hit on her arm, blood spraying in the air.
But she had done her job. The Sylvan had been forced to stop for long enough that other people could jump in to attack. They were summarily rebuffed and pushed back, some receiving vicious wounds for their trouble.
All save the first woman, who leaped back into the melee. Who struck hard enough to make her fist punch right through an already open wound on the Sylvan’s chest.
Ray blinked. He hadn’t really understood what happened. The woman’s blood had quickly coalesced around her hand, like some sort of skill, and then she had jabbed him in chest. Her hand had rocketed forward too fast for Ray to catch. Even the Sylvan looked surprised.
The woman just laughed.
She kicked the Sylvan back and ripped her arm free of the chest cavity, coming away with a squelching chunk of part-fleshy, part-crystalline innards in her hand. Ray stared. Was that the alien’s heart?
Before anyone was aware, the woman crushed the organ in her hand. The Sylvan froze. Then fell to the ground, dead as a plank.
And all of a sudden, the battle was over. They had won.
[New Personal Achievement—Monstrous Manipulator!]
You made monsters do your human bidding. Your ability to manipulate circumstances to your favour and convince even creatures who don’t share the same level of intelligence and thought process as yourself is extraordinary.
Reward
* Spell Upgraded: Lifeblood Sense [Tier 2]
* Reputation: +15 Cunning, +10 Chaotic, +10 Ruthlessness, +5 Knowledge
Oh, excellent. And with those Reputation Point gains, he was certain he had just crossed certain thresholds. More things to gain, even if he hadn’t reached the next level just yet.