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707. Abominable Instincts

“[Demonic Essence: The Grand Skills Of Those I Have Slain].”

I watched as Jofis bled a pool of black liquid. Except, he wasn’t bleeding. It was pouring off him, almost unveiling like a cloak. But instead of fluttering with the wind, the cloak was spiking up, showing shapes and figures of all kinds of Primeval Demons.

I saw the figure of a [Cthonic Agaros], a [Cerberus], and even a [Hellmonstrosity]. But then those figures began to melt back into a puddle as the Winged Horror grinned. He raised a hand as the pool of black liquid began to reshape into a singular figure, his eyes glinting.

“Yes, you would be useful—”

He started, and I appeared next to him with a shout.

“Take this!”

I screamed as I swung at his head with a scythe empowered by [Divine Radiant Slash]. But he only grinned, craning his neck back. Even though I was so certain I had caught him by surprise, he had easily evaded the strike while barely moving.

I pursed my lips as he stared at me mockingly. I immediately spun around and aimed the shaft of my scythe at him, [The Holy Flames] pouring into a sphere at the tip. Jofis tilted his head casually as I unleashed a cone of gray flames with a shout.

The attack expanded far and wide, burning everything in over a mile radius as I panted.

But as the smoke dissipated, I realized that the Winged Horror wasn’t even there. He was floating upside down right behind me.

“How…?”

I asked as I didn’t even turn back. Jofis just smirked as he explained.

“[Abominable Instincts]. The Grand Skill of a [Hellabomination].”

And with that, he swung down with his claw straight at my head. I focused [My Flames Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] on my back, protecting myself. But even still, I was sent flying back from the impact.

I picked myself up from a small crater as I gritted my teeth.

I knew I couldn’t just rely on [My Flames Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] like this. Especially since the more surface it covered, the faster the Grand Skill depleted. I needed to avoid Jofis’s attacks, minimizing usage of my aura of invulnerability by as much as possible.

“But how exactly am I supposed to do that when he’s faster than me?”

I asked myself as I stared at the Winged Horror. He was slowly trudging forward, each step of his causing the ground to tremble. He was taking his time with attacking me because he knew I was still protected by my Grand Skill. Perhaps he was trying to find a chink in [My Flames Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends], but was unable to find one.

Which made sense, considering I lied to him about how the Grand Skill worked.

“Your truly are quite irritating. I can see how you have caused Regnorex so much trouble thus far. But worry not, once you are dead, I will put your Grand Skill to good use against him.”

Jofis sneered at me, before launching forward again. This time, I was prepared for him. I immediately shrank in size, making myself more difficult to hit for him. He blinked as his claw completely missed me.

He looked down at me— at my pointed ears and my short stature. He saw my bald head, and my tiny flaming claw aimed for his head.

“An [Imp]?”

That was right. I had to use my transformations to my advantage for this fight.

Jofis blinked for a moment, and I swung up with a [Divine Strike] mixed with [Barrage Of Cinders]. I unleashed a dozen attacks, all at once. However, the Winged Horror just dodged it easily, his defensive Grand Skill still active.

“You puny thing— I will crush you!”

He screamed as his claw expanded in size. My eyes flickered, watching as his attack came crashing down. My figure shifted once again. My body became longer and more slender. And as he completely crushed the ground where I once had been standing, I came skittering out the back of his claws in the shape of a [Senior Centinel].

Jofis paused for a moment, evidently having never seen such a monster before. And I took that opportunity to lash out at him as my foremost limbs extended into the scything arms of an [Archarachne].

Stolen story; please report.

“What are you—”

He started. And I swung for his head as he stared at me in confusion. But as expected, his [Abominable Instincts] took over at the last moment, and he ducked under my strike. He clicked his tongue as his head snapped back up towards me. He opened his mouth like he was about to mock me.

But I smirked back at him.

“[The Devil’s Grace].”

And suddenly, the both of us began to move backwards. Time was moving in reverse just for the both of us. The Winged Horror’s eyes went wide. His pupils darted around, trying to comprehend what was going on as I laughed.

Then right as I was at the moment where I was about to impact him again, I resumed time once more. But this time, I activated [Haste] and [Intimidation] at the same time.

“I got you.”

Jofis’s body still tried to react as time resumed. But even his [Abominable Instincts] wasn’t able to adapt to both my sudden increase in speed and my Skill compelling him to freeze. I struck him across the face with my scything limb as he staggered back.

I flipped back away from him as my body shifted back into my normal self. Jofis placed a hand on his cheek, staring at me with round eyes.

“You hit me— you actually struck me! Even with my [Abominable Instincts]!”

He looked like he was barely even hurt from the strike. In fact, his pride seemed to have been impacted more from the hit.

“It’s not your [Abominable Instincts]. You stole it. You’re just a thief— a copycat!”

I pointed at him and sneered. Jofis’s eyes flickered when he heard that. Suddenly, more black liquid began to pour out from his back, showing another figure: that of a [Cerberus].

“You may call me a petty thief, but I assure you, I am more than that. I am a killer—”

He opened his mouth, then he burst into flames. Jofis blinked a few times, looking down at himself. He was burning from a gray and gold flame all of a sudden.

The Winged Horror looked down at himself for a long moment as I chuckled.

“Got you.”

I had struck him with [Sacred Hellfire] while his guard was down. No— not just because his guard was down. But because I knew that he was no longer using [Abominable Instincts]. If he still had that Grand Skill active, he would have instinctually dodged the attack.

But I theorized from the moment he used his [Demonic Essence: The Grand Skills Of Those I Have Slain]— from seeing the way he had to flicker through different figures of dead Primeval Demons— that he could only use one of their Grand Skills at a time. So now that he was switching away from [Abominable Instincts], I could actually attack him again.

The Winged Horror glared at me as he trudged forward.

“Do you truly think this pathetic attack will be enough to bring me down?”

He clenched his jaw, looking down at the [Sacred Hellfire] spreading across his body. I had purposely targeted his chest instead of his shoulder, so he couldn’t just rip off his limb to get rid of the [Sacred Hellfire].

“Nope, but that’ll be very annoying for you to deal with.”

I smiled back at the Winged Horror. He clenched his jaw, before the figure of the [Cerberus] engulfed his body. The black pool pouring off him dissipated as I raised a brow.

“Your petty tricks will only keep you alive for so long. I already know you are running out of Skills to use that aren’t on cooldown. Meanwhile—”

Jofis cracked his neck, before placing his claws on the ground. He looked like he was about to pounce on me.

“The Grand Skill of a [Cerberus of Hell]: [The Blazing And Unending Fury Of Hell].”

His body was lit ablaze, covered in a crimson fire. It ate away at my [Sacred Hellfire] as I blinked a few times.

“Seriously?”

Jofis didn’t wait for me to process what was going on. He lunged at me all at once as I flew back.

“Shit—”

I cursed as he shot towards me. But he was too fast. He caught me with his burning clawed hand, only for [My Flames Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] to flicker, protecting me. He wrestled with me, refusing to let go of me as we tumbled through the air.

“I can’t escape. I can’t break free. I am trapped.”

My eyes went wide as I was forced to use my aura of invulnerability to protect me from all sides. The Winged Horror cackled as he clung onto me.

And I grinned.

“Just kidding. I got you now!”

I winked back at Jofis. His brows snapped together, and we both came flying straight into a rift. A notification flashed in both our minds as we came shooting out of a portal leading straight into [The World Of My Mind].

Now Leaving [Nexeus: The Netherworld]...

And we landed on the ground as Jofis blinked a few times. He swept his gaze over our surroundings, taking in the glass-like walls and the infinite darkness expanding all around us.

The Winged Horror narrowed his eyes as he looked down at me, still caught in his grasps.

“Where have you taken us?”

“Calm down, alright? This isn’t our final destination just yet.”

I chuckled as he tried to crush me. But [My Flames Shall Burn Until Eternity Ends] continued to protect me. Jofis roared.

“Answer me—”

And another voice spoke up, replying to him.

“Hey.”

The source of the voice came from the side. Jofis spun around, recognizing it immediately. He glared up at a glowing and floating figure in the corner of the room as he finally let me free.

“You’re…”

Jofis immediately took on a defensive stance as I picked myself back up.

“So, was that enough time for you, Hartia?”

I asked as I looked up towards the floating figure— towards the Fairy, and the former Ruler of the Border. He bared his teeth back at me, before spreading his arms wide.

“It was plenty.”

And suddenly, my world began to shift as Jofis looked around in alarm. I just let [The World Of My Mind] dissipate, letting Hartia’s world take over.

“[Expanding Domain: The Fall of the Fairies].”