Black energy coated Shin’s dark purple arms as the skull helmed tribe chief mauled him back a step. A hail of clawed strikes followed but Shin weathered them all unarmed. The strange and all encompassing power of Yin nullifying, consuming almost, the aura enveloping the blood orc’s arms and the Constitution and Leather Hide of a mangani enduring the raw power of the blow.
[Yin has reached lvl. 10. 100 Attribute Points rewarded.]
Shin slipped around the next strike, white mana coating his fist as he slammed it into the chief’s body, cracking a few ribs. Yang was the opposite. It did not nullify, but ignore. Ignored not only skills but traits as well, the chief’s Iron Body trait helpless as the heavy strike fractured and dented all over.
Shin had maintained this exact pattern the last two days in pursuit of an immediate goal, one Inari was growing increasingly restless in wait of. The skills he had chosen for that goal were, if he was blunt, transcendental. There was nothing else that reached this extent that he had encountered or even seen as options. To nullify or bypass any and all mana was universally applicable and effective as all traits, skills, and abilities used mana as a basis. Even aura was merely an altered form of mana.
[Yang has reached lvl 10. 100 Attribute Points rewarded.]
Shin hopped back and dismissed the form of Kong. The tribe chief charged and two arrows punctured its skull, a third barely sinking arrowhead deep into its neck. Basem click his teeth at the rear from the failed upgrade once again. The hunter had been fully cured soon after they reached back to the outer edge of the cliffs, his dilapidated arm cut off and restored to full health. The party had all been cured of their wounds and afflictions since their venture into the valley, save for the curse that still lined Shin’s eyes.
A blood orc lunged from the jungle but its head shattered at the end of Karla’s foot immediately. The amazon had by far been the most eager in the constant training Chariot had imposed on themselves, not entirely uninfluenced by her Tireless trait giving her infinite stamina, and effortlessly keeping her in the peak of physical and mental performance. A trait shared by the grand knight that charged forth to meet the orcs bounding from the other side.
Shin jumped over to back near Kamala and Jean with the rest of his shift team, and focused all his attention on the skills imagined within his palms. The two contrasting forces clashed against each other, refusing to mix. But Shin’s will was overpowering and he made them meld into one.
[Yin and Yang have fused into the legendary tier skill Yin Yang.]
But Shin did not stop there. He took hold of the new skill and will it into another. Inari’s will resonated in turn, proudly and selfishly. However, even then with the two in unison, something refused them. Blocked them as if the skills lay opposite sides of a boundary. A trance fell over Shin, as he rested a hand on that boundary, and erased it. Sparks of red lightning flickered over his body, weakening, suppressing him, but the light shone over him still, and his will fulfilled.
[Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian has become Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Throneguard.]
It was not a tier upgrade, but an improvement from variant to elite. Shin wasted no time answering the voice urging within his soul. Inari’s silk clothes had become even more illustrious, now an equal mix of white and black, embroidered with elegant red designs. A taijitu symbol now appeared on the hilt of each of her swords.
[Sorcerous Kitsune Throneguard (epic) - Greater Lord]
Strength - 900
Agility - 1201
Constitution - 536
Vitality - 723
Dexterity - 952
Perception - 786
Force - 1199
Spirit - 996
Control - 735
Willpower - 970
Skills:
Yin Yang lvl. 1, Foxfire lvl. 1, Slash lvl. 1, Glare lvl. 1, Holy Fire lvl. 1, Grand Sword Combat lvl. 1, Burst lvl. 1, Swift lvl. 1,
Traits:
Greater Hallowed (legendary), Greater Impious (legendary), Greater Balanced (epic), Greater Windwalker (legendary), Foxtail (epic), Nightvision (epic), Poison Resistance (epic), Disease Resistance (epic), Curse Resistance (epic), Charming Resistance (epic),
The 20% increase to all stats was welcome and much needed, but more importantly were the abilities gained. Yin Yang went without saying, but Inari now sported two additional traits. Greater Impious gave her greater resistance against celestial forces, just as hallowed did for infernal and undeath. And Greater Balanced gave her not only affinity for both but an ability to consolidate them as one.
Inari didn’t smile as she normally did with each boon she received, but instead flashed off into the fray relentless wielding her skills to slaughter any and all orcs within her reach. The latest tribe fell to the last in no time, but her mood did not improve as she glanced briefly at Kamala before returning to Shin’s side in wait of her next prey. Surrounded by corpses, Karla silently looked at her fist yet again while light shattered around Donny.
“What’s the trait that keeps you from dying?” The knight asked Shin.
“Survival State.”
Donny made his selection immediately, the first among the epic tiers to upgrade their class, and ate three golden fruit as walked over to Basem to talk about something. At the same time, Shin headed off into the jungle alone.
[Human Blood Knight (legendary) - Greater Lord]
Her attention momentarily stolen for a moment by the new blood knight, Yen looked back to Mujin, draconic scales receding from his body. He had been following her advise, prioritizing that above all other skills, though he did need two more legendary tiers in order to advance. Same as herself.
On that thought, she glanced over at Dante, who had been right about everything he said on the island. Self deprecation swept over her once more at the thought. Greed and desperation had blinded her with the lure of power that dangled just within reach, blinded her that she had ignored the danger lurking beneath and forgotten herself.
“What’s up with your illusions? It still looks like the mana of real people even with Greater Clearsight. Is that a trait?” She started a topic to dispel the thoughts that continued the haunt her.
“A skill.” Dante gestured and raw mana took the shape of a bird besides him. “Mana Projection. Use it on its own or enhance the quality of other skills. Supplementary. By the way, you can acquire it naturally starting with Mana Emission.”
“What?” Yen had seen mana controlling skills in her choices from the start but there had always been something more pressing. If she could gain it naturally, that changed a few things. Though she would have to wait until she upgraded her class, having no free space at the moment.
Shin returned, blemished and affliction abound, and stood calmly by Kamala as she once again tried to upgrade her curing skills. She was to be the backbone of the party. Even if everyone gained Greater Resistances, that was no immunity. They stood no chance in the valley without the ability to cure legendary tier afflictions.
The monsters available made for poor practice tools, blood orcs possessing Greater Resistances and sickly blood orcs dying far too quickly. Shin had taken the role himself as the one most able to suppress the affliction and endure their torment.
“I am sorry…” Kamala spoke as she healed, though Shin only tilted his head in slight confusion. “For having to bare with this.”
“It’s fine.” He smiled.
“...is that so.”
“The moon keeps getting bigger~” Ashley held her scythe behind in a casual stance, gazing at the moon. A third full, matching the duration of the stage, and a glowing blood red, enchanting and ominous.
“Definitely has something to do with the main boss.” The party's resident expert on all things fantasy chimed in with her thoughts.
“Anything come to mind?”
Yen was somewhat taken back by Kamala’s genuine inquiry for her thoughts, though composed herself quickly. “No idea. There’s not much connection between jungle orcs, dinosaurs, and the moon. Obviously blood is the main theme, but doesn’t seem based on anything. Nothing in folklore or mythology?”
“Not that I am aware.”
“A red star~” Ashley smiled in the moonlight. “When it falls, everything will be gone~”
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
Yen’s expression shifted a bit, slightly unnerved at how she couldn’t tell exactly how much the pale lunatic was joking about everyone dying.
“...you got a vampire trait, don’t you?” Yen asked something that had been on her mind for a while.
“Busted~” Yen blushed as Ashley stared over with enchanting beauty. Another trait, she knew, something she gained from the auction that made herself naturally alluring to all who laid eyes on her. A constant issue they all had to deal with as she found it more amusing to keep it unsuppressed most of the time, one that would have been much harder had Yen not had the Diamond Mind trait.
“...what does it do?” Yen did her best to suppress the harassment.
“I wonder~”
“Well…” Yen looked over at the moon, deep in thought. “We just need to be stronger so we can handle whatever comes.
---
Inari darted around, ghostly blue flame shining within her swords sharply as she beheaded any foul orc that dared draw near. Shin had prioritized her along with Kong and Mara to allow their new skills to improve and importantly Inari’s summon time to return to the two hours it formerly was. An important aspect considering she now cost 750 mana. But he had not neglected himself.
[Human Invoker (legendary) - Greater Lord]
Strength - 200 (260)
Agility - 600 (780)
Constitution - 50 (65)
Vitality - 115 (149)
Dexterity - 33 (43)
Perception - 300 (390)
Force - 24 (31)
Spirit - 700 [1050] (1365)
Control - 150 [225] (292)
Willpower - 100 [150] (195)
Skills:
Heal lvl. 10, Greater Mystic Protection lvl. 10, Summon Sorcerous Kitsune Guardian lvl. 10, Supreme Martial Combat lvl. 9, Greater Rapid lvl. 10, Spirit Communion lvl. 10, Greater Mana Meditation lvl. 10, Invigoration lvl. 10, Harvest Soul lvl. 10, Greater Invoke lvl. 10, Quake lvl. 10, Greater Channelling lvl. 10, Greater Spirit Gyro lvl. 10, Greater Ward lvl. 10, Soul Fusion lvl. 10, Greater Lambast lvl. 10, Greater See Through Spirits lvl. 10, Invoke Skill lvl. 10, Overshadow lvl. 10, Mana Absorption lvl. 3,
Traits:
Body Supremacy, Eyes of the Spirit King, Ethereal Soul, Vessel of Spirits, Unfettered, Instant Regeneration, Martial Eye, Third Eye, Summon Master, Great Control, Great Spirit, Great Willpower, Poison Resistance, Disease Resistance, Curse Resistance, Strong Body, Iron Mind, Strong Soul,
He had upgraded Spirit Gyro and Channelling in concert. Channelling was perhaps the most important of the two, despite the sheering power of Greater Spirit Gyro, now able to enhance a spell fivefold. With Quake he could rupture a blood orc to a puddle of blood and gore, or blast such force to break half a tribe beyond repair. Fusing and handing over Yin and Yang to Inari also opened two skill slots for him but for now he decided to leave those free. Greater Lambast had seen a marked improvement, now able to break a blood orc’s soul in two strikes, or just one if he channelled it.
Claws scraped across a scaled shirtless Mujin with friction as he allowed himself to be battered repeatedly. An ungraceful way to train, but an effective one. The blood orc roared with rage as it rained down deadly blows on the prey that refused to fall but nothing it did could do much more than scratch the draconic scales.
A frustrated bash sent Mujin sliding across the sand and it charged again, but this time met a the honed stance of a warrior. Mujin shifted his body ready to attack, and a flaming sword pierced through the orc’s skull just out of his range, the blue fires setting it ablaze for nothing but derision. Inari looked at Mujin for only a moment to let him know his place as she returned to Shin’s side. Mujin himself checked his surroundings before focusing on the space before his eyes, light shattering off his body as he soon came to a contested decision.
[Human Dragoon (legendary) - Greater Lord]
“What did you pick?” Yen was the first to ask, and the most interested.
“Dragon Veins. Force of magic skills is added by half of Vitality.”
“Oh, good choice.” Her expression brighten up, genuinely impressed. “I like the lightning dragon theme too. It’s a good concept.”
Mujin found himself slightly flustered which didn’t escape her notice. “What, embarrassed?” A mischievous smirk replaced her former expression as his uncharacteristic bashfulness made her want to tease him more.
Donny looked to the horizon, dim light just starting to return to the island. “Don’t have much time left. Might as well start today.”
“Yeah.” A more serious demeanor took over Yen, resolved and mindful.
[Human Firestarter (legendary) - Greater Lord]
[Human Strider (legendary) - Greater Lord]
Mujin was not the only other to have improved, Yen and Basem having done so days before. More importantly, Kamala had upgraded and maxed all of her curing spells. It was the twentieth day now and they knew that to wait much longer would be throwing away the opportunity before them. Donny looked over to Jean, the question did not need to be spoken out loud.
“I’ll manage.”
“So confident~”
“Alright. Let’s try this again.”
The puppeteer headed off first, leading the party through the jungle once again. The traps and afflictions and even the blood orc tribes they now occasionally encountered an easy chore. Shin’s curse still hadn’t been removed, even by Kamala’s Greater Exorcize, which could only mean they were dealing with a mythic tier curse. A problem that could be fixed with time but time was the thing they lacked most of all, and Shin had a goal.
“Person.” Basem alerted, detecting them first, with Shin soon after.
“Warm up.” Chariot moved at Donny’s words confronting the lone man in an instant.
Bare chested donning fur hide pants, a leather belt and shoes with a single gladiator’s pauldron strapped over, he stood seven feet tall of solid muscle as if power had been sculpted into form, surrounded by corpses of players. Long red hair swaying lightly in the breeze he turned silently, golden eyes meeting them unconcerned with all around him.
[Human Ravager (legendary) - Greater Lord]
Kamala’s face fell just slightly for the first time since the trial began, and Attila burst forward, breaking through the ward Shin made as though it were paper. His fist crumpled in the shield shaped wing Kamala just managed to cover between them, the impact blasting her away through the air, shockwaves rippling through the jungle.
Karla slammed a thunderous Haymaker into the side of his head but it didn’t even move him. She parried a heavy palm and kicked his torso, Ravage doing nothing either. A flying knee through his grasping arms struck with the stunning power of Concuss and her elbow followed with the breaking force of Smash but Attila didn’t so much as blink an eye.
Smiling wide with piercing eyes Karla blitzed around the red haired hercules raining down viscous blows. Attila fought back but her sheer ability overwhelmed him, and eventually, he started to move, each blow rocking him back a step. But aura surged and he swung his arm so mightily it broke through Karla’s greater bastion and sent her crashing away through the trees.
An arrow bounced harmlessly off his eye to Basem’s shock. Ashley’s scythe clanged against his neck as Mujin’s spear stopped short on chest. He reached for both and they darted away as Donny crashed into him shield first. But that didn’t budge him either. Dante blinked Donny away before the ravager’s hand crushed the air where his head had been, as glinting cinder dust stuck to Attila’s body. A blazing bolt of fire followed, exploding violently and blazed into an eruption of even hotter flames.
The smoke and dust clear as Chariot returned to the smoldering ashes of the blast zone, and found Attila waiting, still unharmed. Shin in kitsune form planted a strike of wisping green aura but felt no feedback. He blinked away from the retaliating strike, appearing behind as Mara sang Mindfrays at Attila’s mind. Green wisps formed around his fist once more and surged as he channelled them fully, slamming Greater Lambast into his back. And felt nothing.
Shin kicked away as the red haired titan swung around and a segmented snake puppet coiled through the air, spewing musty yellow smoke, a paralytic poison created from the legendary tier skrat fang glands. The mist drifted down into the earth leaving Attila behind, his gaze unchanged as he stepped forward.
“It’s pointless.” Kamala raised her voice at her return, a hint of tension in her tone. “He is indestructible, body, mind and soul. Immune to all things.”
A force locked Attila in place. “Bind him!” Yen yelled at the hovering priestess.
Kamala pause only an instant before roots shot up and hardened around the man, vines and branches surging forth to lock him in place. Shin threw a ball of ghostly blue flames that blazed around the man’s head, burning all the air it touched. Like this they held, waiting for the suffocation to take effect. But the flames died out and Attila remained. He ripped his way out of the hardened plants with his bare hands, holding them out to his side like wings.
“Inferiors.”
He clapped his hands together, the shockwave tearing the ground and air around him in an instant, blasting away everyone who couldn’t avoid the impact. He burst again towards Kamala with the aim to kill but his blow stopped short on Donny’s fortress, and the blood knight grinned.
A giant metal ball cratered Attila into the ground from above. Cracks shot through the ball and broke it to pieces as the ravager lifted to his feet, right into Ashley’s hypnotic eyes. He swiped at her head but caught only shadows and a fist slammed into his face as Karla resumed her relentless barrage of peerless skill.
She fought without care of Attila’s invincibility, a crushing blow sending him reeling off balance. And Shin appeared behind, quake trembling in his palm, and struck up. Attila’s face tensed for the first time as he realized eyeless invoker’s aim. His body stood unmoving from the thunderous quake but a vicious elbow knocked him into the ground.
Karla pursued, doing everything in her power to destroy the indestructible, and Shin haunted around in the purple furred form of a beast, smashing a giant palm up at every single opening. Attila took the strikes from Karla clean, rendering himself immovable against Shin’s strikes as he tried to kill the true threat. But slowly he whittled down.
A perfect kick sent him crashing across the ground and Shin blinked behind at the perfect timing, raising a leathery palm. And Attila burst around with a surge of aura, blasting Shin’s head to pieces with a swing of his arm.
Attila stared coldly at his inferior victim. But Shin’s palm slammed into him all the same, crashing him up into the air. Before he could gather his thoughts, Shin flickered at his blindside, Quake channelled deeply in his palm, and thrust Attila away. A ripple of sonic booms burst around Shin as the red haired immortal blurred through the air, far across the ocean. And a giant serpent snapped the scion of Atreus in its jaw, swallowing him whole in the blink of an eye, submerging back into the forbidden depths. Shin dropped back down where the rest of Chariot regathered and dismissed his invoke.
“Fuck!” Yen cursed with deep frustration. “Complete invulnerability to everything?! That’s fucking bullshit, how is that allowed?!”
“He’s gone now.” Donny reasoned, substantially less bothered.
“No…”
The knight paused for a moment in response to Kamala, but the situation was a bit too serious to be entirely reserved. “You know a lot about him.”
“...he is the crown prince of Atreus. For three thousand years their goal was to bring into their bloodline the perfect being, and they finally succeeded with him… I was to be wed to him…”
“Is that what your brother and that old king kept talking about? Why are they so obsessed with you if they have him?” Yen asked less tactfully.
“Lay off a bit, Yen. Can’t be asking too many personal questions just cause the world ended.”
Yen stuttered a little in silence, feeling a bit guilty. Kamala kept her silence as she tried to urge the words she thought she needed to say from her mouth.
“It’s fine.” She looked up to Shin standing calmly in front with a slight smile. “You don’t have to be anything. You can be anything.”
Kamala’s eyes widened slightly, tension in her face calming and a trace of warmth slipping into her stoic expression.
“That's right!” Dante slapped a hand on Shin’s shoulder with a wide smile. “We should all live how we want, no matter what!”
Donny glanced around with the mood lightening up. “Anyone use up too much just now? No? Let’s get back on track then.”
“I wanted to fight more.” Karla complained to Shin, though her expression remained the same. It was less of a complaint that simply stating a matter of fact.
“After we get all the blood fruit.” Shin answered, understanding the subtext between what she said.
“Okay~”
“Then…” Jean read the room and led the way through the jungle, continuing their path back to the valley of death.