!!!!! Pr Credits To Draconis Von BloodTrap & Dragonofsomesort Who Constantly Help With SR chapters, Please take the time to rep them for their work :)
Sponsored Release
Special thanks to SR's Donators !: Kane Matty & Jordan Uselman - Btw i do read the donation messages :)
Not much i can say in regards to this chapter, i like adding side stories in moderation, it helps expand the world and make it seem less narrow and closed off i also don't want to rush things and get myself in a tangle like i did with the Seleria portion. just to clarify some things, i don't plan to have Avrin as simply a boring normal merchant, actions have consequences and money breeds jealousy and greed especially in that sort of world, i'l leave you guys with that little tid bit spoiler. Enjoy the chapter :)
--------------
The two nets were thrown with great strength and timing. The left one landed over the tortoise first while the right one layered over the first net. At the same time, the boulder rumbled before a muffled roar sounded out underground, causing the ground itself to tremble slightly. The tortoise was a creature at the peak Master level, but its defence was at the Grandmaster level. It needed to be handled quickly and appropriately.
“Crossbows!!” The leader of the group shouted. While the tortoise rose it seemed to struggle to go higher. Its neck was a meter long and covered in scales, while its head seemed more like a dragon’s. It raised its head and roared out as it struggled. The eight people with heavy crossbows had already loaded special blue glowing bolts that were fired off around the tortoise. The bolts skimmed through the air and smashed against its underside. They exploded and a gust of cold wind spread and ice formed all around the lower half of the tortoise, further trapping it.
“Perfect!! Greatswords!!” The leader, who was keeping calm, shouted, and two men with large, bulky statures rushed over towards the neck area of the tortoise. They raised their large greatswords and swung down towards the creature's neck. When this happened, the tortoise slumped slightly as two small gashes could be seen.
“Shit….” The man expected the greatswords to quickly cut through its thick scaly neck but it didn't. He knew this could only mean one thing, that he was wrong about its strength.
“Back away!!!! Quickly, it’s at the Grandmaster level!!!” One level may not seem like a big difference, but in truth, it was a lot, especially for a creature like this, which was underestimated. Its defence was not at the early Grandmaster level, but a solid mid Grandmaster level.
The tortoise, feeling the pain and some blood oozing out from its neck, seemingly had gone berserk as it roared. Its body shook and the ice around it cracked and shattered. The nets were shredded apart by its powerful strength and fumes began to flow out from small holes on its underside, causing a small, noxious ring of gas to form around it. The tortoise had gone berserk. It opened its beak-like mouth. The dark throat suddenly lit up as a ball of fire shot towards the group of mercenaries.
The man in the winged helmet was afraid. He had obtained information for a great price, it needed to be accurate, but the information was off by such an amount it would cause people to die.
The ball of fire smashed into the ground as it was somewhat inaccurate, but the explosion was enough to send three of the Intermediate level fighters flying, some hitting into trees and coughing out blood and others sent rolling across the ground. Two mercenaries at the trained level paid the ultimate price, their bodies were unable to handle the pressure and they were dead the moment the shockwave hit them, with one who was closest from the five to burn slightly and explode into bits of flesh. The mercenaries began to panic as they were unsure what to do. The people with ranged weapons began to attack the tortoise but to no avail, as its boulder-like shell was much tougher than its mid Grandmaster level scaled skin.
The mercenaries began to back up, hiding behind the trees and other large safer areas that may save them. The tortoise fired off two more fireballs in random directions as its roar cause the air to shudder. It didn't want to let any of them escape.
The two captains and the man with the half-winged helmet charged towards it as they tried to catch its attention. They would be able to flee with no problem, but because of their companion’s strengths, it would be harder. They needed to draw its attention.
The tortoise was not stupid. It would start with the weaker ones first before dealing with these three. It suddenly charged towards the left while leaving a noxious ring at its underside.
Three mercenaries had pale faces as they fled while shouting to move. But there was one who was stuck in the middle. This was the young man Avrin had sold the weapon to. He was shivering in fright. He quickly turned and began to climb the large tree, but he wasn't able to get far before the tortoise snapped towards him, clutching onto the loose back area of his pants and shaking him about as he screamed in fright.
“Dammit!!” Lev roared out as he tried to get closer, but the fumes were too dangerous. It made his skin sting if he got too close. The tortoise shook the young man around before flipping him over its head after it felt a slight pain from its lower leg.
The young man had actually been flipped not far at all, on top of the tortoise’s boulder shell. He was on top of it! The pain in the tortoise’s leg had actually come from the man in the silver helmet, who glared at it. He raised the mace and began to chant. “Mighty lord of light earth, hear my plea. Crush with the wrath of rock!” The mace began to glow with dozens of brown and green runes before the man smashed it onto the ground. The ground split somewhat and debris burst out, but the debris formed into spherical boulders that smashed towards the legs of the tortoise.
The tortoise was infuriated. It turned and shot a fireball towards the earthen spheres, and in moments they were charred to bits while the flame was dispersed. The man in the silver helmet seemed exhausted. His weapon required a great deal of mana to use this Master level spell. He could only use it three times with his amount of mana.
He was not a mage, and training to get his body to build up that much mana was not easy. He had already used it twice and it only managed to give the tortoise a slight injury. The weapon itself was also quite expensive. It was one of only a few Sigil weapons that the Anzazia mercenary group purchased, and if it was overused it would lose its magical engravings.
“Lev, Rhine, quickly gather the rest and get the hell out of here. I'll try and save Tomios.” Although Lev and Rhine were reluctant to leave their commander, they knew they had to get everyone to safety first.
Tomios, the young man who was clutching onto a large part of the turtle, was trying to hold on for dear life. “-Dammit, DAMMIT!! I didn't even want to come today...shit…. Damn my sister, I hope she suffers from guilt if I die!!... Ahh, I'm going to die without even putting up a fight!! Wait a second-” His mind was racing. He raised his right hand as the tortoise was roaring and charging around and spoke. “Trigger dagger!” A purple light shined out faintly before the dark matter dagger formed in his grasp.
He clenched his teeth, hoping for the best. He would curse Avrin as a ghost if this didn't work. He saw how without any force it easily cleaved through the solid ground like butter, and now he was hoping it would work here. He slashed down at the boulder-like shell, and the result he got caused him to forget about his troubles and leave his mouth agape. The shell, with a bit of effort, was cleaved through, almost like cutting a cake. Excitement welled up in his heart as many thoughts began to appear.
“Fucking tortoise, die, die!!!” As Tomios roared in a crazed state, it attracted the attention of the three leaders who noticed the glowing purple dagger in his hands easily cutting out chunks of the boulder. In fact, it was doing such a good job that a hole had formed and slowly but surely it would reach the soft flesh the boulder shell was protecting.
The turtle wasn't sure what was going on, but it felt strange, and when it turned its head, it saw the chunks of the boulder fly out as Tomios carved it up. It gave a strange look. It was unable to completely turn its head and shoot a fireball at him, and it couldn't turn and crush him on he's back upside down because it would leave it vulnerable, it simply went crazy as it wanted to shake him off.
It was almost like a slow bull as it shook its body and gave a panicked roar. Tomios, who had carved quite a bit before it realised what was going on, was already at least a meter in. He had already begun to cut apart the small veins and even get to the soft parts of the shell that was more bone-like than boulder.
“What the hell is that weapon…?” Rhine was amazed as he watched. Right now, no one dared to go near the tortoise as it stopped chasing everyone and simply went around in circles like a dog with its ass on fire.
“It’s glowing, it has to be a Sigil weapon...but how did he get one? Did you see how easily it cut up the shell? It must be high tier.” Lev replied with fascination and caution.
Several more minutes passed. The tortoise was already dead and was flat on the ground with its eyes and mouth open in shock. It had died slowly and gruesomely as it was cut apart from outside, and then when Tomios made it inside he simply cut anything that seemed like an organ. The tortoise’s blood was hot and he had to deal with pain, but it was easy to overcome it for the price of saving his life.
Tomios was shaking as he climbed out of the shell covered in the steaming red blood. His body was shaking, but he clutched onto the dark matter dagger as if it were the greatest thing in the world. It was also covered in blood, but the crystal embedded in its hilt was glowing slightly as the blood was being absorbed and converted into mana to feed it. “HAHAHAAHA!!” He was a mid trained man who had killed a creature at the early Grandmaster level, just how many people in this world could brag about and accomplishment like that?
He weakly climbed out from the body. The noxious fumes were already gone, and when he fell to the ground and stood up to lean against its corpse, he was still shaking from excitement and fear. “I...did it… I killed it… I can't believe this worked… He didn't rip me off at all….” Tomios held the dark matter dagger closely as if it were his baby.
He turned to look up and saw the two captains as well as the higher ranked commander look at him strangely. “T..Tomios…” The leader spoke strangely. Tomios shouted back. “You can't have this...it's mine!!” He spoke with caution. He was worried they would take it.
“No...No it's not that...umm…that weapon...hmmm.” The man took his helmet off to reveal a small patch of brown hair that he scratched. Today was bad, but it had been easily salvaged. He lost two people and several others were injured, yet Tomios had so easily killed the tortoise. He wasn't sure what to feel right now.
Back to where Avrin was, he had all the remaining bandits sit obediently as he spoke to them. “So, in short, I'm sparing you all on the condition that you give up your ways, join mercenary groups and promote my product.”
The bandits gazed at him strangely as if they weren't sure. They were all afraid but still cautious. “What product are you talking about? Uhh, the thing that killed Myot?”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Myot was the leader who was killed by the Dark Frost mine. Avrin nodded. “Indeed. What you're getting in return is mercy from me and the chance to turn over a new leaf. I'll give you all two each, and you have to try your best to use them in a way that promotes it. Remember; say you purchased it from a salesman at the village of Roth. The shop is named Shaded Moon.
The bandits weren't sure what to do. They were afraid of Avrin and afraid of what he wanted them to do. “W..What if we run away? How can you be sure we won't?” One said as if testing the waters to see if he can get away with it.
“Good point.” Avrin smiled and opened his hand. Several small, thumbnail spheres of dark matter with tendril-like hooks shot towards them all. They all screamed as the small dark matter sphere slowly made it to them, seeping into their flesh until it embedded itself firmly into their stomachs or forearms. As they recovered, they looked at Avrin and shouted. “What have you done to us!!”, “You...you bastard!” a few of them spoke
Avrin’s eyes narrowed. “Shut your mouths...” His aura flooded out, causing them all to fall to their knees in fear. “I'll give you all two years to promote my product. What just embedded itself into you all just now is a little nasty thing that will explode and eat you alive when the time runs out. If you do not come to me in two years, you die. If I do not have a sufficient amount of customers in two years, I'll know you have all failed and you will die. If I see in the recording in that sphere that you simply sold off the item without explaining where it is from, you will die. And if you try to have that sphere removed or tell anyone about it, you will die.”
Avrin had added a small lie. The tenebrous sphere wasn't able to use voices heard as a way to activate itself, but if someone tried to tinker with it, it would know and immediately detonate; shooting hook-like tendrils that would convert one from the inside out into dark matter to strengthen itself before it would explode and kill them.
The intention he had with these bandits was to promote himself in a wider area. He knew the young man would be back, but that would only leave him a reputation in that area and not expanded, which is why these people are being used as such. From there, he could gather enough funds to spread and grow. As for Shaded Moon, he needed a name anyway for a future establishment of his own.
“Anyone who agrees, raise your hand, otherwise leave your hand down so I can kill you here and now.” At that moment, every one of the bandits raised their hands in fright. Avrin grinned and pulled out from the inner part of his cloak many Dark Frost mines that he had made earlier and on his way here.
There wasn't enough for all of them, so he would put them in groups of two. They all looked downcast and afraid of Avrin but he didn't care about it at all. In fact, he was quite happy because it meant they would do as their told. With his current strength, he began using his Divine Step to transport him and two of them at a time to certain populated regions, and after giving them some rations formed from dark matter, he sent them off with another warning.
It had taken him several hours to get the message clear, and by now night had already fallen. In one day he could only hope he set off a chain of events to suit his future needs. With that said, he still had time to spare and decided he would use it to strengthen himself while he waited for tomorrow. Not too far from where he was, he had already sensed a large humanoid creature deeper in the barren area at least fifteen meters tall. What attracted Avrin the most was that this creature had a large, single crystal that was split into several perfect sized smaller segments growing from its back. Each one of those smaller crystals were Haze crystals, while a few were Unclouded.
The creature looked like a walking walrus with two large tusks pointing downwards, yet it had no hair on its head. It seemed like a walking, overgrown gorilla as it stomped around the barren area. The air was chilled and there was currently a minor sandstorm, yet its deep red eyes seemed to pierce through the air.
The creature looked quite ominous and any normal group would not dare go near the creature that had hulking arms that were long enough to reach the ground when it stood tall. Each arm could easily crush a boulder to dust.
Yet in the distance, a black-robed figure was walking towards the creature casually, with a hood covering his head one could only make out a faint white mask covering his face. The creature stopped in its tracks as its red, demon-like eyes looked forward then glanced down at Avrin. The creature didn't make a sound, but bits of fluid suddenly fell down onto the parched dirt. This fluid was its saliva. It clearly saw Avrin as a meal.
Avrin looked up at it, his blue eyes also piercing the darkness and through the minor sandstorm. It was at this point the grey hairs covering all over the creature's body suddenly stood on end. It felt danger from Avrin and that it should kill him quickly. It raised its hulking arms and balled its hands into fists before swinging towards Avrin.
The impact caused the air to blow away and reveal a clear portion for a good few seconds before the air and sandstorm converged and covered it again. The creature was stunned because it saw that Avrin had jumped up onto its right arm. It was about to move its left hand to squash him like a bug. Avrin knew this creature was an early Sage in physical prowess, though to him right now it was nothing.
At first, he planned to devour this creature and take the Lucent crystal formation on its back for himself, but right now he needed a minion, so to speak, to do his dirty work and look menacing. This coupled with the fact that he wanted to see what happens to the formation when he converts the creature into dark matter.
Forming a Conversion core, he raised his right leg up before smirking. “Dragon’s sweep.” His physical capabilities were much stronger than this creature's despite the size difference. He raised his right leg and commenced his ability as his leg blurred sideways before a line of air blew downwards across its right arm just above the wrist. The force of the attack caused a sharp wind to cleanly cut across its arm, cutting its right wrist and hand off.
The creature stumbled back and roared in anger. The roar itself caused the earth to shake and it was not one of fear or pain but one of anger. Avrin was impressed. This creature seemed to not fear him at all, though he didn't want to go further. He jumped down and flicked the marble sized Conversion core into the open wound, embedding it into the creature's flesh. A second later a purple pulse of light flooded across its flesh and veins.
The creature roared again, as it seemingly had gone berserk, and smashed around before gripping onto its arm. This was a roar of pain and anger. It seems it felt something bad from what Avrin had shot into its open wound. The blood that had been flowing out had stopped and its flesh was morphing and changing. It also felt its strength weaken somewhat.
Avrin grabbed the creature's dismembered hand as if it were nothing despite it being larger than him. He then rushed over, jumping on the morphing and veiny flesh. He jammed the arm against it and in a few moments the flesh reattached to the dismembered hand.
The creature wanted to attack Avrin but it felt it shouldn't let go, yet despite its anger and worry, it couldn't stop the conversion. It was much weaker than Avrin, and soon, with its strength sapped, it felt tired. It suddenly slumped down onto its knees.
Its large, hulking, walrus-like gorilla body was silent as its red demon eyes closed. It fell into a slumber. Avrin raised his hand, causing Nebula Mist to eat away at the ground underneath it until it reached a point where the creature's body was underground. From there, Avrin used Nebula Mist to form a cover that was identical to the surroundings.
Avrin flicked his finger and a fist-sized sphere formed. Avrin had not been able to think of a name for this until now. The sphere contained information such as language as well as training methods and even knowledge of what was going on, but only enough that the creature would become useful. Avrin had formed the sphere he had given to Erebus and Kael, which he called a Sphere of Knowledge. He would return to check on the creature after some time.
“Sweet dreams...heh.” Avrin softly smirked before vanishing to continue hunting. He was amazed at the possibility of dark matter, though the more he thought about it the stranger it became. With such an ability he could convert planets and have them serve him. He could have them attack others and even cause disaster across the universe. Over time he could even absorb everyone he converted to further boost his power. Wasn't such an ability against the law of creation?
“-Law of creation huh…. Such a thing, isn't it only fit for a heart that creates and its wielder.-” Avrin suddenly snapped out of his thoughts and realised that he had actually entered a state where he was overwhelmed by how much power he could obtain.
He clenched his fists tightly. Right now, his body was recovering and his connection to his inner workings was established again. Once he settled matters, he would see to breaking through to the Void stage. It was at this point that Avrin stopped in mid air. The space beneath his feet trembled as if he were standing on the fabric of space.
As he stood motionless, the ground began to shake, causing the thin layer of sand and dried dirt to shift and move. The ground split soon afterwards and a large boom echoed around the area. An enormous worm-like creature shot upwards towards Avrin with the intention to devour him in one go. Avrin looked at it ruthlessly. He would show no mercy to anything that wanted to kill him. Raising his hand, Nebula Mist surged out from his palm and he gripped onto this surging mist. The Nebula Mist then formed into the shape of a hilt before it quickly began to form a large dark matter greatsword. At this point, the worm had already shot upwards and was about to devour Avrin.
The length of the creature was nearly a hundred meters with a width of ten or so, truly a creature befitting of nightmares.
Swosh!!! A sharp, single cut that would make one flinch sounded out. A purple light ran across the worm’s body as it flew to Avrin, but the moment it reached him it split apart to reveal the gooey green innards that began to fall to the ground. The creature at the mid Grandmaster level was dealt with in one move by Avrin.
Avrin glanced at the two halves of the corpses as they fell to the ground with a thud, kicking up some sand from the sandstorm present. “The creatures here have interesting senses to have been able to detect me.” Avrin quietly floated down towards the creature's corpse, but he stopped midway as he glanced over. His eyebrows furrowed as he watched an unusual scene.
Several dozen figures began appearing one after the other from small holes, resembling ants!
----------------
A.N:) i just noticed the grammar highlight under "defence" over here in australia that is the prefered spelling over defense, so i will be using the preferred way.
Avrin's Inner Workings Status
][tr]]
Dark Stage Control ParticlesType 12100%Dark Stage ParticlesType 12100%God Essence WeaponsAstaroth-ScytheLimos-VajraGod Essence EquipmentSarcanus-Armor