∼ Fighting Rocks ∼
Chapter - 101
In a gorge formed in-between two towering mountains, a robed figure walked, inspecting the ground that was riddled with odd tracks. The odd thing about being the fact that the tracks were in solid stone. Something very large, and very heavy had been through here. Nyx looked up, pulling down his hood to reveal his now dashing demon visage.
Like a gaping maw, the entrance to a large hollow stood as a dark backdrop to Nyx's incomparably smaller figure.
Nyx, however, remained unperturbed. Rather, the battle-hungering demon felt excitement. He had found his quarry. Throwing the sack he had been carrying over his shoulder to the side of the cave mouth, an assortment of trinkets, coins, and other miscellaneous items he had looted from now exterminated mercenary band - The Silver Fist - Nyx's spun the mana in his core and bounced the on the balls of his feet.
He had yet to have a fight in this form. Even on his trek all the way down here, following the less than subtle track left in the wake of the golem, the greater demon had met no resistance from the wildlife or monsters. With his new traits [Monstrous Subjugation] and [Air of the Herald], no creature wished to intrude on his space. He still needed to learn how to properly control that, lest he disturb the humans and their precious cities when he returned. Could be troublesome, he reasoned.
Still, Nyx was without a doubt satisfied with the traits he had gotten - their effects and benefits more than evident already.
After all, [The Air of the Herald] trait seemed to work perfectly with his [Monstrous Subjugation]. At least, it should make it easier for him to impose his will. Nyx reasoned it was because of these very traits that the Vainlord gained charisma as a permanent attribute allocation. Maybe, just maybe, it wasn't such a useless stat after all...
Interestingly enough, the trait wasn't even from his race. Rather, it was a product of his new title. The [Herald of Pride] title, upgraded from [Bearer of Pride].
[Herald of Pride] Category Rarity Demonic Nobility Grand Effects
-Lesser beings in your presence are more susceptible to your charisma-
-All effects of charisma are multiplied-
Description Exalted by the Vain Mother herself, you are a Herald of Pride. Within the hierarchy of demons and daemons alike, you stand tall. Noble demon, glory, power, and authority are yours to take. Rise. Advancement Evolve your Mark of Sin to advance this title.
"Demonic Nobility..." Nyx mused. What exactly that meant; he wasn't sure. The description seemed to explain some, though the unlearned demon had little reference to make heads or tails of it. All he knew was that humans had something similar. Kings, lords, and some such rubbish. But if it meant more power and reverence for him? He'd entertain the thought.
While the title as a whole seemed to have much to do with that pesky attribute charisma, it was ranked at Grand. So it couldn't possibly be bad, right? All the talk about the Vain Mother, heraldry, and nobility had Nyx confused. So he didn't bother trying to decipher it on his own. Aria must know something. She always did.
Disrobing as he entered the open-faced cavern, he let his tail uncurl from his waist. It danced in the air behind him, as if a snake poised to strike. He had found it very flexible and incredibly fast. Having it curl up around his waist as if a belt he could hide it, though it only worked with baggy robes as it had gotten both pretty long and hefty. He managed to test it a little as he had tracked the golem, finding it as deadly as he remembered it being back in that white endless space. It was still blindingly fast, and it could deliver some serious force with Nyx's high strength. It truly made for a lethal weapon.
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Deep into the hollow, the light from outside barely reaching this far in, Nyx looked for the elemental. There were signs of it all around. Evident in the destruction of the cavern walls and rock floor. Things that could've only been made by something like a walking boulder.
And a walking boulder it was...
Startled, Nyx jumped back, only his sense for mana saving him as a massive stone fist fell on the very spot he had been, sending rock debris flying everywhere as the ground was sundered. It was fair to say that Nyx was shocked. Up against the cavern wall, the damned golem had somehow melded in with the wall itself - sleeping. Nyx's presence, however, had disturbed its slumber. And it was not happy...
While before it had been dormant, managing to hide the mana within it, Nyx could now sense the roiling storm of mana that held this being together. He had only barely managed to sense it right before it struck. Elementals... weird creatures. Nyx thought, wondering how he might've turned out if he had chosen the half-elemental evolution.
Retreating further back as the golem fully dislodged itself from the wall, rubble fell down all around it. A low rumbling hum as if distant came from the walking pile of rocks, distinctly not like anything an organic creature could make. It shook shaking the cavern. The thing was huge. Standing two men tall, and just as broad, it had literal tree trunks for arms and legs. Just out of rock, of course. Cold, hard, rock.
Two glowing eyes were all it had for a face, set on a comically small head to the rest of its body. What wasn't comical, however, was the multiple tons of the rest of its body now charging at Nyx.
The demon wasn't sure what he had expected when he read "lesser elemental" in the mercenary request. But this wasn't it. How in the abyss had the mercenary group even intended to take this absolute monster down? Those were thoughts for later though, Nyx had more pressing matters. Such as, dodging golem descending on him.
To Nyx's great luck. It was slow. Or at least, he was very fast. In his new form, the potential of his physical attributes had been fully unlocked as he dodged the golem's telegraphed attacks. His tail also proved immensely useful in performing acrobatic feats previously thought impossible.
In a flash of purple light, flakes of stone were chipped off the golem's body, making it roar in that eerie distant hum that was its voice, making the cavern shake once more as if to respond to its distress. Although the reaction had been dramatic, the effect of Nyx's [Demonbolt] had been less so. The damage done had been minimal to non-existent. But Nyx remained unsurprised by the fact, even though he had just evolved into a greater demon.
Unlike his physical traits in his imp form, his intelligence attribute had already been used to its full potential. Meaning there was virtually no change in the spell's potency compared to before - other than the speed at which the conjuration took shape, of course. But that was merely because of the new mana channels that his body had formed, being both faster and more resilient than those previous.
Regardless of his spells' power though, it became evident that magic wasn't the way to deal with this monstrosity. At least, not with fire magic in any case. However, at that moment of the spell being released, Nyx noticed a build-up of energy in his hands. [Arcanic Rake] he realized. Wanting to try it out, he cast [Wither] on the golem. This time it wasn't just inefficient, it seemed that it didn't even take hold on the elemental. Did curses not work on being of magical creation? Regardless, Nyx focused on the energy this time, feeling how the trait [Arcanic Rake] absorbed the remnant mana to then infuse his hands.
Shrugging to himself, he thought; "What was the worst that could happen?" then he promptly charged at the golem...
The lumbering giant seemed to possess some intelligence as it briefly appeared to be surprised at Nyx's reckless dash - especially so after all the jumping and running around that the small red bug had been doing. It was doubly so when the damned thing then punched it! Punched it, the nearly fifteen feet tall elemental of cold hard rock.
Instead of the expected outcome, however, the golem found itself staggered. The punch had shaken it, sending tremors down its body as a large indent had been left in its chest with cracks spreading out. Although the creature had no face to speak of but the small little hole it had for eyes, it still managed to display shock.
Bouncing back, Nyx winced as he blew at his hand, shaking it in pain. Well, that had hurt... It had felt like punching a boulder.
Which it, of course, kinda was...
Yet, a smile was on his face. The sheer amount of strength he had just displayed beyond his wildest dream. He had known procuring a new, bigger, and better body would allow his attribute points to mean more - but this? His overwhelming attribute accumulation over all these levels would now finally come into play for real. And more so than anything, [Arcanic Rake] had added just the oomph he needed to win this battle.
It was a time to find out what this new body of his could really do.