The chamber seemed to tighten around them, the air growing cold and suffocating as Salvos's unsettling presence filled every corner. The companions exchanged wary glances, the tension in the room spiraling to an almost palpable level. Midas's voice cut through the silence, his tone measured yet challenging. "So, you collect corruption for your amusement? You thrive on the suffering and decay of others?"
Salvos's facade of politeness wavered for a moment, his lips curling in a snarl that revealed his jagged fangs. The sight was chilling, his inhumanity laid bare in that single expression. "You speak as if you understand the complexities of my desires, mortal."
Mori's voice dripped with disdain. "You may have amassed power, but you're nothing more than a glorified scavenger. Feeding off misery, like a carrion crow."
The lich's eyes flashed with an otherworldly light, his form seeming to elongate as his inhuman nature asserted itself. The room quivered, shadows deepening into an abyss that threatened to engulf them. Black tendrils snaked out from the darkness, seeking to ensnare them in their suffocating embrace.
Arrows flew and spells crackled through the air, only to meet an unexpected twist—each time an attack connected, the entity before them seemed to split into a spectral afterimage, leaving them to strike at nothing more than mirages.
Frustration danced at the edges of their efforts, turning to alarm when Neres stumbled back, a fresh wound marring his side. Mori's determined defense wavered as well, a gash appearing across her arm. Boreas was ensnared by the tendrils, and watched the scene with a dark intensity, his eyes alight with a flicker of something that bordered on desperation.
Midas's own struggles mirrored those of his companions. The physical attacks seemed to barely register against Salvos's form, as if they were trying to pierce smoke and shadow. Yet, despite the odds stacked against them, he held on, his Aegis of Stardust offering a vital shield that kept him in the battle.
As the battle wore on, Midas felt something within him stir—a resonance that echoed with every clash, every desperate evasion. It was as if the battles they had faced had chiseled away at the limitations he had placed upon himself. A realization blossomed within him, the culmination of his journey marked by a breakthrough in his cultivation.
Drawing upon his cultivation core, Midas channeled his qi in a way he had never done before. A blinding beam of light erupted from his outstretched hand, a superheated torrent of cosmic energy that tore through the air with the force of a supernova. The system's response was immediate,.
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New Special Skill Unlocked: Supernova
Supernova is a powerful cosmic energy manipulation skill that harnesses the raw forces of the universe itself. By tapping into the fundamental energies that govern the cosmos, you can channel an intense burst of superheated energy in the form of a focused beam. This energy can incinerate, vaporize, or obliterate targets in its path, leaving devastation in its wake.
The beam struck true, its impact a brilliant eruption that shattered the illusions that had plagued them. Salvos's form wavered, and for the first time, an anguished cry tore from his distorted lips. His inhuman visage twisted in pain, his facade of invulnerability shattered by the power Midas now wielded.
The companions seized the opportunity, pressing their advantage with renewed vigor. Arrows, spells, and strikes found their mark, each blow resonating with the culmination of their trials. The chamber reverberated with their efforts, shadows receding as the battle reached its climax.
Salvos reeled, his form wavering as his multiple clones disintegrated into nothingness. The entity's howl of rage reverberated through the room. Salvos's once-imposing form crumbled, the tendrils of darkness dissipating like mist in the morning sun.
However, the all important notification of the lich's death never came. The companions looked at each other warily.
Boreas's gaze settled on the remnants of Salvos, his expression contemplative. "Liches have phylacteries," he said with a mix of certainty and concern. "They store their soul in a hidden vessel, allowing them to return even if their physical form is destroyed."
Mori's brows furrowed, realization dawning upon her. "So you're saying that we might have just scratched the surface. If his phylactery isn't destroyed, he could come back."
Neres's grip on his bow tightened. "We can't afford to let that happen. If we're going to end this, we need to find that phylactery."
Midas nodded, his resolve unwavering. "Agreed. Salvos won't stop until we put an end to him for good. Let's search the manor, top to bottom, until we find that phylactery."
Their determination renewed, Midas and his companions began to scour the chamber, their keen eyes scrutinizing every nook and cranny. The grandeur of the room now held an air of urgency, every piece of decayed furniture and every warped tapestry a potential hiding place for the elusive vessel that held Salvos's soul.
As they moved, the chamber seemed to shift around them, the once-dormant shadows whispering secrets of hidden passages and concealed compartments. Each step they took was punctuated by a sense of anticipation, the realization that they were on the precipice of uncovering the key to ending this relentless cycle of corruption.
Neres's fingers brushed against the frayed edge of a tapestry, revealing a hidden doorway that led to a narrow corridor. "I think we've found our path," he announced, his voice tinged with a mix of excitement and caution.
Midas's replied. "Then let's not waste any time. Whatever's waiting for us, we'll face it head-on."