"Our good old strategy?" Rim asked, as they watched the members of Clan Draco hide, cowards that they were.

Rim and Hector had extensive combat experience together. Since Rim had been recruited by the alliance, she had trained incessantly to level up to Hector's battle power.

It took her time to realize that, from the start, it was an impossible battle.

Different cultivators had different affinities. Rim had no aptitude for physical combat, and was better at a distance. Of course, that's not counting her Core Crafter skills, which made her even more valuable. Although Oversoul compensated somewhat for the defect, it didn't nullify it.

When it came to combat, Hector was on another level. He was basically a one-man army.

He had not yet revealed his Oversoul to her, nor to the others. In fact, even the circumstances of Hector's advance were mysterious. Rim had always wondered why he had joined a sect, and even the alliance, considering the innate talent he had. He had mountains of resources to help his development so far.

"Okay. Let's catch them off guard. I see two on the sides and one in the middle," said Hector, while using a piece of ice to magnify his vision.

Rim picked up three metal balls. She took a deep breath and injected Qi into the objects, which glowed.

Bringing her arm behind her, Rim threw the orbs at the cultivators. The orbs flew through the air like bullets, their speed increased by Rim's Qi.

Discreetly, Rim observed Hector's face. She had not yet told him what his new toys could do.

The orbs hit their targets. Explosions cratered the ground around the Draco. Rim could feel the chaos brewing. Of course, the explosions alone would probably not damage the cultivators.

She had expected this.

"Hadn't we agreed to attack by surprise?" asked Hector, impatient. Rim had a habit of disregarding any strategy.

Smoke rose in the air, mixed with the debris caused by the falling objects.

Before Hector jumped up to take the situation by surprise, she raised her hand in the boy's way.

"Five seconds," she said. That time would be enough for her technical mist to surface.

Rim brought a finger to his mouth, signaling silence. "Shush. Five seconds."

Just then, smoke poured out of the orbs and contaminated the entire environment. To Rim's satisfaction, Hector narrowed his eyes, looking at the smoke with interest.

He would not believe what was coming.

Like spider webs, small lines of metal sprang from the orbs. The projectiles traveled through air like eagles, clinging to the first surface they encountered.

Rim had gotten the idea for this technique from watching Sabrina. In a way, the dark cultivator's power could work in a similar way to Rim's.

Concentrating, she could feel all the metal lines like the palm of her hand. In the current situation, her technique mapped the entire battlefield.

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She gave Hector an orb. The orb opened, showing a small map with the location of the enemies represented by small lights.

When his eyes sparkled with excitement, she laughed.

It was time for the Draco clan to pay for all they had done.

Hector wasted no time. He flexed his legs, and leaped like an arrow.

Hector watched as the cultivators tried to get rid of Rim's orbs. In addition to mapping the area, the wires were apparently also trying to trap the enemies.

This was a talent he envied. Normal Qi types, like the ice he used, offered no element of surprise. Enemies knew what to expect, so it was necessary to work on the potency.

On the other hand, the rarer Qi types, such as Sabrina's or Rim's, offered a lot of versatility. This was especially useful in combat against cultivators, because monsters don't end up having much strategy, anyway.

At least until then, of course. Hector had experienced firsthand what a sentient monster was capable of.

As Hector approached his target, the cultivator began shaping his ice armor. Crystals took over his skin, creating a light layer of Qi that offered both strength and attack.

In the end, the Draco had no time to react. To their misfortune, time in this case was the most precious of currencies.

On the other hand, Hector was a rich man. He had time to plan his Oversoul like almost no other cultivator. He had time to circulate Qi in his meridians, preparing his body for what was to come. And finally, he had time to look at his enemy before he hit him.

When he landed with his feet on the first Draco, Hector sent a message to his Monster Core.

Rim had surprised him, and it was time to give back.

His body was immediately flooded with Qi. From his forehead, two long horns grew. He felt hair grow over his skin, offering defense and attack strength.

In its core, the Yeti stirred, thirsty for blood.

Around the cultivator, all organic life froze. Hector's Oversoul exuded power.

Smiling, he extended his arms. Accumulating an immense amount of Qi, he threw the energy into the air, which quickly crystalized the wind.

An ice storm was added to the battlefield affair. The Draco, having to deal with Rim orbs and the newly formed Hector storm, were lost.

This was his chance.

Hector created ice spikes in both hands, like a blacksmith forging a sword. Incessantly, he threw the objects at Draco, who tried to defend in any way they could.

Everywhere, cultivators were impaled by the spines, which pierce through flesh as if they were paper.

When some enemies fought back, Hector wasted no time.

He brought his hands to the side of his body, and accumulated Qi in his limbs. Large shields formed on the arms of the cultivator, who put them together to block the coming attacks.

He watched the nearest cultivator. The enemy had been hit by a thorn and was struggling against the storm and wires.

As Hector had predicted, the mere change in temperature was not capable of putting the enemies' lives at risk.

But, that was already part of the plan. The storm was only the opening, and what would come next, the real show.

He stepped deep into the ground, so that his foot penetrated rock. Concentrating hard, he felt the meridians in his leg tremble, struggling to contain the energy.

With a jump, he glided across the battlefield, arms arched back. When he got close to the cultivator, he brought both hands forward. The Draco member didn't stood a chance. Hector's shields were stained red.

When the massacre began, Hector remembered his grandfather's lessons. In a battle of cultivators, act first and ask questions later. If there is no answer, call it fate.

He continued to glide across the battlefield at a frightening speed. The weaker cultivators didn't stand a chance, just like the first one. Hector–empowered by his oversoul–gave them no chance.

As he was going towards his fifth victim, he jumped, braking suddenly.

His ice was melting, such was the pressure of Qi exhaled by the cultivator in front of him.

The enemy emanated a purple aura, which corroded whatever it leaned against. He walked calmly towards Hector, with the face of one who knew of victory.

Hector looked around. Xang, Xing and Xun. All around him, the three Draco prodigies gathered, trying to force the cultivator to back off.

"This will save me trouble," said Hector, as he channeled Qi and strengthened his armor, now adapted to the Yeti body. "It's not every day that I can kill so many birds with one stone."

Hector looked at Rim in the distance. Even with the two of them working as a team, that would not be an easy battle.

Hector smiled. From the ground sprouted dozens of ice spines, which flew toward the cultivators.

The show must go on. A tough battle was just another day for him.