"Brave warriors of the Dokryong Clan! Fear not! Our god is still with us, and we shall emerge victorious!"
Grienfield's voice boomed through the water, his 'King' Status flaring with a golden radiance that acted like a beacon in the murky deep. The effect was instantaneous. The morale of the Naga soldiers, which had been flickering like a dying candle, ignited into a roaring flame. With a collective hiss, they charged toward the immobilized, red-eyed Nymera berserkers.
"Still clinging to that delusion?" Giaya sneered, her voice cold enough to freeze the currents. She twisted the corrupted spear in her hand, the dark energy easily shredding through the remnants of Grienfield's restrictive command. "Do I have to remind you again, Grienfield Dokryong, that your so-called 'god' is already dead?"
"[Activating 'Roots of the Deep Sea' Lvl 7!]"
Giaya slammed the 'Dokryong's Divine Spear' into the seabed. The ground groaned as thick, deep-green roots made from half-plant and half-flesh erupted from the silt. They lashed out like a forest of angry serpents, entangling the charging Dokryong warriors and grinding their momentum to a halt.
I watched from the perimeter, my mind racing. Dead? The idea that the 'Sea Dragon' had passed away was a massive departure from the lore I knew. Even a high-ranking being like a {Demon Peer} shouldn't have the power to actually slay one of the eight 'Divine Beasts'. While those beasts didn't physically manifest on these Lower Floors, their presence was supposed to be a fundamental constant of the Tower's ecology.
However, philosophical questions would have to wait. If this brawl continued as a war of attrition, the Dokryong would eventually be slaughtered. Despite Wilong and Leo's interference, the 'Demonic Energy' bleeding off the three Nymera commanders was becoming suffocating. Giaya, in particular, was practically vibrating with the foul power of a 'Dark Disciple'. I decided it was time to stop playing around.
"[Activating The Class Exclusive Skill, 'Shield: Needle Storm'!]"
"[Notice: The Class Exclusive Passive Skill, 'Absolute Manipulation', has been applied!]"
I conjured dozens of dense, translucent shields in the water around me. Under the influence of [Absolute Manipulation], I forced the energy to compress, rolling the wide plates into tiny, razor-sharp needles. With a casual flick of my wrist, the 'Shield Needles' blurred through the water at light speed.
They peppered the Nymera ranks like a horizontal rainstorm. Because of their 'Berserk' Status and buffed hides, the needles didn't over-penetrate; instead, they lodged themselves deep into the muscle and bone of the enemy warriors. It looked like a minor annoyance, until I snapped my fingers.
I commanded the tiny 'Shield Needles' lodged inside them to instantly revert to their original, large circular forms.
Pop! Pop-pop-pop!
The sounds of internal ruptures muffled by the water were gruesome. The Nymera Warriors literally burst from the inside out, their bodies unable to contain the sudden expansion of solid shields. In a heartbeat, an overwhelming army was reduced to floating scrap and red mist. Only the three commanders remained standing, having instinctively reinforced their bodies with refined [Aura Skin] just in time.
"!!?? What the—!!?"
The two subordinate commanders stared at the empty space where their army used to be, their faces twisted in pure shock. What was once an uneven struggle was now a full army of Dokryong staring down three lonely Nymera.
"Bastard!!" Giaya's eyes locked onto me, burning with a mix of hatred and realization. She abandoned her fight with Grienfield and rushed toward me, her spear leveled at my throat.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Sea Dragon's Word: {Stop}'!]"
The 'Divine Word' hit her like a physical wall, freezing her mid-lunge.
"How dare you look away from your opponent!" Grienfield roared. He didn't waste the opening, swinging an ethereal blade forged from pressurized water. The strike caught Giaya across the chest, but her [Aura Skin] and 'Berserk' durability held firm, preventing the blow from being lethal.
"Damn it!!" Giaya hissed. She glanced back at her fellow commanders, who were currently being swarmed by Thorvek, Wilong, and Leo. She knew the end was coming, and she chose the nuclear option.
"[Activating the 'Ritual of Sacrifice'!]"
The temperature of the water became colder. The two subordinate commanders suddenly jerked, their weapons falling from their hands as their veins began to bulge unnaturally. Deep red runic symbols etched themselves into their scales as they let out silent, agonized screams. Within seconds, their bodies withered into dry, grey husks. All of their life force, 'Demonic Energy', and raw magic were forcibly siphoned and funneled directly into Giaya.
This was the dark reality of being a 'Dark Disciple'. To the {Demon Kings}, even their highest servants were nothing more than batteries to be drained when the situation turned sour.