Explosion.
The room was filled with roars of flames and the sound of blades clashing. Odale floated in the air above, observing the battle below it, all the while sending the fire weapons he had behind him down — the weapons causing explosions to erupt wherever they scraped. Faofa leapt across the room, landing onto a pillar before launching himself forward, the knight dashing after him – swinging its sword at him.
The serpent quickly flipped around, blocking the strike, before lodging it upwards and then using his feet to kick off of the knight. Then, he swung his scythe down, slicing apart a bit of the outer layer of the knights armour that it had created with the skill it had copied from him.
"Incredible…." Odale thought watching the fight.
Previously, Faofa was barely managing to even block a single strike from Dean, and while he wouldn't say that the man was on equal footing with his knight yet, the man was far, far more powerful than he had been before.
Now he was able to exchange blows with the knight with relative ease and not feel overwhelmed. It was simply incredible to see how much a single ability activating could impact the battle. It made Odale feel slightly angry in fact – that Faofa out of nowhere managed to explode when it came to power. "Perhaps…" Odale shook his head, extending his hand towards the duo.
"No… I must…. Observe… more."
In an instant, the flaming weapons flew behind him, spinning before launching towards Faofa.
I quickly flipped around, before dropping to the ground, pressing my body as much as I could against it, dodging a strike from the knight, before a gentle tingle went off in my mind. Quickly, I sunk into the shadows, right as the flaming weapons crashed into the ground, erupting into a violent explosion.
Then, from the shadows on the same level as Odale, I leapt out of – flying towards the lich, swinging my scythe towards him. Without moving, the lich flicked his arm towards me, the flaming weapons appearing beside him in an instant, forcing me to change my position, dodging the weapons as I flew towards the lich — landing onto the barrier around him. Then, I leapt into the air above him, landing onto the ceiling.
Swoosh.
The knight appeared out of the shadows in front of me, swinging his sword towards me with great speed. I managed to evade the initial strike, backing up more and more as the knight swung his sword at me – over and over, and over again, not giving me even a second to counterattack.
"God damnit.." I thought, before dropping to the right side, and then quickly moving behind the knight — using my legs to kick myself up from the knights armour. Then, I flipped my scythe around, swinging it down at the knight. However, the thing jumped out of the way of my weapon – barely dodging it, before counterattacking, stabbing its sword into my left shoulder.
Luckily, thanks to 'Survivors Resolve' skill, whatever it was, I sustained minimal damage to my 'body', before kicking myself away from the knight – using the shadows to pull myself further away.
"Gotta be more careful. Can't get careless now." I thought, before landing onto a small shadow pillar.
Odale's eyes ignited, as he extended his arm towards me. "Rain."
The single command echoed in the room for a second. Then, several massive magic circles formed in the air above me, stretching across the entire room. "Shit!" I quickly deformed the pillar, sinking through it, before using it to form a spherical barrier around myself. Then, from the magic circles that Odale had formed, a rain of fire bolts fired out — causing small explosions across the entire room.
Pillars were destroyed, the entire place was shaking.
Debri fell from the ceiling, the banners were set ablaze.
Dean's eyes ignited, before he called the shadows around him back towards him, adding another layer to his armour. Then, the knight swung his sword back, sinking it a bit into the shadows, coating the blade in shadows. Then, he launched towards the barrier Faofa had covered himself with.
With a single swing of his sword, he cleanly cut through it, destroying the barrier in an instant. However, Faofa simply smirked, before throwing out a chain formed from venom, the chain quickly wrapping around the knight's right leg. Shocked, the knight wasn't given even a second to react, as Faofa pulled him towards him, before kicking him down into the ground.
Then, Faofa dropped down towards the knight, forming as many venom bullets as he could, before crashing down with them all into the knight – smashing him into the ground.
Odale narrowed his eyes.
The rain of fire continued on, as I rose up from the smokescreen created by my rough landing. The knight laid on the ground, his armour unmarked – however I kept my scythe tightly against its neck, all the while using chains made of venom to keep the rest of its body bound.
I breathed heavily.
"Even with the new skill effect, I can't keep this on forever…" I looked over at Odale, who simply floated in the air behind me, the flaming weapons behind him pointed towards me. "I have to take down that lich… But the barrier around him prevents me from even touching him… Think Faofa, think! There must be a way to get through the barrier…" I brainstormed for a bit, however my thinking was interrupted by the knight, who suddenly broke through the chains with his arms, grabbing my scythe, before crushing it.
Then, it freed its legs, flicking me up from it, before kicking me off to the left side, into what remained of the pillars.
The knight rose back up, exhaling, before picking up its sword. Slowly, the knight stumbled towards where he had sent Faofa flying into. Odale turned his gaze towards the wall as well, sharpening his gaze.
Cough, cough.
"Man, this is seriously such nonsense…" I thought, before pulling myself back up. The barrier around me made from 'Survivors Resolve' had begun to show its cracks. The magical energy that had exploded from me was also beginning to fade slowly. If I had to guess, I could only keep this fight going for another few minutes before I ran dry.
"If only I could find a way to figure out how to break that stupid barrier…" I clicked my tongue, getting back up before looking at the knight. For a moment, I was about to prepare to continue the fight — however, then I noticed something.
On the knights armour, a tiny flame was still burning — and the armour wasn't regenerating over it. It was a minor thing, maybe even the knight trying to trick me or something, however a sudden idea came to mind. "What if…" Looking at some nearby fire, I quickly formed a spear from venom, before jumping over to the fire.
Then, with a swift movement, I swung my spear through it.
"I can combine the venom and shadows I control together to form a new kind of weapon… But what if I can also…" Luckily for me, the fire traveled up with the spears blade. Spinning it around, I quickly turned the spear into a flaming orb, which I then began to mash together with the flames.
I could feel the burning sensation of the flames on my hands.
And usually, I would have been screaming in pain most likely. However in this moment, the pain felt miniscule compared to what I have been through in this fight already. Plus everything else I have faced so far in this world.
A little burn wasn't going to end me.
After a bit, I did it.
The venom and fire successfully merged, allowing me to form it back into a weapon. Odale's eyes widened, as fire exploded from Faofa. "What is… this..?" I stepped back out, looking at the knight before spinning my newly created weapon around. A scythe made from venom, with its blade flaming — ignited in purple flames.
To finish it off, I took in a deep breath, smashing the scythe into the shadows, forcing some of them up its hilt and over its blade. A powerful windforce was sent through the room, extinguishing some of the fire. Odale was also pushed back a bit, causing the lich to look with a perplexed expression. "What even…. Is… this…? He's…. Combining… elements..?" The lich thought, while the knight simply braced, reinforcing his armour and blade with more shadows.
After a bit of struggle, the flames ignited around the scythe erupted into a black colour – before a familiar black veiny texture extended across the entire weapon. The blade burned with black flames, while I simply let out a small exhale, looking at the knight.
Flaming Blackvenom Scythe – [ A-Rank Weapon ].
"If this doesn't work…" I spun the scythe around, before swinging it back, taking a battle ready stance, sharpening my gaze on the knight. My eyes widened, as I launched at the knight, swinging my scythe around – before crashing down towards the knight with immense force, creating a massive crater in the ground. "Then nothing will!"
The knight barely managed to block the attack, avoiding serious damage – however, I saw it. The outer layers the knight had formed using shadows, had finally shown damage. Notable damage. A smirk spread across my face. I flipped down onto the ground, before swinging the scythe to the side and then flicking it around. The knight lunged forward at me – attempting to interrupt me, however I quickly used one of my legs to kick its sword up, surprising the knight, before swinging my scythe down at it – successfully slicing down its chest.
With ease, the black fire encasing the blade of the scythe slashed through the shadow armour layers around the knight — revealing its original armour underneath the many layers. And like I had assumed, the fire itself prevented it from regenerating over it.
I had found the weakness I was searching for.
Quickly, I swung my scythe towards the knight again – about to slice its chest open, however…
"No..!"
A pillar of flames erupted between me and the knight, forcing me back. I landed far away, looking towards where the pillar was with a confused gaze. Through the smoke, Odale was now in front of the knight, having forced me back. The liches head was once more hidden under a pitch black shadow cast over it by its hood. I narrowed my eyes. "Hold on… could it be?"
Wishing to test a little theory, I threw my gaze over to some shadows that were near the two, before forming two spikes – firing them towards the knight's exposed chest once more. Instantly, the lich leapt forward, the barrier around him blocking the two spikes. My eyes widened a bit, before a small grin on my lips. "I see now…" I laughed lightly. Then, I rose up before leaping towards the knight and Odale. "That's the secret to the barrier, isn't it? The knight! He's the one keeping the thing active!"
Odale looked at me, forming the flaming weapons around him once more, before flinging them at me. With ease, I knocked the weapons away, before slicing through the fourth one. Landing onto the barrier around Odale, I raised my scythe in the air above me, before swinging it down at the lich. The barrier stopped my strike, which I had expected, before Odale knocked me off and then formed several fire balls around him, before firing them at me.
Exhaling, I tossed my scythe away, before quickly morphing into my snake form – easily evading the fireballs, before slipping past Odale, landing next to the knight. Then, I used some venom to form a pillar behind the knight, before knocking him in the direction I had thrown my scythe. Odale wasn't able to even process what had happened – before I dashed away after the knight, coiling my body up before propelling myself up towards my scythe, morphing back into my human form, grabbing my scythe and swinging it down at the knight.
The thing managed to catch the blade of the weapon, avoiding damage, however the flames engulfing the blade quickly burnt away at the layers surrounding his arms. "If Odale will protect this knight because he's the source of the barrier…." The two of us fell towards the ground, with Odale launching the remaining three flaming weapons towards me.
Shadows erupted from the ground below, engulfing us both for a second.
"...Then I just have to take this thing down in a domain he can't access!"
The weapons grazed over the shadows that engulfed Faofa and knight, however they had been far too late, as the duo fell into the shadow world.
Inside it, I knocked the knight up, before landing down. "Arvalor!" I called out, the shadow beast leaping towards the knight, before roaring loudly. The knight's body trembled. Arvalor's intimidation skill had worked, but only a little. The shadow beast knocked the knight around, before shadow appendages fired up towards him and restrained him. The knight attempted to break out, using the copied 'Shadowlord' skill to try and force the shadows to bend to his will.
However, before he could break out – I closed the distance between us in an instant. "You fought well… Now, rest warrior." I stated coldly, before closing my eyes.
Then, with a swift, clean swing – I slashed through the knight, breaking through its armour and splitting its body in half. Inside its body, a small red gem fell out, which I quickly sliced in half as well – the gem shattering into a million pieces. Outside, Odale fell to the ground, his body lightly trembling. The barrier around him lit up, before cracking and then shattering as well. "I….Impos… Impossible…" The lich looked up.
I rose up from the shadows, pulling the knight's severed body up before tossing the two halves towards Odale. The lich's eyes trembled as he looked down at the knight. Then, he looked back at me again. I smiled, spinning my flaming scythe around, before resting it onto my shoulder. "Smart idea, using a strong individual like that to maintain your barrier… However, you should probably find other ways to protect the knight when its life is endangered, as once you start moving in front of it to defend it yourself, you kind of give away the secret." I stated, before swinging my scythe behind me.
"Now then… You and I both are reaching our limits. I'm exhausted, tired and almost out of magical energy – you're the last one left standing, with your barrier shattered." I narrowed my eyes as the lich rose up, looking at me with flaming eyes.
"Let's see which one falls first."
"....Indeed." Odale replied, before several magic circles formed behind him. The lich chanted something under his breath, many, many flaming swords coming out of the magic circles. Then, a larger flaming sword flew out last, the lich catching it before spinning it around. "Let us…. See… which one… wavers… first."
The lich stated, before pointing his sword towards me, the hundreds — no, thousands of other swords also switching to aim towards me. I took a deep breath, before launching myself at Odale.
It was an adrenaline filled moment.
Dashing across the room, leaping over debris, across craters, and through fire – all the while dodging or blocking flaming swords that were flying at me from Odale. At this moment, it felt like I was facing an entire army on my own.
Like there were thousand skilled, trained warriors in my way. Each one, only managing to swing their weapon once towards me, before being destroyed by me.
With my pace and the scythe, it wasn't long before I reached Odale. The lich swung his large sword at me, blocking my scythes blade. I flipped over him, landing behind him, before managing to catch him off guard, swinging my scythe at the lich from behind him. Odale flicked around, just in time to avoid any serious damage, however his right arm went flying, the flaming sword he had held disappearing with it.
Then, I quickly kicked the lich back.
Odale flew away for a bit, before catching himself midair, stopping his movement. Then, he flipped up, his eyes igniting with rage. His missing arm healed — flames erupting from the spot and the arm exploding out from them. Then, he placed his arms in front of him, before swinging them behind up, many, many magic circles forming behind him.
"Dragons flame!" The lich shouted – his speech lacking the stutter it had up until now. Then, powerful, deep red flames erupted from the magic circles, flying towards me as multiple whirling beams. I managed to evade the flames, before dashing towards Odale. The lich created even more magic circles, even more pillars of the same fire erupting all around me.
I dodged each one, however just barely – exhaustion was beginning to build up and slowly hit me. I leapt up towards Odale, about to swing my scythe at the lich, however before I even managed to do so, a magic circle formed between me and him.
Then, the lich placed his right hand against it, his eyes shining.
"Eruption."
A single, calm command.
A dome formed from the magic circle, before quickly increasing in size. Then, in a split moment — before I could even register it — the dome exploded, in a violent blast. I was sent flying away, the scythe shattering into pieces the moment it left my hands. I crashed into the ceiling with immense force.
Then, as I fell out from the ceiling, Odale surrounded me with many magic circles while I was midair. "Dragons flame."
Red fire erupted from the magic circles, engulfing me completely. My body was quickly 'incinerated' by the flames, before they erupted into a massive, powerful explosion. The entire dungeon violently shook – the adventurers outside it all looked confused and scared, wondering what was happening. The Guild employees that were watching over them also looked concerned.
Odale silently floated in the air.
The room was absolutely destroyed. Debris was everywhere, fire was everywhere – black smoke covered the floor. The lich slowly landed onto the ground. Upon touching the ground, he slowly stepped towards where Faofa had been engulfed in flames. "...It would…. Appear… that you were…. Not the…. Hope. A shame…. I had hoped… to be… set… free… at last."
Odale lowered his head gently, as if showing respect.
"You fought… well…. Now… may you rest…. In the Death Serpents…. Domain…" The lich turned around, looking around the room. Then, he exhaled, about to begin cleaning it up, however, then a massive red magic circle formed under him. Shocked, Odale quickly tried to leap away, however crimson red chains shot out, quickly binding him, before pulling him back down. "What… is… this?!"
Then, the lich looked behind him.
His eyes widened.
Faofa stood there – still alive, his clothing seriously burned and his body severely damaged, but still alive.
"God damnit…"
HP remaining: 3,091/73,400
Vessel durability: 14%
"I just barely managed to survive…" He looked at Odale, red veiny patterns covering his body, all the while red lighting sparked and crackled from his body and the magic circle he held in front of him. "Time to see… what this trump card can do…" He thought, before exhaling and closing his eyes.
The magical energy around him exploded.
A powerful, deep red aura surrounded him, with crimson lightning sparking all around him. He let out a loud battle cry, opening his eyes, which shone fully red. Then, he looked at Odale with an intense expression — releasing a powerful roar, reminiscent of a dragon.
Activating [Serpents Wrath] immediately.
Just like last time Faofa had activated it, the magic circle in front of him grew in size, before the red lightning and magical energy gathering in it exploded. Then, a pair of red eyes shone in it – before a massive crimson serpent dashed out from it, its body formed from the red lightning as well as crimson clouds.
Odale's eyes widened as the serpent launched towards him.
For a second, the chains binding Odale disappeared. Then, the serpent crashed into the lich – carrying it with it towards the gates Faofa had entered the throne room through. Crashing into the gates, the doors shattered, however Odale still remained in the room – a barrier that prevented him from leaving shining brightly.
The serpent dashed through Odale fully, burning away at his body and devouring his magical energy, before flying into the air. Then, it flew down at Odale, sinking into the ground below him. Once fully in the ground, the same red magic circle as before formed under Odale.
Then, a powerful twisting storm erupted around Odale, engulfing him completely. The lich's body was incinerated, while its eyes simply narrowed. "I… see…."
He closed his eyes.
"You are…. Beloved… by the… worl…."
The storm completely erupted around Odale, finishing the lich off. After a bit, the storm and the magic circle that it had come from dissipated, with Faofa breathing heavily, as the red veiny pattern across him also disappeared. He stared at the lich, vision blurring.
You have defeated the True Boss of the Fire Princes domain.
A gift has been distributed.
Experience threshold has been reached.
You have risen to level 110.
Rare skill [Blackflame] has been gifted to the Vessel.
Beginning regeneration…
My vision fully blurred. Then, my legs gave out as I collapsed to the ground. Exhaustion finally settled in. I exhaled, my eyes closing – until…
I blacked out.
….
I opened my eyes. Above me, was a bright blue sky. I could smell a faint scent of lavender in the air. Bird songs filled the sky. Confused, I rose up, grabbing my head – a painful throb echoing in it. "Do not rise so quickly. Your consciousness is weak."
I heard a familiar voice speak.
Looking up, my eyes widened before I leapt up onto my feet, about to form a weapon. "No need. You have defeated me. Besides, your skills do not function here." I narrowed my seconds for a second. Odale stood in front of me, his arms behind his back, while his head was no longer hidden by his hood. A gentle breeze blew.
I looked around. We were in an enormous field. Nearby was a field of lavender, explaining the gentle scent. In the distance, I spotted many small villages and houses, and further back, an enormous kingdom — one which bore striking resemblance to the Fire Prince's domain. Looking at Odale, I raised an eyebrow. "Where…. Are we?"
"Mentally? We're in my memories. Physically? We are still in my prison."
"Your… prison?"
I was dumbfounded. "What do you mean… your prison?"
Odale remained silent, before turning to look at the kingdom in the distance. "Come with me, Faofa. Let me tell you a small fairytale." He stated, before slowly moving towards the very distant kingdom. After a small bit of hesitation, I moved after the lich, following him closely from behind.