Reborn: Apocalypse - Volume 2 95 Mass Release #3

Elemental Energy made up the building blocks of reality in the 7 Layers. In Micheal's first life, humanity had determined, through a colossal scientific investigation carried forth by tens of thousands of their brightest researchers, that the 7 Layers were not within the same 'universe' as Earth.

That was to say… they were in an entirely different dimension.

Reality here functioned in ways science could no longer easily explain. Many facets of life were the same, or near-identical. Many other facets, however, were not.

One of those things was the concept of 'Elemental Energy.' This unique type of energy was a volatile substance that tied together the very fabric of reality, something humans became very familiar with.

Many Abilities allowed people to manipulate, examine, or use Elemental Energy in various ways. Many Artifacts were imbued with or allowed one to control Elemental Energy. As time went on, most of the power humanity acc.u.mulated relied upon Elemental Energy.

Even Ki itself was merely another form of Elemental Energy, manipulated into a complex system focused on empowering and improving the power of a being.

Elemental Energy had many forms. Some forms were relatively safe, like Elemental Light, a type of rare natural energy that could heal injuries to the body or Soul.

Other forms were extremely volatile. Elemental Lightning and Elemental Fire… these two forms of Elemental Energy were some of the most volatile that existed. Each one could, when concentrated enough, unleash devastation to horrifying degrees.

However, contrary to humanity's initial beliefs, mixing these two types of energies did not always create an extreme reaction. Instead, the two energies tended to fight against each other and cancel each other out, creating a muted, self-defeating end.

The raw impact from these two types of energies meeting would sometimes create an explosion, especially so here, where the Mire Wicker Poison had effectively spread the Elemental Lightning throughout the room, acting as a stable conduit in an enclosed s.p.a.ce. But the brunt of this impact would typically become neutralized as the two Elemental Energies fought against each other.

In other words, the explosion would be all bark and no bite, able to harm weaker enemies, but liable to do little to Director Prime.

Micheal, standing at the epicenter of the explosion, was killed instantly. The highest concentration of energy occurred in his hands, literally melting his body apart in a split fraction of a second, regardless of whether or not the two energies were fighting.

The explosion then spread out through the room, using the Mire Wicker Poison as fuel to detonate. This type of concentrated, poison gas, when energized by the Elemental Lightning, had explosive properties that couldn't be easily negated.

The theatre was instantly awash with boiling lightning and roiling flames, leaving no room for anyone to escape. Even Director Prime was instantly covered, unable to dodge. The sudden attack had come from seemingly nowhere.

'Hmm.' Micheal's consciousness floated in the air, hidden from reality as he returned to his stable, Soul-like state. He could sense the theatre area keenly, but was free from any type of danger as he watched the remnants of his attack.

Most of the gas was burned off in around a single second. The crackling screech of two different Elemental Energies clas.h.i.+ng with each other clashed in the air, creating a chaotic scene for a brief period.

Soon after, the violent energies began to fade. Smoldering smoke and black haze dotted areas of the room, but for the most part, a semblance of norm had descended.

The Monster Cla.s.s Nest Core was, unsurprisingly, completely fine. The powerful energies were dangerous, but mostly only to creatures of flesh and blood.

Director Prime, however…

As the smoke and black haze began to clear, Micheal got his first look at Prime. Micheal was still in his mystical, Life-Orb controlled state, not yet allowing himself to sp.a.w.n back in.

Black haze and smoke dissipated around a vague figure, glowing around Prime's body like water. Gradually, as the haze faded, Prime's body was revealed, standing in the middle of the theatre seats, blown back and away from the main stage.

The man's previous, casual attire was nowhere to be seen. Instead, his clothes had been entirely replaced by a suit of metal armor, what looked to be a mix of grey and black metal as well as dark-colored leather. A sleek, metal helmet covered his face, adorned with a few glowing red inscriptions on its bottom half. Likewise, on Prime's armored chest were a couple of long, red inscriptions that glowed with fiery light, straight down the center.

As the haze continued to fade away, Micheal saw that he now wielded two large, glowing energy swords, each one coated in a visible, black aura.

From what was visible…

Prime's appeared to be completely, and perfectly, unharmed. He looked to have been fully protected by his armor.

Micheal stared at Prime, the equivalent of a grim smile forming on his hidden consciousness as he took the scene in.

'I got him.'

This was Prime's Annihlus Armor, a set of Limited gear that cost more than 200,000 Points. No one knew how Prime got it, though it had to have been from some Irregular, likely in the First Wave.

This armor was powerful, able to resist Elemental Energy of almost every single element, while boosting its wearer's physical prowess and s.h.i.+elding them from physical attacks. It was of a much higher tier than Micheal's middling Ivory Skin Leather Armor.

His swords were Hai'ton Flame Swords, imbued with both Elemental Darkness and Elemental Fire. They were powerful blades that melted and corrupted anything in his path, aiding his own terrible prowess.

All of Prime's Abilities were focused on enhancing his own power, from what Micheal had read of history. Prime never used any power apart from his own physical strength, he was a raw fighter. While Micheal didn't know what specific Abilities Prime had, it didn't matter.

None of it mattered.

From the time Prime had allowed Micheal to unleash his Mire Wicker Poison, the fate of this battle had already been set in motion.

Prime began to speak, his voice calm and collected as he looked around the room.

"A clever plan, Heron. I'll admit I almost didn't see it, not with this d.a.m.nable poison clouding my thoughts. But in the end, nothing can escape my visio-" Before the man could finish his speech, he abruptly froze.

"Gah-!" Prime's grimaced aloud, instantly cutting himself off just a moment later as he inadvertently let off a grunt of pain. His figure remained ever stalwart, but Micheal knew more than anyone what was happening.

Prime wasn't physically injured, it was true. His body was in perfect condition. The man's Annihlus Armor would've activated before the Elemental Energy could've hit him, protecting him completely. It was very likely Prime had managed to figure out Micheal's plan at some point, and prepared for it accordingly. There was a reason the man was famed for his power and strategic might, an invincible S Ranker that was an undefeated genius.

Even with all the effort Micheal went to make everything seem coincidental, even with all the painstaking thought he put into everything, Micheal had been almost certain Prime would've noticed.

The man's power to stop time, when combined with the man's obsessive nature, was simply too ridiculously powerful.

However… that was something Micheal had been counting on.

Prime saw him as an adversary that was, if not his equal, at least worthy of caution.

And so, throughout their entire battle thus far, Micheal had focused on one thing:

Telling a story.

A story of a warrior trying his hardest to poison Prime and weaken his mind, a warrior trying his hardest to dodge Prime's attacks and by himself time to let the poison spread, a story of a warrior pretending to hesitate to ready a trap, and finally, a warrior trying his hardest to trick Prime into dying in an explosive blast.

It was a story he told with skill, told so convincingly that even a man that could stop time to ponder would willingly accept.

After all, in his world of frozen time, Prime couldn't experiment with Elemental Lightning, Elemental Fire, and Mire Wicker Poison on his own. He had no way to know that the energies created would do little physical damage when they reacted.

All he could do was react to what he saw and what he knew, to the best of his capabilities.

And unfortunately for him…

Mire Wicker Poison had certain special spiritual properties… ones that could affect a being even if you were completely protected…

Normally, these properties would function as they had before. They would cloud the mind and weaken one's vision.

However, in the future of Micheal's first life, a discovery was eventually made. During a battle that took place within the dense foliage of a swamp on the Second Layer, a Wizard of the Rakkonian Race had cast a Spell that contained Elemental Lightning against a Fairy of the Farian Race. That Fairy had responded by throwing up a s.h.i.+eld of Elemental Fire, drawing upon his Bloodline Magic.

The location for these two clashes of Elemental Energy had been none other than an area infected with Mire Wicker Poison.

The resulting interaction had created a huge, spiritual backlash alongside a large, physical explosion.

The backlash directly killed both the Rakkonian and the Fairan, tearing their Souls to shreds. It spread out and injured hundreds of partic.i.p.ants in this fight, maiming their Souls with injuries that took months to heal.

And right now, Prime was suffering from a similar backlash, here and now. The man's body had been well protected, but so too were the bodies of the various beings on the Second Layer at the site of this future battle. Unless one had specifically prepared to block such a backlash, it was impossible to dodge.

The potency of the spiritual attack was much weaker here due to the limited Elemental Energy Micheal could summon. Still, it was more than enough to work here on the First Layer, dealing a blow to Prime that couldn't be mitigated. The man's Soul wasn't destroyed, but it was likely riddled with injuries that would directly kill a lesser man and would take Prime weeks, at least, to heal from.

As for Micheal… he was completely fine. His consciousness, and his Soul with it, was hidden away in a mystical place, awaiting his return to life.

The spiritual backlash was very powerful and nigh unavoidable. However, to be hit by it, one had to be physically present in the area.

By the time the backlash came into full effect, Micheal's body had already been destroyed and his death had already arrived. His Soul was nowhere the Mire Wicker Poison could find, leaving him completely unharmed.

Of course, dying to avoid being injured was a rather unconventional approach. In fact, most people would question that sort of logic. Micheal's setup was definitely something very few people could follow.

As he saw Prime grapple with the serious injuries to his Soul, Micheal took action.

One of his two remaining Life Orbs shattered as he came back to life, sp.a.w.ning in several meters away from where he had died, near the back of the theatre stage.

As soon as he appeared, he sprinted off to his left, taking only a split second to reach where a long, black blade had wedged itself, set against the back wall of the stage.

With his right foot, he kicked the blade up into the air. In the same motion, he tapped on the Spatial Ring that had just materialized on his hand, pulling out a large, black pill.

He swallowed the pill down instantly while simultaneously grabbing ahold of his Ashari Blade in his free hand and putting it in a guard position. He then a.s.sessed the state of the blade, noting several long burn marks on it as he felt the Bracken Enhancement Fluid he had just taken begun to take effect.

'I need to save my last Life Orb for what comes after this.' The thought floated in his mind as he took a small step forward,

"Come, Director." Micheal smiled slightly as he pointed his Ashari Blade forward,

"Let's finish this."

.. .. .. .. .. ..

Meanwhile, back at the Nightrunner's Nest B skysc.r.a.per…

.. .. .. .. .. ..

s.h.i.+n's breath wheezed out of him as he looked at the scene before him.

He was no longer hidden away up in the rafters of the large gymnasium, but down on the ground, near the edge of the room. His Heaton Sniper Rifle lay in shambles on the ground nearby, sliced into several pieces.

Blood pounded in his ears as he tried to focus, his mind clearing as sweat dripped down his forehead, stinging his eyes.

The fight between the Cell Captains of the Nightrunners and Admiral Cardell's team had grown to a standstill in the background. While there were more elites from the G.o.dfather Organization in the fight, each of the Cell Captains appeared to be the absolute strongest ones in the Nightrunners.

Knives clashed against swords, axes smashed against glowing s.h.i.+elds, katanas swung against metal staves. A myriad of colored energies clashed as Abilities were unleashed in a chaotic storm.

While the G.o.dfather Organization still held the advantage, the Cell Captains were strong enough that the fight was more of a battle of attrition. The men from the Nightrunners were gradually losing, but at a slow enough rate that neither side would be able to interfere with anyone else for several minutes.

s.h.i.+n had no time to split his focus on the battle that was happening off to the side between Number 10, Sophia, and the rest of his team as his gaze zeroed in on his target.

Number 6.

After s.h.i.+n launched out his sneak ambush, and found that ambush subsequently returned, he had prepared himself to launch another volley. Before he could prime his Heaton Sniper Rifle, though, Number 6 had managed to launch an ambush of his own at s.h.i.+n, using his mystical portals to stab his spear directly at him while simultaneously fending off Admiral Cardell.

s.h.i.+n had ended up using his Heaton Sniper Rifle to block the attack, sacrificing the weapon to buy him time to teleport. The gun had exploded right before he left, however, dazing him as he warped over to a different, empty part of the gymnasium.

It had taken him only a brief time to recover from the explosion, and he'd managed to keep his guard up throughout it, prepared to teleport if he was attacked again. But in that time, instead of attacking him, Number 6 focused on Cardell.

And in that time… things had taken a dire turn.

Admiral Cardell truly was the strongest A Ranker. He was ranked well above Number 6, and possessed a level of skill and might that had stood unchallenged for quite some time.

But despite that, when s.h.i.+n's vision cleared, he saw a fight that looked completely the opposite.

Number 6's arms were a blur as he unleashed strike after strike, cleverly redirecting the Admiral's anchor in sinuous, movements. The man's spear slid around almost like a snake, far from the 'tiger' his Spear Tiger nickname proclaimed, but effective nonetheless.

Admiral Cardell's huge anchor swung about in lightning-fast strikes that could only seem crude in comparison, like a rus.h.i.+ng bull that was flailing about wildly. Their fight moved extremely quickly, so fast it was hard for s.h.i.+n to clearly make out.

What he could see, however, were the large gashes appearing on Cardell's skin, and the spatters of red blood as the Admiral took multiple serious injuries in a matter of seconds.

Loud clangs and bashes rang out from each impact of the two's fight, a furious battle that shook the air itself. Just from listening to their duel, s.h.i.+n realized that if even a single one of those attacks landed on him, he would be dead, Bracken Enhancement Fluid or not.

s.h.i.+n wanted nothing more than to back up and retreat, taking cover as he let off a few long-range bullet attacks. He still maintained his newfound determination to face his fears and enemies head-on, but that didn't mean his entire nature would change in a day.

However, as he looked on at the deathmatch, he grit his teeth and took a tentative step forward. He clenched his fists as his trusty Soul Pistol appeared in his right hand, armed and ready to fire.

Before he left on this mission, Micheal had given s.h.i.+n a single task and nothing more.

"No matter who or what we find, your job is a simple one, s.h.i.+n." Micheal had explained, back when they were going over their final plans.

"I need you to find the biggest, the baddest, or the strongest guy there, the one that is causing the most trouble for our mission." s.h.i.+n had listened attentively, taking in every word Micheal said.

"And I need you to take him down." Micheal then went on to outline several plans, each one different in its own ways depending on the possible enemies and areas they might encounter.

s.h.i.+n had taken all of that information in and made a firm promise.

He was going to complete that mission. Because if he didn't… that could mean the end of everything. He had absolute faith in Micheal. If Micheal said this was something they absolutely needed to do, that meant it was something they absolutely needed to do.

s.h.i.+n took a deep breath, his gaze rapidly becoming calm as he looked at Number 6.

The man was engrossed in his battle with Admiral Cardell. While the fierce spear-wielder was clearly winning the fight, even a single mistake could prove fatal. Cardell was a legendary expert on the First Layer for a reason, after all.

s.h.i.+n watched them fight for a few seconds. And then watched some more. And some more.

His eyes never left Number 6's figure as he watched their duel continue, ignoring the other battles around him. He knelt down on the ground, a.s.suming a quiet posture, gradually hiding his presence as he stared at Number 6.

Screams of pain, the screeches of metal, and the sounds of battle continued to echo, but all that faded to silence as s.h.i.+n put his complete focus on Number 6.

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Every stretch of the man's arm, every sweep of the man's spear, every s.h.i.+ft of the man's stance… s.h.i.+n took it all in, missing nothing.

The battle between the two top tier A Rankers was accelerating at a far faster pace than the other fights. Cardell seemed to be barely holding on, a look of sheer horror and astonishment mixed on his face, as if Number 6 held absolutely unbelievable power.

And finally… at a completely random point, where Number 6 had just lashed out with his spear, leaving a deep cut on Cardell's abdomen, and was recovering while Cardell tried to fend him off…

At a time where no one would reasonably try to attack, where Number 6 was readying himself to unleash another attack…

s.h.i.+n teleported behind Number 6 and hugged him.

.

Chapter 81

s.h.i.+n's arms latched around Number 6's waist with all of his might, settling into a vice-like grip as his enhanced body went to work. The Bracken Enhancement Fluid he had taken showed its strength as it empowered him, making his grip steely and sure.

Number 6 was completely caught off guard by s.h.i.+n's abrupt arrival, and even further surprised that s.h.i.+n didn't appear to be immediately attacking him. s.h.i.+n wasn't trying to seal Number 6's arms and prevent him from attacking Admiral Cardell, nor was he trying to crush Number 6's chest in.

The powerful A Ranker was wearing a set of tough armor that would've made such an action difficult, but s.h.i.+n didn't even try.

Instead, he just sat there and huddled up.

s.h.i.+n's decision to not do much of anything at all was very intentional.

Every time he teleported, he had to wait a certain amount of time before he could teleport again. That number was gradually growing smaller and smaller, especially as he grew more experienced, but it still was something he couldn't ignore.

If he wanted to both teleport and take Number 6 with him, he would need to wait roughly four full seconds before he could move.

That meant he would need to be latched onto Number 6 for the entirety of that time without letting go, and also without dying. Unlike Micheal, s.h.i.+n couldn't just come back to life after being mortally injured. He still felt faint, phantom pains from his newly replaced left arm, a steep reminder of the danger he lived in.

After a brief spate of thinking it over, the best plan s.h.i.+n could come up with to hold on to Number 6 for four seconds without dying ended up being one of Micheal's early-planning suggestions.

'Just be a wimp.' Micheal's advice had been rather succinct and direct.

s.h.i.+n's heart pounded in his chest as he held on with all of his might and, as soon as he could, yelled out loud,

"Admiral! Quickly attack, I'll hold him still like we practiced!" His voice echoed out as he ducked his head as much as possible, s.h.i.+elding his lower neck and skull with his Melding Plate Arm. He Expanded the arm slightly, taking on as defensive a posture as possible.

Part of this was an act, intentionally trying to look weak. The other part, however, was genuine. s.h.i.+n really didn't want to get his head bashed in.

"Impudent, but at least you aren't boring." Number 6's voice was full of mild amus.e.m.e.nt as he took this all in. His tone made it clear he didn't see s.h.i.+n, or even the ferocious-looking Admiral Cardell, as a serious threat.

s.h.i.+n felt Number 6's body s.h.i.+ver as the man flexed. Abruptly, s.h.i.+n felt as if his arms were about to rip apart as a huge amount of pressure knocked into his body. Just holding onto Number 6 was suddenly extremely difficult, almost forcing him to directly lose his grip.

Just as all of his effort was about to go to waste, however… Cardell took action.

The Admiral didn't know exactly what was going on, but through the years of experience he had acc.u.mulated as a veteran warrior, and the trust he had in the young Sub-Executive he had personally recruited, he reached a very quick conclusion.

s.h.i.+n was up to something. And, given how the fight had been going thus far, he might as well play along.

"Excellent work, lad!" Cardell's voice shook the air as he jumped forward, bringing his large anchor up and then directly down in a full-powered bash. The powerful warrior moved quicker than usual, exposing himself to a counterattack as he sought to strike before Number 6 had time to injure s.h.i.+n.

"Bahahaha!" The Admiral's slightly crazed laugh sounded off energetically as he attacked.

And, true to the Admiral's expectations, Number 6 was forced to ignore s.h.i.+n and defend himself.

Number 6 whipped his spear up and smashed it against Cardell's anchor. The reverberations of their clash rumbled through s.h.i.+n's body, setting his teeth on edge as he desperately continued to cling to Number 6.

s.h.i.+n absolutely failed in regards to holding Number 6 still or blocking the warrior's movements. A good part of that was because Number 6 didn't give s.h.i.+n a chance to do anything, preemptively blocking him from obstruction. The other part was from how strong Number 6 had become thanks to the boost he had received from destroying a Permanent Nest.

The clash between the two giants was over in an instant. Number 6 successfully fended off Cardell's attack, sending the man flying back several meters.

A large, brutal gash appeared on the Admiral's chest, exposing bone and gus.h.i.+ng blood. Cardell's face paled as he felt the full impact of the injury, one that joined many other cuts and bruises. Despite that, the man never wavered, his gaze boring into Number 6. If looks could kill, the Nightrunner member would've long since been skewered through.

All of this took place in just a few split seconds. The exchange lasted only a brief period and, in that time, Number 6's defense was impeccable. Even s.h.i.+n, who had latched on to the man's waist, would have been completely unable to damage the warrior.

If he had used his Soul Pistol, Number 6 would have broken his arm and knocked the gun away before he got a chance. If he had tried to stab Number 6 with a weapon, Number 6 would've responded by ripping his arm off. If he tried to do pretty much anything at all, he would've suffered dearly.

But because he just sat there ineffectually…

For roughly four seconds, Number 6 ignored him.

It was then, as Number 6 was drawing his spear back and still focused on Cardell, that it happened.

s.h.i.+n and Number 6 teleported away, vanis.h.i.+ng instantaneously.

Admiral Cardell's mouth fell open when he saw this. Right after that, he opened up his Spatial Ring and swallowed several Mid-Tier Healing Pills, not wasting any time as he shook the confusion from his eyes.

As for s.h.i.+n and Number 6…

The teleportation process felt like it lasted ages, but was over in far less than a microsecond. In one moment, s.h.i.+n and Number 6 were standing in the gymnasium, in the middle of a large-scale battle.

In the next, they both reappeared, floating in the middle of a large aquarium…

.. .. .. .. .. ..

Meanwhile…

.. .. .. .. .. ..

Sophia's heart was currently full of venom as she glared at the vine-like coc.o.o.n that now covered and protected Number 10.

She was forced to interrupt that glare as, for the fifth time, she jumped and rolled to the side, activating her Wind Sweeper Ability to quicken her step. She winced slightly when she landed, keenly feeling several bruises in the process of forming on her legs.

A heartbeat later, a large, green vine slammed down where she had been standing, colliding with enough force to easily shatter bones. The vine thrashed down for a few seconds in jerking patterns, making it very clear that if it had hit her, she would be dead for certain.

The battle between Number 10 and the G.o.dfather Organization teams had moved forward at a very different pace compared to Cardell's battle with Number 6.

Unlike Cardell, none of the fighters that were facing up against the Permanent-Nest-boosted Number 10 were elite A Rankers at the edge of S Rank. There were a number of fighting geniuses present, but all of them ranked in the upper standard A Ranks at best, with the potential for much more.

As a result, no one here could face up with Number 10's direct attack, and the battle turned into one of ambush and retreat. And right now, it was only the G.o.dfather Organization's team that was retreating.

"The Minifire Cannon can't penetrate her vines! We'll need to try something else!"

"My Eldritch Fire also isn't working!"

"Will Mountain Reigning Lightning work? Does someone have a spare Mountain Wand?!"

A series of voices, interspersed with the sounds of various vine whips cras.h.i.+ng down, sounded off in the air as Sophia's allies hurried talked out various plans of attack.

The battle was still in its initial stage. A few Abilities and weapons had been used in an attempt to take down some of Number 10's vines, all to no effect. Everyone present was able to dodge the attacks, but that was just right now.

If the battle continued this way, people were bound to become tired and accidents were bound to happen.

Already, Number 10 had taken over a full third of the gymnasium, taking on all of the combatants at once. While she seemed eager to target Sophia, the large number of enemies had forced her to play a slightly more pa.s.sive role, relying upon her vines to s.h.i.+eld herself while she attacked from afar. She was playing things slowly, taking her time.

"Just get me close to her. If I can just get her within range of my Ability…" Asim's voice was cold as he landed on the ground next to Sophia, his saber in hand.

"We can't even get halfway. Her vines are too dangerous." Vlad sounded harried as he joined them, cutting off his words in short bursts. His spear glowed faintly as he held it at the ready, wavering in the air around him.

Before Sophia could reply, she, and the other two, were forced to dodge out of the way as another marauding vine slammed down onto the ground where they were standing.

"Hold on!" Sophia breathed out as she flew into the air, using her Wind Sweeper Ability to land next to Asim. Vlad quickly rejoined them.

In the background, a series of explosions shook the air as the other teams began launching attacks towards Number 10's coc.o.o.n. The attacking vines seemed to contract in and then swerve to focus on the attackers, granting Sophia a rare moment of peace, the first since the fight started.

"I have something that we can use, but we'll only have one shot." As Sophia finally managed to catch her breath, she tapped on her Spatial Ring, pulling out two fist-sized canisters. She ignored the sweat that dripped down her face as she pulled off the lid of one of the canisters, revealing a large clump of white powder.

"It's a powder that should be able to weaken her vines, a type of weedkiller. All we need to do is get it on any vines in our way." Micheal had explained the logic of how it worked, but Sophia couldn't help but feel a bit nervous when facing Number 10's illogically tough vines and the fact that Number 10's power was greatly boosted.

According to him, her Abilities, among other things, allowed her to stimulate the life energy of various plant matter in unique ways. In her boosted state, she was boosting these vine's life energy to such a degree that they were practically invincible.

Micheal had said this concoction should be effective no matter what, unless she had specifically trained to defend herself against it. Which, according to Micheal, was impossible.

Still…

"Vlad, you take the front and soften the vines for us using it. Once we break past her coc.o.o.n, I'll stun her long enough that you can reach her, Asim. Once she gets within range of your Ability…" Sophia had personally experienced Asim's Forsaken Aura. It was so incredibly jarring that it was nearly impossible to adapt to.

No matter how strong Number 10 was, she was bound to leave multiple openings if they could hit her with that.

The plan was one quickly thrown together, but well crafted regardless. Vlad's ability when it came to melee combat was inarguable, and his slew of odd Abilities were even harder to match, while Asim's powers went without saying. Even if Sophia's Fairy Eyes couldn't fully distract Number 10, Sophia was confident her presence alone would buy them enough time for Asim to get within range.

"Hmm." Asim didn't say anything but merely rubbed his chin in thought.

The battle continued to wage onward in the background. By this point, several bolts of energy and searing lightning were currently being lobbed against Number 10, to little effect.

"If it's just a weedkiller, I doubt it will be enough to stop these d.a.m.ned things." Vlad shared his opinion, looking at the white powder with an inquisitive eye.

"No, it will definitely work." Sophia's faith in Micheal was absolute. If he said it would work no matter what… it would definitely work. She rebuked her worries, cool confidence filling her as she gazed at the powder.

"This isn't just any regular weedkiller. It's one that's been imbued with many things from the Shop." Sophia's explanation seemed to a.s.suage the two warrior's worries as they exchanged glances and then promptly nodded.

Sophia smiled slightly as she remembered how s.h.i.+n had termed the substance.

"It's more like a super-weedkiller."

The smile faded from her eyes as she looked away from the powder, towards the explosive battle taking places just a few dozen meters away,

"Remember, we only have one shot at this." She handed the first canister of the 'super-weedkiller' off to Vlad, watching as he swabbed his spear in it.

Asim swabbed his long saber as well, coating it in a fine white edge that stuck to his blade almost like glue. Sophia took the last remaining bit from the first canister, swabbing a pair of Blue-Iron Daggers she'd gotten from the G.o.dfather Organization in the powerful herbicide.

The weapons were her favorites out of all of the throwing knives she'd tested out, perfect for a fight where a sword might not give her enough range.

She stored the last canister away, just in case, as she, Asim, and Vlad all zeroed in on Number 10's vine-covered coc.o.o.n.

"Let's make this count."

.. .. .. .. .. ..

Just moments later…

.. .. .. .. .. ..

Up above, on the rooftop of the skysc.r.a.per, a small breeze brushed through the air. The screams of combat and sounds of battle down below were barely audible up here, amidst the corpses of the dead.

Barely audible, too, was the light tapping sound as a man landed atop this rooftop, giving off an Aura full of warm, golden light and powerful, energetic vigor.

Garen Olsteis frowned as he walked over to the edge of the skysc.r.a.per, looking down.

"6? Are you still down there?" He crossed his arms for a second.

"Whatever. I'll figure it out when I get there." With those words spoken, the heroic-looking leader of the Nightrunner Numbers shrugged, and then walked off the edge of the building, sending himself hurtling towards the ground far below.

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Chapter 82

Power rippled through Micheal's veins as he took a tentative step forward towards Prime. The Bracken Enhancement Fluid Pill he had taken was a fast-acting alternative that he'd managed to create after a bit of practice, one that rapidly boosted his stats as high as they could.

It took only a couple of seconds for the effects to fully spread and reach maximum capacity. Such a rush of power was extremely disorienting and required a huge amount of willpower to stabilize, something very few people could manage.

Micheal took it steadily in stride, never missing a beat as he kept his full attention focused on Prime.

"Incredible. You truly are incredible." Prime didn't make any moves and instead chose to speak as he watched Micheal slowly walk towards him. The Director's voice was unhurried and calm, giving off a sense of supreme confidence.

If Micheal hadn't been absolutely certain that Prime's Soul had been badly injured, he likely would've been convinced that the attack had failed, just from the manner the man carried himself in. It was extremely difficult to get a read on him.

Micheal kept his face expressionless as he shrugged,

"I am who I am." He had years of experience and foreknowledge helping him out, he couldn't take credit for everything. Prime, on the other hand, had a three-year head start and Prime's devious genius and obsessive nature. Fairness, in such a fight, wasn't a concept that existed.

"I didn't even know it was possible to launch an attack of this nature. I have never heard of something like this." Prime's voice held a hint of genuine wonder. He spoke with such carelessness that Micheal had to remind himself half a dozen times that the warrior was 100% stopping time and watching Micheal's every movement.

"The Layers are vast and full of many wonders. Choosing to stay on the First merely limits your future." Micheal shared his honest opinion, his gaze placid as he took several more steps forward.

By this point, he had walked off the stage and was halfway up one of the main aisles, slowly growing nearer to Prime.

Prime continued to stand still, unmoving. The man's Annihlus Armor gave off a rather unsettling energy, glowing faintly, while his two Hai'ton Flame Swords alternating with twisting darkness and boiling heat.

It was at this moment that Micheal struck, as soon as he reached the halfway point, on the off chance that Prime's lack of movements was him stalling to recover from injuries more serious than Micheal expected.

'Impact Release: Bulldozer.'

Micheal released a huge impact right behind him into the ground. This huge blast of force sent his body hurtling forward at a breakneck speed, rocketing towards Prime out of nowhere.

At the same time that he activated that power, Micheal tucked his legs and ducked forward, moving his Ashari Blade out in a guard position. He opened his eyes as wide as possible, adjusting to the rapid acceleration as best he could.

In less than a fraction of a second, Micheal reached Prime.

His rapid acceleration had come out of nowhere with almost no warning. The only indication Micheal gave that he was about to attack was his slight preparations. And, even then, nothing could possibly indicate he was about to move forward as fast as he did.

If there was one thing Prime was vulnerable to, it was unexpected surprise attacks. Of course, pulling off such an attack in front of him was so exceedingly difficult that even calling this a 'vulnerability' was a bit ludicrous.

The air rushed past Micheal, whipping beside his face like a storming hurricane as he shot forward. His sword was still raised in its guard position, ready to strike at Prime instantly. The warm, red glow of Advanced Tier Sword Energy covered his sword, giving it a superior cutting edge.

And, as he rushed forward in that minute moment, Micheal's enhanced senses, combined with his wide open eyes, just barely allowed him to pick up a hint of movement from Prime's right wrist.

That small, blurry movement caused Micheal's battle instincts to surge. As a result, he immediately s.h.i.+fted his strike down and to the left, twisting his entire body in mid-charge.

A minute instant later…

A loud clang rang out as Micheal's Ashari Blade slammed into one of Prime's Hai'ton Flame Swords. A small explosion of energy spread out at the epicenter of the collision as Micheal's Advanced Tier Sword Energy interacted against Prime's Advanced Tier Sword Energy.

Micheal's higher mastery gave his energy an edge, but Prime's stronger body and protective armor made up for that. Beyond that, Prime's Hai'ton Flame Swords imbued his attack with two kinds of Elemental Energy, allowing him to shrug off the blow and blast Micheal backwards.

However, Micheal's momentum from unleas.h.i.+ng his Impact Release Ability wasn't something that could be stopped so casually. While Prime was able to block Micheal's first attack, the energy behind it caused Prime to be forced back a step.

The entire exchange lasted for only a fraction of a second. The fact that Prime was able to react in time to Micheal's near-instantaneous ambush, something that would be flatly impossible for most people, was something Micheal had mostly expected and planned for.

That said… even though he expected and planned for that, there was a limit to the number of secret cards he held.

At this point, his hand was basically empty. There were no more tricks left to be played, no more hidden traps or future inventions Micheal could pull off. He had already pulled out every possible stop he had to prepare for this potential fight, wracking his brain for any and everything.

And now, at the cusp of the battle, he was left with only a single thing.

His swordsmans.h.i.+p.

Micheal's eyes gleamed with energy as he stared at Prime. For a tense second, nothing happened. It was like a moment frozen in time as the two warriors faced off, ignoring the crackling sounds of energy in the background.

That moment pa.s.sed.

Time no longer seemed to sit still.

And in the next…

Micheal and Prime began to duel.

Micheal brought his Ashari Blade up in a cutting strike, layering it with three separate lines of Advanced Tier Sword Energy. His entire body flexed and pulled as he struck, using every muscle available in complete synchrony.

From the way he held the sword, to the way he manipulated his Sword Energy, to the way he flexed his body, Micheal's actions were not only ones that were well-practiced and experienced…

They were absolutely perfect, without a hint of a flaw.

His blade strike arrived before Prime in a fraction of a second.

And Prime responded in a manner that could only be called equally perfect.

Prime's two Hai'ton Flame Swords cut across in a perfect 'X' motion, each side balanced with an exactly equal amount of Sword Energy. The Director took advantage of the fact that he had two swords, using them to each s.h.i.+ft off some of the power of Micheal's blow, intending on returning it back to him.

Micheal responded by s.h.i.+fting his body out to the side while kicking out with his right leg, and twisting his Ashari Blade to the left in one smooth motion. He coated his leg with Sword Energy, using his incredibly keen understanding of it to keep his body uninjured.

Prime evaluated this and abandoned his first counterattack, switching tracks as he slid both of his swords to the side and forcefully activated the Elemental Energy stored within them, using that power to deflect Micheal's Ashari Blade, dodging the attack. At the same time, Prime stepped backwards, dodging Micheal's powerful kicking attack.

In a regular fight, Prime could ignore most attacks if he chose to, relying on his Annihlus Armor to block everything. In this particular battle, however, Prime was aware that Micheal's Sword Energy was at a high enough level that he could cut through the essence of the First Layer's skysc.r.a.pers.

Prime might also have Advanced Tier Sword Energy, but his understanding and natural talent couldn't hold a candle to Micheal's Grandmaster-level understanding. The potency of his Sword Energy was roughly equal to Micheal's Intermediate Tier Sword Energy, and left him unable to cut through the windows or walls of the First Layer skysc.r.a.pers.

That wasn't to say that Prime was weak, but rather, to say that Micheal's control of Sword Energy was absurdly strong for his level. He was able to fully utilize the energy to a degree that literally no other human on the First Layer could.

As a result, their duel evolved into a series of exchanges as Micheal attack, Prime blocked, Prime attacked, Micheal deflected, Micheal attacked, Prime dodged.

In the span of 10 seconds, they exchanged more than 40 blows.

Despite the grievous injury to Prime's Soul and the detrimental effects of the Mire Wicker Poison still clouding Prime's judgement, the elite S Ranker was able to effectively block Micheal's attacks. The ability to perfectly account for every movement your opponent made was not something that could be belittled.

However…

Throughout their rapid exchanges, Micheal's strikes left Prime with zero openings to take advantage of. No matter how fast Prime moved, no matter how intelligently he blocked or deflected an attack, Prime was completely unable to find any hole at all in Micheal's defense.

Micheal, in the meantime, was facing a similar issue.

'I really can't break through easily, huh?' After the rapid exchange of more than 40 attacks, both Micheal and Prime leapt backwards, leaving roughly 15 meters of s.p.a.ce between each other as they took a brief moment of respite. Micheal had landed near the side of the theatre, while Prime was located in the middle of the theatre seats.

Prime used that time to gauge the seriousness of the injury to the Soul he had taken, while Micheal used it to review their fight.

Micheal treated this fight with absolute seriousness, concentrating at a level at least equal to when he fought against the Monster Cla.s.s Morenkai. He treated Prime as if he was fighting another Swordmaster and, indeed, despite Prime's lesser understanding of Sword Energy, the warrior reacted as if he was a trueblue Swordmaster, able to feel the tempo of a battle and perfectly predict an enemy's movements.

A big part of that was attributable to Prime's ability to stop time, but the means didn't really matter in a fight, only the end result.

'Well, it's enough. He should be convinced.' The thought flashed into Micheal's mind as he saw Prime's chest heave and shudder, the first time in the entire battle that the man had shown any kind of physical injury. The movement was an involuntary reaction to the damage his Soul had sustained.

At the same time, however, Micheal felt his own body try to shudder. Micheal forcefully suppressed the feeling, keeping his body perfectly calm and collected, while he a.n.a.lyzed it.

The Bracken Enhancement Fluid Pill he had taken was extremely fast-acting and more convenient to take than regular Bracken Enhancement Fluid. However, its power was not unlimited. He was already partic.i.p.ating in a battle that was far beyond the limits of his normal body. He had vastly overdrawn what power he could put out, creating a feeling of impending crisis.

'Not yet!' He had to force himself to not grit his teeth, knowing that if he showed even the slightest sign of weakness, Prime would instantly see it. His body wanted to do nothing more than tremble and shake, his muscles ready to collapse in just seconds.

Micheal began to speak, a sigh full of exasperation and annoyance filling his tone,

"Prime, you are forcing my hand here. I didn't wish to reveal the full scale of my power. I've already told you of the enemy we both face!" He glared at the Director, a frown appearing on his face as he brought up the Vile King. As he spoke, Micheal began to walk forward, moving away from the side of the theatre and towards the center.

By this point, all signs of weakness that Prime had shown had vanished as the man, somehow, managed to recover himself. Even in a fiercely injured state, the elite S Ranker was a monster to be reckoned with.

"Force your hand? From what I can tell, your condition can't be too much better than mine, Heron." Prime crossed his arms, holding his two flaming swords loosely.

'b.a.s.t.a.r.d. How could you possibly know that?' Micheal didn't show any hint of his true feelings as he merely shrugged,

"Think what you will. I'm not going to waste time arguing." He didn't exactly have much choice in that regard, though. Already he felt his body about to reach the breaking point.

He took a few more steps until he reached the center of the room. Prime stood calmly before him several meters away, between Micheal and the stage in the back where the Monster Cla.s.s Nest floated, unmoving.

"I've given you every chance you needed to flee." Micheal slowly sheathed his Ashari Blade in a long, black sheath he had on his waist. He then settled his right hand on the sword's hilt and looked up at Prime serenely.

"Make wiser choices in your next life." Micheal looked at Prime.

Prime looked back.

For the second time, time seemed to stand still between the two enemies as they each sized each other up.

That moment pa.s.sed.

And then…

Micheal's right hand flickered.

A flash of yellow light appeared, light that dawned around Micheal's sword, imbued with a cutting edge so fierce it split the air itself. This light had an odd gravitas around it, one that inherently formed a sense of fear in any who looked upon it.

Light that flickered in a manner similar to Micheal's Advanced Tier Sword Energy… but stronger.

Much, much stronger.

Micheal's right hand flickered.

Moments later…

Micheal cut the skysc.r.a.per in half.

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Chapter 83

The concept of Sword Mastery was a very mystical thing. Before the apocalypse began, Micheal would've found such an idea unfathomable, impossible to comprehend.

That incomprehension became truly notable once a warrior crossed from the Advanced Tier to the Master Tier.

The gap between these two Tiers was considered a 'wall' of sorts. A wall that was impa.s.sable to the vast majority of humans, one that separated the common sword-users from the elite Swordmasters, especially beyond the First Layer, where Weapon Mastery Abilities gained a large amount of prestige.

Micheal's Soul stat currently wasn't high enough to bear using Master Tier Sword Energy for any notable amount of time. Bracken Enhancement Fluid mainly boosted one's physical stats, meaning its effect on the Soul would be minimal at best.

In fact, using Master Tier Sword Energy at all was impossible for Micheal right now.

Impossible if he wanted to use it safely, that was to say.

If he ignored the pressure and injuries it would bring to his Soul, however…

Well, that was another story.

The yellow light that appeared on Micheal's sword was none other than Master Tier Sword Energy. It was pale and light colored, indicating it was the lowest level of Master Tier, but Master Tier Sword Energy nevertheless.

From Basic to Advanced, the Sword Mastery Ability didn't change too much. Merely, the potency and power of one's Sword Energy increased to higher and higher levels.

However, once one reached the Master Tier, they gained a new power through their Sword Mastery, a power Swordmasters were famous for.

The power to manipulate Sword Energy… outside of one's body or weapon.

For a fraction of a second, Micheal drew upon Master Tier Sword Energy to power his attack.

The moment his sword left his sheath, the pale, yellow energy that had swarmed it began to stretch outward. Because this type of energy was the lowest state of Master Tier Sword Energy, it could only expand outward or inward in a straight line.

Typically, someone with this level of energy would have a very basic understanding of the Master Tier. As a result, they would only be able to lengthen their blade, and the attacks from it, by a few meters.

Micheal's understanding, however, was already at the Grandmaster level.

A thin, yellow line of energy stretched out from Micheal's blade the moment he drew it. This line shot outward rapidly, far quicker than Micheal could track. In just a tiny moment, it had already stretched more than 10 meters till it reached the back of the theatre.

The instant it touched the back wall of the theatre…

It pierced through it.

Not all Sword Energy users had identical powers. In the Master Tier and below, there was a large focus on the type of combat and using one type of weapon one would become. For example, a Swordmaster that wielded a rapier would often have Sword Energy that was specialized in fast, piercing damage.

Micheal was used to wielding longswords, katanas, and longer weapons with a sharp edge. Before he broke through to the Grandmaster Tier, his understanding of Sword Energy was geared towards wide, cutting power and slas.h.i.+ng attacks. He wouldn't normally use his Sword Energy to expand and pierce through things.

His breakthrough to the Grandmaster Tier, however, had required him to fully understand how to use Master Tier Sword Energy, regardless of sword-type or specialization.

As a result, despite using the weakest level of Master Tier Sword Energy, he was able to fully utilize its ability to pierce through obstacles.

And still… Master Tier Sword Energy was Master Tier Sword Energy.

No matter how thin a line that Sword Energy was, no matter how small, pale, and weak looking it might be… it was still Master Tier Sword Energy.

And here on the First Layer… there was almost nothing in existence that could stop it.

It cut through the wall like it was b.u.t.ter.

The energy then continued its expansion all the way till it was around 24 meters long, just long enough to cut through the edge of the skysc.r.a.per.

This rapid expansion took place in around 0.2 seconds from the time Micheal took to draw his weapon.

Micheal's right arm then transformed into a blur as he put all of the strength that remained in his body into a single, sweeping attack. The yellow energy coated his blade with a magical light as he whipped it forward, performing a precise, twisting maneuver.

This attack had a special name and was one he had learned a long time ago, the 'Rotating Slash' technique. It was a strike designed to take on large numbers of enemies, one that gradually built up in power as it wrapped around in a circle, leaving an incredibly potent finis.h.i.+ng strike.

And… just like that, Micheal began to cut the skysc.r.a.per in half.

Across from him…

Prime had initially just sat still, observing Micheal's technique as he prepared to work against it.

In pursuit of that, Prime had frozen time to observe what Micheal was doing. Micheal was a man that Prime, even after constant observation and study, could not understand.

In a slightly ethereal looking copy of the world, Prime currently leaned against one of the theatre seats, observing the yellow energy that stood frozen in the air, pierced towards the back of the theatre.

A long, smooth cut could be seen at the end of the yellow line of energy, slas.h.i.+ng through the back wall like it didn't even exist.

'This… this is possible too?' The thought flashed into Prime's mind as he stayed in his frozen world, looking at what Micheal was capable of.

Prime gazed at the devastatingly powerful attack, and then over towards Micheal.

A cool smile had appeared on Micheal's face, his eyes lacking even a hint of mercy. His expression, if it could be described in a single word, was cold.

Prime studied that, as he studied Micheal's posture, the way Micheal's arms were flexed, how he was gripping his sword. He then traced the trajectory of the attack and the expected angle it would take, sighing slightly.

Without a doubt, this attack was going to hit him.

Prime spent roughly ten minutes calculating everything as he went over possible ways he could dodge. Unfortunately for him, the speed that Micheal was attacking with, added to the distance Micheal was from him, left Prime with very few options.

"Arrgh!" Out loud, Prime winced as he touched his head and grimaced.

Right now, a searing headache was piercing through his body in waves of pain. Even now, in frozen time, this agonizing pain refused to leave, making his calculations and plans take much longer. Every thought was painful.

He frowned in an annoyed manner as he continued trying to focus, irritation lacing his thoughts.

"It's possible I might be able to dodge if I duck and twist down at the right angle here… hmm…" His words echoed softly in the still air as he studied where a copy of his own body stood still.

If he had been in perfect condition, it would've been easy to avoid the attack. Right now, though, while his body was mostly fine, he was suffering from some type of devious spiritual injury. The damage he'd taken was making it extremely difficult to control his movements. His body was constantly trying to pa.s.s out, something he had to force away every second he spent back in the real world.

He had been able to seize control when he dueled Heron for a few seconds. But if he stayed for any type of extended battle, he wasn't sure if he would be able to hold out. There was only so much abuse his body and Soul could take, even if his willpower overwhelmed everything.

"But even if I dodge, I'll be much more vulnerable to a continuation attack. And…" Prime paused, looking over at Micheal with a sigh,

"I don't think he should be able to pull off another strike like this. But I can't prove that he can't. And if I let myself die here…" Prime folded his hands together as he pondered various things. He sat down in one of the theatre seats, scowling as he thought things over.

No one knew how long Prime sat there, lost in his own thoughts.

Eventually, however, he got up, wincing again as he rubbed at his head. He slowly walked back over till he was facing Micheal's body. He sent Micheal a decidedly annoyed glare.

"I can't believe you actually forced me to use this and are still going to live." Prime tapped on a small, white ring that he wore. A small, black sigil was imprinted on the bottom half of this ring, one that glowed very faintly.

If Micheal was able to look at it, he would've recognized it instantly.

It was a Returning Ring. A special Limited Artifact that cost around 200,000 Points, another thing Prime must've gained from an Irregular. This Artifact was reusable, but very rare.

It allowed one to set a 'Home' that they could teleport to, as long as they were within a certain distance of it. With Prime's Soul stat, he needed to be within 60 miles of his 'Home.'

The Artifact could only be used roughly every 30 to 40 days, requiring at least that long to repair itself from the damage it took for forcefully ripping a person through s.p.a.ce. If used again before it could fully recover, it would work, but would also shatter, and make obtaining another one extremely difficult.

"I really did underestimate you, Heron. The next time we meet… I won't." Prime sighed again as he rubbed at his forehead.

"As for the words you shared with me about this hidden enemy…" Prime's eyes began to glow as he prepared to let time return to its normal flow, a hint of dark promise appearing within his voice,

"I will look into it."

Light flashed out from his eyes.

Time went back to normal.

Micheal finished his Rotating Slash technique in around half a second.

The full technique required him to rotate roughly 180 degrees, pulling his arm forward till it moved all the way around, behind his back. Like this, the attack would move in a full, and complete circle, building up power as it cut through the air.

As Micheal finished his attack, a flurry of Points notifications popped up.

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—-Points Obtained—-

Points: 427

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—-Points Obtained—-

Points: 182

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—-Points Obtained—-

Points: 13

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—-Points Obtaine…

.

Micheal ignored all of them as he accidentally wiped out more than 30 random Morenkai, some that were climbing the outside wall, while others that were moving in stairwells or clambered down to their floor after their fight began.

The skysc.r.a.per shook slightly as a result of this attack, but didn't collapse or fall over. Despite the damage Micheal had dealt, his cut had been so even and perfect that it would need a hefty blow to make the skysc.r.a.per fully separate.

Instead of that, though, Micheal's focus was split onto two other things.

The first, of course, was Prime.

Micheal's attack cut through the air into exactly where Prime had been standing. Micheal was half convinced Prime would dodge the attack and still fight, the worst-case scenario.

To his delight, however…

Prime's body vanished before Micheal's eyes in a familiar flash of black light. A small, glowing symbol, shaped like a triangle with two horizontal lines piercing it, appeared in the air where Prime had been standing, dissipating into smoke.

'He had a Returning Ring!' Micheal didn't feel surprised that Prime managed to escape, but was still surprised that Prime had such a rare Limited Artifact. There were only 500 of these in all of existence, and many of them were likely owned by people in the Second Layer or higher.

He couldn't help but grin, however, as he realized what that meant.

Prime had retreated. He had won.

Before he could revel in his victory, though, agony swept across Micheal's mind as he finished his attack, temporarily stunning him.

He had just performed an amazingly powerful attack, one that was beyond the capabilities of his Soul to produce.

As a result… he had overdrawn himself and injured his Soul.

Apart from pain, a feeling of sickness and unwellness formed in the pit of Micheal's stomach, the tell-tale sign of a Soul injury. Micheal grit his teeth when he felt it, knowing it was inevitable. He couldn't quite tell the full scale of the injury he'd suffered, but he knew from experience that it wasn't a tiny wound.

Injuries to the Soul were very serious. If left untreated, it was possible a person might fall into a coma as their Soul focused on reknitting itself, leaving the wounded person vulnerable to attacks from anything or anyone.

Overdrawing his Soul to funnel such an attack was certainly a risky maneuver.

As he blinked his way past the pain in a split second, he forced himself to focus on the positive, beating back the sick feeling as best he could.

The injury he had gained wasn't necessarily a bad thing, however.

The differences between the Advanced Tier and the Master Tier of Sword Mastery were there for a reason.

Manipulating Master Tier Sword Energy was extremely difficult, even for someone with a much higher Soul stat. Every time you used the devastating energy, the power would attempt to ravage your Soul and escape beyond your control.

Even if you had an iron grip and perfect control, your Soul would still need to bear the use of Master Tier Sword Energy. For humanity, achieving such a thing without injury was impossible. It wasn't like Advanced Tier Sword Energy, which could be used relatively freely.

Like it or not, Micheal had come to understand that human 'Souls' were not as tough as the Souls of many other species. Much like how a squirrel is naturally weaker than a Tyrannosaurus Rex, the human race falls far behind other species in terms of 'Physique' or 'Soul Quality.'

The way the human race had dealt with this, in his first life, was to temper one's Soul repeatedly with Master Tier Sword Energy. Gradually, a warrior's Soul would adapt to using the energy, becoming sharper and more concentrated, like training a muscle.

While such a process never managed to officially raise a human's Soul Quality to 1 Star, it was capable of making a human capable of freely using Master Tier Sword Energy, a type of 'side-grade.'

This was how all humans, as far as Micheal knew, initially trained in the Master Tier, a process that typically took years to master. Even he had taken several years to fully conquer the Master Tier, building his mastery up over time.

However… Micheal was no longer the same person he had been before.

In terms of Soul Quality, Micheal's Soul was already rated at 1 Star, and liable to increase to higher levels if he had his way. His Physique was rated at 1 Star as well, both above the normally starless rating for the human race.

Further, he knew exactly how to manipulate Master Tier Sword Energy, he knew how his Soul would interact with it, the best ways to train using it, essentially every secret or training technique that wasn't a darkly held secret.

If there was nothing else he was thankful for from his past life, it was his obsessive nature when it came to Sword Mastery.

And with all of this knowledge and these changes in mind, Micheal's training regimen would be like no other.

By introducing his Soul to Master Cla.s.s Sword Energy early, he would be able to force it to adapt far faster than it had before. Instead of taking things carefully and cautiously, step by step to avoid unexpected disaster, Micheal could rush through both his Ki Cultivation and his Sword Mastery growth.

After all… he had already done all of this before. He knew exactly how to master each concept. While his Physique and Soul Quality had improved and he was no longer limited by his past Type, the ideas and ideals of both Abilities would remain identical.

Under his careful guidance, he would be able to rise to power at a speed unmatched by any warrior in existence.

He had started a little bit too early, but it wasn't altogether a bad idea, as long as he could keep this injury under control. And given that one of the best ways to heal an injury to the Soul was to make a breakthrough in Ki Cultivation, Micheal was confident he would be back to full health in no time.

All of this flashed through his head in an instant, taking only a couple of seconds to process as he recovered from the shock of the injury to his Soul.

Right after that, he a.s.sessed the situation around him.

Prime had escaped, vanished from this room, and away at a safe point, many miles in the distance. With the injury the man had suffered to his Soul, there was no chance the genius tactician would risk attacking again, not today.

And given that Micheal was planning on leaving the First Layer within 24 hours, that meant he no longer needed to worry about Prime.

He hadn't managed to kill his enemy, and Prime was certainly someone that would never forgive Micheal for what he had done.

But that was fine.

After all… that was the plan all along.

Director Prime was a very, very dangerous man. Obsessive, a genius tactician, and an extremely powerful warrior with a huge amount of potential. Killing him in one go, even with all of Micheal's preparation and future knowledge, was never very likely.

But now…

Prime was aware of the Vile King's existence.

And Prime was now set to be mortal enemies with the Vile King.

"I hope you enjoy my present, Constantine." Micheal's eyes gleamed as he sheathed his Ashari Blade.

After he spoke aloud, he finally turned his attention to the second of the two things he had been focused on.

A large, glowing Nest Core that was floating at the center of the theatre stage.

The initial target of his Rotating Slash had indeed been Director Prime. But this technique was one that built up power over time, growing in strength. Its strength was certainly enough to rend Prime in two at the start, but its maximum impact was only reached at the final moments of its lifetime.

While the initial target was Prime, the final target was none other than the Monster Cla.s.s Nest.

And Micheal's attack had landed on that large Nest Core with exacting accuracy.

The Monster Cla.s.s Nest Core was bound to be unreasonably tough. Going by the logic of the First Layer thus far, Micheal felt certain it should typically take a very large team focused on boosting each other to damage.

He had gradually come up with this idea when he realized how difficult regular Nest Cores were to damage. They were probably designed around a team working together, perhaps in an attempt to get humans to work together.

It was just a rough theory, but he felt like it should be accurate. The creator of the First Layer certainly had some unique ideas.

However, while he was working alone… As with before…

Master Tier Sword Energy was Master Tier Sword Energy. It was something that should not exist on the First Layer. Indeed, it was very rare to see even on the Second Layer.

Micheal's sword strike had plowed into the Monster Cla.s.s Nest Core and fully split it in half without a hint of resistance.

However, before his very eyes, he could see faint sparks of black energy flickering between the two floating pieces, drawing them back together. The Nest Core hadn't gone into any type of defensive or attack-minded mode, but instead seemed to be trying to feebly heal itself.

He had dealt an extreme amount of damage to the Monster Cla.s.s Nest Core, but not enough to cause it to count as 'destroyed' yet. Still, it was very clear that the Monster Cla.s.s Nest had been rendered at his mercy, its defensive prowess completely overwhelmed in an instant.

This probably hadn't been what the creator of the Monster Cla.s.s Nest Core had envisioned when it would finally be destroyed, but Micheal didn't care.

'My body hasn't broken down yet. I can still use it a little more.' Micheal's boosted state had a little juice left in it, something he realized with a grim smile.

He pulled out a Mid-Tier Healing Pill and swallowed it down as he moved over to the theatre stage, his eyes narrowing as he looked up at the very slowly regenerating Monster Cla.s.s Nest.

'It's damaged so badly, it will probably take several hours to regenerate if I leave it alone.' He raised his Ashari Blade up as he grew close to the Nest Core, poking it slightly.

The entire Core vibrated, a small shower of sparks sputtering off of it as it shook. Micheal got the feeling that if he smacked the Nest Core a bit harder, it would directly fall apart and become fully 'destroyed.'

'Perfect.' He smiled. He had planned on destroying the Nest Core directly with his attack, but this actually worked out a lot better. He could time things more easily now.

For there was one last thing he needed to do, before he left for the Second Layer and destroyed the Monster Cla.s.s Nest Core.

'Sophia and s.h.i.+n just need to stick to the plan. They should be able to handle things.' Micheal took a deep breath as he sat down on the ground next to the Monster Cla.s.s Nest, folding his hands together silently.

The Numbers were strong, but without Prime backing them, they weren't anything approaching invincible, even with Number 1 and/or some of them being boosted by the broken Permanent Nest Cores.

'So all I have to do now…' His gaze became slightly darker as he looked out across the theatre,

'All I need to do now is wait and pray.' His heart pounded loudly in his ears as he took several deep breaths, the pain from his injured soul throbbing in the background.

Micheal settled into a meditative pose as he spread his senses outward. His body began to heal, but only slightly, using the healing energy from the Mid-Tier Healing Pill. His physique was still greatly overtaxed, but he would last for at least a few full-speed movements if he needed to.

As for his Soul, well. There wasn't much Micheal could do in the short-term to resolve that problem. He just ignored it as best he could, for now, wincing ever so slightly at the nail-biting pain.

Gradually, the seconds began to slip away. Soon a minute pa.s.sed, and then a second minute as Micheal sat there alone. The severed half of the skysc.r.a.per above him s.h.i.+fted a few times but remained stationary, a very unusual sight for someone used to the rigid stillness of most First Layer skysc.r.a.pers.

Finally, however…

After 3 and a half minutes, a bit sooner than Micheal had expected, a quiet tapping noise sounded off on the ground at the entrance of the theatre.

Almost reluctantly, Micheal raised his head to look at the source, his eyes zeroing in on the man that had just walked through the doorway.

He was a tall, elderly man with a head of grey hair and a large grey beard. He gave off a friendly air as he stepped forward, his sharp-looking black suit ruffling slightly. The air around him seemed to s.h.i.+ver faintly, unseen waves of gravity twisting about.

Micheal saw this elderly man and sighed, the light in his eyes fading slightly as he stood up, ready to handle one final mission.

"Cameron." His voice was dull as he looked at the G.o.dfather, all traces of hope that he had clung to slipping away,

"I really hoped I wouldn't see you here today."

.