I enjoyed the winter storm that further obscured the view as my figure silently stood in the air. I looked down towards an individual who was blatantly releasing their dangerous aura without care. A few tents were cl.u.s.tered under the shade of trees, with this figure standing alone outside and staring blankly towards the path leading to the Shadow Dukedom.
I focused as I prepared to move against this power of the next rank. I put everything aside as I looked to these people I would be embroiled in a battle with. I didn't know them, and they didn't know me. But they wanted to harm someone I had plans for, so I would steel my heart and fight.
My figure was fully hidden with multiple skills as well as the Veiled Suit, making sure nobody could see me coming. Even though I was confident in the defensive skills, it didn't mean I would have to be reckless. I would attack while still hidden in the dark.
I counted one EPIC ranked mercenary and 9 S ranks. My focus would mostly be placed on the most powerful one. I breathed out as I prepared for the on coming battle.
I started off with a small welcome of multiple casts of [Devastation]. Rifts in space opened up as wriggling destructive pillars of lightning and molten flames sn.a.k.e.d their way towards the enemy.
Barely a second passed before the mercenary reacted and took up a stance. A wild look appeared on the mercenary's face the moment she saw the rifts opening up as her body began to shine golden.
"YAAAA!"
With a shout, a golden bell formed the moment the skills sn.a.k.e.d towards her.
BOOM!
Pandemonium ensued as the attacks connected, the golden light shining strongly and holding on as the nearby rank S mercenaries were blown away. The EPIC ranked mercenary looked around the ensuing destruction to find her attacker, but she was met with a dark aura plaguing her body as [Enfeeble] was casted. The spell ignored her defenses as it struck her and weakened the golden bell she had erected, causing the attacks from [Devastation] to connect.
OOONG!
I began feeling the exhilaration of conducting the battle in the dark as the essence around the mercenary roiled. A spectacular skill was being casted from her. The damage from [Devastation] was pushed away as a transparent figure began forming around the mercenary.
The rank S that were flung back were about to jump to block the incoming attacks when they stood back stupefied at the sight of their leader. The transparent figure of the skill she had casted held a long sword, its body boasting an incredible size of more than 8 meters.
VOOM!
The essence around us roiled as the being was fully formed. The figure of the EPIC ranked mercenary could now be seen in the transparent belly of the incarnation she had casted, each of her movements being duplicated to perfection as sharp winds came out from the large transparent thing holding a long sword. The roiling snakes of flames and lightning were all blocked as the figure stood imposingly to meet my next attack as I remained in the dark.
So this was an EPIC ranked individual. The power it let off was definitely higher than my S+ summon or the [Devastation] skill. But since I could cast them multiple times without reservation, I would make up for the lack of power in quantity! This wasn't to mention powerful support skills like [Aura of Belligerence] that further increased my damage, making me confident if my skills weren't already packing firepower equal to EPIC, they were nearing.
As the mercenaries waited for the next attack, what met their eyes was a grotesque beast that was even larger now that it was S+ ranked. The Virulent Abomination that had become a Plague Bearer appeared with wide green wings outstretched. Poison was constantly falling off its body in blobs of green that smashed into the ground
As soon as the expanded mercenary saw the monstrosity, the large body moved with a speed that it shouldn't have as its sword struck down with a beautiful circular swing. My summon did not evade the incoming sword, its belly rumbling as its mouth unnaturally opened more than a meter wide.
[Poisonous Breath], a skill unique to the Plague Bearer was casted.
The air trembled as this skill made its appearance. Green and murky, with an unbearable stench, the noxious collection of liquid and fumes came out to cover the entirety of the rushing figure.
BOOM!
The large sword of the expanded mercenary smashed into my summon, knocking it down and nearly splitting it in half. But, like a sticky material, its two sides were slowly joining back together as [Saint's Return] was already active and healing its injured body while continuing to provide buffs.
Using [Regal Archer's Eyes], I could see the figure of the woman in the enclosed transparent incarnation move in pain. Her left arm had turned a deadly shade of green as the figure she commanded did the same. She could not completely evade the [Poisonous Breath].
I tried to remain as emotionless as possible, and casted more [Devastation], as well as giving another command to the upgraded and healed summon. Its other newly gained skill, [Defiler] could not be put to full use as there were not many corpses nearby. 2 rank S mercenaries had already met their end from being too close when the [Poisonous Breath] landed, with the rest of them going further in the distance as they tried to jump into the fight with panic
To them, only a single enemy had appeared, and even after taking a strike from the most powerful person there, it just closed itself up like it was nothing.
OOOH!
The Plague Bearer howled as its wings flapped, rushing towards the 8 meter incarnation once more. The roiling snakes of flames and lightning that completely ignored it and smashed into the enemy gave a fantastic picture of this grand battle. The EPIC ranked mercenary wasn't for show, as the incarnation holding a sword she had casted was becoming more and more solid as time passed.
Its blade became faster as it rushed towards the summon. The sight in front of me was hard to describe. The 8 meter tall figure that enveloped the EPIC mercenary was moving as if it was the lightest thing in the world, the long blade in its hands spinning beautifully in the air as the summon continued to evade the strikes. One of them finally connected.
THUCK!
The blade wedged itself deep into the body of the Plague Bearer that was now over 6 meters. It pierced from the front to the back completely, and without reservation, the summon continued forward. Its wings flapped behind it as it ignored all the damage and came close to the belly of the incarnation where the mercenary was hiding in.
Green smoke roiled out as two green bodies unnaturally appeared, flinging themselves towards the figure of the large incarnation as well. These were the two dead rank S mercenaries that fell from [Poisonous Breath]. Their arms flailed as they seemed like the fastest zombies alive, reaching and sticking to the EPIC ranked mercenary's large figure in an instant
This was the second skill that the upgraded summon could now use, [Defiler]. When I first watched this skill in action, too many grand ideas popped up as I saw the summon controlling the bodies of dead beasts and flinging them around like poisonous bombs.
A cruel smile seemed to appear on the Plague Bearer's wretched face as it reached the position it wanted. The 2 dead beings it controlled through the skill began expanding dangerously while stuck to the transparent figure as both them and the body of the Plague Bearer...exploded.
BOOM!
The impact shook the surrounding 15 meters as green muscle, pus, and bones flew out, knocking the large bladed figure backwards as screams rang out.