Sage Nevar and Prince Xoler landed close to their hideout. Without holding back the slightest, they rushed back into the spaceship and activated full stealth.
A minute later, the scans of the three fortresses ran throughout the solar system, including their hide out.
Thankfully, the long distance turned out in their favor and the stealth managed to hold.
On the other hand, Hybrid Mor's teleportation ended up being derailed by Maid Romanov's interference.
As a result, instead of landing in the planned spot, they were blown off in the inner space, nearly crashed into a space storm before leaving through a space tunnel and landing in an asteroid outside the solar system.
Romanov stood up with a painful expression. Her maid uniform was ripped to shreds, leaving only the red armor she wore underneath.
The armor was a gift from Princess Sonya. It saved her from any serious injuries.
But Champion Gor and Hybrid Mor?
"Urgh," The Champion held his dangling forearm and groaned in pain.
As if the squirming, invasive, fist-sized green hole in his heart wasn't enough, a mangled forearm turned his situation for the worse.
The Hybrid had no emotions but its body too was suffering. Its second divine path, Reaper was mostly spent on supressing the life force trying to invade its body. Its first divine path, Space, was hit by the rough journey they went through.
'I hate her, but Daphne is the real deal. I guess being a former rank 8 isn't just for show.'
Romanov clutched her abdomen and focused her power there. The gray space particles that managed to sneak into her were expelled and she was corruption-free.
"So," Rubbing the blood off the corner of her lips, the maid clenched her fists. Her bracelets flashed and turned into red gauntlets. "You have two options.
One. Come with me to interrogation, confess your sins and have a chance at escaping death.
Two. Get beaten until you accept one."
"F-Funny bitch," Champion Gor spat out a mouthful blood mixed with a few teeth and raised his axe.
Romanov assumed a fighting stance and her body tensed.
"I choose three. Slaughter you and get my mission done."
"Mission?" Romanov frowned. "Who—"
Her gaze was locked onto Champion Gor who didn't seem to move. It was a mistake.
Gor raised his axe and threw his right. But it was so far off the mark that it had no chance of hitting her.
Or so it should've been.
A space portal appeared right in front of the axe and Romanov's body instinctively punched forward.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The melodious sound of metal clashing with clashing rang in space, audible to everyone who could percieve aura.
Gor moved. His silhouette blurred and two black guantlets covered his hands.
Boom!
Invisible aura flowed out of Romanov's feet, forming a platform on space and she kicked it, jumping toward Gor.
"Die!"
As they approached each other, the space between their gaunlets began to distort and crack open.
And then, Gor disappeared.
Romanov's instincits screamed and she flipped.
The red light coming out of the portal that opened behind her grazed her leg. For a brief moment, her heart stopped beating and her blood stagnated. All signs of life ceased.
Romanov's consciousness sank into dark mud that seemed like an inescapable prison.
And then she came back to life.
"Argh!"
Gor's axe clashed with the punch she threw at the last moment. It slipped to the side, its force reduced and dug right into her abdomen. The armor did its part but was ultimately broken open.
Dazzling red blood, each droplet filled with enough vitality to grow an entire planet's trees for a day, spilled into space.
With a disdainful chuckle, Gor raised his axe again.
Romanov learnt her lesson and spread her senses to find the Hybrid.
He was lurking in the distance. Unlike what he showed before, his condition was much worse due to the life force. After all, he took most of the attacks from Daphne.
He's struggling to contain the life force from expanding. So, he's only lending help through his space power.
Else, things would've been much harder for her.
"Heh," Romanov turned a blind gaze to Gor's provocations and shot at the Hybrid.
Hybrid Mor sensed the danger and teleported in a hurry.
But Champion Gor ordered him not to teleport too far. It's not that Gor was afraid of death. But he was unwilling to die before finishing the two active objectives.
There was just one miscalculation.
[Adept] —> Paragon Body.
Focused on a building a perfect physical body that could withstand any condition, face any power and defeat any enemy.
[Adept] —> Reaper.
Using an Adept's unbelievable control over their own life, inverting the life force built so far, building an undying body fueled by the power of death.
Unlike others with death power, Reaper is not built for long-range fights.
Reaper and Paragon Body both originated from the same path. And Hybrid Mor was still in a struggle with the life force wrecking havoc in his body.
Under this condition, Mor teleported to a nearby location. Romanov was able to sense him clearly.
As Mor teleported, her spiked gauntlets greeted his face.
The skin and flesh on half of his face was blasted away. His neck was forced into a weird angle and his skull cracked.
If their positions were swapped and Romanov was the one who took that punch, her head would've blown off and she'd have died an instant death.
But Mor cracked his neck and his fist slammed forward, red flames brimming with death power burning over them.
Romanov deftly dodged punch and kicked the 8-foot giant. When her foot reached his head, her normal shoes were replaced by tough metallic shoes with spikes laced with dangerous poison.
Her feet dug into his skull and the giant's head snapped down. She avoided the blood and brain matter, as they were filled with the power of death.
Hybrid Mor didn't even scream despite the heavy injury. He's a hybrid after all. But he seemed to have recieved the instruction to escape, so he tried to use his space powers.
Romanov couldn't let him escape. Once he teleported far away, she wouldn't be able to catch him again!
Boom!
Two long blades enveloped in white flames—the power of a Paragon—the zenith of a life form, slashed down one of his arm.
An electrifying pain coursed through his entire body and interrupted his teleportation.
Before Romanov could feel any complacency in bringing down this slippery enemy, the space behind her cracked apart.
Romanov tried to turn around, but the space around her solidified, slowing her down and Mor grabbed her with his other arm, disregarding his own safety.
Her blade sliced deep into his body and her fists punched into his abdomen, pulverizing it.
Any normal warrior would've let go.
But the emotionless Hybrid didn't.
Under Romanov's desperate gaze, a powerful mace struck her from behind. With a snap, her back broke and a searing pain filled her mind.
Romanov knew that this was it. She wouldn't be able to take another attack without turning helpless.
A gluttural roar emerged from her throat and for a brief moment, her strength surged, reaching new heights.
Breaking free from Mor's hold, she put all her strength into a fist and slammed Champion Gor who was about to deliver the second attack with his maze.
Boom!
All of Gor's ribs broke and a large-hole appeared right in the center of his chest, all the way to his back.
Thud!
A powerful force struck her head from behind, causing Romanov's consciousness to blur.
In desperation, she back a kick and it landed right in the middle of Mor's mutilated abdomen.
The Hybrid's blood bathed her and Romanov's eyelids grew heavy.
Struggling with the unexpected injury, Champion Gor lunged at her and landed a punch straight in the face.
Romanov's consciousness was knocked off but before it did, her leg whipped up and struck him in the jaw.
Crack!
Gor's neck twisted and his aura plummetted.
At the last moment, Romanov felt a fluctuation of space covering them.
'D-Did they find us? But…they don't have space powers…'
When she opened her eyes from a deep slumber, an unfamiliar sky greeted her.
Romanov tried to access her powers but she was too weak that even using the power of a rank 6 felt like a challenge.
'W-What?'
As she spread her senses, she saw Hybrid Mor and Champion Gor…
'Why is he trembling like that? His shoulders are shaking, his eyes are wet…is he crying?'
They were facing a handsome young man who had a crazy smile on his face. It's the face of a man dying of thirst finally finding an oasis.
Seeing that smile, a chill shot down Romanov's spine.
