Millions of corpses were systematically spread across Pluto in concentric circles. In the center of these circles was the familiar undead leader and four…coffins?
This was the bizarre sight that greeted the human army when they reached Pluto.
The level 9s looked at each other in dismay and simultaneously turned to the young man standing at the forefront of the army.
Varian took a breath and reigned in the impulse to order an attack. "Boo."
A few white lights flashed on Pluto before the ghost ship appeared in front of him. "Master, there are formations! Lots of formations! Invisible, but deadly formations. If the army or any high awakener goes in, they'll—"
Multiple dark red dots lit up on Pluto and swelled to the size of a city. Without any delay, they shot at the army.
The speed of these laser-like attacks was so fast that only level 7s and higher could even react.
"Block!" The level 9s roared and clashed with the red lasers.
The defenses they set up—firewalls, space blockage—nearly cracked apart before they barely stabilized.
The red dots lit up again and Varian growled. "Everyone below level 7, retreat."
The bulk of the army retreated into the secret realms, leaving only the high awakeners with Varian.
He turned to them and said with a grave expression. "I can…feel those coffins. If we let them be, they'll give birth to someone like that Undead."
The expressions of every high awakener grew serious.
"Knowing them, they won't come out. Not when they stay in their nest and grow strong." Sarah said.
"And going inside is dangerous," Sia added.
"So we attack without going in and try to destroy their formations," Varian said. "No formation can hold on forever."
The close combat awakeners took on the role of stopping the laser attacks while the psychics, telekinetics, elementals, long-ranged plantae, beast morphers as well as the space, and gravity awakeners stepped forward.
Then, the attacks rained down on Pluto.
Giant fire phoenixes, massive space cracks, hundreds of small plant bombs, acid columns, gravity crunches.
All of these attacks began to target one particular section of Pluto.
In response to their attacks, a mass of thick fog rose from one of the many formations and soon covered the entire Pluto.
The high awakeners kept attacking but all their attacks just kept disappearing into the fog, unable to disperse it.
Varian tried to use his space sense and check beyond the fog but it felt like his senses hit an iron wall!
Then without any warning, the red lasers shot out again. The close combat awakeners blocked them off while the others continued their attacks.
Two minutes later, one of the red lasers faltered and disappeared.
One of the formations was destroyed!
"It's working!" A level 9 exclaimed before bringing up the question. "But what now?"
Varian looked at the fog with vigilance. The abyssals and Undead level 9s on Pluto didn't come after them and just let them destroy that formation.
It didn't feel like incompetence. It's a trap!
Now that they learned formations could be destroyed, they'd desperately try to destroy more.
But since there was fog all around and they didn't know exactly where to attack. Varian's perfect memory did remember the locations but since they used the fog, the locations likely changed. Now, their options were to either attack indiscriminately or go into the fog and destroy the formations.
Both were dangerous. If they attacked indiscriminately and tired themselves out, then they'd become easy prey when the abyssals eventually attack them. On the other hand, if they flew into the fog…
'That's what they actually want us to do.' Varian knitted his brows together and contemplated.
Even if you know it's a trap, sometimes there's no other choice than to jump right in.
"Destroy the formations," Varian nodded at Sarah and Sia before his body blurred.
He shot through the fog like a missile and stopped.
The sound of applause rang out as the last two surviving Archdukes of Neptune smiled at him. Behind them were some fifteen level 9s, ten abyssal, and five Undead.
"We were waiting for you." Archduke Samaron rubbed his hands with an eager expression.
"Once you get in." Archduke Yasok grinned.
""You can't get out."" They simultaneously pressed their bracelets.
The ground lit up and a formation activated.
Before Varian could even think, the space around him solidified and the gravity around him tripled. As if solidifying his surroundings and making his body feel like a log wasn't enough, a searing pain filled his head as if someone was scraping his brain with a hot knife.
The air around Varian lit up and burnt his skin. The fire was followed by lightning arcs and after the lightning came ice bullets.
In just a blink, Varian was attacked dozens of times over. He began to bleed from the eyes, mouth, and nose. His skin was first charred, then torn and blood began to leak out of him even as he tried his best to control his bleeding.
"Hmph!"
The abyssals felt a heavy pressure and glared at Varian.
Varian's eyes lit up with a tinge of silver and his body blazed with aura.
His space power loosened the space around him, his physical strength resisted the gravity while his telekinetic power assisted in his movements. A layer of lightning and ice covered his flesh and repelled the fire, lightning, and ice attacks. His psychic power constructed a mental wall and stopped the searing pain in his head.
In just a few seconds, Varian was able to move freely almost as if these formations weren't affecting him at all!
The level 9s were shocked but the Archdukes were smart enough to realize that Varian couldn't use those powers against them. At most, he could use them partially.
While they were surprised that he really had so many paths, they attributed it to the legacy of Devas.
'We must get the legacy!' The Archdukes nodded at each other and summoned lightning dragons.
Varian used the time power on their attacks and retreated. But the other level 9s quickly realized his predicament and contributed with their own attacks.
In the blink of an eye, Varian was bombarded with dozens of attacks, causing him major injuries.
What's worse, there seemed to be no solution in sight.
