938 Battle at the Selnes Country: Battle for the Tears of Divine Might II
Souta skillfully evaded the monsters' attacks, swiftly wielding his sword. While individually stronger than any of the monsters under Man-Eating Tamer's control, their sheer number posed a challenge.
Leaping into the air, seven shadows materialized beside him. With a sweeping motion, he summoned a rain of blood bullets upon the field.
Swoosh!!
Shen Yao, Black Blader, Adel, and others reacted swiftly, shielding themselves from the bloody downpour.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"That's splendid! You'll make a fine addition to my collection!" Man-Eating Tamer's face twisted with a crazed expression as his minions valiantly intercepted the bullets.
'This individual poses a significant problem...' Souta realized he needn't engage in a fatal battle with Man-Eating Tamer at this moment.
He knew Man-Eating Tamer's minions, fourth-stage monsters, were predictable. They lacked the higher intelligence characteristic of more advanced monsters, as they were trained to unconditionally follow Man-Eating Tamer's orders, even if it meant sacrificing themselves. If these monsters gained higher intelligence, they would no longer comply with unreasonable commands from Man-Eating Tamer.
Man-Eating Tamer's dangerous nature lay in his ability to treat his minions as mere disposable weapons, ready to be discarded to protect his own life.
With skillful manipulation of blood and webs, Souta directed the seven shadows to engage dozens of fourth-stage monsters at the forefront.
Boom!!
Souta and Man-Eating Tamer abruptly turned their heads in response to the collapsing ground. The Botano Clan's estate was flung into the air, accompanied by numerous scattered landmasses, all navigating the distorted time and space within this dimension.
Shen Yao, radiating a substantial amount of energy, released a surge that spread throughout the area. Her imposing golden figure struck Black Blader with a forceful palm strike.
Bang!!
The environment seemed to crumble around them. The stability of the place rested primarily on the gigantic tree formed by Paente. Somehow, this tree managed to anchor everything in the dimension, shielding these delicate dimensions from the ferocious clashes between immensely powerful experts.
Adel leaped from one floating landmass to another, eyeing a specific area shrouded by a spherical barrier—the Botano Clan's residence, home to the mythical-grade fruit.
"While they're all entangled in their own battles, I'll seize this opportunity," Adel chuckled to himself.
He crouched, preparing to launch himself toward the coveted location.
In an instant, he sensed spatial fluctuations around him, entrapping him. Reacting swiftly, Adel unleashed his energy, shattering the confines of the space encircling him.
Bang!
Breaking free, Adel looked up to see Spatial Whisperer hurling toward him at breakneck speed.
Bang! Bang!
Spatial Whisperer delivered a series of rapid attacks, catching Adel off guard. Though he managed to block three punches, the subsequent onslaught overwhelmed him, causing him to crash into the adjacent floating landmass.
Ugh!
Grimacing with pain, Adel swiftly regained his footing, turning to see Naruse grinning wickedly from a distance.
"This blasted exorcist!" Adel realized that Naruse had intentionally allowed Spatial Whisperer to intercept and halt him.
"I'm sorry, but I can't let you have all the fun," Naruse chuckled.
Despite Naruse's words, Adel disregarded her and surged through the air to intercept Spatial Whisperer. They clashed mid-air, their collision reverberating across various sections of the battlefield. Eventually, they became entangled in the ongoing skirmish between Souta and Man-Eating Tamer.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Souta had been systematically eliminating Man-Eating Tamer's minions when the two newcomers crashed into him.
The collision triggered a powerful explosion, resulting in three streaks of light soaring through the smoke, creating a complex, intertwined pattern in the sky.
These lights represented Souta, Adel, and Spatial Whisperer. They engaged in a high-speed aerial battle, exchanging relentless blows while navigating through the distorted dimensions.
Meanwhile, Man-Eating Tamer stepped back, manipulating his minions to line up and continuously unleash the [Bestrou] technique. This barrage decimated Souta's seven doppelgangers and tore through his intricate webs.
Bang! Bang!
The situation fluctuated rapidly as opponents changed with every passing moment. One instant, Souta faced off against Black Blader; the next, he was in combat with Man-Eating Tamer. Each combatant was exploiting every advantage, even utilizing the immense tree to launch attacks against their foes.
Boom!!
Souta crashed onto the ground, coughing up blood. Some of his injuries healed instantly, but he rose to his feet, gazing upward.
"This is challenging..." Souta muttered to himself.
His strength generally paled in comparison to the others, all top-tier SSS-rank experts. In theory, no fourth-stage monsters could contend with them. Nevertheless, his elemental prowess was unparalleled, almost akin to the Fusion Stage. His [Element Drive] boasted five times the endurance of theirs.
"Focus on what you can do. They're all exceptional, just lower than Hero-rank. Learn their techniques, their styles. Incorporate their strengths to refine your own," Saya's advice echoed in his mind.
"I understand... That's why I'm aiming to engage them without relying on my equipment for now," Souta said, a determined smile forming on his face. He recognized his advantage in terms of gear; although they possessed fine equipment, it paled in comparison to his own.
He sprinted back into the fray, rejoining the battle.
Boom!!
Adel and Souta swiftly dispatched dozens of monsters that attempted to approach the barrier. Shen Yao was locked in combat with Black Blader nearby, while Naruse engaged Spatial Whisperer, keeping him occupied.
"You, you, and you! All of you are annoying pests!" Man-Eating Tamer roared in frustration. He flung both hands, summoning hundreds of fourth-stage insects that swarmed around him.
The monsters gathered energy simultaneously, assuming their released forms. In the next instant, [Bestrou] descended, raining down upon the entire area.
Swoosh!!
Adel, Souta, Shen Yao, and the others' expressions shifted, a blend of shock and concern.
Naruse's eyes narrowed as she swiftly closed her fan. Several pieces of white paper flew into the air, forming multiple layers of protective barriers around her.
Each of them maneuvered defensively against the onslaught of [Bestrou]. Attacks from initial or intermediate rank were manageable, but they remained cautious about the strikes from higher-ranked monsters. One hit wouldn't be fatal, but repeated assaults could lead to injuries, even for seasoned experts like themselves.
Boom! Boom!
A chain of explosions ripped through the area, violently shaking the land and reducing much of it to rubble. Billowing clouds of dust and debris ascended into the sky, casting a dark haze over the scene.
Crack!
Souta's eyes widened as he swiftly turned his head.
The protective barrier surrounding the Botano Clan's estate had collapsed, and the tantalizing aroma and energy emanating from the mythical-grade fruit permeated the air.
"The fruit...!" Adel's voice rang out.
"It's open!" Black Blader's exclamation echoed across the battleground.
All present witnessed the exposed estate of the Botano Clan, with the mythical-grade fruit now readily accessible for anyone to claim.
...
Somewhere within the All-Filter Barrier Formation, Erkigal, Vashno, Franklin, and Eztein found themselves in the midst of a pristine, white expanse. Dark splotches littered this realm, oozing a peculiar energy.
"Was that the Hall of Power collapsing?" Eztein inquired, his gaze squinting.
"I believe so... Vexus, the Divine Venerable of Wisdom, and No God Emperor's father, seemed to be involved," Erkigal affirmed.
"What's with those cracks in the space? They seem abnormal. And this..." Vashno glanced at his palm, discovering a strange tattoo etched on its back. "This tattoo... It's giving me an ominous feeling."
"What?!" Eztein and Franklin examined their hands and found the peculiar tattoo imprinted on their skin, resembling an eye with a small teardrop. It emitted an inexplicable sense of foreboding.
"That... You've been cursed!" Erkigal gasped. "You must not disclose this to anyone else now. I didn't expect that merely witnessing that event would lead to a curse."
"A curse?" Eztein's eyes narrowed in concern.
"Yeah, the reason why I couldn't explain everything to you from the start was due to the curse. If I revealed everything, the darkness would engulf and kill me," Erkigal revealed.
"I thought that I would die... But it seems that's not the case." Eztein breathed a sigh of relief.
Boom!
The space quaked, and a colossal white stone monument materialized before them. Cracks riddled the structure, appearing on the verge of crumbling, yet it emanated an overpowering aura, commanding a presence above all.
"What in the world is happening now?!" Eztein exclaimed.
"Look!" Vashno directed their attention toward the stone monument.
"It has finally manifested... Our god's legacy. The path to end this living labyrinth," Erkigal murmured in awe.
