120 - rest day 3

***

" Demonic,demonic,demonic...would you just shut up with that fake! I will show you true... Terror. Do not take the cult of E lightly..." (?)

"I see, you have one last card. I will entertain you and destroy that last card as well. Or maybe it activates on its own and I can't prevent it... Will you give your name before we fight?"

" Braun, Braunklever von unxarv. " (Braun)

"Lilith, just Lilith. A noble huh~. I wonder what the last-"

" [Demonic infusion] [ Ease Magic circuits] [Flesh revolution] [Final will]." (Braun)

At the very end, his name no longer mattered as his sense of self was lost. Large wings of flesh stretch from his back muscles, the grotesque sound of tearing fiber and sloshing blood rang through the room as the transformation progresses. The wings turn to a solid deep red as crimson flakes shower the ground. His wings of solid blood, infused and reinforced by magic, glowed an ominous red that formed a halation with every movement.

An armour of black with an insect shell like texture covers his torso, his facial features distorting to form a singular horn at the top along with blue skin that wraps around his cheeks. His eyes, nose, ears and mouth stay in place, however the surrounding skin grew wrinkly as if becoming a mask that covers every patch of skin except for those areas.

I had been using [Demonic energy] as a radar for quite some time, finally realising the blind folded was off from the shockwaves, I observed the kidnapper for the first time... How unsightly. It seemed that he had fused with a low ranking demon before I could see his true face. Even if his facial features were still in the same place, the skin has shifted around to an absurd amount.

"It seems I have to put you out of your misery now."

Firing bolts of [Demonic energy] from 3 different locations, impatience drugged my conscious as I rapid fired until the area was filled with smoke. Having enclosed himself in barriers earlier, I had no sensing for his Agility. A gust of wind brushes as I bent my pelvis to the side, the rush attack nearly hitting me, had scratched my cheek, leaving a deep cut. It was a good sign. It showed that my [demonic energy] radar had still worked in the smoke, and that I still had some leeway to deal with this opponent.

Bursting sounds echoed around the room, as if someone was constantly bashing the wall with a hammer. Sensing Cress's location, the situation called for putting my reaction to the test.

"Tch! [Stealth], [Illusion]."

Hiding both our presences, I created fake clones to blockade my surroundings and act as distractions, before lifting the [stealth] on myself.

"Nee~ Cress. It seemed my [Stealth] and [Illusion had evolved to tier 3. Unless you have a plan, I'll need you to hide."

" What? Is there a problem? Can't you take him out with spamming that skill over and over again?" (Cress)

"No, this one is an absorption type. He's somehow converting the destructive energy into a barrier. Rather troublesome."

" Well, do you have any anti-barrier skills?? If not, we may be screwed." (Cress)

"Uh oh."

" Kyaaaah!! Why was there a shockwave here!?" (Cress)

"... An anti-illusion skill. It seems skills are everything huh~ I may be outmatched this time."

"KUHAHA@&=#($)#)#($) YOU #-$) #-#) #($". (Braun)

"This phenomenon... He's 'glitching'. The world system is almost invincible, nothing could bypass it. But with enough will power and a certain combination of magics, they could bypass a small aspect of the system. The downside is that." (Cress)

Pointing her thin finger in the direction of the enemy, the area around and some parts of the enemy cannot be comprehended. It was as if reality itself was distorted, various textures... All textures existed at the same time, in the same spot. Squares of this texture floated in the air, releasing a deep pressure that could swallow a sane person and turn them insane. A different depth of heaviness also resided there.

"Kugh!!! Ughhhh!!!"

"Uguuuuhhhh!!! This.. Is a realm... Of a god..." (Cress)

Ahhhh.... I see.... This is what they call fear.... Having read such phenomenon only in fairy tales, it was rather terrifying. Fear, anxiety, cowardice, despair, it was only natural when face with something unknown. Yet we had seen this from a book in the orphanage... It was known, yet it was not... How are we suppose to react to that?!

"Ughhh!!!"

Releasing the fluid gathered in my throat, I stared straight at the monster before me. Legs of a human, torso with an insect shell like armour, blood wings that used up bio matter from the user's back, distorted facial features, and finally a singular horn at the top. No doubt, this was an enemy I have to take seriously.

I should have finished him off before he activated his forbidden catalyst. No... It could activate anyway, now wasn't the time to speculate. There were some boundaries in the ethics and moral of magical research, this was one such example, therefore it was outlawed.

Offsetting the pressure with [Shadow step]'s anti-gravity, I fired off more bolts of [Demonic energy]. In the same pattern, the energy was absorbed and assimilated into the barrier, signified by the glowing sphere of purple that goes back to transparency after absorption.

"Who cares... If you have a barrier... If it doesn't protect you... I WILL CRUSH YOUR BARRIER!"

"GRUAGHG#$#&(#C" (Braun)

As his blood red wings stop glowing, light gathered in his horn, as if an omen of destruction was upon us. Yes... That could be the only way to describe it. With the barrier, I had already figured which part of the system this monster bypassed. It was the mana limit. In order to absorb damage indefinitely, that has to happen.

Otherwise, I would have broken his meagre shield with my bombardment. By no chance, it looked strong. Though not a beginner's barrier, it didn't seem horribly complex as well. It was a barrier of medium complexity that depended on mana to maintain, something rather impractical in a place as unforgiving and relentless as a dungeon. Usually barriers that adventurers used had a fixed limit, so they could predict its time of destruction after enough experience.

I don't understand how, and may never find out the method to bypassing the system. As far as I knew, this was a first. However it doesn't matter as my [demonic energy] had technically bypassed it as well. All that mattered now was to crush this man's barrier, and subsequently his life.

" [Shadow step], anti-gravity."

Speaking it out loud helps with visualisation, it was called intonation. Anyone could use intonation to better execute their skills, as visualisation was a vital part of skills, though those that rely too much can become useless when blinded or gagged. It was vital as people could accidentally destroy things other wise. However I was not blinded right now, this was a gamble to see if my skill worked. So if I could, I had to give it my all.

Piercing sounds of glasses shattering rang through the room. My breath had abated into something shallow, my adrenaline running low. The barrier collapsed under as a physical law pulls it apart, it was still being maintained, just that it was maintained in pieces where it couldn't serve its purpose.