127 - Meaning
***(still Kuraver Pov)
Breaking through a puddle of water, the slick sound of water tension collapsing under a higher pressure and a splash was created. This various sounds revolve in the ear drums as Kuraver opened his eyes. Cold sweat had drenched the back of his shirt and his irises twitch under the fear in his heart.
A deep dark shadowy cloud shapes itself into an ambiguous shape of a woman near the back of Lilith. Her silhouette and presence only susceptible to Kuraver sensei. Her index finger was arranged into a symbol that called for silence, usually accompanying a "shh" calling, she took it away from her lips and waved the tip from left to right.
However it was all silent, the figure was clad in darkness, yet Kuraver felt that it was smiling mischievously at him. As if disabling his skill that had years of training and discipline embbed into it and influencing his conscious to be suicidal was all just a past time for this ominous being.
As it faded back into thin air, everyone was standing back at where they were. No one having fallen into the ground yet. All eyes were on Kuraver sensei and Lilith, with not having a step taken from their previous positions.
Lilith's status bar was back to normal,as if it had never been dispelled. There was something severely abnormal about this individual, but what? What the hell was that thing? Did it rewind time to before she had been exposed? If so... Could it be possible that she was not the murderer? Why would that great being have any interest in killing that average boy? Was that mana just her own investigation?
"You... You what?" (Lilith)
"How old are you?" (Kuraver)
All tension had collapsed with this comedic exchange. Though it was not meant to be comedic. The students finally had their minds off of the murder. Though the atmosphere still never felt right. The murderer may be here among the students, or it could be far far away, and had used magic to kill from a distance.
'... I'll have to do this carefully. That being could erase me in an instant' (Kuraver)
"[Absolute territory], sub skills
The surroundings blurred beyond recognition as an exclusive space, no at this present feat, this moment in time, the experience of near-death had evolved his magic capabilities to the next step. His control over [absolute territory] had reached the first steps to the realm of God. So, to be more precise, this was already another dimension, akin to [The witch's coffin], though weaker in bounding the area together. Every particle, atom of this sub-dimension was formed from magic, and it's magic that forced them together to hold a stable environment for beings to exist in.
'Would it be possible that Lilith was not the murderer? No, I've already seen it in the previous timeline. Why would someone hide so much power? In fact, it's almost confirmed that she's the murderer. The evidence of her mana points to it. Even if I cannot do anything to that being... I have to try. '(Kuraver)
Looking around confused, Lilith had a terrified expression that would not suit the murderer. Her legs shaking in this unknown dark space perfect for kidnapping. Though it didn't seem like it would ever get used again. All this thoughts swam at the back of Kuraver's conscious, dragging the dregs of time to flow ever slowly, stretching one point of the timeline. Subconsciously, that was what he was doing with [absolute territory]. Her movements slowed, making her up like a harmless bunny.
Now even that being would take a moment to kill him, in that time he could prevent it's summon. Pressure assaulted his nerves, pressure from no one but himself, his own emotional pressure. It was as if his whole revolved around this one choice. Life or death? His life or his student's life? The answer was obvious. In the class itself, there was already a possible successor with the same class. In fact this was the only choice, to fight.
Easily susceptible to this atmosphere, Lilith stared on in horror and slow motion as sensei stepped closer. The thought to at least ask had never crossed his mind. She was the murderer and there was nothing that would change in his mind in the present.
"New subskill
matter formed from thin air rushed towards the lone girl. Strangely the matter was moving in normal time, maybe that was because they were under his dominion. Such thoughts struggled to surface in her slowed down mind.
"Is... Is this all it? Is there no way out?" (Lilith)
" ...! ...There is not.
I have to protect my students." (Kuraver)
"That's... I don't have an opinion on it. If my death would appease you, I guess that would be enough. But I won't go down without a fight!" (Lilith)
Speeding up his own time with [absolute territory], he had finally achieved what the ancient Vadim family sought after and what the final head achieved. He had mastered the skill. Slowing down the surrounding's to the maximum, he sped up his own as much as he could as well. It worked multiplicatively, if he slowed 1000 times and sped 1000 times, it would combine to 1 000 000 times. It was the limit, yet it was an absurd limit. Burning through his magic handling circuits in his soul, his mana pool had long ran out and he was taking in mana from the surroundings. After this battle, he was definitely not coming back.
On the other hand, Lilith was going through her own troubles. Seperating space with [demonic energy], more [demonic energy] was being produced inside her barrier, forcibly heating up reality and speeding up time. It felt like her skull would melt from the pain, however her iris's held a resolute glow. As the creator of [demonic energy(alternate)], naturally she couldn't be harmed by it.
The energy itself refused to harm its master. Even boosting her capabilities by enhancing her muscles. Unfortunately, the air was boiling and breathing was almost impossible. Air flew out her lungs from the pressure gradient, though the energy was supplying her body enough that she no longer needed oxygen. The infinite labyrinth as well, was being burned to ashes before it reached her body.
"So you're saying, only one of us can leave this place alive. Even if I wasn't the murderer." (Lilith)
"Hahah! Yep, it's far too late. Either you survive or none of us do. My circuits have burned themselves. After this battle, I'm dead. So I'm taking you down with me. Make my last battle glorious, you cultist." (Kuraver)
"I am no cultist. But I will honor your last wish. I'm getting out of this alive!" (Lilith)
Overcoming the effects of the slowed down time, Lilith however couldn't boost herself anymore than 1000. It was akin to holding a water bag about to burst. Simply put, the energy will rampage and destroy her. It would never target her, but it could hit nearby and cause fire. An inescapable inferno in this tiny labyrinth, something like that would easily kill Lilith.
Name: Kuraver lapunovia
Class: Domain conqueror
Level: 742 Points:
Health: 1 100 000/(1)100 000
Mana: 997 260 000/997 260 000
Strength: 10 000 +1000%(x11)
Vitality: 10 000 +1000%(x11)
Intelligence: 9 066 000 +1000%(x11)
Agility: 1 875 000 <000> + 1000%(x11)
Total Agility: 20 675 000 000
***(Lilith)
... An enemy 40 000 times my speed... What should I do...