Battle Of Kings

Why? How?

These two questions Akiol asked himself. The Slime King was able to easily understand his confusion and answered, "When I reconstructed your body. It was made of my own slime, and thus a part of me remained."

Thus the how was answered. Akiol was unsure how to feel about this information. Was it intentional? What purpose did this serve? Once again he asked himself: Why?

This time the Slime King did not provide the answer. Instead he started to lecture, "Mana born one, you've lost what you are. Your battles are more of that of the bipedal. You've lost what it means to be a slime. Allow me to show you: how a slime fights!"

The Undead King rolled his shoulders, the ballooned muscle rippling as he flexed each muscle group, "A King of a dying species. I suppose I don't mind contributing to the extinction of slimes!"

"And a King of an already dead kind. You'll face your second and final death here Ghoul."

The Territory began to shift, rules began to be known, and the visuals changed. This wasn't the Undead King changing his Territory, this was the Slime King's! 

The skies brightened, a beautiful clear blue sky with a shining sun. Small colorful blobs descended through the air and bounced about. As Akiol reached to touch one it faded as if it was just a memory. 

An ideal, where slimes didn't hide. Where slimes could once again enjoy the sun and bounce about without being hunted down. The Slime King's most ideal world, and one he manifested through Territory.

The rules were as follows:

First, all slimes within the Territory would gain a constant source of mana. 

Second, any absorbed items would directly be converted to mana, the higher quality item or object the more mana obtained.

Third, stats gained by spending mana gained an increased rate.

Fourth, all slimes would gain a substantial buff to all stats under the sun.

Akiol felt strength course through his body. Although it lacked the direct power increase of a Berserk skill, it felt entirely different. A Berserk skill felt violent, and the power made you feel invincible. This strength provided by the Territory felt warm and comforting. As if he was supposed to have such strength.

"You, who were born with mana, don't understand what mana means to slimes. It is our lifeblood! Our source of strength! Without it we will cease to exist! Because of it, we can empower ourselves with it!"

The Slime race, one wholly intended to be a late game race change. Slimes could not regenerate MP. Their movement and existing would slowly consume MP at a rate directly connected to the intensity of their actions. In exchange they could directly increase the MP drain rate to increase their strength proportionately. To stay alive a Slime would need to constantly absorb mana crystals to replenish their MP, and any MP gained beyond their max MP would become EXP. Absorbing mana made a Slime stronger, and spending mana made them stronger.

A race entirely entwined with mana, even more so than a sorcerer or any sort of spellcasting class. Their bodies became immune to most damage, and was able to survive just about any climate by recycling their bodies. In exchange for such strength Players would normally find using any Skills would be detrimental to their survival, and the Slime core was incredibly fragile. Any sort of direct hit to the core could very well be fatal.

Akiol did not understand this, he couldn't. The glitch that made him a Slime did not remove his ability to regenerate Mana. Thus he was a slime that could self sustain itself. A Slime that could constantly empower itself. A slime that could live forever. Additionally by morphing his body to be that of a human's he did not need the MP consuming movement abilities like [Roll] or [Leap]. 

This was why the mana crystals always became EXP for him. Since MP regeneration stopped once it reached the max he didn't gain infinite EXP. Yet now understanding what MP meant to a Slime, and what exactly he was, Akiol gained a strange sense of clarity.

"How a slime fights.", he echoed.

The Slime King wriggled and burst into several extending tendrils. Reaching out he absorbed several of the fallen weapons that still hadn't broken from the Rot. Absorbing discarded bones and anything that wasn't living. The Undead King broke into a sprint, "You will not consume my kingdom!"

Ignoring the Undead King the Slime King continued, "We Slimes are unable to absorb things that are living. However what constitutes living? A beating heart? A personality and thoughts?"

Akiol thought of Stars and understood what the question was, "Things that mana flows through?"

"Close. Things that possess a soul! That weapon of yours holds part of one, not a whole one. Thus is able to be absorbed. This is why some plants can be absorbed, but others cannot. Moreover this is why we as Slimes can absorb reanimated bodies! For they do not possess a soul!"

The Slime King retracted its body and grew in size. Morphing into a wave it covered the Undead King. Warping about it slowly began to digest the Undead King's body. Yet a Fourth Stage wasn't so easily absorbed! 

Ripping and consuming any slime he could get his hands on the Undead King fought back violently. Through the gray slime Akiol spotted the Undead King's gaze suddenly snapping towards him. Or perhaps the rusted crown resting by his feet. Crouching down Akiol absorbed the crown, which made the Undead King roar with fury. 

The body of the Slime King rippled in response, the pulsing scream of the Undead King vibrating through the Slime King. Gripping the slime the Undead King began to throw it about. The Slime body thrashed about in response. The large slime began to spread out as it increased in size, absorbing even the sand spread about by Rot. 

Green energy threatened to burst from the Undead King, the magic circles keeping it at bay were starting to fade and Kan'na couldn't form more due to the Slime King. Since her magic circles required ambient mana to form she could only form them in the air. The slime's body was blocking her path and thus she couldn't form the magic circles on the Undead King.

As the circles finally faded the Undead King burst with green energy. A violent wave threw everyone off their feet and through the air. The Slime King's body burst apart and flew in pieces across the battlefield. Gray slime splat and started to sink into the ground. 

Travis recovered through the air and suddenly spotted a notification.

< Emergency Quest! >

< The Emergency Quest "Battle of Kings" has automatically been given! >

[Battle of Kings]

A battle of two Kings is taking place! Currently in pieces the Slime King is unable to act, buy time by distracting the Undead King!

Objective: Stall the Undead King until the Slime King regenerates.

Difficulty: S+

Time Limit: 10 minutes

Reward: 2,000% EXP, King Slayer Title, Random Reward loot box, A.G. Reputation Points.

Failure: 2x Death Penalty

-End-

Travis knew the others would have obtained this quest. What was really important was the 2x death penalty punishment for failure. Doubling the already punishing death penalty from Rot would set him back more than days of progress!

Yet they struggled to face against the King even with all their buffs previously! Now that the Undead King had unleashed his full Ghoul strength how were they supposed to buy time?

Looking towards the Undead King Travis suddenly understood. In that clash between Kings the Undead King wasn't entirely unharmed! His skin was essentially entirely absorbed, and his muscles lost a significant amount of mass. Currently the Undead King was heaving breaths as a sickly colored ooze dripped from his body.

The King was wounded! This is an opportunity! 

Travis utilized [Truth Twofold: Existence] and appeared behind the Undead King. Swinging his blades he scored a devastating wound with the addition of [Truth Twofold: Revealing]. Compared to his previous attacks, this wound was an inch deep!

Akiol zipped forward brandishing Stars. Flickering with a speed comparable to when he used the Form of Fortification! With such power coursing through his body he could execute some of his techniques without Aura!

{Way of the Galaxy: Photon Cutting Slash}!

Several cuts manifested on the Undead King's body and he finally recovered his breath. With a roar he swung wildly out. Akiol rolled over a swinging fist and several more slashes formed on the arm. Travis blocked a fist while he was in the air and crashed into the ground. Yet he recovered almost immediately and returned to battle!

Opportunity sped past him and manifested golden axes. Digging into the calf of the Undead King she grinned, "Feels good!"

A green energy pulsed but was blocked by magic circles. Kan'na wiped sweat from her brow and formed another series of magic circles. They clung to the Undead King's body and began to weigh it down. Attacking magic using this method wasn't very strong, but support magic was more than doable! 

Givale ran forth brandishing her talons. Jumping upwards she swung downwards scoring a few 'X' shaped wounds on the Undead King's face. Mira placed a thumb to his shoulder and paused. Taking a shaky breath he pressed his thumb into it so violently it drew blood. Spirit swirled around him violently and sprouting from a shoulder blade was a Hydra head. 

{Limitation Acupuncture: Left Shoulder Point}!

Gripping his axe Mira's expression turned slightly crazed and he launched towards the Undead King. The Undead King swung a fist about towards his attackers, yet a shield blocked a blow! Tilia's heavily armored self didn't lose any bronze luster from the crushing she received. As long as she could keep moving, she could block attacks!

Mira slammed the axe into the Undead King's stomach and rotted flesh rippled from the impact. The Hydra head grew in length as it leapt forward and coiled around the King's neck.

"Grghhh!!!", the Undead King began to lose his sanity. 

Stomping the ground he lifted the earth to shake up the footing the others were experiencing. Ryolu, now in Dragon form, stabbed her talons into the back of the Undead King. A horrifying presence emanated from her as she spoke with a venom laced tone, "You have insulted me, and for that I will regain my honor!"

Through the broken earth a series of bones began to clamber together. Forming a makeshift club the Undead King gripped it and swung it about. It connected with Givale before Tilia could stop its approach. It shattered apart upon making contact with her shield and reconnected on the other side.

Travis outstretched a hand and blasted it with an [Everdeep Blast]. It broke apart a hole inside the makeshift club allowing him to pass through unharmed. Akiol flickered and appeared above the swinging club. Leaping off a mana platform he performed a dazzling straight cut through the handle of the club. Splitting the handle effortlessly caused the rest of the club to fall apart uselessly.

Rot clung to their bodies, their movements grew more sluggish by the moment. Yet the prospect of victory force them to move beyond their capabilities! As their muscles lost their mass, as their skin grew paler, and even as their bones started to creak!

Akiol however never felt so alive. He felt his core spin about as mana started to be utilized in a true slime manner. Empowering his every move, and slowly increasing as time went on! With the Territory's effects added on he could spend even more mana this way!

His strength reached another level! Landing on the Undead King's arm he swung towards the shoulder, space warping and being cut from his slice.

Travis looked towards the strike and applied a [Truth Twofold: Revealing], the dot manifesting in the path of Akiol's strike.

{Way of the Galaxy: Roche Limit}!

Schiiing~!

Muscle split apart as the wound reached bone level. Mira's gaze locked onto the arm and he returned the axe to the mark on his palm. Gripping onto the Undead King's arm he grunted and pulled with all his might. The Hydra head slipped away from the neck and coiled around the Undead King's arm, pulling it apart further.

"Graggh!!", the Undead King roared.

The green energy pulsed and shattered the magic circles suppressing it. Blasting away all his attacks minus Mira! Regenerating the damage almost instantly Mira continued to pull at the arm. Raising his other hand the Undead King struck again and again at Mira to get him to let go!

Opportunity leapt onto the arm and began to chop away at the exposed bone, "Keep at it little one!"

Ryolu slid and gripped the other arm with her jaws. Clawing at the Undead King with as much strength as she could muster. Her scales held a dull luster, and her eyes lacked a fire within them. The Rot was still gaining a hold. Her broken knee was the worst victim, and one entire leg was proving to essentially be useless!

Givale started to unleash a fury of attacks on the Undead King's face. Her talons rending his face unrecognizable but didn't do any fatal damage! Akiol flickered and sliced at the hamstrings of the Undead King, knocking him to his knees. Several kite shields manifested and stabbed into his body, pushing him down.

The green energy began to boil up once again. Kan'na raised her hand to suppress it but found her arm not responding. Her breath growing far too heavy and she too collapsed onto her knees. Looking towards the floor she suddenly gained an idea.

Mana swirled and began to turn into a Formation. Utilizing the language she created with the properties of the Formation. It barely worked, and was a mere 5 point Formation. Yet the buffs it provided to her teammates should be enough!

The green energy pulsed outwards and did damage to everyone within it, but didn't knock them back! Without his crown the Undead King couldn't use his scepter, and the Truth of Rot was already taking hold! 

That left the bones! Several amalgamations of creatures leapt out of the ground to tear away his attackers, yet Travis tackled these first! His War Sight erupted and a Monarch looked down upon them all. Slowing their movements and allowing Travis to cut down each of them!

The Slime King was steadily growing in size, his body mass returning to him. Just a bit longer! This once guaranteed loss of a battle was turning for the better!