Area Denial

The five Outworlders came to Azaron's base...or what is left of that base. As they arrived, they can only see the ruins of that base.

"Man, everything's gone. I only see bits of wood and stone." Ryohei sighed.

"No sign of the vampire, the giant skeleton, nor the demons." Amane said. "Did you happen to kill them?"

"I don't know, there was too much going on when I used that skill." Hiiro said, shaking his head. "Besides, I may have injured it even if that vampire escaped."

"Zeres would've told me as well. So that means, the vampire is still at large." Hiiro wondered.

{Meanwhile...}

[You are outside of the mist. Concealment and Detection skills normalized.]

We began flying back to where Andre's smaller hideout on Ashley's back while there is daylight, while Andre is inside the coffin with his spear.

As we travel over the purple mist, the purple mist ended there. Much shorter than before we went there. Along there that the vegetation that was discolored became like it was outside of the mist's influence.

"Man, Divine Magic has really did a number." I said.

"Sure did, the skeletons we sensed before are just gone." Ashley said.

"So, Andre. Who are you gonna fight against?" I asked.

"I'm gonna fight that--" Andre said.

Suddenly, Andre suffers spontaneous combustion in the middle of his sentence.

*Fwoom!*

"AAAAARRGH!!" Andre screams in agony. Andre flails and thrashes in his coffin. Smoke began rising through the closed coffin.

"ANDRE!!" I yelled.

[You are inside the range of Aura of Divine Sword.]

[Dark, Curse, and Inferno Magic has been nullified.]

[Your Tyrant Aura has been Nullified.]

[Andre is taking constant damage as he is an Undead.]

No...this isn't right. That skill does have a lingering dome for 10 minutes, but that was it! It shouldn't be active anymore regardless of build or blessing!

"TURN BACK!!! TURN BAAAAACK!!!!" Andre screamed and we instantly turned around.

[You are outside the range of Aura of Divine Sword.]

[Your status is back to normal.]

We flew our way down in the shade of trees and Ashley's dragon form and opened the coffin. Smoke bellowed out from the coffin and see Andre holding himself, breathing rapidly.

The burns on his face has exposed his skull and is slowly recovering.

"Andre! You alright!?" I yelled, leaning over to him.

"I...I remember getting a burn on my hand, but...my whole body..." Andre said, shivering. "It's a different experience..."

"Can you move?" Ashley said.

"Yeah...yeah I can." Andre said, sitting upwards. Panting.

Ashley looked in the direction we retreated from and looked back at Andre.

"This Divine Sky Sword has undoubtedly been buffed." Ashley said.

"What you mean buffed? It shouldn't have some aftereffect after using it." I said.

"Few months after your death, Evolutionism went through an update where numerous of skills have been changed. The skill Hiiro used has an aftereffect." Ashley explained. "After its dome disappears, half of that radius will remain, dealing damage and debuffs to its enemies. Even more deadly to Hellkins and Undeads."

"No...really?" I said, shocked by hearing this information.

"There is more. Even if we survive that second dome, the third dome summons swords out of Divine Magic that will strike us at any direction once we enter it." Ashley said.

"Then that means..." Andre grumbled in concern.

"They've created a massive and effective area denial. We can't attack the Outworlders until it fades or they leave the radius." Ashley concluded. "Even if it fades away, Hiiro would've have his skill ready by then."

"So at this point, they've effectively created a barrier." I said, dejected. "How long?"

"With the domes combined, one week." Ashley said, "Though I don't know if they'll have enough supplies by then."

"Let's retreat." I said. "We can't ambush them, let alone fight them with this going on."

"That's a good idea." Andre said. "Besides, they'll leave us alone sooner or later. Also, I know how to get the Sanguine Aggravation and the rest of them."

"You do?" I said.

"Bro...did you forget that I was once a Sanguine Progenitor?" Andre said, smiling. He lays back down and closes his coffin.

"The location is Nyctia Island." Andre said. "It's a long way and there are Skyflayers and sea monsters. Only the Skyflayers we're concerned about as even in the presence of Tyrants, they hate everybody who flies in the skies with them."

"It's decided, to Nyctia Island." Ashley said. She then grabs the coffin chains with her mouth and began flying Southeast.

I bring Xydrid out of my Isolated Space and jumped on his back.

"Xydrid, follow the blue dragon." I said.

Xydrid flapped his giant red wings and ascended to the sky to follow Ashley.

We continued to rise above the clouds, the mountains, the forests, and the kingdoms for our destination long from our location.

I bring Groza out and gave him my order.

"Fly ahead of us, we're heading to Nyctia Island." I said.

Groza nodded and flew ahead. He then imbued his body with lightning and sped up considerably ahead of us.

Though we couldn't fight Hiiro and his companions, but there is a next time. We'll get to them when we feel like it.