Volume 2 Chapter 17: Versus Daniel Part 3

[Author's Note: For bonus chapters, the goal every week is:

- 25 Power Stones

- 50 Power Stones]

Volume 2 Chapter 17: Versus Daniel Part 3

Adding to the beauty of the scene is the continuous shattering of a multitude of blood arrows, creating a mesmerizing display as they transform into red crystals and then into star-like particles before fading away.

The three of them contemplated that they could watch this enchanting scene for hours without growing bored, if not for the imminent danger posed by the arrow rain.

Despite the strengthening of their roof, the blood arrows occasionally managed to create small cracks in the areas where they landed.

Upon seeing those cracks on the strengthened roof, Carmilla couldn't help but recall one of the sayings she had heard.

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"The more beautiful something is, the more dangerous it can be, like a rose filled with thorns,".

Fortunately, the three of them were present to swiftly repair those cracks, preventing them from accumulating and posing a greater threat.

As they poured more mana into their roof, its color deepened, and it wasn't just the hue that changed; it also became noticeably tougher with each infusion of mana.

The deeper the color of the great shield became, the more challenging it became to see through it.

After the rain of arrows ended, the great shield had been strengthened enough to withstand the assault without leaving cracks or any marks on it anymore.

Not only that, but it also became much darker, reaching a point where they couldn't see through it anymore.

Intrigued by the changes in the great shield, the three of them started inspecting the alterations and enhancements it underwent.

The trio being so engrossed in inspecting the changes to the great shield, that they failed to notice another incoming arrows, especially since the top shield had become less transparent.

Unlike the previous arrows Daniel have shot, this one had a much deeper color, greater speed, and, from appearances, a sharper tip on the blood arrow.

Compared to the first arrows Daniel shot, this arrow was considerably more powerful. While the initial arrows were crafted almost instantly and served as basic attacks, this arrow had been imbued with more mana by Daniel for several seconds. It could be likened to a weak named attack in an anime.

The blood arrow collided with the great shield that Carmilla was holding, and unlike the other initial arrows Daniel had shot, this arrow didn't shatter upon impacting with the great shield.

Instead, the part that shattered was the top portion of the great shield where the arrow hit, and then it continued to fly, grazing Carmilla's left cheek.

After that incident, the three of them became more vigilant and stopped focusing on the chances on their roof.

Ignoring the injury on her left cheek, Carmilla began repairing the shattered part of her great shield.

Her gaze shifted to the blood arrow that managed to bypass their defense and graze her left cheek, narrowly avoiding a more severe impact.

Upon recalling that Daniel should be so seasoned that death was like a retirement for him, considering his extensive battle experience, even though he was weakened and only two levels higher than them, he should have been able to hit her right in the middle of her head.

Considering these factors, she thought that Daniel didn't intend to kill her but rather to send a warning, given his capabilities and experience.

Upon realizing that Daniel could easily kill her at any time, a chill ran down her spine. Ignoring the slight sting in her left cheek, Carmilla quickly poured all of her mana into repairing and strengthening the great shield. However, as she did that, three more arrows collided and broke through their individual great shields.

Due to their heightened alertness, the three arrows missed, failing to hit or damage any of them.

The three of them frantically repaired the holes in their individual great shields while simultaneously strengthening them.

Amidst this, an idea popped up in Carmilla's mind like an epiphany.

Carmilla: "Give me more control of your great shield, but don't stop pouring your mana into it."

Eve and Pepper didn't have enough time to question Carmilla about her plan as a barrage of arrows was heading their way. Even without the threat of the incoming arrows, Eve and Pepper will still not gonna question Carmilla.

The three of them were being bombarded from all sides—left, right, front, and even from the top, but not from the back.

Faced with the barrage of arrows, the three of them couldn't help but remember the time they fought a bunch of spiders. During that encounter, they learned the trick that they could control the arrows they had a connection with.

Even if they combined the maximum number of blood arrows the three of them could control, it still paled in comparison to the multitude Daniel was controlling at that moment.

The three of them sighed in relief, realizing that Daniel was holding back a bit, as no arrows circled around to their still wide-open back.

While defending, Carmilla finally gained full control of the great shield of Eve and Pepper, as well as the one that comprised their roof.

Upon gaining control of all the great shields, Carmilla removed all unnecessary designs, making them as smooth as the hemispheres they had collected before.

Even after making those adjustments, the defense of the great shield didn't decrease. Carmilla refrained from further actions, as she lacked the mana required to proceed with her initial plan.

Carmilla didn't remain idle while waiting for more mana but quickly assimilated the mana Eve and Pepper had poured into their great shields. Despite a 99% similarity in their mana signatures, there was still a 1% difference.

That 1% difference would require some time for Carmilla to completely take over of the control of those mana signatures.

If Eve and Pepper were not Carmilla's clones, achieving this level of assimilation and with such speed without extensive practice and great cooperation would be nearly impossible.

After a few seconds had passed, she sensed that the amount of mana she had collected was sufficient enough. Consequently, she proceeded to continue with what she had initially planning to do.

With a single thought from Carmilla, a large amount of mana in the great shields began to be mobilize. The mana fluctuations around the three of them caused all incoming arrows to be blown away or explodes on the spot.

Daniel, who was a few meters away from the blood dome, was taken aback by the mana fluctuations caused by Carmilla.