Chapter 40: Righteousness energy

As the dust settled and the tension eased, Garret, ever the embodiment of exuberance, couldn't resist celebrating their hard-won victory.

His laughter echoed through the now quieted chamber, filling the space with a sense of relief and triumph. With a playful swagger, he nudged the fallen form of the blood servant, teasing it even in defeat.

Curiosity tinged with incredulity sparked in Garret's eyes as he turned to Ruchir, seeking an explanation for the extraordinary display of power he had just witnessed. "What was that?" he asked, his voice a blend of awe and disbelief.

Before Ruchir could respond, Alice's voice cut through the air like a whip. Her tone was laced with shock and a hint of incredulity as she uttered the words that seemed to hang in the stillness, "Righteousness energy."

Garret's reaction was immediate and dramatic, his face contorting in a mix of shock and suspicion. He glanced sharply at Ruchir, his expression akin to someone who had just discovered a hidden secret. "Seriously? Cheating!"

Garret exclaimed, his voice rising in mock indignation. "I'm going to report this to the editor! Ruchir's hacking the rules of this world! How else could he comprehend righteousness energy without even stepping into the Supernatural realm? He's a hacker!"

Alice couldn't help but snort at Garret's over-the-top reaction, her gaze filled with amusement as she regarded him with a mixture of fondness and playful mockery.

"Where did all these novel words come from, Garret?" she teased, her voice dancing with laughter.

Unabashed, Garret shot back with shameless bravado, "I'm in contact with the author, you know!"

Ruchir couldn't contain his laughter, the warmth of triumph mingling with the newfound power coursing through him. "I feel stronger than ever," he admitted, marveling at the sensation of breaking through some unseen barrier.

Alice, ever the voice of reason and knowledge, nodded knowingly. "You've transcended the limits of the Mortal realm," she explained, her eyes reflecting admiration for Ruchir's achievement.

Garret, still grappling with disbelief, voiced his confusion. "But why? We eat the same, work just as hard, practice the same grade of techniques. What gives?" His tone held a mixture of frustration and curiosity.

Alice couldn't resist teasing him mercilessly. "Maybe you're just missing that special ingredient," she quipped, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Or maybe," she added with a grin, "Ruchir's just got that natural flair you can't replicate."

Garret, undeterred, continued to argue his case. "It can't be that simple! There's got to be a reason!" His insistence only fueled Alice's amusement, her laughter echoing in the chamber as she watched Garret struggle to comprehend the inexplicable difference.

As Ruchir's laughter subsided, his expression turned serious, the gravity of their situation settling upon him. "We need to find Scholar Dwayne and assist him quickly," he declared, urgency lacing his voice. He glanced at Alice and Garret, who nodded in agreement, their earlier banter giving way to focused determination.

Alice took the lead, her senses attuned to the urgency of their mission. "Scholar Dwayne's battle with Marquis Raynes must be somewhere nearby," she reasoned, her steps quickening as they navigated the labyrinthine corridors of the mansion.

Garret, still processing the recent events, muttered under his breath, "That blood servant was no joke. If that's what Raynes can summon, we're in for a real fight." His tone was a mix of concern and readiness, his hand subconsciously tightening around his weapon.

Ruchir, scanning their surroundings with heightened awareness, replied firmly, "We can't afford to waste time. Every minute counts now." His mind raced with strategies, recalling the lessons learned from their battles so far.

As they turned a corner, the atmosphere grew tense. The mansion seemed to echo with the distant sounds of battle—clashing of weapons, bursts of arcane energy, and the occasional roar of Marquis Raynes. Each step brought them closer to the heart of the conflict, their senses sharpened by the urgency of their mission.

Alice's voice broke the silence, her eyes darting ahead as she spotted a faint glow. "There," she said, pointing towards a corridor illuminated by flickering shadows. "That's where they must be."

Garret's breath caught in anticipation as they quickened their pace, the echo of their footsteps resonating against the walls. "Hope we're not too late," he muttered, his voice tinged with a mixture of fear and determination.

Ruchir led the way, his heart pounding with a blend of apprehension and resolve. "We can do this," he said firmly, rallying their spirits as they approached the threshold of the impending battle.

As they reached the doorway, the scene before them unfolded with chilling clarity. Scholar Dwayne stood valiantly against Marquis Raynes, their clash of wills and powers shaping the very fabric of the room. Arcane energies crackled in the air, casting eerie shadows that danced with every strike and parry.

"We're here," Ruchir announced, his voice cutting through the chaos. Alice and Garret flanked him, their presence a silent vow of solidarity and support.

Marquis Raynes, sensing their arrival, turned towards them with a predatory grin. "Ah, the young challengers," he taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "Just in time to witness your mentor's downfall."

Alice exchanged a knowing look with Ruchir and Garret, her expression unwavering. "Let's show him what we're made of," she said, her voice a quiet promise of defiance.

Garret cracked his knuckles with a grin. "Time to make him regret underestimating us," he quipped, his confidence bolstered by their unity.

With their resolve steeling against the looming threat, Ruchir took a step forward, his gaze fixed on Marquis Raynes. "We're not backing down," he declared, his voice carrying the weight of their shared purpose. "Let's finish this."

In the midst of the fierce battle, Scholar Dwayne couldn't help but feel a wave of relief wash over him as he caught sight of Ruchir, Alice, and Garret, safe and relatively unscathed. His relief was short-lived, however, as he parried another of Marquis Raynes' brutal strikes, his sword clanging against the dark, malevolent blade of his opponent.

"You're all safe," Dwayne grunted, his eyes never leaving Raynes. "Good. But there's nothing you can do to help me in this fight."

Garret, always quick with a retort, smirked as he dodged the debris from their clash. "Don't worry about us, Scholar! We've all transformed through our battles. Ruchir's gained some godly energy, Alice has her ancient bloodline, and even I've had my share of breakthroughs!"

Scholar Dwayne's eyes widened in astonishment as he caught sight of the profound transformation in Ruchir's aura, the once familiar energies now suffused with a warm, pure radiance, unmistakably the mark of comprehending righteousness energy, a feat so rare and formidable that it left the seasoned scholar momentarily speechless, his mind racing to comprehend how this young student, still on the brink of true power, had managed to unlock such a revered and elusive force, a testament to both his latent potential and the extraordinary circumstances that had driven him to this pivotal, awe-inspiring breakthrough.

Scholar Dwayne sighed deeply, parrying another strike that sent a shockwave through the room. "SuperNatural," he began, his tone grave, "this one word is enough to describe the watershed between 99 percent of cultivators in the world. It can't simply be bridged by experience and will."

Ruchir and Alice exchanged a knowing glance and nodded in agreement. They had barely managed to save themselves from the mere aftershocks of the battle between Dwayne and Raynes, a clear indication of the immense power disparity. Yet, their determination didn't waver.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing," Alice said, her voice firm.

"Exactly," Ruchir added, "What are we supposed to do?"

Scholar Dwayne's eyes flashed with a sudden glint of inspiration. "As you can see," he said, his voice strained from the exertion, "the ancient intricate symbol on the ground," he gestured with a quick nod towards the floor.

The array was a complex network of symbols and lines, glowing with a sinister red hue. It pulsated rhythmically, drawing energy from the blood essence collected from the basement and the outer city. The symbols seemed to intertwine and overlap in a way that suggested both sophistication and dark intent.

"That array is helping Raynes collect blood essence from the basement and the outer city. If we want to defeat him, we need to break the array," Dwayne explained, his voice steady despite the ongoing clash. "To break it, you need to find the nodes outside the Mayor's mansion and disable them."

The students exchanged glances, understanding the gravity of the task. "We got it," Ruchir said firmly.

"Be careful," Dwayne warned, "these nodes won't be unguarded."

With a final nod, the three students dashed out of the mansion, their hearts pounding with urgency. They navigated through the debris and chaos, the sounds of battle still echoing behind them.

Each step they took was filled with determination, knowing the fate of the city rested on their shoulders.

The city outside the mansion was in chaos. Citizens were either fleeing in panic or hiding in terror. Ruchir, Alice, and Garret quickly surveyed the area, searching for the nodes that Scholar Dwayne had mentioned.

Their eyes caught sight of the first one, nestled in the corner of a courtyard, glowing ominously with a sinister red light.

"There's one!" Alice pointed out, her eyes narrowing with determination.

"Let's take it down," Ruchir said, advancing cautiously.

As they approached the node, a formidable group of blood servants emerged, fiercely guarding it. Garret groaned, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Of course, it couldn't be easy."

Alice drew her weapons, her gaze steely and focused. "We can handle them. Let's do this quickly."

Ruchir nodded, calling upon his calligraphy techniques to bind the blood servants while Garret charged in head-on with his brute strength.

Alice moved with agility, her daggers flashing as she took down the guards one by one. The battle was intense, each move calculated and precise, but their combined efforts soon overwhelmed the blood servants.

With the guards defeated, Ruchir approached the node. He studied the intricate symbols carefully before channeling his newfound righteous energy into the array.

The node resisted at first, but the purity of Ruchir's energy proved too strong. The node shattered, its red glow extinguishing instantly.

"One down," Garret said, wiping sweat from his brow. "How many more?"

Ruchir looked around, his senses heightened. "There should be at least three more."

They moved swiftly, each node presenting a new set of challenges and more blood servants to defeat.

With each node they destroyed, the red glow of the array weakened, its power diminishing. As they reached the final node, they encountered the most formidable guardian yet—a blood chimera, its strength nearing the SuperNatural Realm.

The chimera's appearance was monstrous, a grotesque amalgamation of different beasts, its body pulsating with dark energy. Garret couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh. "Great, just what we needed. A blood chimera."

Alice didn't miss a beat, her eyes glinting with determination. "Focus, Garret. We need to take this thing down."

The battle was grueling. The blood chimera was relentless, its attacks powerful and ferocious. Garret, ever the comic relief, tried to lighten the mood even in the direst of situations. "Seriously, who ordered the chimera special today?"

Ruchir, wielding his calligraphy techniques and righteous energy, moved with precision, while Alice struck with deadly accuracy. Garret, despite his humorous remarks, fought with fierce determination, his strength and resilience pushing them forward.

As the battle raged on, the blood chimera became increasingly enraged. It attacked with renewed ferocity, its blows shaking the very ground they stood on. Garret, dodging a particularly vicious strike, yelled out comically, "What the hell happened? Did we hit its reverse scale or something?"

The chimera's attacks grew more brutal, and soon, it began to gain the upper hand. Blood oozed from wounds on all three of them, the toll of the battle evident. Seeing this, Ruchir felt a pang of helplessness. Bloodied and battered, he struggled to keep up.

"We need to finish this quickly!" Ruchir shouted, desperation in his voice. "Scholar Dwayne needs our help!"

Alice and Garret nodded in agreement, their expressions grim. But the chimera's relentless assault left them with little opportunity to counterattack effectively. Just as Garret was about to make a move, the chimera landed a devastating blow, sending him crashing into a wall. Blood oozed from his nose and ears, and he coughed up blood, his body slumped against the debris.

Ruchir and Alice panicked, their attention snapping to the blood servant that had struck Garret. This one was different from the rest, its body more defined and radiating a sinister aura.

Alice, disbelief etched on her face, muttered, "This servant has the strength of a Mortal Realm peak who has broken his limits thrice."

Ruchir gasped, the enormity of their situation sinking in. The air was thick with tension and dread as they realized the formidable challenge before them.

Despite their injuries and exhaustion, they knew they had to find a way to defeat this powerful foe. They exchanged determined glances, readying themselves for the final confrontation.

Garret, trying to lighten the atmosphere even as he struggled to stand, grinned through the pain. "Well, isn't this just the cherry on top?"

Alice snorted, her gaze fixed on the blood servant. "Focus, Garret. We need to get serious."

With a grim nod, Ruchir readied his sword and calligraphy brush, the trio prepared to face the final guardian standing between them and their goal. The stakes had never been higher, and failure was not an option.