Tricking the Anomaly

Fortunately, Drakarion was an experienced fighter who wouldn't make a rookie mistake such as taking the eyes of an enemy.

As soon as it moved, Drakarion instantly swerved to block the attack.

Somehow, his leg shifted extremely slightly, which resulted in his right arm extending a bit later. 

Drakarion, in his high alert state, was easily able to recognise the problem.

The Anomaly is using the power of misfortune in extremely small quantities but at precise locations.

Damn, is it such a highly intelligent Anomaly?

But when he looked over at who the Anomaly was targeting, he couldn't help but smirk lightly.

Over the time spent together their team had familiarised with each other on the basic level, and it was a unanimous consensus that Paulina was the most sensitive one of them.

Drakarion didn't overextend himself to continue blocking the attack but chose another way to engage the Anomaly.

As expected, Paulina had already sensed the Anomaly moving and its incoming attack. Without even using Schrodinger's Step, she was easily able to dodge it with a sidestep.

The rest of them were subsequently alerted by the fight and shifted their attention. 

Eryndor glanced at the Anomaly then at Rodrick.

Due to Drakarion and Valentina's Damage Mitigation, Rodrick's injuries worsened way earlier and faster than it would normally have.

Due to Professor Melissa needing to split her attention for three situations; Rodrick, students and the Hand of Destruction, her damage output, although enough to suppress Rodrick, wouldn't have injured him as quickly.

Damage Mitigation was a sure-shot damage transfer which had the makings of a karmic skill. 

If Drakarion was attacked on the leg, the damage he mitigated to the other person would also appear on their leg. 

If even the mitigated part of the initial damage was enough to tear the skin and rupture the muscles, the above mentioned damage would instantly appear on the leg of the other party without any incoming physical or mental indication of an attack.

Even using defensive skill on the leg wouldn't work in this case since it wasn't an incoming attack but straight up damage transfer. 

One would need an ability, art, or skill of similar properties to block such type of damage.

Eryndor narrowed his eyes, coming up with a guess.

Did the Anomaly attack only when it was sure Rodrick was weakening? What is this? Trauma? 

The entire reason he didn't attack was because he was afraid of Rodrick?

Eryndor remembered reading its files. Sander had sent them to him when he mentioned the Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune was the most likely suspect to be under Rodrick's control.

The Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune's initial reports suggested it might have consciousness but wasn't very intelligent.

But with the failure of its containment mission, the document was updated to suggest that it might be intelligent enough to evade capture.

Eryndor's gaze flickered between the battlefronts. 

He couldn't simply walk over to Professor Melissa and whisper a request to keep Rodrick unharmed—too many complications could arise. 

His teammates needed him here, in the thick of it, to manage the unfolding chaos, if any occurred.

The reason he also couldn't yell was because now that he had determined the Anomaly of Misfortune and Fortune was intelligent, he couldn't take a gamble to determine if it knew human language as well.

Eryndor decided to join the fight and execute the plan they had. 

It would naturally be better if professor Melissa happened to witness their situation and end the fight with Rodrick to join them but he would have to begin the plan regardless.

Without specifically mentioning to initiate the plan to any of his teammates, Eryndor approached the Anomaly.

Valentina, seeing this, withdrew her hand, through which she was about to use her white snake's offensive ability.

Beast Tamers could use the ability of the beasts they had contracted. It had a few restrictions but Eryndor wasn't sure about the details.

Paulina also tacitly began using her Schrodginer's Step. 

In the meanwhile, Drakarion continued attracting the Anomaly's attention.

The eight power systems gave a comprehensive boost to each aspect regardless of what they specialised in.

The Martial Arts power system enhanced the mind's strength a little along with physical enhancement when advancing from the Iron Body realm to the Silver Warrior realm.

While this boost wasn't as significant as the Mentalist power system's breakthrough from the Mentalist realm—the first level—to the Telepath realm—the second level—it still provided a well-rounded increase, despite the Martial Arts path being primarily focused on the physique.

Unlike the eight power systems, the anomalies were as always, chaotic in their nature. Some of them got a boost in their physique when ascending from the Latent realm to Stable realm, while some did not.

The data showed that about eighty percent of this was related to the ability of the Anomaly. 

If it was related to the physique, it would get an increase in its physique, else it would very likely not experience an increase.

Drakarion blocked the attacks with considerable ease, mitigating a part of the damage to Rodrick despite the Anomaly potentially being at the Stable realm. 

From this, Eryndor could deduce that this particular Anomaly hadn't experienced a surge in physical strength.

Working in perfect sync with Eryndor, Drakarion withdrew as soon as Eryndor arrived, who positioned himself in front of the Anomaly.

He had also cleverly orchestrated the exchange of blows so that, at the exact moment Eryndor stepped in, it was his turn to attack and the Anomaly's turn to defend. 

As a result, the Anomaly, caught in the flow of battle, instinctively wouldn't strike at Eryndor.

Taking advantage of the brief amount of the Anomaly's concentrated focus and defensive posture, Eryndor performed the hand sign.

It was the same one which Rodrick had used a while ago to establish active mind control over it.

Trained through innumerable repetitions, the Anomaly's eyes inevitably relaxed as all tension drained from its body, leaving it completely at ease.

It was an instinctual reaction of the Anomaly to being mind controlled frequently over the course of months.

It had learned to give up resistance and conserve its energy when encountered with the attempt of mind control which always followed after the hand signal. 

After the time period of being controlled, it would inevitably feel a slight increase in strength from the rewards given by Rodrick in the form of lives of living beings, making it more accepting of the mind control.

The same thing happened now. As all signs of resistance abruptly vanished as soon as Eryndor made the hand sign, the young man looked at Paulina and Valentina.

It was all up to them now.