Chapter 156: Wild Boss (2/2)
Rakna glanced at the star constructs to confirm there was nothing different. 'That sound… that's new. Did it occur because of how many weapons I created? Might be a hint for the next evolution… Food for thought,' he noted to himself and launched the constructs hovering next to him.
They all stabbed into the treant's body and the cold energy that seeped into the creature forced it to slow down. Then, at that exact moment, the Boss noticed something creeping up its body, and the hollow pits it had for eyes shifted downward, where a sort of cobweb of light cyan energy was spreading on its bark.
Then, as it spotted a slithering flash of blue get away from it, the cobweb shone and exploded out of nowhere. A chunk of wood abruptly disappeared and splinters scattered. Everyone had to cover the ears because of the unexpected detonation.
”What was that?” Marie asked with widened eyes as her winged snake sustained too much damage which forced her to dispel it.
”Eion Poison,” Rakna answered. ”This is commonly known as Eion Overload. When an amassment of Eion becomes unstable enough, it will explode. That is…” He trailed off as he realized something unbelievable. ”The same principle as Eion Nukes,” he whispered whilst glancing at Pronos.
”Eion Nukes?”
”Later,” Rakna said and prepared to snap his fingers. ”My turn,” he said and the snapping sound of his fingers resounded. The swords skewered into the treant glowed and buzzed before imploding. None of them inflicted damage anywhere near what Dáinsleif did but several large holes were opened.
The treant roared in pain and anger and the leaves stopped assailing them as the Boss commenced fixing itself. ”Nyx,” Rakna said calmly but loud enough for the former goddess to react.
”Yes,” she replied with a shiver-inducing tone. Rakna looked back at her and was surprised to see her conjure a sheathed katana with her shadow skill. She slowly took a well-known stance and his eyes widened.
'Iai…' He thought. But that wasn't what grabbed his attention the most. He was familiar with that technique, not just because he had practiced it, but because he had seen someone else perform it many times. 'Why… does it look so similar?' He wondered and before his confusion could turn into doubt, they all heard another roar coming from the Treant King.
They collectively turned toward it and trembled as countless big and small roots were converging and pointing at a single spot where an orb of pure green energy was gradually being formed.
”That's-!” Flavia exclaimed and Rakna promptly used Appraisal on it.
❮ ◈ ❯
An amalgam of raw natural energy condensed through Wood Magic. It is being expanded and compressed in repetition at unbelievable speeds.
The preliminary analysis points to the Tier 5 Wood Magic Spell, Emerald Orb of Nidhogg.
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You have used Appraisal on a conjured magic for the first time, the skill has leveled up!
❮ ◈ ❯
Rakna didn't have the time to spend rejoicing about the improvement of Appraisal after so long before the forest suddenly became denser and the trees moved closer to each other to enclose the party so that they wouldn't be able to escape. The path to the sky was also obstructed by multiple branches and a swirl of countless leaves.
The werewolf clicked his tongue and inspected the spell itself with Appraisal. He skimmed over the most important details and grunted. ”I hope you're done soon because if that thing is cast, we won't get out of it unscathed,” he uttered and Nyx looked up at the treant as her eyes sparked with black lightning.
She smiled faintly. ”No worries. [Shrouded in Darkness, Aeter Strikes True The Honor And Spite of Eternal Night,]” she chanted and the blade she was holding began to gleam red. ”[To Wield the All-Consuming Lightning to Which He Partakes. Be Judged; Ae – Nittiya Iravu!]”
Her hand turned into a blur and the shadow blade was drawn in an instant before crumbling down just as fast. Rakna's Fabled Sight automatically activated itself as he saw an incredibly fast arc of shadowy lightning with red outlines head toward the ceiling of leaves.
Without even getting resistance from it, the leaves were split and blown away, letting the rays of the sun pierce through the gloom of the forest. The spell reached the clouds and burst out into a massive drape of darkness that swallowed the sunlight once again.
The darkness rapidly turned into an inverted whirlpool of black clouds. Then, thunder roared with extreme force and even Rakna couldn't help but shudder. Black and red lightning sparked around the center of the whirlpool and was increasingly becoming louder.
Nyx extended her hand at the terrifying formation in the sky and waved it down as her crimson eyes shone resplendently. ”[Vīḻcci,]” she uttered and an ear-deafening thunder resounded and in the blink of an eye, a pillar of black and red destruction befell the Treant King.
The sentient tree roared as the annihilating nature of Eternal Night snuffed out the natural energy of its spell and only served to magnify the potency of the explosion that followed.
Every single bark and leaf of the creature was destroyed to nil and Rakna's party hastily shielded themselves from the blast that shook the whole area as if an earthquake had occurred.