Chapter 123: Horde Mode? (1/2)

“Are you alright?” Ilea asked the man, her own health topped off again by her superior self healing spell. Her friend would take a while longer to recover but it didn’t seem like the elder was about to attack them again, focused on the controls he had been working on before the fight. The being of lightning would likely prevent Trian’s ranged attacks and Ilea wasn’t sure she could overwhelm even a weakened elder in the midst of his summons, his control of them simply too adept.

“I’m… fine.” Trian murmured, touching his armor that was cut through near his right shoulder and chest. The man stood up a minute later, Ilea restoring her mana through meditation.

“What should we do? Any idea what that blue thing is?” she asked the man.

“That, is a lightning elemental.” Aki responded. “And I suggest you two don’t go near it again. How the hell did a human get his hands on one of them?”

“The fact that its lightning directly counters Trian means there might be more elementals in his repertoire.” Ilea commented, Trian replacing his damaged chest piece with another one, red and white instead of the Shadow’s black.

“Possible, we’re not gonna be able to approach him like this.” Trian said. None of the enemy monsters had attacked them from a distance in this pause.

“Let me try something… maybe he’s too preoccupied.” she said and summoned her bow, the string coming back to her ear with an explosive arrow before she let go. The spear traveled at a high speed and right towards the center of the group before a blast of lightning cut its flight short, the explosion rocking the ground. “Well that was a waste...” she said and looked around.

“Check for the demon, maybe he can do something with his mind magic.” she said.

“You think he actually survived?” Trian asked when another set of massive beams of orange red light flowed into the middle of the room. The beams collided together and created a blinding flash, both Ilea and Trian holding their arms in front of their faces. Trian’s retinas were actually damaged, nothing a quick heal couldn’t solve.

“Well I think he finished whatever he wanted to do here.” Ilea commented as Trian rubbed his eyes.

“Why?” he asked but the answer was rather clear when he looked around, blinking back tears from the newly healed eyes. The elder was gone and with him all of his summoned monsters, leaving the room nearly as quiet as it had been before. Something bothered Ilea as she looked around.

“Do you hear that?” she asked, straining her ears and looking to the other side of the massive hall. Her wings came to life as she ascended to get a better view of the distance. “Oh man, here we go again...” she said, Trian floating towards her as he looked at the scene before them. Dozens of doorways were situated around the hallway, many of which now occupying running demons coming into the hall, many of which already fighting with each other.

Adam blinked a couple times before he went down on one knee, breathing hard. Looking around many of his summoned companions hadn’t made it through the teleportation, the stench of burned flesh filled the room and would last even after he dissipated them. A waste of resources to be sure. The man looked at the lightning elemental, the being not in the least bothered by the ordeal they had just went through, the process feeling like being burned alive for hours.

His transformation had lasted through all of it, giving him the resilience needed for the travel. The man silently cursed the builders of this place and continued onwards, the surviving beasts following behind. Adam had many more ready to be summoned but still the two survivors of the Hand had been more than just annoying. Luckily he could counter the noble’s magic quite proficiently.

“I’m getting old...” he said and looked up, wincing as he touched his side where the woman had punched him, the flesh already healed completely. A small smile still managed to get on his lips, partially glad the Hand wasn’t completely out of competent and reckless fighters and partially because he didn’t have to kill them in the end. He was too proud to admit that it would’ve been a difficult task even for him. The two would have a hard time surviving the coming waves of demons anyway, the opening of the portals all around these cursed lands would’ve attracted hundreds if not more of the creatures, all of them led into the hall he had been in moments ago.

Truly a marvelous magic, something quite unimaginable to him just weeks ago. The crude demons he had thought to be the perpetrators of his misery just another toy for the real enemy to play with. He shook his head, he knew nothing as of yet but it wouldn’t stay that way. He would find her and refused to accept any other thought.

Ilea and Trian were resting in one of the side rooms of the hall, both nearly spent on mana and stamina, the woman looking up at the metal ceiling when a thump resounded, the door denting a little. She was unconcerned, seeing through the wall with her Sphere, knowing that two demons on the verge of killing each other were the reason for the commotion.

“This is pretty good experience.” she commented to the mage who was lying on the floor next to her, scrolling through the skill and level notifications she had gotten from the four hours of fighting just now.

“Yea but we didn’t catch the elder and who knows what he’ll unleash on Elos...” he said.

“True, didn’t seem to me like his goal was the destruction of the Hand or humanity but that might’ve been an act...” Ilea said, her legs dangling from the metal crate she was sitting on.

“You will have to get to the central control panel he used.” Aki commented.

“Yea we do, no other reference point to work with really. Gonna take ages to clean out the hall...” Ilea answered, getting up seeing her mana was full.

“What if there’s more coming? Maybe he opened up something for them to come in?” Trian asked which made sense to Ilea.

“Let’s chose a corridor and clean it out. We’ll find the source at some point.” she said, finishing the last of her notifications and splitting up her stat points into Endurance and Wisdom.

‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Darkush – Bone Whirlwind – lvl 205]’

...

‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Sanioth – Thrasher – lvl 189]’

‘ding’ ‘Azarinth First Hunter has reached level 212 – 5 Stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘Azarinth First Hunter has reached level 213 – 5 Stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘Inheritor of Eternal Ash has reached level 206 – 5 Stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘Inheritor of Eternal Ash has reached level 207 – 5 Stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘Inheritor of Eternal Ash has reached level 208 – 5 Stat points awarded’

‘ding’ ‘Body of the First Hunter reaches 2nd lvl 17’

‘ding’ ‘Hunter’s Sight reaches 2nd lvl 1’

Passive: Hunter’s Sight – 2nd lvl 1

Your eyes are unmatched and so is your nose. Perceive the smallest irregularities in your surroundings to find clues about your prey’s whereabouts.

2nd stage: Through experience you can feel your prey’s general state of distress.

Category: Body Enhancement