Chapter 343: Hunting the Golden Statues (2/2)

And that is if there are no distractions…

Not long after the golden statue fell down, Irja and I moved closer. She started targeting its head while the four melee fighters turned to its arms.

And like the first time we took down a golden statue, I jumped in when it's about to be destroyed, using the same still-unnamed Sword Skill.

Under their eyes a seemingly desperate attack landed on the golden statue's head, ending its struggle.

Upon seeing that, Monady and the others who weren't there during the first golden statue takedown disbelievingly stared at me. Ignoring their stares, I faked another exhaustion when in fact I was waiting for the energy from the stolen kill to gather above my head.

”Is that necessary?” Faren asked, a little distrust in his eyes. Perhaps for him, my jumping in at the end was unnecessary. Well, everyone will surely think of that, they can finish it without me after all.

That's why I pulled up an excuse. ”Is it bad? I want to help as well. It's a skill I can only pull up once per hour but as you can see, it's a bit destructive.”

”True. Besides, it saves us some time to deal with it. Pick up the dropped stones and let's move onto the next.” Monady stared at me for a while before slowly nodding.

Observing the others' reactions, apart from Irja who had a slight smile on her face and Udann who's already used to me dealing the last blow, Axter also had the same expression as Faren. He also thought that my meddling is unnecessary.

Perhaps, my reason could convince them now but if I continue doing it, they might start suspecting something, especially if I suddenly broke through in front of their eyes when I got enough.

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Time continued to pass and the number of golden statues indicated on the map started to dwindle. After that first instance, I didn't steal the kill for the second and third golden statues. Instead, being the one who's bombarding its head, Irja got the two kills. Only when it's the fourth statue did I swooped in again to get another kill, leading for my progress to steadily climb up to my next breakthrough.

And now, we're dealing against the fifth statue. At the moment, most of them are already too relaxed at taking it down.

With a smile on their faces, they're all in a good mood thinking about the basketball-sized stones that we got. No one knows how beneficial to use it yet but from how much energy is stored in it, they believe that it can help them progress in their Transcendent Pathway.

Going by the same tactic that's already felt like a routine, the four were destroying the statue's legs while Irja continued to rain down different types of energy-based skills towards it, reducing the pressure on the four.

Like the first four instances, I kept letting my Transcendent Senses spread out.

When Monady and the others managed to take it down, my senses picked up something from the darkness from beyond the 100-meter mark, like a surge of energy from a rushing opponent.

Upon sensing that, I pulled out some of the Blast Stones we got and threw it in that direction.

Thanks to its explosions, the darkness parted for a bit revealing a tall figure covered in a yellowish aura dodging the other blasts following the first one.

”They're here!” I immediately shouted upon spotting him even if I only managed to see one.

As soon as my words ended, I also sent out Energy Explosion Projectiles to the place I predicted he would appear from.

However, before the projectile hits, I clearly saw how the Energy Explosion Projectiles were deflected easily before the tall figure emerged from the darkness.

”You four, no five. Are you having fun?” Along with a somewhat crazed laugh, the newcomer stretched his arm and an overwhelming Energy gathered on his pointed finger.

Because Irja and I were beyond his 100-meter range, he only first saw the four surrounding the golden statue and changed it to five when he saw one of Irja's skills landing on it.

Upon taking in the face and figure of the newcomer, I instantly recognized that he's not among those Gigant World denizens they were fighting against when Udann and I arrived in this space.

He's one of those scattered red circles. And judging from his Energy Intensity, the way he easily deflected my Energy Explosion Projectiles and how confident he sounds, this guy's UPL is probably more than 500 or 600 at worst. He's in the later parts of Rank 2 Transcendent!

Looking at him, there's that certain feeling that no matter what I do I will be able to beat him, alone. However, it's not as hopeless as when I was faced with Alwyn or Remilia.

”What the?! Are the scouts blind?” Ignoring his question, Monady almost cursed upon seeing the newcomer. Judging from how she instinctively took a step back, she also felt the difference between the two of them.

Now… is he this confident because he thought no one can beat him or are there any other things at play here?