1058 Annihilation 2 (2/2)
”One point a year!” Garen was overjoyed, trying to wrap his mind around it. A one-point increase in Vitality and Intelligence every year, that was borderline terrifying! Putting aside Vitality for now, just consider Intelligence.
He was at 8.1 points now, and was already considered a prodigy among the Energy Machinists. If he could amp up his Intelligence by one point to go with the results of his efforts, just how high could his aptitude reach?
”Alright, time to go.” Suddenly, Carthage's voice came from beside Garen's ear. It pulled him out of his reverie.
For one last time, Garen glanced at his Scarlet Snow Technique.
As he expected, it had changed again.
'Scarlet Snow Technique: eleventh grade, Two-Moons level. (Coldness Strengthening third grade, Sharpness Strengthening third grade, Purity Strengthening third grade.)'
”I got the Coldness Strengthening and Sharpness Strengthening when I absorbed that wisp of Inherited power, and I think that Purity Strengthening came from the Heart of Ice.”
Garen pulled back his thoughts, and scattered the ice coffin outside him with a crash, standing up.
By now, many of the other people who were meditating in the desert all got up, patting the sand off their clothes. They looked at Carthage, evidently making him out as the sole leader.
Garen also moved his gaze to Carthage.
”Prepare the jump portal, Treefish.”
”Yes.”
Watching as the jump portal was slowly released, Carthage narrowed his eyes slightly, saying nothing, as though he was waiting for something.
Time passed by slowly, but no one looked impatient. To Energy Machinists, their long lifespans had given them extensive patience.
All of a sudden, a bright and piercing golden light abruptly appeared in the distant desert.
”Let's go!”
When Carthage saw that golden light, the corners of his lips immediately curved.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh…
The many figures rapidly darted into the jump portal's black whirlpool, and soon, only Garen and Carthage were left.
Carthage signaled Garen with his eyes, and the two of them slowly walked into the jump portal, one after the other.
Hiss… Amidst the soft static of the jump, the two of them appeared in the sky above a giant white desert city, floating in the air as they looked down at the apocalyptic scene below.
Inside the giant white crescent-shaped city, several giant black beasts, each twenty or thirty meters tall, were rampaging madly.
Huge rumbling crashes and the sounds of buildings collapsing came constantly from everywhere.
Looking down from the sky, they could see buildings falling all over the city, powder and dust rising high in the air. They could vaguely see figures dressed in blue surrounding and attacking the beasts, but it was no use. Those black gorilla-like beasts moved nimbly, and if you were accidentally hit by one, you were either instantly injured or simply dead.
The two of them floated in the air, watching the tragedy unfold below. The people in the city were running, sobbing, screaming, their voices of despair rising and falling, with the occasional wail or mad roar. But many more of them were just crushed to death by the buildings the beasts had casually knocked over, and died without a sound.
In the entire white crescent-shaped city, there were black dots everywhere, and they could faintly see a patch of the desert stained with red around the black dot. They looked like spots on the landscape.
”General.” Suddenly, a figure abruptly appeared beside Garen. He was a middle-aged man dressed in blue, and his face was covered with blood. One of his arms seemed to have been freshly severed, and fresh blood clots still remained.
Most importantly, this man had the violent aura of someone fresh out of a fierce fight.
”Another Non-Falling level…” Garen's heart gave a jolt, he sensed what level this man was.
”Where are the Elders from this place?” asked Carthage nonchalantly.
”Three died, but we got two alive,” replied the middle-aged man calmly. ”We need your true form to personally finish off the guardian here, sir.”
”Relax… I'm already on it…” Carthage smiled rather meaningfully.
Garen was getting chills down his spine as he listened, could it be that this Carthage here with Non-Falling-Level power was not even his original form?!
”If that truly is the case, then this guy is far too fearsome…” Garen's heart was shaking slightly, if the Non-Falling Level one was just one of his clones, then just how strong was Carthage's true form?
The Non-Falling Level was Level Seven in power, and the guardian of the Blue Frost Sect would surely be stronger than that, it would be Level Eight at least. If he could kill off a Level Eight guardian, then Carthage's own power…
Garen almost did not dare to continue thinking. Level Nine, that was a level near the Perpetual Motioners. Such an extreme powerhouse was not something he could compare to his past experiences. Only the personal appearance of the Nine-Headed Dragon Queen's true body could match up to that.
”Wait here for a moment then, it's the best chance for me to give my prodigy junior brother a little gift,” laughed Carthage with a glance at Garen.
The middle-aged man lowered his head respectfully and stood to a side without moving.
The three of them floated in the sky, and in the city underneath, a high-level battle had already erupted, some of the self-secluded or outstation powerhouses had returned, their ice-cold frost slowly stopping the beasts' rampaging.