Chapter 516 - Final Subduction (1/?) (2/2)
Effects— +300 STR, +400 ENG
Invisibility Toggle: On
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Silver Dragon Equipment Set: (5/5) Active
1— 2 Sets: [Effects] +100 ENG
2— 5 Sets: [Effects] + Skill
Dragon's Reverse Scale: Passive
Use: Once the host's energy reserves fall beneath 10%, the host can call upon the might of dragon.
Limit: 1/day
]
”Maybe,” looking at his stats, Nik mused, ”I could try and punch the god into the oblivion.”
Giving Nik a sidelong glance, Ray clicked his tongue, ”F.u.c.k.i.n.g dumb luck!”
”Well, thanks,” Nik grinned. Of course, the strength provided with the equipments couldn't match an actual dragon's strength. But his energy reserves had already reached the level held by the titled Douluo Samya and Yu Yan. In essence, he had almost reached the peak of the current plane, even if it wasn't through pure hard work. 'No... I did work 'hard'...' Nik thought to himself with a snicker. This armor set had been the greatest achievement of his girl's seamstresses, Inscriptionist, and Alchemist combined. They only had time to create one, even after months! Meanwhile, just to match their hard work, Nik grew out of his complacent position in the first place, willing to make some conscious efforts in regards to his skills.
”Hey, I did say that the equipment set is yours for, ehm, 29 million SO...” Nik pulled up one of their most arguable conversations.
”Yeah, no thanks. I'll just hunt a beast of my own...” Ray said, completely unbelieving of his own words.
”Alright,” shrugging, Nik looked to his left with a smile, ”Speak of opportunities... there's a leopard following us. Probably the kind with disguise ability.”
Furrowing his brows, Ray increased his efforts and finally realized. The two were truly being tailed.
”It's a Grind Shadow Leopard... you'll take care of it... oh... nice,” Instantly finding out the leopard falling down from the tree, its eyes glazed and muscles limp while a single muscle raged forward, Nik couldn't help but raise his eyes in surprise. 'Even after so much time in illusion... Ray still manage to surpass my level? Damn,' whistling internally, Nik continued with a calm expression. After all, he didn't simply practice illusion and even if Ray had skills surpassing the limits of illusion, Nik had no doubt that when it came to 'manipulation' of energy, Nik surpassed Ray, and almost every single Rank 1 host. Of course, his opponents and thorns to his life have shown capabilities far surpassing the rank 1.
”Say, wouldn't it suck if something like Undead Lucifer rushing in this world happened once again?” Nik asked out, his arms coiling around Ray's neck boorishly as Ray snorted, ”Don't jinx it. The hell is wrong with you... we are this close in getting a God. And, don't forget that this is my last chance to make the best use of Succubus Society.”
”Oh, yeah, almost forgot you got dumped by your ancestor, too,” Nik mused.
”If anything,” Ray slipped out of the friendly hold, ”It's her loss... Now, I'll divert a little bit of my attention to deal with Mirage, while finding Claire.”
”That's some confidence...” Nik shrugged.
Before they could continue, the two came to a sudden stop, ”Wait...” looking around, the duo frowned, ”When did we enter... this section of the forest...” Ray muttered, raising his defenses and observing the black-barked trees extending to luminous blue leaves and equally creepy bushes of flower covering the bank of the path that leads straight into an even denser patch of forest.
”Nik...” Ray whispered.
”On it,” without missing a beat, Nik crouched and drew on the damp, dark mud with his index as the combination of runes that turned into an inscription pattern glowing earthly brown, illuminating Nik's face as his eyes grew a little complicated. ”Nothing to be scared of...” he muttered, ”Although, I'd love to see the extent that natural illusion of the forest can pull us into. The trees are fake. At least, the ones around us are not black. But those—” pointing at the dense patch, ”are nothing but man-eating trees, flower, plants, leaves... and there's an acid swamp, too.”
Before Ray could inquire further, Nik whispered with a deep smile, ”But the land spoke... ahead of us is a tomb. And do you know what the tomb is formed off?”
”Let me guess...” Ray's smile grew eerie as well, ”Ice?”
”Bingo.”
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”Lord, there's—”
As the green-haired youth begun his report to the humanoid shark leaning against the dark tree while a mouth formed over the bark and bit into the tough neck of the shark-mutant's tough neck, only to break its wooden teeth in splinters, a sonic boom resounded that shook the thicket, making that sharkman's eyelids jump in surprise.
As the green-haired youth quickly morphed into an elephant-sized parrot with a shriek, two figures instantly stopped in front of them as the sudden stop caused the air around the group to cause minor havoc while the paling girl of the approaching group grunted and leaned sideways while floating, instantly puking out her breakfast.
”Forgive his manners,” the hunk out of the two spoke up, instantly confusing the two beasts as they looked at the silver-haired girl. 'His?' As they slowly accepted the reality of the adorable lady's gender, the man continued with a smile, ”You are supposed to be the first 'wave', right?” His words slightly incomprehensible, but the look in the man's eyes didn't comfort the sharkman and the giant green parrot with a curving yellow beak.
”Lord—” before the rumbling sound of parrot could interrupt, the Sharkman ordered with a growl, ”Attack!”
”...”
Looking around, Sharkman found the parrot having a dumbfounded expression as the man's voice lingered, ”Did you know? [Elemental Masters] are able to communicate with nature? Only to some extent, of course,” his voice making the scales on the sharkman's back tremble as the man slowly morphed into his worst nightmare. An obese female sharkman with a paunchy belly and sagging curves.
”M-mother!” with the clatter of shark teeth, the sharkman fell on his butt as the scarred face of his nightmare emerged once again, ”Report,” the nightmare whispered, ”the situation of that coffin to me.”
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”Haah—” rubbing and cleaning his mouth with fresh water, the indignant Ray looked around, finding the two monsters laying on their back with a froth leaking through their parted jaws/beak. ”What happened?” Still afloat, Ray looked back at Nik only to find the man grabbing his hand again. Realizing the situation, Ray screamed, ”You son of a—”
Before the succubus could even compliment the apostle, their bodies flew at a speed pulling another nauseating sensation from the succubus while Nik's mocking laugh resounded.
”That's how we roll! You giant baby!!!”
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Opening his eyes, Lucifer looked at the sand clock in front of him. Thick, fist sized granules of sand trickled down on the lower half of the clock as Lucifer mumbled with a bored expression.
”Almost time...” he whispered, ”Let's begin with the creation of true clone... hmm, what was the percentage of Rank 8 to Rank 1... if I recall correctly... 3%? Should be it. Nik, Dream... man,” finally standing at the crossroads, Lucifer felt a genuinely complicated emotion, ”Kaal f.u.c.k.i.e.d my mind real bad... you helped him, Dream. Against your brother...
And to think I ever taught you swordplay...”
As his body started to flash silver time and again, Lucifer slumped back on the ground, his eyes gazing at the vast sky full of stars.
”Well, my power should be peak rank 1... not to bad, huh..” muttering to himself while imagining true clone, an extension of oneself, cutting Nik apart, Lucifer felt a little better. To him, only by cutting apart the first knot could lead to the final untangling of his past. Nik and Dream represented this first knot. The Infernal Paradise grew to become the second, and his father, who made Lucifer... commit actions that scarred him, turned out to be the third and final knot.
”Era of Innovation, hmm... power doesn't lie outside. That's my path... my innovation.”
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”Kakakaka!” Delighted by Ray's plight, Nik cackled. Meanwhile, unable to speak while hurling his stomach out, Ray grunted and groaned over the 'defiled' coffin.
”First time seeing vomit freezing instantly... damn, boy,” Nik patted Ray's back, making sure that Ray doesn't vomit over his boots, ”You actually defiled a God's grave... talk about making your first impression!”
”Pfft~!” As his spirits finally laughed out loud, Ray shook his head and wheezed, ”I'll get back for this, *Kah* Nik! Just stay on your toes, damnit!”
Cursing and spitting, Ray took out a bottle of water and started gargling until he felt satisfied. Meanwhile, Nik made the final preparations. Since this mission belonged to both of them but knowing that Ray would be the greatest benefactor of the outcome, Nik and Ray had already reached the decision of Nik preparing a better path for Ray to dominate the God all by himself. Since Nik had already bagged two goddesses, Ray had been wanting to try his hand on a God for a while now. So, with all their back-up plans in motion, Ray freshened his mouth again.
”I am going to open the coffin, get your ass all perky...”
”Why would I do that?”
”You know... he's a God. You can lose your anal v.i.r.g.i.nity in a dignified manner,” Nik mused while drawing Inscription patterns over the ice coffin with three lotus marks.
”Don't need to,” Ray snorted, finally giving Nik an uncharacteristically stinking look while coughing to himself, ”Let's go.”