NOVEL WEB Chapter 17: True Demonling
Despite barely having time to think for the last few minutes, the Incarnate had considered what the glowing tablet had shown him before. Throughout the brutal ordeal, he had to endure against the armoured figure, a great debate had been going on in his head in disjointed segments.
The Hermetic Vault, a Legendary Far Ji, Vs. 10 additional units to his physical attributes.
Both of these were options at the Incarnate’s disposal despite the former being much, much harder to discern. Regardless, he felt it was a possible way for him to survive; that could only be the case, after all, power was power.
Incarnate ^8001 had considered assigning the 10 Incarnation Points he had to his attributes in varying distributions. It was fortunate that 1 Incarnation Point could become 1 unit of any attribute, but frankly, the Incarnate wasn’t too optimistic about this mechanic applying much benefit to his circumstances.
Even 10 additional units of Strength or Agility or Endurance alone, weren’t going to save him from the current enemy, especially since said enemy had shown himself to be a physical monster without even using his Spirit Essence!
The bastard was also tougher than Tenyen, and though the Demonling was inclined to believe he hit a little less harder than him, banking on this fact wouldn’t change his perilous ordeal.
That was why the Incarnate put all his cards towards obtaining the Legendary Far Ji.
The moment his finger touched the column of light with his intent clear erect and clear, the golden tablet announced his reward.
[You have paid the necessary price – 10 Incarnate Points]
[You have acquired the Legendary Far Ji, ‘Hermetic Vault’]
[Your entirety—]
The golden tablet had more to say, but the Incarnate couldn’t afford to read through it. Beyond the urgency brought on by the fact that his enemy had raised his katana to cleave him apart, the vicious pour of Spirit Essence from the ceiling above onto the Incarnate also made him hesitate to spend the next few moments reading.
That said, the volumes of Spirit Essence diving down forced the enemy back; suddenly having his opponent highlighted by the surge of power made him reluctant to stay close.
The Incarnate didn’t waste the chance.
He wore a thrilled grin for the first time since arriving on this floor.
The Spirit Essence that fell on him made him feel all kinds of sensations, most of which were agonising and centred around his upper back.
But still…
‘I finally have it!’ the Demonling called in his mind.
Indeed, he felt some of the Spirit Essence raining on him filling certain networks inside his body and invigorating him tremendously. It felt like his Demonling body guzzled up all the power and grew stronger and more compact. He might have been a mountain!
And then the Incarnate was almost convinced that he wasn’t fatally injured at all. His muscles expanded, sharply pressing down the many tears within them, and holding firm his broken bones. The Demonling’s arms and legs seemed to turn shiny, thick veins that carried more than just blood throbbing on his red skin.
Might, confidence and zeal ran rampant within Incarnate ^8001 and then…
‘I can use that now…’ he thought and gritted his teeth.
The Demonling cocked back the arm onto which his Valiant Subject’s Ward was strapped… and willed Sundering Bunt to send forth the shield like a murderous project.
The cost of the Acquired Skill was paid, and the brass kite shield spun as it carved through the air with a whistle. It became akin to a circular disk wrapped in a radiant, silver edge as it sped, perfectly aimed at its target.
Said target couldn’t have expected things to turn out this way. On top of being partly blinded by the collection of light around his foe, he hadn’t been prepared for him (the Incarnate) to launch an attack at all!
…And thus…the armoured menace’s arm went flying when the Valiant Subject’s Ward sawed through his shoulder and nailed itself against the wall a distance behind him, where several, colourful blobs were congregated!
‘Not yet!’ the Incarnate thought, his eyes flaring. He hadn’t felt like this in a long time.
The Demonling had seen countless times in his past life how a loss of balance, however short-lived, could be fatal during battle. His enemy had lost an arm, and despite how freakishly strong he was, in the next second and a half, perhaps more, he could only be prey in Incarnate ^8001’s eyes!
The aspiring Tyrant bolted towards the foe.
He felt much faster despite not enhancing his attributes. He was at least twice as fast as before. The shrieking of air in his ears told him so.
As he charged, he picked up Bash Brain and leaped up before hammering it into his enemy’s head with all his might!
Though the toughness of the armoured figure was still incredible, the Incarnate still felt some damage register, though not enough. The fiend grunted. It appeared he had a voice. He staggered, but he hadn’t given up yet.
His katana extended and pivoted to stab the Demonling in the head, but it didn’t work.
The Incarnate’s icy blue eyes narrowed. He was able to see the movements of the sword clearly, and better yet, his skin sent a pulse through his body that was much more powerful than what he felt before. This pulse allowed the Incarnate to almost perceive the nigh unpredictable path the sword would take.
He dodged the sword easily and slammed his mace into the enemy’s head again and again before dodging the katana’s advance once more. The armoured guardian reeled and shook his head. He grunted again… and then took off, hoping to dive behind one of the drapes.
The bastard was fast. Very much so. If he succeeded in hiding in the darkness behind the drapes, the Incarnate knew that would reset his rising momentum and allow the enemy to recover. He couldn’t allow it.
However fast the enemy was though, this time, he wasn’t like an apparition that flitted in and out of existence to the Incarnate’s sight. His image became a bit clearer – just a little bit – athough the fact that he wasn’t balanced well also contributed.
And because of that…
“You’re not getting away!”
The Incarnate hurled his mace at the enemy and it struck him square in the hip a moment before he could disappear into one of the hidden passages.
The guardian collapsed on the ground and the Demonling rushed him, wondering how to take him down permanently. If he opted to keep hammering at him, it was only a matter of time before the bastard successfully managed to evade him and dive into the corridors of darkness again.
The Incarnate had raised his mace to pound on the armoured fiend who had begun to rise when he realised something.
His eyes sparkled.
‘Of course!’ he thought.
He quickly threw his mace away and flung himself on top of the armoured guardian. He then rolled as the enemy hurried to raise his katana for an attack; now the armoured fiend was on top of him.
“This should keep you down for good!” he said and pushed the unusual warrior into a large, blue blob near him.
The armoured figure sank in from head to shoulder and a sizzling noise immediately erupted, bubbles and gases spreading around him rapidly.
The blue blobs, as the Incarnate had learned, were acidic. Anything that touched or fed into them would be introduced to this cruel property. When the blobs were small, they weren’t that harmful, but at this size, where they were as large as a man…
The Demonling watched as his enemy’s head and neck were dissolved. The armoured figure tried to flail and extricate himself from the situation, but the ordeal ended quicker than his efforts could yield any results.
Soon, he turned limp.
The Incarnate waited for twenty full seconds to confirm that the bastard was actually dead before sighing in relief and plopping to the ground next to the blob and the corpse.
‘Finally.’
Finally, the battle was over.
The Incarnate was about to take a few moments to appreciate the condition of his body when the tablet pushed its previously unread message in his sight. It insisted that he read it.
[Your entirety embodies the notion of greed and ambition. Your flesh desires to devour more than its designated portion of gifts in the world. It desires double, and so does your soul. You seek things beyond what you were afforded in your last life]
[You are a rare case where flesh and soul are in mutual agreement]
[You, Incarnate ^8001, are a true Hollow Demonling].