The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Oscar's face darkened at the sight of the gigantic hands of the Crystal Guardian; they were two or three times larger than before and easily grabbed around the pillar like it was grabbing a stick. 'What the hell is this sudden spike in difficulty? Its range is also twice as long as before.'

As more doubts and distracting thoughts invaded Oscar's mind, he bit his lip, using pain to clear away his mind. He took several breaths and looked at the imposing Crystal Guardian, moving his eyes around to analyze it. 'If it falls within the same rules as the legs, then the most probable method would be to destroy the pairs of arms one at a time.'

As he was deep in thought, the Crystal Guardian brought two of its titanic hands, blowing fierce gales of wind from their movement, to envelop Oscar and Serena and squeeze them into a pulp. The large hands clapped together, unleashing a sonic shockwave that shook the grand hall. However, Oscar and Serena were not there when it opened its palms.

Its large crystal eye darted around until it spotted the two students in the air. Oscar carried Serena while she tied a 'Water Whip' to a pillar. Their combined efforts allowed for a speedy escape from the clutches of metal death.

"Oscar…." Serena was trembling from the danger she felt from those hands. The building pressure of the air as it tried to enclose her was terrifying. But she managed to keep her wits together to use her spell.

"I know," Oscar's feet were trembling from the large burst of power he drew toward it to leap as high as possible. "This construct is absurd. Same as before, observe it and find something. Follow my instructions on where to dodge."

His Prinstyct worked to the fullest to find every intent and maneuver around the encroaching hands. Then his eyes caught sight of something. New crystals appeared on the spherical body of the Crystal Guardian; these crystals were embedded in the middle of each pair of arms.

Oscar's eyes glinted with understanding after seeing the numbers inside each crystal. "Serena, there are four crystals on its body containing the numbers one to four. Do you see them?"

"I do. Are they the new weak points?" Serena's eyes narrowed. "If so, then it'll be hard to get through."

"Not exactly. It can't move its legs, is stuck, and cannot turn around. All we have to do is get past its arms." Oscar's hair blew as his face scrunched up from the powerful gusts of wind from one of its hands moving close by. "It's easier said than done, but I can see through it. If we do it right, I can bring us close, and you need to break the crystal."

Serena clung tightly to Oscar as the winds kept blowing around them. She stared at the four crystals with a chilling gaze and smiled. "Let's do this. I enjoy being held like this but not with all this annoying wind ruining the moment."

Oscar's face didn't change as he ignored Serena's passing comment. His eyes were bloodshot and contained a hint of ferocity. His legs tightened, and his muscles were bursting and nearly ripping through his pants.

Oscar displayed a shocking increase in speed, hopping on a hand, running up the arm of another, and weaving through the gaps between fingers. The Crystal Guardian's desperate attempts to stop him were unfruitful because Oscar's speed made him akin to an annoying fly that was hard to catch. "Get ready!"

Serena felt Oscar's hands loosen slightly and stared at Oscar with a scowl as she realized his intentions. But she could not muster a word of complaint in this trying time. The only thing she could do was face straight ahead and prepare.

Finally, Oscar got past more erratic arms, but the first crystal was still some distance away. But he smiled and threw Serena in the open path through the air on a crash collision with the first crystal. 'The Crystal Guardian can't turn; that crystal won't be moving anywhere, and the closest arms are too far and extended to do anything.'

Serena cursed inside her heart, swearing to force Oscar somehow to make up for this. The winds blowing past her forced her red hair back, making her look wild, but her eyes were undisturbed and fixed on the crystal. Serena focused on her two axes but didn't throw them.

She spun the axes in her hands and recreated the crisscross of 'Tidal Edge' with her as the centerpiece. With the crystal right in front of her, she swung her axes with a shout of power. The raging tides acted like thousands of tiny blades that wore down the crystal, and then her axes tore into them.

The first crystal couldn't withstand her power and shattered into fragments. When it broke, the two arms by it lost their power. The grand hall trembled more from the gigantic hands and arms falling to the floor.

Serena was breathing hard because that one strike that taken up much of her Ein. She was grabbed by Oscar, who had been watching with anticipation earlier.

"Focus. Recover your Ein." Oscar said. "With its fewer arms, I can move more freely. I need you to destroy at least one more crystal, and I can handle the rest."

"Ok~," Serena said affectionately.

…….

Robert stared in silence at Oscar. His eyes trembled and opened slightly, revealing his red and blue eyes. 'Prinstyct? Did he undergo that agonizing process with little chance of success? A Greater Apprentice Exalt with Prinstyct and Reis. It's little wonder he's been doing well in the exam.'

Meanwhile, Ava Jones and Elder Dustin remained silent by the side.

'Reis alone was a risk, but putting all the effort into Prinstyct as well could have been a fruitless endeavor. That bastard, Draven, is insane.' Robert shook his head and thought it was time to visit his old friend. He stared at Oscar with a pensive look. 'You may break down one day.'

…….

Oscar moved about as Serena continued to recover. The one set of hands being out of commission was a big boon. Since nothing was actively covering that side, the other arms would take longer to get to him.

He didn't need Serena's 'Water Whip' to keep dodging anymore. He, alone, was enough to handle it.

"I'm good to go," Serena opened her eyes and held her axes. "The second crystal is which one?"

"The one on the opposite side of the first. At least the elders had the sense to make it somewhat easier." Oscar stomped and sped up again. His highly focused Adamasreis propelled him past the swooping arms and hands and straight toward the second crystal.

As before, Oscar did not hesitate to throw Serena, making her feel irritated that Oscar didn't know how to treat a lady properly. She transferred that frustration into her axes and destroyed the second crystal, rendering the arms connected to it powerless.

"That's….the second one." Serena was tired, more than usual. Oscar brought her out of the incoming palms.

"Get on my back and hold tight. I'll finish this myself." Oscar landed on the floor.

Serena got off Oscar's arms and put her arms around his neck, lying blissfully on his strong back. She closed her eyes with a smile. "I'll leave it to you."

With Serena firmly secure on his back, Oscar exploded his Ein.

The blue Ein was soothing to Serena, who had experienced it many times in the lava caverns.

Oscar strode forward with his buckler, eyeing the last four arms that stood in his way. However, they were no longer as imposing as before, as their strength was in their large size and numbers.

In an instant, Oscar dodged one hand.

'One'

Two more came to slap him down, but his feet shuffled to avoid them.

'Two. Three'

The final hand was too far away. Oscar jumped straight at the third. His arm encased in 'Steel Drill' reduced the crystal to ash with 'Shattering Wave'.

Two more arms fell helplessly to the floor. Oscar continued this streak and continued his assault. The remaining hands maneuvered around the last crystal, waiting for Oscar to come forth.

'Nice plan, but your focus is to react. If I move a certain way, you must think about it.' Oscar drew closer to the crystal, causing the Crystal Guardian to slam its hands together, but Oscar had already dropped to the floor to evade it.

"It's over." Oscar moved before the Crystal Guardian moved its arms. His final 'Steel Drill' destroyed the fourth and last crystal.

The arms of the Crystal Guardian were all disabled like limp noodles. It could not move or attack, but its head and crystal eye moved to follow Oscar.

"Is it not over?" Serena asked.

"I don't think so. There's still that large crystal in its eye." Oscar got Serena off his back.

"Then let's destroy it."

Oscar held Serena back and said, "Wait. Something is wrong. The entire time it never used the light beam that it showed when we first entered."

Serena was shocked and stared cautiously at the large crystal eye on its head.

Suddenly, the banner above changed.

"The Crystal Guardian's last attack is a large enveloping attack of light from its eye that will fill half the room. Anima alone will not be able to finish the job. Decide how to handle it."

Oscar and Serena were frustrated and nearly cursed out at the banner.

"Half the room?" Serena was stunned.

"That means we need to draw its attack and dodge somehow, but the speed of its light before makes me think that's not doable." Oscar frowned.

Serena also frowned. "If we attack together, then we'll both be fried."

"But if one of us draws the attack while the other moves in to destroy it after its attack ends. Then it's our victory."

"But who will do it?" Serena bit her lip, already knowing the answer.

"Looks like it's up to me." Oscar sighed.