Chapter 215: Testing out the Waters
The first mission of the elites had two goals. One was to collect data on the monsters in order to see how dangerous they really were. The second was to test out their own equipment. Ones which were handed out by Zeke as soon as their meeting finished.
"So how does it feel on your bodies?" Zeke asked through the [Voice Chat] which he returned to the elites together with the [Party System]. Allowing them to use the various functions once again connected to Zeke's [Gamer's System].
"It works like a charm Mister Zeke." Merlin said in reply, feeling the overflowing amount of power which seemed to come from the armor that resonated with his body.
The concept behind this was simple enough. Zeke took some DNA from the elites. A hair strand each for that matter. He then used up the hearts of the [Chaos Dragons] which were obtained per continent as part of the base material. As he thought, these creatures also had [Chaos Energy] on them and, were part of the earlier test before all hell went lose with all the new horned monsters that they needed to face.
Zeke showed the elites the description of both their armors and their weapons before equipping them. With Zeke making things easy enough for them to understand as, most of the benefits were passive skills instead of active ones. Thus, it didn't mess with the chain of attacks which the elites already developed as not a lot of active skills needed to be placed into consideration.
[Name: Chaos Armor]
[Grade: SS]
[Specification: Living Armor]
[Information: The armor scales with the level of its wielder and also adjusts based on the defensive and offensive capabilities. This ensures that it would be optimal to whoever wears it.]
[Information: Chaos energy is filtered through the heart of the "Chaos Dragon" used on the armor. There is a certain limit to the amount which could be absorbed per day. Expelling the same energy type could only be done when using skills infused with Chaos Energy.]
[Information: The armor renders its wearer to be compatible with Chaos energy]
[Information: The armor is job class specific; changing based on the job class of its wielder.]
This was the armor that Zeke painstakingly made for a whole month. In fact, this took even longer as Zeke even forged in his sleep, ensuring that he would be able to create weapons and equipment that both optimized the [Chaos Energy] and greatly reduced the risks of any damage being made.
"Man it feels like I can sprint through the whole continent with this suit." Curio began as he dashed around in his ninja-like armor. He sprinted through the battlefield. Easily destroying the single horned monsters.
"Alright I think it's safe to say that the single horns are at least at normal monster level." The assassin furthered, finding no challenged with the creatures.
"Normal monster as in what rank exactly?" Eerie followed up, dealing with two horns on her side.
"Well the normal ones. Uhm… evolved F+ rank I guess?" Curio said as he released a couple of shurikens infused with Chaos Energy.
"Plus this new stuff feels great. No wonder our enemy used it; I mean I'm overflowing with the stuff right now." The assassin created ten [Chaos Clones] with each as powerful as he, moving around the battlefield fluidly and decapitating the heads on the one horns.
"Don't get too carried away Curio, remember the limit to the armor." Kaguya instructed, also dealing with two horns as she wasn't sure about the extent of her powers.
"Roger that miss leader." Curio simply said as he continued in his task of collecting data and testing out the equipment.
As all of this occurred, Zeke was also watching from a distance. Curio's estimate was way off. The monsters weren't evolved [F+] rank in strength but rather evolved [D+] rank. That is how strong the single horned chaos monsters were.
These were as strong as the bosses which Zeke fought within Yaeger's realm and, the only reason why the elites weren't having any difficulty was due to the training they underwent and the large power spike provided by their weaponry and equipment.
"They sure have it easy." Zeke thought to himself as he remembered all the struggles he went through the first time he fought against evolved [D+] ranks.
"Well this is also for the best. At least I'm assured of their survivability." Zeke furthered, looking at all the data produced by the elites. There were only a few which he was interested in and, one of these was of course Kaguya.
He needed to confirm his hunch. One which would inevitably link Nisha to [Chaos Energy] and as such, would be a decent substitute to the kind of power manifested by the elite. So he watched carefully, monitoring every move made by Kaguya who was still surrounded by two horns.
"I think the mages and archers are better suited to this." She dodges a few spikes fired from the wings of the gargoyle like creatures.
The monsters weren't only flying but, despite their hard bodies, their speed was also top notch. Making it difficult for Kaguya to land any attack on them.
"That's not true, you can handle them perfectly well with your powers." Zeke said in reply, using a private [Voice Chat] in order to communicate with her.
"Mister Zeke I don't mean to sound rude but, it seems like you forgot the part about my blessing getting weaker by the day." Kaguya pivoted her body, dodging ten projectiles as she also released ten [Chaos Blades].
The counter only had little success as she was able to land a hit on one gargoyle's wing. Dropping to the ground and turning into a solid stone structure.
She then observed how the monster seemed to heal its wings. Kaguya tried hitting it but, the monster was tougher on that form and, adding to this was the predicament of the other gargoyles in their unrelentless attacks against her.
"Just remember what I told you. Chaos energy is like mana. You won't even feel the difference." Zeke furthered, watching the leader of the elites struggle.
"Yeah but I only take dark mana remember? How should I know what it feels to take in mana in general?" She furthered only noticing a faint similarity between [Dark Mana] and [Chaos Energy].
"That just means you have a better grasp of mana than the other elites because you can single out [Dark Mana]." This was a point which at least sounded correct to Kaguya but, it didn't shake the fact that she was still struggling in the fight.
"Just trust me on this and continue fighting. I also took off your escape route so unless you finish all those things you won't be able to return home." Zeke said, showing his sadistic side again.
"EHHH? – " This was when Zeke turned off the communication.
Everything he said was true up to the point of no teleportation being available for Kaguya. He needed her to be in such a dangerous situation because, evolution comes easier when someone is cornered.
"Boss type enemies in games only show their true form and best pattern of attack when they are at around 20% health. Let's see if you're the same." He thought as he continued observing Kaguya.
The elite dodged another round of spells and tried out the same pattern. Releasing blades of [Chaos Energy] to the sky in an attempt to take down another gargoyle. She was unsuccessful the second time as the creatures already saw through her attack pattern.
"Ahh what am I supposed to do exactly?"
'
Quicker attacks came this time around. With the gargoyles coming into range as they tried hitting Kaguya head on. Hence, she continued dodging; seeing how powerful the attack was as one gargoyle destroyed a gigantic boulder from the attempt of hitting her.
"I definitely don't want none of that." She declared, trying to activate [Darkness Veil] but to no avail.
The fundamentals were altogether different. Preventing her from using her skills properly although she was also capable of using [Chaos Energy] due to the new weapon and equipment.
"How is this the same!" She screamed, thinking how Zeke compared [Dark Mana] to [Chaos Energy] and, as she did, one of the gargoyles finally hit her. Sending the human flying as her ribs broke into pieces. And at this moment, she was momentarily unconscious.
A random memory came to her mind during this quick interval. Her training in the heavens and how Nisha personally tutored her. Hearing the words of the goddess as if they were only spoken yesterday.
"Darkness is both merciful and harsh. It takes those that need not stay on the world anymore while it does not hesitate in destroying even those that have just been born. All are the same in the face of darkness. All will meet their end and the only sensation you need to remember is the depth of the void that awaits even you."
Kaguya was practically half conscious at that point which amazed Zeke even more. It was Kaguya's fight or flight instinct that made her body move. This single lesson from Nisha was driving her body which, was not only harvesting [Chaos Energy] but refining it.
"My, is she turning it to dark mana by any chance?" Zeke said, seeing the gloves he made work based on the function he made it for.
He told Kaguya that it harvested normal mana and turned it to dark one when in fact, it was actually supposed to turn [Chaos Energy] into that specific material. Something which even Zeke could not perform without buying [Chaos Skills].
"Okay miss leader. Let's see what you've got." Zeke furthered. Entertained by the fight that was about to ensue.