Shin and Kanari continued to dominate the battlefield with all of their teammates covering for their weaknesses. Whenever a Tier 4 Spirit Beast showed up, Isadore made sure that he was the first man to intercept it. When they were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the horde, Ella would immobilise the beasts using her superior icy dust control ability while Emma went in for the kill. At the very backlines, Shizen was using his vines and razor leaves to keep any monsters from encircling the two geniuses and was always on the lookout for potential dangers with a vine on standby to pull them out if need be. And who could forget the masterful support that Elrin was providing to the pair? Her Sacramental Boost enabled Kanari and Shin to continue blasting skills left and right without care for their mana pool. Furthermore, with her False Armaments, Kanari and Isadore were able to outmanoeuvre any foe that came into their view due to their increased speed and power.
Standing to the side, various figures were watching the seven young heroes move with absolute mastery, and some even gaped in awe as they forgot that they were on a battlefield. One of them being a familiar obese young man, who should have been focusing on defeating the opponents that he had.
"They really have grown to complement each other," Danroy remarked within his Bangeo Rhinoceros Phantom. Danroy's fats jiggled with every movement he made and the abrupt turn he did to his comrades didn't help in that sight. "Don't you think that they're more powerful than before as well?"
"..." Suji remained silent with his Purple Dragon Crescent Blade in his hands. Though they were competitors, the sinewy young man had to admit that their teamwork was perhaps far superior as compared to their own team's. However, since he had a bet with Shin, there was no way that he would verbally admit that.
"Kanari really is a monster..." Hacking down yet another Spirit Beast that came into her path, Natasha turned around and almost dropped her jaw that her classmate's absolute powers. As time went by, it became increasingly evident that the seven young heroes were doing everything that they could to supplement Kanari in her brutal never-ending assault and that the Kumiho girl was the focal point of the team's dominance.
"Shin's no slob, either." Danroy continued with his own observation. "How the hell is he able to use water when Kanari is spewing fire all around the battlefield?! It makes no sense!!!"
Any four-year-old knew that water and fire don't mix. In theory, if Shin were to use his created water alongside Kanari's Foxfire, the two would cancel each other out, rendering all of their attacks obsolete. Yet, the Prince of Water was somehow able to not only keep the blue flames burning but to also aid Kanari in any move that she made. It defied all logic, but Shin had managed to do it with relative ease and to significant effect.
"It just goes to show how talented the two are..." Natasha made that thoughtless comment. After five years sharing the same classroom with Shin and Kanari, the swordmaiden had long accepted her inferiority and had given up on ever competing against them. Unfortunately, those wouldn't move on, no matter how many years would pass.
Suji swung his trusted Purple Dragon Crescent Blade, sending thunderbolts flying all about. Mana spewed out from the core of his body as the blue lightning became more and more violent, congregating underneath the groin of the muscular young man. The lightning bolts continued to gather until a dim shape took form. Suji's two feet rose above the ground, and it wasn't because he was floating, but an electric equine creature was now right beneath his bum, bolting its two feet up in the air like a prized stallion ready to jump into war.
"Hmph! I'm going in!"
The muscleman derisively said those words as he turned into a purple flash. Charged up like a lightning rod, Suji rode into battle with his fourth spiritual ability and proceeded to slice through anything that stood in his path. The purple coils of lightning continuously disintegrated the souls of the Spirit Beasts with each swing of Suji's Guandao, bringing the death toll of the beast to an all-time high. Due to the thunder mare that he was riding, Suji was able to cover much more ground as compared to Shin and Kanari, allowing him to reach the absolute centre of the horde to wreak havoc at heart.
Noticing the commotion, Shin and Kanari turned to see what the ruckus was about. What greeted them was the superior black eyes of the Son of War. Suji never admitted that he was inferior and he wanted everyone to know that. Their interaction lasted for barely two seconds before the muscular man rode off with even more murderous intent, hacking and slicing anything that moved within his peripheral.
"Someone's in a bad mood." The Witch in the South giggled.
"You talk as if this doesn't concern you." Shin wasn't that amused by Kanari's sny laugh. "You do know that he sees you as a rival to surpass as well, right?"
"He likes you more, though!"
"That's definitely not the case!"
"That so is!"
Shin and Kanari argued over that small detail while mayhem continued to unravel all around them. The Alliance forces were pulling back bit by bit. However, able-bodied warriors continued to stay back to help the weaker members retreat as well as kill a few hundred Spirit Beasts to thin down their numbers. Fortunately, with the assistance of the White Knights and the elite volunteer teams, the withdrawal of the troops was going much smoother than the commander expected.
"Hey! We're in the middle of a battle here!" Before their debate could turn into flirting, Isadore screamed out while jumping back with a dead hare Spirit Beast impaled on his spear. "Focus a little!"
"Right! Sorry!" The pair immediately apologised, stifling their laughter in the process. Just as Isadore had said, they were way too casual, so Kanari decided to take it up a notch.
"Shin, cover me." The young maiden closed her eyes and gathered all of her mana into one point. The pale blue flames that surrounded her began to burn even brighter, and Kanari's gales fanned the sapphire inferno to ignite even more of her foes. Sensing that something was up, the Spirit Beasts all turned their attention to the stationary Kumiho girl.
Talons, fangs, horns, claws. An assortment of vicious tools was head Kanari's way in the hopes of killing off the menace from its source. However, instead of drawing blood, all those weapons that the Spirit Beasts had turned into mush as they came into contact with the honeycomb barrier that Shin had created.
"Oh no, you don't!" Shin ridiculed the darkness-imbued beasts and created hundreds of water bullets to deter them from coming close to the young maiden before she could finish her cast. Crimson beads splattered all over the Aegis Bubble, and dust flew all over the place. Kanari was efficient in her attacks, but Shin wasn't one to be looked down upon either. His attacks were basically poison to any Tier 2 Spirit Beast or lower and Tier 3 Spirit Beasts would perish with a little bit of concentrated effort from the youth. In just a few moments, Shin had cleared the area in front of him, enabling Kanari to execute her ability.
Her mana spiked, Kanari finally opened her eyes, revealing those gorgeous blood-red ruby pupils that she had. The aura that Kanari emitted struck fear in any Spirit Beasts weaker than her and complete anger in those that were equal or mightier than her. However, a common consensus was felt among the Spirit Beasts… The woman had to be eliminated at all costs.
Alas, it was too late. An illusion of a full luminescent moon appeared right in front of Kanari, sending forth tremendous amounts of spiritual pressure and forcing the most ferocious of beasts to go tame in their legs. The temperature rose drastically with each passing second and soon, heat waves strong enough to give a regular human a stroke dominated the field in front of the illusory moon. The Spirit Beasts ran in terror, but their boiling blood made it somewhat challenging to make it anywhere near safety. And finally, Kanari said those fateful words…
"Lunar Beam!!!"
BBBBBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!!!
Fiery radiation melted anything, and everything within Kanari's path as the Lunar Beam danced past the beasts as if nothing was there. In an instant, dozens of beasts were incinerated into ashes, never to see the light of day ever again. Pale blue foxfire left in the wake of the beam continued to spread out and igniting the remaining Spirit Beasts that Lunar Beam had just barely missed. It was carnage. However, it was carnage that the Alliance forces sorely needed.
"ORRYAHHHHH!!!" Seasoned warriors that witnessed Kanari's deadly attack howled out in a battle-cry, washing away any fatigue that they had accumulated. The adrenaline pumping to their heads, the soldiers continued to fight and thin down the drastic numbers of the beasts, all while facilitating the retreat of their allies.
And it wasn't just the Alliance members that were amped up. Suji's group and an array of other contracted teams raised their weapons and burst into the horde. It didn't matter if they were a Rank 12 Spirit Apostle or a Rank 58 Spirit Lord. They had all but forgotten their exhaustion and were on the brink of pledging their lives to the cause.
Amidst all of the commotion, Kanari stood still, silent. The gorgeous pale blue flames that encircled her continued to flicker in the orange afternoon glow. Whistles of eerie winds brushed past her supple white skin and swayed her nine tails from side to side. Finding it odd that the young maiden had halted in the middle of a battle, Shin jumped back and approached her from her front.
"Kanari? What's wrong?"
"Shin..." The Kumiho woman took several deep breaths in expanding and compressing her rich bosom drastically. Kanari's ruby eyes blossomed with a spectacular crimson radiance while the blue foxfire balls around her continued to oscillate in absolute joy. "I feel… So different… So powerful..."
"Different? Powerful?" The Prince of Water furrowed his brows and observed the movements of the black-haired maiden. On the surface, there was nothing different about her. Kanari still exuded the same beauty as she always did and there wasn't anything odd about her movements. Thus, whatever was bothering her had to be internal.
"Wait… Could it be?!" It didn't take long for Shin to connect the dots. Stepping forward to hold her hand, the youth sent his spiritual sense into the young maiden's body, only to feel a pleasant throbbing sensation emitted straight out from Kanari's core.
"Kanari! You're breaking through!" Shin gasped. The Witch in the South was long stuck at Rank 39, and it has been a few months since she had made any progress in her cultivation. Nonetheless, neither the maiden nor her teachers were frustrated by the lack of improvements. Crossing the first barrier of mortality was tough and the bridge between Rank 39 and Rank 40 was much wider as compared to Rank 38 and 39. Yet, here Kanari was, reaching the peak of Rank 39 and ready to take the first leap to double her lifespan.
"I am? I am!" The maiden examined herself and leapt up in absolute joy. The Highgarden Duchy had been preparing for this moment for almost her entire life. Saint Firebird, the Duchess of Highgarden, as well as an assortment of the best mentors and meisters had been planning her eventual rise to the Spirit Spectre realm. Kanari had always dreamed that she would be surrounded by the best resources, the most spectacular chambers and the highest authorities in the land to facilitate her ascension. However, right now, there was only one thought in her mind.
"Great! When we get back to base, I'm immediately going to attempt my breakthrough!"
"You what?!" Shin hollered out in absolute fear. Crossing the first barrier of mortality was a deed that needed ample planning and real-time support. One false move and Kanari's cultivation base might be severely wounded, crippling any chance that she had to become a Spirit Spectre. She had to be extremely cautious with her ascension, and yet, the Witch in the South wanted to do so in such a remote land?
"You can't! You should return to the Himmel Empire and make your attempt there! It's far too dangerous here!"
"I won't leave you to deal with Junius alone you know." Kanari knew that Shin wouldn't leave the Payirci alone, especially when Junius was hiding deep inside of it with god knows how many forces. "I'll breakthrough into the Spirit Spectre realm right here, and we'll take him on together."
"Kanari!"
"That's enough, Shin! Don't you trust me?"
"I do… But this is another matter altogether! If something were to happen to you..." The Black-Haired Tyrant didn't dare to complete his sentence. Meekly dropping his head, Shin held on to Kanari's hand and placed a cap on his emotions.
BRRRTTTTTT!!!!!!
At that moment, a resonant horn bellowed through the field, signalling all units to retreat to safety immediately. The injured and the fallen had been moved. There was no reason to stay in this infested land anymore.
"Let's discuss this later..." Shin held the wrists of Kanari and jumped back with her in his hands. It wasn't the time nor the place to talk about breaking into Rank 40. What's more important was for them to retreat back to safety, away from the seemingly endless waves of darkness-imbued Spirit Beasts.
❖❖❖
Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you're always THREE WEEKS ahead!!!
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Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, jørn håvard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers.
The Kori Federation. Estrella Region. White Knight Encampment.
Evening fell on the cold and desolate rocky terrain of the region. The blistering heat of the sun had ebbed into a comforting warmth. The shadows were now twice in length as compared to their casters, and the brightly lit sky had been replaced with a grey patch of clouds and fog. If one looked carefully, they would be able to see the mischievous twinkling stars that were hidden behind the overcast twilight. It was the perfect weather to cosy up indoors with family members and friends, singing hymns about stories passed down from generation to generation. However, not all who shared the velvety dim skies felt the same way.
"Hurry! Bring the wounded to the healer's tent! Don't you dare drop any of them!" Officers barked out orders desperately at their soldiers, forcing the men and women to double up their efforts. Stretchers filled with unconscious warriors were being ferried from station to station, all while the troopers did their best to facilitate the healers in the camp.
Some soldiers had a hole blown through their innards while others had lost an entire limb. White-robed healers all scurried from place to place as they did their best to treat as many injured as they possibly could. While the fallen were wailing and screaming, the White Knight Commander, who had just been freed of her immediate duties, rushed into the opened tent and gazed straight at the wounded laid on white sheets. Seeing her entrance, a middle-aged man with greys coming out from the side of his head immediately put down his charts and rushed to give his superior a bow.
"What's the damage?" Asked the commander.
"We are fortunate." Luckily for the White Knight leader, the healer brought good news. "There's only a few dozen who are in desperate need of attention. The rest have suffered minor abrasions and bruises that could be healed within a few days. No fatalities have been brought to my attention."
"That's good..." The commander heaved a sigh of relief as her tensed-up shoulders dropped. There was now one weight off her chest.
"Your decision to move the troops back immediately was wise. If not for your quick thinking, there's no telling how many would have died out in the field."
"Don't pander me." The commander replied. She wasn't that fond of compliments, especially when she had made a blunder that may have cost her the entire army provided to her by the Alliance.
"Oh, but I was telling the truth." The Senior Healer chuckled. "People talk. I know that the Black Mask having that structure was completely unexpected. It takes a wise leader to know when to pull back and when to advance. Your speedy reactions had resulted in many lives being saved, and I must thank you for that."
"Alright, alright..." Unable to take the earnest praise, the golden-armoured commander blushed a little before coughing dryly once. She knew when she was beaten. Now that she had confirmed the situation with her own eyes, it was best for her to retreat back to her quarters. There were other pressing matters to handle."When the treatments are done, report straight to me in my office."
"Wait, commander!" Before the White Knight could even take one foot out of the door, the Senior Healer raised his voice, breaking the chorus of the wails within the tent.
"Yes?"
"Just now… The Prince of Water paid us a visit. He helped us heal the lightly wounded, giving the other healers more freedom to take on the harder tasks."
'Him again?' The Commander grabbed her chin and thought about the black-haired young man that had begged her to join the vanguard of the invasion force.
"What about it?"
"I'm not sure if I should say this but… If you're considering another assault on the Black Masks, I would suggest that you have the boy in the frontlines." Boldly giving his opinion about the war efforts, the Senior Healer gazed straight into the commander's eyes, never faltering in the slightest. "The Prince of Water's 'Healing Mist' is the real deal and his skill is equivalent to that of an Intermediate Healer. I'm not sure if you know this, but 'Healing Mist' is one of the best auxiliary skills for armies to have during a battle. If you could utilise him correctly, the number of men or women entering this tent would be massively minimised."
"Hoh… But wouldn't that leave you guys without a job?" With a sly smile, the commander jested.
"HA HA!!! If it meant that no more valiant warriors would fall on the battlefield, I'd wear that unemployment badge with honour!!!" The Senior Healer bellowed out, his oily face opened up with all sorts of expressions in the meantime.
"Don't worry about the battles. We're not even sure if the Alliance would allow us to battle that monstrous thing levitating in the air yet."
"But if there is one… A battle... Promise me that you'll at least consider that option."
The White Knight Commander cocked her head back and drowsily rolled her eyes. She knew how honourable the Senior Healer was and she knew that everything he would do was for the betterment of the troops. If he had suggested that Shin should join the vanguard, the least that she could do was to consider that as an option.
"Sure thing." Smiling, the commander left the white tent and sashayed back to her own abode, where hundreds of other matters had been piling up on her desk. Though it was technically a defeat for her forces, no one in the camp blamed her. Who could have expected that the Black Masks would hold such a malicious trump card that was still unknown to human society?
Before the commander could even make an entrance into her shelter, the seasoned warrior could sense a few figures pacing up and down within the canvas. Judging by their spiritual energies, they were mostly top-notch authorities that could easily outstrip her in power.
'Hah… This day just keeps giving, huh?' Composing herself, the commander took enormous strides into her own room, revealing her face to the rude guests that had made their way into her quarters.
"Commander!" Her guests all stood straight and watched as the woman stepped into the tent. Oddly enough, there was only one person that didn't bother to stand and had his butt firmly attached to the comfortable oak chair. Though, his rude behaviour to the master of the abode wasn't reprimanded. In fact, the commander went out of her way to bow down to the venerable old man who seemed too lazy to move.
"Elder Baobiao."
"Commander."
The two exchanged short greetings before the woman took her place on the throne behind the desk. For the Spirit Venerate to personally visit her even though he had a mission of protecting Shin from harm, it meant that the issue was far greater than she could have imagined. There was no need for further pleasantries. It was time to get into the crux of the matter.
"Bring out the Cikai Mirror." Elder Baobiao ordered. As if practised thousands of times before, the man behind of the Spirit Venerate brought a reflective glass straight from an opened chest and placed it in front of the entire congregation.
Kkkkkktttttt!!!!
Static dominated the Cikai Mirror for a full ten seconds before a prim figure started to form within its glass. Within the communication tool, a prim and proper red-haired man appeared. His pursed pink lips echoed the tense atmosphere that was in the residence of the White Knights and his strikingly sharp eyes pierced through the soul of any that looked straight at him.
"Alliance Head!!!" Seeing the familiar handsome face, the golden-armoured commander stood up from her seat and gave a solemn bow. Raphael, the Alliance Head who happens to run the Healer's Association at the same time, waved his arms like a regal monarch, turning all the dropped heads to jovial smiles.
"Be at ease. We have pressing matters to discuss." When it came to the war against the Black Masks, Raphael was the figurehead that made most of the decisions. There was literally, no one in a higher authoritative position as compared to the Divine Healer that was giving the assemblage an audience.
"Yes, Sir!!!" The juniors in the room all heeded the man's advice and returned to their respective places. All except that one elderly man with the dragon's beard.
"Raphael, how caught up are you?"
"Not much." The Alliance Head scratched the undersides of his chin while pulling up the scroll that had been sent to him. On it, there were many words, but they were barely able to fill up a quarter of the pristine cloth. "The information the transmission sent was rather vague, but I can tell that it's serious."
"Do forgive us! We have been swamped since we got back! We could only send a rushed transmission." The White Knight Commander immediately apologised for their lack of professionalism.
"No matter, if you don't know anything, I'll explain it to you." Elder Baobiao straightened his rested head to look Raphael through the Cikai Mirror in the eye. "I suspect that the Black Masks had obtained the technologies left behind by Spirit Immortal Dream. The Payirci is something that had only been theorised in the blueprint stage, and yet, there's one such relic present under the Crypts of the First Men!"
"How dangerous is it?"
"Very." Elder Baobiao's eyes never wavered. He looked at the Alliance Head straight in the eye like a fierce beast that needed its prey. "It housed a tremendous amount of spiritual energies, one that would match any Spirit Saint. It summoned out heaps of Spirit Beasts that would have enveloped the entire army if not for this lass quick thinking and command. And worst of it could withstand my Xuanwu's Yawn."
"..."
"Let me tell you this. If that structure really is the Payirci of legend, the Black Masks would theoretically have an infinite supply of Spirit Beasts, and their reign of terror would continue on for decades!" The Spirit Venerate gave his two cents with a cry.
"I understand the implications…" Raphael folded his arms and crossed his right leg over his left thigh. Now that the message had been relayed to him in full, there had to be a plan to resist the Black Masks. "So, how do you propose we proceed from here?"
"First of all, we need more White Knight Elites in the region. If possible, bring in ten times the amount of soldiers we have now. I can help assist from the Lantis Republic's side, but I would need the Kori Federation to send in some capable Spirit Lords and Kings as well."
"Done." It wasn't hard for the Alliance Head to decree such a simple matter. They needed to eradicate the Black Masks, and the three superpowers wouldn't disagree about taking out a potential Spirit Beast generator before it was too late.
"Next, I would need someone knowledgeable about the relics of Spirit Immortal Dream, perhaps someone from the Blacksmith's League, to examine the structure and help to confirm if it truly is a legendary Payirci. If it is, we would need to be educated on how to stop it."
"That would prove a little tricky..." The red-haired man dropped his head into thought while he pondered about that request. Relics from Spirit Immortal Dream's time weren't that extensively studied since most of it was lost or destroyed. Nonetheless, there were still some fanatics that may have gotten their hands on the blueprints of a Payirci.
"I can try to spread the word, but I can't give you any promises that I'll find anyone suitable within the week."
"Your word is good enough." Elder Baobiao bowed in gratitude. He knew how difficult of a task it was and didn't pressure Raphael on that matter. The next issue that he had, on the other hand…
"Finally, and this is probably the hardest request that I'll ask you..." The old man stroked his beard and massaged his wrinkles. Elder Baobiao didn't know if he should even bring this up since it was a near impossible task. Nevertheless, time was ticking. Every passing minute was a minute that the Black Masks could use to bolster their forces within the Payirci. Swallowing his saliva, the Spirit Venerate said those fateful words:
"We need to get a Spirit Saint to act. Could you invite one over?"
❖❖❖
Support me on P A T R E O N to read up to TWENTY-ONE CHAPTERS ahead!!! That means you're always THREE WEEKS ahead!!!
Now that Webnovel is censoring the word P A T R E O N, I can't really post the link for the site here. If you really want to support me, go to my website's link! You can find links to my P A T R E O N over there.
Do leave a review or comment on how you liked the story! It really helps alot!
Visit my site for additional content!!!
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Special thanks to my Patrons: Ace, Al Char, Al Gonzales, Andrew, Anon12345, Bob, David, ELJako98, Faut, Felix Schontag, Francis Sodji, Garrett, gerbil, Innos, Jordan Gaslonde, jørn håvard eikenes, Keith Kindall, Kenneth, Kyle J Smith, Max Strand, Michael, Michael Garfein, Patrick Brown, Phill barr, Ranard Brown, Raphael Chantigny, Sam, Seadrake, Slycerr, Sohil Dave, Story Seeker, Taylor Fontenot, Thomas Burton, Torran Herbert, Travis Lauda, Trevor OBryan, Tyler Ryan Willams, V, ZeoLuca, Dawson Bauman, Jonathan Harper, M.G. Porombka, Marcus Jean-Louis, Michigan J Frog, Randy Tagarao, Sergiek Rodriguez, TM, Whompy, BlodWedd, G Bowz, Jade, michael kilby, Harrison Brown, hendry, Hendry Ajum, Ziko Rogers.
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