บท 96: Big bag frog [4]
Lumine looked on to the battlefield, still slightly dazed from the horrific thundering explosion that occurred not too long ago.
Protected by Zhongli's shield, she looked at the figure of Azhdaha and saw that it was still standing despite the heavy blows Isaac and the others had dealt with it.
'What a monster.'
Holding her Dull Blade, she was just about to lunge into battle when someone held her back, preventing her from running to the scene.
"Now's not the time."
Turning her head, she noticed that Xiao, the Adeptus she had met recently, was beside her wearing his mask.
She knew him— after all, he was one of the Adepti that she needed to persuade to defend Liyue. He was also the one who fought alongside her during the battle with Osial.
Xiao's mask, which evokes a sense of dread, had naturally left an impression on her. It made it easy for her to recognize the eccentric Adeptus.
She then asked.
"What's going on? What was that attack just now? And what are you all doing here?"
She was relieved that people were helping her fight the behemoth, yes, but it still boggled her mind why they were here. As for how they were here, she managed to deduce that it was Isaac's doing since it was no secret that he can invite people across different nations to his cafe no matter the distance.
Xiao, still wearing his mask, turned to her and responded.
"Isaac..." He paused and lingered for a bit before sighing. "...Hanged Man... wanted to give each of us a special day as he put it. As such, he arranged this... field trip."
The Yaksha was still reluctant to use the codenames insisted by the other members of the club, it seems. Lumine somehow managed to notice this, of all things.
Tilting her head slightly, words preceded her for a moment.
"So... Hanged Man and the others... just wanted to go out and fight an ancient dragon? That's... one grandiose field trip of yours."
He shook his head, his expression remaining unknown beneath his mask.
"Let's not mind that for now. How are you doing, Traveler?"
Lumine heaved a brittle sigh.
"I'm doing fine. To be honest, I didn't even know if I would win if I fought that dragon on my own..."
She then added. "Well, it's great that I had someone shielding me."
Xiao looked at her and observed the shield surrounding her. Then, his gaze shifted and looked at the man not far from them.
Zhongli, who had been watching the events unfold since earlier, strangely remained calm and neutral the entire time. His deep amber eyes danced around the battlefield and watched the fight with a serious expression.
Noticing the Yaksha's stare, he then turned and looked back at him.
For a moment, silence descended upon the two. The demonic warrior and the refined gentleman... just looked at each other in silence.
Lumine noticed the strange stare between the two of them and immediately pieced together what was happening.
'Right... The Geo Archon, Morax, should have presumedly died. However, a barrier that contained the power of the Lord of Geo is here of all places...'
Lumine knew that the Adepti of Liyue never truly accepted the death of their lord. Some clung to the idea that the Lord of Geo had just decided to go incognito, while some respected his wishes to disappear.
As for Xiao...
Seeing that unmistakable power and aura could not bring more joy to his person.
"I..."
Xiao was just about to say something when Zhongli suddenly stopped him with a shake of his head.
"Now is not the time. Let us discuss this later."
"...yes..."
Truly, the Conqueror of Demons had never once betrayed his loyalty to his lord. For as long as Liyue stands, the solitary demon would continue to purify the lands of defilement and honor his contract to his lord.
However, Zhongli was not finished. He looked back to the battlefield, his deep amber eyes piercing through the smoke, and spoke.
"It seems like your friend— the Hanged Man as you call him— is about to do something."
Following Zhongli's words, both Lumine and Xiao looked back to the ongoing battle.
Then, they saw a figure running up to the behemoth.
Lumine squinted her eyes, trying to comprehend what Isaac was doing.
"He can't... be thinking of facing it head on, right? I don't think that would be wise..."
Well, wise would be the last thing Isaac would describe himself— so he can't blame her.
From their point of view, he seemed to be truly wanting to fight the ancient dragon head on.
---
The fierce and majestic stone body of the colossal dragon shifted, and its crimson eyes narrowed down to the group of people scattered all around it.
After the destructive attack that they had just unleashed upon it, suffice to say, it was enraged.
The madness writhing inside its eyes burned with malice. As an ancient dragon that had witnessed a vast expanse of history, Azhdaha's wisdom persisted even in his maddened state.
It knew that it would only continue to be limited by the seal that still lingered on its being. As such, to dominate and end the fight once and for all, the stone dragon prepared to unleash another devastating attack.
It shifted its body, causing massive tremors and causing yet another rain of debris to the unfortunate people below it. But Azhdaha did not care.
"Let us see, Morax... See who shall prevail to the very end!"
With those words full of indescribable agony and loathing, the demented stone dragon once more dug underground. But this time, it did not attempt to move around the battlefield.
Azhdaha wanted to control it.
After digging underground, Azhdaha buried itself and left only its massive stone tail that resembled a tree on top. Then, that tree started shuddering.
- Hum...
Suddenly, a throbbing low hum started buzzing around the cavernous space, as if the air itself was vibrating. Along with it were the sudden influx of elemental energy that was gathering and concentrating where Azhdaha had dug itself.
They entered the tail and condensed inside, forming elemental crystals on the surface of the stone hide. The colors shifted before landing on one element— Electro.
The first phase of Azhdaha's attacks was already done. This time, he was now more serious.
It was now the second phase.
---
Nahida watched the stone dragon once more prepare another attack. Her opulent green eyes shifted to the other two beside her.
"You two, stay inside my shield. It should be enough to keep us safe for now."
Yae Miko hummed.
"So what's the next step? Did we not anticipate this kind of attack too?"
Nahida nodded.
"Yes— it's just as Isaac had predicted. Azhdaha would now be unleashing powerful attacks while hiding its body underground... Leaving it stationary and vulnerable."
Klee took out another bomb from her backpack. This time, it was not as big as the one she had detonated earlier.
"Do I need to throw another one, Nahida?"
The white-haired elf shook her head.
"There's no need. We've already done our part... Err... Shredding the first phase, as Isaac would put it. Now, we just need to wait for Isaac, Xiao, and Lumine to finish it."
Isaac had given as much information as he could do the little radish to make sure she has a great idea of the battle. Sure enough, having a well-informed strategist was a great boon to any group.
Nahida then continued, a worried expression creeping up her face.
"As for us... we just need to wait and hope that they won't be too seriously injured."
The Inazuman envoy sighed.
"So we're reduced to a response team now? How... Dull."
"Hehe, yes. But let's just put our trust in them for now."
Looking back at the battle where three figures were rushing to Azhdaha, Nahida's eyes glistened.
'Please be safe...'
---
'I'm damn sure I won't be safe after this.'
Running towards Azhdaha, Isaac silently grimaced. In a moment of impulse, he decided to commence an attack that even he had never done before.
Looking at the buried dragon that had its tail protruding out, he silently cursed under his breath.
'I must have gone mad.'
Thinking logically, perhaps he had. After all, he had been using his most nefarious skill, [Evernight], to subdue and control large forces of Fontaine's underworld. He wasn't using the skill to its true potential and was only using its subsidiary effects, but still, he was still being tainted by its adverse effects— and these adverse effects show up in various ways.
However, he often finds himself having emotional fluctuations, subtly or sharply changing in an instant. He was positive that if he were to use the skill to its true potential again, he would once more pass out— or worse, turn demented.
Looking at his vision and his skill, he sighed.
"What a ludicrous plan..."
Indeed it was.
Isaac noticed something peculiar about the effects and side effects of [Evernight] that got him curious as of late. It took him a while to figure it out, but the reason he was experiencing adverse side effects was because the lingering effects of the skill was still present in his body.
In other words, some sort of corruption from the skill itself was tainting him, causing various adverse effects. The only thing stopping that corruption from fully growing is, unsurprisingly, the system.
And whatever that corruption was... It was wild and ravenous, like a dark unrelenting beast.
So Isaac had a thought:
What if he fused his skill with his vision?
It was an illogical thought. He shouldn't have even thought about it. But something about it just seems to... makes sense.
And he wanted to test that theory now.
Looking at Azhdaha, who was about to unleash what seemed like a wide area-of-effect attack, Isaac hesitated for a moment before concentrating on his vision.
'Darn it. Let's just do it.'
He was once more gambling.
Manipulating elemental energy, he commanded his Dendro vision. Wild vines sprouted from the ground and latched on to his arm, twisting and enveloping them, turning to makeshift gauntlets.
Then, he lingered for a bit, before activating his [Evernight] skill. Of course, he didn't activate all of its effects but merely one specific authority— Darkness.
It was the very same authority that allowed him to manipulate the darkness around him.
The skill descended on his person, causing him to view the darkness around him in a clearer sight.
...additionally, the darkness hidden in the depths of his deep amber eyes got darker.
Isaac didn't waste time and redirected the darkness to his arms, infusing them to the vines.
There was no reaction for a few moments, but then the vines started convulsing erratically. Tightly latched on to Isaac's arms, the wild vines started writhing as the darkness spread in them, corrupting and transforming them. They continued to convulse before starting to slither like worms.
The wild vines then started changing in appearance. Previously, they were brown in color, but as the darkness spread through them, they became much darker. Some even strangely started to rapidly sprout leaves on top of them. Dark green leaves sprout sporadically along the vines, trembling as they feed off the mysterious dark energy that runs through them
The vines continued to slither around his arm up to his shoulders, forming a shell of dark-brown vines and flora coiling his arms.
But the most significant change of all was on the tips of the arms.
Situated at the very end of his hands were long, slender claw-like extensions. Unlike the brown vines, they were as dark as the night sky— forming what seemed like sharp dark blades.
...they almost seemed like the sharp claws of a wolf— or rather, a demonic wolf.
Looking at his grotesque yet powerful arms, a wry smirk appeared on Isaac's face.
'...Ha, it worked?!'
He had expected that it would have ended up in failure— but to his surprise, his insane experiment actually worked!
As he ran up to Azhdaha, a dark grin appeared on his face. Empowered by this new profound power, coupled with the experience of the First Hunter that is suited for direct confrontations, he couldn't help but feel confident of his victory.
But he knew he could only maintain this for a short time. As such, he needs to act fast.
It was time to beat that darn big frog.
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