"Alright, let's do it together."
"Seventh Shadow, you are going to take the supportive role. We don't know how he got the strength that he has displayed before us, but it's better to not let him explore that advantage he has for now. There is another thing you must be careful about; his darkness attribute has definitely reached a mastery level above mine."
Seventh Shadow felt ashamed that Seth was stronger than him, even though they were both at the same realm of power. Although that was natural, considering that Seth had many mystical powers and inheritances while he had only one. But if Seventh Shadow were to fight against a "normal" Mana Control peak-stage cultivator, he would be the one pressuring the enemy.
However, hearing Third Shadow's evaluation of Seth's darkness mastery, the shame he was feeling lessened.
"Fifth Shadow. You are going to be the striker. I'll be the one who will fight him head on, but when you find an opportunity, you are going to go in and strike him down. Remember that we only need him unconscious or sealed."
"Understood."
"Then get prepared, the battle will start soon."
Third Shadow made sure to talk in a low voice and create a very thin layer of energy around them while he gave those quick orders. He expected that Seth would try to focus on Seventh Shadow, actually, he wanted that to happen, since that would be perfect for their plan. But what he didn't know, was that his efforts to make it a secret were useless before Seth.
Seth was able to hear anything they were talking while using his Soul Sense. This ability was so powerful, that even cultivators strong them him, weren't able to avoid being spied on. Its strongest point though, was that no one was able to detect it until now, something not possible if a person tried to use Qi or Mana to scan, instead of Soul Energy.
Seth heard everything they said, but he ignored everything. He didn't plan to crush Seventh Shadow only, but all of them. That's why he was going to focus on dealing the greatest amount of damage possible.
While his enemies were making their plans, his Mana was already connecting to the fire element in the whole area, preparing to use it as resource and as a weapon.
Third Shadow suddenly vanished using his Shadow Walk. He wanted to decrease the distance between them quickly. He expected that they would enter that battle of attrition once again, since Seth was a dark element user just like him and learnt the same techniques from the Shadow Demon Inheritance.
The earlier flame technique Seth had used, was nothing more than a simple technique in their eyes. Even though it was able to injure Seventh Shadow, Third Shadow didn't feel anything special about those flames, so he still thought Seth's main element was darkness.
However, he couldn't be any more wrong.
As he approached Seth, he noticed the environment was getting even more hot than it was some minutes ago, but since they were inside the Fire Labyrinth, he thought it was a natual thing.
Right at that moment, he entered a distance where he was finally able to feel Seth's Mana stimulating the fire in the area, but he didn't think that a flame technique executed by Seth would actually be stronger than any of his dark techniques. That's why he kept advancing.
From the moment Third Shadow stepped on that area, there was no way for him to escape Seth's next move. Seth's ability to manipulate fire was so high, that there was no need to create a technique in order to use it, he just dumped his Mana in the fire attribute filling the air, feeding it the strength it was lacking.
BOOM!
A wide pillar of flames abruptly rose upwards, engulfing Third Shadow that had most of his attention gathered on Seth's body. The speed on how that pillar surged was something shocking. It was able to get Third Shadow unprepared, even though he was a veteran of war.
Although he was gotten unprepared, his body was though and his energy was vast. Third Shadow suddenly used a lot of his Mana to combat the flames that were trying to fry him and at the same time he retreated backwards, leaving that area.
Once he left, he stared at both his arms and legs, that were completely red after entering in contact with Seth's flames. His protective layer of Mana was so easily burned, that he couldn't understand. When they were battling with darkness, Seth's strength wasn't that much different from his own. But now, after using his flames, Third Shadow felt a greater pressure.
Inside Third Shadows eyes, a dark light passed through. If he didn't fight with his all, there was a chance they could lose.
He once again started to move forward, but now he release his whole strength and didn't try to save it for later. His body vanished as he executed the Second Step of the Shadow Walk skill.
Fifth Shadow followed his steps, getting ready to deal the finishing blow.
The first one to attack this time, was actually Seventh Shadow. He had gathered a lot of energy to create one of his favorite skills.
"Darkness Cage!"
Around the whole area Seth was in, spikes of darkness started to intertwine from top to bottom and vice versa, sealing Seth's escape routes. He put so much Mana on that skill, that there were many layers on that cage he created. He made sure to let a road for Third Shadow to freely move inside that cage of spikes.
Seth was now caged inside the area his enemies had created. He had nowhere to escape and there was only a thin linear passage, from where he felt Third Shadow's presence coming while using his Shadow Walk, but since he was using the Second Step of that technique, his body was hidden inside the shadows, intangible.
There was only one thing he could do, and that was what he chose to do. His Mana exploded from inside his body, creating a shockwave of flames that crashed against the walls of that cage of darkness, easily melting Seventh Shadow dark spikes down. But there were so many layers, that it would take some time for him to burn everything down.
Seth opened up his arms, spreading the flames he was creating even more. Right after that, he willed for them to start circling, creating a fire storm inside the cage. When the temperature rose to unbearable degrees, a loud explosive sound occurred, blasting everything trying to cage Seth, far in the distance.
His fire storm expanded burning Seventh Shadow whole darkness cage and at the same time setting the area on fire.
However, at that moment, Third Shadow's figure left the shadows, appearing right behind Seth. His body was being protected by a thick layer of darkness, shrouding him from the fire. There was a dagger in his hand, where he had already applied a special type of demonic poison, able to put anyone to sleep.
Seth turned around to defend against him, but he was a step slower this time.
Third Shadow's hand moved so fast even he himself wasn't able to accompany it with his eyes. His dagger pierced Seth's protective layer of Mana, getting stabbed into the middle of his stomach.
Although Third Shadow felt he was able to pierce Seth's skin and muscles, it had stopped there. It wasn't able to go forwards to reach one of his organs. However, that was enough, since the poison he had applied on that dagger was so strong, that it could actually put a powerhouse like him to sleep, in less than five seconds.
He raised his head to look at Seth's face with a malevolent smile on his lips. He thought it was a matter of seconds for Seth to go down, but suddenly, he was surprised after feeling Seth's hand grabbing his arm, the one he used to thrust the dagger forward.
Third Shadow hastily tried to pull his arm back, but Seth's grip was so strong he wasn't able to move even an inch. He didn't know how Seth was able to move even though he had been poisoned.
Seth grabbed Third Shadow's arm and suddenly, all the Mana he used to create that huge fire storm that had just exploded Seventh Shadow's darkness cage, served as a medium to manipulate the flames back. Seth was controlling the fire as if it was an extension of his arms. Just like they were his own.
The fire storm that had dispersed towards everywhere, suddenly descended in the whole area around Seth and Third Shadow, bringing the heat to unbearable levels.
Third Shadow panicked while he noticed what Seth was trying to do. He didn't know how Seth was able to create and control fire, much less how to manipulate it so thoroughly, but he knew that Seth was trying to suicide while cooking both of them inside those flames.
Third Shadow saw that sea of flames coming and used everything he had to strengthen the darkness protection around his body.
A second later, the fire storm descended around both of them, trying to rip his energy apart and burn his body to cinders. But he was a very strong practitioner and was able to resist it for some time.
However, a chill ran down his spine when he noticed Seth was smiling.
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