[Enkonimiya's POV]
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There are millions of races across the universe. Each having their own speciality and weakness. Their own living conditions and their own evolutionary pathways.
There exists a race at the very basic level, called Snakemen. As the name suggests, they have the power of snakes while also having the capability of walking on the land as well as swimming in the water. Now, the snake race evolves into various other beings, for example Slythereen, which I came across a few moments ago and also another pathway which leads to the Medusae.
Medusae is a really special pathway for the Snakemen, available only to those who have upgraded their core to the maximum before evolution. It is a very honored race among the Snakemens, and is considered as the Elders or maybe the Elites of the society.
Their powers include all the powers of Snakemen, along with the ability to turn everything they see into stone. Not limited to physical objects, they can even freeze thoughts if they have the ability to see through a person.
Above that, they gain multiple lives with each of their heads capable of regenerating the entire being, even if the other 99 are dead. Kind of a pain-to-kill race, if I say so.
Though they aren't omnipotent. Their ability doesn't work on beings stronger than them, or higher than them. Or certain metals like Mythrils and all. Though rare, it's not hard to get that material if you are willing to pay the price for it.
But we aren't just dealing with any Medusae here…
'An Elder Medusae,' I thought as I observed that woman, with golden snakes instead of hairs on her head, and body made up of golden scales. Her azure eyes, that looked like a galaxy was stored in them, looked at me with a slightly interested gaze.
"I didn't think I would get to see someone as strong as you on this planet," Medusae spoke as she began attacking me from left and right. The ground rumbled with each movement her snake-like body was making, and from beneath the ground, a couple of snakes jumped at me, which I cut down using the aura sword that I made from my mana.
"Impressive," she chuckled as she began channeling more power into her attacks, attacking more and more aggressively, while her eyes turned greener and greener. Not long after, those eyes started glowing, and I had to use a mana shield to prevent myself from getting stoned.
"My turn," I said as I took a deep breath and used 100% of my power, covering the entire sky around us with dark clouds, soon followed by a rain that was made up of mana that only I could use.
The rain recharged my own mana pool, healed me up at a rapid rate and weakened that Medusae. Every drop that was pouring on that Medusae was burning her flesh from outwards, making her wriggle in pain as she burrowed inside the ground hiding from the water.
"Running, are we?" I chuckled as I forced a huge amount of mana into the ground, taking control over the very ground itself. I could sense her body getting weaker and weaker inside the ground and not long after
-KREEEECCCCHHHHH!!!
A deafening cry was heard from the ground below as she moved up and looked at me with her flesh being eroded every second, showing a bit of her muscles and bones.
"[Inspirido]" she speaks an ancient language that stops most of the movements of everything around her. The rain drops paused, the debris slowed down, making me see everything around her moving in slow motion.
"[Reverbro]" she spoke again and her skin healed at a rapid rate as I observed her getting more powerful, or more like gaining back her initial powers. I wanted to stop her, but my own body felt heavy as I couldn't move even one step. All I could do was stare at her, changing her form with each passing moment.
And after she was completely transformed into something which was a huge snake, she looked at me from high above the ground and said,"this is how far you go."
pαndα`noν?1~сoМ And I smiled as I muttered under my breath,"110%."
I was happy. While fighting against father was exciting too, but that won't be considered as a real fight. More like a spar, to be honest. But this one
-Whoosh!
I saw her vanishing from my front as she appeared behind me in an instant, trying to bind me using that snake body of hers. If I turn around, I will turn to stone. My ability isn't strong enough to deflect her skills this close.
'Let's create some distance,' I thought as I jumped away from her and closed my eyes, turning on my superior mana sense. I saw her mana fluctuating all over the place as she tried getting closer to me.
Her snakes were still present inside the ground, trying to break free from the spell I cast on the ground. And even if they did break through the ground, the rain will surely get them.ραпdα `n?ν?| сom
"Stop running around!" she shouted as she tried catching me again, but I jumped into mid air and dodged her attempt to get me. At first, she was able to get close to me, but as time passed, I was able to read her movements beforehand.
"You vile snake!" she shouted, and I couldn't help but give her a wry look. The heck she was talking about?
'Need to break this deadlock,' I thought as I wondered if there was a way of getting closer to her without getting trapped by her eyes. I doubt it would be easy to get close to her, even with my eyes closed.
"Is that all you got?" I heard her mocking voice as she increased her speed even more than before, immediately getting close to me. My eyes widened as my heart skipped a beat. I saw.. Err… sensed her right in front of me before I could even analyze her movements.
Immediately pouring an extra amount of energy into the sword that I created,
-Slash!
"AAAAAAAA!!!" I cut her face, making her shout out loud as she moved away from me. It wasn't just her own reaction to move away from me, but also the power behind the slash was enough to push her a bit far away from me.
Taking a deep breath, I saw her a few hundred meters away as I calmed my breath. The heck was that?
"YOU! YOU WERE STILL HIDING YOUR POWERS?!!!" Her face was shocked as her eyes looked at me with disbelief. She could only gawk at me as I sighed before looking at the power I just used.
'250%, Huh? Almost killed her there,' I thought as I sighed really deeply. I wanted to have fun while playing with her. Why does she have to go out of her way and run at me like that? Was she trying a surprise attack?
'Well, I was surprised all right,' I thought as I looked at her with slight annoyance on my face.
Moving one step closer to her at a time, I saw her face looking at me with fear now. Perhaps she realized the difference in power with that one attack? Not like I can do that attack many times, but still.
"Can I ask you a question?" as I got closer to her, I suddenly realized something. Something that I didn't think of much before, but now that I concentrate on it, it should have been pretty obvious.
"W-what?!" she shrieked as she took a few steps back. Her eyes trying to analyze her surroundings as she searched for a way out of it. Or perhaps get another chance to attack me?
-Whoosh!
Yep, she was looking for a chance to attack me. But I was done playing games so
-Slash!
I cut her again, pushing her a bit farther away from me, once again making her wriggle in pain as she tried getting a hold of her body.
"You are strong. As strong as an Ingrate to be honest. So, can you answer this question of mine, Medusae? What exactly are you doing here working under an Ingrate rather than creating your own domain?" I asked as I reached closer to her.
Ingrates are blessed by that being. If she had chosen to become an Ingrate, she would have been tested first, but given her bloodline and powers, I don't think she will fail that test, and even acquire a higher power. But here she is, weak and pathetic, working under another Ingrate, the Witch of Darkness.
"I… she is my savior. I would rather die than-" she began speaking but
"All right. All right. I understood the context. You can stop now." I got bored just hearing those cliche words. All my interests and curiosity died right then and there.
She just looked at me with her mouth still half open as she observed me. Her eyes were a bit irritated at my response and though the lingering sadness was present on her face, mostly it was stupefaction now.
I looked at a distance where Alex and the others were coming towards us. They seem to be injured a bit, but since I didn't find any serious injuries on them; I turned my attention back to the Medusae.
"I guess, I won? What's next then?" I thought as I wondered what should be my next move as I looked at her, 'Should I just kill her?'
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