Sweep. Strike. Stab. Sweep. Block. Lightning strike.
Aegis. Block. Glancing blow. Thrust. Chop. Slam.
Attack. Attack. ATTACK. DEFEND. ATTACK!
Lassim’s thoughts had grown simple and focused over the next 5 hours. A glance at the always displayed ranking hologram from the jade bracelet showed his standing, and the dismal results of the other first-years. None of which he had encountered yet; even though he’d been cutting a path through the horde the entire time.
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Total Participants: 1,512
---Second Trial Ranking---
New novel chapt𝒆rs are published on ƒгeewebnovёl.com.
1. Lassim Vanthar - 36,985 pts
2. Rygar Wildheart - 29,766 pts
3. Sirium Giffard - 25,432 pts
4. Lustria Alisone - 25,279 pts
5. Tex Gravewood - 24,655 pts
6. Marcie Springwater - 24,300 pts
7. Camie Morcan - 23,949 pts
...
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Time Remaining: 16:24:03
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"Damn, it’s already down to 1,500 of us left." He commented as his focus returned to the battle, but it was too late. In the midst of this relentless assault of the horde, Lassim’s focus wavering for just a split second was a a moment of vulnerability that a cunning creature called an Iktomi exploited.
Reacting too late, a searing pain shot through his right leg as it was covered in a strand of corrosive spider thread that latched onto him. The substance was vile and burning through the fabric of his martial robe and onto his skin.
Lassim’s eyes widened in shock as the Iktomi, a grotesque amalgamation of twelve razor sharp spider limbs, sprang out from the mass of bodies attacking him. Its many eyes, red with no pupils like every other beast in the legion, gleamed with malevolence as it swiftly closed the distance.
Unable to free his leg to move out of the way, he could only watch as it was spinning more of its caustic threads to ensnare him further.
The creature deftly landed and positioned itself and long limbs to send the threads swirling around his body. He tried to swing his halberd in response but the thread itself was too thick and sticky for him to do anything about it. This Iktomi was the first SI 9 creature he had faced yet, and he realized it was just biding it’s time since it’s arrival. It was trying to assassinate him.
Becoming more and more enveloped in the corrosive threads, the pain was excruciating to him. Each strand that touched him seared his skin, sending jolts of agony coursing through his body. His martial clothes, their blue and gold colors—a symbol of his academy— were now tattered remnants under the Iktomi’s weaving.
Struggling against the binding threads, Lassim grunted, "Not like this..." His voice was growling in pain and defiance. The Iktomi, sensing its prey weakening, hastened its efforts, its many limbs working in unison to cocoon him in its deadly weave.
With each passing second, the bindings grew tighter, the corrosive threads eating away at his defenses and skin. Lassim writhed, his body screaming in torment, as he fought desperately to break free. His halberd, grasped tightly in his hands yet unable to move freely, strained and hurt his wrists.
Gritting his teeth, he channeled his elemental energies, the storm above responding to his call with a surge of power. The twin mote spirits in his inner-heart world felt the danger. They sensed the worry and the danger befalling their partner. Their worry was at it’s peak!
"NO! I’LL KILL YOU STUPID SPIDER!" he vowed, the air crackling with building energy.
With a Herculean effort, Lassim channeling all of his mana into his halberd, summoned the last reserves of his strength and mana. Lightning arced wildly around him. His frustration and will to break free surging as he gathered everything within him.
"RAAAAARGH!" He roared, condensing his muscles and body ready to unleash himself.
*Crack*
It was then that it happened.
*Crack*
It had begun.
*Crack*
The momentum of the world froze.
*Crack*
The mana in the air went solid.
*Crack*
They were ready.
*Crack*
This cracking sound was not just in his inner-heart world. No. It was real. The entire realm heard it.
~~~~
Far away from the source of the noise in the elemental plane, a distant group of students were battling with high intensity. They look battered and tired. Each of them with pure exhaustion among their faces.
Among them were Sirium and Lustria. The group was concerned and momentarily diverted their attention to the direction of the sound.
Sirium’s voice cut through the distraction, "Don’t lose focus! Whatever it is, we’ll worry about it later!" With that reminder, they returned their focus to the daunting legion before them.
However, Lustria couldn’t help but feel a surge of concern. She felt like she heard a whisper of desperation echo from her necklace which made her thoughts instinctively dart to Lassim. She was worried that something was happening to him, but she couldn’t take the time to go looking for him while they were surrounded.
She could only wish him well as she rejoined the fray launching arrow after arrow toward the legion in frustration.
~~~~
Back in the midst of his struggle, Lassim was still ensnared by the Iktomi’s threads, but a profound transformation was unfolding within him. The cracking sound of the twin elemental spirits’ eggs echoed through his inner world, resonating with the entire elemental plane, as it cast hues of blue and violet outwards.
The aura around his body, once barely perceptible, now thickened and pulsed, offering a shield against the Iktomi’s corrosive threads. The cocoon swelled in size, looking ready to burst and explode outwards, baffling the creature with the sudden surge of power that came from the cocoon.
The entire horde was paused due to the mana, shockingly, holding them solid in an area of 500 meters around the cocoon.
Within his heart world, the eggs finally shattered. Unleashing a torrent of elemental force that caused Lassim to be overwhelmed by the raw power flooding through him.
A euphoric and shaking sensation that was almost too intense to bear. His body perspired an intense amount with chucks of ooze exuding from his pores and sections of his skin falling off like sheets of paper over and over.
As the experience was overwhelming him, out burst the true forms of his elemental companions. Their appearance otherworldly and magnificent.
The blue and golden rune egged, belonging to the water elemental spirit, had shattered and then materialized as a majestic fish with its long, flowing fins waving gracefully like silk in the wind. Light and royal blue scales adorned its body, with runes of gold tracing the edges. It exuded and embodied a regality that surpassed that of the Prince of the Aurora Kingdom.
It’s appearance was that of the most royal upon royal upon royal version of the famed koi of Golden Lotus City. Its noble and serene demeanor exuded a queenly presence with ethereal beauty as golden waves sloshed in it’s wide eyes.
Simultaneously, the violet and golden runed egg that held the lightning elemental spirit, appeared as well. The being took the form of a majestic thunderbird. Its feathers were laced in a stunning array of violet with gold-tipped ends. Lightning wreathed and traced its form, while it’s eyes crackled in power with golden beams of lightning dancing within it’s sleek pupils.
These newly formed spirits, the Royal Koi and the Thunderbird, responded to the danger of the situation by manifesting outside the confines of Lassim’s cocoon.
The Thunderbird let out a sharp chirp where bolts of lightning surged forth from it’s open beak. The thick beams of violet obliterated the Iktomi and cleared a path of destruction across the battlefield nearly 300 meters behind it in a line. Each monster that was there behind it’s figure was now flakes of ash floating downwards.
The Royal Koi manipulated the storm’s rain, transforming it into a thousand swirling blades of water. The whirlpool of blades each slicing and dicing through the legion and opening Lassim’s cocoon. It opened an area around them by 500 meters and any creature caught in it’s motion fed the water elements into becoming darker with their ooze-blood.
As he burst forth from the remnants of the cocoon, Lassim collapsed to his knees, gasping for air.
His body was undergoing a rapid transformation, fueled by the advancement in cultivation. The thick blue and violet aura that now enveloped him was key to his changes. This aura, tangible and vibrant, was working to mold and advance his body to a new pinnacle of power.
Lassim, was doing his all to maintain his focus amidst the sudden chaos of battle and the birth of his elemental spirits. His body felt like it was being hammered and massaged all over. The sensation a mix of pain and pleasure that made it hard for him to do anything else but stay kneeling.
This continued for another five minutes as his height grew to be 175cm, with his features becoming more adult-like. It was an absurd notion that an 8.5 year old could experience such a thing, but his situation was unlike any other in the entire world. Where most would experience this growth at 14 years old and become Spirit Growth stage warriors, he had been a chosen one of the gods.
They wouldn’t limit him like the others as he was needed to grow quickly.
His hair was still black, yet now held traces of blue and gold at it’s tips. His eyes now were now slightly tinged violet about halfway through at the edges with brown centers.
The aura surrounding his body slowly came to a rest from it’s intense pulsing as the final changes to optimize and strengthen Lassim’s body were made. He took a deep breath and stared at the two creatures before him.
The koi, out in the world, was about 1 meter in length from tip to inner tail. Yet, each of it’s fins and tail seemed like never ending, graceful swaths of blue silk that swayed back and forth. Like it was swimming in an ethereal sea dimension that only it existed in.
The thunderbird was roughly 2 meters in height, but still appeared to have some childlike qualities. It’s violet feathers danced with the lightning, but had slight tufts of fresh and fluffy feathers on top of it’s head like some sort of cute, soft crown.
"So, uh, thanks for saving me, and hello?" Lassim slowly got to his feet and tilted his head as he greeted the two creatures for the first time. They’d shared a lot of mental emotions up until now, but he wasn’t sure what was going to happen next.