"Ah! This is humiliating. My strength dwindled to this meager Rank 1 Transcendent. What is this?"
Ignoring the clash of gazes in front of her, the one that was summoned in place of one of the Dark Elf women grumbled at her current strength. Though they're just made from those Black Smokes, unlike the Black Smoke Giant from before, they took on a more physical form wherein they're somewhat like me. Someone who took in the physical form of my real body despite being made purely from energy.
I guess that's the difference between a Mortal Rank Incarnation and a Transcendent Rank when using those 'Sacrificial Spheres'. The eight behind them were like that Black Smoke Giant, only taking up the silhouette of their real body and their strength only ranged from Rank 5 and Rank 4 Mortals.
"Shut up. Yulan. That isn't even your real body, just be content with what you get. Do you want to change places with them?"
The third Transcendent Incarnation clicked her tongue and reprimanded the woman before pointing to those behind them who were grumbling at being summoned as a Mortal Rank Incarnation. After that though, she remained calm and swept her gaze around her.
"What do you know, Remi? It's humiliating to fight someone we can crush with our real bodies."
She opened her palm and conjured a huge flame on it which she also put out by closing her palms.
"Say that to the Great One. We were told about this happening. With their Helper in place, the possibility of them growing fast to hinder our plans were accounted for. But this tribe… they waited until they're on their last legs before turning to use the spheres."
The third Transcendent called Remi by the second one shook her head and once again clicked her tongue with clear disdain in her words directed at the Dark Elves who sacrificed their lives just to summon them.
However, this one instantly understood the situation with the Dark Elves which led to this point. She's probably the most troublesome among the three. Compared to the first one who instantly stepped up and tried to pressure us but was easily blocked by Yumiko, or the grumbling flame woman, this Remi gave off the feeling that she's the calmest and the strongest among the three.
The eight behind were negligible as they will not be a threat but just added arms to stop us. Yse and the others will be enough to take care of them, they're also buffed after all. Even if it's only below 70%, it's more than enough.
"Daisuke, I will go in. I feel like I can win against this one."
Yumiko who was still locked in a staring contest with the first Transcendent said. She's already under my Domain of Valor and the Bulwark of Invulnerability, add the enhancement of her strength from her borrowed strength from one of the Higher Spirits, she's fully buffed.
"Alright. If the other two joined in, I'll hold them off."
"I'm also here. With Daisuke's buff, I can stand against one of them."
Jayna stepped up and conjured her two Seas which had the properties of her Earthfire as a show of her strength. Compared to when she first assimilated it, she's now more versed at its use. Every ability she possessed and her whole Mortal Pathway was now influenced by it.
After acknowledging what she wanted to do, Yumiko's aura grew stronger which instantly put the Transcendent Incarnation to a disadvantage.
The staring contest they were having evolved to a contest of their Transcendent Auras.
Yumiko's aura shone in chestnut-brown light which spread in front of her and molded to an enormous fist shape.
Upon seeing that, her opponent didn't dilly-dally and tried to match what she did, transforming his Transcendent Aura as an opened palm to receive Yumiko's fist.
"Daisuke, what about us?"
Ezyn who had just recovered from the Transcendent pressure asked. When I looked at him, what happened to them didn't discourage him at all. And the same could be said to the others who strengthened their knees as they waited for my command.
Before answering them, I first observed the other two Transcendent Incarnations who started focusing on what's happening in front of them, the second Transcendent, Yulan, had her arms crossed while having a smug grin on her face while the third one was saying something directed to those Mortal Incarnations. Unlike earlier, she probably blocked it to prevent us from hearing her.
She's really smart, eh? It seems that I wouldn't be able to get more information from them.
After she's done talking, the eight Mortal Incarnations behind her turn around and start to move towards the room behind them. As to what they will do, she probably wanted them to check on the situation to the remaining Dark Elves if there were still any.
She's probably confident that the three of them were enough to stop us. Well then, I am also quite confident with Yumiko and Jayna.
"There, Ezyn. Stop them and if you can, eliminate them. The room behind was probably where the Core is. Finish it fast and destroy the Core. That way, the restriction on us will be lifted."
The remaining Dark Elves if there's still any wouldn't pose any threat to them. Even if that was just 10%, it would be a deciding factor in a close battle.
"Leave it to us!"
As soon as I finished my sentence, the seven of them, with Ezyn leading them, started running towards the eight Mortal Incarnations.
Ezyn even transformed back to his true form as he flew forward with Yse closely following behind him.
And as expected, the two Transcendents instantly saw them rushing forward. The Transcendent named Remi threw Yulan a glance as she probably refused to move against mere Mortals.
"This is laughable. Mere Mortals trying to skip past Transcendents? Burn!"
Though indignant, Yulan moved from her position and instantly conjured a flame in her hand. She then casually threw it towards Ezyn's group.
Just by the intensity of those flames, there's no doubt that it's an attack that only a Transcendent could endure.
Of course, I wouldn't just send them there without accounting the two Transcendents.
Before the flame could even travel halfway, four clones were already blocking it. With the use of the improved Flash Step and their Purple Swords, they successfully barred the flame however it also disintegrated all four in mere seconds. Either way, their purpose was realized, letting the seven slip past the Transcendents and engage the eight Mortal Incarnations before they reached the door.
Ezyn in his true form started it by beheading the one lagging behind while Yse and Harlan instantly moved in front of the door blocking their way.
Upon seeing that, Yulan angrily stomped her feet to stop them, however, she was once again blocked by the reformed clones.
Enraged by another interference, she gave up going after Ezyn's group and turned towards my direction. The silent Remi also did the same. The former was glaring while the latter was observing me with her sharp eyes as if she's trying to read me.
And on the other side, Yumiko and the first Transcendent's attacks finally met each other in the middle. However, the difference between them was instantly displayed. Without losing any strength, the fist Yumiko conjured tore open the black palm.
The guy tried to create more palms and stacked it in front of him. However, it also posed no difficulty for Yumiko's brown fist to pass through it.
Terrified by that glaring difference, the Transcendent could only conjure more of his Aura to try and protect himself. From his feet, a wall made of the Black Smoke was also conjured.
Nonetheless, when the fist made from Yumiko's Transcendent Aura finally reached him, even those were proven futile. Every defense he raised was broken through and landed on his body with almost all of its strength intact.
"Aargh!"
With a bloodcurdling scream, the first Transcendent was sent rolling backwards, the Black Smoke which comprised his body reduced to an extent.
Just that casual attack from Yumiko already reduced him to that state. Did I overestimate these Transcendent's strength or it's just Yumiko was already too overpowered for a Rank 1 Transcendent? In any case, that's one Transcendent down, I guess?
With that show of difference in strength, the other two Transcendents, Yulan and Remi, whose focus were originally on me, both moved to catch their peer.
"Are Mortal World Transcendents this strong? There's that guy who's clearly an incarnation like us but kept on hindering me and now this…"
Yulan asked in doubt. The previous smug attitude wiped away from her voice.
"That's the Helper. It's understandable that she's strong but it should not be to this extent. And that guy, he's the real problem here. Is that his Domain or just his Skills? He's an Incarnation but also as strong as a Transcendent. Which world is he from?"
Remi answered her and pointed at me instead of Yumiko, this time, maybe there's no chance to put up a sound barrier, their conversation was heard by us.
With their attention taken by us, Ezyn and the others now have no problem and could focus on finishing off the other Incarnations. With the buffs in place, even the weakest of them could fight a Rank 5 Mortal.
The first Transcendent is probably already as good as defeated but that Remi… She's the biggest threat here. Yulan also hadn't shown what she's really capable of and none of them even made use of either a grand skill or their Transcendent Pathway.
Either way, they're restricted to Rank 1 Transcendent. If that Remi is as smart as she looks then she would have noticed that by now, they wouldn't be able to defeat us. Unless they still have a card up their sleeves.
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