The next Dark World Zone ended faster than the first one. Without any Transcendents to defend, the Mortal Ranks could do nothing against us. Gathering the Energy and storing it took up more time than rounding up the guards and expendables in place.
However, it was noticeable that the Noxians placed there were less than the first Zone we closed. Looks like they only started to employ them or they're sending them to the outer Zones to speed up the constructions there. In any case, that became much easier for us.
When we left the Zone and got directed by the World's Will to the next one, her Incarnation showed up before us a distance away from it with its body leaking out some of her stored Energy on her shoulder. It's not reforming normally.
Did she get into a battle before meeting us? Won't we be exposed already? Seeing that there's no one chasing after her, she probably got that last night.
Upon seeing that, Fleur, Jayna, and Hikari stepped forward to look at it. And since I'm the one in contact with her, I also stepped out to look
"I thought you're recuperating? Your shoulder still looks damaged. Will you be fine?"
I pointed at her shoulder. I don't know if she's intentionally not healing it or it's something irreparable for her.
"This is fine. I got hit by another trap directed to Energy Incarnations. It won't be repaired easily until it disperses 20% of this Incarnation's stored Energy."
"Let me see if I can fix it up."
Jayna stepped forward and tried using her miniature Spirit Ocean to plug her shoulder. It worked as intended, however, it's a band-aid method that would wear out soon.
Next, Fleur also used her Water Elemental Energy to strengthen what Jayna put out but it got only enhanced for a bit.
And lastly, Hikari used a Light Elemental Spell, however, a healing skill like that only worked on flesh and blood bodies.
Seeing that it wouldn't hold too long, Jayna asked me to use my Energy Control to keep it intact. If it could be mended by Energy Control, the World's Will would have already done that. Her control is higher than mine after all.
But since Jayna asked, I still tried to do it by filling up the gaps with Flux Energy turned Aether Elemental Energy.
Now that I think about it… I haven't made a new skill which involves boosts again. Will I be able to create one which could specifically boost someone's Element? But what will be the effect? Elemental Affinity? Casting Speed? Output Enhancement? Specific Elemental Control?
Physique Boost not only replenishes the used up Energy but also boosts one's strength output. It can amplify someone's Strength just a bit.
Spirit Boost is the same except it amplifies someone's Endurance.
And Psyche Boost amplifies someone's Intelligence and clears their head apart from replenishing the Heroes' Psyche Energy. Since it was obviously a Psyche Type of Source Energy this meant that I already have three boosts for the three Types. Only Elemental Type and System Type are left.
I just got an inspiration with the Elemental Type but what about System Type? World Energy wasn't used that much nowadays except for maintaining my System. I have converted Flash Steps and Air Bullet to an Elemental Spell and I'm also thinking the same to my Level 2 Skills.
"What are you thinking?"
Because my hand was left placed on her shoulder that already stopped leaking her Energy while I went off on my overthinking habit, the Incarnation couldn't help but ask.
"I got inspired to create a new skill. Fleur, can I try this on you?
I replied before turning to Fleur who's silently waiting at my side.
Upon hearing that, her flaming red eyes shined for a bit. Despite her always calm appearance, she could also get excited about certain things. I still remembered that when I first saw her, she had her fun making from flaring Arland up.
She nodded and stepped forward, waiting for what I'm about to do.
I opened my palm and like how it was for the other boosts, I gathered a ball of Energy on top of my palm. Since it's Fleur, I specifically use pure Water Elemental Energy. At first, it looked pure enough for absorption but to turn it into a boost, I had to imbue what I wanted to do with it.
When I finished doing that, the pure blue Water Elemental Energy spun on my hand as it glowed for a bit. With it hovering atop my palm, I aimed my open palm to Fleur and shot the ball of Energy towards her.
As soon as it hits her, the ball of Energy seeps into her body and instantly spreads out letting her body glow in blue light for a bit.
[You have created a skill: Elemental Boost(8 Variations)]
[Elemental Boost: Replenish a target's energy and gives a 10% Elemental Energy amplification temporarily.]
And at the same time as the effect settled on her, the familiar notification about the creation of a new skill rang out inside my head.
"I feel my Water Elemental Energy to have gone up in intensity… But the duration isn't that long."
Before I could ask her, Fleur already described what she felt. Afterwards, she also gathered Water Elemental Energy on her palm. A Spell Nucleus and a single Elemental Node flashed for a bit before that ball of Energy shot out from her palm and bore a deep hole on the ground.
The 10% amplification included the absorption, output, and casting speed. Since it's not amplifying any of the three stats, it became possible to do that.
"Thank you for detailing it. It seems it's a success."
"Anything for you."
I heard her whisper in a voice that only I could hear. The way she also flashed a smile along with it increased my fondness of her.
Well, there's no time to flirt with her at the moment so I turned back to the World's Will to cast an Aether Elemental Boost on her.
Though she was surprised, she received it willingly. The patched-up shoulder of her instantly went back to its normal structure and the Energy she lost from the leak instantly got filled up.
Everyone exclaimed after seeing that and even the Incarnation showed an awed expression. By interacting with us, she's slowly perfecting her expressions and emotions.
Well, as long as she doesn't turn hostile to everyone, I also want to see what will happen to her when this World successfully leveled up.
After that brief pause in our mission, we once again readied ourselves for the next Dark World Zone. To disguise the World's Will's Incarnation, we relied on Boris' Illusion this time since Jayna's disguising technique won't work on her Incarnation body.
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"Huh? What's happening? How come there's no report from the outer Zones? What are they doing there?!"
The Transcendent standing guard at the third Zone shouted as she flew up to face us. Faced with our combined Transcendent Auras, her movement slowed down and a difficult expression appeared on her face.
When Hikari saw her, she recognized the Transcendent as one of those she fought against a week ago in front of Serenia.
Telling us she wanted to finish what she couldn't finish back then, we let her face the female Transcendent while we cleaned up Zone of the Dark World guards and the few Noxians in place.
In less than five minutes, I brought the Incarnation with me inside the area to take apart the devices. With her help, it became easier to store the Dark Energy in the whole zone.
A little above us, the battle against Hikari and the female Transcendent was still raging. Within a space filled with Dark Energy, the female Transcendent was proven to be stronger than a new Transcendent like Hikari. However, when we gathered all of the Dark Energy existing in this space, she instantly fell into a dilemma.
"You. You're not a Noxian… You're that fledgeling relying on someone else's support!"
Back during that fight, Hikari was being supported by Arland's Magus Tower. That's the reason why she could fight multiple Transcendents at once even without my Support Buffs.
Since Hikari kept using her signature spells, the female Transcendent guessed her identity even if she couldn't take the disguise off.
"So what? What will you do with that information?"
"Report you, of course! Out of the way!"
Since she's already at a disadvantage, without the Dark Energy which she could passively absorb, she instantly planned out her escape.
It's commendable but with six of us here, there's no way for her to run.
When she pulled away from Hikari, Jayna's vines came rushing towards her and restricted her feet. And even with only an illusion, Boris wielded his whip making it look like a gigantic greatsword as he slashed towards her. Contrary to her expectation that she would be cut in half, the whip only lodged to the female Transcendent's neck.
"Haa. I'm still weak. I can't finish her by myself."
Hikari lamented before delivering a final blow to the restricted Transcendent. When she fell from the air, her indignant expression could be seen plastered on her face.
Looking at that face who couldn't believe that she would die here made me think that it will also be what will happen to us, especially my Companions, if we failed to close the Portal and stronger Transcendents continued to descend in this world. Even if that Dark Elf Transcendent told us that there would only be 20+ Transcendents, it's not impossible for them to send more if the result remained stagnant.
We have to succeed no matter what. I don't want to see the expressions my girls had back in the Transcendent Mind Trial.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦