Hearing those words from Jayna made me realize that I wasn't putting on a calm face anymore. It was twisted by the pain brought by how I bit my lower lip and by whatever I was using to continue prioritizing her despite the rage which was telling me to let loose and rampage at this moment.
"It was a bit unexpected but we fell under their Formation. I did my best to wait for you. I knew you would come."
Despite the weakness she was feeling from the wounds and the exhaustion of her energy, Jayna reached for my cheek and let her hand stay there to calm me down.
Ignoring the hurried shouts of those who were chasing us from above, I closed my eyes and inhaled a deep breath. Taking in the words she said while pushing the rage I was feeling to the back of my mind, only then did I somehow regain my previous calm.
I opened my eyes and saw her smiling at me. She's not blaming anyone, it's really like she said. It was unfortunate but we fell under the enemy's Formation. There's no way to prevent it when we're in this much of a rush to close the Portal.
The rage that I felt… It was because of my own powerlessness to prevent this scenario from occurring. I wanted to vent all of it on these Dark World denizens to somehow make me feel better. The Adaptability didn't even trigger to calm me down or perhaps it saw my state as normal.
That's probably how I truly am, or it was the core of my being, with or without that ripped off memory… However, due to the absence of the reason why I am like that, I'm trying to change it by putting them at the top of my priority list. I'm trying to change the core of my being.
When I calmly tried to torture that Dark Soldier at the World of Systems, it was also seen as normal.
When I calmly asked the answer out from the two Dark Beastmasters after killing one of them cold-heartedly, it was also seen as normal.
When I calmly tortured that Dark Emissary to tell us the things that he knew, it was also seen as normal.
When I wiped out that encampment, it was also normal.
And here, when I chose to clean those Mortal Ranks outside first, it was also a normal behavior of me.
Now, ignoring the state of my mind to come to her side was the one thing it found abnormal. Hence, it reached this point of losing the calm on my face and ending in this realization.
Perhaps what Sofiel remembered about me were all the good parts in her eyes, disregarding what I truly was. I wouldn't know the truth since that was her own perspective.
Now that I'm aware of it, it's like the gear on my mind has been bathed by oil and started to run again.
Forget about the core of my being, I still wanted to put these girls at the top of my priority list.
When I reached this point, I exhaled the deep breath I took and opened my eyes once again.
The aching feeling on my lower lip vanished as it naturally healed up. While holding Jayna in my arms, I used the three boosts before taking out the Totem.
There wouldn't be enough time to conjure a clone to face the Mortal Ranks and the Transcendent coming down from above so…
3-nodes Wind Elemental Spell: Wind Bullet
Since it's just a version of Air Bullet which was enhanced by an additional Elemental Node, it could only be compared to a Level 2 Skill or Skill that a Rank 2 Mortal could use.
Running it with the Totem, it was enhanced up to the next level.
Unlike those Dark World denizens I shot with Darkness Bullets in the first Zone I closed with Jayna, the ones in here were all Rank 4 and Rank 5 Mortal. At most the Wind Bullets could hurt them but it was not enough to kill them.
But that's enough to buy me time. While still in my arms, I used the three Boosts on Jayna. When her complexion brightened, I then started the casting of the Aether Elemental Spell I created for this kind of situation. The Cure. The Proficiency of the spell was still at Dabbling and the injuries it could heal wasn't that great. It could only be compared to a first-aid.
Still, that's enough. Upon inspecting her, there were only a few injuries on her. She defended herself well even if disadvantaged to the extent that her strength went down near a Mortal Rank. If not for the Earthfire which surprisingly wasn't affected by the Chains or the Energy Restricting Equipment, she would probably receive more injury.
For now, she needed the rest and the replenishment of her used-up Energy. I don't have time to take off the Chains on her yet as the enemies are about to reach us.
Opening Bulwark of Invulnerability to cover her with the Quintuple Shields, I stood my ground and prepared for their attacks.
Once
Twice
Thrice.
Three Mortal Ranks' attacks simultaneously reached me but three Quintuple Shields blocked all of it which only resulted in cracks in its surface.
I threw the Willful Sword and it's probably still on its way back to me after lodging on that one particular Mortal Rank's shoulder. To return the favor to the three, the Level 2 Magic Missiles was activated and was enhanced by the Totem, flinging them further to back, each one rolling for a few meters before stopping.
None of them were dead, of course. It has only been a few seconds after I rushed from the passageway and grabbed Jayna away from the danger she was in.
After the three, four more Mortal Ranks dived down, they all came from a different tribe so all their Skill differed from each other, however, it's still not enough to penetrate the Quintuple Shields. They broke two layers but that's it.
It would be a shame not to return the favor to them as well so… before the attacks came, I activated another System-type related skill and ran it through the Totem in my hand. Level 2 Wizard Spell: Wind Blades!
They were all surprised but none of them could successfully dodge the Wind Blades which aimed to cut them open when it's activated in a point-blank range.
Good thing that I haven't converted these Skills yet or they would also need to be cast first.
I counted at least 50 of these Mortal Ranks ganging up on her. I killed some of them on my way to her but only half of what's left dived down to follow us on the ground.
As I fended off four more groups, the Transcendent who they called Sir Brave finally got his turn. With a hideous grin on his face, the Bluntforce-covered Paddle on his hand glowed in a dark light as he activated a skill towards me.
From behind him, three chains made of dark energy moved like snakes as they tried to restrain me.
Sure, he's strong as a Transcendent. However, I wouldn't stay here and face them if I'm not confident at defending ourselves against them.
Defeating him was still unclear and it would be decided from this. My next course of action would surely come from the result of this confrontation against a Transcendent.
This one wasn't there at the entrance, if I could guess correctly, the one who had just descended.
Jayna was the first one he had to deal with and judging from how he's not successful at that even after given more than 10 minutes in an advantageous position, he's probably another average Dark World Transcendent at the level of those others we killed on the way here.
Fleur and the others were probably in the same situation but only one of them would face the other Transcendent. For now, I couldn't really care about the two Heroes.
Besides, there's the prophecy of the Principal which I could bank on. As long as I appeared in this world, none of the Heroes would die.
I still have no idea if that has an expiration but for now, that's a fact which was even proven inside my Transcendent Mind Trials.
"What are you spacing out for?! Move out of the way or die together!"
'Sir Brave' roared furiously as he brandished his paddle, the dark energy chains he conjured hit the Quintuple shields and broke all three layers. However, the chains were also reduced to one.
And that one chain tried to latch onto my body. I let it because dodging would mean Jayna behind me will be the one to take the hit.
This guy's demands are pure bullshit, huh? As if someone will do what he shouted.
One breath, two breaths, three breaths.
When the chain fully tightened on me, I felt a powerful tugging force that instantly lifted me from the ground.
And at the same time as that, 'Sir Brave' sneered and probably thought he could now hit me with his paddle…
"It's still too early to celebrate, don't you think so?"
Energy Incarnate Form!
Nullification Zone!
Phase!
I transformed to my Energy Incarnate Form and instantly activated the Nullification Zone. After reaching the 5-Rivers Transformation Realm, it's now in its complete state which gave me another boost on Energy Control.
Using that to mend some of the restrictions I received, it increased the efficiency of the Nullification Zone which I focused solely on his paddle. Nullifying the Energy that covered a part of it.
And lastly, to dodge that, I activated the Phase skill exclusive for my Energy Incarnate Form, letting the now Energy-less paddle pass through me, unhindered.
"Y-you!"
'Sir Brave' blurted out when the attack he's so sure would connect phase through me. Following that, his body continued to descend and reached my arms' reach.
Filling my fist with Flux Energy, I charged it up with Energy Explosions before squarely punching the Transcendent on his abdomen.
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