As my Avatar activated the derived Sword Skill from the Karmic Slash Jewel, the chasing Transcendents all stopped in their tracks, wary of its terrifying Energy Control which unrestrainedly drew the surrounding Dark Energy. The blue Swordforce covering the Purple Sword and the Dark Energy combined giving it a more startling glow in their eyes.
Their surprise didn't just come from how strong the intensity it was exuding but also the absurdity of what's in front of them. They never would have thought that a mere 'clone' could do that. The Rank 1 Transcendents got confused and that earned me the necessary time to pull away from them, much better than the five clones provided.
Because it is my Avatar, its connection with me allowed its vision and everything happening with it to be transferred to me. The Sword Skill it unleashed contained two Intents, Change and Luck. Change for the attack's unpredictability and Luck for the success rate of its change.
Understanding the components of that derived Sword Skill… It made me realize that 'derived' is an understatement. It's the Karmic Slash converted to a Sword Skill.
I guess if not for it being categorized as a Jewel Skill, it will be put into one of my Sword Skill slots.
Upon seeing the Sword Skill it unleashed, the Rank 1 Transcendents' guards were all put up. Some produced a defensive Output Enhancing Equipment and filled it with their Dark Energy while some just straight-up conjured a barrier made by controlling the Dark Energy around them and their own energy.
The crowned Avatar seeing their responses on its attack used that opportunity to follow up with another attack. It pointed its purple sword to one of them. In a blink of an eye, numerous Energy Explosion Projectiles flew towards its target, even faster than the ever-changing Sword Skill it just unleashed.
Even without seeing the result, that's most likely one less Rank 1 Transcendent on their side. If he didn't die from it, then being disabled in this chase is the minimum outcome.
At this point, the few seconds it bought me just from halting their tracks already brought me far enough from them. When he unleashed that follow-up attack, I stopped bothering to look through the Avatar's eyes and just ordered it to follow me after throwing them off.
Continuing on my way back to the hill where the Portal hung above it, although I lost the Rank 1 Transcendents through the help of my clones and the Avatar, there's still someone behind me.
Remilia, who looked like she's just strolling at a park, smirked upon watching the occurrence with my Avatar. Only giving a slight interest in my Avatar, it earned a few nods from her before continuing to tread and follow behind me.
"What kind of Pathway are you treading on? I've never seen anyone with that diversity of skills until you. Even your breakthrough earlier didn't look like a breakthrough for a Transcendent Pathway at all. Is that the reason why it's awfully interested in you?"
Breaking her silence, her voice traveled straight to my mind. Although the question sounded vague, she's probably pertaining to the World's Will of this World.
"It's a secret. Catch me if you want to know."
She's also in the range of the telepathy from the Spirit Pathway so I answered without bothering to open my mouth.
It's closer in range than I thought it was. However, it's still a bit better than casting a Communication Spell or using Energy Linkage.
"I understand. Daisuke wants to play like this, huh? Very well, you still have time to get away from me. Do your best!"
She looked up and stared at the dim sun above, probably estimating the time.
This woman is clearly joking with me. Get away from her? I'm burning my energy reserves to go at full speed but there's no way to lose her on my tail. She looks so at ease at following behind me that even if she's also burning through her energy, the maintenance is sufficiently lower than mine. Add to that her energy reserves which totally outclassed mine with a certain number of zeros. That smile plastered on her lips which somehow looked alluring earlier is gradually becoming terrifying.
I refrained from replying to her and just moved forward, sometimes using the Short Distance Teleportation, Flourishing Steps or Vanishing Steps just to make an attempt to throw her off. However, all of those were of no use.
We already left the rocky terrain and entered the sky above the red pine forest. If before, the beasts residing in there were just scurrying away from being terrified with our Transcendent Aura, this time, most of them directly lost consciousness. Some even died straight away. And the reason for that is the woman following me.
She's not really chasing after me. She could overtake me any moment she wanted to but for her own amusement, she gave me this chance to escape from her, a lot different than how she carried herself when she was just a Transcendent Incarnation. If someone's watching from afar, it will be like she's accompanying me as she purposely slowed down for my sake.
Before I knew it, she's now flying next to me, the silver armor of hers clinking as she moved ever-so-slightly.
At times she would open a conversation by projecting her voice in my mind. Although she stopped asking about my Pathway, she started to make idle talk like asking about Yumiko who she fought against back then, seemingly curious about my relationship with my Companions. If not for what she said about her interest in me, I would've thought that she's just doing this to mess with my mind.
In any case, there's no doubt that she's truly messing with me. The confidence I got from breaking through to the fourth realm was now meaningless in front of this girl.
Maintaining the same speed, we left that area unhindered with many dead beasts in our wake.
As the hill where I came from and the obvious Portal above it came into view, the hope of jumping back at it somehow reignited on me. The Orb of Concealment on my hand was already clutched tightly and could be activated at any moment.
However, at the same time as that, Remilia stopped talking and that enchanting smile on her face also froze, turning almost expressionless. Her bright eyes also lost their glow.
"It's a shame. This brief time we're sharing has to come to an end. It's time to catch you, Daisuke."
Along with that cold voice, a Domain spread out from below her feet.
As soon as that happened, the silent Adaptability that's not reacting to her started ringing uncontrollably. It's constantly changing from yellow and red.
[You have entered the Graveyard of Blades]
[Your Adaptability reduced the Domain's effectiveness on you to 70%]
[Your Speed has been reduced by 35%]
[Your Strength and Endurance have been reduced by 35 points]
[Every 24 seconds inside the Graveyard of Blades, you will be under the assault of Invisible Blades that is comparable to a Rank 2 Transcendent's attack]
Upon seeing that series of notifications, I finally got the gist of why my Adaptability kept on switching from yellow and red. This Domain of Remilia is the strongest I've encountered to date. Those Rank 1 Transcendents who were chasing after me earlier couldn't hold me or even slow me down in their Domains but her Domain even reduced my stats and my Adaptability which is probably the thing I counted on the most only reduced its effectiveness to 70%. Although it's already a huge reduction, I may have gotten too spoiled with the superiority of my Energy Control.
There's no going around with someone like her. There are only two possible outcomes for me here, successfully escaping or successfully captured.
Before her Domain completely opened, I pulled away from her and instantly activated the Orb of Concealment.
When Remilia saw the purple aura covering my body, she waved her hand once more and a blade was conjured in front of it. Grabbing that blade, she casually took a step and promptly appeared in front of me.
Before I could raise any defense, she slashed down and the Concealment Aura which I was betting on shattered into pieces like glass.
For the first time since I got this Orb, the day when someone breaks it finally arrives.
With her expressionless face, Remilia then pointed her blade at me. The glint at its tip looked exceedingly deadly that the warning signs now stayed longer in a lighter hue of red. She might not want to kill me but injuring me in a way that I wouldn't be able to attempt to escape was more than possible.
"Can you let me go?"
I gulped down the accumulated saliva in my mouth as I raised my hand and stopped any form of resistance. This is a pointless question but still, I wanted to ask her just for the sake of any hint of hope that she will.
I still have a lot of skills but none of those will be able to get out of this situation. Even the Bonds of Serendipity which should give me a much-needed Skill at this moment wasn't triggered. Most likely there's no such Skill even from my Companions.
"Unfortunately, no, I can't. You're someone from the other side. Interacting with you was fun but it has to end. You can either surrender quietly or… I will have to force you to do it. It's your choice, Daisuke."
Remilia answered, her previous tone appeared briefly before changing back to the cold, unfeeling one as she pushed the blade closer to my neck, with its tip poking my skin, my blood instantly dripped down from it and stained my collar.
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