Back at the location of the Blue Core, Grenol couldn't help but pace around it with the communication crystal in his hand. It has already been a while since he sent his reply to Irja who reported their current situation.
He's waiting for a follow-up report but it appears that he wouldn't get it anytime soon.
Up above, the six blue and 3 red circles were still on that side of the map.
Although Monady and the others were at a numerical advantage, they were being overwhelmed by the enemies who they believed are from a higher world.
In Grenol's mind, thoughts about what to do to improve the situation apart from the three reinforcements they sent were juggling in his mind.
The objective of this space is simple but no matter how simple it is, if there's an opposition a lot stronger than them, the chances of completing it are lower than 50%.
"Can you stop that? They're still fighting. Even though their enemies proved to be stronger than them, they're holding their ground." Rodney said.
Although he said that, like Grenol, he was also being restless. They were just thinking of the right approach now that they got the numerical advantage.
However, as it turns out, the other scattered reds were from a higher world.
At the moment the six from the attacking team were locked in combat with an unclear outcome. They asked for reinforcements but it wouldn't be able to get there in a blink. Besides they had to be vigilant.
Even if their numbers were still 20, one of the scouts was seriously injured and he was sent back to recuperate for a while.
"I know. However, with that kind of variable… We can't just stay here and not think of a way." Grenol replied. He knew that if he's the one sent outside, those six will not be in a difficult situation. He's confident to hold his ground against that higher world denizen. But what's done is done, they had to adapt to the current circumstance.
"Why don't we make use of the scouts to brave it in their Core? We need to know what kind of defense they have. Rather than pick them off one by one. We have to take the initiative to destroy the core they're guarding." After thinking for a while, Rodney suggested.
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A few minutes after treating Irja, I am now riddled with injuries with my energy reserves dwindling to a critical level. If this continues, I might faint once more.
I glanced behind me and Irja was still recuperating by circulating her energy to speed up the effects of the pill I had her take. At the same time, she was filling up her lost energy.
During the past few minutes, with the Haste expiring, Rowena didn't just attempt once to stop her. However, to let my only shot at defeating this woman be back in full power, I put my body on the line. And that resulted in my injuries.
Thanks to my Transformation that turned me into an Energy Incarnate whose Physical Resistance rose through the limits, I estimated that more than 60% of Rowena's attack power was absorbed and negated.
However, the remaining 40% which consisted of her own Energy supplementing her attacks was enough to turn me into the same bloody mess like her.
"Hmph." The blonde woman remarked after kicking away another one of my clones.
No matter how many clones I conjured. They're all cannon fodder that couldn't last for more than 10 seconds against her.
From the look in her eyes, she's already forgone the thought of getting past me. With renewed vigor, her focus was now aimed at taking me down before Irja could recover.
At the moment, her Energy was skyrocketing as if she wasn't going to run out of it anytime soon.
It's a Level 3 Source Energy. It could suppress my Level 2 Flux Energy to a certain extent. Perhaps, only the Psyche Energy could stand against it without being suppressed. But without any replenishment for the past month, it's already about to be depleted.
Surrounding her body, the golden glow has already seeped through her body making it appear as if she's made of gold like the golden statues we took down. The wounds she got from Irja closed and the blood which stained her body evaporated turning her into a flawless golden figure.
It didn't appear to be a Transformation Skill but more of a Physical Enhancement.
However, after minutes of facing her, I had thoroughly observed this opponent. That's in exchange for a little sacrifice consisting of broken bones and punctured holes in my body.
This is the first I received this kind of injury apart from what I experienced during my Transcendent Trials. If my Companions could see me right now, I couldn't imagine what would be their reactions.
Through my observation, I discovered that Rowena is draining more of her Energy if she would come into physical contact.
True, it gave her an almost indestructible body and a strength which surpassed her current Strength Stat but that's in exchange for the use of her Source Energy.
It's possible that it was the reason for her persistent dodging from earlier. She's spending more energy if she was hit. She wanted to spend her energy on hitting us.
Well then, why don't we test that theory?
"You're strong, I admit. And I am pitifully a weak match against you. But do you know? I can't afford to die here." For the first time, I opened my mouth to converse with her.
Monady and the other three were still locked in a seemingly disadvantageous fight against Larnel and Yordi. When the Haste expired, Yordi took that chance to aid the bloodied Larnel who got the retribution from his arrogance from earlier.
Like Rowena, the two had long turned themselves into a golden figure as they tried to finish the fight as soon as possible. But with the observation I sent to Monady, she managed to devise a plan to stall for time while keeping them all alive. Hopefully.
? Right. With Yordi joining the fray, their chances of winning dropped to the lowest and they could only stall for the time until the reinforcements arrived. The two or rather these Gobos Denizens seemed to be a bane of melee combatants like them. If they're not faster than the two, there's no way they could win. Add to that the apparent advantage in their UPL.
It's already a miracle that no one died yet.
"Aren't we all? Only one team can leave this space. Like you, we cannot afford to lose."
After saying that, Rowena disappeared and reappeared to my side with her fist clenched tight.
BANG!
With no time to dodge, I could only clench my teeth to direct the System-related Energy Shield on that side to amplify the damage reduction.
Nonetheless, it delivered me immense pain that I had no choice but to cough out a puddle of blood as I was uncontrollably sent flying away before being embedded into a ruined house's wall. Soon after that, the entire structure fell onto me banging my body to the extent that the broken bones on my chest became powdered to dust.
"Ember!" Although it's already faint, I heard Irja's shout before explosions rang out along with a huge amount of Energy being sucked into that direction.
Haa… Can I still stand up? I don't know. But…
Even with me being buried in this rubble, my Clones and the two Guardian Pillars that were about to be cracked were all commanded by me to bombard the blonde Rowena.
Unfortunately, even seeing through the clones' eyes was now hard enough for me to do.
If not for my Adaptability, perhaps, I had already given up. This is the first time I got injured like this and this is also the first battle where running away alone is not an option…
In any case, I still have some cards I hadn't used yet. There's no point to hold back anymore but first I needed to replenish my energy reserves.
If the Domain of Valor which gave them the additional stats suddenly vanished, it's a certainty that everyone will die.
With my Flux Energy about to run out, I instantly shifted my focus on creating an Energy Zone and put me under it before actively absorbing everything.
If someone was looking in this direction, they would see the furious clouds of energy gathering on top of the Zone which shined and rained down the ruin of a house.
Given that Irja finished recovering or perhaps not, I could only take this chance and hope for her to stand her ground for a minute. That's all I need. A minute.
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Although she decided not to strain herself, when Irja saw Daisuke being sent away, even if she hadn't finished recuperating yet, she stood up and activated her Transformation Skill.
Vibrant Spirit Transformation!
Fi and En reformed from her side with the former seemingly forlorn after its failed attempt to completely block the explosion from earlier.
However, Irja just stared at the two and mentally gave the two Lesser Spirits instructions.
She picked up her broomstick, aimed it at the golden figure and a bigger sphere of colorful Energy Attack launched from its tip.
From her opposite side, the four clones of Daisuke have already circled around and despite one of them instantly popping into becoming an energy wisp with a simple sweep of Rowena's feet, Energy Explosion Projectiles were conjured and shot towards her.
Upon seeing that, Rowena's eyes flashed, her yellowish aura expanded once more and turned into a whirlwind. Rendering the clones Energy Explosion Projectiles useless leaving only Irja's Energy Attack to be the lone projectile she had to protect herself against.
However, contrary to her expectation, Rowena suddenly felt a chilling sensation when there's not only one colorful sphere approaching her.
Fi and En formed a triangle including Irja. With Rowena in the middle, the two Lesser Spirits mimicked what Irja did enclosing the proud Rowena in their colorful Energy Spheres.
"Die!" Irja shouted.
This 𝓬ontent is taken from fre𝒆webnove(l).𝐜𝐨𝗺