I rushed forward rapidly as the surrounding scenery blurred. I didn't know where I was going, but I knew that I couldn't stop.
The lanchonies weren't beings that I could simply just outrun.
No matter where I went, I knew they'd track down. So, I had to figure out a way to escape their notice. But how?
How exactly was I going to do that?
"There's no information about anyone ever escaping a lanchony's pursuit. In that case, is my only option killing them?'
I bit my lips tightly, feeling the sting on my lower lips as I pressed forward.
That was easier said than done.
Whole the lanchonies specialized in pursuit, they were still Terror-Ranked creatures. It would take a bit of ti for to kill them. By then, the other lanchonies would catch up, alongside the ones who had set them to chase after .
I just couldn't afford to tangle with them.
Swoosh!
All of a sudden, the space before warped, and a long white clothing erged from behind it as a slender hand reached out for .
My heart pounded as a cold finger brushed against the tip of my nose, sending shivers down my spine. The air grew colder, and an eerie whisper echoed in my ears, making my blood run cold.
'Shit....!'
I pressed my foot against the ground and twisted my body, in an attempt to change direction. Unfortunately, the montum carried forward and I continued to slide in the direction of the lanchony. Unable to stop myself, I hastily lowered my body and just barely managed to avoid the lanchony's grasp.
My hair fluttered as I just barely managed to avoid the lanchony and gritting my teeth, I shot away.
Just barely, I had managed to avoid the lanchony.
....Or at least, I thought.
Swoosh, swoosh-
The space before warped once more and several hands erged from out of nowhere, reaching out to in an attempt to stop .
My heart pressed at my throat.
'I can't dodge.'
My forward montum was too great.
In that instant, I envisioned a purple orb in my mind, and the hands that were nearing suddenly swept through my body.
"Ukh!"
I stumbled forward a few steps as a cool sensation seeped into my bones. The cold made my head feel light, and for a brief mont, I lost my bearings.
By the ti I recovered, cold sweat poured down from the side of my face as the space in front of warped once more and several lanchonies appeared before .
"Ah, shit..."
I hastily looked around as my chest trembled.
Looking up, I could only see a thin strip of gray sky above because of the massive cliffs on either side.
This gash in the earth extended several hundred ters.
I was within the insides of a large gorge.
Quickly scanning the cliff faces, I found seven or eight caves leading into the rock.
'Perhaps there I might be able to target each lanchony individually...'
I couldn't deal with multiple lanchonies at once. By narrowing down the surroundings, I could create a way to confront them one at a ti.
My entire thought process was quick.
The mont the idea sprouted in my mind, I was quick to act.
Pressing my foot against the ground, the world around suddenly turned dark as purple hands began to sprout from beneath the ground. They shot toward the lanchonies in an attempt to grasp them.
I felt my mana drain rapidly, but this was a necessary action.
Without looking around to see what the result of my actions brought, I shot out of the domain
and rushed towards the dim cave in the distance.
I had a total of five seconds to reach one of the caves.
'One.'
I made a ntal note in my mind.
My foot pressed down on the brittle ground and a green orb appeared in my mind.
Electricity ran down my lower half as my calves started to spasm.
'Two.'
I released all the tension and shot forward.
Swoosh-
The world around blurred.
'Three.'
The distance between and one of the caves narrowed down.
In just a fraction of a second, I was halfway there.
I was just about to reach it...
'Four.'
Right then, I felt my domain collapse behind and I felt sothing cool press against my back. It sent a shiver down my neck, but I gritted my teeth and continued to press forward.
"Haa..."
The cold breath of one of the lanchonies brushed against my neck once more, nearly causing to lose focus as my surroundings started to turn dark.
...Without a second thought, I pressed harder against the ground and shot forward at an even
greater speed.
'Five.'
"Haa-!"
My surroundings turned completely dark as I managed to enter the nearest cave. I could hardly see, but that wasn't important as I slowed myself down and turned around to see several shadows looming ahead of .
The air grew colder and denser as I fought to control my breathing. Despite the oppressive atmosphere, a smile crept onto my face as thick roots erged behind , weaving together
to form an impenetrable wall.
Squelch~ Squelch~
With this, no lanchony could attack from behind and as I looked at the narrow passage
around , I knew that they could no longer gang up on .
This place was narrow enough for to fight each one individually.
'Thanks...'
Secretly thanking Owl-Mighty, its soft voice rang in my head.
'...I feel several presences in the distance. I'll keep a lookout for now. Defeat them before they arrive.'
'Okay.'
I didn't expect Owl-Mighty to help deal with the lanchonies.
The Owl wasn't a good match for them. While they couldn't harm him, he also couldn't harm them as they were immune to illusions and the [Mind] path.
Considering I also specialized in the [Mind] path, this also put in a difficult spot, but I
wasn't completely helpless.
Swoosh!
Dodging one of the lanchonies' attacks, I saw several hands reach out from behind, their
fingers clawing through the air. The creepy sight sent a chill down my spine, but to my relief, they were all halted by the frontmost lanchony.
'Good.'
My plan worked!
Without hesitation, I clenched my fist tightly, and several dark chains burst from the ground.
A thin layer of purple coated them as they slithered around my body and entangled the first lanchony, binding it completely.
I raised my hand imdiately afterward, now fully coated in a deep purple hue, and pressed it
against the lanchony.
Sizzle~
A piercing sizzle filled the air, accompanied by the clanking of the chains tightly wound around the lanchony.
Although I couldn't see the lanchony's health, I knew it was slowly dying.
While they were immune to [Mind] magic, they weren't immune to [Elental] magic.
With my hand still pressed against the lanchony, several threads erged, wrapping tightly around its neck. In an instant, light purple blood spurted from the lanchony's neck as its head was severed.
The sight was both horrifying and strangely satisfying as I focused on the next lanchony.
Most importantly, right after killing the lanchony, I saw a notification flash across my vision.
Given my situation, I had no choice but to dismiss it.
Thump!
With the first one falling, the next one followed and I repeated the sa process.
Clank, clank-
The chain shot towards the next lanchony, wrapping around its body and immobilizing it.
With a swift motion, I pressed my hand against its head, feeling the mana within my body
drain yet again as I used (Hands of Contagion].
Sizzle-
Threads erged shortly after, and another one fell.
Thump!
Before I knew it, of the seven lanchonies, two were already dead.
'Yes, I can do it...'
I breathed a sigh of relief and focused on the next one.
This was doable.
Like this, I could defin-
'Be careful, I can feel several presences fast approaching you. I can delay for several minutes. They
seem to be aware of my presence so I can't keep them busy for long.' Owl-Mighty's words doused my fleeting joy, bringing a rush of cold reality back to . Anxiety began to creep into my mind as I swiftly turned to the next lanchony and repeated
the process, determined to press on despite the mounting dread.
Thump, Thump-
One lanchony fell after another as I swiftly dealt with each one that ca at .
I beca faster with each one that I dealt with, and I also beca more proficient with my
skills. I could see their experience slowly rising in spite of it only being marginal.
I suddenly lost sense of ti and just shifted towards the next lanchony. This ti, as my hand pressed against the nearest lanchony, the chains shot toward the
one behind. That wasn't all.
At the sa ti, the chains shot back, and even more, threads erged from my hand, filling
the entire cave with them as a layer of purple coating pulsed out of them.
I felt my mana draining faster than ever, the exhaustion setting in as the next lanchony crumbled before . Just as I was about to press onto the next one, I suddenly stopped.
"....What?"
Looking around, I didn't know how to react.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven...
"They're all dead.'
Since when?
I could've sworn that-
Bang!
A muffled explosion echoed in the distance and the wall behind crumbled. I hastily looked
ahead and felt a powerful wave of mana in the distance.
Without a second thought, I turned around to dash away when...
"Get this body, human!"
I was suddenly stopped by a familiar voice. As I turned around, I saw Pebble standing on top
of one of the fallen lanchonies' bodies.
Bang!
Another muffled explosion rang in the distance. Without even asking Pebble for an explanation, I quickly dashed over the body, placing it within the ring as I hurried deeper into the cave.
Owl-Mighty appeared shortly after, settling over my shoulder as its head looked back.
"Be careful, they seem to have artifacts designed to deal with your emotive magic. It is best if
you don't confront them directly."
"...Haa... I get it..."
I didn't need to be told to know as I imagined a green orb and squeezed every muscle in my
body.
Swoosh!
I didn't know where I was going but the cave seed to be one continuous path forward. I just
ran and ran and ran until...
"I see sothing!"
A gap erged, and I sprinted through, the air imdiately becoming more breathable than
it had been monts before.
"Ha... Haa..."
Despite my rough breathing, I hastily looked around.
Eventually, my gaze settled over a distant forest, filled with dead trees. The thin branches
reached out towards the sky like twisted fingers, casting eerie shadows on the ground and obscuring the inner parts.
Hastily scanning my surroundings, I realized I had no other option but to venture into the
forest. The dense foliage and twisted branches seed to stretch toward , as if beckoning
into their embrace.
Just a glimpse and I felt my stomach churn, and yet...
With a deep breath, I steeled myself and plunged into the dark, foreboding woods.
I knew I had no other choice but to enter.
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