The week passes as I head out for the first time in days, stretching and flexing my muscles. I sword flies into my hand, but it isn't my memory. This is a newly created enchanted sword, while the longsword was amazing, capable of high level strength as an ascended memory, this sword is made of corrupted material making it the quality of transcendent in rank~ its not only a stronger replica than the ascended memory, but it is also a new type of runic sorcery, replicating the 'anchors' in each memory by imbuing a transcendent essence shard into the sword, while engraving the enchants into the blade, it is a new pathway to runic enchantments. Not to mention through Spell Tech he was able to make the sword into an arm band, so there isn't a need to carry it around constantly.
As I walk down to the government building I wonder how strong I am? I know that I could beat a saint if I jumped them, but in a fair fight with all my gear I would lose. Though I think I can handle a master? Right? After all, I can handle over 20 corrupted demons, so masters would be easier?
I reach the building and follow them to the special room.
"I'm glad you're here" the agent said. "currently, Saint Kai and Saint Athena are handling a great tyrant in a death zone, so currently you and the selected awakened are the only one who can handle the corrupted terror"
I nod as he continues, "we have 2 masters and 6 awakened including you, these are the only ones we can spare, since the great tyrant is much more dangerous"
We finally reach the specialized room, as I size up every person there, only 2 worth noting are the guy wearing all black and the other wearing ice white. The girl in the back doesn't give a threatening enough aura.
"This is Master Heo, his aspect is about the nervous system, able to speed up his own or mess up others." the master is lithe but his body is also incredibly honed, I can tell through his mundane clothes.
"this is Master Haku, his aspect has to do with ice manipulation, he is able to use it as a projectile." this guy gave me a vibe of danger when I met him, makes sense now.
"this is Awakened Shiki, his aspect is shadow manipulation, he can bind and hold people still." this was another guy that screamed danger, so I'm truly expecting a great chance in seeing him battle.
"this is Awakened Eri, her aspect can heal peoples mental fatigue, and physical body at an incredibly fast rate." that's why is didn't sense danger from her.. Or is it just she's capable of hiding it?
Then a few others continue get introduced, all lackluster and less useful than anyone addressed
"and this is the special loose Awakened Luke. His aspect is that of cloning." I bow politely at the group.
"wow~ cloning? Why are you even needed?" Eri asked. I realize, that she isn't threatening because she's an idiot.
"watch yourself" master Heo replied while sizing me up. "he is more capable than then you think"
Master Haku joined in. "he's a well-known explorer, not just because of his exploration, but because of him being seeing hunting Fallen abominations regularly."
Shiki also continued. "not to mention the fact that he has been seen numerous times with fallen and corrupted corpses in his backyard."
I grin, realizing that I'm a badass since a while ago. "all of that is true, to some extent, so when do we leave~" as we head out I wonder what the ability of the corrupted terror will be.
The Government agent steps in and starts explaining the plan. "you are currently the 2nd group to go after the corrupted terror, your goal is to track the terror and find the original Awakened, Master Quince, Awakened Lucy, Awakened Clou, and Master Flint. When you find them, your goal is to discover much about what the Corrupted Terror does and how dangerous it is. If its capabilities are much higher than the Masters and Awakened present. You are to retreat back to headquarters and let the saints handle the situation."
Shiki, is the scout, leading the way through, to the Terror. Master Heo takes the role of leader "as you know, the corrupted terror is an irregular, meaning it could have extremely unique abilities compared to its counter parts. We suggest utmost caution. Equip you best gear and weapons, right now. Our first and foremost goal is to locate the 1st group."
I summon [Fear Feeding Carapace], boosting my team slightly. Right as I do, ice shards fly through the deep foliage. I dodge, but a few of us get nicked killing an unnamed awaken in the process, I manifest my sword, and throw it in the direction. It easily dodges but I use the newly improved enchant to continually attack it.
The original sword was able to fly back to its wielder while this one has the ability to be use telekinetically. As I stall the figure, I see it create a huge sheet of ice, towering the surrounding trees and making it fall onto the sword. I pull the sword into my hands and check on my allies. Currently Eri is healing her Master Heo and Haku, while Shiki is manifesting a chain shield around them.
"interesting~" a cold chill runs down my spine, as I look at the corrupted terror, with the body of Master Haku. The terror morphs, looking like Shiki. The ice collapses and dissolves while chains sprout from the shadow of the Terror.
"ah. Shitty" I summon my clones and start attacking. Redscales, attacks from the left, Silverworn from the back, Thornhelm from the right and I from the front. All attacks get parried by the chains but that allows Master Heo to attack from the top, using a rapier. But that too gets parried. I de-summon Redscales, so that Master Haku can attack with his ice shards. Though everything is blocked with nonchalant ease.
"let's see more~" the Terror using Shiki's voice taunts with a devilish grin, as it dissolves into its shadow and expands all around, encompassing us.
"I don't have this ability!" Shiki says concerned, we all surround Eri and activate a light spell. I use put on my monocle-now goggles. To track down where he is.
I look around, realising that he is ethereal in this place. "does anyone have a ghost targeting memory!" master Heo summons a dagger. I point in the darkness to where he should attack, he lands a direct hit, but is sent flying back. The shroud is summoned back into the terrors shadow.
"fun aspect~" the Terror mocked morphing into Master Heo. "seems like you don't have a Transcendent ability~" it says matter of fact like. "no matter~" it blitzes us and targets master Heo. He barely blocks, using much more essence. I Summon the ascended longsword throwing it with a ton of essence. I also use the Enchanted longsword to keep fight alongside them.
But its basically useless. The immense speed that a Corrupted Terror has compared to an Ascended beast. Even if they share the same body and abilities, the gap is too great… the hand of the corrupted terror, goes through the Head of Master Heo. Before even he could react…
The Terror morphs again, this time not a form but a continually morphing slime. Then it morph's into me… "ho ho ho~ what power you hold~" 6 clones are summoned around it. With scales and added limbs.
"are those.." the traits of the abominations we saw previously, while trekking the forest. I summon Redscales again, and equip [Bubbling Lust of Blood]. The enhancement is doubled for my clones because the in the area of effect and they are 'technically wearing it, and I activate [Benevolence of Family] which adds to the enhancement.
The blood lust seeps too deep into my brain, But I manage to keep hold of it and charge at the Terror. The Terror grins with my face, and the 6 clones dash forward.
The clone tries clawing at me, but I manage to cut it. But surprisingly the cut turns into a mouth. I frown and use my enchanted sword to cut it up while it flies. Though the scales are too touch to penetrate it. I unsummon my ascended sword and punch the clone away.
My clones are having the same trouble as I was, to the point its eating up my essence. The Terror grins, thinking victory is near. My soul cores nearly empty out.
But I grin back, using one of the brooches. Instantly refilling all my 3 cores. The battle continues with renewed intensity. Redscales and Thornhelm cut down 2 of the clones, damaging the soul of the terror. Something I learnt through my adventures while Silverworn backs up and handles the 2 its facing.
The terror grimaces and dissolves the clones, transforming into Shiki, and into a shadow. Running away. I equip the goggles to try to track its movements but its of no use.
I regroup with my teammates. It appears that one of the clones were fighting Shiki and Haku, Eri has ran out of essence, while Haku is gravely injured and Shiki is keeping watch.
"shit! How did this happen!" Eri panics while trying to heal Haku's wounds the other 2 awakened corpses nearby.
I hand her a brooch and refill her essence. "we were underprepared, the terror was adaptive and also holds much of its intelligence when it was a demon. Plus the ability to transform into other people, even use their aspects… its an insidious one."
Eri finishes healing and calms down slightly "what are we supposed to do? We barely have a chance now that.. That thing can use our aspects!" she breaks down crying.
I reach to pat her back gently but stop. "it's not smart enough to master an aspect that we have years with, sure it has fighting potential but its useless against real experience."
She finally breathes normally, as I start burying the bodies of our fallen comrades.
A few hours go by as we set up camp. I use an enchanted item to camouflage our souls so we won't be bothered by nightmare creatures. By Shiki insisted on being a lookout. I nod and give him a memory, a charm that allows a person to expand their thought as well as focus. "I used it a lot as a replacement for sleep, it's very practical."
He nods and uses the memory. Currently Eri is drained mentally from using her aspect so much as well as seeing people die, presumably because its her first time.
Shiki is extra guarded, not used to fighting this extremely and Haku has passed out from the pain of it, even my Thornhelm is currently nursing its wounds inside my soul sea.
"how long have you 2 been awakened?" I ask, trying to distract them from the mental distress.
"about a few months.. I thought it would be easy, just hunting low level creatures.. I lucked out, getting a healing aspect. And thought working for the government would be the best and easiest.." I nod, realizing she might circle back to the situation, I ask Shiki.
"what about you?" he glances back and answers. "over a year, I wanted to get with the 'meta' becoming an awakened was the best way to become useful and ensure my little brothers protection."
"how noble, If you ever need any adive of enchanted gear, feel free to come to me, I'm a very capable and prepared mentor~" I gloat, the tense attitude lightens enough for Eri to rest.
I look over Master Haku and Eri, while they rest, and sit next to Shiki. "do you think we'll make it?" his serious mask breaks, to show his real feelings.
Everyone here, has been awakened for a much shorter period than me. Master Heo is or.. was the oldest there, being before the sovereign era just like me. Eri is the youngest alive, Shiki is the second youngest, while master Haku is the 3rd and I'm surprisingly the oldest.
"don't worry, too much" I pat his shoulder, "the rest of us here will survive" I say with a reassuring smile.
"how do you know?" he asks questioning my calmness.
"because, I have already found the 1st group~ and now that I know what ability the monster has, he only has 3 good options for combat~" I say playfully.