Escape(2)

'If it was two 1st Layers I would have no trouble but both a 1st and 2nd Layer with the potential of backup is too much to handle.'

'Guess I'll have to start quicker than I thought...' then suddenly Ares stopped walking.

"Hm? Hey slave why'd you stop?" the guard right behind him began looking at him with a questioning look

"Oh, it's nothing. I just-" Ares then turned back to the guard and plugged the dagger, hidden in his clothes, into the man's heart before he could even react.

"OH! Help! This man is dying! Help!"

"Move away slave! What's happening?" immediately the team leader behind them came up as quickly as possible and began checking the injuries

"!" however just as he saw the stab wound, Ares came behind and stabbed him behind the chest.

The man jumped back to avoid further injuries which caused blood to gush out of his chest.

'How could I not sense him...?'

But the man's trail of thoughts stopped as Ares rushed towards him with a dagger in hand however, the team leader quickly pulled out a sword and covered both his feet and sword with a blue hue.

'So this is Aura of the 2nd Layer...'

Path of Layers is a path of connection with one's unique energy, that can't be replicated, with the surrounding mana that permeates the entire universe. The higher the level of connection with the surrounding mana, the higher the Layers an individual will be. Entering each Layer gives a new ability or boost for the said individual, the 1st Layer gives the basic increase in strength, speed, durability, and overall better physical prowess which makes one incomparably stronger than someone who hasn't started their Path. Those who are of the 2nd Layer gain the ability to use Aura which lets one increase or decrease a specific stat at the cost of another stat. Another feature seen with Aura is the ability to add stats on things or people outside of your own body, with of course the cost of losing some of your energy for your own body.

'He applied Aura for speed and his sword meaning high speed with high sharpness' Musing his thought Ares closed in on the man and quickly brought the dagger to the team leader's neck however...

*Clang*

The dagger was quickly fended off by the man's sword with extreme precision.

'As I thought, he doesn't wish to bleed out so he increased his speed to finish this quickly while at the cost of low durability to where even a simple dagger can penetrate his skin'

But during Ares's thoughts, the man didn't stay still as he dashed right in front of Ares while holding his sword with energy that could cut through concrete walls.

But suddenly, just as he was about to reach Ares with his sword, his eyesight blurred for a mere second but that was all Ares needed as he skewered the dagger right through the man's heart and the man was dead.

...or so Ares thought.

Suddenly the man moved forward, with bright verdant green energy engulfing his entire being all the while the dagger still was his heart, and looked down at Ares.

'What kind of bullshit is this!'

"Die."

Suddenly the man's sword, which he had loosened the grip on after the stabbing, flew towards his with speed incomprehensible to the naked. However, due to the sword being still within Ares's [Wither] area of effect let Ares use [Fragments] just before the sword could pierce him.

"Haah... haah... That was close."

Despite coming out with little to no injuries, Ares knew that if at the start he hadn't stabbed the man in the chest, he would be nearly dead by now—even with his abnormal abilities.

'That energy was oddly familiar to healing magic but at the same time completely different. I still need to learn more about these odd powers that run this world. Although Boba gave me the general knowledge, he is still someone who was a healer before someone adept in the arts of combat and magic.' Ares took out the dagger and started to look toward the multiple cells lined up along the hallway.

"How about we start a slave rebellion?" saying so, Ares walked towards the closest cell and cut through its locks with his tail.

****

*Step* *Step* *Step* *Step* *Step* *Step*

Bola who was sitting patiently for Ares to arrive heard many footsteps from the hallway.

'Did he get caught?' however quick to interrupt his thoughts was the sound of a metal door opening was heard

*Clank*

Hearing it, Bola turned his attention to the one opening it and saw a demon child who looked to be about 3 years old with still-growing horns, a reptile-like tail, luscious black hair, lilac eyes, and a single dot in his forehead making him looked both holy and cursed.

"What are those sounds?"

"A rebellion. Quick we need to join them, although there are many in numbers they are still mortals."

"Alright" saying so Bola stood up and walked to the hallway, however, the moment he did his eyes were left wide in shock...

"How did you manage to bring out so many slaves without being detected?" as he said those words, his eyes looked at the over a hundred slaves running around either freeing other slaves till locked or dealing with any guards who were left overwhelmed.

"You remember the ability that lets me turn invisible? Well, I used that ability to the max, and although I still had some encounters with guards during the process they were only of the 1st Layer."

'Defeating multiple 1st Layers as someone who hasn't even entered the path? Only dragons can do something like that!'

"It seems around 20 guards are coming over, Boba stay in the middle and try your best to avoid combat!" saying those words Ares took about two metal rods and began heating them with the fire ability gained from Vensee.