Chapter 42: Schemes Ensue

Valmus now retraced the path towards the Demonic Cultist branch headquarters.

He was eager to test what his new and improved body could do and what better than to link his pending quest, Priest Anders had wanted him to lessen the Cultists numbers as much as possible or alternatively find their base of operations.

Valmus being the good soul that he was opted to do both with added finess. But just as he reentered the Eurus Continent he felt his heart thrum and beat wildly, his eyes glowed in gold as his Origin Core churned and spun as if starving.

He looked ahead ignoring all sorts of Fauna and Flora but it wasn't enough, he equiped Loki and teleported into the sky where he could finally see it.

Up ahead, at the heart of Black Water was a pristine Core, sealed by Divine Sorcery amd buried underneath the village. Valmus could feel the power of the core uniquely due to his current state of being quasi divine.

It could only mean one thing, something Valmus would risk destroying the pitiful village for. The Core Of A God. Valmus had endless rivers of Divine Blood, mountains of Divine Bodies but not a single Divine Core what he had atmost were fragments and shards of Divine Core which were steadily being restored by Alice after all they would naturally make good materials.

So him having a Divine Core which was complete would be a boon in more ways than one, he could have Alice use it as a skeleton for repairing the other fragments. He could use it as a bargaining chip in the situation where he met an injured Diety. He could use it as a power source of whatever crazy project he might want to start.

"And here I was trying not to excessively kill the cultists, I'll have to do things differently. As much as I want that Core I must obtain it cleanly without being noticed by any major power when investigations start.' He mused inwardly, his gaze now hovering around the Cultist base.

'I might have a use for the various evil aligned powers within this village, they'd be the best cover for what I'm about to do.' He grinned why teleporting back to the ground.

There was some distance away from the Dark Tower base of the Necromancer, the Evil God Cult and the Demonic Cultist, but they maintained a suspicious proximity to the Black Water Lake.

'They obviously have their own plans, too bad I'll have to accelerate those said plans.'

He stealthy disassembled the illusion that was conjured by the cultists as he stepped into the hidden dungeon.

This one was hidden behind a large boulder that could be mistaken for a hill. It had a smaller set of boulders around it covered in vines and moss making it blend in with the surroundings.

Once Valmus took down the said illusion he entered into a world of cold tenebrous winds. The thick density of anima was so potent that it could turn an wandering mana beast into a demonic beast.

If a human stayed within the anima for extensive periods they would fall and become Demon Spawns. After all Anima was the natural energy of Demons they could still use mana yes but not compared to the flexibility their natural energy granted.

Demons were also surprisingly extremely adept in using mana, second only to Dragons, those loved by mana, and equal to the Celestials who were nature's attempt in balancing their existence.

It had to be said all beings who were adept in mana usually used it as a secondary source of power due to it's universal presence. Those that singularly depending on it as their main source were however severely lacking in matter of utilization with the sole exception of Elves.

Valmus due to his curse could utilize Anima without being Demonized, after all any being which wasn't demonic in nature or of the negative spectrum would be affected.

Mana, Aura and Qi were the only energies that maintain neutrality where they didn't fall into either the Positive or Negative spectrum.

The two spectrums came to be due to the Existence of the Universal World Tree.  The Universal Tree was a majestic Tree that stood at the Center of Existence that sent it's seeds into Young Planes and Havens.

It was the Project Of Primordial Life,  Primordial Soul, Primordial Creation and Primordial Duality.

This led to the Birth Of Primordial Nature that was the Universal World Tree.

Due to the weavings of Duality the World Tree touched upon both the negative and positive aspects of existence in its duty as an Existential Manager.

This led to the Birth of two spectrums of energy reserves one from the Negative side this included Anima, from the demons, and Miasma from the dark realm while from the Positive side this included Ethos, of the celestials, and Holy Power.

His blessings also allowed him to wield Ethos an energy reserve that was native to the Celestials. Which made his combat style to be extremely flexible where no matter the spectrum he faced he wouldn't suffer a disadvantage but would actually have an advantage.

"This will make dealing with the Cultists base much easier as their highest is level 100 with the others being away." He schemed as he ventured deeper and deeper into the dungeon searching for clues and information. 

Using one of Loki's Effects he snuck in undetected.

The base had nearly twenty thousand level 30 Cultists and nearly nine thousand level 50 cultists, they were all spread out within the base with the main population being in something that looked like a Chapel Hall.

They were all praying to a humanoid Statue of sorts with four limbs a pair of tails and four eyes, it's face would put everything that could be called frightening to shame.

And Valmus couldn't help but shiver when in its presence, he wondered how those cultists survived.

'I can't search for everyone now can I, I'll just strike where it hurts most and flee,' he mused. 'I should use one of my techniques from the Nine Heavens but.... which one? One that deals continuous damage and AOE damage.... that might work, let's see how good this Refined Aura is.'

Valmus stood at the entrance of the Hall his sword raised high as his aura churned, his Cloaking skill could still be maintained while attacking so he planned to hide the massive power charges for activating his technique.

[One Sword To Freeze the Heavens: Cailleach]

His shroud became undone as his presence was sensed by all the Cultists, but it was all too late...

Thousands upon thousands of Ice blades begun to rain each made from refined Aura, they tore down there defenses and impaled them to the ground before encasing them in icy Coffins.

The prisons froze them wholly slowly killing them while constantly damaging their souls and draining their energy reserves.

One after the other like flies sprayed with insecticides they fell.

Their levels didn't matter, their standing didn't matter, their power didn't matter as one after the other they died.

Level 30's Level 50's all fell one after the other, soon Valmus heard the tremors of the base as the level 100 stepped forward forcefully disrupting his breakthrough causing himself severe backlash that halved his health and reduced his attributes by 60%.

Valmus couldn't help but grin at the unfolding reality as thing were extremely in his favor after all destroying was far much easier than saving.

"To dare defile the Temples of Dilhedia, I'll make sure you suffer a fate worse than death!" The Level 100 threatened channelling his mana to protect himself from the icy blades while he shortened the distance.

But alas he walked into a mine field as from the moment he was within the range of the Ice Coffins, they begun to implode in icy chills threatening to encase him in his own Ice Coffin.

Just as he was about to back away Valmus used his [Soul mitigation] skill

All the blades gained it's effect as when one such blade imploded the level 100 faced soul weakness further reducing his fighting capacity

Valmus whose reserves were extremely monstrous fell into a low stance his hand on his now sheathed sword wanting to execute another one of his technique.

[One Sword To Cut the Heavens: Tyrfing.]

A hundred meter radius around Valmus was turned into a death zone.

It was as though space itself was cut as one to thousands of black flashes of Aura flew towards the weakened level 100 slicing and dicing him all over until one such flash squarely cut him in half from his shoulder down to his waist.

Valmus panted as Tyrfing had drained quite a lot of his Aura reserves along with his  mana and stamina.

'Its taxing to the current me but... it's a deadly trump card' he smiled inwardly over his heavy breaths.

[[You have performed an Astounding Feat. You have slayed a Higher Tiered and Leveled Being.

You have overcome a two Tier difference and a 100. Level difference.

Do you wish to announce your achievement?]]

"Announce."

{{<<<Vestia Announcement.>>>}}

{{Congratulations Player Valmus for being the First Player To Overcome the Tier Difference and slay a Level 100 Rare NPC. +5,000 World Fame.]

[You have Received:

+1 Skill Scroll

+2 Skill Stones.]

In the span of twenty minutes Valmus had cleared a third of entire base of it's Cultists while also looting it's Treasury where he found a haul of treasures.

He then to make sure the Demonic Cultists would react used Divine Sorcery, while being supported by Alice after all he didn't have even a single sliver of Divine power, to tarnish the idol of the Demonic God.

During the entire process he could feel a Predatory gaze staring at him with unbridled wrath and killing intent, he shivered knowing full well what type of entity he had just crossed.

He gathered all the emblems of the dead cultist and fled the massacre, not wanting to be caught along the way he used his Mantles Teleportation skill to rush back to the church.

Once he landed in the village he wasted no time reporting to Priest Anders who was skeptical until the thousands of Emblems were poured on his desk.

"Haha you saved me so much trouble Valmus, I can now sleep soundly " he laughed after getting over his shock, after a few minutes of laughter however his expression turned serious.

"I'll have to give you an Anti-Divining skill to hide yourself, the Cultists are a vengeful bunch. They have their ways but I'm sure they'll be able to find out who you are in about a month maximum, till then all I'd advise you is to grow stronger."

He warned to which Valmus nodded, he was soon led to the Treasury where Anders took a Skil Scroll and awarded him along with other rewards.

(A/N)

<< One Sword to Freeze the Heavens: Cailleach  >>

Rank: S Rank

User Utilizes their Aura to manifest one to thousands of Ice swords which upon contact deals 600% of users Base damage. They then implode freezing everything within a 5 meter radius forcing them into the { Frost Prison} while dealing Soul damage equal to 400% of users Base damage. Those frozen have their their energy reserves drained and used to fuel the { Frost Prison} state until they die. It cannot be dispelled unless willed to by user.

Cast Time: 10 seconds

Duration: None

Cost: 10,000 Stamina, 10,000 mana

50,000 Aura

Cool Down: 10 minutes

<< One Sword to Cut the Heavens: 

Tyrfing >>

Rank S

User fall into a low stance and quick draws into a single slash that manifests one to thousands of slashes using Aura. The Slash deals 600% of users Base damage as True damage where it ignores all forms of defences. Those cut are unable to heal as their bleeding and pain effect is increased by 500%.

Cast Time: 5 seconds

Duration: None

Cost: 50% of mana and stamina

100,000 Aura.