A Body Too Frail

"A wild creature who relies on this fog. How ugly.", Umin chided.

With his hands still behind his back he dashed across the distance between he and the Chimera. His body flickered for a moment, and he commented, "A footwork far beyond your comprehension, you don't even know I'm already here do you?"

Wham-!

Extending his leg upwards he delivered a swift kick. The Chimera recoiled in surprise and released a bellow of black fog. It encompassed Umin, who didn't even blink at the face of it. Instead he delivered more swift kicks towards the Chimera, each blow releasing thicker fog. Completely unfazed by the fog Umin belittled the Chimera, "This is all you're capable of. Releasing a fog meant to weaken your enemies. Yet the moment it doesn't work you amount to a training dummy. Receiving blows endlessly."

From the fog several low class Chimera charged towards Umin, which only him further goad the Chimera, "Now you're relying on worthless underlings? How simple!"

Tilia slammed one of the Chimera's into the ground, her body being protected by her War Sight, "I'll keep these ones distracted."

"Ha! Alright!"

Umin flipped over an incoming Chimera. The moment he landed he leapt towards the Advanced Chimera. The fog was closing in on everyone again due to his repeated blows, but he kept their positions in mind. The Chimera shifted its body and its hair shot forward like arrows. Spinning through the air to dodge them. Upon landing he delivered a heavy blow upwards with his knee. A straight neon line followed his knee's path. Once both his knee and the neon line made contact, the color pierced through the Chimera and sent it spiraling towards the sky.

Inspecting his leg Umin murmured, "Such a frail body, needs some refining."

The impact he created had practically destroyed his knee. It essentially rendered it useless. However the Chimera breached past the treetops and was greeted with the setting Sun. It made several sounds of pain and quickly increased the fog it produced to save its skin as it fell.

Umin watched with interest, "It's sacrificing all it can to live. To think it has some semblance of knowledge. Regardless it cannot live. I have a word to keep."

Using his remaining good leg Umin leapt towards the falling Chimera. A neon line followed his foot as he arced a kick through the air. The two made contact and this time the neon line spread outwards in a circle shape. A high pitched sound filled the ears of those below. Like the whine of an electric device charging. A shockwave blasted against the trees, giving what tiny bit of sunlight remained a pathway to the ground.

Meanwhile the Chimera spiraled into the sky, black fog following it upwards. Soon it traveled so far upwards it became a small dot. Umin landed in a crouched position. Dust settled and he eyed his surroundings. To his pleasant surprise there wasn't a single Chimera remaining. For Tilia had dealt with them easily.

"A juggernaut indeed. Priest! I need some healing."

"You know my name.", Yielya remarked.

". . . Yielya. I need healing."

"You didn't seem to get hurt though?"

"I cannot stand."

The second blow had destroyed his other leg as well. In order to swiftly remove the threat as promised Umin decided to rely on the healing of Yielya. Thus destroying his body in exchange for greater strength. Although it was more of a backlash of a technique rather than an exchange.

The black fog was fading and Yielya healed Umin's legs. Extreok used her authority over the wind to blast away the rest of the fog. Since the sun was still setting the majority of the Chimera's didn't come running towards the sound. Additionally the ones that did answer the call faced the wrath of the Sun now that the fog was dealt with.

Umin stood up, his hands never once having left his back, and walked towards the rest of the group, "As promised I had dealt with the beast."

Yielya climbed on top of Extreok and asked, "Since the sun is setting, mind joining us and giving us answers as promised?"

"I suppose so."

Thud-

The body of the Chimera landed behind Umin. He turned and inspected it with a frown. Since the sun harmed the creature he presumed it would have disintegrated before it fell. The fallen corpse was proof that wasn't the case.

Crrck-

The corpse split open like a walnut. Pieces fell and revealed something sinister underneath. Black fog rose, but did not spread like before. Rather it gathered together and formed a humanoid creature. One that was abnormally long.

<Warning! >

<The true protector of the Heretic Domain makes itself known!>

<Unless otherwise prepared, it is recommended to flee!>

<<<Advanced Chimera: B-11 (LVL ???)>>>

Frowning at the sight Umin warned, "It seems we won't be able to do as planned."

"No kidding, I can't tell the difference in strength between Chimeras.", Yielya made a face as she responded.

Tilia walked next to Umin, "Neither can I, but I have a feeling this additional warning is not for fun. Shall I join you?"

Umin moved his hands from behind his back, "I didn't want to get my hands dirty. It seems I have no choice. I'll accept your offer. This body is much too weak."

Tilia's War Sight manifested into a tower shield, "Right, then let's handle this one."

The humanoid Chimera's head split apart diagonally and let out a cry. Extreok's tail thrashed angrily, "To think so much Heresy ran rampant! How displeasing."

"No worries wolf, if I were to fall to such a simple thing I could not call myself the Genius of the Misten Cloud sect.", Umin comforted, although it did not seem that way.

"I'll make sure none approach you two, but we must flee soon."

"My appreciation."

The Chimera raised its long arms, its fingers quivered for a moment before shooting out like tendrils. Tilia shifted herself in front of Umin and blocked the incoming tendrils with her Tower Shield. With a force which caused the wind to breeze she pushed them back in a parrying motion.

Umin eyed the semi-translucent bronze shield, "A strange energy. Almost seems unbreakable."

"Maintain focus on the enemy please."

"You are correct in this."

Umin leapt and stood upon Tilia's shield, which baffled her for a second, "Launch me will you?"

Understanding his intention Tilia lifted him into the air slightly and rotated her shield. Upon landing on the shield she swung him forward. The Chimera retracted its tendrils and fired them towards the soaring Umin.

"Ha! An obvious move!"

Umin spun and dodged a tendril. However he could not switch directions due to him lacking in mana control. Instead he grabbed the recently dodged tendril to start moving back. The Chimera began raising him higher into the air because of it. Shouting below Umin called, "Tilia! To you!"

Flipping her tower shield back into a proper position she charged forward. Strangely enough her War Sight didn't count as an equipped shield when in its Tower Shield form. Thus a lot of her Skills weren't available. However she found a few of the restrictions they posed too limiting. Therefor she opted instead for Buffs and her War Sight.

As she ran forward a chant slipped through her lips and glowing runes began to form on Umin and her. Umin spiraled higher into the sky with the other tendrils approaching quickly. Still he kept an eye on Tilia's next move. Upon reaching the Chimera she put her weight behind her shield and charged directly into it. The Chimera made a somewhat startled noise, as if not expecting her to tackle it with the shield.

It fell back towards the ground, and Tilia began to angle downwards. Letting go of her shield she jumped directly off it, shoving the Chimera completely into the ground. Umin witnessed this with a grin, "What an odd way to fight, not that I dislike it!"

Placing his legs against the tendril he jumped with what force he could from the floating thing. Due to Tilia's interference the tendrils were rapidly shrinking. Flying downwards he soon reached the peak of Tilia's jump. Balling his hand into a fist a neon line began to follow his fist.

{Unstoppable Split Technique}!

A technique which took inspiration from a spear which split a realm in half. It descended from above in a perfectly straight and beautiful line. A genius who survived and witnessed this spent their entire Cultivation life towards mimicking such a graceful attack. Thus an entire technique was born, one that took momentum and drove it to a single point!

Tilia's shield warped into her hands. Holding it perpendicular to her body she drove the bottom edge of it towards the Chimera!

WHAM-!

Their attacks landed at the same time! Umin's arm quickly shattered and began to spill blood, the clothed arm ripping into shreds. Tilia remained unharmed, obviously due to her using her War Sight as a weapon.

"Kreee!", the Chimera howled. It's body warping in and out of thick black fog. The two leapt back, with Yielya healing Umin's arm before he landed. Tilia rested her shield against the ground and the two watched the Chimera. The fluctuating fog settled and revealed its shadowy figure to be unharmed.

Umin frowned, "Without the sun can we actually beat it?"

"You have a method, can you not share memories with Igneel?"

"Hmm. . .", Umin frowned for a moment, "Ah, very amusing. Then let us beat it into submission."

"A brutal way to put it!"

"But a correct one!"