Peak Master vs Saint (2)

Laughter echoed through the frozen air. "Hahaha, you believe these feeble darts could make a dent in a saint like me? Allow me to reveal the true essence of power," the saint declared with a smirk. "Icicle Spear Barrage!" A commanding voice rang out, and suddenly, colossal spears thrust forward, hurtling toward Rasoul. The projectiles buried themselves in him, shrouding the surroundings in a chilling blanket of ice and mist.

'Weakling. I wasted my time on nothing. He couldn't withstand such a weak attack," the saint mused inwardly. Yet, in a heartbeat, his expression shifted. Something caught his attention, urging him to be wary.

"That was a decent effort, but it's far too weak. Don't you possess anything more formidable?" Rasoul inquired, moving with an icy mantle enveloping his form. Closing the gap to within 200 meters, he unleashed another, more powerful attack.

"Infernal Shadowfire: Second Move - Searing Abyss." A shadowy fire promptly consumed the saint, voraciously sapping his life force. Undeterred, Rasoul pressed on, launching yet another potent assault at the beleaguered saint.

"Elemental Fusion: Astral Tempest: Last Move - Chaos Beam." A concentrated beam of multi-coloured energy shot forth at an incredible speed, propelling the saint more than 1 kilometre backwards. He hadn't anticipated such force.

Initially, he had intended to dispel the dark flames before dealing with the nuisance before him. Underestimating Rasoul, however, proved to be a costly mistake. Vowing not to repeat such an error in his thoughts, the saint prepared to advance, only to sense a shift in the environment around him.

"Nether Formation: Everchanging Battlefield," Rasoul proclaimed, and in an instant, the battleground underwent a subtle transformation. While Rasoul himself remained seemingly unaffected, the same could not be said for the saint. Dark Necrotic energy started covering the group, and a hint of green flame started burning from the Dark Necrotic energy.

This formation was one of the tactical tools Rasoul had acquired from the system, part of a bundle that set him back 50 million fire points. It functioned as a strategic control formation that manipulated mana and airflow on the battlefield while implementing new energies.

The bundle included four distinct formations, each with the potential to unleash chaos on the battlefield when employed with skill. The only drawback lay in its significant energy consumption, demanding 5000 Alpha beast cores to sustain operation for a mere five minutes. Fortunately for Rasoul, this presented no obstacle, given the surplus of monster cores he had accumulated from the prior Monster Tide.

"You think your little setup can stop me from taking you down? I don't know where you're getting all this confidence from, but let me break it down for you. There's a huge gap between us. Even a semi-saint can only dream of landing a hit on a full-fledged saint. You just got lucky, but that luck's running out now." The Saint's words hung in the air, and right on cue, Rasoul noticed a change in the atmosphere around him.

[Cosmic Energy detected; host is advised to exercise caution]

Ding...

[New Quest]

[Risk: Extremely Dangerous]

[Task: Kill the leader of Dark Minions Guild: Randy Fancy - Saint Stage cultivator]

[Rewards:]

>100,000,000 Fire Points

>10,000 Attribute Points

>10 Empty Scrolls

> Master-level Rune book

> Master-level Alchemy book

> Shop will upgrade to Lv.2

> Hidden Reward

[Failure Penalty: Slave seal will deactivate]

Note: None of the rewards earned from this quest will affect the rewards after killing the Saint.

[Good luck, Host. You'll need much more than that.]

'What the hell, system? Shouldn't you have mentioned something about Saints having a different energy other than Mana? I need an explanation now...' Rasoul commanded inwardly, frustration evident in his thoughts.

[I think you are forgetting something, Host. A Saint is moving towards you.]

Rasoul immediately snapped back to reality upon the system's alert. 

"You must be regretting your decision right now. I will end your existence very soon. It will be swift and painless. Consider it a form of mercy I am granting you," the Saint declared as he began to advance toward Rasoul.

"Regret? Who's regretting what? I'll admit, you caught me off-guard with your strange energy. Blame it on the negligence of my mischievous Friend," Rasoul replied, though inwardly, he was rattled. The system had failed to inform him about the unique power one wields upon entering Sainthood. Being a calculated individual, the idea of overlooking such crucial details put a small dent in his carefully laid plans.

Sainthood marked the onset of true cultivation, initiating a transformative journey for practitioners. Upon entering this stage, individuals experienced a qualitative shift, altering their meridians and expanding them to gain enhanced access to Mana. Notably, this phase bestowed practitioners with access to a unique energy, surpassing the potency of Mana – the Cosmic energy. This cosmic force had the remarkable ability to elevate all abilities to unprecedented levels.

However, advancing beyond Sainthood posed a formidable challenge due to the distinctive process required to progress further. Those aspiring to ascend to realms above Saints had to navigate a complex journey, necessitating acquiring and mastering at least one of the potent energies prevalent in the universe. Failure to master these energies left practitioners stranded in the Saint Realm.

While various energies existed, accessing them required meeting specific conditions. Energies such as Chaos, Space, Time, and others demanded practitioners to comprehend and grasp the governing laws before tapping into them. Cosmic energy, however, stood apart, being available to all Saints. Those who successfully mastered its control were imbued with increased power, distinguishing them from their peers in the same cultivation realm.

Rasoul aimed to minimize the battlefield's impact, mindful of the significant consumption rate associated with such formations. Despite his abundance of cores, he sought to avoid unnecessary waste. However, the entrance of this new energy altered his perspective.

"I need to warn you. From now on, I won't be holding back, and I hope you won't either. I don't want to hear that 'You got lucky' speech again," Rasoul declared, his tone commanding.

[That's more like it], the system commented, showing evident excitement.

'Shut up, system. We'll talk when I'm done with this opponent,' Rasoul replied. Beneath his outward composure, he harboured a sense of excitement at witnessing the system's behaviour from the moment he fused with it. He desired a companion capable of creating opportunities and navigating through intricate situations. If he succeeded in vanquishing the saint today, his confidence would ascend to new heights. Unbeknownst to him, achieving this feat would establish a record surpassing even that of Aresno, now hailed as the God of War.

"Nether Formation: Return of the Abyss," Rasoul proclaimed, triggering the next formation. Instantaneously, a vast expanse of the battlefield, spanning 3 kilometres, plunged into darkness. A thick nether aura permeated the surroundings as Rasoul tapped into the realms of hell, unleashing the ominous decay energy. While Rasoul, a necromancer, remained unaffected, the saint couldn't say the same. 

In response, the saint cloaked himself in a greenish energy, unmistakably the infamous cosmic energy. Rasoul, ever the strategist, pressed forward, activating the subsequent formations without hesitation.

"Nether Formation: Infinity Domain." Rasoul seamlessly employed his Lightning domain ability as the new formation came to life. The battlefield transformed into a cacophony of thunder and lightning, as thunder echoes reverberated through the sky while streaks of lightning tore through the heavens. He fused his own domain with the infinity domain of the formation.

"How is this possible? You're just a Master realm cultivator. How can you wield domains?" the bewildered saint exclaimed, struggling to comprehend the unfolding spectacle. Undeterred, he swiftly countered with a formidable move.

"Celestial Cataclysm." A cosmic-infused energy beam hurtled toward Rasoul with formidable speed.

"Nether Formation: Absolute Hell Defense," Rasoul declared, unleashing his final formation. This defensive configuration manifested as a portal, capable of absorbing and redirecting any incoming force to the nether realm.

Its absolute nature meant that the saint needed to engage in hand-to-hand combat to land a fatal blow on Rasoul. Recognizing the challenge, the saint swiftly drew his sword and charged towards Rasoul.

"I thought you were the leader of assassins. Why resort to a sword? Is it that your dagger skills aren't up to par?" Rasoul taunted as he unsheathed his two swords, one ablaze with fire and the other crackling with lightning.

"Let's see how much I can learn from you," Rasoul mused to himself, contemplating the potential of his Imitate skill.

[Imitate: Passive]

>> The host has the uncanny ability to seamlessly replicate the fighting style of any observed being after a single encounter.

>> The host can refine the copied style by assimilating additional techniques.

>> The more the host observes, the quicker and more comprehensive the absorption and application of acquired skills.

Note: The host is strongly encouraged to enhance intelligence to expedite comprehension speed, unlocking the full potential of the Imitate ability.

The clash ensued as they exchanged moves. The saint aimed a swing at Rasoul's neck, only to be blocked inches away. Seizing the moment, Rasoul redirected the momentum, launching a stabbing shot with his right hand. The saint deftly evaded by tilting sideways.

The saint unleashed a flurry of swings and stabs, targeting Rasoul's vital points. Rasoul gracefully danced through the onslaught, displaying a blend of evasion and defence. As the battle unfolded, he dodged and absorbed the saint's sword techniques, incorporating them into his own skill set. Over time, Rasoul's sword proficiency improved, presenting a formidable challenge for the saint, who struggled to land meaningful blows.

Having archived enough proficiency, Rasoul started launching his own attacks. He stabbed, swung and sliced at the saint in an unpredictable pattern. Each strike is either blocked by the Saint's blade, or he dodges it thanks to his high agility.

Finding it difficult to land a strike, Rasoul started using his light element to blind the host for a split second; this strategy worked, allowing him to land some minor strikes on the saint.

He left some minor cuts on the Saint. Finding himself in this predicament, the Saint started looking for an opening to retreat and utilise his long-range abilities to handle the pest giving him this headache.

Breaking the momentary stalemate, the saint activated a move that caught Rasoul off-guard.

"Entropy Vortex." A pure cosmic energy vortex surged toward Rasoul's chest, propelling him through the air. He landed facedown on the ground, a kilometre away. His fate remained uncertain, but the saint, nonchalant in his movements, started advancing towards Rasoul's lifeless body.