The Rings of Heaven (Part 1)
A week wasn't enough time for me to be able to finish everything as I had first planned to do. Though, luckily, in that abominably short period, I completed the first quest given to me. The rewards were only gifted after killing the boss of the ninth floor. And it was a complete pain in the a** to get there. It was, to put it lightly, harder the further I progressed through the rings. Also, the names of the rings seemed to get simpler the further that I progressed.
To begin with, upon entering what I presumed to be the 12th ring of Heaven, I was greeted by an endless sky. The ground that I stood on was covered with water, perfectly reflecting the sky, and causing my senses to be slightly tossed, only recovering them when enemies began to appear in my field of vision.
Compared to the first ring, the 'Blessed' were sole soldiers, and the wings on their back ranged from brown to grey and looking like the wings belonging to an owl. As I scanned the oncoming Blessed, I near had myocardial infarction when I saw the previous boss was now a common soldier.
My worries were however unfounded because this warrior didn't have the BS ability to throw his blade and have it flip back around towards his hand or the ability to sprout multiple limbs from its body. Also, the dual-wielding Blessed only counted as Low-Grade. With the help of all my Soldiers of Light, it was a sinch.
Once again killing all the Low-Grade Blessed, the boss of this ring spawned.
Emerging through a crack in the sky, the boss gracefully landed down onto the water, and I couldn't help but rub my eyes and check this enemy out again.
It was huge, scaling nearly 4 meters tall, doubling my own height. It's head, instead of being the common knight helm, resembled that of an owl, being surrounded by a dark cloak and having bronze/silver armor covering its entire army. In its two hands, it held a Zweihänder and a great shield and because of its immense body, it wields both with a singular hand. Though, I did manage to catch a giant axe that rest upon its back.
⸢Ruler of the Sky Ring, Teteo ⸥
Having owl wings burst from its back, it rushes forward at a speed clearly impossible for something of that size. With each swing of its blade, I could feel the air rush around me and cause me to stumble backwards just a few times. And Teteo didn't hesitate to use his shield offensively, swinging it around with the same vigor that he used to swing his sword.
Because of this however, his attacks tended to be drawn out, giving me an opening to slide through his defense and strike at the wings that he had sprout from his back. Repeating this process innumerable times, Teteo let out a deafening screech when both of his wings were cut.
Casting both his sword and shield to the side, Teteo draw the giant axe that still lay on his back.
⸢Teteo, Ruler of the Sky, is using [Skill: Sky Eater] ⸥
Wondering what this skill could do, my answer came when Teteo swung his sword down and a rift open where he had swung. Through it, I could see the two of us standing off. Unable to contain my curiosity, I cast my gaze up to find that there was a similar rift sitting there, barely glimmering in the sky.
"So, if I fall through, I die from fall damage?" I can't help but ask.
Even with this skill at his disposal, I still firmly believed that I could kill Teteo. Yet, I'm stopped by each of his deafeningly strong blows and the rather large rifts that form from his blade, which normally prevent me from ever counterattacking in the first place.
These rifts also prevented me from ever using my soldiers to try and draw attention as his rifts were permanent and affected everything except for himself. It was a game of dodge that I was forced to play for a multitude of hours before Teteo's skill finally ran out.
Why the skill lasted for several hours, we'll never know.
The moment that Teteo no longer was able to defend himself with the rifts, I didn't hesitate to use 'Wind Breathing Seventh Form: Gale-Sudden Gusts' to shred at the armor of Teteo until he turned into a pile of scraps.
Proceeding onto the next ring, I was met with a church hall that screamed the color red. The enemies, unsurprisingly, were also covered red, and unsurprisingly, the previous boss was now a common enemy.
I had yet to encounter a Mid-Grade Blessed, but I'm sure the time would come soon.
Having slight troubles trying to discern the Blessed from their red background, I let my soldiers do much of the work.
Only ever calling back the ones that were getting seriously injured, the boss soon emerged.
Contrary to a completely red knight like I had been expecting, the only red thing about the knight was the plume atop his head, and the cape that was dragged behind him. He had a regal sense about him, paired with golden/silver armor and no weak points besides the obvious one which was his unprotected neck.
⸢Ruler of the Red Ring, Teot⸥
Wanting to test the skill that I'd forgotten to use, I focus my vision on his neck and then hurtle my blade forward.
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⸢ [Skill: Light's Binding Lv. 1]
Active Skill
No Mana
You can mark an object by touching it and then summon it to your hand whenever. ⸥
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Seeing light shine in my hand, my blade 'Wing Taker' plopped back down. Looking back at Teot, I could see the eyes inside of his helm glowing a dangerous red.
⸢You have provoked Teot. Teot, Ruler of the Red Ring, is using [Skill: Blood Red Reaper] ⸥
Seeing such ominous wording, I instantly called Asmund and Bingha to my side, which was the right decision as the two of them defended against a Teot who was suddenly behind with his sword swinging down towards my neck.
Turning around to face him once again, I blink in confusion when I find him once again disappear. Once again being saved by Asmund and Bingha, I realized that the skill allowed Teot to appear behind me, no matter what.
Stabbing my blade back behind me, I cock my head when I find it hits nothing but air. Unable to stop myself from turning my head to find where Teot had gone, the ground beneath my feet suddenly ruptures.
Seeing Teot emerge from the ground with his sword ready to pierce me, I try and clash swords with him, but my katana only phases through his afterimage. Knowing full well that he was now above me, I give a slight order for Binha and Asmund to back off before I use 'Ice Breathing Third Form: Blizzard'.
Within the single breath that I took, I knocked Teot's blade away from my neck and shredded his sword arm. Thinking that I now had him on the ropes, I realize my mistake when I realize that his skill was still in effect.
So, another very long battle ensued until he risked too much to retrieve his sword and had his head absolutely obliterated by 'Blizzard'. Wanting to cry because of how long these battles each took, I trudged onto the next ring.
Immediately upon entering the next ring, my lips thin. Like the Ring of Red, the church hall was colored yellow this time. And as if to celebrate the joyous occasion of color change, the enemies too changed their colors to be yellow. AND ...there was still no Mid-Grade Blessed.
Anyway, I took care of all the blessed, the new boss spawned, and I was much more impressed.
Unlike the previous ruler, this ruler followed his color code. He could be discerned from his surroundings though because his armor was plated gold, and his sword a flamboyant grey. Though, unlike the previous Rulers, his armor didn't cover his entire body, leaving his joints exposed.
⸢Ruler of the Yellow Ring: Teoco⸥
Thinking that the test would simply be too easy if all I had to do was disable him, we engage onto one another. The moment that he swung his blade, it emits a sweltering heat equivalent to that of when I used Sun Breathing.
Though, even with his stone melting sword, I targeted the exposed parts of his body until it eventually became too much for him to bear his sword any longer. I wanted to end it before he could get his skill off, but I was much too late.
⸢Teoco, Ruler of the Yellow Ring, is using [Skill: Fifth Sun] ⸥
Watching with my mouth agape, Teoco began to shed his armor, replacing it with magma skin that burned a much to bright yellow. The surrounding area grew swelteringly hot where even Total Concentration: Constant (Ice), my lungs felt like they were on fire.
"Well, you know what they say, fight fire with fire."
Switching my breathing art, I head into the generator of such sweltering heat and without hesitation, immediately used, 'Sun Breathing: Thirteenth Form'.
Being 'cut' apart when he had swung his blade, I appeared behind him and stare at the ray of yellow magma that spew from where he had cut in awe as I tried to behead him.
My Soldiers of Light could get nowhere close to this guy lest I want to lose a few of them.
Even though without armor this should have been an easy fight, Teoco could harden his skin wherever I tried to cut, defending himself while trying to melt me. Upon reaching the last technique of Sun Breathing, I let a relentless number of slashes bore into Teoco, gaining power with each swing until I swung my sword above my head, creating a huge sun dragon and then cleaving straight through his neck, through his hardened skin.
Being drenched in sweat, I take a prolonged break before heading into the next ring. And, surprise surprise, the ring is a church hall, this time being a blinding white instead.
"What is this, Canada in winter? I can't see sh*t."
Knowing that it'd be a horrible idea to try and close my eyes in a place like this, I bear with it as I watched my Soldiers of Light fight against these Blessed demons. Following the same routine as all the other rings thus far, the ruler appears, and I can't help but whistle at his appearance.
Stalking through the white room, the red flag draped around his Zweihänder flapped. His great shield painted red in the middle and his under armor being the same. His armor was in segmented strips with straps of tan and brown to accentuate himself.
⸢Ruler of the White Ring, Tac⸥
Giving a light bow to me, he raises his sword and squeezes his grip. As if to punish me for looking at him so much, a light much brighter than the room I was in shone from his sword, causing me near to go blind for life. Luckily, I would only be blind for a while.
Taking advantage of my blindness though, I hear a pitter-patter of feet rush towards me and then the breaking of wind as a sword goes through it. Swiping my blade upwards, I block his strike and then immediately jump backwards. So long as I was blind, this was not a sort of enemy that I could fight. And, I didn't want to risk my soldiers being destroyed, so I also held off on calling them.
Almost like I was fighting in the dark, I continued to play the very dangerous game of waiting and listening for the engagement of Tac. Recovering some of my vision, I start to push towards Tac.
Quickly fixing his posture when he was thrown off because of my change of tempo, Tac jumped backwards and then slammed his shield in front of him. Thinking I would be flashed again, I close my eyes, but hurriedly open them again when the system notification comes in.
⸢Tac, Ruler of the White Ring, is using [Wind Patron] ⸥
As if helped by the nonexistent wind, Tac begins to float of the ground and his sword starts to have rings of wind form around it. Flying towards me, Tac swipes his sword down and like a near replica of what I'd seen from Kokushibo, hundreds of wind rings emanate from his blade, all trying to slice through me.
Slightly smirking at his ability to use wing, I use 'Flame Breathing Fifth Form: Flame Tiger', consuming the rings of wind and causing the fire to grow. Almost as if my own blade grew more ferocious the larger that the Tiger got, the Flame Tiger suddenly condensed and changed into a blue.
With increased speed, I slam my blade and the tiger down into the Ruler's shield. Hearing and watching the shield crack, it eventually burst apart. I let the tiger claw through Tac's arm before then let it bite off his head.
"...Four down."
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⸢Item
[Item: Teteo's Mask]
Item Class: A
Type: Accessory
+15 Agility, +15 Sense
Set Effect will activate if this item is equipped along with 12 other items ⸥
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⸢Item
[Item: Owl Feather]
Item Class: B
Type: Ring
A feather created from the wings of Teteo. It will increase the damage output of those who can fly and wield an axe.
Effect: 'Free Butcherer': 60% increased damage when wielding an axe and flying. ⸥
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⸢Item
[Ingredient Item: Wing Wrap]
Item Class: ???
Type: Ingredient
An item that Teteo received when his wings were once injured. It contains a powerful magic that allows for something to work free of its owners imput and thus used as an ingredient for change… whatever that may be. ⸥
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⸢Item
[Item: Teot's Cape]
Item Class: A
Type: Accessory
+30 Vitality
Set Effect will activate if this item is equipped along with 12 other items ⸥
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⸢Item
[Item: Red Plume]
Item Class: B
A plume worn on the helmet of Teot that will decrease the damage taken of those whose vitality is great.
Effect: 'Red Prestige': +15% physical damage reduction when vitality is greater than every other stat.⸥
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⸢Item
[Ingredient Item: Sword Tsuba]
Item Class: ???
Type: Ingredient
The pommel of Teot's sword which was given to him when he became the Ruler of the Red Ring. Gives the ability to increase agility and thus used as an ingredient for change… whatever that may be. ⸥
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⸢Item
[Item: Teoco's Hip Guards]
Item Class: A
Type: Accessory
+30 Vitality
Set Effect will activate if this item is equipped along with 12 other items ⸥
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⸢Item
[Item: Golden Chest plate]
Item Class: B
The chest plate worn by Teoco that will give the user strength for those who wield a specific weapon.
Effect: 'Golden Valor': +50% increased damage when wielding a double-edged long sword. ⸥
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⸢Item
[Ingredient Item: Molten Golden Rocks]
Item Class: ???
Type: Ingredient
Rocks that were used to forge Teoco's sword and flesh. Gives the ability to be forge a blade or body and thus used as an ingredient for change… whatever that may be. ⸥
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⸢Item
[Item: Tac's Sword Flag]
Item Class: A
Type: Accessory
+10 Strength, +10 Agility, + 10 Sense
Set Effect will activate if this item is equipped along with 12 other items ⸥
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⸢Item
[Item: Tac's Gauntlets]
Item Class: B
The gauntlets worn by Tac that gives strength to those strong enough to wield two strong weapons
Effect: 'White Knight': +25% increased damage and -10% physical damage reduction when wielding a great sword and great sword together. ⸥
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⸢Item
[Ingredient Item: Zweihänder Menuki]
Item Class: ???
Type: Ingredient the decorative metal ornaments that lined Tac's Sword. Can flash an opponent and make them blind thus used as an ingredient for change… whatever that may be. ⸥