6-star Threats, Region-Uprooting Elites

After a slight commotion in the four cardinal direction bases of the Zone of Undead, Farlier and Repoire became heavily armed with divine-attributed artefacts.

Farlier had ten rings on his hands. All with various levels. From 1-star to a whopping 4-star set of rings, he was augmented so much that even his Spirit Energy was tinged in the light of Divine Energy.

Just blanketing Midseer with his powers made the morning even brighter. Wisps of pure white light floated about the city, astonishing its citizens.

"Damn," Farlier smacked his lips, "I feel like Demon Ignition won't do well with all this Divine Energy..."

Beside him, Repoire elbowed him with a lazy smile, "Why don't you try transforming right now? See if your Blessing is still a blessing."

Farlier squinted. He was, in fact, tempted to test out whether or not he had the power to fight so much Divine Energy.

He wanted to test the limits of his Blessing to find a way to strengthen it.

After all, as humans cultivate their Spirit Techniques, there comes a time when strength-type Blessings simply don't provide enough power anymore.

Sure, having a powerful Blessing would help in the earlier stages of growth, but once one reaches 6-stars—where one's powers can blanket an entire region to kill every 1-star being within range— such a Blessing may no longer be useful.

Unless one increased the lines of their Blessings or unless one had a utility-type Blessing like Klaris' Mirror World Thief, then one's Blessing would become obsolete.

"Now is not the time, Farlier." Ariel's voice shook the man out of his thoughts. It seemed that she read his mind through the changes in his expression.

"I know, I know," Farlier shrugged, looking towards Repoire. "Did you get anything interesting?"

"Apart from this tiara?" Repoire adjusted the small crown on his head, "Nothing much. They're your standard types, and the only things different are their shapes and sizes."

Farlier nodded slowly. He was quite frustrated that he couldn't find what he wanted, but alas, that was life. He had to deal with it.

For now, he had work to do.

"You two ready?" Ariel asked them, raising a brow. Her blue eyes gleamed in the morning sunlight, creating a wonderful juxtaposition with the shadowed expanse of a cityscape behind her. Looming beyond the dome of rainbow-coloured light.

"Sigh," Repoire waved his hand, "Let us in. I want to get this done as fast as possible."

Ariel nodded as she held a disk-like device in her hands. She then took a deep breath.

"I, Ariel of the Interstellar Trinity and protector of Midseer, am now opening the barrier for all camps to charge in."

"I repeat."

"I am now opening the barrier. All combatants, prepare for battle!"

Ariel spoke like a wondrous commander, shedding off her sunny personality for a moment to display a window of professionalism that greatly depicted Thare's culture.

After all, in a world that summons worlds, and where countless cultures clash and countless masters and geniuses lurk, professionalism was the only thing that stood at the very top of the behavioural ladder.

Acts of disrespect were the most magnificent way to get killed when one lived in Thare.

It's hard to know what Blessing that random passerby has, you know?

What if it's some kind of voodoo-type Blessing? Shove them without caring for the consequences and you might be writhing in pain once night comes.

The combatants thus displayed similar levels of professionalism when compared to Ariel. They stood in crowds, evenly spaced from each other and making sure they are not a bother to any possibly dangerous party. They were prudent.

SHALALALALA!

Four massive doorways were being created in the great dome of rainbow-coloured light.

RRRRAAAAAAAHHHH!

The crowds then displayed an immense thirst for carnage as they charged forth. Their weapons and artefacts shimmered with Divine Energy. They had all come prepared to wreak havoc on the ghosts that threatened the city and the entire region.

Although they were only a small number compared to the sheer quantity of a sea of ghosts, every effort counted.

Farlier and Repoire were watching such a valiant charge from the southern base. They couldn't help but let out small smiles.

ROAR!

The warcries of the Otherworlders and the roars of the ghost dragons got their adrenaline running.

"Let's see who's stronger!" Farlier slammed his palms together, creating a shockwave of Spirit Energy.

"Me, or you all!"

He yelled as he rushed through the southern doorway with just his fists and the many rings on his fingers.

Repoire sighed and followed suit. As he ran forward, he invoked,

"I am he who awaits prey in silence,

A lazy hunter of flesh and blood,

The demon who kills with his eyes closed,

And a seeker of longer peace."

.

.

.

Blaze was among the crowd of combatants raring to enter the Zone of Undead for the sake of the rewards.

But she was not quite the same right now.

Cloaked in rags, her seductive figure and green hair were nowhere to be seen. She also wore a mask that covered half of her beautiful face, and only her green eyes shone from underneath her hood.

She was unrecognizable.

Especially with the fact that Magnus was half in control of her body at this moment.

"I, Ariel of the Interstellar Trinity and protector of Midseer, am now opening the barrier for all camps to charge in."

"I repeat."

"I am now opening the barrier. All combatants, prepare for battle!"

The voice of Midseer's protector rang in her ears.

[ It's time, ]

While Magnus' excited voice rang in her head.

Blaze took a deep breath as she invoked her Blessing ahead of time.

"I am the cause of wailing souls,

A master of draconic breath,

The arsonist of Hell,"

Vwhoom!

A small fireball danced between the tips of Blaze's fingers. The deep crimson flame was tinged with the white light of Divine Energy. The opal ring on one of Blaze's fingers was alive at this moment.

[ Tsk, tsk, tsk, ] Magnus clicked his tongue, [ Such a wonderful Blessing for a really specific purpose. Not being able to spread out the flames is truly a weakness. ]

[ There's nothing I can do about it. My combat ability with my Blessing has never been the greatest. ] Blaze replied.

[ Here, ] Magnus spoke as a surge of memories flooded Blaze's mind, [ Try doing what I do with my Golden Gravity Sphere. Move that focal point of yours like a star. Superheat it and have it revolve around you. Then, add even more balls of super hot flames. You're going to tear through those ghosts like butter. ]

[ ...This might just work, ] Blaze's mouth gaped open. She realised how bad her battle sense was, [ I'm surprised I never tried such a simple idea out. ]

[ I know, ] Magnus chuckled, [ You use your blessing like a goddamn blowtorch! Using your Blessing like a tool is different from using it in combat. Remember this, and come up with your own applications in the future. ]

Blaze could only nod wryly in the face of Magnus' teachings.

She did not expect to get lessons from a less-experienced Otherworlder.

Thus, charging into the Zone of Undead, Blaze created the wisps of flame Magnus had explained to her.

Three was her limit, and with that number, the temperature around her soared.

Three balls of flames that were now white with heat revolved rapidly around her body.

The combatants in her vicinity distanced themselves in a hurry. They were like cats encountering cucumbers with the sudden increase in temperature.

Blaze then plunged into the sea of ghosts without fear.

Every 2-star ghost that entered the range of her fireballs evaporated after a few hits. The ghosts wailed and screamed, but nothing they could do could allow them to approach.

—Save for a frontal charge with all of their speed.

SHRIEEEEEEEEEEK!

Blaze felt her ears ring with all the sounds that blasted her eardrums. Gusts of wind threatened to kick her off her feet as two 6-star threats went wild at the very centre of the ghost horde.

A ghost charged straight through her fireballs, earning for itself only a few burns that melted a part of its body.

Nonetheless, it was still healthy enough to grasp at Blaze's flesh, excited to finally have a taste of the living.

But Blaze acted swiftly. Out from the palm of her hand came a fiery slap that burned itself onto the ghost's presumable cheek.

Divine Energy sparked with Undead Energy and sent the ghost tumbling to the side.

SHRIEEEEEEEK!

It cried out in pain, summoning more of its brethren to target Blaze.

"Ah, shit…" Blaze noticed that a huge wave of ghosts turned their gaze towards her at this moment.

Vwhoom!

Blaze hurriedly blasted a ghost that emerged from underground just then. The ghost reeled back in pain from the divine flames that burned its body.

She then began to run.

Run from the wave of ghosts!

It was too much for her flames to handle!

Especially when they came from all directions at the same time. Above, below, left, right, front, back.

They came from everywhere.

Vwhoom! Vwaaah!

Blaze burned herself a path with her flames. Several red fireballs flew out at once, different from the revolving ones that she had to split her focus on.

She was generous with her usage of Spirit Energy. She never had access to this much power at once. The Spirit Energy of six different beings and 7 different Curses was astonishing to have.

But, just as she thought she was safe...

WHOOOOSH!

She suddenly found herself flung into the air. The sound of her bones creaking was terrifying to hear.

"What?!" Blaze yelped as she watched a gigantic ghostly tentacle emerge from underground. It was tangible despite its incorporeality. A paradox right in front of her.

It was as thick as a building and as long as a street. On its skin, countless ghostly faces morphed into being or shrank into oblivion every second. It was a bone-chilling sight.

"Magnus!" Blaze shook her head from her momentary reverie. She had been pulled into a trance just by looking at the horrors before her, and so, she was now in free fall.

[ On it. ] A reply swiftly came.

With a flash of light, Magnus appeared, floating in the air. Just as Blaze was about to hit the pavement, gravity reversed, slowing her fall.

Thud!

Still, Blaze had to break into a reflexive roll as she dodged a few ghosts that clawed at her.

Her flames resumed burning all those in her vicinity.

"I'm surrounded..." Blaze noticed just where she landed. She was in the midst of the sea of ghosts, away from her fellow human combatants.

"Yes... you are." Magnus laughed. With a gleam in his eyes, he spoke, "Good luck! I'm going to have a look at the monstrosity that just appeared."

He then shot into the sky, narrowly avoiding the dragons that flew between the buildings and stepping onto the dome of rainbow-coloured light.

He stood upside down as he cast his gaze at the dozen or so giant ghost tentacles. He watched as they writhed around the entire 1-kilometre in radius Zone of Undead.

"This... this is greater than what a 4-star Gate should be capable of creating..." He muttered to himself, taking a glance at the two 6-star threats that fought valiantly with their borrowed equipment.

"It seems like there's going to be a problem."