Chapter 86: Fists of Mirage [II]
Boom! A rippling shockwave erupted deep within the Rat Nest dungeon as a girl wreathed in a purple hue drove her fist into the torso of a two-metre-tall rat.
Scree! The rat let out a pained screech as its torso caved in from the force of the punch, its crystalline yellow eyes shifting to a terrifying red. Bloodlust filled them as it charged forward, its paw stretching out, revealing the synth-like blades glimmering beneath.
The girl paused, her eyes blinking momentarily, before mirages of her form popped beside her, forming four different copies. Just as they were about to disperse, the rat sprang into the air in a burst of explosive speed, appearing right before her. It swung its massive tail, cutting through the illusions and sending the girl flying back.
"Now." Amber groaned, her figure flickering once more mid-air, mirages popping up alongside her. As she slammed into the tunnel walls, the illusions dispersed, but she rolled across the ground, regaining momentum before charging back, grinding her teeth. The mirages did the same, pausing the rat in place as it struggled to decide which figure to attack, and that hesitation was all she needed.
She sprang into the air, her fist curling tighter, the purple light encasing her dimming lightly, energy blazing into her knuckles. She slammed down on the overgrown rat’s skull, piercing a hole through it and sending its brain matter flying, blood sputtering out before it finally collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
A notification flared before her shortly after.
<Ding! You have slain a Level 16 Common Tunnel Rat! 6,000 dungeon points awarded!>
(Level 15: 6000/6000 dungeon points!)
[Ding! Congratulations, you have leveled up!]
(Level 16: 0/7,000)
"Stronger, I have to get stronger." Amber muttered, her breath ragged, the toll of the previous battles weighing down on her.
Advancing through ten levels in just a couple of hours — a feat preposterous to most. Even with her new high-ranked talent, the strain on her body wasn’t light, but through sheer will she had pushed forward, refined herself, all in an effort to wield strength to protect herself. Not to become a burden... not to be left behind.
And just as she spiraled deeper into those thoughts, her figure collapsed on the floor, unable to withstand the fatigue. A youth blinked in front of her, causing her breath to hitch.
"Your battle stance, form, and intent are evolving, just as we practiced," Aurelian breathed, eyeing her collapsed figure. "You did good." He cracked a smile at her. Her determination and will were far higher than he’d expected.
"R-really?" Amber blinked, her face lighting up at the praise, a beaming smile stretching across her lips. Her fatigue momentarily forgotten as she bathed in the warmth of his smile.
"But, you can still do better," he said. "You’ve yet to tap into the full scope of your talent’s abilities." He nodded, lifting his hand toward the air behind him, a whisper escaping his lips. "Also, be aware of your surroundings at all times."
Another rat sprang out of a tunnel, charging in a sneak attack, only to be caught helplessly by his outstretched hand. He raised the two-metre-sized rat as if it weighed nothing, choking it slowly as he continued.
"Otherwise, everything means nothing. You could kill the dungeon boss and still be slain by a weaker beast for not reserving your energy." He finished his words by crushing the rat’s neck, dropping it to the floor.
"Un." Amber nodded, blinking as she took in every word, inscribing them in her heart as she replayed the battle in her mind, noticing all her flaws as Aurelian pointed them out.
"I understand," she whispered, her eyes widening at the insight, already thinking of ways to fix her shortcomings. Whatever it took, as long as it granted her power, she was willing to do it.
"Good." Aurelian’s voice softened, though his thoughts drifted elsewhere. He, too, needed greater strength. Ever since awakening the third supreme record, a gnawing dread had plagued him. Something was coming, something tied to his sealed memories. A calamity loomed, and he had to be ready.
"I’m ready," Amber’s voice broke into his thoughts, grounding him back to the present.
Aurelian nodded. Her chest had stopped heaving, her breathing was steady, and the beads of sweat dripping from her face had been wiped away. Her condition was noticeably better.
Their figures blinked out of sight as they streaked deeper into the dungeon. A series of battles ensued, and wherever they passed, carnage and dead bodies were left behind — which Aurelian, of course, devoured with his Vortex of Doom. He couldn’t let them go to waste; however small, they still contributed to his growing unallocated attributes.
Through it all, he observed Amber as she tore through hordes of rats with ferocity, her speed and damage climbing higher with each fight. Her form blurred into a violet mirage, hair streaming behind her as she carved through enemies like a machine. Aurelian only stepped in when foes grossly outclassed her. Between clashes, she snatched brief moments of rest before plunging back into the slaughter.
Until finally, they ventured into the deepest part of the dungeon, where all the branching tunnels opened into a massive platform, the lair of the final boss and its minions.
"Are you ready?" Aurelian breathed, scanning the beasts’ figures, his attention drawn to the level 25 Tunnel Rat before shifting his gaze to Amber.
The purple light had fully molded into an enchanting armor that shielded her body, glowing faintly. Her eyes shone in a deep, twinkling purple hue.
"Un," she whispered softly, folding her fingers into fists. Her eyes closed shut as the purple glow thickened into a liquid-like radiance, stretching forth to form blade-like protrusions around her knuckles. Multiple mirages flickered out of her until they stopped at twenty. Her eyes snapped open, her figure lunging forward into the final chamber, no longer the scared little girl she once was, but a fully fledged warrior.
"Finish them!" Aurelian breathed, cheering her on, his voice sharp with pride.