408 A Challenge
“Face me, Vile Filth.”
A voice that sounded much too pure to be saying such a provocative statement leaked from the once stone body that now faced Skullius.
The Discount Human gulped unconsciously as changes appeared on his body, but he hadn’t been able to sense the build his opponent yet, thus he lacked much of an appreciation of her.
From being the intricate carvings of white marble, this being that identified as Bassbion had changed to attain more lively features.
Lively feminine features.
On her rather tall figure, approximately 1.97 meters, a helmet that looked more like a white cap covering up to the bridge of her nose could be seen.
Where it covered her eyes, a hollow oval shaped socket could be seen, holding nothing but darkness as it awaited something specific to fulfill it.
The rest of the helmet overhead and beyond was shiny as if scrubbed and polished, with the part that covered up to the back of Bassbion’s head having several tassels that rose and fell behind her along with her flowing dark hair.
These tassels had golden leaf-like protrusions on both their sides, making the back of the helmet look more like a strange set of beautiful vines. An erect shark fin-like protrusion rose from the direct centre of the helmet, also with a golden hue that gave an intimidating feel.
As for her armour, there was nothing much to say. It could barely be seen.
What was more visible when looking at Bassbion was the dozens of small, glowing and pristine white chains that wrapped all around the white-coloured armour, as if restricting the guardian immensely. They hid much of the detail of what exactly the entirety of her armour’s appearance was supposed to be, which was a little disappointing.
At her side, a sheath grasping a rather long sword, approximately 1.85 meters, was attached to it, unbound by these little chains.
‘There’s something off with this…’ Skullius thought.
Yes, he could feel the atrocious waves of mana and the layered powers that came with the armour Bassbion wore but… something still felt off. Perhaps it was so because he had a reference that he was failing to recall.
Ferex also noted that there was something peculiar.
Below the helmet that Bassbion wore, the lower half of her face showed light red thin lips and eerily pale skin that bordered on transparent.
‘Tomato flinger! Stop with your stubbornness and let me take care of this! She is leagues stronger than the other guardians I have fought in the past! She’s likely the most powerful of them all!’ Sila growled from within Skullius.
Skullius didn’t respond as instead, while appraising Bassbion, he felt the changes from his body post activation of his trump card.
[Jaggered Merger]!
A skill from the Elimparidis Stone Staff that allowed one to merge with the staff and gain 4000 stat points to Strength, Agility and Endurance individually with absolute conversion applied!
Skullius was feeling the brimming energy from having these stats more than doubled, red cracks appearing on his body which was under his new armour.
His figure bulked up quite a bit, his muscles bulging with refined mass to contain the power he had gained.
Two lengthy cracks rose from his cheeks and ran through sockets, crossing over to his forehead as they visually depicted the effects of the skill.
‘Yeah… it’s heavy. I won’t last long,’ Skullius thought.
This wasn’t the first time he had attempted to use this skill and during his earlier tries, Skullius had discovered that the skill forcefully pushed the body to attain more strength while restructuring bodily components to allow for better reception of the power.
As a result, it wasn’t a surprise that his body wouldn’t be able to handle it for lengthy periods, as the effect was caused by the means to attaining the strength rather than the strength itself.
“Instead of yammering why don’t you tell me what she is saying instead? I might just die for no reason, you know?” Skullius responded to Sila with a half taunt.
Words could not express how frustrated Sila was, but he had no choice but to acquiesce, as it didn’t seem like Bassbion was done talking.
“Many a challenger has reached this place through being graced with the undeserved mercy of my masters, women and vile filth alike, though much of you vile filth we have had to cull so that you never see the ends of the chambers where a sacred power is born,” the white armour clad guardian said with a dull tone.
“Rejoice, vile filth, for after tens of thousands of years, the Diverse Oculus has finally found a host and you by your lonesome, should you defeat me, will be the first of the vile filth to enter into the long hidden chambers as a challenger and not an escort.”
…!
Sila who understood what was said, spoken in the same dialect as the one used by the lips on the parchment at the entrance of the temple, was shocked.
A host was already found?!
So… why was the temple still here along with Fuwin’s Majestic Territory?
Heck, anyone could still enter this place as a challenger. Why? For what purpose then?
“What’s it saying?” Skullius asked Sila to which the aged piece of soul begrudgingly responded.
As he translated, he couldn’t help but also think about how this served as an opportunity. His plan before, at least when Skullius had rejuvenated his spirits, was to enter the Temple regardless of the danger and the unlikelihood of being able to beat a guardian while being a male challenger because of the difficulty, as he figured he could attempt to pressure Skullius into giving him his body.
He now knew what would happen if Skullius dies. He was a part of the bastard so he would suffer the same fate but he gambled on how much Skullius didn’t want to be drawn to that icy scape.
A lot of good that did, though. At the very least, he hoped they could get the blue core if that plan failed but now, there was a different guardian, one stronger than all the others he knew almost everything about!
“I see,” Skullius said after hearing the translation.
If he understood this correctly though, didn’t it mean that men couldn’t get past this particular space to get to the legacy before now? If he was being allowed to pass provided he could defeat Bassbion, how did Sila get past then?
Had he been lying?
The item that Sila had been talking about was pretty obviously beyond this point, right?
“I have never had to fight before, but with all the others worn and torn through battle, I, the most powerful among my peers will be your opponent,” Bassbion continued as if she was reading a largely spaced strict. “Vile filth, I shall be generous. If you can land three strikes on me, regardless of their effect on my armour or body, I shall let you pass.”
With that, Bassbion’s power flared, making Skullius gnash his teeth as he felt its overbearing force.
If he was to compare, it was more like Unbreakable’s raw pressure but league’s ahead in terms of refinement and control!
That wild!
Yet, Skullius remained steadfast.
‘I won’t lose,’ he thought, encouraging himself.
With the pressure piling on, Bassbion took a step forward as she delivered her last words before attacking.
“Be at ease. Most of my power is bound by these chains and I can only exhibit a twentieth of its entirety at this moment along with merely two unimpressive techniques that are at my disposal. If you cannot handle this much, you truly are a disgrace even among vile filth.”
‘Hey, that’s unfair!’ Skullius thought while drops of sweat sped down his brow, his focus growing to maximum. It was going to be extremely difficult to keep his Refinery in check while also battling Bassbion but he had no choice!
Ferex immediately vanished from his spot, evidently using his hide.
For Skullius, four [Beads of Malevolence] appeared around him as he felt the mana from the Elimparidis Stone Staff stack within his mana channels in its limited capacity.
He was ready.
Yet…
SNAP!
A metallic snap of the fingers rang out within the space, which was the Ground of Communion, Skullius feeling a horrendous straining force that seemingly blasted from all around him and pressed him on the floor cradling his figure!
…!
The Discount Human grit his teeth as he was forced to kneel despite all the effort he inputted to avoid such a thing, his hands moving on their own to grasp tightly against themselves while removing to part!
‘What in the world?!’ Skullius thought with alarm but the paralysis wasn’t the worst of it, as another effect kicked in almost simultaneously!
…!
‘My senses!’
Skullius felt his advanced alternate senses get wobbly, even his [Elevated Mana Manipulation] beginning to ‘malfunction’ when it came to its sensory purpose!
His only means of perception was compromised!
This was what Bassbion casually achieved with but a snap of her fingers!
The guardian casually walked forward, entering within range of Skullius’ Outer Domain.
…!
Skullius was again flabbergasted when the image of the guardian finally entered his ‘view’ but because of the effect of this strange technique she was using, there wasn’t one of her, but seventy two!
All of them as they appeared in his senses, with the vibration of their greaves on the floor, had different mana signatures and power!
…!
This was one of Bassbion’s ‘unimpressive’ skills, Scramble Binding.
Skullius was prompted to panic now as he couldn’t even discern the position of his enemy!
How was he to deal with such a thing?!
“Hmm?” Bassbion noticed something strange as she quickly turned her head to the side.
With the quick swish of her hand, a calamitous burst of mana raged, cross a long distance in a short time as it seemingly blasted the open air!
BOOOOOOM!
An atrocious force rammed into the wall on her far side, breaking it while causing rubble to fall!
Soon after, the image of Ferex appeared, dropped from the high point where he had smashed into the tough construct and crashed to the floor!
Everywhere from his neck to his hind legs was punched in with sizzling smoke that seemed to be constantly burning away at the Unliving Thread he produced as well as his body showing!
…!
Bassbion’s image flashed softly over to Skullius who had just had a bad premonition and she raised her hand, balling it into a fist that practically exploded with mana and hammering it down on Skullius who was kneeling, his prized senses in the Inner Domain not doing jack to help him sense which of the seventy two Bassbion’s was his real enemy!
BOOM! CRACK! CRACK!
With attack speed that Skullius couldn’t even perceive, Bassbion smashed both of Skullius’ shoulders in, the bones and flesh on these parts indenting and cracking into pieces as they brutally mashed with everything else inside!
With barely any delay, Bassbion’s armoured hand pierced through Skullius’ throat, gripping everything within it and ruthlessly pulling it out!
Blood sprayed out, staining Bassbion’s armour, the guardian looking down on Skullius who choked, spewing a red fountain from his mouth with great disdain as she spoke.
“How abysmally pathetic.”
At this moment, the agitated voice of Sila boomed within Skullius’ mind, revealing something he had wanted to withhold!
‘HAND OVER THE BODY NOW! SHE’S DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER GUARDIANS! SHE’S A SPIRIT!’