81 A Profound Gap
A single skill was making the current situation possible, coupled with a few additional kinks that the owner of the Labyrinth of the Yoke had set in place for one who would be wise enough to take chances and give the least bit of effort to trying to understand the essence of the power of an Insurgent Magnus.
~~~
[Basic Evil Invasion | Lv.1]
A proficient user of ‘Evil Darkness’ can literally invade the personal space of weaker beings, imposing a portion of their soul onto the body of target. Memories, experience and skills can be extracted to a very limited degree.
-Caution-
Stronger opponents may have strong mental strength and be capable of doing harm to the user’s soul.
-Caution-
Soul damage will be accrued in case of death while using a target’s body.
<Possible number of invaded targets – (1/1)>
Mana Requirements: 100 Mana Points per minute
Duration: —
Cooldown: None
~~~
Skullius hadn’t looked too much into the skill but he knew that it was impossible to be doing what he was doing when the skill was so low level at this current point in time.
However, all this didn’t matter, as Skullius had already acclimated and pulled out the strongest card that this body had.
“Majestic Territory!”
An ability that he had seen multiple times from beings that far exceeded him in power was now being used by him-ish!
Even though it would only last a few seconds, Skullius didn’t neglect to fully indulge in the power that overflowed after he unleashed Eldris’ Territory!
From Eldris’ body, a dark red sphere appeared, expanding outwards immediately after as it released an overbearing energy that dyed the entire hall in a bloody hue!
The furniture and decor in the hall vanished only to be replaced by a searing hot scape where nothing but diverse red energies tangled with each other in an unsettling manner!
Mirages emerged from the heat that was extremely evident within this place, many of the hundreds that had been dragged into this odd space already feeling a weak sensation as the adverse effects of the Territory set in on them!
Everyone remained in the positions they had been, including Skullius’ body which lay on the ground.
The Discount Human who was in Eldris’ body was in the centre of the Territory, his body radiating with a red, pulsing glow while his eyes flickered with the darkness that trailed like flame.
This was Majestic Territory Expulsion!
A high level art whose mechanics were far beyond the understanding of most beings.
Skullius received a flurry of notifications a full three seconds after casting his Territory.
[You have used your ‘Majestic Territory’]
[+250% Agility within the Territory]
[+300% Strength within the Territory]
[+100% Mana Points and Mana Recovery within the Territory]
[+200% Skill efficiency within the Territory]
Skullius felt a ridiculous amount of energy settle in his body as his stats exploded!
His mana burst like a flame as it distorted the dark shifting reds around him!
‘This is it…!’ Skullius thought as he stole a glance at his body and the figures of the three that he had been about to go against for a second round!
His top priority among them was Remos!
The old man while in his robes narrowed his eyes as the view in front of him had suddenly changed into the eerie red, like an obscure painting.
The woman with navy blue hair and the other man looked on impassively, as their thick mana, one green and the other orange, surrounded their bodies protectively.
“Such a weak and unimpressive Territory won’t get you anywhere, undead! You chose a particularly weak vessel for that,” Remos remarked as his mana began to expand also!
‘I won’t let you!’ Skullius thought as his buff appearance with long black hair vanished and appeared right above Remos, the space around him quaking from his movement!
Skullius immediately cast multiple offensive skills as well as other defensive skills that he was slowly beginning to recognise from the influence of Eldris’ body that was eager to fight!
[Emperor Dragon Mimicking Art]!
[Breaking Wind Demon Art]!
[Savage Killing]!
[Unhindered Fist]!
[Broken Physique]!
The Discount Human didn’t waste time trying to figure out the proper usage of these skills as he merely flung his fist with all his might!
Right before his fist reached the old man, Skullius saw Remos wear a surprised expression as his quick attack had caught him off guard!
Regardless of how much stronger Remos was in comparison to Skullius, he was still a mage type combatant in the end!
He hadn’t thought that Skullius would use such a ruthless, reckless and unruly method of attack where he just mashed a bunch of martial skills together!
A fierce illusory dragon head appeared behind Skullius coupled with red sigils that danced around the open maw of the black creature that had three thick horns around its head!
Blue rings wrapped round Skullius’ hand as well, giving him a majestic appearance that was complemented by the trails of darkness that followed his eyes!
Everyone within close range was blown away the moment the attack landed!
The impact was indescribable as only a heavy sensation of mana with different weavings to it exploded with a bright flash of red and black that both illuminated the space and darkened it!
Skullius’ straight punch which was backed with all these skills had managed to reach Remos before he could sufficiently defend himself!
The result was a gruesome one!
Remos was collapsed on the ground with his torso having a large blotch where blood sprayed, flesh and organs missing!
He wore a crazed look on his bloody face as even with his damage, a green light was already beginning to cover his injuries and restore them!
“You…! You won’t escape!” Remos barked, but Skullius was already gone. “I will give you flesh and make you suffer for this!”
Skullius: “…”
The invader hurriedly grabbed his real body and was prepared to run towards the direction of the double doors.
Despite the TERRIFYING threat he had just received, he was still happy that he had actually succeeded!
Remos’ double wheel was gone after his body had been damaged, disrupting his spells!
As Skullius looked at his real body, he saw that the deconstruction had stopped and his cosmetic flesh was returning!
Phew!
However…
Skullius was impeded from running away immediately because of the immense strain on his mind that he felt as well as the heavy sensation of exhaustion that came with his previous movement and action!
‘A Territory is this draining? Remos said that this… is unimpressive?! This..? I can’t imagine what something stronger than this would look like! Oh, actually I do!’ Skullius thought as he recalled the fox’s Territory as well as Azila’s.
He took a breather and dashed forward in the direction of the doors to escape.
With his ridiculous speed that caused the Territory space to make way for him, Skullius ran ahead when suddenly…
FKSHHH!
An arm was cut clean off!
“A Territory that can only boost your physique by this much isn’t worth calling a Territory. To top it all off, Eldris can’t even create an ‘Imaginary GeoScape’ yet. This ends here,” the man who wore a simple shirt said, his figure appearing beside Skullius with his knife that was laced with quivering mana as it slashed laterally!
…!
Eldris’ arm was cut off!
‘Bro! I’m in a Territory for flesh’s sake!’ Skullius screamed in his mind as he tried to boost his speed further!
Unfortunately, thin slits of white raced in his vision at a tremendous speed and Skullius found deep cuts appearing all over his body after every second!
The pain only registered after the movements of a simple knife sliced through his flesh. The same flesh that was guarded by [Broken Physique]!
‘Urgh!! Does this mean if I didn’t have this defence skill I would be dead by now?! Bro, how strong are you?!’
FWOOSH!
The Territory began to dispel itself as Skullius felt the exhaustion getting worse!
The image of the hall appeared as Skullius found that he was merely 20 meters from the double doors!
He could do it!
If he could just find an opening, he could do it!
But how?! This ridiculously fast sockethole wouldn’t let him and furthermore…
HISSSSSS!
A long purple viper darted its way over to Skullius from the direction of the woman with navy blue hair!
It wrapped itself around Skullius while he was setting his sights on the immediate danger!
The long body of the snake squeezed tight, a bright tint leaking from its scales as it exerted force!
It raised its head and hissed in Skullius’ face!
The only thing that peaked from its body was Skullius’ hand that was holding onto his real body!
As he was restrained, the man in the simple shirt burst forward, an outline of mana trailing behind him with his shocking speed!
Skullius gritted his teeth!
Another moment where his life was in danger.
Why was this guy willing to kill Eldris anyway?
Were they not acquaintances at the very least?!
Such a lack of hesitation made Skullius tremble but he quickly forced himself to gather his thoughts and make a decision!
Door.
20 meters.
Free hand.
Real body.
Do it, you sockethole!
These four elements clicked within him and he gambled on a chance to turn his luck around!
With all the strength he had had left, Skullius reinforced his grip on his real body and struggled to free his entire arm from the viper’s hold, just for a moment!
He swung his hand and threw his real body with all his might towards the double doors!
He could only do this much and hope for the best!
An instant after he threw his body away, the man in the simple shirt reached Eldris’ body, a lateral slash of his knife lobbing off a Heroic Warrior’s head!