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Chapter 1589 - The Heat Is On
🕑 Added 2025-04-23 02:43:30 +0000 UTCAnother monster from the sixth arrived a few hours ago, which makes it the third one today. The mana level here in the fifth has probably reached its peak now, and it is deeply unpleasant.
It’s a constant struggle for the wuffers to keep up, the blue mana is being consumed faster and faster by the more potent native energy and they have to chew through that potent toxic stuff at ever increasing speeds. For now, the safe-zone is holding. For now.
I know the vast bulk of the energy being taken into the fortress is being siphoned off somewhere. Hopefully whatever Solant needs it proves worth the effort.
“Be careful, Eldest!” a powerful scent next to me calls out.
“I’m always careful!”
“You’re currently melting!”
“... It’s not that bad!”
Alis throws her hands up before turning back to the oncoming onslaught and launching fire from her hands. I do indeed have acid on my back, steaming and burning, but my carapace isn’t that easy to get through. It’ll take more than a little acid to make me worry!
No, the acid isn’t the problem, it's the corrupting energy contained within that is slowly leaking into my body. Yuck! Hate that stuff. After a few seconds, a huge volume of water splashes over my thorax, covering me in the deluge and washing off most of the offending acid.
I turn slightly to see Bertran reloading his water cannon. The bearded man smiles and gives me a thumbs up that I do not return. And not just because I don’t have thumbs.
I mean… yes, it certainly helps to get the acid off, and wash away the slop and slime that spills onto the platform. It’s useful, I know that, I just don’t enjoy being dunked in water all the time. Looking down at Alis, who now somewhat resembles a drowned rat, I think she understands how I feel.
“You were too close,” I tell her helpfully.
“Thanks,” she mutters. “Thanks a lot.”
“You could stand further back if you want. You cast magick, you don’t need to be here.”
“We’re here to help you,” she replies, just as stubborn as the rest of the templar. “I can be more effective here, closer to you.”
As they fight, the Templar have continued to gain levels, growing stronger and levelling their Skills. The Class has empowered them in some odd ways. They get stronger when closer to me, for example. As fighters, all of them, even the youngin’s have proven to be very capable. Jern swings his axe like it’s a part of him, and the light he can produce from that thing is deadly. Alis has been working on her fire magic and it’s getting more and more impressive. She can’t hold a candle to Dragon’s Breath or to Invidia’s explosions, but she’s doing very well. Apparently the bonuses they get from being a Templar are enough to overcome their relative lack of experience. I don’t know how human Classes work or anything, but it seems like Templar is a really good one.
My nerves stiffen, and, for a moment, I suspect something is coming, but I can’t see it. Playing fire across the oncoming waves of mucus, I look for danger… well, danger is everywhere… I look for excessive danger, but I don’t find anything.
“Alis? Are you sensing something?” I ask her, a little confused.
She’s about to answer me when her eyes roll up in her head and she collapses to the ground.
What the heck!?
I turn and the same has happened to Bertran, which can only mean one thing: spiritual attack! The Nave is under attack! Why? HOW!?
My nerves scream again as my antennae twitch, a slight glimpse into the future sending impulses raging through my neurons. Two massive globs of mana are launched, simultaneously from deep within the tunnel.
Dammit! No way that isn’t coordinated!
My constructs spin up, pushing hard, straining to bursting point as they try to rip out as much gravitational mana as they can. Condense it, pack it as tight and solid as I can until it starts to do the work itself, sucking in mana all on its own.
I don’t bother splitting it. I only had one bomb ready to go and creating a second from scratch wouldn’t leave me with enough time to launch it.
One the spell is ready, I open my mandibles wide and unleash the Doom Sphere….
I mean, the name is growing on me.
HOOOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLLL!!!!!
Empowered by the Altar, the gravity bomb unleashes an air shattering scream, like the dying wails of a god. The air is sucked in so fast it slices away sections of rock, or rips stones straight off the walls.
The blobs of mucus and the gravity bomb meet halfway down the tunnel and the bomb expands to consume them. It fills the tunnel with darkness, consuming unfathomable amounts of slime, thousands of monsters and still wants more.
This is clearly some sort of planned attack. I’m not going to muck around, they can have a massive gravity bomb to chew on. If that doesn’t disrupt their plans, then nothing will.
Again, my antennae twitch and my nerves burn with fire. I lunge to the left, just in time. Something wet and sticky slaps into my carapace a split-second before it would have hit Alis. I stand over her, as several more projectiles blast out from the wall to smack into my darkly gleaming exo-skeleton. I can feel them oozing and creeping over me already. I can see the lines that extend out into the darkness, connected to their invisible handlers out on the wall.
The Krath have come. For me?!
I clack my mandibles, amused. You think you take me?
Let’s see how that goes.
Comments
Merf
Anthony is targeting multiple monsters along with the mucus of the fifth every time he uses dragons breath. Alis only has to target individual monsters, who are likely recent spawns at the lowest tier. Besides, the point of her being there is to increase her level and protect Anthony from spiritual attacks.
Dailion
If Alis fire isn't at the same level of Dragon's breath, then ain't she useless there? I remember reading that even Dragon's breath doesn't burn quick the monsters of the fifth, so a weaker fire would take even longer time to do something.
Gopard
Thanks for the chapter! They seriously went with this plan lmfao lol!
Cinnamon Toast
I read it as he supercharged the doom sphere that both got pulled in due to the gravity
SuperNewbie
What happened to the second acid doom sphere? Did they both get hit by Anthony’s?
CentaureHeart
Bad move
ZaneofBane
They're in for a rude awakening when they realize Anthony holds back so as not to kill everyone on the platform, including himself 🤣
Runaway_Cactuar
Starcrusher, then send in Leroy. GG.
alt31415
Singularity would be useless because the Krath are spread out. Just good ol' Starcrusher.
Gabus Deux
Im just imagining them cackling with mad glee pulling him farther and farther away, until they realize that he has been holsing back due to the sheer destructive potential he is capable of. Just imagine it starts off as a small high pitched whining and they look over to see two massive fucking blackholes pointed right at them before evaporating along with everything else in a straight line for miles
Brandon14754
it'd be really funny if anthony is actually corrupted but just acts like dark anthony and willingly gets re-purified
Bethany Bluebird
Oh dear.. is Dark Anthony about to make an appearance???? MWAHAHAHAHA! PRAISE! PRAISE BE TO THE GREAT ONE IN HIS WICKED GLORY!
Brandon14754
*Sprinkles alt31415 with salt* "Bad krath"
taukid
Anthony's reaction is basically "you're locked in here with me"
Anthony Romanov
For THE COLONY!!! MUHAHAHA
Rick Delallata
Starcrusher chomp time?
alt31415
THE SINGING MUST STOP
