Fighting as a giant was different from fighting as a person, in more ways than Kai had expected. It wasn't simply a magnification of his ordinary techniques, as if the world had shrunk around him. All of his movements were sluggish, ponderous even though they covered vast spaces. When he swung out an enormous claw, ignoring the crimson beams merely scorching the surface, it collided with the Abhorroid like mountains clashing.
If he had tried to overthink every single action, he would have stumbled and failed, perhaps even crushed Hantron City with his own body. Instead, he leaned into his monstrous instincts, which seemed to know how to move in a body like this... except unlike when he drew on his Savage Creed form, his mind remained completely focused.
Thinking so clearly as a monster felt strange, acknowledging his hunger for everything even as he fought to defend the ant-like people behind him. It completely stripped away his thoughts of having monstrous and human elements to himself: it was all just him.
When the Abhorroid unleashed an unprecedented cloud of black dust, Kai stabbed his tail into the ground and pushed himself to the side. Even that caused rockslides, and his movement tore through the earth as he moved to the flank of the monster.
He had raised an arm, instinctively gathering power for Tyrant's Claw, but he realized just how destructive it could be at this size. If any energy passed the Abhorroid, it could travel for leagues, potentially destroying cities.
Instead of launching it as a technique, Kai brought down all that power in physical form. His claws tore deep, puncturing past the Abhorroid's surface layers for the first time, drawing dark ichor from it. For a moment, he thought that might be the end.
Then the wound opened, revealing a massive eye half the size of the Abhorroid's body. It unleashed a crimson beam unlike any he'd seen before, blasting him backwards. Kai stumbled, trying to catch himself on all fours before being driven down to the ground.
When the beam stopped, he was still intact, but Kai was keenly aware of how the phased chakra reserves within his giant body were diminishing. He couldn't keep fighting like this forever, maybe not even for long. Yet with the Abhorroid approaching, eye preparing for another beam, what could he do?
Kai pushed himself up, opened his jaws, and exhaled a transformed version of Baleful Breath. At his current size it was apocalyptic, creating a sea of darkness and flame that ravaged an entire region of the wasteland.
For the first time he saw the Abhorroid seem to panic, trying to move quickly and rise into the air. Even with its power erupting downward, it only lifted out of the flames slower, and when it rose into the sky, the lower half of its body had been severely burned. The upper half glowed brighter, however, and it hung within the clouds like a vengeful moon.
Using Baleful Breath like that had drained even more of his chakra, but Kai wasn't done yet. He rose to all four limbs in a monstrous stance and prepared to leap.
.
..
.
Hunting Fodajix through the countryside was annoying, but it proved more important than Omilaena suspected. She found him at an abandoned elite way-station, prying at one of the doorways that could be made into a portal. With his raw power, there was a slim chance he could have made it work somehow, so just as well that she interrupted him.
When she approached, Fodajix sensed her presence. The way he instantly drew his sword and adopted a defensive stance, Omilaena didn't think there was any point in trying to seduce him.
"So just what-"
She was cut off by his rushing attack. Of course she retaliated by throwing a needle at his eyes, but even at such close range, he managed to raise his sword and deflect it. He was using it one-handed and his other hand swept out toward her in a fist.
The attack was direct, and all the more effective for that. If Omilaena hadn't had so much experience sparring with Zin Nim and her palm strikes, she could well have been struck. As it was, she barely managed to weave around it, forming a knife and slashing at Fodajix's arm. She only managed one cut before he swung his sword back into range, forcing her to back off.
After that she kept her distance, and with her new power, she could maintain that. Unfortunately, his body really did seem similar to something like a Steel Titan, except phased. Only a truly well-placed attack could draw any blood, and his tunic seemed to deflect more attacks than she had expected. Taking a risk, Omilaena managed to slash open the fabric and saw mail glinting underneath.
<
Name: Fodajix
Total Power: 2483
Ironeater: Feldspar Rank (1105)
Human Essence: 300
Brute Iron Physique: D-5 (335)
Soul Level: 7 (343)
Ring of Iron (+100)
Trueiron Sword (+100)
Mana Circlet (+100)
Hidden Mail (+100)
>
The bastard had a secret coat of phased mail that he'd been hiding this entire time. She wanted that phased metal, but Omilaena realized that she was going to have to rein in her avarice. Fodajix was actually a dangerous opponent, too smart to be easily tricked or led into a trap. Unlike the others, who didn't understand the nature of their phased abilities, Fodajix had a strong grasp on his own limitations.
After they had fought for some time, Omilaena failing to cause a solid injury and Fodajix failing to keep her in range, they stopped to regroup. Maybe it was time for an entirely different tactic...
"What are you trying to accomplish?" she asked. "You bring back the monster, you start slaughters all over... those seem like distractions. What do you hope to gain?"
"Why would I tell you?" He stared back at her icily, but he wasn't attacking. Okay, so he was clever enough not to just babble his thoughts to her, and there were much smarter people who couldn't resist that.
"Because you're at a disadvantage. You have to know you're running out of allies and options. But we're spread thin too, so I'd be willing to cut you a deal. Work together with us and you can walk free at the end of this."
"Bullshit. I've killed your own people."
"Not my people, and the people on this continent kill each other all the time." Omilaena shrugged, but she knew that wouldn't be enough, so she played her best card. "We need information from you. You know what happens when you see Kai, right?"
"I..." For the first time Fodajix looked uncertain, though he didn't lower his guard.
"If we're right, something strange happened to you. Maybe you met a man wearing gray, or you ran into a gray power. I am very interested in that, in fact I'd say it's more important than just about anything else. You're the only person who can tell me what I need to know, so if you cooperate I'll do everything I can to help you."
His sword lowered slightly. "And what sort of life is there for me, after this?"
"That's up to you," Omilaena said. "If you switch sides, you could be a hero instead of a tyrant. Trust me, I've done some bad things in my time, but they're all willing to accept me now. But in your place, I think I'd go to one of the other continents. You could live a good life there, free of all this."
"I..."
"Well, Fodajix? Do we keep swiping at each other, or do we act like adults and make a deal?"
For a moment he looked lost and alone... then his eyes hardened and his sword rose again. "No," Fodajix said clearly, "no, I don't believe you. I called for the slaughter of everyone, and I don't think you'll forgive that. There's only one way this can end."
It was a shame, because she really wanted to get more information about the outside world from him, including the gray power. But he was too dangerous not to take seriously, so that chance had evaporated. She'd almost had him, but it was too late.
Omilaena spun needles into both hands. "You're right."
.
..
.
Qi flooded through Zae Zin Nim's body, taking pathways she didn't fully understand, but it was hers in a way she had never felt before. She had taken a step off the narrow path, and the fires had engulfed her, but instead of destroying her, they had taken her to a new path.
When she had arrived in Floodisle City, she had known that she had limited time. It shocked her how easily she had killed one of the invaders: she had been held back so long by the limitation of their threat, she had forgotten that the gap in power between them had only risen.
Yangix, however, would be the real danger, especially since he was threatening Cragrila and Wan Fei. Zae Zin Nim closed off her heart, which was roiling with untamed emotions, and displayed only her old cultivator attitudes. It was certainly easy to fake against this man who had caused her so much trouble, who was battering two far worthier fighters with nothing but his undeserved power.
So when she unleashed the massive Coldfire Palm, she made it move slowly, knowing that Yangix wouldn't be able to resist throwing his own power against it. While he tried to fight her qi, Zae Zin Nim used the fact that she was obscured by fire to vanish.
Slipping around the side, she appeared beside Cragrila and Wan Fei, who were shocked to see her. It was easy to grab them both and carry them out of the way, depositing them on the nearest rooftop outside the range of her palm.
"You've done enough," she said quietly. "I'll take it from here."
Meanwhile, Yangix had finally overcome her Coldfire Palm, managing to turn it back with a tremendous flood of qi. He looked entirely baffled that she wasn't standing behind it, his eyes still searching the heavens as if he believed she had been putting her full strength into the technique.
Perhaps if she had, she could have destroyed him in the first exchange, but that would have led to unacceptable losses. Now he would be warier... but she didn't think that it would matter. Zae Zin Nim moved forward to finish the fight.