CHAPTER 128: | WRATH OF THE SILENT KEEPER | 2

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  BOOM!

  It was a picturesque scene unfolding before our lacking eyes.

  Though I had no eyes, I could perceive the glory of this shining starlight exploding into the endless darkness of the chamber, repelling the tendrils of this unknown entity.

  I could tell that the extreme method Lumicor had used, in an attempt to get a little bit stronger in every passing moment, wasn't exactly a waste.

  I could feel it through my instinct: the average projectiles he created could unleash a force equivalent to a zen, which was a million tons itself.

  I don't really need to point out how much more firepower he could generate if he truly had the intent to kill this unknown entity with him going all out.

  I lifted my chin, watching his projectiles levitating tens of meters in the ceiling.

  Their duty was to give vision of the incoming tendrils striking at us.

  It was a wise decision, giving his allies some vision, though limited to the tendrils within five hundred meters up or to the center of the expansive building.

  Still, this was an incredible lifeline for his allies.

  Since with this level of vision, they could now anticipate their attacks instead of randomly guessing their trajectories.

  This made it more manageable for Tellus.

  But Solia herself was blind, so what light could provide to a blind person?

  Then what about the other two women, especially Samantha, who could provide some sort of firepower to help offset the pressure?

  Or maybe Ishtar, since it's rather impossible for her to grow stronger when she was under my tutelage, right?

  Well... the only thing that I could say about these two women is... they are completely useless in this situation.

  They wouldn't even provide the needed firepower to hold a single tendril of this creature, much less offset the pressure we are facing right now.

  So, you may ask what they are doing right now instead of providing some help?

  Well, it was simple.

  They were just doing their usual ladylike stuff, chatting about the history of Atlantis, the great virtues of nobles, the etiquette of the high, and other makeup-related stuff, how their snacks tasted, and such.

  All while leisurely taking their time, sitting on a bench, watching the cadence in the sky with relaxed faces.

  I guess you could say that they were best at freeloading.

  ...while Solia herself was working her arse off in an attempt to improve in every moment.

  I was curious how she was faring against the tendrils right now, so I spared her a glance.

  I saw her sheathing her dual swords, then unsheathing them faster than sound.

  SHIIING!

  Her blades sliced through the tendril's thick, leathery armor in a single slash, cutting it in half in an effortless strike.

  'I guess she was faring better than I had expected, since she could literally unleash a cutting power capable enough to slice through a durability that could endure the force of ten zen, which was equivalent to ten million tons of force—in an instant.'

  But on second glance, I could see the small beads of sweat gathering right below her chin.

  Exhaustion was beginning to creep into her being on just her third slash.

  I could understand why, since she was truly straining herself beyond what she could handle.

  On closer look at her muscles, I could see it, they had already snapped in half.

  Especially her forearms, biceps, calves, glutes, and leg muscles, along with her obliques and chest, just to unleash three slashes and no more than that.

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  Her seven orifices had already bled, telling her body to stop over-exerting itself and call it a day.

  But the ever-stubborn Solia, noticing that another tendril was coming at her, remained silent about her situation.

  She continued to push herself beyond her limitations, gripping her sword tightly with her trembling hands.

  Before she could unleash another slash, I grabbed her hand, then whispered in her ear with a comforting voice.

  "Solia, my dearest apostle, I know that pushing yourself beyond your limits is a good method to grow quicker..."

  I sighed, slightly annoyed at the tension in the current.

  Solia, though injured, still stubbornly resisted my grip, trying to draw her blade one last time in an attempt to defend her master from harm.

  But was I, her master, someone that needed to hide behind a woman's skirt just so that I could feel safe at the moment?

  No.

  I wasn't someone like that.

  So I stubbornly sheathed her blades in a forceful manner, ending up bruising her fair hands with the force I exerted.

  I then flicked her forehead and whispered softly.

  "I know that you couldn't speak, but tell me, Solia... did I need someone's assistance until now?"

  Solia contemplated for a while, then gave her answer.

  She shook her head left and right, since she had no memories of her master ever needing help 'Tellus himself was a part of him, so it wouldn't count.'

  I smiled at her answer.

  I flicked my fingers.

  The world seemed to stop.

  The ground shook in resistance, then broke into pieces as gushing sand erupted from it, forming into a gigantic pair of hands.

  RUMBLE... CRACK!

  They raised to the heavens, on their conquest to not just block the tendrils, but to grab them.

  Just as I had anticipated, this pair of hands easily caught the tendrils.

  I was amused that this construct could block a full-on ten zen of force without any difficulties, since the impact it took was evenly spread across the ground.

  I was, I admit, rather impressed at how my affinity worked.

  Now with room to breathe, I continued my words.

  "In the past, I too had desperately sought strength to resist my enemies. But never was I desperate enough to destroy my body, since I know that training at my limits is more beneficial than training beyond my limits. It leaves more room for me to train, rather than sit and recover my body. Do you understand?"

  'I had already known about this without Master telling me his experience,' Solia thought.

  'But it was fascinating to hear that he, too, was desperate for strength, but never desperate enough to destroy his body... like what I am doing right in this moment. So pathetically. Just to gain an edge over Tellus.'

  Solia sighed, then nodded her head respectfully as she slowly made her way toward the other women, limping with her every step.

  'I guess this is the result of my desire, showing this pathetic side of me to my Master. Oh, how disheartening it is to be weak. But I shall endure it and grow stronger every day until I reach the summit of the sword, where I can unleash a single strike capable of cutting through the fabrics of reality.'

  This was her conviction as a swordswoman.

  Not the ignorant Titaness that once thought a sword and a club were no different, weapons she could just use to smash her opponent's face with the blunt side.

  Funny.

  She, an ignorant person, was now gladly walking the path of the sword.

  Oh, how time could change the perspective of a person, be it ignorant or smart.

  Truly, the wonder of time, ticking in every passing moment until it was the right moment.

  I smiled, watching Solia join the other girls biding their time, discussing their type of men.

  Meanwhile she, who was blind, half-deaf, and mute, stayed silent by the sidelines, contemplating my profound words of wisdom.

  'But I know that it wasn't. Still, I prefer to call it that to sound more wise and mature.'

  I sighed, as I could feel the intent of this unknown entity lurking in the shadows becoming more violent as time passed.

  Thousands of its tendrils had now begun to pummel at us, especially on Lumicor's side, which he easily sliced into numerous pieces in an instant.

  Tellus, an extension of myself, shaped the terrain into something more advantageous for himself, a dragon that glided through the illusory peaks of the great range with ease.

  His maw met the tendrils, and with a snap, the tendrils were cut in two.

  I lazily lifted my hand, pointing at the tendrils coming at me.

  The ground trembled violently.

  Like trees sprouting from the earth, sand-hands rose from the ground and caught the tendrils mid-air.

  They crushed them between their grips as I lazily bent myself and sat on a throne, as I boredly muttered with my words infused with mana.

  "IS THIS IT? A DISAPPOINTMENT, IF I SAY SO MYSELF. THE OPPONENTS THAT I'VE MET IN THIS LIFETIME WERE MORE ENTERTAINING THAN THESE TENDRILS, YOU KNOW? IT IS DISAPPOINTING THAT THE BEAST THAT VARUNA HAD PERSONALLY BABIED WOULD ONLY AMOUNT TO THIS, WHEN HE HIMSELF COULD EASILY OBLITERATE ME IF HE SO WISHED."

  The silence was palpable.

  The tendrils stopped their advances completely.

  Lumicor, who was the first to notice the change in its temperament, flinched.

  He could now detect its murderous intent, but also the mana in the atmosphere, a solid one hundred thousand units of mana, which was slowly gathering towards its massive body in a torrential stream.

  He muttered softly.

  "This is getting more and more interesting."

  In response to this challenge, Lumicor himself also pulled twenty thousand units of mana from the atmosphere towards himself.

  He then augmented his armaments more and more.

  I saw it, the armaments of his, which were ethereal, were slowly becoming more and more solid and defined.

  Seventeen constellations rose from the ground and hovered at his back as his halo spun wildly.

  Wings made of pure starlight sprouted from his back.

  Now, his appearance closer to that of the purest source of light, he arrogantly gazed at the lowly beast in the veil of darkness.

  He pointed his index finger, then whispered softly.

  "Starlight Judgement."

  The thousands of projectiles that were hovering tens of meters below the ceiling slowly made their way to the center of the chamber.

  They slowly converged into a single sword that was five hundred meters tall, its tip pointed at the monstrosity that lay below, a kraken as twisted as the roots of a tree, resting on the marbled floor.

  Lumicor sighed, then pointed his finger down.

  The sword began its slow descent... which slowly picked up its pace... until a second passed.

  The world went still.

  FWOOSH!

  The sword vanished without a trace, only to appear in the ground a few seconds later, half of its blade struck deep in the floor.

  BOOM!