288. Despair Part Two

288. Despair Part Two

[-̶̧̛̻͕̹̩̖͕̑̈́̂͗̾͊̓͌̀͗́͝ͅ-̵̖͎͖̤̌̇̿̓̿̌́̆͛͆͘͝-̵̧̣̩͚̗͕̤͙͉̱͕͎͔̟͐̑͊͌ͅ-̶̻͕̲͓͈̼̥̰̘͔͛̍̊̒̉̈́̐̂̋̕͝ Centinel – Lvl. 162]

The world seemed to warp around me as my vision somehow grew muffled. Bits of rock and sand floated into the air, distorted into odd, jagged shapes that obscured their original form. The rose as obfuscated water descended from the sea above, filling the air with these twisted parts of reality.

It was almost reminiscent of the fold between planes where the Devil lived. Except— corrupted.

I dove through this changed landscape, fleeing the Corrupted Centinel with my clone trailing slowly behind. The mass of broken shells and limbs and wings followed after us as parts of its body shot out, propelled by a great force that closed the distance in an instant. My clone and I zipped around each other, like a pair of spiraling wisps, avoiding these attacks as I pointed at her.

“What are you still doing here? Distract it for me!”

She crossed her arms as she flew around one of the floating corruptions. Another projectile shot out between us, and I nodded, listening to her arguments against that idea.

“I see. You think it’d be stupid if you just went ahead and died in a few seconds, wasting my only advantage before even formulating a proper plan of action. I think you’re right. As expected of myself, you’re a genius!”

However, there was one problem there. I wasn’t sure what I could even do against this Corrupted Centinel. The Bloodied Gulf itself was collapsing and rising, being flipped over and entirely rearranged. Most of my Skills were exhausted. The only idea I had left was to utilize the Breastplate of Alexander’s Temporary Skills.

Temporary Skills:

[Greater Status Effect Resistance] – Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Superior Aura of Greater Protection] – Lvl. 20 (Maxed)

[Repudiation Repulse] – Lvl. 10 (Maxed)

I could feel the [Superior Aura of Greater Protection] fading, but I knew the [Greater Status Effect Resistance] would hold up. And then there was [Repudiation Repulse], which had helped me defeat parts of the Cursed Boulder before.

It accumulated the damage it had taken and unleashed it out onto others. This meant that it had been storing up an unfathomable amount of power for a while now, with all the damage it had taken since I arrived here. I just had to get close and release it all into the center of the Corrupted Centinel— where its smaller body lay.

“Alright. I’ve decided. We’re going to charge straight into it.”

My clone gave me a judging look, and I rolled my eyes.

“Look, unless you have a better plan, I don’t think anything else will work.”

She acquiesced after a moment’s deliberation. The wall of water that marked the end of the Bloodied Gulf loomed over us as we rapidly approached it. A ripple ran through the ocean, and I glanced back. The Corrupted Centinel was close. Its corruption began to spread to the ocean itself, splitting it in twain.

The sea unfurled like a shorn curtain, divided and contorted. I nodded at my clone.

“Now, break!”

We flew straight at each other before continuing on, heading in opposite directions. [The Primordial Spark] flared around as I unleashed a deluge of blue and red flames at the Corrupted Centinel. It didn’t reel back— it was protected by the distorted shells floating around it. It concentrated that barrier in my direction, essentially absorbing the flames.

My clone, however, released more precise attacks, aiming straight for the center of the mass. Weapons made of silver-gold flame shot out and swerved their way around the outer mosaics. The entirety of the Corrupted Centinel shifted back as its true body was pierced by the salvo of blades. It looked like a Sage Centinel, but different.

I could hear a warped screech erupt from it as I continued to circle around it, using my fiery arms to scorch its outside. The Corrupted Centinel twisted. Its outer body exploded out, aiming for myself and my clone.

I dipped down as my clone flew up. Most of its attack was concentrated on her, rather than me. It thought I was the distraction since I’d only been annoying it, while my clone had actually hurt it. Well, that was what I wanted it to think.

As the array of obfuscated shells and spikes crashed down towards me, I suddenly changed course. I sent a burst of flames to redirect my trajectory and began to rapidly ascend. Bits of the outer body of the Corrupted Centinel receded to cover its true body, but I focused on it.

[Scattering Displacement]. [Mass Particulate Modification].

My grip over the flying layer of [Ancient Centinel] parts was weak. It was just like with the Cursed Boulder. For whatever reason, the corruption distorted my control over space magic in the area. But it was enough of an effect to create a small hole for me to slip through.

I shrank some of the large shells, while prying them aside. Then before it could close in, I entered the inside of the Corrupted Centinel’s outer body. Immediately, I was afflicted by a strong pressure. One that threatened to tear me apart. My Breastplate of Alexander shone, flickering and fading. I could see parts of the iridescent metal dissolve into particles that slowly vanished.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

And it wasn’t just the Breastplate of Alexander. Unfortunately, its protection magic was failing. My skin ebbed too. I watched as bits of my body flaked off, being replaced with a stinging pain. A ghost feeling taking over for where it used to be.

I grimaced, but I fought through this. My entire body flared up in an eclectic blaze. Different colors that spiraled around my body, protecting me as much as it was meant to hurt the Corrupted Centinel.

I drew closer to the center of this corrupted mass. More of its outer body receded, moving to intercept me with corrupted projectiles and tendrils of the [Ancient Centinel]’s remains encroached around me. I burned it all away, keeping it back as I reached for the true body.

I wasn’t going to activate [Repudiation Repulse] until I was close enough that I knew it would have an actual effect on the Corrupted Centinel. Also, I wanted the Breastplate of Alexander to absorb as much energy as possible before I released it all back into the world.

My teeth ground together as I burned my way into the heart of the corruption. But just as I was about to reach the true body, I was assailed by a mass of the corrupted carapace. It surrounded me, trying to bury me from all directions. It pulled me back as I struggled to wade my way closer to the small figure at the center.

I met the gaze of the Corrupted Centinel’s true body. It rose an arm, dismissively waving it as I was tossed back. The Breastplate of Alexander dimmed, its light beginning to vanish as it crumpled under the pressure. My body twisted in pain as black blood seeped out of my skin.

“No!”

I shouted, eyes flickering. My vision changed as I saw myself wrapped up in a distorted red of shells and flesh, quickly flying away from the Corrupted Centinel. My clone rushed in, despite the corruption damaging her very being. Chunks of her body dissipated as she was impaled by multiple flying barbed parts.

Still, she made her way towards me, flying through this storm until she was nearly within arm’s length. I smiled as I grabbed her hand. She sighed.

And she exploded.

A blast of gold and silver blew apart a quarter of the Corrupted Centinel’s body. The amalgamation of carapace that had been pulling me back was knocked away, burned by her fire. It was more powerful than even my [Demon’s Mark], now. At its current level, it was the strongest area of effect Skill I had. And combined with [Divine Essence of the Daeva Cambion], it burned everything it touched.

Everything that wasn’t the corruption.