Chapter 309: Riding on a Wave
Sylas didn't panic. He realized immediately after a quick scan that the Level 6 FFF+ elite dolphin was an anomaly. The other dolphins were far weaker. Some had levels that were higher, but stats that were far inferior.
This made sense. Even the largest bottlenose dolphins were only about 200 kilograms or so. If they were compared to the sperm whale that had weights that could only be counted in the thousands of kilograms, they would obviously fall short.
The elite dolphin was clearly in a league of its own, being almost five meters long and easily weighing over a thousand pounds. But that was still not even a tenth the weight of a sperm whale.
The true danger it posed was in its stats.
Sylas' body moved as the rain of water bullets surged toward him. He dodged out of the way of many, mapping their trajectories in his visualization.
With a sudden, forceful stop, the water beneath him churned as he sent out several punches. None of these used Basic Aetherflow, but he met the water bullets with his fists head-on.
PA! PA! PA! PA! PA!
He didn't even feel the slightest stinging sensation. He ripped through them one after another, sending a rain of water into the distance that was swallowed up by the still ongoing
storm.
Suddenly, his Aether vanished from his feet and he slipped into the churning waters beneath him, just barely dodging the lunge of a dolphin.
He was instantly attacked from down below, but his eyes flashed with a dense, green light. He struck out with a vicious kick that cut through the water. His Aether skin formed a point that reduced the drag, his hips trembled with a built-up torque, and he unleashed all his strength on a single point.
BANG!
The head of the Level 3 dolphin exploded beneath the Strength.
Sylas stomped once and soared above water level once again only to find a long trench of water rushing right at him.
He knew that this was a skill of the elite dolphin. It was a charge Skill that also allowed it to use the displaced water in a frontal attack when it collided. It was definitely one of its most dangerous attacks.
Clearly, it had anticipated Sylas' appearance and acted accordingly. They said that dolphins were among the most intelligent creatures in the animal kingdom, and now that they were steadily evolving, this was only becoming more true.
However, by this point in the battle, Sylas had long become used to its intelligence, and that much allowed him to comprehend one thing...
It wasn't nearly as intelligent as he was.
Sylas rushed at it. At the perfect moment, his mouth opened and he unleashed a roar.
<Arctic Howl>.
The dolphin's charge Skill was a lot like his <Arctic Howl>. It required perfect timing and control to release everything in a single point of impact.
Sylas disrupted it not only by rushing ahead but also by deploying this expanding defensive skill.
The trench of water collapsed and the Level 6 was disoriented for a moment.
Sylas' fist descended from above and he activated Basic Aetherflow for the first time in this battle. His Strength explosively increased by 60%, rising above 220 stat points in an instant. BANG!
The Level 6 was driven into the water.
'Not good enough.'
Sylas realized it immediately. His Strength didn't overwhelm the dolphin's Constitution by enough points to kill it instantly, and because there was water all around, it cushioned the blow further.
His control still wasn't enough.
The surrounding dolphins pounced at the same time. They had only dispersed to allow the Level 6 to cast its charge Skill, so the moment they saw their leader take such a hit, they were immediately enraged.
Dozens caused the waters to become even more violent than what the storm above made possible. Waves rose and dark waters blocked his vision.
Sylas only took a calm breath, his torso flexing and his hips turning. His tendons popped and crackled as he unleashed a rain of fists. Like a torrential, pelting rain, the shadows exploded in the air as Sylas sent out a half dozen in a breath.
Six dolphins died on the spot, but a seventh managed to make it through.
Sylas didn't panic, tilting his body to the side and grabbing out at its tail.
The dolphin must have weighed over 300 pounds, but that didn't stop Sylas' fingers from digging into its flesh and piercing right through. He grunted once and his body exploded with
power.
Right at that moment, the elite dolphin came back in a furious rage, a clear dent on its head. However, it was only in time to find its comrade being swung down right upon it.
That was when something that struck even Sylas with horror happened.
He hit the dolphin with a savage boom, but right after, the dolphin he had used as a weapon let out a blood-curdling screech. Not once during this entire battle, no matter what carnage Sylas had wrought, did a dolphin make such a sound. And soon... it became clear why.
The dolphin exploded into a rain of ash.
Sylas' heart skipped a beat.
The Scorned Wraps were truly ruthless. They didn't even allow such a loophole to exist. If he used a person as a weapon, this would be their fate.
At the same time this happened, the head of the elite dolphin also exploded.
Sylas' Strength was already exaggerated. Swinging a 150-kilogram weapon was like giving
wings to a tiger. The moment it collided, the Effectiveness of his power was on another level
entirely.
The elite dolphin didn't stand a single chance.
The dolphins in the surroundings went into a wild frenzy, but there was clear fear in their eyes. With the improvement to their intelligence, they also valued their lives much more.
Sylas ignored them, bringing out the Den once more and diving into the water to bring up the
mutilated corpse of the Level 6.
'This should be the last...'
Sylas took a breath and exhaled.
The Den thrummed and exuded a blue light that enveloped the dolphins, slowly absorbing it.
[Den Establishment Challenge Complete]
Just as Sylas was about to read the rest of the notification, his gaze sharpened and he looked up. In the far-off distance, several kilometers away, there was a man riding on a tall wave.
The feeling he gave off was far too familiar to Sylas.
'Azrael?'