Chapter 791 Pink Mist
Sylas replayed the events in his mind, slowly reconstructing things in an attempt to understand what happened. But even after a long while, although he knew that Lorien had somehow used him as a cover to eliminate Ulrik, he still couldn't quite grasp it.
That pink mist she was emitting… it wasn't simple at all.
Originally, they just seemed to have a slowing effect on the fired Runes. But this clearly wasn't the end of it at all. It seemed that, rather than just slowing Runes, it instead manipulated the laws and the way those laws interacted with said Runes.
Essentially, she was almost casting an illusory world around the Runes that forced them to act differently. On the one hand, this could make them far weaker, but on the other… it could do the exact opposite as well.
While everyone here probably thought this Unique Gene—or maybe it was a Racial Trait—only had one simple ability. But with his senses, Sylas was fairly certain that it was not only far more complex than any of them assumed, but…
Even he couldn't see through the complexity of its depths. It went far deeper than even his perception could track.
The only reason he could tell at all was because he had slowed things down considerably. If this was in any other situation, especially one where he wasn't able to slow his perception of time, he would likely be just as confused as everyone else.
But now he was certain.
This woman was dangerous.
She was an enemy.
She was using him.
In the end of it all, she would probably find a way to slip away with her rewards, and somehow, everything would be blamed on him. She would gain everything, while he would gain nothing but the ire of countless more powerful enemies.
Now, having suffered such heavy blows, and being forced to rely on a Progenitor Flame Ability that was draining away even his own powerful Will so quickly, he was in a terrible situation.
…
It was hard to tell how long Ulrik spent on the ground. He didn't seem as injured as he should be, but Sylas wasn't surprised by this either. It was clear that the restrictions on his feet were far heavier than the ones on Ulrik's. Plus, his Constitution and the Treasures he wore were clearly on a completely different level.
However, he did soon rise.
His expression was just as unreadable as when he first appeared, marred in a secrecy with cascading tones of darkness. There was a bristling in the depths of his eyes, like the swaying seaweeds on the ocean's floor. But other than this… there was nothing else.
After he swept a casual glance over the arena, he directly turned and left, not even bothering to stick around. But there was a biting chill that ran up the length of Sylas' spine in the moment he looked at him.
As far as Sylas could tell, this was the first time the man cared to meet his eyes at all. Before now, he had been treated as little more than air.
Considering Sylas was above him in the Breath Master rankings, it was odd that Ulrik didn't even acknowledge his presence. But this was just the culture of Rune Masters.
To be a Breath Master was one thing… to be a Flesh Master was something entirely different.
It was just that Ulrik had no idea that Earth as a Race of beings in the Dogons born as Flesh Masters. Considering Sylas was also a Vitality Master, it didn't even occur to Sylas that Ulrik would be looking down on him for such a ridiculous reason.
But now, he had no choice at all but to acknowledge Sylas' presence… but that acknowledgement…
Was wreathed in killing intent.
Sylas coughed, blood coming from his mouth. But he wiped with a single stroke of his forearm.
Ultimately, as much as his Demonic Will seemed to have changed him, he was still Sylas Bronze. He wasn't a fan of talking, of making threats, nor did he feel the need to make outward showings of his strength like a gorilla beating his chest in the wild.
Maybe he and Ulrik would cross paths again.
Maybe they wouldn't—though Sylas was smart enough to know that this was highly unlikely to be the case.
When that time came, Ulrik would know how foolish he was to have ever had such thoughts in the first place.
What Sylas didn't know just yet was that that time would come much sooner than he could have ever imagined. Unfortunately, he didn't have the luxury to even think about such things, not now…
Not when there was a final round with a snake-like woman waiting for him.
A round he had to win no matter what.
If he was going to have to take the brunt of the blame for what happened here today, he would make certain that this woman gained nothing in return for it.
Then when the time came, she would suffer for what she had done today not much differently from Ulrik would.
Lorien "stabilized" herself, her feet almost tripping over themselves as she stopped near the edge of the arena, just barely not falling off.
When she realized that she remained and Ulrik did not, her expression changed and grievance was colored all over her face.
She quickly "hid" it, but those with sharp gazes had already long taken it in. They could easily guess why something that should have made her so happy instead made her act like this.
Sylas had to admit that she was a good actress. She wasn't just manipulating her expression, but the waves of her Will as well. If Sylas hadn't already seen through her, he would have been hard pressed to see the difference as well.
He raised the danger level of this woman a few more ticks in his heart.
At that moment, Chase cleared his throat.
"… A truly unexpected turn of events, rather than the final round we were expecting, a Breath Master has actually managed to outlast a battle of titans!
"Now, we will proceed to the last and final round! Hold your horses people, this will decide the owner of a truly mysterious and shocking Aether Treasure!"