Chapter 821 Tug-of-Wars [Ko-Fi Donation Bonus Chapter]
The creature of black and red swayed its long tail a single time before jetting off into the distance, so fast that it was above Professor Broussard's running form in a single breath.
The Golden Armor he had worn so proudly looked chipped and shattered in many places, his rapier nowhere to be seen.
Honestly speaking, even Sylas didn't expect this sort of damage from a single attack. However, he still observed for a moment from above before raising a hand.
Arcane Madness' maw didn't open this time. Since Professor Broussard had been so nice as to give them a chance to reset the Amazonian Wilds, why take the risk of burning it to the ground?
A few heavy stones Sylas had stored away in his Madness Key from the earlier destruction manifested.
With a downstroke of his finger, one of their over-thousand-pound forms shot down with blinding speed.
The danger signs blared warnings in Elen's mind as he dove to the side.
[King's Shift].
The stone suddenly changed directions, slamming into a deep red patch of burnt skin along the Professor's side. He was sent sprawling even as a second stone descended, smashing down from above.
Professor Broussard's body flickered, his jaw set. He didn't make a single sound as his wrist and forearm latched onto the trunk of a tree, twisting his momentum to the side and sending him flying forward just out of reach of Sylas' second blow.
But right into the path of the third.
BANG!
The Professor suffered a devastating hit to the back of his head, his vision spinning and blood spurting out from his nostrils.
"Suppress," Sylas said coolly.
The Will of Arcane Madness flared and pressed down from above.
Sylas shook his head. This Will was so far beyond his own. It was the first time he had seen telekinesis with such weight to it.
In fact, he was fairly certain that this Arcane Madness creature was flying through the use of its telekinesis as well.
Sylas' Vipermancer Profession was oddly fuzzy when analyzing this creature, but he could still catch some tidbits. The beast had a special, unique Gene that made using its telekinesis on its own body several times more effective. That meant that to its telekinesis, its body was far lighter than it seemed.
But even so, Sylas wouldn't be surprised if its telekinesis still had over 10,000 pounds of force to it alone.
That kind of power could crush Sylas with a single blow… if it wasn't for the fact that Sylas' own Will was also decently strong. Strong enough, at least, that Arcane Madness couldn't easily use its telekinesis directly on his body.
But Sylas was one thing.
Professor Broussard was a completely different matter.
The man hacked up blood, his burnt and bruised form being heavily pressed into the soft soil. There was a blooming shock in his heart as though he couldn't believe what he was experiencing right now.
How had things ended up like this?
All that planning, all his preparation…
Were they really so useless in front of this Sylas Grimblade?
No…
He realized then that if not for the time dilation, Sylas would have long since surpassed them all—it wouldn't even be much of a contest. His stage had long since stopped being one he shared with them. At the very least… there was certainly no one amongst the Overlord Races remotely capable of holding a candle to him, ancient Treasures and resources or not.
Professor Broussard coughed again, his body shaking beneath the strain of trying to rise, but it was all worthless.
"Burn him to ash," Sylas said lightly.
Arcane Madness roared, its maw opening in a controlled stream.
Now that the Professor couldn't dodge and cause the flames to fall uselessly, why not end things right here and now?
There was no suspense.
The Professor was swallowed up whole, a deep pit entrenching itself into the ground.
However… Sylas found himself frowning.
Something still felt off.
His Luck was still pinging him, again and again, relentlessly. In fact, the pinging was becoming faster and faster, but there was no pointed region where the danger could come from.
It was like it was coming from everywhere and yet nowhere at the same time.
Sylas looked down beneath his feet.
Was it possible that it was because of how large Arcane Madness was?
The thought came but was fleeting.
Sylas couldn't feel his control slipping, not yet. Plus, any danger from a Serpentes that his Vipermancy couldn't sense would certainly not be sensed by his Luck.
His Luck might seem high, but it was barely 5% of his worst stat now. All things considered, it shouldn't be able to warn him about something his Insight Path Talent couldn't.
Sylas' gaze shifted and landed on the hole once again. Professor Broussard's fried corpse lay there, still in the process of crumbling.
"You will die if you stay here, young one."
The ancient voice echoed in Sylas' mind, and his pupils constricted. He looked down beneath his feet, knowing the only place this voice could have come from.
"Why is that?"
"You have passed this challenge of Madness Disciples through unconventional means. Though I could choose to disregard this as a success, your Profession is a part of your strength, and as such, it wouldn't be fair of me. Consider yourself lucky that you entered the Slithering Madness Dungeon. Otherwise, you would have been forced to face this challenge far earlier than you were ready for."
Sylas' brows settled. Honestly speaking, he didn't think he would lose even without his Vipermancy, but Arcane Madness seemed to be saying something very different.
"You were right to assume that the Slithering Madness Dungeon appeared here for a reason, but it isn't what you think. Your planet is… special. But it has been broken beyond repair and been the subject of too many tug-of-wars."
Rumble.
Sylas' gaze flickered, and he quickly flipped over a palm, revealing a bright, golden coin.