The barrier protecting it blocked most of the damage so the mana entity was only jostled, but it picked up speed. It didn't go far before Soverick punched again. He caught up to the mana entity three times in the space of 20 meters. No matter how fast the mana entity flew, Soverick was much faster.
His punches finally broke the second barrier. Still, there was a third barrier that Soverick set to work on. He kept throwing the mana entity around and jostling it, preventing it from getting its bearings and casting spells. Spells tried to form around them but always fizzled out. All the mana entity needed is a brief respite to orient itself a little, then it would be able to unleash its spells.
They flashed around the room like lightning. The mana entity was defenseless against him but Soverick could barely deal damage to it.
"That was intense. It didn't even have a divine ability" Soverick sat down to relax.
The high-maneuvering fight ended after Soverick demolished 5 Barriers and the mana entity's body. The fight lasted less than 5 seconds but it was more draining mentally and physically than his fight with the monstrous worm.
He began to chuckle as he thought about the fight. He had caught the mana entity unawares, it had been unable to fight back and yet the fight wasn't easy. A small misstep would have turned the tide against him. It is possible to defeat a mana entity as a vitality core refiner. But it is extremely difficult to actually kill them with that level of strength.
The 5 barriers that he tussled with during the fight were probably set up when the mana entity finally considered him a threat after being thrown into the air. It had even been able to cast other spells. Maybe it added more during the short period of their fight. It showed how catastrophic it would have been to give the mana entity time to settle and cast spells. If the mana entity had a divine ability, things would have been worse.
"I have to prime my fireball very well. Hopefully, it isn't destroyed when I leave this room." He said as he began to prep his fireball spell.
He is stronger, and he is faster but he can't deal an appropriate amount of damage to mana entities. Mana entities are held together by mana. You need mana to break their existence. Brute force just won't do. Which leaves his fire torrent spell. He had one going before entering the middle stage but it fizzled out when he was transported here.
He considered his loot and the room when he was rested enough. The vestige dropped a robe and the staff after its death. It also left a small ball of light. Four screens of light appeared in the cardinal positions of the room after he had vanquished his opponent. There are exits from the room.
It is how the middle stage will be. He can't leave until he kills his opponent. But he can stay here all he wants and not go to another room. He will just be stuck here until someone reaches the final level and clears the dungeon. There's no way he will leave his fate up to someone else.
He discarded his clunky armor and put on the blue robe. The flimsy fabric offers more defensive ability than his armor. That's how mana weapons are. The mana in the fabric has enhanced it to be better than some metals that don't have mana in them. He decided to use the staff for the same reason.
"So it was a single-element spell specialist." He said after inspecting the staff.
The staff could only enhance water elemental spells. The mana entity had also only cast spells of that element.
"This won't do." He dropped the staff and picked up his spear.
The staff wouldn't help him enhance his fire torrent spell. He needed something with high damage output. If the staff could enhance fire elemental spells he might have chosen it. He is favoring fire because it has a more destructive output and will work well against a barrier better than the other elements that he has an affinity with.
He will continue to use the black, unadorned spear that Mihila bought him. It might not be powerful, but it is very heavy.
"Which leaves one more left."
He had dealt with the robe which left the ball of light. He walked up to it and touched it. The ball melded into him. Energy and understanding flowed into him. One went into his body while the other went into his mind.
The first stage of the dungeon provided energy. The second stage added understanding to it. It is pure understanding without the detriments you get if you had plundered someone else's soul for it.
This loot is very unique in all of High Heaven Realm. It is one of the many reasons why geniuses will risk their lives in the middle stage. And these geniuses aren't normal ones either. They are the best that the plane can offer. Imagine what common vitality core stage refiners will do if they can get access to something like this.
The understanding of water and ice spells entered his mind. It even contained an understanding of their magic arsenal.
"Thankfully it hadn't set up a magical arsenal. I must not let them."
He was impressed with the understanding he got. It couldn't come close to his past achievements in magic and laws, but it reminded him to never let up on any mana entity. If given time, they can become huge obstacles. A magic arsenal will make things highly difficult for him.
He chuckled wrily as he felt the energy he received. "It is not enough. It is far from enough."
What he cares about was the energy the loot contained and it isn't enough for him. It could only account for 3 of his gates but he has 9 gates.