Chapter 103 The Rift's Soul Core
CHAPTER 103
Northern failed to think about the aftermath. His visual prowess was undoubtedly a great one but did it come without flaws.
He figured it would certainly have one or two backlash but he didn't just bother himself about it.
Maybe he was too careless about the whole thing or he was just too wrapped up in the moment that he lost himself.
His vision blurred. Feeling his force on his Lance reduce, Koll didn't take any chance.
He twirled the red Lance and plunged it into Northern's stomach, raising him up with it.
Northern coughed out a palette of crimson, the visage of Koll from his point of view was becoming, two, three, four…
The blurriness in his eyes didn't seem to be going away anytime soon.
A small wistful smile curled up Northern's lips, he dispelled his weapon and grabbed on the Lance.
Suddenly letting out a guttural cry as it burned his palm, but he refused to let go—he probably wasn't expecting it to hurt that much or at all.
"Futile efforts… Mongrel. Futile efforts."
With the last bit of his essence, Northern's clone appeared again, ducking and driving in a lightning fast strike into Koll's lower ribs.
The castle lord let out a monstrous cry and smashed a bone-shattering kick onto the clone with a neckbreak speed.
The clone spewed across the distance, crashing in and out a pillar and disappearing. Back to where he came from.
Then Koll looked down at the dagger lodged into his side, the crude thing was subtly changing from black to red.
He made attempt to remove it. Seeing that the maelstrom's focus had shifted Northern lunged at him, his hands swinging a clean, graceful arc through the air.
Koll was sure there was no weapon in Northern's hand. Even if he did hide his weapon perfectly well. He wielded daggers.
Northern's body was still suspended in air, impaled by the crimson Lance.
It was impossible for a dagger to reach him from that far... was what Koll had probably thought.
However, a silver sword materialized in Northern's hand and he powerfully swept the blade across Koll's neck.
A thin line appeared on the maelstrom's neck and slowly, blood began to seep out.
Northern fell to the ground, grunting. He could barely breath and his belly was continually bleeding.
However, Koll seemed to be in a worst condition.
'Yes… I managed to get the last kill!'
Northern was happy with himself. His vision was still bad but he could see the maelstrom staggering backward, holding his head to his neck.
He refused to die even though the line of his life had been cut.
Northern was sure this was the end of the castle lord.
However something began to change about the maelstrom.
The darkness that had retreated into its body began to slowly crep out back.
Northern didn't know what was happening. His legs were sore, all his muscles were sore and his vision was getting worse.
But he could tell, that this was not going to be good.
'I need to move.'
Northern shakily tried to push himself up but it was to no avail.
'The dagger… I just need to take the dagger…'
He was growing weak even in his thoughts, his vision was getting darker.
The darkness swirled around the castle lord while Nortjern watched, unable to do anything about it even though he wanted to so badly.
This battle had finally come to an end.
He had ended it with both his hands.
He had brought victory at last. But what is this weakness… all that was keeping him from moving was fatigue.
He made so much plan to preserve his stamina and it was all gone… even his void essence was depleted. He could not summon his clone.
Then Northern belatedly tried to look beyond the maelstrom, toward the throne seat where Night Terror had smashed into.
Before he could carry his eyes that far, vicious black talons plunged out of the maelstrom's belly, grasping within it a whitish round orb.
Northern could only see it in blurs but he didn't need to be told.
'Ah shit. That bastard stole my kill'
Night Terror plunged out the core from the castle lord, causing him to stumble forward—closer to Northern—and fall.
'What a miracle…'
This close was enough for Northern to crawl forward. Even though he was utterly tired, he hauled his body and moved closer to the maelstrom paled corpse with a gaping hole within it.
Then he dislodged his red dagger. And immediately stabbed it on himself.
[Weapon Ability: Blood Drinker has been effected]
Slowly, the pain that stung all over his face body and stomach began to reduce.
But in that while, Night Terror clasped a whitish core in within its claws, red eyes burning with malice as they looked at it.
Then the monster drove it gaze to Northern who was currently 17:40
struggling to pull himself up.
Of course, it too probably understand… that there was an inevitable battle between it and this human.
Perhaps that was why it looked with a disturbing heartless glow in its eyes.
Night Terror's hand moved and dropped the soul core into its mouth.
Northern felt like he wanted to shout to stop it at the moment but no voice came out.
Using [Death glare]'s ability only healed him of any blood resulted wounds. Not that it cured him of fatigue.
His eyes was still blurry, his muscles were still sore. Although, he felt way better than he was a couple of seconds ago.
Northern watched the monster gulp down the soul core of a maelstrom rank monster like it was a pill, wandering what might happen to it.
Night Terror was bound to be stronger. Both of them were in battered states.
Bit now that it had taken Koll's soul core, the differences have suddenly widened.
'I'm doomed… either ways.'
There was nothing to do at this point.
Just when Northern thought this was the worst thing that could happen he suddenly heard a voice…
… a voice he did not miss at all.
<The Soul Core of the rift is being reinforced>
<The Soul core of the rift is evolving>
Northern's face paled.
"The soul core of the rift is evolving?!!!"
As if that was not enough, the system added:
[Rift Guardian "Hazardous Maelstrom - Malovalent Koll" has been killed]
[Soul core of the rift has been identified]
[Soul core of the rift "Catastrophic Hellion - Night Terror" is evolving to "Devilish Hellion - Dark Terror"]
[Upon complete evolution, rift tier will increase to V]
Northern felt like the weight of the world just dropped on his head.
Night Terror was the Soul core of the rift all along.
"Oh hell no!"