’That’s it?’ Root frowned as he hovered right beyond a range of 1.8 kilometres from Inala, frowning as he observed the latter, ’He doesn’t have any backup plans or anything?’
Root took a few seconds to observe, ’Prana almost exhausted, all recovery means such as Prana Bombs and Biome Bombs exhausted. There seem to be traces of Krave Fil on him. But whatever he has consumed has mostly been used up too.’
The Rutham cocoon formed a solid shield around Inala, sporting varying levels of damage. It was constructed in various layers, with each sporting a different material structure to create varying densities.
’I see,’ Root was amazed as he analysed the cocoon’s composition, ’Each layer needs a different level of resonant frequency to be destroyed. And these multiple layers are all built to nullify the frequencies that resonate with his body.’
’This way, most of the attack failed to reach him and simply rampaged around in the various layers that soaked up all the damage. Prana consumption was all he could manage.’ Root revealed a smirk as he remained at his spot, ’That means, he’s severely weakened, but not unconscious.’
Root gathered a couple units of Prana in his throat and released it as a Tangible Piezo Slip, watching it make Inala’s body flinch once. And in response, half a droplet of blood trickled down his eye, ’Shield of Thorns, huh? You added a new layer on yourself the moment I approached you.’
"I know you’re..." Root stopped speaking as he protected himself using Perfect Biome Domination the moment the cocoon moved forward by a few metres, placing him within Inala’s Spirit Weapon range.
Secondary Nature—Infused Kinesis Touch!
The force of psychokinesis propelled Root away. In response, Root controlled the water surrounding him and turned it into an obstacle for his body, slowing down the speed of his propulsion.
The power of psychokinesis still pushed his body away, but the stronger water pressure increased the resistance. It spiked Inala’s Prana consumption too. As for the pressure felt by Root’s body, it didn’t matter. He could endure punches from even Attributed Water Creatures, not to mention mere pressurised water.
’Is this his final attempt?’ Root failed to understand Inala’s actions. But the moment water swirled around him and formed a whirlpool, everything clicked into place, ’Sending me away?’
’I see what he did,’ Root analysed the changes done to his body, sniffing the scent of a Quip Tribesman on him, ’Through Infused Kinesis Touch, he imprinted the characteristics of a Quip Tribesman on him. it’s only temporary, but in this short while, it’ll make the Ravaged Federation perceive me as a target to be taken.’
’I thought the conditions were random.’ He frowned as the whirlpool grew more intense, ’Did Inala figure out all the conditions? How? And how so fast? Even we haven’t managed to figure it all out yet.’
Zinger World—Perfect Biome Domination!
The whirlpool was countered, turning it weaker as Root used another Tangible Piezo Slip to communicate with Inala, "I’m pretty sure you understand my strength better than anyone. Shouldn’t you know this is futile?"
"You haven’t even made me serious."
"I know," Inala’s eyes shot open wearily as he seemed tired, "I have been thinking of ways to deal with you, and I realised something."
"I neither have the strength nor the will to eliminate you. Even if I go all out and somehow manage to kill you, that changes nothing." Inala groaned, "You’ll be on my tail in a matter of months, with better preparations. Unless I enter the Mystic Grade, I can’t even make you take me on seriously."
"Of course, you are aware. Well, you designed me, so it’s not surprising." Root shrugged confidently and then extended his right hand toward Inala, "Well, I intend to kill you now, so that you return as my glorious Deity soon."
"If you have any advice for me, please talk. I’ll be happy to listen." Root clenched his hand into a fist with such force, the air a couple metres around it was sent radially away, creating a vacuum. "Even if you’ve taken on the form of that inferior existence, you are still you."
"Why do you think a Brully is weak?" The Silver Biome Bomb hovered before Inala and sent out a Tangible Piezo Slip to reply to Root.
"Isn’t it weak?" Root tilted his head in confusion, "I’m thinking of how strong it’ll be once you enter the Mystic Grade. However, it’s still not in the least a threat to me."
"Of course," Inala shrugged, "You wouldn’t be the Quip Guardian if a single Pranic Beast could threaten you. So, that’s my advice to you, Root."
"Our enemies are aware of your strength. Therefore, none of them will fight you." Inala pointed at Root, "You need to figure out ways to unleash your strength and speed in all situations to keep pace with your enemies’ outmanoeuvres and ensure you don’t destroy entire regions during the process."
He pointed at the sea around them, "This was almost destroyed because of you. I had to use everything just to stay alive, and even then, it was a close call."
"Point noted," Root saluted and rushed at Inala, "I’ll work on it and impress you once you’ve reincarnated..."
"You see, to avoid a fight simply doesn’t mean to escape relentlessly," Inala said as suddenly, his body expanded, pushing away the water. Taking advantage of the space expansion, a powerful psychokinesis sent Root flying away and trapped him within a stronger whirlpool that had formed suddenly.
Beginner Gold Grade Pranic Beast—Brully!
"The easiest way to avoid a predator is to go into hiding, to burrow into a home, even if it’s the predator’s." Inala waved his hand, gasping in exhaustion upon reverting to his Brully form, fully drained of Prana, "Always be careful of enemies that might, can, and will infiltrate the Quip Clan."
"Cya!"
"What?" Root oriented himself at a distance of two kilometres from Inala, stunned to see the Mrutch Sea suddenly lit up with a golden glow, "What is happening?"
There were a dozen golden flashes, stunning Root as they surrounded Inala, ’Are these his trump cards...?’
’No, it’s not his plan! I know this style!’ The moment the thought hit him, Root took action, unleashing a Zinger Roar. However, it was already too late by then.
"Argh!" Inala screamed as one of the golden flashes condensed into a 12-metre-tall golden giant, grabbed his arms and sealed it using Rutham cuffs. Root-like tendrils jutted out of the cuffs and spread through the blood vessels, the process so painful that even Inala, in his Brully form, screamed.
Minor Treasure—Kinesis Deity!
Every single golden giant was a Minor Treasure, swarming Inala as they captured him, binding him with a variety of Rutham cuffs.
[A Brully...!]
[It has Kanka’s...power...!]
[The Major Treasure of Weapon...that’s great!]
[It will hasten our plan!]
[A Body Aspect Primary Nature and a Mind Aspect Secondary Nature...truly an enigma for the Brully Race!]
Their language seemed cryptic, strange even, not following the conventional rules and structures for the languages used on Sumatra. It was jarring to the senses, incomprehensible. But strangely, Root was able to hear the conversation, ’No...’
He eyed the Silver Biome Bomb that transmitted this information as a Tangible Piezo Slip, which was diced into pieces promptly after by the golden giants.
"Stop!" Root roared upon seeing Inala captured and bound like a helpless prisoner. His pupils widened in response to the golden flash, which was then replaced by darkness.
He was still over a kilometre away from Inala’s position. But there was no one in the destination, as the latter had vanished, same for all the golden flashes, ’What was that?’
’Every single one of them is a Minor Treasure!’ He frowned and surveyed the Mrutch Sea in confusion, ’What is happening in this place? Exactly what has the Brimgan Founder done here?’
’No, it’s not just him. He probably made the initial setup, but someone else interfered with it later.’ Root scowled, ’Renduldu!’
Boom!
Zinger Shrieks resounded across the Stromar Cliff as Root jumped out of a crater and landed on the peak of a mountain, his expression pissed as he roared once, "Bring me Zhya,"
"NOW!"
A second’s consideration later, he blasted off from the mountain and swiftly exited the Stromar Cliff, intending to meet with Zhya at a safer location. He didn’t hold back, resulting in tremors across the place while moving with thunderous booms.
...
"Ouch!" Gannala winced for a moment, feeling his Indigo Mystic Path pulse once, ’What is happening? Why is it pulsing now?’
"It..." her face paled, "It was only supposed to pulse when...the Seat of Transcendence reveals itself."
"S-Something has changed..." She stammered, "This is too fast!"
...
"And that’s a check," Ruvva commented casually as she played with Moihala, chuckling smugly upon seeing the latter pout in frustration, "You’re three centuries too early to defeat me."
"No!" Moihala grasped her forehead and groaned in protest, "You said I only needed two centuries a month ago."
"That was a month ago," Ruvva casually twirled a chess piece in her fingers, "I improved after that. So it’s three centuries now."
"I will never defeat you at this rate," Moihala slumped on her chair.
"Be confident, you’re growing at a rapid pace." Ruvva patted Moihala, pausing for a moment before commenting, "It’s just that I’m growing exponentially, so..."
"Urgh!"
"Gah!"
"What was that?" Moihala clutched her head, "I see something, Mom. Something flashed in my mind...it was..."
’My Violet Mystic Path pulsed just now.’ Ruvva frowned and then patted her stomach, where one of Virala’s bodies in Mystic Ewworm form was being stored. She felt a stirrup, ’Something has changed.’
"...A cup...that’s orange..." Moihala gasped.
’So, her Orange Mystic Cup too pulsed?’ Ruvva thought, frowning upon hearing Moihala continue.
"And I see golden trinkets..." Moihala said, "There are ten of them..."
"Mom?" She lifted her head the moment her pain subsided a little, stunned to see the room was vacant now, "Where..."
Her chessboard tremored for a moment, which was masked by the burst of wind that had been generated by Ruvva’s rapid movement.
’I hope I am not wrong...’ Her body spun and turned into a blur as Ruvva rushed through the Brimgan Palace and burst into a well-guarded room, staring at the emancipated figure of an individual now in a seated pose, eyes chaotically deep. On the bed, next to the individual, were ten fist-sized humanoid items, all dancing in forms of torture, whether it be writhing, rolling, puking, head-banging, etc.
"Im...Impossible!" Ruvva gasped, "You’re...awake."
...
"Hmm?" Deep inside a dungeon, Grehha woke up from slumber, scowling upon seeing the Empyrean Incubator before him tremble once, following which he heard a woman’s shriek from nearby, "Yahira!"
"What happened?"
...
Kalahatra Desert!
The innermost region was now occupied by Spectral Boars, whose attention was all placed on the cocoon at the centre of the region.
"Any moment now," One of the oldest Spectral Boars commented, "And the strongest variant of our Race will appear..."
Crackle!
Suddenly, all the Spectral Boars shuddered in absolute fear, finding themselves kneeling on the ground for some reason, before they could even understand what they had done.
One of them, the oldest, the one with the strongest willpower barely lifted its head, its eyes reddening in tension as blood vessels burst. It stared at the cocoon and muttered in disbelief, "It...cracked..."
"What?" All the Spectral Boars shouted simultaneously in disbelief, eyeing their oldest.
"It cracked," The oldest Spectral Boar stated in a daze, "The cocoon cracked."
Volume 7: Second Calamity—The End!