I turned my head back to face them.
The second bat dived first.
[Level 46]
Its wings folded back, body twisting through the storm like it could see the hidden dangers. It barely flapped, letting the wind carry it forward at insane speed.
Two more followed.
They glided effortlessly, slipping through the chaos while I struggled against it. The storm helped them, pushing them forward. It fought me, dragging at my body, trying to slow me down.
And I was on foot.
The moment I moved, I had to fight the wind. If I wasn't careful, I'd step into a shockwave pocket and get torn apart. But standing still wasn't an option either.
The lead bat screeched.
This time, the sound didn't just bend the wind—it tunneled through the air like a concentrated beam, vibrating violently as it shot straight toward me.
I pushed off the ground.
[Seismic Burst]
Boom.
The explosion launched me sideways. Just in time.
The bat's screech tore through the spot I'd just been standing in, leaving a gaping hole in the cracked earth. Dust and debris flew everywhere. If that had hit me, my body would've burst like a melon.
I landed hard, but the wind shoved against me, nearly making me stumble.
'Damn it.'
The second bat came in next, swooping low, claws stretching for my throat.
I twisted my staff, channeling Essence.
The situation was bad.
Too bad, actually.
If I fought like normal, I'd be at a huge disadvantage. The wind hated me but helped them.
Which meant….I needed to make it work for me too.
I adjusted my stance. Instead of resisting the wind, I leaned into it. If the wind wanted to move me, I'd let it.
The second bat screeched and dove.
I loosened my body and let the wind push me backward, just enough to avoid the claws. The bat missed by inches, its wing slicing through the air right past my face.
I twisted, my staff following the motion, and swung.
The strike should've connected. But instead, the wind pushed the bat even faster, just out of reach. I had helped it escape.
'Tch.'
I channeled Essence into the staff, increasing its weight to stabilize myself.
Another amplified screech rang out behind me. I barely had time to react.
Essence surged into my legs. I jumped, letting the wind carry me higher to avoid the incoming blast. A shockwave shot through the air where I'd just been, slicing straight through a chunk of debris.
I rolled as I landed, barely getting my footing when—
The third bat was already upon me.
I barely managed to raise my staff before it crashed into me.
The impact threw me backward. My body slammed directly into a pressure pocket.
Boom.
A sudden explosion burst against my back, sending another wave of force crashing into me.
I hit the ground. Hard.
Dust filled my mouth as I coughed, blood dripping down my chin. My ears rang from the constant howling wind, the eerie whispers, the grinding noise of the cyclones.
My vision blurred. The dust and debris flying through the air made it impossible to see beyond ten feet. Everything past that was just shifting shadows.
Gritting my teeth, I forced myself up, pressing a hand against my back. My fingers came away wet.
I was bleeding.
The pressure pockets packed a punch.
I activated [Psynapse Boost].
Essence surged through my head, my eyes glowing green as my perception expanded. The crushing force around me eased slightly. Not by much, but enough.
I tightened my grip on my staff and began channeling Essence into it.
Its weight doubled. Then tripled. Then quadrupled.
I stopped at fifty kilograms. Enough to keep me steady.
With a grunt, I slammed it into the ground beside me, burying it a foot deep.
Above, the bats circled, their piercing screeches blending with the storm.
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.
My heartbeat stayed steady, working in perfect rhythm as I absorbed the swirling energies around me, converting them into Essence.
The situation demanded something new.
And I had an idea.
My perception stretched farther, blending seamlessly with the Essence around me. The layout of the battlefield became clearer—chaotic, unpredictable, but not without patterns.
Scattered throughout the air, I sensed strange pockets of energy, gaps where the natural Essence flow twisted and broke apart.
They felt like voids, silent, empty spaces disrupting the storm's rhythm.
Everywhere else, wind Essence ran wild.
Light green streaks swirled and crashed like waves, rising and falling in surges, fueling the cyclones and keeping them intact. The entire storm was alive, shifting and reshaping itself every second.
Then, my perception locked onto the bats.
They moved effortlessly, gliding through the chaos as if the storm obeyed them. But there was something more, something embedded within their very presence.
Sound.
Their bodies vibrated strangely as they flew, releasing subtle pulses through the air. Each pulse traveled outward, striking the energy pockets and triggering sudden explosions.
'So that's what it was.' I thought.
The beams they fired weren't just random screeches, they were concentrated sound waves, amplified and weaponized by this battlefield.
For the bats this place was a perfect battleground.
I checked my Essence storage.
27/35.
I transferred all of it into Dexterity.
This situation was perfect for testing its limits.
The moment I did, I felt my body adjust.
A sudden influx of energy coursed through my muscles, temporarily raising my Dexterity to 157. It wasn't a drastic change, but I felt lighter, my movements smoother, more refined. My breathing steadied, and a strange calm settled over me.
Finally, it was time to begin.
My will spread outward, slow at first, then suddenly boomed as it exploded from me, seizing the Essence around me.
For a brief moment, everything paused.
The Essence seemed almost startled by my interference. Then, as if resisting, it surged again, trying to break free.
But I held firm.
I concentrated, focusing every ounce of my control on bending the chaotic flow to my will. It was like taming a wild beast, fighting against the raw, uncontrollable force of the storm.
However, the abominations didn't give me the luxury of time.
One of them dropped lower, its dark form slicing through the wind with ease. It locked onto me, its massive wings barely flapping as it dived forward.
I kept my eyes closed, tracking it purely through my senses.
The bat's mouth opened wide.
I felt it. The vibration. The shift in Essence.
A beam formed at the center of its throat, small and concentrated at first but as it traveled through the air, it expanded. The wind carried it, stretching and amplifying the attack. The further it moved, the wider it became, its power increasing with every passing second.
I let it come closer, tracking every shift in the air.
Then, with my entire focus, I loosened my body, flowing with the wind instead of resisting it. I followed its currents, using them as a medium to guide my movement.
At the last moment, I slipped past the attack.
The beam roared by, missing me by inches.
A series of explosions erupted behind me as it struck the ground, sending dust and debris flying.
I straightened, exhaled slowly, and took my stance once more.
Eyes closed, staff planted firmly beside me.
The bat screeched, frustrated that its attack had missed. Without hesitation, it dove straight toward me.
Its massive wings flared as it glided through the air, moving in a sharp zigzag pattern. It swam through the slicing winds, dodging the pressure pockets effortlessly. Every twist, every shift, was precise, its speed increased with each second, cutting through the storm like it was born for it.
I raised my right hand.
Essence stirred.
The energy in the air reacted to my command, shifting, gathering.
I activated my innate skills.
[Essence Shift]
[Essence Shaping]
The swirling Essence closed in around me, forming a barrier.
At first, it moved slowly, drifting like mist. Then, with a surge, it gained momentum, twisting and swirling faster, until it formed a rotating sphere around me, a three-foot shell of concentrated energy, shifting like a churning vortex.