Chapter 98 - Ryan vs Larix, part two
Epics were what differentiated dragonslayers. It was true, but it was also something realmnet simply said and didn’t understand. Not in full. There were mentions of classes and hierarchy amongst dragonslayers but really, nobody truly understood the difference between dragonslayers other than the dragonslayers themselves.
All realmnet would get were rumors about one dragonslayer being stronger than the other. How one Epic skill was simply overpowered compared to another one. Beyond that? It didn’t really matter how much one dragonslayer was stronger than another when any one of them could destroy a city in minutes.
There was one rumor that tickled Ryan’s mind. That a well fitting Epic class would do more for an adventurer than a generic [Dragonslayer Rogue] class. That the top dragonslayers did not have [Dragonslayer] in their class names but had classes that were almost titles, like [The Magelancer Extraordinaire].
It was the difference between a tailor made suit versus something you just picked up off the rack.
Ryan was getting the benefits of a form fitting class right now. A Rare skill evolving into an Epic. A feat he never thought about the possibility of. You had to remember that Ryan’s dream was to become a cool adventurer at realm eight. Fighting monsters and shitposting to fans. Becoming one of the crazies that really pushed the limits of the Trial System had never been his goal.
At least until recently.
From the look on Gamielle’s face it wasn’t something that should have happened at all. At least not so soon. Especially not with a single arm masquerading as an entire class.
It felt like the world itself would bow to his arm.
[Aura Command: Kneel]
His aura crashed heavily against Larix, if the sect leader was a mortal he’d be forced onto his knees. Larix just looked annoyed that Ryan dared to even try it on him. But with that Ryan could tell properly just how strong Larix was.
The sect leader had a presence comparable to Ryan’s own. Despite the subclass, despite the two Epic level auras Larix stood against it all. He cracked his neck, loosening his body for the real fight. The man had the weight and presence of the entire sect on his shoulders.
It gave him weight.
Ryan stepped forward. The sect leader did the same, refusing to back down. Both of them threw a punch with perfect form. Both fists breaking the sound barrier.
CRASH
The sound barrier breaking was nothing compared to the immense collision of fists. Metal met a aura as Ryan focused on producing as much rotational force as his arm allowed. And Larix?
His eyes went wide as he went flying back, fist first. The cultivator recovered midair, his hand shaking from the impact. His eyes focused on Ryan’s arm, shocked.
“You, what did you do to your arm?”
“There was an annoying little bug so I decided to crush it.”
“By destroying the entire circulatory structure at your hand?”
Ryan chuckled. “You told me it was imperfect. Guess you’ll have to teach me how to fix it afterwards.”
He charged again. This time it was Larix who hesitated, who found himself with an injured hand. The [Arm of the Aura Tyrant] swept out a couple feet away, hands outstretched in a claw. Five great tendrils of aura flickered out from Ryan’s wrist. They attempted to restrict the sect leader’s movement as Ryan reached out.
Larix went full defensive as he parried each of the tendrils away, eyes laser focused on the outreached hand. It almost made him miss the aura infused knife flung from Ryan’s left hand. The sect leader barely got his arm up in time to deflect the blade.
Just in time for Ryan to catch that arm with his right. Ryan grinned, acting like he’d won and pulled Larix’s arm down to break his form. The movement stopped the cultivator’s other arm from getting into a good firing position. Larix used the forced downward momentum to kick off with his left, spinning his body to come down with a backflip axe kick.
Right at Ryan’s head.
Of course the sect leader didn’t just use his fists to fight.
Ryan just hadn’t been good enough for him to use it until now. It didn’t matter, he’d already noticed how tightly Larix had wrapped those legs, Ryan was prepared for this.
He let go of the sect leader’s arm and grabbed the foot coming for his head. Larix didn’t hesitate to bring the other leg down–too late.
Ryan twisted his body and threw the sect leader spinning into the air. All the force of his aura tendrils and upgraded arm yeeting him into the sky.
Fun fact, a [Berserker] of the fifth realm could punch through a tank, lift it, then chuck it at a low flying helicopter. Someone had caught such a feat live on video. Comparatively, Larix’s ordinary weighted body–in a bad position, had no chance as he was thrown high, high into the sky. High enough for all the sect to see, high enough to reach the ceiling barriers of the courtyard.
The sect leader flipped in midair and landed on the ceiling with his feet outstretched staring down at the courtyard.
Then he kicked off the barrier. Sparkling lights spiderwebbing from where he launched from the ceiling barrier.
Ryan dashed forwards and retrieved his soulsword from the ground. He started wrapping his aura around his blade–until cracking noises started coming from the blade. Lowering the amount of aura going into the blade, Ryan threw out an [Aura Slash] at the falling target.
The sect leader–stepped out of the way. Larix literally kicked off the air and moved diagonally as he showed another one of his learned skills for the first time.
It looked something like a more solid [Air Step], a skill that [Rogues] and [Mages] could get. Possibly an [Air Platform] made out of qi.
Ryan sent out another two [Aura Slashes], noting how much aura was getting drained each time. Each of these slashes were terrifying, almost as large as that strike he had sent out in Lazhen, yet they barely drained his aura reserves, in fact, it was recharging almost immediately.
Probably from the fact that the entire sect was watching their sect leader desperately dodge his strikes.
Larix didn’t dare sweep them away with his arms.
Ryan didn’t need to be in visual range for the sect members to serve as battery. Neat.
The issue here wasn’t with his aura draining but the soulsword that was barely holding together, The blade was practically just being held with aura.
At least it seemed like Larix only noticed how his aura wasn’t draining. The cultivator stomped on his foothold of air and then spun around so that he was upside down. Then kicked off, diving at speed into the courtyard.
Ryan grinned. Perfect. Then he jumped high into the air–directly at the sect leader.
This was an absolutely stupid move, after all, who in their right mind would pick a fight against someone with [Air Steps] when they had nothing like it? What kind of moron would do such a thing?
The kind of moron that would pick a fight with a cerulean crow in midair.
Even Larix looked surprised as he twisted in midair to dodge. Ryan’s smile went wider, finally, finally, Larix had lost his nerve.
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Ryan threw his soulsword at the sect leader, it broke into two parts. Both wrapped in enormous amounts of aura that spun at high speeds. Larix dodged.
And Ryan finally stopped being limited by a realm three soulsword. Aura condensed around his arm.
[Aura Condensation] + [Aura Command: Obsidian Sect’s Knife Stance]
The tyrant’s blade of red condensed in full, growing and growing. Gaining sharpness and solidity under the watchful gaze of the Obsidian Sect. Even the elders couldn’t help but be entranced watching the fight between the rulers in the sky.
A blade of true crimson, ten feet long–and growing. It sliced through the air. Larix righted himself after dodging the soulsword, kicking off another [Air Platform] but Ryan’s skill was off cooldown now.
[Instant Dodge]
Even in the middle of his max velocity the [Arm of the Aura Tyrant] came down.
The entirety of the sect saw their leader unable to dodge, in midair getting slammed by a massive blade of solidified aura. His arms tucked in tight to block. Larix’s body flew backwards and crashed hard into the courtyard’s magical barriers. The barriers spiderwebbing in a great crackling sound
The cultivator fell limp.
Still, it wasn’t over, Larix wasn’t that fragile. Ryan sent out a rippling [Aura Slash] at the falling body as he landed then started sprinting forwards.
The blade went towards the falling body. Ryan expected Larix to recover and dodge again. He readied–
That moment never came. The Sect Leader kept falling, his limp body vulnerable. Ryan’s eyes grew wide.
[Aura Command: Stop]
He desperately demanded the [Aura Slash] to freeze–but it was too late.
“Gamielle!”
A black robed Gamielle appeared between the wave of red and Larix’s body. She intercepted the strike. Her palm grabbed the red slash and shattered it completely. Gamielle visibly winced at her hand and shook it off as Ryan sprinted up to her and Larix.
“Oh shit is he okay?”
Gamielle turned around and revealed the fallen figure behind her. Larix had a hand resting against the ground as he was trying to raise himself up, the sect leader looked up at Gamielle then turned away in shame.
“I’m sorry I failed.”
Gamielle pursed her lips and then sighed.
“No, it’s half my fault. I never should have used [Conceptual Inspection]. Damnit I hate it when mom’s right.”
The said winner of the duel walked up to them, a little confused as to how Larix had been so thoroughly taken down in a few slashes. Ryan tilted his head.
“You’re really down, just like that?”
“I would not have been able to block that last hit in time. It would likely have been fatal.”
Ryan blinked, “Oh shit sorry… it’s just, you’ve always been so durable I didn’t think you’d go down that easily.”
He winced as the words came out. Ryan was still rattled from the fact that he’d almost killed Larix in a friendly duel and just blurted it out. Gamielle glared at him.
“Well maybe don’t throw out your strongest attack at a clearly unconscious body next time! And learn to be a more tactful victor! Larix helps you and this is how you repay him!”
Despite Gamielle’s lecturing tone, Ryan really did feel terrible for nearly killing Larix.
“It’s my fault for not being more capable,” Larix confessed with humility, “I should never have let him grandstand in front of the Obsidian Sect like that. It was my arrogance in the end that lost the duel.”
The mothering [Mage] clearly wanted to say more things to reassure her ‘little Larry’ but in the end she just sighed.
“Don’t feel too bad. Ryan at his peak is likely the strongest third realm in history.”
The ‘probably strongest third realm’ frowned.
“Wait, you’re telling me I wasn’t the strongest before my arm?”
“No, you idiot. Some of the Settlers had it just as bad as you did. Also didn’t you see the Fallen? Half of them would have kicked your ass before your arm upgrade. Hell, if it wasn’t for that upgraded skill and a crowd, Zedart as he is now would have a chance at beating you.”
Gamielle scoffed at Ryan’s surprise. “What? You didn’t think they’d just mope around while you got stronger, did you?”
Ryan had thought it would have been impossible for either of them to have progressed as far as he had. Then he thought about their previous encounter, Zedart’s mastery of the sword and Valee’s quick adaptation to her Epic. He grinned.
Gamielle just rolled her eyes but didn’t hide a smile. She turned to Larix.
“Okay, let’s go back inside and get your arms fixed up.” Then she turned back and looked at Ryan’s wrist and made a face. “Both of you.”
Ryan was just frozen staring at her then at Larix. Suddenly the [Rogue] pumped his fist in the air at top speed.
“FUCK YES!”
The outburst surprised both the cultivator and [Mage].
The mad [Rogue] started jumping up and whooping in joy as it dawned on Gamielle just why Ryan was celebrating like mad. He jumped around in joy, did a barrel roll then leaped high into the air, then he used [Instant Dodge] to climb higher and shouted louder as Gamielle facepalmed.
“Oh Manager’s blasted asshole.”
Larix looked at her, “Is he okay?”
“You just had to promise him money didn’t you?”
“Oh.”
–
It took over fifteen minutes before Gamielle finally lost patience and dragged the celebrating Ryan into the central building of the obsidian sect. Slightly less excited, Ryan was now debating Larix over their duel and what exactly happened.
“How did you disrupt my arm like that?”
“It isn’t something someone else can replicate. When you crafted your arm, your entire circulatory system was very visible to all where each of your structures joined to another. Still I wouldn’t recommend letting anyone with high perception observe your circulatory system the way I did. You will have to learn to make it perfect on your own or wait until the sixth realm evolution and see if the Trial System will fix it for you.”
“Damn, so I’m going to guess the Witch will be able to do the same huh?”
Ryan side-eyed Gamielle.
Gamielle rolled her eyes and floated away. He was so far away from needing to be worried about her mother like that.
She kept an eye on them both as her mind drifted elsewhere across The Realm. Larix would guide Ryan in the right direction and Ryan wasn’t the type to really understand everything the first time around. Her mental self traveled at impossible speeds as it raced across The Realm, paying attention to the things she cared about.
…
An [Assassin] stepped up to a [Swordsman]. There was no casualness there. Just a determined man with a job.
“I’ve been hired by your parents to bring you back.”
“I thought they’d understand. Tell them I won’t be stopping here.”
“Yeah, well tough. I’ve been paid quite a bit for this so I’m going to cheat, alright? You see these knives? They’re poisoned. One touch and you’ll be paralyzed for at least a week.”
“I don’t believe it.”
There was a moment of silence. Kenheart just looked at his daggers.
“Do you think the dripping green coating on the daggers is paint?”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s poison but there’s no need to coat the whole dagger in it. You’re likely using it to coat the enchantments on the daggers. Likely telekinetic or return enchantments. I won’t fall for a trick like that again.”
“...Someone’s done this to you already?”
“Artigan has, yes.”
“Manager’s damned bastard, of course he did. Fuck, alright. Guess we’ll have to do this the hard way.”
The [Assassin] pressed a button on his belt. Three different teams stepped forward. Two of them Zedart had known were there. One team, the team that tried to hire him–Fighting Fancy if Zedart’s memory was correct, he’d missed.
He reached for the blade on his back. It would be difficult for him to beat all of them while holding back.
…
The Desert Straits of Sector Three.
“Oh Manager’s abode. I’m sorry I robbed your tomb. Leave me alone!”
An elven Realmer laughed. The ground tearing up around a panicking green orc as she desperately tried to survive the ground shifting from underneath her. One wrong step or missed dodge and Valee would be swallowed by the earth or pierced by an earthen spike.
The Fallen elementalist elf danced along the ground, enjoying the feel of nature. Reforming it around her very whims.
“You wish to master [Adaptive Terrain]? Peh. You have barely touched the surface of what [Tremorsense] is capable of and you believe you are ready to tackle a mountain? Why don’t you survive this first? Close your eyes and feel. Girl-who-rejected-half-her-heritage.”
Valee, the once half elf turned orc barely dodged an [Earthen Spike] and muttered under her breath.
“This is why I hate elves.”
“Would you like to know that [Tremorsense] can help hear subvocalizations?”
“Oh fuck me.”
…
Gamielle thought they were progressing well. She sent indirect messages their way. Hoping they’d get the hint and her mother wouldn’t intercept them.
Her mind drifted past another Fallen. The one that had her blocked. She had a nasty feeling about what was going on but there was nothing that she could do when her mother was the one that had cut that thread loose.
Gamielle moved faster than any Trialist possibly could, all the way back to the skills’ origin, back to the little cottage–next to her grave. Gamielle floated on through the door. As usual her mother was there replaying Ryan’s fight from different perspectives. Spinning her threads, plotting out her next moves.
“Hello mother.”
“Hello Gamielle, it seems you have been working hard.”
She paused at her mother’s tone. “You sound happier than expected.”
“And why would I not be? The first students you’ve ever taken are progressing nicely. You’ve even gained a new guardian for your legacy. How could I not be happy?”
The tone did nothing to reassure Gamielle. This was not the words of a satisfied mother but of a [Witch], crowing over her victory. Gamielle put her hands on her hips.
“What are you playing at? Ryan’s new abilities won’t help in the fifteenth Trial. I’ve half crippled him for the higher Trials. He’s going to end up as a generalist, even when he obtains a Legend it’ll be useless in the fifteenth Trial. He’s better off left alone in The Realm, as part of the next generation.”
“Is that so, daughter? It is a true shame that you aren’t able to see what I see.”
“Unless you’re planning on using him as a real threat to The Realm–which he won't be. I don’t see how Ryan will be useful at all.”
The Witch Tyrant just chuckled and shook her head. It made the hairs on her neck crawl.
Gamielle had once told Ryan that if he wanted to be free then he needed to be strong enough. Obtain a Legend like Mezhar and choose your own destiny. If she was being honest, she didn’t know if it was possible to become stronger than her mother with the time they had left. Even Mezhar could do nothing but dance in her mother’s palm.
So what had Gamielle done?
She had pushed Ryan down a path where he’d be less useful against the boss of the Fifteenth Trial. She also tried to make him part of the Obsidian Sect. At the very minimum Ryan was someone that cared for the Witch Tyrant’s dead daughter’s legacy. Gamielle had hoped that would sway her mother from including him in her plans.
It didn’t work. Her mother was gloating over Ryan’s progress instead.