Chapter 72: A Deal’s A Deal
A savage grin spread across Nox’s face, mirroring Liesa’s own bloody one.
’This is the best fight I have ever had,’ he thought. His body was aching and his stamina was draining, but he felt more alive than ever.
He lowered his stance, his feet planting firmly on the cracked earth. He let the last of his Primal Strength fade away, the feeling of raw physical power replaced by something sharper.
He activated his Weapon Mastery skill. A new kind of focus settled over him, the sword in his hand feeling like a natural extension of his arm.
’I wonder,’ he thought, a new idea forming in his mind. ’What happens if I use Unseen Blade with this? Can I shape it with the mastery?’
He did not get the chance to find out. The moment his focus shifted to the Corrupted Mana in his core, it responded with a violence that surprised even him.
The dark, smoky energy did not just flow from his lips. It erupted from his entire body, a swirling vortex of black power that churned the air around him. The ground began to tremble, and small pebbles vibrated and danced on the forest floor.
The pressure in the clearing became immense. It was a heavy, physical weight that pressed down on everyone.
Serian stumbled back, her hand flying to her chest. She was having trouble breathing. ’This power,’ she thought, her eyes wide with awe and fear. ’It’s so much greater than before.’
Valeria took a step back, her stoic expression finally cracking. Her bow was shaking in her hand. Mela, who had been ready to intervene, was frozen in place, her body refusing to obey her commands.
Liesa felt it the most. The wild, manic energy of her Ashen Blood technique sputtered and died, snuffed out like a candle in a hurricane.