18 A Goddamn Genius

Back in the safety of his Personal Laboratory in the Mansion, panic was griping about in the Professor's mind.

"Sh*t!...everything's going out of control."

Gregory could move, shrink, or expand the Sanctuary by his will—although there are limits by how much. The more drastic the changes he created were and by how expansive was the space it affected equalled the magnitude of mental stress he experienced.

With the presence of a collosal threat and the slow progress of the evacuation, he was unable to manipulate it as to what the situation demanded. By this, it allowed Geisler's concentrated laser to pierce through his defensive systems such as the barrier, causing Gregory to feel as if an ice pick was plunged into his skull.

It was nothing new and over the course of a hundred years he'd learned how to cope with the pain, effectively increasing his tolerance and discovering that he could halt the deterioration of his cells within the sphere's influence which progressively stopped his aging.

The damage that his estate suffered was irrelevant compared to the fatal injury that the Shade companion of the two mutants sustained from the unexpected retaliation, now bleeding to death with her lower limbs gone and her innards exposed.

With the immediate need of assistance for a dying woman, for constant shelter from the ongoing skirmish between the two titans outside, and the increasing chance of his dear brother's death, the Professor was forced to perform one of his experimental spells.

Anything was possible inside the personal sandbox that he had for a skill, even creating an alter ego of himself.

"Solomon's Wisdom; The Sanctuary.

'Provisional Reality Modifications' proceed, implementing duplication of Test Subject No.0001's Ego." he said in a monotonous tone.

Allocating the rest of his brainpower to the desperate gamble, Gregory was starting to feel the limits of his abilities by the presence of a splitting headache that would've sent any normal person into a stroke.

But he couldn't afford to fail now. Tinkering with the continuously shifting sketches of trial inscription circles for the spell, he moved from the various interfaces that merged with each successful model.

"Primordial Arts; Creation Magic

Forbidden Arts; Soul Magic

Assessing Biological and Chemical Parameters, Searching for a common bond... attempt failed. Reassessing parameters... locating mana link... success. Reattempting search for common bond... attempt failed." Blood flowed from his nostrils as the man resisted the deathly pain with sheer will, biting his lip to keep himself sober.

His servants were doing the best that they could to hurry the evacuation. But with only about 2500 of them and over half a million people running for their lives, there was only so much the faculty members could do even with the undergraduates studying as scholars helped them in their struggle.

Five more failed attempts and Gregory was starting to feel despondent. But with the burden of a thousand lives resting on his shoulder, there was no way the Professor could give up until he saves his people and finds the one who turned his brother into a depraved abomination.

.

Phillis forced Nikolai's heart to pump at nearly ten times the normal speed while maintaining the direction of the flow and sent his brain into overdrive by abusing the poor man's healing factor to squeeze out dangerously intoxicating amounts of adrenaline into his veins. He was outright disrespecting the body's natural processes and converted the Ogre into a raging weapon of mass destruction.

YAARRRGH—BRRUUUAAAAARRRR

Though unclear, Nikolai's mind was still barely aware despite the erratic thoughts fueling his basic instincts as a predator. The stupid amount of hormones in his bloodstream was making him release every violent urge and tendencies his body had bottled up in years of placid lifestyle, leaping head-on to the infernal.

He was exposed to the incinerating heat released by Geisler's new form and it nearly torched him into coal while Lifeburn healed him at the same rate, causing his body to undergo constant annihilation and reconstruction at a mind-bending loop of pain as the golden aura kept him in one piece.

But before he could even get close, another laser beam blew his head away like a piñata.

PZZRTT

The difference in strength between them in terms of ability was overwhelming and it showed as Nikolai's cooked brain matter sizzled like ground pork.

"I am... omnipotent!" He declared, again. "No mortal hands can damage my glorious form—"

With over 400 years of experience refining focus and understanding over his unique skill, Lifeburn, Nikolai had attained surgical control over the spark of life that flowed from Arkenheim's core to the very fibers of his being.

And it turned him into an unstoppable force of nature.

In mere milliseconds the man managed to regenerate his entire brain, skull, and eyes; subjecting his opponent to the vivid body horror and gore.

Geisler had, though unconsciously, slightly relaxed his guard either due to confidence in his new strength or the arrogance that came with the feeling of superiority. And it cost him dearly as his flaming skeletal head was buried to the ground by a punch.

BAMMMM

His body bounced off of the dirt nearly three meters high and this time, it was he who lost his head.

But Nikolai wasn't letting up just yet.

"HEY...!" His body sailed through the air with one leap as he coated his arm with a super concentrated amount of Life Force.

"GRIT...YOUR TEETH!!!"

WHACKKK

.

[4 minutes since Geisler's latest evolution.]

Creation Magic was considered to be a miracle, a marvel imagined to be the very first Primordial Arts that theoretically brought everything into existence. It was a largely conceptual assumption that raises to many questions to actually confirm its validity.

What Gregory was casting was his own version of Creation Magic. It was experimental and dangerously volatile at that, considerably worse than Chaos. Chaos Magic entailed deconstruction in different levels of either the physical or mystic properties of reality, becoming a frowned-upon form of arts; it not only erased any target from existence as long as there was enough mana but also subjected the caster to the same fate if they are unable to provide enough fuel.

A double-edged sword, so to speak.

So if we were to compare, it could be said that Chaos Magic was the color white, being able to convert everything in existence, while Creation Magic was the color black, a form of art that defied the natural laws of this reality.

Creating something from nothing. An abnormality that could easily draw the Will of the World's attention, bringing about Divine Retribution to the fool trying to play God.

And yet Gregory was fine. Though he was currently trying his best to stop his brain from hemorrhaging due to the ungodly amount of stress he was undergoing, there wasn't any divine lightning to his stormy parade.

\u003c'I'm missing something here, but I just can't figure out what it is. God fucking dammit...and I'm supposed to be a goddamn genius!'\u003e

He was trying his best to avoid anymore load to his mental turmoil, the professor could not help but curse.

Trying to achieve the impossible whilst hoping for the best to happen, it was madness at play. Overseeing the ongoing fight outside the institute, Gregory was filled with inspiration.

"Unique Arts; Lifeburn" there was brilliance still in his act of lunacy, and the Will of the World was willing to watch.

"Recalculating established parameters... adjusting modifications, loading in additional data... harvesting sufficient amount of Life Force from subject... Orienting ethereal mana signatures..."

Being one that was used to perform alterations to a being's sentience construct, Soul Magic was deemed forbidden due to the unethical tendencies of those who've practiced it before.

"Preparations complete. Now calibrating inscription components...forming link..."

WHIRR

Nearly three-fourths of Gregory's mana pool had been depleted from everything that had happened beforehand, now he had less. With the stakes at their highest, the Professor broke out into cold sweat as he was not sure if the amount of mana he still had was sufficient for the spell.

All the other interfaces faded out as only one remained with the most ridiculous-looking inscriptions ever, an incrediby obscure 3d magic circle that simulated a combination of Creation Magic and Soul Magic harmonized by Life Force.

"...HOLY SHIT!"

.

[A few minutes earlier.]

The gargantuan alphas charged at each other fangs bared, sounding their roars.

GYAAAARRRGGHH

WRROOAAAARRRR

Moments before the evident collision, the serpent avoided a direct impact and dodged to the side, raising its spines to graze the wolf. While the canine instinctively tried to back away and yelp in agony, the snake reared up and unceremoniously striked at its stunned prey.

The gigantic head opened to a series of tower-like fangs travelling at nearly twice the speed of sound; emitting shockwaves and aimed straight for the wolf's neck. Unfortunately for the Apophis its opponent could become ethereal with a mere thought, causing the poor snake to phase through and slam its own head on the ground.

A few of its fangs broke at the excruciating impact. Some of the shattered pieces pierced its gums and caused the serpent to writhe in pain.

GYYYIIIEEEEE

The Megalykantros chomped at the Apophis's midsection and whisked it around like a limp noodle despite the difference in their size before whipping it up into the sky, unleashing another Super Oscillatory Blast at the reptile.

WROOAARR

The leviathan helplessly fell down to the sandy dunes and knocked up a cloud of dust. Following through with the hunt, the wolf quickly prowled towards the serpent's landing and without waiting for the sand to settle, Matros launched another ear-splitting roar to clear the smokescreen.

Apophis was nowhere to be seen, making the wolf's ears perk up in confusion until one of its hind legs was swallowed whole by the shredder of a mouth ripping out of the sand. Caught off-guard, Matros was lifted up into the air and ruthlessly crushed to the ground followed by an acidic venom emitting from the serpent's teeth that melted off her leg altogether.

RIEEAAAAAAAGHH

The squealing beast managed to claw at the snake's right eye and retreat to the shadows.

For all those years of complacency and peace, Matros paid a heavy price. Her pride for once being hailed as the Dungeon King had her thinking that this slithery contender had no chance against her, especially with two seals undone.

The Megalykantros emerged back at the Western District heavily wounded and whimpering. Quickly tending to the lost limb, her antlers shortened and brought back the appendage as well as healing up all the damage taken. Looking back at its opponent, the Apophis taunted her as it obnoxiously gobbled up her melted leg like a crunchy snack.

The wolf snarled. It's yellow eyes narrowed whilst gleaming with fury and the mist-like particles of its body expanded, blocking out nearly half of the institute in black smoke.

Sensing that its prey was dishing out a new trick, the Apophis flashed its magma-red hood like a cobra and hissed menacingly. It rapidly regenerated all of the previous injuries sustained in the quick brawl.

Enraged and determined to demand a price from her foe for the damage it'd done both to her pride and her leg, the Megalykantros shot like a bullet as the mist flowed behind her like a deathly veil.

The serpent reared up and was ready to strike the moment its prey went inside the striking range. Back in the Chaos Dimension, it had never fought against something much smaller than itself yet harboured no such fear for the stark contrast in display of power. And the sheer fact sent chills down its scaly spine, for what could this adversary possibly possess to not feel threatened by its presence.

But just before the rushing canine stepped within its range, it's visage evaporated in a puff of smoke blending with the veil of fog flowing forwards as it followed the wind.

Confused, the leviathan warily watched its surroundings for any trace of the wolf while the black mist engulfed it like a shroud.

It was too late when it realized what was happening when there suddenly appeared seven phantom-like Megalykantroses, biting down like toothed clamps at every part of its body. The Apophis fell to the ground and was effectively subdued as an eighth ghostly wolf appeared before it, smirking pompously as if it'd won.

GYARGH—RYAAAARRGGGHH

The humiliation that it felt was indescribable. The serpent violently twisted around and managed to free itself from a few of the bites, but the doppelgangers would just latch themselves back on. With a few moments of vain struggle, the leviathan managed to free its upper body enough for it to rear up and strike once again.

While it did so, all the mist and clones of Matros dematerialized and retreated back into the shadows. The broken meteor that was Geisler flew straight for the open mouth and fell to the jaws of the Apophis, cooking the beast from the inside.

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