Chapter 335 - Creation vs Creator

"What the hell is going on!? Dax, do you copy!?"

As the resistance she and her team suddenly increased by several magnitudes, Solaris knew that something had gone wrong with Dax's distraction of the precursor and attempted to contact him, although to no effect.

"Solaris cut it out, focus on what's ahead! We have our orders!"

While Solaris had started panicking, Ifrit fully trusted and believed in their partner, without flinching they moved forward, bringing corrupted mana into the world as they wove mana together and created a spell.

"Sa'li ulqz!"

creating a beam of concentrated light which immediately sought out its first target with some kind of maniacal glee, as it hit the bio drone it quickly started spreading out, quickly covering its surface, with a series of loud cracking until it was just a wet puddle of blood and gore slowly falling towards the core of Styx-1 in the low gravity.

"Mare, together!"

"Mmm, ready!"

With Ifrit having taken care of the closest target, Mu and Mare started working on the approaching threats in concert with each other. Taking control of elemental mana together the two of them created a hail of spears which ruthlessly struck down their enemies, creating mayhem of flowers and explosions which shattered shrapnel all over the place. 

-

"How strong your team is, still, it is not all about strength."

Clearly following along with Dax's team struggling, the precursor didn't seem bothered by the losses they were suffering, in fact, it seemed they found it somewhat satisfying, at least satisfying enough to monologue to Dax who was currently bleeding out without being able to feel his legs.

"They sure are interesting, but not as interesting as this~"

Turning to the Emergence nerve cluster the precursor continued talking with palpable excitement in their voice.

"This, now this thing is interesting. Born as a crude alternative to your ICI and now IMI architecture it really has turned into something else, this is something which only happens once every aeron, this is the birth of a true intelligence. By integrating both synthetic and organic systems into its central yet decentralized intelligence really is something unique that hasn't been seen ever before, something like a pureblood qiton can't beat that. Still, I am sad that I don't get to take you apart while you're still alive…. What was your name again?... Oh well, it doesn't really matter anyway, I'll still find out what makes you tick."

"I… Highly... Doubt... that."

"Oh, still speaking, are you? That's sort of impressive."

Turning their attention back to Dax who was lifelessly hanging by his magnetic boots on the inside of the hollow core, the precursor slowly drifted over to him before once more plunging their hand through Dax's vacuum suit and deep into his body, this time destroying one of his lungs.

"You qitons are made to serve, the fact that you were allowed to develop a sense of self was the largest mistake those old farts ever made, I gave you an order mister pureblood, now just die quietly."

Lacking any of the earlier joy or excitement, the precursor's voice was now entirely cold as they pulled out their hand from Dax's ċhėst, creating a spray of crystalized blood which escaped from the qiton's punctured vacuum suit.

"Now I just need to deal with your buddies~"

As the precursor started turning their attention back towards ȧssuming direct control over their bio drones, a chill suddenly went up their spine. Hurriedly turning back towards Dax, the precursor paid attention to Dax's expression for the first time, he was smiling. Although qitons had been designed to be tough, this was unheard of, the precursor had inflicted lethal damage to Dax, and punctured his vacuum suit, he should be dead already, yet he wasn't. Immediately taking the decision that their new potential toy needed to die, the precursor targeted Dax's head with their lightning fast movements, but this time Dax not only avoided the strike, he also caught the precursor's hand.

"W-what the hell are you!?"

For the first time, the precursor's voice sounded slightly cracked, caught by the surprise that Dax was not only able to move but also intercept their attack flustered them greatly.

"As my supposed 'creator' you ought to know, I am the perfect weapon."

Crushing the hand he had caught without any issue, Dax moved to remove the precursor's head at the same time, but unfortunately, the precursor escaped his grasp using manoeuvring thrusters built into their suit. Having perhaps already predicted that move, Dax followed right after the precursor, using his own reaction thrusters to spin around, delivering a kick straight to the precursor's ċhėst that sent them flying into the opposite side of the hollow core.

"What the hell is going on!?"

More than just hurting the precursor was clearly confused, looking at Dax they could clearly see that his wounds had already healed, even though that shouldn't have been possible.

"This amount of damage is nothing. Besides, pain is nothing more than an old friend at this point."

"'Just an old friend'!? You are a fuċkɨnġ monster!"

As the Precursor was surrounded with mana, their voice clearly laced with rage conveyed that it truly had lost its cool, something which made Dax show a slight smile.

"Why thanks for the compliment."

Responding with a flare of his own mana forge, Dax drew his rifle before both fighters who were finally motivated disappeared from view. Using controlled mana fueled explosions and his reaction control system, Dax charged his rifle which was surrounded with magic formations which also extended out from the barrel, while moving faster than he himself even could fully keep up with the second he was ready he let loose a single round which was enhanced multiple times before ripping straight by the precursor which just narrowly avoided instant death, something which sent a chill down their spine. Tasting the fear of imminent death, the precursor realized they couldn't afford to hold anything back, even if the pureblood could use magic, they still held an advantage.

Suddenly mana bloomed with a new level of intensity from the precursor, while Dax this was a bad signal he didn't have a chance to do anything about it as his left arm and the rifle he was holding in it were suddenly and violently compressed and crushed in a split second.

(Elemental magic! Fu-)

Before Dax could even finish his thoughts, the meagre 0.06 G suddenly increased by several magnitudes, forcing him to the 'ground' on the inside of the hollow core.

"Oh, come on. Is it really that surprising? Elemental magic is normal where I come from, so why shouldn't I be able to use it?~ Now, how do you want to die?"

Being crushed under the force of 90 G, Dax wasn't able to answer the precursor's question for the moment, this made the precursor even more confident as they had once more regained the momentum. 

"Now, if you beg for your life I might spare you, you are just about interesting enough to keep as a pet mister pureblood~"

Of course, it was a mistake to not kill Dax then and there, but the precursor didn't notice that before it was far too late.

"Nah, I'll pass on that offer."

"Eh?"

Before the precursor knew what was happening, they noticed that pureblood's left arm they had destroyed just a minute ago had somehow fully healed as the vacuum suit followed suit, although at a slightly slower phase, then Dax disappeared from view.

Next thing the precursor knew, Dax was right in front of them, before they could react, Dax grabbed them by the neck before clenching his newly regenerated hand into a fist.

"Urhg!"

Even though the precursor used elemental magic to crush and counter Dax's attack his fist nevertheless found its target, hitting them right in the face and almost cracking its virtually indestructible vacuum suit.

"How-"

Cut short by another punch which cracked most of their suit's outer armour, the precursor nevertheless managed to get their intentions across to Dax who answered their question.

"Who says I can't use elemental magic?"

Pulling back for another punch, Dax's hit was blocked by the precursor's arm which cracked by the sheer force of the impact, Dax was only partly responsible for this amount of strength, as he was currently making use of some 90 different elements to strengthen his body.

"That's impossible!"

Having finally gathered enough mana for a counter attack, the precursor created a localized zone of extreme gravitational tidal forces which tore apart Dax's right arm which was holding them, but in response to that, Dax's torn arm regenerated like time suddenly ran backwards, because it partly did. Immediately after Dax's arm had regenerated he grabbed the precursor's arm as before striking it with a frost covered fist, as it connected with the precursor's elbow a large icicle suddenly formed and pierced straight through the 'indestructible' vacuum suit.

"GHA!-"

"Shhh, this is just the start-"

With the large icicle still logged through the precursor's elbow, Dax mercilessly punched their forearm, performing the most painful amputation in elemental magic history.

"- Save your screaming for something which is actually painful, like this."

"ARRAGH!"

Now well and truly enraged the precursor gave up on having something left to analyze of Dax's corpse and targeted his torso with elemental magic, crushing and tearing the inside of his ċhėst apart in a truly brutal attack.

But sadly for the precursor, such an attack had little effect on Dax.

"Go for the head stupid."

Taking full advantage of the situation, Dax removed the precursor's other arm in the same faction as he did with the first before sending them flying with a kick.

"ARG!"

As they were sent crashing into the oppersid wall of the hollow core, the precursor violently coughed up blood as their lungs collapsed, of course, automatic healing immediately kicked in, but it would still be some time before full function could be resumed, so they decided to try and by time.

"How the hell can you use elemental magic!? You have no fuċkɨnġ aptitude!"

"True, but that just means I can't generate elemental mana myself, a lack of aptitude doesn't mean I can't use it once it has been brought into this world. Thanks for all the gravity elements too, although it took me a few seconds I was able to turn it into a 'time' element, it saved me about 10 seconds healing these injuries."

"Fucking monster!"

"Why thank you, I'll take that as a compliment."

Appearing right in front of the precursor, the last thing the precursor saw was Dax's unflinching and outright ruthless attitude which was so characteristic of the qiton ideal her race had created as a servant to them.