Chapter 1350: Maximum Jaqquezjaqqz!
On top of the heavy shroud of a sinister Undeath presence, a queer 'factor' rushed out, mapping the entirety of Aigas in less than a millisecond. To mortal experts, it might have felt like the slightest increase in the gravity of Aigas, but to Divine beings like Skullius and
Uyuniya, it was far, far worse.
It felt like being drowned in the deepest parts of an endless ocean; one with a ton of 'impurities'. An unseen pressure sought to crush them from the inside and exerted a dough- like texture over them from the outside - sticky, smooth and irresistible.
But what was more of an enigma was not the origin of this 'factor'. Skullius and Uyuniya could at once tell that it was the Doom Knight's Broader Existence.
But for what purpose was it being used?
"It's marking Aigas," Serenity answered Skullius' unspoken question.
'Marking?' the Hybrid Warmoth asked.
"Deities are Divine beings who have refined their Broader Existence to the point where it becomes tough or malleable as they wish. It ceases to be excessively vulnerable to any decent Divine phenomena and can even be divided and left behind in distant locations for various purposes. In this case, the Doom Knight has split a portion of his Broader Existence to mark Aigas. In other words, he's staking his claim on it."
Skullius was stumped.
He had been right after all!
The Doom Knight had not immediately gone on the offensive because it was considering the two Deities on Aigas at the moment. But now, it appeared it wasn't too bothered by them at all. It was even challenging them.
Skullius turned to Kenno who was by his side. Just the look of his little frown told the Hybrid Warmoth that the Unlimited Star couldn't sense the true extent of the imminent danger, but he was more concerned with something else.
"Where exactly did you encounter this thing?" he asked.
"In Edagon," was Kenno's succinct reply. He seemed to know that this would mean something to his master. He was right.
'Of course! This thing was after the souls of the Eternal Drakkens - the purest expressions of Quintess, Suzamete and Listafelle on Aigas - the anchor for this world's existence. If it was denied the chance to simply walk over to Edagon and take them without opposition, it will take them by an arrogant show of force!' Skullius thought.
For a moment, he wished Kenno was feeling the suppressive might of the Doom Knight's Broader Existence. Araeyn and Elita also seemed to be free of its overwhelming effect. Thankfully, Uyuniya was suffering, just like him. She could hardly move.
Looking at the alien woman prompted a certain thought in Skullius' mind.
'So, what she was doing earlier with her Broader Existence... Is that the discount version of what the Doom Knight is doing?'
It appeared so.
"Gather your wits, Skullius. I believe without using your War Body, you still have a variety of options. Quality options," Serenity told him with a suspicious inflection to her voice. "I know you're wary of the initial drawbacks of that body, especially when using it to fight an enemy of this calibre. I don't necessarily disagree, but if worse comes to worst, you will have no choice. Do not die here.'
Skullius let the phantoms spout all the amazement and shock he had. He had a lot of it.
Of course, their ravings convinced him that they had nothing to do with the ridiculous accomplishments of the nimbus, which made him automatically identify the next, most likely
suspect.
But he didn't dwell on that.
He instead raised one of his free hands and made to conjure the properties of Maximum
Jaqquezjaqqz.
A steady mix of puce and turquoise rose from his flesh and played a game with his fingers. As
it streamed out in shockingly thin strings, Skullius felt it.
He felt a fury that burrowed through from everywhere. The great void was everywhere, after
all.
Void was rather upset. Aigas was too, it appeared.
There was something about this Parlous Nature, Maximum Jaqquezjaqqz, that made Skullius feel as though Aigas was about to fold in on him and kill him before it was too late.
It wasn't only Aigas that regarded him with this odd intent, however.
Elita and Uyuniya had stung him with sharp looks as soon as Maximum Jaqquezjaqqz poured
from his body.
And also...
<WHAT ABOMINATION IS THIS?>
The Doom Knight spoke, his voice heavy and no different to the sound of rusted metals
scraping against each other. His burning sockets honed in on Skullius, and suddenly, it was as
though Aigas was a canvas of squiggles and doodles; it was distorted by the might of the
Doom Knight!
<MASTER SOUMEI WILL BE EQUALLY DELIGHTED IN YOU AS A PRIZE, OR PERHAPS MORE THAN HE REGARDS THIS RICH WORLD.>