Chapter 230

However, before cutting loose, I first wanted to make sure I had an actual observer.

Luckily, the increasing number of warriors gave me the excuse to make a ‘mistake’. One of the new warriors charged from behind while I was busy parrying the ax of the first warrior, ‘failing’ to notice his presence until too late.

I jumped off the air elemental to avoid him, but that only made me lose my mobility while I rolled on the ground, making the six surround me.

“No,” I shouted desperately, with a beautiful acting that would have earned me a leading role in a theater troupe even as I pointed toward my fake elemental mount.

[-182 Mana]

I didn’t spend much mana, but with all of the elemental mana already in the structure of my mount, the results were still truly spectacular. A storm exploded, dispersing the ones that surrounded me like the leaves in the wind.

I wasn’t an exception.

[-72 HP]

Rolling on the ground was not a pleasant feeling, though the damage it created was little more than a mosquito bite for me. Of course, the same applied to my enemies as well, showing they received a negligible damage and a temporary mobility effect.

What a waste of three thousand mana I sank into creating that elemental.

Luckily, damaging them was not my aim was in the first place. The reckless explosion was just an excuse to disperse my mana, and three thousand mana was enough to create an ever-expanding circle until it reached the barrier.

Enough to turn it into a detection spell as I maintained my connection.

Yet, the result was enough to put a frown in my face. I sensed almost another two dozen warriors rushing toward me, and another dozen that felt like mages were already closing in from south.

They were really prepared to take me down.

Yet, the presence of that impressive army didn’t alarm me what I felt from Northeast side. Or, more accurately, what I didn’t feel.

There was absolutely no feedback, like my mana suddenly disappeared. It wasn’t that they were strong, as the other dozen mages had the sufficient strength to accomplish that as well.

But they didn’t care about that, uncaring of the outcome, while the unknown at the Northeast didn’t share their lack of concern, suggesting something more than a near-berserk warrior.

I couldn’t help but frown even as I started building the initial nodes of a defensive ward. It was clearly a trap to push myself to my limits, and I needed the time given to me by the wards.

I needed to decide which abilities to reveal first, and I needed to see if I could save myself without confronting the others. I hoped that, if I could display a sufficient level of ordinary ability, they might decide that I was harmless.

Was that likely? Certainly not, but compared to revealing my more dangerous abilities, like teleportation, it was still the better option — at least, as far as I could contemplate while constructing a ward that could temporarily hold back two dozen warriors around level forty.

Even the speed of thinking boosted by Intelligence and Wisdom had its limits.

The first warrior had already arrived at the edge when I managed to establish the first layer of the ward, and it was the same warrior that initially charged forward, putting his speed advantage to great use.

Since the environment was already blanketed with my mana, I decided to take a risk and reach to his soul space, though I kept the mana stab very weak.

[-9 Mana]

Only to be rebuffed, finding their soul space protected. Maybe I should have been surprised too much by the result, as I knew for a fact the Eternals were aware of the full potential of Soul Space. It only made sense for them to try and protect it.

I ignored that, and focused on the dangers of his immediate rush, and its dangerous tactical implications.

Or, from a strategic view, a terrible use, as it once again left him alone without support, though that didn’t change the fact that every swing of his ax was damaging the ward greatly.

I was considering the best way to handle him when my gaze fell down to his weapon, its handle filled with Eternal gems.

Delivering me the perfect excuse to set up a truly impressive ward.

He swung his ax once more, hitting the ward squarely, breaking through its protection with a single solid attack as I stopped shifting the ward to minimize the damage. Yet, as he toppled forward, he didn’t expect the ward to close on him, immobilizing it.

[-16 Mana]

With his attention weakened, and bereft of the protection of his weapon, it was easy to for me to give the necessary push to hasten the inevitable collapse, triggering his berserk.

And, with my ward reducing my presence, he rushed toward his previous allies to distract them.

Giving me the precious seconds I needed to establish my ward.

[Level: 36 Experience: 631374 / 666000

Strength: 46 Charisma: 63

Precision: 40 Perception: 42

Agility: 40 Manipulation: 45

Speed: 39 Intelligence: 49

Endurance: 39 Wisdom: 51

HP: 7022 / 7334 Mana: 7631 / 9000 ]

SKILLS

Grandmaster Tantric [118/140]

Master Melee [100/100]

Master Biomancy [100/100]

Master Elemental [100/100]

Master Arcana [100/100]

Master Subterfuge [100/100]

Master Craft [100/100]

Expert Speech [75/75]

PERKS

Mana Regeneration

Skill Share

Empowerment (0/1)

Teleportation

COMPANIONS

[Titania - Level 35/38]

[Cornelia - Level 22/26]

[Helga - Level 22/26]

[Marianne - Level 21/29]