Chapter 1534 Twenty Minutes IV
[The Distorted Goddess Manika has created her domain called the Twisted Wonderland.]
[All living marionettes will have increased stats when inside the domain.]
[You have negated the negative effects of the domain that the Distorted Goddess of Life Manika has created because of the effects of the Tree of Life and Death.]
Adrian could see five living marionettes that were created using the lives of the Followers of Apophis. They were not only revived but have become stronger than before due to the effects of the Distorted Goddess of Life Manika. To make things worse, their body parts would suddenly get stitched back up even if one slices them up.
"Stardust Rain!" Adrian stated as he drew his bow.
The area that is affected by Stardust Rain was bigger than he anticipated as it almost covered the entire area around the Tree of Life and Death. Adrian selected this area as some of the living marionettes are also attacking the Tree of Life and Death which Levin Could is currently possessing.
Adrian released the arrow, and it traveled up into the sky as it actually cleared the dark clouds affecting the area above the target. The image of a starry sky blessed the eyes of those in the area but that was not the only thing that happened. The stars itself started to come down in a meteor shower like fashion and deal damage to all the enemies that are hit.
[You have dealt damage to a Living Marionette using Stardust Rain.]
[The Living Marionette has received a 10% slow as a result.]
[You have dealt damage to a Living Marionette using Stardust Rain.]
[The Living Marionette has received a 10% slow as a result.]
…
Notifications of Adrian hitting the living marionettes with his skill started to compound until all of them have four stacks of slow. When four stacks of slow has been given to an enemy, the slow duration that was supposed to be only twenty seconds will become one minute. All of the living marionettes became slow even in the eyes of Levin Cloud that barely increases his agility stat.
Levin Cloud made use of the slowed living marionettes and clapped them to death when he has the chance. The living marionette will then be turned into a meat paste which will make it difficult to revive as their bodies turned to mush. The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika saw what happened to her beautiful and perfect babies and screamed in a very high pitch tone.
[You have been afflicted with the Doll Scream.]
[All stats will be decreased by 15% for 1 minute.]
[You have received damage from Doll Scream.]
[Your hearing has become somewhat less due to the effects of the Doll Scream skill. This will persist for a duration of one minute.]
"My lovelies!" The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika stated as she suddenly created hundreds of giant needles and sent it towards Adrian.
She immediately knew that the one that needs to be destroyed is the pesky demon that is handling her and the purple serpent. The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika needs to complete her end of the bargain or else her betrayal of the Dark Gods would be a waste. She is sure that the Dark Gods that bear grudges would certainly go after her which is why she needs to accomplish what she came to do.
Adrian knew that he cannot easily evade the giant needles that is sent towards him which is why he shot arrows to intercept the ones that he cannot dodge at the last second. Adrian would have been hit by some if not for the timely assistance of Sirius, Kanlaon, Saena and Dodu. All his available soulbounds used skills to destroy some of the giant needles.
"Such a bad child. Raggedy Doll!" The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika stated as the meat paste that was the result of squishing the living marionettes suddenly converged at the same area.
The meat pastes suddenly started to form a humanoid shape, but it was not human. The look of the being that was summoned is a doll that was made of yarn. Adrian could not believe the abomination that was presented in front of him as the doll was actually a mixture of not only the bodies but the souls of the dead humans as well.
"Kill him, my knight!" The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika stated as pointed towards Adrian.
"Saena, purify it with burning light!" Adrian stated as he wanted to see what would happen to the spell binding all the bodies and souls with one another when hit by holy magic.
Saena's feather's glowed in golden light as rays of light hit the doll that the Distorted Goddess of Life Manika created. Despite being hit by a blast of holy energy, the sinister energy that the Distorted Goddess of Life Manika used on the doll was not destroyed. Adrian knew that he cannot rely on just holy energy but might have to use Nether energy instead which would be harmful to the souls.
"It is the only way to end their suffering." Adrian muttered as he pulled his bow once again.
"Meteor Star!" Adrian stated as the arrow that he created exploded in power that is twice as powerful.
Adrian released the arrow, and the doll did not even bother dodging. The arrow which looked like a meteor falling down pierced the body of the doll, but it did not stop its functions. The doll continued its advance while the Meteor Star skill went straight towards the Distorted Goddess of Life Manika.
The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika did not seem fazed by the skill that Adrian used as she created a barrier to protect her from external attacks. She thought that Adrian's attack would not be able to reach her, but she found the arrow odd as it was not losing power despite clashing with the barrier.
"Another one but charge it with nether energy as well. Meteor Star!" Adrian stated as he released one more arrow that the doll instinctively dodged as if it was tainted with something that it should not possess.
The Meteor Star that Adrian empowered with nether energy has the color of a black and gray light. The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika instinctively knew that she must not hit by that arrow, but she cannot getaway from her position. If she moves, then Twisted Wonderland would cease to operate until she declares another one.
"Protect me my children!" The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika decreed as all the living marionettes that she created were used as meat shields to stop the Meteor Star from hitting her.
The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika thought that she could just rejuvenate her lovely dolls after they take the hit, but she did not expect something unexpected to happen. All the living marionettes that were hit by the nether energy empowered Meteor Star suddenly ceased to function and plopped into sea as if a puppet with all its strings cut off.
[You have hit a living marionette with nether energy.]
[You have destroyed the twisted life energy maintaining the form of the living marionette.]
[You received experience points for defeating a living marionette.]
[You received experience points for defeating a living marionette.]
[You received experience points for defeating a living marionette.]
…
"My lovely children!" The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika watched as her 'perfect' creations dropped dead into the sea.
The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika tried to recollect their souls, but her hand actually burned when she reached out for them. The souls of the Followers of Apophis were infected by Nether Energy which is the extreme opposite of any life energy. The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika felt the emotion of being afraid for the very first time as she has not felt this sensation.
"Great Enemy! Must eliminate with everything that I have." The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika stated as she knows this feeling well.
The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika has only felt scared of one being in this universe and that was the one of the twin gods. The God of Death Abaddon is someone that even the Distorted Goddess of Life Manika fears as he was her complete opposite that could destroy her if she was not careful. She might be afraid of the God of Death Abaddon, but it was not to a point that she will shiver in fear, but Adrian was different.
The nether energy that Adrian possesses is not something that the Distorted Goddess of Life Manika could easily defend against. It was the purest form of death or maybe even more as it actually destroyed her energy when it came in contact with it. The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika suddenly appeared with a pair of scissors on her hand.
The Distorted Goddess of Life Manika started to cut off her long hair until it was now only at the length of neck. Each strand of hair that was cut suddenly turned into sharp strings that cut anything that they passed through.