264. Cornucopia

The Bloodied Gulf was a complex network of ravines intersecting with larger ravines intersecting with larger ravines. It was a gulf that had been burrowed out beneath a gulf at the southern edge of Secely where the soil was stained a blood red. Centinel’s crawled through every inch of this dark cave-system. Thanks to [Salvo of Vanity], I was able to map out quite a bit of the area around me so that I’d know where I could find the best Centinels to fight for me to level.

I entered the Lairs of these [Senior Centinels]. Many of them were in the lower Level 100s, which didn’t pose too much of a threat for me. And since I specifically chose with Lair to enter, I always picked the ones that were more secluded from other Centinels so that my fighting wouldn’t attract even more of the monsters towards me. It would mitigate the risk.

Unfortunately, it didn’t eliminate the risk factor entirely.

I managed to avoid getting into a fight that was too difficult for a few days, but my luck had run out. Because, right now, I was locked in battle with a higher-leveled [Senior Centinel]— Level 130, one of the highest-leveled [Senior Centinel] I’d seen so far. And my battle with it had drawn the attention of an unwanted visitor. An [Evolved Centinel]. One I’d encountered before. It was Level 121 and had spike-like legs covering its entire as it rolled quickly across the ground, tearing it up.

Maybe I would’ve been able to deal with these two just fine on their own. But they weren’t alone. There were other [Older Centinels] and [Younger Centinels] here, too. They didn’t pose much of a risk— more of an annoyance. A hindrance that made it hard to focus on the two main threats here.

They crawled up the walls, giving chase to me with the [Senior Serpentfiend] leading the way. I sent a wave of blue fire at them to keep them back, but the [Evolved Centinel] barreled its way towards me from behind. I flipped over the attack and struck out with my Nebular Scythe. The back bladed edge was caught in the spiky limbs of the [Evolved Centinel]. Before I could pull away, the [Senior Centinel] crashed into my side.

I went soaring through the air as the Breastplate of Alexander flashed. It absorbed the attack, although the impact still knocked me back. I scowled as I tossed the Nebular Scythe, lodging it into the side of the [Senior Centinel]’s armored head.

The carapace broke as the [Senior Centinel] raised its undulating body in pain. It let out an agonizing screech, spraying acid by sheer instinct. Before I could capitalize on this moment of weakness, the [Evolved Centinel] launched a flurry of spikes at me. I blinked, caught off-guard by the sudden attack. Some kind of Skill that allowed it to detach its limbs? Or no— it was firing the very edges of its claws en mass. Rapid blasts that I needed [Haste] to avoid.

I was starting to get very annoyed by the constant pressure from both these Centinels. And that was not to mention all the other weaker Centinels that were present here. I had to deal with them before they drew the attention of even more Centinels into the area— especially if another [Evolved Centinel] showed up.

I’d been reserving my Skills— holding back, so to speak. Keeping them for when it was appropriate, rather than using my best Skills against every Centinel I faced. And this moment seemed like the time and place to use them. I spread my bone-like wings wide as I took off into the air. The Centinels gave chase, but I activated [Warped Time] and moved faster, keeping entirely away from them.

I sent another wave of blue flames, washing over the horde of Centinels as I swooped down, grabbing a [Junior Centinel] that avoided the blast. I picked it up with a grin.

“Hi! I’m Salvos! Mind blowing up for me?”

It struggled as I tossed it straight at the [Evolved Centinel]. It seemed to glow— its carapace was marked with a shining symbol. The [Evolved Centinel] began to roll away, but I pointed.

“Stay.”

And it halted. [Demon’s Mark] engulfed the [Junior Centinel] in bloodied flames before compressing and exploding into a pillar of crimson. It consumed everything within its perimeters, scorching the other Centinels close by.

“Alright, that’ll hold it for a minute.”

I flew back down as I began to morph. My body twisted into something else, growing four more arms as I became taller. My face contorted like it was being tugged out and I bore fangs that were far sharper than my claws before I had transformed. I crashed straight into the [Senior Centinel] as [Demonic Essence] took hold of me.

I bared my teeth, tearing into the shelled body of the [Senior Centinel]. It shrieked as I used [Radiant Slash] to slice open its carapace. Then with a flurry of [Barrage of Cinders], I ravaged its soft body with all six of my claws.

The [Senior Centinel] thrashed about, spraying its acid wildly all over the ground as it tried to throw me off its side. [Faux Limbs] protruded from my back and gripped the side of the [Senior Cenintel] so I wouldn’t fall off.

I continued assailing the [Senior Centinel] as the crimson flames of [Demon’s Mark] dissipated. From the corner of my eye, I saw a blur. Something speeding through the red, headed straight towards me. I pried off more of the [Senior Centinel]’s armor, revealing its fleshy bits. Then I flipped out of the way.

The [Evolved Centinel]— its body was charred and half of its barbed limbs were missing— barreled straight at the side of the [Senior Centinel]. It knocked the [Senior Centinel] back, shredding open more of the [Senior Centinel]’s skin.

I watched from above as the [Evolved Centinel] tried to gather itself, only for the [Senior Centinel] to turn an angry gaze at it. The [Evolved Centinel] backed up, clearly uncertain as to what to do, but the [Senior Centinel] didn’t think twice and lashed out at the [Evolved Centinel].

Good, I thought, raising my hand as black flames began wisp off my fingertips, turning into a Nebular Bow and Arrow. That’ll buy me a moment to do this. Most of the regular Centinel’s in the Lair were already dead. The rest were being distracted by an onslaught of [Scattering Displacement]. And now that the two main threats were distracted by each other, I could take a deep breath and enhance my Nebular Arrow into something more.

First, sable motes wisped off it like a dark mist as it turned into a Nebular Blazing Bolt. Then the mist seemed to solidify into jagged edges— the black metal-like arrow somehow grew a shade darker. Symbols began to outline the Nebular Blazing Bolt, refining it to become far stronger and more controlled.

I aimed the Refined Nebular Blazing Bolt at the [Senior Centinel] as it crashed into the side of the cavern’s wall. The entire Lair shook, and I loosed the arrow. The Refined Nebular Blazing Bolt launched out like a single black beam— one that moved so fast it reached its target the instant I let go of the bowstring.

The Refined Nebular Blazing Bolt tore straight into the weakened side of the [Senior Centinel]. Nothing stopped it from burrowing straight through the flesh and lodging itself deep within the giant monster. Then a beat passed— a moment where nothing happened. Before, finally, the arrow exploded.

It was a compressed blast— one that didn’t consume nearly as much space as my [Demon’s Mark]. In fact, it was quite small. It barely expanded beyond the width of the [Senior Centinel]. But it tore the [Senior Centinel] in half. An entire segment of the [Senior Centinel]’s body was gone as it collapsed in two long pieces.

I grinned, lowering my Nebular Bow. The [Evolved Centinel] paused and stared at its dead companion. Then it turned and hissed at me. I unloaded a salvo of Nebular Arrows at the [Evolved Centinel] as it shot its own projectiles my way. But before its projectiles could reach me, I redirected the rocks floating around with [Scattering Displacement], enlarging them with [Mass Particulate Modification] to intercept the attack.

The projectiles of the [Evolved Centinel] never reached me, but my own arrows stuck out of its sides, replacing the limbs it had lost. I spread my arms wide as the [Evolved Centinel] hesitated.

“Is that all you got?”

It faced me, then looked towards all the dead Centinels around it. Blue, black, and red fire ebbed away at their corpses, filling the Lair with smoke. Something clicked inside of the [Evolved Centinel]’s head, and it moved.

I watched as the [Evolved Centinel] spun around and began to flee. I narrowed my eyes.

“Oh, no you don’t!”

With a beat of my wings, I shot forward towards the [Evolved Centinel]. It was hard to catch, but I simply created a regular flaming kusarigama with [The Primordial Spark] and tossed the chains around its side. I caught the [Evolved Centinel] before it could get too far and pulled it my way.

It flopped over on the ground as I loomed over it. It backed up, shaking, trembling in fear as I raised my six claws. It raised its own limbs too, then I paused. My eyes narrowed.

“Are you… submitting to me?”

I stared at the [Evolved Centinel] as it showed me its underbelly. The weakest part of its carapace. It didn’t even protect itself with its arms.

I cocked my head.

“Now, what should I do with you?”

I thought about it for a moment as the [Evolved Centinel] quivered. It looked at me with eyes rounder than usual, with a hint of a glint as if it was tearing up at me. It didn’t want to die. It was more intelligent than the other Centinels in that it knew it didn’t want to die.

I shrugged.

“Ah, well, shouldn’t have attacked me in the first place.”

I raised my claws and it shrieked. The [Evolved Centinel] struck back against me, but I ducked under the attack and dug my claws straight into its ‘chest’. I ripped it apart and tossed it aside.

“Not like you would have spared me if I was the one who lost this fight.”

Defeated [Evolved Spiky Centinel – Lvl. 121]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Cleared [Lair: Centinels Camp]!

Experience is awarded for clearing a Lair!

Defeated [Senior Centinel – Lvl. 107]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

...

Defeated [Senior Centinel – Lvl. 130]!

Experience is awarded for defeating an enemy!

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 114] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 115]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

…

Subspecies [Daeva Cambion] Level Up!

[Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 117] -> [Daeva Cambion – Lvl. 118]

Gained 5 Stat Points and 3 Skill Points!

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 66] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 67]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

…

Class [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus] Level Up!

[Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 71] -> [Grand Mystic of the Nexeus - Lvl. 72]

Gained 2 Secondary Skill Points!

With the battle finished, I was inundated with a lot of notifications— notifications of all the levels I’d gained over the past few days. I was close to Level 120 in my Subspecies, and had finally broken past Level 70 with my Class. It was because I’d cleared out multiple Centinel Lairs, at this point. Probably dozens of them.

It was odd, honestly. I’d have thought it’d be a Dungeon with these many Lairs so closely interspersed together. However, not only were all the Lairs called the same thing— the Centinels Camp— they also all belonged to the same type of monster. Maybe that was why it didn’t qualify as a Dungeon?

I shook my head as I turned away from the corpse of the [Evolved Centinel]. I was tired, and the battle had drained me quite a bit. If more Centinels— especially stronger Centinels— showed up now, I’d be very much vulnerable to them. I was just about to take my leave when I spotted a crack on one of the far walls. This Lair had been rather large compared to the others. It was like a long tunnel. And at the other side of the tunnel, the walls were beginning to crumble due to the damage my [Demon’s Mark] did. And it looked like there was something beyond the wall.

[Planar Navigation] couldn’t reach that far. I had to get closer to get a sense of what was there. I blinked as I sensed… odd objects. Ones that seemed to emanate with power, but also… not really?

I frowned as I pulled away at more of the wall, revealing what was on the other side. And I saw—

Now entering [Lair: Centinels Cornucopia]!

Corpses. Human corpses. Hundreds of them. And on them, they still had their weapons and armors. Artifacts that they brought with them to the Bloodied Gulf.

“Huh. Daniel would’ve loved this place.”