Chapter 1675: Uncovered.

Chapter 1675: Uncovered.

The jungle, which had been like a rustling ocean, was suddenly absolutely quiet. The dead silence that enveloped them was so utter and unnatural that, for a moment, Nephis felt a chill travel across her back despite the sweltering heat.

The horrors of the forgotten ruin were drawing closer.

She frowned slightly, and then dismissed most of her armor. A whirlwind of sparks wreathed her slender figure for a few fleeting moments, and then dissipated without a trace, leaving only a thin white tunic behind.

Free of the suffocating weight of her armor, Nephis inhaled deeply and noticed that the Lord of Shadows was staring at her intently. At least... she thought he was? The darkness nestling in the crack of his visor was just as cold and nebulous as always.

«What... are you doing?»

His voice was emotionless, but she thought she recognized a hint of emotion in it. Confusion, maybe?

Yes, he was probably confused.

She shrugged, enjoying the feeling of her skin breathing, unobstructed by the weight of metal.

«My armor won't withstand a hit from a Great Beast. I'd rather have all the speed and agility I can get, considering the circumstances. That way, I stand the chance of not being hit at all.»

That was true. Her armor was a Supreme Memory of the Second Tier, but after the battle with this... asura... she had judged that it would not protect her from a blow delivered by one of the ancient golems. She could heal her body if it was damaged, but not her armor and once the armor was wrecked and bent out of shape, it would constrict her movements even further.

Now that the presence of the true masters of the ruined city had scared off all the pests populating the jungle, it was better to be fast and nimble.

The other reason Nephis had dismissed her armor was necessity. She was pretty sure that she would be forced to use her Transformation Ability in the upcoming battle... so, she didn't want to burn the Supreme Memory.

That armor of hers was pretty decent. It would be a shame if it melted into a puddle of molten steel, like so many previous ones...Rêạd new chapters at novelhall.com

Cassie had also told her once that it suited her well.

Not that it mattered, of course!

«...What a fearsome sword.»

Nephis stared at the dark demon in front of her, wondering for a moment...

Was that, perhaps, the true appearance of the Lord of Shadows, while the human form he wore was no more than a disguise?

The human, the dark colossus, the swift crow, and this shadow devil... was that the result of his Transformation Ability? If so, it was much more versatile than Nephis had assumed, and any Saint she knew possessed.

Then again, shadows were formless and shapeless by nature, so maybe such versatility made sense.

The form of a shadow demon... was very much like the enchanted armor suits the defenders of the ancient city had once worn, in a sense. Was his body encased in a shell of shadows, like theirs had been in sorcerous stone? If so, it was an ingenious applications of one's Aspect.

But it couldn't be just that. The Lord of Shadows could cover his human body in the shell of the four-armed devil and the shadow colossus. But what about the crow? It was much smaller than a human. So, the fundamental principle of his Transformation had to be different.

As she was contemplating the nuances of his Aspect, the Lord of Shadows spoke, his voice still cold and indifferent:

«We must hurry.»

His voice was still the same...

Which was a little funny. A voice like that suited a young man of noble bearing very well, but coming from the chest of such a huge and ferocious creature, it sounded a little comical.

Absurdly enough, Nephis found herself wanting to laugh.

...Of course, she did not, maintaining her usual calm expression. However, two sparks ignited in her eyes.

«Yes... right. Let us hurry.»

Turning away to hide her face, she gripped the hilt of her black sword and dashed into the jungle.