Chapter 404: Shall we start?

Chapter 404: Shall we start?

Well, the body upgrade goes more or less as expected. Nothing extra, but it does entail some nice additions. Much like the previous upgrade, the changes seem to be taking some time to apply, so it’ll probably take a few days at least.

As a test, I let my mana flood my body, but once again, I immediately start taking damage. There might be a tiny difference in the degree of damage, but that's it. I'm curious if the fully applied upgrade will change that, at least a bit.

In the end, it seems like I still have way too much mana for my body to handle.

Good.

At least I won't have to breathe as much.

Rereading the description, I also don't think my improved cellular regeneration will be enough to replace my healing skill. The system just isn’t going to give out powerful regeneration to everyone over 250. Though It might be for those with high or upgraded constitutions.

I also start to wonder what would happen to my body if I didn't get body upgrades? Going by the notifications, it seems like it wouldn't be able to handle active skills, traits, and passives. It could be interesting to observe and compare the difference between a body upgrade and a high constitution.

The timer continues to tick down so I locate the body of the Champion. It's easier now without the Volcanic Hydra messing with my senses. Unfortunately, the body seems to be very deep below the surface of molten metal. Deep enough to be surprising. I expected it to be just a few lengths of my body, instead, it's deep enough to hold a small skyscraper.

Feeling that I know I won't be able to reach it. My senses barely pass through and placing an anchor is impossible.

The amount of heat is also too much for me to absorb.

My shields would be unable to endure that amount of molten metal and heat.

Hell, I'm sure even our resident cockroach would have trouble reaching it with her current capabilities.

It also explains why there isn't that much Mana Radiation. Most of the residual energy generated by the body is being used to send heat through the pyramid, create these annoying monsters, and keep a pool of molten lava the size of a small city liquid.

Should I jump in? I mean, I'm sure I would be able to move around for a while just with my chest and head. I can recreate the rest with mana and slowly regenerate it later.

Or maybe I could go in with nothing but my heart, spine, and brain?

Maybe I could just send my brain and leave my heart behind connected through [Tether] to feed me mana. It could be possible to create a smaller barrier around my brain.

Hmm, maybe not that, the molten metal would cut off the connection to my heart. Also, it would be unfortunate if the cockroach found me like that.

What about the main pillar with the rooms, I could try cutting it loose and using it as a submarine to get there? Or maybe create a capsule out of the metal for me to dive in? That probably wouldn't work, my thermal energy will only work against me there and whatever the body below is generating should be more than enough to destroy me.

Fish the body out? Am I even capable of creating a thread powerful enough to get there? Not even mentioning how easily it’s going to melt as it gets closer to the body.

Even the Volcanic Hydra wasn't swimming that deep, keeping itself just below the surface.

I shake my head and then scratch my cheek. At least I try to, both of my mana arms are disrupted as I forget to concentrate on them. It leaves me standing there without arms which I can’t help but find funny for some reason.

Annoyed, I shoot a tricolored orb in the direction of the Champion’s body and then head to the solid metal around the control pillar. There I sit and nearly fall, losing my balance due to my lack of arms. Even so, I do not recreate them. I don’t need them right now and may as well use my [Focus] for other stuff.

First, I reach into my crown, and the amount of mana in it makes me both happy and terrified.

Slowly I reach for the threads I’ve been forming around the crown. My own web heavily based on the Mindblender’s. It's not as good or delicate but it doesn't need to be. Thread after thread I uncoil it, making a few last-minute changes.

These threads start covering the area around me. Starting with the pillar next to me, than moving to the ceiling, the adjacent pillars, and the walls of the room. More and more I continue as the invisible, intangible threads fill almost the entire room.

I use [Infusion] and [Mana Domain] to fill them up. Adding my Pride to the skill makes the threads more “mine”, less susceptible to external influences. It's almost like expanding my [Mana Domain], but it’s also more than that.

Gradually, I redirect a bit of mana from my crown, creating a dozen pockets of mana all over the room. Each one contains enough mana to compress into a tricolored bomb or a few.

I create multiple layers of the web, each with a different frequency. I even make a few smaller webs with less mana running through them. These webs, I keep disconnected from the main one. I fail a few times, and it costs a lot of mana. I just don’t have as much experience with it as I would like. But I still continue, using everything I have learned.

Three hours and ten minutes remain when I exit the pillar.

My [Mana Crown] forms over my head, and [Perception] checks the web one last time, making last-minute changes. A pathway added or removed. A twist changed, mana redirected.

I move my thermal orb to the stump of my right arm and then I create a golden arm prosthesis out of its energy. My flesh burns to the point where it touches the golden thermal energy, emitting too much heat for me to redirect.

Taking a few steps I grab Flamebearer from its place with the blade half submerged in molten metal, finding it untouched by the heat.

I swing the ax to clean the blade, molten metal shooting free in its wake. Then my thermal energy moves through the ax which starts shining with golden light.

Parts of the ax sizzle, the metal at Its surface melting slightly as the metal starts to glow, the air around it beginning to shimmer from the heat.

Active skills:

Focus - Lvl 50

Perception - Lvl 49

Redistribution - Lvl 50

Resonance - Lvl 49

Mana Domain (Pride) - Lvl 43

Tether - Lvl 37

Infusion - Lvl 33

Mana Crown - Lvl 31

Mana Manipulation - Lvl 51

Two more skills, that's all I need and I still have a few hours.

If I fail I will die.

If I die it will be my fault.

If I survive I’ll only have myself to thank.

That's how it should be. That's how I want it to be from now until the end.

The doors I used to enter this place open, and a single figure steps through them, striding confidently in my direction. Her silver hair moves in the scorching hot air, contrasting starkly with the surrounding colors; it even seems to be glowing in this place.

She enters and the doors close behind her without her giving them a second look. On her waist, there are two daggers. One made out of black mana, and another made out of flesh, skin, and bones. Embedded in that fleshy dagger is a single orange eye.

So that's what she did with the Saint’s arm and the other Ignition Wavelength Eye.

Lissandra Hawthorne, Absolute of Eladore, a fake, a shadow of her original self, is just as relaxed as ever. With a single glance, she examines the room and its contents, taking note of the ax, and my preparations.

Then she takes a step forward and stands on the pool of molten metal, around her feet a faint amount of blue mana glows. Each of her steps sends a ripple through the otherwise calm surface and she comes to a stop a few steps away from me.

“Shall we start, little pup?”

Three hours and two minutes remain when a heatwave generated by the body of the Champion fills the room and I attack.