Chapter 14: The Difference of Theory and Practice (4)

Lyn quickly got in to his own rythm. Although his Level and the Temple Difficulty increased, the power of the clones themselves didn't vary too much.

As long as I can avoid death...

Lyn shuddered, while staring at the moon. Tired didn't even begin to describe how he felt. In this temple he could never rest easy. His only path was to fight and fight again.

"I picked up some amazing techniques though.."

Lyn once again checked his Status while he readied for his final fight.

Name: Lyn Cypher

Magic Type: Life Force
Skills: [Intermediate Construct] LVL 2, [Deep Sleep], [Spark Barrier] LVL 5, [Blink Chain] LVL 6, [..]
Special Items: 
Race: Energy Being [Human-Based]

Level: 9

[Another natural prodigy. Grow strong, warrior!]

                                                                                            Beginner's Fluid  

Much like the Aura trait, use your energy to make and maintain simple tools. It is recommended you create, and master using more weapons to further evolve this skill.

Another gift from the temple... Odd that it didn't register [Wings of Nike] although the skill appear on it's clones. [Intermediate Construct]'s growth stagnated because of this skill, but it's powerful in it's own way. Another thing when you're fighting against it though.

The harsh memories of the first clone who used [Beginner's Fluid] struck Lyn. Before the panic of facing death could shake him, the warrior quickly moved on.

"A-and the new attributes like [Split]."

[Rewind]. If Lyn found himself in a position where using [Blink Chain] put him in a worse spot, it can undo the last Blink in [Blink Chain] and allow Lyn to move back to his prior position. Basically it's [Blink Chain] but backwards.

 

[Spark Portal]. It creates portals where projectiles strike the [Spark Barrier]. These portals can  also shoot out those porjectiles if Lyn wills it, within the range of his barrier. In addition, it also requires concentration, making it impossible to use while using [Blink Chain].

 

Finally, [Energy Absorbtion]. Lyn himself hasn't been able to use the skill efficiently in battle but his clones seem to be capable of more than that. The skill replaced the effects of [Deep Sleep] with a draining debuff insteead. Of course, he was familiar with the skill, having died to it's effects.

Haah, I guess becoming a being of pure energy has it's drawbacks...

The list was short but it empowered Lyn's landmark skills. It was something that any warrior would dream of but was more often than not unlucky enough to get them. 

That doesn't explain the power of this temple but I have my theories of this dungeon's owner.

Lyn knew that this was a temple connected to both the Ancient God of Victory and the Calamity.

"This place rewards victory over everything else. There must be a reason the Calamity created it."

Using his basic knowledge of Gods he assumed that this Calamity was supposed to spread the influence of Nike. But there was somethings it didn't explain

"Would that angel really have come down if one god missed it's chance to spread their influence. She didn't seem to know of Nike either.. is there something I'm missing?"

Lyn couldn't come up with anything without either the video footage of the fight with the Calamity itself, or a trend that doesn't match the God of Victory. He doubted this dungeon truly ended with the Ancient God solely beacuse of the dungeon's name. [Homeward Path].

"Undoubtedly, this goes deeper. A homeward path isn't made for one."

Making notes in his journal, and collected his thoughts, Lyn moved to set himself up and look around the temple once more. He didn't know when, but the moonlight had completely dissappeard. If it wasn't for the glow of the mural he wouldn't have been able to see a thing.

"Sigh.. It doesn't get any better from here.."

Lyn walkled as calmly as he could towards the  dirt circle. The memories of pain that led to ones death was not something he would forget easily. With steady breathing but and unsteady heart, Lyn entered the circle and the lights from the mural dimmed.

. . .

The hum of Life Force. The shallow breathes. The flow of blood.

Lyn focused on whatever he could to stop his heart from racing. In front of him was something that he couldn't recognize.  

"T-that can't be.. That's not me. It's not real. It's not real. That's just a monster."

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Sweat raced down Lyn's forehead and chest before the battle even began.

A being with no features. 

Pure energy, that was vaguely human shaped.

Lyn could only assume it was staring coldly. He had to assume that it wasn't capable of sensing his fear. Of adapting to him. It had to be a mindless, terrifylingly imposing monster. 

Instictively, Lyn wanted to run. The cold barrier of the dirt circle started to feel like a prison.

"No! No! I- I have to!"
Lyn pushed himself. It would be accurate to say he forced the leg of a statue to take a step forward.

The monster rasied it's hand.

Lyn blinked away as soon as he noticed it..

..but nothing happened.

Not a crash, or a snap, or a bang. He couldn't tell if that flash of light was him or the monster but he wasn't ready to die to find out.

Hum Hum~

The sound of Life Force got louder. Lyn was sure this wasn't his doing so he fought back however he could.

"[Deep Sleep] and [Energy Absorption]!"

Lyn stopped the hum. He began to wonder if the pure energy monster really was mindless, but it finally turned to look at him.

Then it released more and more energy.

It was suffocating. 

"Hk-! Ack-!" Lyn choked

He couldn't stop the energy absorption or he'd die for certain, but if things went on like this surely he'd die either way.

Fuck! What can I do?!

Lyn paused the draining for a moment and the being raised it's hand.

He teleported and shoot out a mana flare for a moment. Although it had no effect on the monster, he beagn to alleviate the excess mana.

But this didn't excite him. It became more and more clear that he only had one method of fighting the being who had no intrest in revealing what it was capable of.

"I thought these were supposed to be possible!"

Lyn clenched his teeth, activated [Energy Absorption] and desperately tried to ignore the pain.

Lyn could only stay concious because the pain kept him awake and his Vitality. Without it he would have lost this struggle before it even started. Without it he wouldn't even have gotten this far.

It felt like an eternity had passed, even though it had been only a couple of minutes at this point.

Please! Please! How could a monster be so hard to kill!?

Anyone else but him and that monster would have shriveled up because of the density of the mana being drawn on. Even with his vitality his body began to crack as the energy became overwhelming.

His arm and shoulder began to take on the form of the monster before him.

Lyn could barely think straight as the intensity of the pain grew. As it reached close and closer towards his chest the pain spiked and Lyn fell to his knees. Unless he deativated the skill himself or ran out of mana the drain wouldn't stop.

Suddenly the pain stopped. Lyn tried to grab his arm but the felt nothing. He tried to  touch the ground but he felt nothing. He sense of touch completely shut down.

Then his hearing.
Then his sight.

Anything he could rely on to know if he was even going to win the fight was gone. He panicked but no one would hear his scream. 

The darkness and silence was the only time he mind could rest. It wasn't very welcome.