I should have known the plan would fall apart from the moment that the poison became a problem we needed to handle. Selene seemed to be talking with our competition, hopefully trying to stall them, until that system notification came through and she tried to run to where Aiden was, but Pip seemed to intervene, though weirdly enough he didn't draw his weapon yet. The guy that had been with him on the other hand locked eyes with me and started towards me. So I did the smartest thing, I hid like a coward.
"Uh, isn't this the part where you triumphantly stand there and defend the flag?"
Mal asked as he floated next to me where I had darted to be in a nearby bush next to one of the other flag points. If I hadn't been focusing on hiding I might have barked a laugh.
"Hells no, he is 15 levels over me, and unlike half of the battle junkies we travel with, I value my hide in one piece, preferably with as little beatings to it as possible."
The man didn't seem to try to look for me, instead making his way towards the circle where my flag stood. It was calm and deliberate, and one could have assumed this was a scene in a serene and quiet forest if not for the sound of impacts and gunfire from where Selene seemed to be engrossed in battle with both Pip and Jackson.
"Looks like she's being corralled."
Mirabel said as she tapped down her closed umbrella and leaned against it as if she was standing on a platform. I stayed quiet due to my distance to the third member of their team, but luckily, Sera was thinking along the same lines as I was.
"Corralled, what do you mean?"
She asked, floating over to Mirabel who shook her head.
"Well, the one shooting isn't aiming for her, but her feet, to keep her dodging in a direction away from glasses over there who seems to be slumped on his knees and twitching. The tiger isn't fighting either, just being in the way and pushing more than punching, he hasn't even drawn his weapon yet."
My brow furrowed a bit. It was bad enough that Aiden seemed pretty out of the fight, but I can't fight one of these guys in a one-on-one fight, and Selene is being pushed away from helping Aiden, thus the question of changing plans or sticking with the plan we came up with came to mind.
The man reached the flag and with a simple tap, it lifted up and flew to my back where I quickly jumped out, catching it and planting it before it had time to lose more than a single point. He watched me, a raised eyebrow as if asking silently if that was seriously our plan as he planted his own flag down. I didn't wait for him to look back as I dove into the bushes again, rushing over to hide as I had the three angels floating overhead, watching him. Just as casually as before he began to make his way over to the flagpole I had planted. When he reached the half way point I rushed to his planted flag and swiped it with my tail, flying to his back as he took a moment to pause and watch the flag return. I expected him to walk the flag back, but instead he continued towards mine. I waited in the bushes near the third plant point as I let out a small sigh and mumbled more to myself more than anyone.
"So far so good."
I watched as he calmly walked towards the flag and tapped it once again as my system screen exploded with notifications.
Party member Selene has used skill 3 X Mutate(C)
Party member Selene has used Soulskill Chimeric Surge(C)
Party member Selene has used skill Chimeric Cowl(C)
Party member Selene has used skill Titan Form(C)
Party member Selene has used item "Buff Potion Concoction"(D)
Party member Selene's skin hardens
Party member Selene's focus is enhanced
Behind me I heard what could only be described as the bellow of a rabid beast and the sound of flesh ripping. My head jerked to the sounds as through the foliage I saw what looked to be a towering figure covered in hard, purple shiny scale like growths, standing at 20ft tall holding what looked to be an arm in one hand.
"Selene, this is pointless, you can't kill me, I heal too fast."
Pip called as he landed, skidding to a stop, his chainsaw in hand as I saw a bloody torn stump where his arm had once been, but even now I saw flesh bubbling as a new arm was growing before my eyes.
"GOOD, BECAUSE IM GOING TO KEEP RIPPING UNTIL YOU BEG FOR ME TO STOP!"
Selene roared, her foot arcing as it caught Pip center mass and launched him from the lava side and into the back wall of the opposite wall where he splatted in a red puddle before starting to reform. She was already charging him, but gunfire from Jackson was clearly building up damage as she tried to power through.
"I knew it was dumb, but to think she could fight back to this extent."
Came from a voice behind me. I turned only to see a dress shoe flying at my face as I winced, the impact forcing the air out of my lungs as I flew from the bush I had been hiding in and into the stones in the middle. I landed to the ground with a gasp as I expected more pain before the system message appeared.
Xudes has used skill 2 X Unholy command(D)
2 of Xudes followers fall for the great leader
Item Spirit Warding Bone Charm(E) has blocked 50 damage from a spiritual source
You have taken 16 damage
"You're still awake? Shame, I was hoping to knock you out so the next part is painless. The Great Xudes will not make such a mistake a second time."
Xudes called as he continued to walk slowly towards me. I turned to where Selene was as I turned to the lava side and ran as fast as I could, ignoring the increasingly dire messages about Selene's fight as I ran to where I saw Aiden. He sat on his knees, his spear at his side, his head upright as if he was mid conversation, though his face was tense as it seemed like his entire body was shaking. I shook his shoulder, but it didn't seem to help as I turned back to where Xudes continued to slowly march after me. I scrambled to think of a plan that involved us surviving, at this point I wasn't paying attention to the points as I asked.
"Did you seriously call yourself "The Great Zudes" unironically?"
He continued till he was around 30ft away, lava bubbling around us as my thick coat was not helping with my head spinning from the impact, and from the new rampant heat around us.
"Why would I not, I am chosen by so many it is impossible to count. I am the one selected by the Soul taker, born of the will of beings beyond the gods, whole towns exist to speak my praises and serve my woes, if I am not great, then who dares to have authority?"
A plan clicked into place as thoughts rushed back to the rabbits I would hunt as a child and always lose because I thought they could never escape.
"Alright then, since it's clear you intend to kill me, then how about we make it a show, what better way to show off your greatness?"
He paused, taken aback for a moment before he threw his antlered head back in laughter. My thoughts racing as I ran through the list of gods, I knew hoping he would take the bait.
"I see, you have a skill you believe you can use to defeat me as long as you have enough time to prepare for its use. An interesting, if not rudimentary plan."
I flinched, waiting for him to rush forward and strike me again, but no blow came as he spun like he was addressing an audience.
"Though you may believe you can accomplish this, I have faith in two things, my HP being greater than anything you can do to me, and your limited time with your system making you the weakest of an already lousy party. Thus, I will graciously give you 20 seconds to prepare this strike you believe could possibly harm me."
I stared in a moment of disbelief before I heard him begin counting down. This was a chance, I didn't have time to figure out how they knew I only recently learned how to use my system or wonder if this would work. I quickly bit my paw hard, feeling a twinge of pain as a trickle of blood rushed down and I quickly drew a circle around myself, more blood being drawn as the ground below me formed into a star with six points and a bunch of weird symbols and things under it.
"12, 11, 10, 9"
Xudes said as he continued to count down. I placed my paw against the circle, and forced all of my mana into it, doing what Liora had told me was called upcasting. The circle hummer a brighter blue, but I felt my mana reduce to zero, but it wasn't enough, so I pushed, even knowing I was out of mana as a pain sprouted in my chest, and I felt my Health draining and the world spinning as I pushed more energy into the circle.
You have used skill Blood Sacrifice(D)
The effect of your Pacts has been magnified
You have channeled more power into skill Blood Sacrifice(D)
Skill has been upcasted to X3
You have substituted HP for Mana, HP 29 -> 15
Skill has been upcasted to X4
"6, 5, 4, 3"
Xudes said as he took a wide stance, his arms open to his sides as I felt power surge from the angels near me. Even though I was lightheaded, I had seen the others have cool moments, and though it might get me killed, I wanted one for myself.
"Hey Xudes, your right, I have no skills that I can do to harm you, much less kill you. But you forgot something."
Xude's cocky smile, and stance didn't change as he chuckles and asked.
"Switching to begging, are we?"
At this it was my turn to smile a toothy grin that seemed to make Xude's expression waver for a moment.
"In this fight I'm a support dumbass!"
I wheeled around and grabbed the ripcord on Aiden's shoulder in my teeth as I yanked, the pact of shared umbrellas activating. The system screen appeared to my side with a wall of text.
You have targeted Party member Aiden with Pact effect "Oath of Partnership"
Party member Aiden's Oath partner has been set to Party member Selene
Both members will be strengthened while fighting for the sake of each other.
Skill Blood sacrifice has magnified the effect of the pact by 4.
Party member Aiden's status: Poisoned has been lifted due to Party member Selene being below 50% HP
Party member Aiden has activated the Revolution Core
The Revolution Core V2 is online
Party member Aiden has used Engine Exo Armor(C) to Jump Shift Revolution Core V2 to High Gear
Party member Aiden has activated Clockwork Coil (E)
Party member Aiden's senses and body are pushed faster than normal
However I was not looking, because I, like most of the people in the stands were staring at the trench that had been made by Aiden using Xude's face to carve a path through stone, the once regal man now bloody, his antlers snapped off, and most definitely dead.
Flames licked from his eyes and mouth as his glasses laid shattered next to my feet. Where he had been sitting now sported sizzling shattered rock where the force of his takeoff had carved two craters. Flames roared around him as he let out a guttural cry of rage and even from here, I could feel the murderous intent pouring from him like a broken dam. Before this I had never understood Aiden saying the sound of the revolution core was like the sound of power to his ears. Seeing the heat, flames, and force that now poured out of him, the engine roaring like a lion as the flames from his mouth surges like jets, I could hear it too.