Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord
Chapter 379: Show yourself
Vale was in very deep pain and his soul was getting weaker already. And for the first time in a very long time, he did not know what to do. It seemed he had really backed himself into a corner.
Blight of Eternal Damnation!
His soul pulsed, sending a ripple of power to attack the soul net of Herdmaster and transferring the blight attack. The soul net flexed and shook but nothing overly strange happened and that only made Vale despair even more, his usual calm composure breaking really fast!
Vale had always been a calm and mostly rational person, that was why he was able to manage the madness of the Infernal Dominion, but the direct attack on his soul was making him lose composure fast!
That was also one of the reasons he did not quickly realize that his Blight of Eternal Damnation actually had an effect! The soul net had stopped shrinking and the edges were curling in pain.
Outside, Herdmaster suddenly flinched and his face fell, showing signs of fear, then he smiled and laughed, then returned sober, his muscles clenched and unclenched.
"What is this? What type of technique is this?"
His mind reeled. It took more of his concentration than he expected to drive back the attack. He shuddered. "The only thing this guy lacks is experience!"
"I must end this quickly before I allow him to learn more! I might even gain..."
Herdmaster’s face instantly showed greed. After all, he had never seen that type of soul technique before and if he could extract it then wouldn’t it greatly boost his own power?
With more passion, he began to attack, his soul net shrinking rapidly and at the same time he was wary of the other’s attack.
Meanwhile Vale felt as if his mind was fragmented. He couldn’t seem to keep his thoughts together and he was losing it faster than he could think. Each time his thoughts concentrated and focused he would find a great pressure pressing down to shatter it.
Without doubt, it seemed he was on the edge of defeat.
Once again his thoughts concentrated and his emotions were free of the other’s soul influence.
"Demonlord’s Command!" He roared inwardly.
He had no other choice. Vale knew if he didn’t get external help then he would fall to Herdmaster and the man would hold his soul hostage.
Although his own thoughts only came together for a few seconds, he still managed to activate the technique. Instantly the magic took hold and his blood heated, an aura of authority and prestige covered his broken form.
An invisible power rippled from him.
Herdmaster saw the aura but he didn’t understand. He shook his head. "This boy’s will is pretty astonishing. To think he even managed to still pull off a technique attack but it’s still all useless."
Herdmaster thought the technique was useless because there was no apparent effect. "Right then, bring him here, I should be on my way."
The three Master Knights soul creatures returned, one of them dragging Vale, his trail of blood nourishing the ground.
Isolde trembled, her hands clenched on her artifact as she tried to think of what to do. In her plan she never thought that Vale would lose too fast and totally! At the very least she thought he would wound Herdmaster critically even if he was also wounded in turn.
But now, everything had been overturned and she did not know how to act. ’...should I just let him go? Truthfully I don’t know what is really happening in the Hollow Grave but for Murky Mist to move so boldly....’
"Herdmaster." Isolde took a step forward. The goat staring at her instantly focused and snapped its teeth. Her eyes darkened and she raised the ball in her hand, it flared with white light. Instantly the space around the goat collapsed downward and the creature was crushed into meat paste.
She watched with satisfaction as Herdmaster flinched, whirling toward her with bloodshot eyes. Impatience made his voice sharp. "What now? Are you going to attack me? I thought you’re out of it? Why do you kill my creature?"
"I don’t like the way it looks at me." Isolde smiled. "And I don’t like the way you look at me too, old man."
Isolde made her decision then. She would not attack unless Herdmaster attacked first.
Herdmaster snorted. He was still in a battle of soul although he had the upper hand, he still didn’t want to deal with Isolde. He was wary against her and what she might do. So he didn’t reply and instead gestured to where the goat had fallen, extracting a silver light from there to swallow.
Then he turned one of his other creatures, fusing them together to make a new goat, only it was much bigger this time.
Herdmaster gestured and began to clean up. The soul creatures, except those that were around Vale, turned toward him and their flesh melted into a running pool that jumped into his own body, fusing with him.
Now only the goat and the three Master Knight rank soul creatures remained. "Bring him, let me have a look."
They dragged Vale to him.
Herdmaster frowned and examined him as if he was looking at meat at a market stall. "What quality! If I can turn him into a soul creature... with that powerful soul and that body! The weapon I can make!"
Isolde took another step forward, her eyes narrowed. If Herdmaster took another step to manipulate his flesh then she would need to act.
But the man only shook his head in regret and sighed. "A shame, really is a shame!"
"A shame indeed." A solemn voice suddenly said.
Herdmaster and Isolde reacted at the same time. They flinched and their aura flared in readiness, because the voice was so close and they did not detect it!
They concentrated on the man that stood close to Herdmaster. He wore a combination of black, grey and brown clothes that appeared to be a cloak, a little tattered and yet on the man it appeared somehow elegant. He wore a large hat on his head, his face deeply cast in shadows.
Isolde recognized the man that stopped her earlier in the hall. Instinctively she took several steps back because there was a deep wrongness covering the man.
The man raised his head and his face was free of shadows. He had a long thin face, nothing remarkable apart from that. Except maybe his eyes that appeared like two pools of darkness.
"I am Tong. Vale Athrimir is My Lord." His voice remained solemn still. "I have been called and commanded to eliminate you.....what’s your name?"
Herdmaster’s hands tightened. "Herdmaster. Do you want to die?"
Now that he had Vale, Herdmaster was avoiding fighting as much as possible. He just wanted to escape and complete his mission. That was why he did not seek to fight with Isolde.
But Tong shook his head in disagreement. "No, I don’t want to die. You see, you can’t kill me."
When Vale used Demonlord’s Command the last time, he used that power to call on Tong. That was his last strategy.
Herdmaster’s eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "I’ll take your soul for compensation since I can’t get his own."
Tong tilted his head, he seemed to find the words amusing because he smiled faintly. "My soul? You, take my soul?"
When Vale gained the full shard, Tong was one of the few that gained it. He was about to accumulate power, more than his usual reserve since he came to the world. He was now much stronger than when he first arrived. Although the power is not renewable due to the Laws binding him and the World.
Still, he would be able to deal with a Master Knight easily.
Herdmaster huffed. His face showing the arrogance of someone who has achieved some perfection in their craft. "Yes. At least I’ll console myself with the gain of that."
"Then, join me in a soul fight, Herdmaster."
There was no need to say more. Herdmaster’s body changed. Different faces appeared on him, some with absolute joy and some with terror. All these faces tried their best to look at Tong, their eyes glowing milky white.
Herdmaster was using all his power. One to hold Vale and the other to start a new fight.
His soul roared forward and instantly pierced through Tong.
Tong allowed it.
He drew the soul into a dark place of eternal darkness that seemed to be alive and yet totally dead. Herdmaster sensed the wrongness at that time and he froze.
His soul condensed into his figure, turning blindly. "Where is this? What’s this darkness? Where am I? Where the fucking guy that want to fight!"
He huffed and sneered, hiding his discomfort. He had never experienced something like this before.
"So he ran away! All that big talk and yet he can’t even stand and fight! Vale must be really unfortunate to have a subordinate like you! Show yourself!"
"Very well."