—Chapter 75—

The black droplet fell like an omen of death and when it was a few meters from his head.

Dean’s body moved before his brain caught, as he rolled sideways, his back slamming hard on the ground.

With Dean out of the way, the droplet hit the stone floor, with a sharp hissing sound. The floor darkened due to corrosion.

Not wasting another moment, Dean scrambled off the floor, his eyes widened. "What the–"

"Don’t let it touch you," Leona yelled, changing directions towards Dean’s position.

Dean glanced at her before his attention was fully back on the calamity in front of them.

Casting a menacing shadow over Dean and Leona, the Void Serpent’s white eyes manifested a reddish glint.

More black droplets dripped from its fangs. Tilting its head to the side forcefully, the droplets came like a sprinkler to rain on Dean and the approaching Leona.

The black plates on the Rebound core armor shuffled and concentrated around his shoulders and mid section.

With the clarity granted by Hermit’s eyes, Dean moved from side to side avoiding the black rain.

But he wasn’t able to avoid all of it. A single droplet hit the plates of his shoulder.

Dean leapt back. "Fuck," he cursed.

The armor vibrated as the image hissed loudly. It didn’t melt or shatter. Instead, cracks spread across the plates like spider webs leaving a dark dent.

Leona on the other hand was too fast, she went around the droplets using flight as her hand tightened on the make-shift bone sword.

Appearing directly in front of the Void serpent, she slashed horizontally letting out a powerful arc.

The blade went through the serpent’s body but there was no blood.

Instead, her arc tore a large opening on the near-by wall but the serpent itself felt like she was merely cutting air.

Her eyes squinted. Her body going into analysis mode while she spun in mid air towards the evading serpent.

Having feint Leona into an attack, the serpent went around her like it was just air and instead lunged at Dean with mouth wide open and fangs sharp with danger.

Dean stomped his left leg forward, swinging with his right, he drove his fist straight into the head of the Void serpent.

Fzzzt!

His fist passed through the serpent’s head, there was no impact whatsoever, forcing him forward, about to lose his footing.

Regaining his footing by pivoting his right leg just in time, Dean turned to see the shadow casted on the walls.

His eyes widened in realization. "It’s intangible."

"I can see that," Leona clicked her tongue and a blazing orb of orange flames sparked to live in her palms.

In a moments notice, the fire ball flew across the space to hit the serpent directly.

Though it was able to avoid any real damage, the Serpent’s body solidified for a second after the flames went through it.

Only for that second or two, it became real and physical again.

But then the darkness swallowed the flame even as the amplified time dilation made the flames lose their potency faster.

The Void serpent’s form became shadowy immediately after.

Hermit’s eyes caught everything with detailed clarity.

"Your flames," Dean yelled.

"What?"

"It works...it makes it tangible."

Leona’s eyes widened, as a grin took over her face from ear to ear.

"In that case," She stretched her right hand forward as two large fire balls appeared.

She hurled them simultaneously, the searing balls of fire travelling together but from different angles.

The Void serpent hissed menacingly, curling its tail, lunging to the side.

Dodging one of the balls of fire, the serpent couldn’t do the same for the other that slammed into its back sending it flying to the ground.

The flames spread through its body and the shadowy figure began to slowly solidify even as it thrashed around sending smashed rocks flying.

"Now!" Leona yelled.

Dean didn’t hesitate, his fist were already cocked as he charged in.

With the orange veins underneath his armor pulsing, a huge burst of volcanic energy projected from his fists and slammed into the side of the serpent.

"....."

The serpent let out a piercing screech. Thrashing back and forth in an attempt to escape the flames.

But the fire held this time, Leona hovered, with her hands extended to maintain the flames.

Dean punched again, and the ground beneath the serpent cracked before splintering.

With his punches enhanced by the stored up energy in the armor, Dean could feel the serpent’s body cracking under his knuckles.

That should have been a good sign that this would be over soon, but the Serpent wasn’t giving up yet.

It’s tail began to whip around, searching and searching, before it caught Dean’s legs, taking him off his feet.

Dean’s body slammed into the ground hard but the armor tookt the sting off the impact leaving just a little ache in his ribs.

Seizing the opportunity, the serpent’s eyes deepened as it lunged straight towards Dean with fangs aiming for his throat.

Out of pure instincts, Dean’s hands flew up as he blocked the fangs that sunk into his armor that held up momentarily.

"Shit!" Dean and Leona said at the same time. With the woman’s body disappearing in a blur.

She appeared beside Dean and the void serpent. Her legs mid motion even as her red dress ripped off.

Crack!

The Rebound core armor couldn’t hold up any longer and even before Leona’s kick sent the serpent crashing into the near-by wall.

Its fangs had grazed Dean’s forearm for a moment.

Dean’s entire body quivered, as the pain flew up from his arm straight to his brain like a missile.

Blood welled up in Dean’s arm as black veins spread across the wound spreading from towards the rest of his body like an infection.

Dean’s vision blurred as Hermit’s eyes deactivated. His chest tightened as his heart began slamming against his rib cage.

He’d been poisoned.

Another fireball was already in Leona’s hand but it stopped immediately she saw Dean’s arm.

The boy in question and felll back, the black veins had gone all the way to this shoulder.

Leona appeared by his side in a blur as she raised his hand to a certain angle. "Hold on."

"Wh–" Dean couldn’t speak. His mind suddenly felt sluggish. His chest felt heavier like breathing became ten times harder.

Without a second to spare, Leona place her palm over the wound, her bloody eyes brimmed like a fire was set under it.

Flames erupted from her palms but even before she began the extraction.

Dean heard a familiar chime in his head.

Ding!

[Sage Circuit Active: Poison expulsion has begun]

Leona’s help wasn’t needed but she didn’t know that.

Her flames burned Dean’s flesh and a scream was stuck in his throat. Swelling and swelling but Dean held it back.

The black veins hissed and evaporated in the blink of an eye. Like it was never there in the first place.

"Hmmm.." Leona’s eyes narrowed and her nose wiggled to the smell of burnt flesh.

The wound was cauterized but Dean knew the poison was never going to win. But even at that, the pain was still excruciating.

"Thank you," Dean finally spoke, breathing hard, his vision finally clear as his neck snapped to the side.

The serpent was already gone. Taking advantage of the distraction to hide in the shadows that was slowly spreading.

"It’s out there," Leona said as she tapped her feet on the floor and flames spread out from her position in straight lines.

In the orange light of the fire, the serpent became visible. Barely.... And it wasn’t running.

Instead, it coiled on itself, white eyes watching, observing but it didn’t attack. Not yet.

"It’s adapting," Dean noticed as he got up to a crouching position.

"it’s an Ascended Fluxraith. It’s almost as intelligent as us," Leona said flatly. Her eyes still focused on the motionless serpent.

"They will learn and adapt mid fight, so you mustn’t underestimate them."

Like it could understand their conversation or maybe it did. The serpent hissed sharply and moved back but as it seemingly retreated, the darkness grew larger.

Stretching forward, the darkness swallowed the light at an alarming pace and Dean knew it was a skill.

Even with Hermit’s eyes now activated, Dean could barely see three feet ahead.

"Swamp of darkness," Leona muttered as her eyes steeled. "It’s using its skills now. Prepare yourself."

Leona barely finished speaking and Dean was just finished summoning the Wind sprite when a tendril made of the same darkness burst from the ground beside Dean.

The extension made of darkness coiled around Dean’s legs in the blink of an eye before it pulled. Dragging him straight into the darkness.

"Fuck..." Dean yelled. "WHY ALWAYS MEEEE...."

–End of Chapter–

A/N: Thanks for all that are still supporting this work through powerstones, Golden tickets and hopefully soon... Gifts.

I’m hoping for more Algorithm blessings on this work.

Btw .. the mass release on the 19th is still scheduled. Hoping to bring you better content.