Bro, I'm not an Undead!-Chapter 1675: Stone Hub of Taboos (3)

Red Rage was not having an easy time fighting the Doom Knight. Sure, he had Araeyn’s help, but a significant portion of the Apostle’s attention was being drawn elsewhere. He and Weaver were cooperating, working on something the Nulliergrapher had yet to tell Red Rage.

The First Rank Apostle didn’t bother asking what it was. Surely, it was for everyone’s benefit and would be revealed when it was ready.

The Doom Knight dodged a dozen falling statues and activated an Exotic Parlous Nature. Suddenly, a bundle of what looked like blue straw appeared under one of its feet, and several appeared in the air, forming a rising staircase that Red Rage belatedly realized was meant to allow the creature to reach him. Before he could react, a heavy blow was crashing into him – a blow from a Deity!

BAH!

The strike was as lethal as it could have been, laced with both Amras and Undeath energy. Red Rage went zipping through the air and then grinding against the gravel.

...But he was mostly intact. Sure, his torso was indented, and his jaw had been pulverized, which stole all his grace, but that was a far cry from what should have happened to him. Null Life Essence was brimming from him, reinforcing his body.

...And so was Null EXP!

Both were surging from a Master Null Core inside the Apostle’s body, a privilege he received as a result of obtaining the First Rank. Finally, Red Rage had chosen to establish it. It was simply a construct that helped him passively generate Null EXP, store it, and reinforce its already powerful qualities using regular Null Life Essence.

Red Rage was awarded additional Null EXP and Null Life Essence by completing the core, in fact.

...But arguably the greatest factor in Red Rage’s survival was Araeyn. However much Null Life and Null EXP could reinforce a mortal, a Deity was a Deity. Araeyn had offset the overwhelming power behind the Doom Knight’s strike by increasing the density of the air between the blow and Red Rage a thousandfold.

Red Rage himself was not pleased by this, especially when Araeyn said:

"Don’t overestimate yourself, First Ranker."

Red Rage flew into a... rage. The Doom Knight was striding the straw Parlous Nature as it hurtled towards him.

"Don’t you underestimate me, wannabe Authority. And be grateful that I have powers like these."

He pointed to the sky and promptly activated one of the skills he had received following his bestowal of the First Rank, [Premium Rising].

Null Life Essence erupted from the Apostle, and from the other Apostles. [Premium Rising] was an upgrade-type of ability, a skill in the same obscure echelon of power as Pherdanta’s basic slashing techniques and Kenno’s newly-developed abilities. It wasn’t an Andori, but was undoubtedly of Divine descent.

Araeyn, Weaver, and Ferex were wrapped in its effects at once, but none of them had the luxury of stopping to slowly digest what boons they had collected. Ferex, in particular, had reason for infinite agency.

The instant Souran saw the energy flush around him, she scoffed.

"Who knew I’d ever be forced to prioritize learning from these cretins?" she said and quickly facilitated the formula she’d used countless times. Her Undeath energy erupted and split into ten portions that quickly wove together ten Death Knights!

The Death Knights charged at Ferex immediately... but not before Souran applied the Quasi Immors Soul Art, Form 19, an ability that allowed her to summon already present Undead entities and possess their psyches.

Ferex scowled. He recognized instantly that there was something off about the Death Knights. His sensitivity with souls was on a Divine level at this point, and with the souls of Death Knights he’d consumed for his own good, it was no mystery how he could have discovered Souran’s insidious trick; portions of her consciousness was hidden in the Death Knights. He dashed back towards Kenno, who was strangely dazed, rooted in place.

The Apostle grabbed Kenno by the shoulder and yanked him away with the Death Knights in pursuit. The Unlimited Star seemed to pull himself back to reality, puzzled.

"You see it, don’t you? This thing is trying very hard to discern our powers without going for the kill. If it weren’t for that, fighting it would be significantly more difficult, if not impossible," said Ferex. "Now, it’s trying to draw us in with weaker opponents so that it can extract more of our abilities."

"I know," said Kenno. "But it’s no good running away."

"Indeed, it’s no good," said Ferex, leaping off a falling statue and catapulting away before one Death Knight could snatch his leg. "I intend to dive into the mix. I’m very close to understanding the complex configuration behind those creatures that thing created. If I can touch upon that profound knowledge of souls and fortify myself..."

"You’ll redeem yourself?" said Kenno, and Ferex nearly missed his footing, surprised. "I get it. Besides, there’s no point in refusing to meet the prelude to our ultimate goal: Deadmanland. There are more than two Liches there, you know?"

A vicious row of teeth spread from Ferex’s dark face – a bright grin. "That’s right."

He cast [Soul Talisman] on Kenno right then.

"Don’t waste this," he said. "I’m sure there’s something you want to learn too."

Kenno extricated himself from Ferex’s grip and climbed onto his shoulder instead.

"I do, but I’d rather obliterate that Lich in one swift blow."

"That works too."

What followed might as well have been conducted with the connective tissue of instinct. Kenno used Impel to launch Ferex towards an isolated Death Knight. Before the creature could react, Ferex’s claws had plunged into its chest.

Of course, that didn’t kill it.

"Serrated claws that can slice through Undeath itself. Poetic," said the Death Knight with Souran’s voice.

Ferex responded by growing a meter taller, his shifting outline becoming more abstract and menacing. He had not just grown stronger; there was greater substance to his powers. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Meanwhile, Kenno used Granted Warp, teleporting all around Souran, who now had no need to keep darting about herself.

She regarded him with glee and greed.

...But then something stole her attention.

Another opponent warped in her proximity. She was almost blinded from his sudden appearance by Kenno’s incessant teleporting.

It was the Authority of Dimensions, Araeyn. He had changed noticeably, as though he’d evolved once more.

Souran identified at once that this was a result of the power throbbing from the caped Apostle fighting her Doom Knight. But that wasn’t all. There was something else.

Araeyn, distorting the air and space for high-speed movement and to stifle Souran’s motion as well, raised his fist. Something tiny was cradled deep within it, something unlike any signature of Null Life Souran had ever sensed.

No. She sensed it before, with Skullius.

It was because of that faint memory that the speck-sized power in Araeyn’s hand scared her.

It was Focused Null Life Ota!