Myriad Devils-Chapter 97: Three abilities!

Of the four initial flames to have appeared, only one remained.

Constantly assaulted and broken down by the properties of the blood river that it was in, like its counterparts, this single remaining flame dwindled away too.

On the other hand, Seth was leaning against a tree with his staff in hand as he observed the battle about to unfold between the three one-winged monkeys with blue eyes, and Anon.

His gaze momentarily turned to the swarm of one-winged monkeys more than a mile away, thinking inwardly, ’You only have some seconds, Anon.’

Naturally, if not for the domain-like creation encompassing Anon, Seth would’ve already joined in to confront the other three one-winged monkeys. But seeing as Anon refused to cancel that ability, Seth similarly refused to help him.

They did not express these perspectives to one another, and yet, they both had a fair understanding of what the other person was thinking.

’With it, even if that horde reaches, he should be able to stay alive for a while.’ Seth wondered, ’But staying alive is the most he could do. Does he have something...’ His eyes flashed with a peculiar light as he thought of Anon’s previous words, ’What does he mean by that? Stronger without the staff...?’

Just then!

’Huh?!’

"Victory Manifested!"

As these words spilled into his surroundings, Seth’s sharp gaze turned cold. He squinted his eyes, and his expressions darkened considerably.

Anon’s figure was encircled by three blue-eyed flame spitting monkeys, and in this encirclement, a strange golden rod twice the length of his body, manifested in his grasp.

The body of this staff wasn’t solid, but instead, an illusory body that could be seen through completely.

Once it appeared, he struck out at the nearest monkey that drove its claws towards him.

What was strange was that the golden staff did not lash out against the beast. Instead, the staff completely missed, or more accurately, past straight through the beast’s body!

It continued moving along its merry way, towards the other beasts.

The one-winged monkey that was closest, driving at Anon, was seemingly uninterrupted, so its attack naturally continued forward. But Anon’s eyes didn’t focus on it, and his back was turned towards the incoming set of claws.

However, towards Anon’s unprotected back, the lunging monkey’s claws missed its mark, swiping at air.

Its momentum caused it to lose its sense of balance, stumbling forward.

At the same time, as Anon struck out at the other two monkeys with that illusory golden staff, the monkey that slashed its wing at Anon, and the other monkey desiring to tear at Anon’s flesh with its jagged teeth both found their target elusive.

It wasn’t that Anon had made an attempt at dodging them, and yet, as if they were drunken monsters, they stumbled forward and backwards as they attempted to regain their momentum and launch towards Anon again.

They attacked, missed, attacked, missed, attacked, missed, impeded each other, attacked, injured one another, and continued.

The earth beneath their feet radiated a golden hue that had become so condensed that it was difficult to see one’s feet, and at the same time, Anon waved his staff, intercepting blue flames spat at him whilst striking at the blue-eyed monkeys.

"Oh?" Anon chuckled as he perceived Seth’s gaze.

There was a soft smile plastered across his face as the blue-eyed monkeys assaulted him from different directions.

Though he had yet to directly inflict damage upon them, they were all bloodied and severely injured, with their flesh and bones being visible to the outside world.

Sensing Anon’s glance, Seth pointed at something.

Turning his gaze, Anon’s focus shifted to the swarm of one-winged monkeys that were several hundred meters away.

Right then, not just his staff, but his entire body generated an illusory appearance as his voice spilled into the surroundings.

"Inevitable Strike!"

Exclaiming these words, Anon still did not strike.

Puchi!

Droplets of blood entered his surroundings as a wing was driven into flesh.

Puchi!

The first set of droplets had not begun descending from the air as another piece of flesh was torn by a set of claws, causing more blood to spill into Anon’s vicinity.

As the third monkey bit into his companion, the three were brought to a stalemate. One’s heart was pierced, the other’s skull was crushed, and one’s neck was bitten completely.

Their blue eyes trembled as their pupils dilated from shock.

Looking into the other’s eyes, all they saw was the terror that resided within. Then, of the three, the two that could, shifted their gaze towards Anon.

"Go on now, you can taste death, it’s okay." Anon’s voice was soothing to them, seemingly. The luster in their eyes dissipated whilst bodies limply fell to the ground.

For a second or two, the concept of sound had been forcefully drained from the world around him.

Anon stood there, his golden staff dispersing into golden particles, and the surrounding golden hue flickering in and out, as if about to disappear.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Following the descent of a single one-winged monkey, several more appeared near it, with their sudden appearance causing the earth to explode and sink under the oppressive momentum they carried.

This initial group of one-winged monkeys was quickly followed up with the rest, close to fifty to be exact!

The earth exploded, tree branches were obliterated, and debris filled the air around the two stellar geniuses. But in this dusty air, almost fifty pairs of blood-colored orbs could be seen, staring at them intently.

Like glass breaking, the golden hue surrounding Anon broke apart like fragmented glass. So, at that time, Seth’s figure, leaning against a tree a distance away, appeared next to him.

At the same time, this same figure could also be seen walking towards Anon, afterimages.

"I handled those weird monkeys." Anon chuckled, his skin slightly pale, "I hope that you can handle this bunch." Anon said.

"Fair enough, but all of them might be difficult..." Seth replied.

Anon shook his head, "Is that really the case? You’ve seen it right? That new ability? Don’t think I don’t understand now...!"

"Hehe, so you really were unaware before?" Seth said with an amused tone. "Three abilities in the first layer, one in the second, and one in the third. Five abilities in the second world is what true completion is."

"But to develop two abilities, even for geniuses, is difficult, much less three." Anon replied. He continued, "But you, even after seeing me about to meditate to breakthrough, did not stop me. You did not desire for me to develop all three, did you?"

Cursed ground.

Inevitable Strike.

Finally, Victory Manifested.

Anon was enlightened.

It began when he saw Seth’s manipulation of his own principle.

A river forged from a drop of blood.

Then, he saw Bolan manipulate darkness to forge a false blade.

Though the law of Inevitability wasn’t tangible like blood or darkness, he, Anon, was yet to showcase this level of manipulation.

Manipulating a principle!

That in and of itself wasn’t an ability.

For tangible laws like blood and even darkness, it came natural to the likes of Bolan and Seth, but for Anon and his Inevitability, it was indeed something that needed to be developed.

And that was what saw the birth of his third ability, Victory Manifested.

’Going forward, it’ll only become more and more difficult to create more abilities.’ Anon thought, ’But once created, these abilities will be that much more broken.’

His principle was slightly more complex than others.

It made it more powerful, but also, more taxing.

Fueling the third ability had indeed strained his spirit.

"How many abilities do you have? You’re powerful enough, right?" Anon said with a sigh before taking a seat.

Even though he was surrounded by so many one-winged monkeys, he didn’t seem to care at all.

"Even so, this is still difficult." Seth said these words, yet there was a subtle smirk playing on his lips.

As Anon took a seat, Seth twirled the staff in his hands masterfully.

As he did so, crackling sounds entered Anon’s ears as Seth’s staff sometimes grazed against the ground whilst he twirled it, creating sparks of crimson particles that entered their surroundings.

As the scent of blood began to permeate the air, the one-winged monkeys became more and more chaotic.

Their breathing grew erratic whilst they slowly enclosed the group. The single wing on their back contracted akin to a muscle.

EEE! EEE! EEE!

As they bellowed out, Seth’s hand holding his staff was drawn back before it drove his staff into the earth beneath his feet. There was a subtle resistance before dust and dirt exploded in the nearby vicinity.

At the same time, something else rushed up from underneath the surface of the earth.

"Blood Fog!"

Anon clicked his tongue as he heard Seth’s words.

Instantly after, his vision was obstructed as he, along with over thirty of the one-winged monkeys, were swallowed by this crimson-colored fog.

Reacting to this sudden event, crazed roars and angered growls resounded out, spilling far into the jungle.

Naturally, these noises were one of many more animalistic growls and roars that were omnipresent throughout the Blood-Drip Jungle.

There was a dozen or so monkeys outside this fog, standing there with dazed looks.

Whether it was to enter or retreat, these dumb beasts were unwilling.

Unwilling to leave their prey, and even more unwilling to enter the domain of said prey.

And yet, in this domain where he held the advantage, Seth was not present.

Inside the blood fog, growls and roars resounded, but soon after, frightened growls and pained roars escaped the mouths of the one-winged monkeys outside of it!