LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 1094: Levium (11)
Chapter 1094: Levium (11)
[LEVEL UP.]
As the chaos and carnage unfolded, Erik remained hidden.
However, he didn't stay idle, because as time passed, he pushed more mana and focused on affecting the minds of those around him more and more, pushing their emotions to the brink
of madness and watching as they tore into each other with reckless abandon.
[LEVEL UP.]
More and more energy was being absorbed by Erik from the enemy soldiers.
[LEVEL UP.]
[LEVEL UP.]
[LEVEL UP.]
[LEVEL UP.]
<Around a thousand people died... It is not enough...>
However, a thousand people dead in the span of 10 minutes wasn't by any means a small amount.
<Three years ago, just one of these guys was enough to make me level up tens of times...>
Erik got lost in his thoughts. <The time in which I was hiding was the safest I had ever been. How ironic.>
But then his thoughts went back to his situation.
Erik realized that by manipulating the soldiers' minds and creating the chaos, he had put a target in this area, drawing Levium closer to his hiding spot.
But it wasn't like he could stop now, because as the soldiers killed each other in a frenzy of fear and rage, their deaths were feeding him with mana, and he knew how much he needed it.
Erik felt the ethereal substance coursing through his veins, replenishing his reserves and giving him the strength to continue the fight.
<I won't stay for long...>
Erik knew he couldn't rely on this tactic forever. The soldiers that came to hunt him were tens of thousands, and while he killed a huge chunk of them, there were still many more searching for him.
And then there was Levium, Uncle Benjamin.
<The situation is unusual. Trained soldiers on the same side were fighting each other. It is clear this isn't a normal fight or something resulting from bad leadership. The chaos is too big and happened too fast to be explained by conventional means. Levium will figure out something is happening to his troops. He'll realize that something is messing with his soldiers' minds. That someone powerful is behind it all... and that it is me.>
But to what extent Levium would piece things together was a huge unknown. He might realize Erik had powers to mind-control people, but this might be partial or total, or even something completely different from mind control that could still make people behave like Erik wanted.
Erik's power wasn't exactly mind controlling, and maybe he could use that to his advantage. <But if Uncle Benjamin thinks I can, then this will play to my advantage... At least in theory.> Erik needed time to use his instability brain crystal power, and he could affect people only up to a certain area.
<But it's not that different from fighting by myself from that point of view.>
Depending on what Uncle Benjamin understood from the situation, and what would be his response, though, would tell Erik a great deal of things about the man.
With that knowledge, Levium would adapt his strategy. He would no longer send his men in close to engage Erik directly, knowing that they would be vulnerable to his influence. Instead, he would opt for a more brutal, more destructive approach.
<There is only one thing he will do at that point. Stay at a distance.>
Levium would probably try to destroy everything in the area. This way, the man could get rid of all hiding places, and at that point, it might be possible for him to catch Erik.
This would fit with how the blackguards usually dealt with hard-to-find enemies. With that figured out, Erik felt the need to leave and find a safe spot to think about what to do next. He still hadn't found a way to approach Uncle Benjamin without the clones.
Erik flew away but remained close to the ground, using broken buildings and scattered objects to for cover. It worked, and Erik came to a stop nearly a kilometer away from his original position, but still in range for him to see Levium and his men from a distance.
Erik's eyes fixed on the sky where the man hovered. Levium was still in the air, surrounded by a swarm of soldiers who darted back and forth, searching for him.
The man was using his powers to create a giant dome of people who were using the skies to better see the streets below.
<Well... What remains of them.>
Then he saw someone flying towards Levium, heading straight for the commander. Both Uncle Benjamin and the man wore masks, so Erik couldn't see their lips. He was also too far from them for him to listen to what they said, and there was too much noise anyway.
He could only watch how they moved, trying to guess what they were talking about. But even if he couldn't hear what the man was saying to him, it was clear the man was reporting to Levium the situation he just caused.
Erik observed. At some point, he saw Uncle Benjamin nod and his body stiffening.
<He didn't probably like what he heard.>
Then the mask moved, as if Uncle Benjamin was talking, probably giving orders.
The messenger bowed deeply, showing deference. He then soared away from his commander. Erik's gaze followed the messenger as he navigated the crowded sky.
The messenger descended to a group of soldiers on the ground. From his belt, he retrieved a
small device.
<That's most likely a radio...>
The messenger's hands moved rapidly as he spoke into the device, his fingers adjusting dials and pressing buttons as he relayed the commander's orders through the crackling radio
waves.
<And that's it; he gave the order. But what order is it?>
Erik saw the soldiers pull back from the area en masse.
<This is not good.>
He realized what was happening.
<I was right. Uncle Benjamin is going to destroy this place.>
Seeing the soldiers leave the area, Erik knew his guess was right. Uncle Benjamin would not
take any chances.
<I need to get the fuck out of here.>