Soul Venerable (Re-written)

 

As the two teams fight amongst each other, Maya’s team, Green Lake, defends the encampment from Undying Forest’ cannon fodders. Undying Forest is a team that is made up from twelve enslavement-path mages who cultivate wood-path on the side. Due to Elestra city being in the proximity of Azaria forest, there are countless wood-path resources that could be utilized to refine their army continuously.

Therefore, the name Undying Forest also reveres to their near-limitless army of cannon fodders. The [Ashfire Descent] spell managed to cull down the grass puppet soldiers into dangerous levels, but it could not completely destroy them since their creators are still alive. In fact, many more are still coming due to how easy it is to refine Grass Puppet Soldiers.

Each of Undying Forest members are adept at enslavement-path methods to cover all aspects of battle. Be it offense, defense, investigative, healing, logistic or support, every single facet of battle was considered sufficiently that their swarming tactic has become a mature battle strategy. The only weakness of Undying Forest had was the required time to set up a proper army.

With the existence of Scorch Talon and Blue Wave however, this particular weakness was covered perfectly. They had given time and location for Undying Forest to set up the cheap cannon fodders.

Not only Grass Puppet Soldiers, there are also Grass Puppet Archer, Grass Puppet Shielders, Grass Puppet Strikewolves, Grass Puppet Warriors, Grass Puppet Commander, Grass Puppet Healer, et cetera.

Unlike Sumire’s enslavement-path methods, Undying Forest focused on mass of weak units under their control. Therefore, even their weakest member had the ability to control nearly 100 grass puppet soldiers. Of course, the actual number would be lower if they tried to use stronger units or units with special abilities, but it was a testament of their capabilities.

“We are truly facing an enslavement-path army. They have the proper number, variation, and battle tactics to overwhelm us. Captain, should we go on the offence?” Maya’s strategist, Nagai Kumiko, asked her captain’s input.

Maya pondered for a moment before deciding, “Wild Savage fought against Scorch Talon while Violet Sword Blaze are occupied with Blue Wave at the moment. How are our chances of defeating Undying Forest before one of them finished their opponents?” She returns a question towards Kumiko.

Kumiko voiced her deduction, “Scorch Talon is one of the five top teams in our generation while Wild Savage is irrefutably number one. The one-man-team could theoretically defeat any one of the top 5 teams single handedly. However, we were ambushed multiple times, forcing Wild Savage to fight in the frontline repeatedly.

In my estimation, even if Wild Savage is as strong as several strength-path cultivators of the same stage, his cultivation base is still at mid-stage rank 0. His internal energy reserve is still limited.”

It was at this moment that Kumiko saw Kenji got incinerated by Izanagi’s Heartblood Crimson Flame, “Wild Savage just received a direct attack from Izanagi, I fear our ace could not hold for…” she has yet to finish her words before she saw the burning Kenji fought unhindered. “This…”

Other Green Lake members were also shocked, “Perhaps Sumire has made an arrangement.” Kumiko deduced, “But that does not explain why Violet Sword Blaze does not go all out with their attack.” It was easy to determine this, because Sakuya is primarily a martial artist, not a mage. “Knowing their history with Blue Wave, it would be hard for them to not go all out, unless…” she tried to get some result, but deduction requires clues to be effective. Due to the lack of information, she could not function properly.

She wasn’t aware that Violet Sword Blaze and Wild Savage were buying time until Violet Sumire returned, or in this case, made a ‘breakthrough’ in her cultivation. However, seeing the actions of their teams, she finally reached the same conclusion. Her deduction was slower due to the lack of clues.

“Ah I see! They are probably buying time until Sumire breaks through into late-stage rank 0!” Kumiko’s eyes were shining bright. “She was always shrouded in mystery, if she truly broke through that boundary, then she would dominate the hunting festival!”  

Maya was surprised as well as happy. Her allies’ progress meant an easier time in the future. “So does that mean we should also buy time for Sumire?” she asked.

Kumiko nodded. “Yes. It’ll be hard to find the true location of Undying Forest members; they were probably concealed under the help of wood-path beasts with stealth methods or even disguised as one of the hundreds of grass puppet soldiers on the field. Facing them might be problematic for Wild Savage, but most of us are wood-path cultivators. Our energy reserves and resource expenditure rate are among the best compared to other paths. Although defeating Undying Forest is too far-fetched, we can delay them.”

After she took the decision, Green Lake were filled with a sense of purpose. They deployed defensive countermeasures and large area of effect spells with relatively low power to combat Undying Forest’ grass puppet soldiers.

Maya is a water-path magic caster; therefore, her methods revolve around water spells. She also specialized in support or healing instead of offense. Clasping her hand together, she activates the runes on her staff, expending several spells in rune-form.

“Rank 0 water-path magic spell, [Mist Coil Protection]!” a mist of positive water energy spread around her teammates. It was a supportive method extremely effective in defending against telepathic thoughts-based attack, but it’s also good against Undying Forest’ [Shocking War Drum Steps]. The mental interference was cleared instantly, allowing Green Lake to act more freely.

Thinking about it, Maya became distracted as she pondered about Wild Savage and Violet Sword Blaze members. Were they fighting under a mental interference all this while? Recalling the quality of their team, she realized that Undying Forest’ mental interference method must be too weak to affect them. Maya’s thought returned to the matters at hand.

“Proceed with our defense! Rank 0 water-path magic spell, [Mage Armor: Heavy Ice Seal]!”

The runes on Maya’s staff continued to be expended. This time, almost all of Green Lake melee combatants received Mage Armor buff. Maya’s spell was augmented with Heavy Region Water, a type of water-path resource that could only be found in high-gravity areas. It’s role in her spell was for the water to turn into Heavy Region Ice.

Quickly, 4 Green Lake petite elf warriors got shrouded under a suit of armor made out of ice. These refined Heavy Region Ice produces deceleration force fields that would slow down any attacks towards it, making it extremely durable. As long as the quality of an attack does not exceed a certain degree, the user would receive no damage whatsoever.

Since the enemy are using countless numbers of weak cannon fodders, this was one of the most effective ways to fight against it. Unlike defensive measures that possessed durability, this type of magical armor will not crumble under unceasing grass puppet soldier attacks.

The only backside is; the mage armor duration is shorter than others of the same type. After the spell duration is used up, Maya will have to re-cast the spell onto them once more but that wouldn’t be a problem since she had prepared lots of spell resources for this exact situation. Wild Savage has already predicted the ambush to a certain extent, the current situation is still within one of his predictions.

“Alright, go wild!” Maya ordered as her team members started fighting against the countless cannon fodders.

 

…

 

“Superb!” Moriko praised as she saw Sakuya’s [Burning Prairie] took effect. Worthy of being one of the three crazies of Violet Sword Blaze, her spell power was truly magnificent.

Sakuya’s gloves produced a wave of fire like that of a flamethrower, but one whose range exceeded 50 meters due to the augmentations. One of it being napalm fire. The spell was like a snake of fire that trashed about after being released from her palm, the damage potential her spell eclipsed what Blue Wave did with their wave of electrified water.   

It could be considered as her trump card because it truly exceeds the power of what a mid-stage rank 0 mage should have!

Several explosions of vapor exploded on Blue Wave members, evidence of their defensive methods popping left and right. They managed to defend against [Burning Prairie] with their own methods. Be it an ice wall or thunder shield, it broke under the might of her spell. Furthermore, due to the napalm fire augmentation, water couldn’t extinguish it easily. They have to use ice spells to freeze the liquid fire, which costs them more spell resources.

“Alright, I admit that Violet Sword Blaze is still good without Sumire… but you mustn’t forget that I am also a priestess!” Moriko’s blessings actually reduced the damage Sakuya caused towards her teammates. In addition, Moriko’s delayed methods were activated one after another, healing Blue Wave members from the damage. Although [Burning Prairie] deal a lot of damage, it was soon recovered under Moriko’s heals.     

“I see…” Sakuya saw the blue-golden wave of lights healing Blue Wave members incessantly while she chugged down another bottle of expensive mana potion. “This is going to be a long fight…” her spell resources are going thin since she has used large spells twice in a row. However, the point of having close combat fighters is so that they can reduce the amount of spells a mage should cast in a battle.

That being the case, Moriko and Shirogane have stepped up their tempo.

…

“Fireball, flamethrower, fire claw, flame whip, fire spear, fire swords… all that you can think of, they are all useless!” Kenji’s fight with Izanagi’s Scorch Talon has also increased their intensity.   

“Fucking bullshit!” one of Izanagi’s team members complained as his flame spear that should penetrate Kenji’s abdomen shattered under Kenji’s grip. For starters, physical attack shouldn’t be able to affect these flame spears because they were designed that way. It might block a certain portion of the damage, but not completely dispel it.

“Wild Savage, your strength-path attainment is something worth praising!” Izanagi muttered as he continuously spewed small fireballs augmented to deal concussive damage instead of burning damage. He changed his tactics from saturation to continuous small explosive attacks because it wasn’t working.

As the receiving end of their treatment, Kenji merely replies with a hammer strike. They didn’t miss, but several flame shields manifest just before his attack connects. The timing and position of these flame shields were almost perfect because they managed to defend against Kenji’s unreasonable brute strength.

“Analysis completed. Captain Izanagi, Wild Savage’s fire resistance is due to a strength-path method derived from the school of thought of atmospheric strength!” Scorch Talon’s strategist said, his timely report brought joy to Izanagi.

“Atmospheric strength huh?” Izanagi frowned, “I’ve always thought he was a cultivator of self-strength school of thought…”

“Hahah! Self-strength, atmospheric strength and beast strength… I delved into all three strength-path schools of thoughts!” Kenji stopped hiding his true strength as his aura changed. Previously, he was like a wild beast, unrestrained under the heavens. Now, it was like he had the strength to move the world itself.

“[Horizontal Charge]!” Kenji roared as his forward momentum suddenly rivals that of Charging Mass Boar’s full charge. The tank whose job was to keep Wild Savage occupied was sent flying twenty meters away, his shield and the hands that hold it was broken.

“This is… beast strength!” The strategist was surprised. “Captain!”

“I’m on it. [Fireball]!” Izanagi acted fast. The fireball was small, only the size of a baby’s fist. The reduced firepower allows it to be almost-instant but its accuracy was heightened. It was aimed at Kenji’s eyes to reduce his combat capability. Unfortunately, Kenji endured them by closing his eyelids. The concussive damage should leave him disoriented or completely blind but his defensive and regeneration capability was stronger than the damage output of Scorch Talon.  

“No matter how many times, it’s useless! [Bald Vulture Grasp].” Kenji’s finger formed a clawing gesture. His movement was so fast that the strategist could not react on time.

“This is bad, evade! [Agni Aegis]” he tried to save his teammates, but Kenji’s hand pierced through a barely-constructed fire shield to hold someone’s shoulder. With a sickening sound of bone breaking, the victim’s shoulder bone broke as Kenji’s finger pierced through flesh.

“That’s one down.” Kenji smiled as the poor bastard whose shoulder got crushed by his fingers and his beating heart exposed was thrown to the side like common trash. “Shall we do it again? [Horizontal Charge]!”

Bang! Another Scorch Talon member got flown away after a nearly-constructed fire shield got blown off. This time, due to the target not a tank, half of her chest disappeared. Her organs spilled everywhere, it was a brutal sight.

“Come on, I thought you wanted to fight me seriously?” Kenji’s eye shone in wild savagery as he dropped his weapon. “[Force Explosion]!” He claps, hard. The strength used on those two hands created a shockwave that wasn’t necessarily weaker than a strike from his warhammer.

As an Omni-directional attack, it affects them all, but Kenji focused the firepower to one person. The victim received the brunt of the shockwave. Despite being buffed by a Mage Armor spell, his eyeball exploded as his inner organs were on the verge of being liquefied.

In a brief moment, three Scorch Talon members received fatal damage. Fortunately, invisible wasps reveal themselves from the skies as they wrap the wounded under a special viscous orange substance. The substance hardens, trapping the wounded in a special amber-like cocoon.

“Disqualified. Cause: fatal wound.”

“Disqualified. Cause: fatal wound.”

“Disqualified. Cause: fatal wound.”

Three consecutive warnings resounded from the wasps as they flew with the wounded, their movement does affect the battlefield at all.

“I see; these are Lord Mage Mitsubachi’s enslavement-path healing method. So, anyone feels like trying those rejuvenating honey? I heard it was sold for big bucks!”

“Captain!” Scorch talon’s strategist urged Izanagi for a decision.

Izanagi’s thoughts churned faster. ‘The fact that he only showed those strength-path methods now could only mean two things. First: Wild Savage is like an arrow at the end of its flight, or second: a tactical deception to smoothen his path on the 2nd stage of the hunting festival…’ He traded glances with his strategist, only to find that he had arrived at the same conclusion.

However, Izanagi has already lost three out of his twelve members. It would be hard for him to continue the 2nd stage now that he only has nine people. He won’t believe that Wild Savage could explode with that kind of power for much longer, but even if his bet pays off and he could defeat him, Scorch Talon would be reduced to half of its original team members.

Even if they could rejoin somehow in the 2nd stage, Scorch Talon have lost points. It would affect the end result.

“Tsk. Retreat!” Izanagi immediately issued an order. All of Scorch Talon swiftly used their escape technique to rapidly leave Wild Savage alone. They did not care if Undying Forest or Blue Wave since nobody knows if they would be allies in the 2nd stage of the hunting festival.

“Hahah, you were only this much…” The fire that burns Kenji eventually extinguished, exposing a body of cooked flesh. With the exception of his warhammer, the ten rings on his fingers and his pants, all of his equipment has already turned into ash.

Kenji took a deep breath as he tried his best to heal his body, but one of the flames used by Izanagi has an artificial azure dragon corrosive nature. Despite being fake, it was extremely difficult to get rid of it. “Cough!” He puked a large amount of boiled blood, his condition is far worse than what he looked like.

“This time, I made it by secretly activating [Power Overwhelming]. Cough! Fuck, it’s going to take a while to fix my ripped tendons, burnt viscera and my organ’s cells… Now then, should I help Green Lake or Violet Sword Blaze?” He pondered as he slowly walked to group four’s encampment.

When he shows his face on Moriko’s sight, she immediately calls for a retreat. “Scorch Talon has been routed by Wild Savage. There is no use for us to be tied down by Violet Sword Blaze. Mission failed. I repeat, mission failed. Retreat!”

Moriko’s body suddenly explodes in blue mist, followed by other Blue Wave members. They used a special method to retreat as they secretly signaled Undying Forest to follow suit. The grass puppet soldiers that were yet to be destroyed covered their retreat, not allowing group four to give chase.

“Anyone wounded?” Sakuya asked the moment they regrouped.

“I…” Alanis reported as she showed her severed left hand, her face showed a pained expression. “During their retreat, I was too greedy to get their trails. While I was distracted, Moriko severed my hand… I need some time to reattach the muscle and recover the burnt tissue.”

“Do you need any help?” Sakuya asked. Alanis’ performance was better than expected, it would be a shame if Violet Sword Blaze members got reduced while the captain was away.

“N-” she wanted to deny at first, but decided to do otherwise. “Yes, please.”

Seraphina arrived from the backline, noticing the severed left hand. “Ah! Let me help you…” as she activated wood-path healing methods one after another.

Sakuya leaves the wounded to Sera while she discusses the situation with Kenji. “Hey, you’re good?” She asked as she saw the human barbeque groaning in pain. The well-done Kenji is slowly turning medium rare after several activation of strength-path methods, but its effects are slow due to the lack of priests.

She could hear the sound of muscle flapping from his chest. When she scrutinized the wounds there, she was surprised to see several layers of fried gills-like organs behind his ribs. “Transformation-path?”

“Beast… strength school… of thought.” He spoke with difficulty. A crunching sound of muscle tearing and bone shifting can be heard from his body. “Preliminary recovery have finished. So, what do you think?” Kenji asked after he teared off a part of his burnt body, it seems that the most difficult phase of his recovery has passed.

Obviously, he wasn’t asking about his strength-path method as Sakuya won’t understand its profundity. “Group 5 was problematic, but you earn my trust.” She answered. Sakuya was a ‘seeing is believing’ type of person, only after witnessing his capability does she trust him.  

As the two chat while healing, multiple early detection methods flared to life one after another. There is a group of enemies enclosing their position. “Tsk, they are truly unrelenting.” Sakuya sighed as he prepared to fight. Her spell resource has yet to be refreshed so she has to fight in the frontline, “Shall we take defensive position?”

Kenji shook his head. “No need. It’s your captain.”

“Oh?” Sakuya was surprised after connecting the dots. She lowered her guard after seeing Sumire running casually while a large white moth followed her behind.

“Hmm?” Kenji suddenly raised his guard as he looked in another direction.

Noticing the unusual situation, Sakuya asked. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, probably. It might be my imagination but I sense someone was spying on us.”

“Was it another group?” Sakuya raised her guard.

“It should be… but maybe I’m just a little paranoid. Forget it. Let’s receive your captain.” Kenji urged Sakuya.

She shrugged. “Alright.”

 

…

 

Several kilometers away from group 4 and 5’s battle, on top of a rocky hill.

An optical camouflage stealth field was deactivated, revealing a busty but petite girl with purple hair. She wears a blue camo-pattern military uniform while lying flat on her belly. She pulled her eyes from a scope that was attached to a 2.5-meter long weapon with two legs beneath to support it. The weapon was made out of precious metal, its most noticeable feature was the rail-shaped parts that made three fourths of its body.

It was a sniper-type heavy railgun, a heavy weapon usually utilized by Galatreon’s special military personnel to fight against large beasts. Due to her small body frame, the weapon looks bigger than its actual size.

She touched a small artifact on her ear known as an earpiece. Activating the said information-path artifact through her spiritual force, she contacted her teammates.

A few minutes later, a lump of light approached her from behind. This lump of light crumbles as it reveals a human youth. He has platinum-blonde hair that seems to glow in ethereal light, wearing an exotic white robe decorated with gold linings. He had a refined face that seemed to attract gazes. 

The platinum-blonde youth roused a question towards the purple-haired girl. “I heard your [Mind Chat]. What did you find, Ayame?”

Ayame, the purple haired girl, put her amethyst-like violet eyes back to the scope. “Li Xiao Bai, Wild Savage noticed my probing.”

“Hmm?” The youth, Li Xiao Bai, revealed a trace of surprise. “We are roughly 4 kilometers away from them. Are you sure?” he wanted to confirm as there was no rank 0 investigation method that could cover the distance. Even if there are, it would be utilizing highly specialized tools like the one Ayame used but Wild Savage aren’t known for his exploits of artifacts.

“Yes. His melee combat potential is too high; I don’t recommend fighting him head on. Our team would be obliterated in exactly 1 minute 14 seconds.”

Li Xiao Bai wasn't surprised by the numbers. “Alright, noted. What about the other team?”

Ayame furrowed her brows, “Green Lake and Undying Forest are easy. Scorch Talon just lost three of its members, they should be okay now but Violet Sword Blaze and Blue Wave… they might be hard to handle.”

Li Xiao Bai was intrigued. “Even with your artifacts from Galatreon?”

“I can only take one or two top hunters like Moriko or Wild Savage. It’ll be a waste of my resources otherwise.” was her reply.

“I see. It seems like we shouldn’t be too greedy.” Li Xiao Bai mused himself.