The violet-black embers of [Hell Flame] flickered in the silence of the barrier, casting long, dancing shadows against the cracked asphalt. The undead mage stood frozen, the green fire in its hollow sockets wavering as if struggling to process the reality before it.
"{Why... How do you, a human, possess the divine flame that only exist in Hell?}"
The Litch finally spoke. His voice was unexpectedly calm, carrying a dry, raspy resonance like old parchment being torn. It was the voice of a being that had lived for centuries, yet the sight of my power had clearly forced him to break his long-standing silence.
"Oh? You can speak?" I replied, tilting my head with a mock air of surprise. I knew perfectly well that a high-level entity like the '12th Guardian' was capable of speech, but taunting him felt like the right thing to do. If I was going to crack that ancient ego, I had to start by treating him like a common monster.
The Litch's response was a sharp flick of his skeletal wrist.
"[Activating 'Undead Summon' Lvl ???!]"
The ground beneath us groaned as bleached-white skeletons clawed their way through the ground. They didn't wait for orders; they immediately rushed toward me with a mindless, rattling hunger.
Looking at them, I couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic. This Skill reminded me of the 'Litch King' I had faced in the Higher floors during the VR game. That monster's summons were much more refined and possessed a will of their own. Compared to the 'Litch King''s summons, the puppets of this 12th Guardian were a lot weaker.
"[Activating The Class Exclusive Skill, 'Shield: Bird Cage'!]"
"[Notice: The effects of the Passive Skill 'Absolute Manipulation' have been applied!]"
I didn't even bother to draw my sword yet. With a simple wave of my hand, multiple translucent cages shimmered into existence, trapping every single one of his skeleton summons inside numerous shields. Then, by using [Absolute Manipulation], I compressed each of the shields into a sphere the size of a pebble. The bones and dark magic were crushed instantly, falling to the ground with a rhythmic clatter. I had neutralized his entire army in a single breath.
"{!!???... Isn't that [Barrier]? What an intriguing way of using a 'Shield'}."
The Litch was visibly surprised, his scholarly interest piqued by the unconventional use of a defensive Skills. But it wasn't enough. Interest is not the same as despair, and I needed to make him feel true hopelessness to fulfill the 'Copy Condition'.
The air grew heavy as the Litch realized he couldn't play around.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Domain of the Undead: World of Ruin'!]"
"[Activating 'Eye of the Dragon' Lvl ???!]"
"[Activating 'Extermination Ray' Lvl ???!]"
The monster finally decided to take me seriously. His Exclusive Sub-Skill [World of Ruin] expanded rapidly, its dark influence engulfing an area that even bled through the edges of my own barrier. It was a Skill that had effects similar to the Vampire-kin's Skill [Blood Field], a chilling weight that tried to sap the life from my marrow. His [Eye of the Dragon] was much like my own [Red Demon's Eye], giving him the ability to see through Skills and techniques, while his fingertips gathered a terrifying concentration of 'Demonic Energy'.
A beam of pure, destructive light shot toward me, a high-concentration offensive Skill that literally sought to 'exterminate' anything in its path. I could have dragged this fight out and countered his Skills with similar ones from my own arsenal, but I still had business to settle with the 'Reaper' Guild.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Blessings of the Stars'!]"
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Blood Authority'!]"
"[Activating 'Sword Energy' Lvl 1!]"
"[Activating 'Heavenly Demon's Technique: First Form: Horizon of the Damned' Lvl 1!]"
I drew my 'Fig Spirit Sword' and coated the blade in a chaotic swirl of different energies. For the Litch, who had spent more than three centuries honing his magic in [Pandemonium], the sight was a total shock. To him, I was a human who hadn't even lived thirty years, yet I was using 'Divinity', 'Demonic Energy', and even the Vampire-kin's essence 'Blood' energy without any problem. It was impossible. Incomprehensible.
I dashed. My speed was a blur that even his [Eye of the Dragon] failed to follow. I easily evaded his [Extermination Ray] and slashed through the air, striking his critical points with surgical precision. The mixture of conflicting energies was extremely effective, and the Litch's ancient body suffered greatly under the assault.
"[Congratulations! You have successfully dodged a Fatal attack!]"
"[Congratulations! You have successfully dodged a Fatal attack!]"
"[Congratulations! You have successfully dodged a Fatal attack!]"
"[Notice: You have earned +1 Rift Points]"
"[Notice: You have earned +1 Rift Points]"
"[Notice: You have earned +1 Rift Points]"
"[Current Gap stat : 100/100 Rift Points]"
"[Congratulations! All your Stats have increased by +3 stat points automatically!]"
"[Current Gap stat: 0/100 Rift Points]"
The Litch staggered, his frame rattling as the chaotic energies ate away at his dark core.
"{You basta—}"
He screamed out in rage, but I didn't let him finish his sentence.
"[Activating the 2-Star Barrier, 'Veinlock Suppression Array'!]"
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Blood Authority: Blood Alchemy' Lvl 1!]"
"[Activating 'Hell Flame' Lvl 1!]"
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Blessings of the Stars: Divine Light' Lvl 1!]"
My barrier, [Veinlock Suppression Array], trapped the Litch in place for a crucial moment. In that split second, a ray of chaotic energy rained down from the heavens, a mixture of 'Blood', 'Divinity', and the primordial flames of Hell. This combination should have been enough to erase him completely, but his Passive Skill saved him at the last second.
"[Notice: The Exclusive Passive Skill, 'Demon King's Blessing' is resonating!]"
This was a Skill directly tied to the {Demon Kings} of [Pandemonium], acting as a form of immortality. As long as the {Demon King} they served remained alive, these guardians wouldn't die, provided the Passive Skill was active. But that was not a problem for me.
"[Activating 'Absolute Cancel' Lvl 1!]"
Due to the level gap between us, [Absolute Cancel] wasn't able to fully nullify a blessing from a {Demon King}, but it was enough to tamper with the connection. The Litch shrieked as he suffered even greater damage, and all his other Skills were temporarily suspended as a result of the interference.