"[Empyrean Galaxy Domain]."
*ROAR!*
With an explosive roar, Yasenia's domain engulfed the sky above them. The day changed into a night, and the night got filled with celestial bodies.
Gerd's subordinates prepared to attack Yasenia at the same time, but they felt their feet sink in the soil for a second. Looking down, two roots had coiled around their legs, keeping them in place.
Right in the next instant, one bigger root slammed toward Gerd's back. He sensed it and was able to turn and block it with his sword.
*BANG!*
However, the strength of the lash made him take various steps back, separating him from his group. Next, he felt the soil beneath his right foot expand, so he jumped to the side out of reflex.
*BOOM!*
An explosion of a Glass Mine hit his side, moving him further away from his group. He understood that he was being isolated so that Yasenia could fight one on one with him. Hence, he tried to run back toward the others.
However, a blue shadow approached from beyond the explosion, golden claws glittering with an extremely cold and piercing light.
His only option was to block one more time.
The moment the claw and his sword smashed, his face changed. 'Heavy!' And right after he thought that, his feet left the ground, and his body was sent flying by the dragoness's monstrous bodily strength.
When he recovered from the combo attack, the only thing before him was a tiger-sized dragoness with a whirling aura around her. Her scales glowed with a blue light like stars in the night sky, dimly yet beautifully.
Around her, white balls floated about. Once his sight landed on one of them, he couldn't help but feel a chill. 'Dangerous.'
His gaze moved behind Yasenia and saw his thirty-nine companions fighting against a magma-armored juggernaut followed closely by a blurring lightning user. On the other side of his group, the giant Wolf Queen was causing destruction, and in the distance, the Fox woman and Angel were looking without moving. Their attitude was clearly of someone confident in those that were participating.
What's worse is that the moment he looked, the phoenix released her first arrow.
Well, more than an arrow, it was like a storm of Moon, Wind, and spatial energies, shredding a single line that instantly killed five of his subordinates.
Yasenia saw his disbelieving face and laughed, "Strong, aren't they? Even the current me would be afraid of them. I'm only confident in winning against two of them, and that would be with almost lethal injuries. Well, it also depends on which two. If I fight Cecile and Angel... I might as well lay belly up and wait for them to chop me into pieces."
Gerd frowned and said, "You are lying. Your increase in strength is enough to fight them. Especially if you use that strange energy."
Yasenia smirked. "Well, it is true that the energy you are speaking about is strong. Sadly, I still don't know how to use it properly. It doesn't come with a manual, you see. I will only be able to use it properly in the future. The most I can do right now is use it like a brute."
Yasenia opened her claw and showed a tiny, dust-mote-sized starry blue energy ball. Gerd didn't feel that threatened by it. Yasenia said, "Well, let's try to see its strength, shall we? Block it."
Then, Yasenia threw that minuscule energy ball toward him. Gerd wasn't stupid, so he wanted to dodge. However, the speed of it was far above what he imagined. "[Virgin Blood Wall]."
A dark-red wall appeared before him, blocking Yasenia's attack.
Then, the speck of energy hit it in the middle.
*BOOOOOM!*
An explosion so loud that it interrupted the other battle for the second it was heard. The explosion didn't only sweep the surroundings with its shockwave; it created a void in the air for a second, making it implode and moving Gerd toward it after it exploded.
Yasenia blinked, stunned at its strength. That was a single speck of Celestial energy, something that wasn't even enhanced by a skill, her domain, or anything. It was just raw Celestial Energy exploding on touch.
The attack wasn't enough to hurt Gerd enough to send him out of combat, but Gerd was a strong Unification Realm cultivator. Gerd alone could fight five common Unification Realm experts on the same level. Yet, the Celestial Energy explosion had sent him rolling on the ground for almost fifty meters. He had light burns, and his long silver hair was tangled and messy.
Yasenia didn't finish Gerd off, she knew about his regenerative abilities, so these injuries would heal even before he stopped rolling. Yasenia asked, "How was it? Did it feel strong? Sadly, that's all I can do with the Celestial Energy at the moment, but I think it's not bad."
Gerd stood up with rage in his eyes. "Do you think that I'm a testing dummy or something!? I will make you regret playing around with me!"
Then, he took out his sword and dashed toward Yasenia madly. Yasenia saw him approach and was impressed at his speed. "Not bad, you are fast."
Gerd reached before her and swung down his sword. "DIE! [TENTH SACRIFICE]!"
His sword shone with a bloody light, and its speed and sharpness increased sharply. What Gerd didn't expect was for Yasenia two headbutt toward his sword, horns first.
*CLANG!*
Yasenia's golden horn and his sword got repelled, and both of them took a step back. Yasenia used her spiritual sense and saw that the horn had a small white scratch that got healed right away. Then, she commented, "My horns are quite strong, aren't they? They can block a middle-level Heaven-ranked sword."
Yasenia then opened her maw and transmitted, "Careful, [Sun Dragon Breath]."
*ROAR!*
A golden wave of pure Sun energy shot from Yasenia's mouth, hitting Gerd squarely. With a loud explosive sound, his scorched body was sent flying one more time. Yasenia nodded to herself, "I didn't even charge it, and it already has that power. Not bad at all. One of my eight innate skills is already quite strong."
During the fighting, Evelyn almost tripped as she shouted, "EIGHT!? What the-"
*BANG!*
Evelyn turned her head and saw Andrea sending a sneaky Demon flying who tried to attack her. Then, she heard Andrea's deep, commanding voice, "Focus, Evelyn. We can ask after we deal with them."
Evelyn almost answered, 'Yes, mommy.' But she held it back and replied, "Yes, Dommy Mommy!"
...
Did she? Umm... Didn't I just write that she held back? Why... Well, whatever.
As Andrea's, Cecile's, and Evelyn's fight continued, Yasenia ran toward the regenerating Gerd and swung her claw. Gerd blocked, but his feet slid on the ground.
Yasenia used her agile dragon body and tail to attack without stopping. A claw slash, a wing strike, a body slam, or a tail whip, Yasenia used everything in her arsenal to attack him without using her skills.
Her body was currently being buffed by the [Empyrean Galaxy Domain], so Gerd's attack couldn't even damage her scales.
Gerd displayed a wide variety of blood attacks, trying to aim for Yasenia's weaknesses, like the eyes, but she was able to block all of them.
Slowly but surely, Yasenia sliced Gerd again and again. Why didn't she finish him off quickly? Well, there were various reasons.
First and most important, Gerd was a strong fighter, and she was using him to get used to her new body. Although Yasenia's instincts allowed her to walk, fly, and fight as she was doing, in truth, every move was very cumbersome.
Each time she attacked, she left her side wide open.
Her defense was full of easy-to-abuse faults, and her attack timing was somewhat off. If it weren't for her scales being strong enough to block Gerd's attacks, Yasenia would be full of wounds.
Of course, she was also holding back by not using any strengthening skills besides [Empyrean Galaxy Domain], so this was far from being her full strength.
Their back and for went for almost ten minutes. However, unlike in the beginning, when Gerd managed to slip one attack every once in a while, he was completely on the defensive.
Yasenia swung her claw, pushing his sword away, and then she lashed with her tail. Gerd wasn't able to lower his sword again because of the momentum it carried from Yasenia's strength, so he lifted his leg to avoid a direct hit to the body.
*BANG!*
He flipped three times, using the dragoness's strength to jump back, his face showing a painful expression. Yasenia's eyes caught fast that his leg was broken.
However, unlike what Gerd expected, Yasenia didn't make a follow-up attack. "Well, Gerd. I must say that it has been quite useful to fight against you."
Gerd frowned, his leg already recovering. "What do you mean?"
Yasenia smirked and said, "I was using you as a training dummy. I wanted to use someone that would attack with the intention of killing. I must say, I've become quite strong, but I've lost quite a bit. My experience on the Trial is with my human body, so until I recover it, I must begin again from the beginning. What a shame."
Cecile flew down to Yasenia's side and caressed her head, "You don't have to force yourself too much, my love. We can protect you."
Yasenia nuzzled her chest with her snout and said, "I know."
Gerd saw Cecile and looked toward the other battlefield. What he was made his eyes bulge with rage. "YOU SLUTS! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"
Andrea and Evelyn were using the head of the Demoness that insulted Yasenia to play catch ball. However, the moment Gerd shouted, Andrea squeezed too hard, and the head burst into pieces. Andrea sighed and scolded Gerd. "Why did you shout? I put too much strength on my hand because you startled me! Now my armor is a mess..."
Evelyn sighed, "I wanted to play with that woman a bit more. How dare she insult Yasenia? Maybe we shouldn't have killed her so fast."
Angel snorted, "I told you to leave her alive. I wanted Yasenia to teach me new torture methods!"
Andrea and Evelyn apologized, "Sorry, little Angel. The next time we will definitely leave them alive."
Angel nodded and smiled, "I forgive you!"
Gerd felt something breaking and shouted like a madman. "AHHH!! DIEEE!!" Then, he charged directly toward them.
They saw how a black miasma surrounded him, and his strength suddenly multiplied. Yasenia frowned for a second, "He got devoured by his Heart Demons.
However, Yasenia didn't have to worry because Angel tapped the soil with the tip of her feet, and countless complex lines appeared on the ground.
Five pillars shot up, and chains from them tangled Gerd, immobilizing him instantly. Angel looked toward Yasenia and asked, "What do we do with him?"
Gerd began struggling against the multicolored chains, but only the rattling sound of chains rubbing against each other was heard. Yasenia was impressed. 'She really is strong.'
Yasenia approached Angel and said, "How about we use him for what you wanted?"
Angel tilted her head. Yasenia found her very cute and licked her cheek. "We can use him to teach you torture. His regenerative factor is quite high, after all."
Angel hugged Yasenia's head between her breasts and squealed, "Really!?"
Yasenia smirked and licked her lips this time. "Of course, my baby wants to. Who am I to say no?"
Angel showered Yasenia with kisses. Evelyn asked, "What about the others we were trailing?"
Yasenia blinked, "They can wait. We've got more than a month, after all."
The next hour was spent in that place, letting Angel try various torturing methods with Gerd. Then, Yasenia said. "How about we use their blocked signals to attract the demons in the surroundings?"
Andrea nodded, "That's a good idea. If they are little, we could take advantage and kill them."
Yasenia smirked, "Well, let's begin to fish with the bait, shall we?"
Kali asked, looking at the bloody yet still alive man. "What do we do with him?"
Yasenia said, "Let's carry him around for a bit. I don't feel like letting him die yet."