Blood trickled down my cheek as I barely dodged the first crystalline hatchet aiming for my skull. The other crystalline hatchet followed suit causing me to drop down into a crouch. High-pitched whistling was heard as the crystalline hatchets sliced through the air in wide arcs. The elongated Limestone Armor had an attack range that was much shorter than the gargantuan Limestone Armor but had an odd peculiarity that made it just as ferocious. It was capable of instantly retracting its arms in a spring-like fashion, providing a greater range of motion and versatility. Releasing the freshly coiled back arm was also about to produce attacks that were faster and stronger than its initial swings.
Focusing on the dantian, the energy began to flow out and permeate the body. It coagulated around my hands and feet, then slowly crept down the blade of the daggers. As the scarlet and violet sparks began to dance, the blades collided with the crystalline hatchets. The castle hall erupted into a cacophony of colors and sword lights as the sharp edges seemingly blurred in and out of existence. Digging my toes into the ground, I dashed forward after side-stepping an overhead strike and appeared before the elongated Limestone Armor.
Not wanting to cause more damage to the daggers, I willed the flow of energy to recede from the daggers. It coagulated around my legs right before I lunged my knee into its lean torso, slightly lifting it into the air. Following up with a right hook, my fist was sent barreling into the intricate circular formations, smashing into its helmet in the process. The force of the blow sent the elongated Limestone Armor crashing into the carpeted floor. Before the armor could move again my heel was already stomping deep into the helmet. Small dust clouds began to fill the air as the ground slowly cracked beneath us.
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Limestone Armor Defeated
10 exp
Essence detected within Limestone Armor corpse.
Consume Essence?
YES NO
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+10 Essence
+0.10 Mastery
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The refreshing feeling washed over me as usual but was short-lived as I noticed that fatigue had been reduced by only 5. Not wanting to waste any time I returned to my resting place at the entrance of the castle. I began to focus on my dantian and willed the energy to rotate in a circular motion. Opening my eyes after an unknown amount of time, I noticed that my fatigue was finally at 0 and that my demonic energy capacity has increased by 5.
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Name: Niko Godspell Level: 1
Race: Fledgling(Can Evolve) Fatigue: 0
Title: N/A
Aspect: N/A
HP: 400.0/400.0^
EXP: 30.0/1000.0^
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Demonic Energy: 100.0/100.0^
Essence: 20.0/20.0^
Soul Sea 100.0/100.0
-
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Strength: 15.0^ Vitality: 16.0^
Agility: 11.0^ Intelligence: 7.0^
Sense: 10.0^
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Remaining Points: 0
Remaining Essence Points: 35
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[PASSIVE]
Aurora's Inheritance LV: 1 (Mastery 0.6/100.0)
—Essence of Limestone Armor 60.0/100.0
Ancestral Physique LV: 1
Demonic Sight LV: 1
[ACTIVE]
Demon's Rage LV: 1
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It felt like a waste letting the essence points sit there and accumulate, so I increased the essence core.
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-20 Essence Points
+20 Essence
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The change wasn't very apparent but would show itself when harnessing the energy held within the essence core. Remembering the backlash, I grimaced for a moment before staring down the castle hallway. The spiral staircase appeared to only get further away as I progressed. As I continued to battle against the Limestone Armors, they seemed to become more and more monstrous, and not just in appearance.
The tenth Limestone Armor was the most unique of the intricately crafted sculptures by far. The arms and legs of the armor were elongated spikes, engraved with minute crystalline chain links that coiled around the spikes like serpents. The links seemed more intricate, formed from the intertwined connections of tiny threads. The tips of the spikes emitted a faint glow that seemed to emit some type of cold intensity that could only be described as blood lust.
The chest plate of the armor was feminine in design, whilst its torso was equipped with curved spikes. The spikes were crafted to mirror the Limestone Armor's limbs but without the engravings. In the center of the spiked torso, there was a convoluted circular design that began from within itself, twisting outwards, forming designs that could not be explained with words. As I tried to inspect the peculiar runes, they seemed to twist and distort themselves in refusal.
The helmet of the spiked Limestone armor was easily the most horrific portion. The front of the helmet was a blank slate, the sole exception being an eight-inch horn that protruded out like a trident. Beautiful threads seemed to dance across the trident horn in long intricate arcs, glowing with a faint cerulean hubris. The sides of the helmet seemed to display disturbing contortions of human expression, engraved using threaded chain links. I couldn't help but wonder what the back of the helmet would display.
After so many confrontations with Limestone Armor, the typical strike range was easy to determine. Stepping within two meters of Limestone Armor of exceptional range would cause them to retaliate against you. The spiked Limestone Armor, however, was an enigma. Once I stepped within a straight line it slowly lifted its head to face me. I was roughly three and a half meters away but that did not matter as it took slow and delicate steps toward me using its elongated spikes.
Slightly disturbed I hurriedly jumped backward, trying to create some distance from the unexpectedly awakened statue. The distance between us exceeded 5 meters, causing the Limestone Armor to freeze in place. Instead of returning to its steadfast position against the castle walls as per usual, its helmet tilted slightly ajar. The Armor seemed extremely sentient, almost human-like. Before my curiosity peaked, the helmet on the spiked Limestone Armor suddenly rotated 180 degrees. My eyes widened in horror at what was displayed on the back of its helmet.