[Dead Cells - 91%]
'So this actually is counted in the sync rate?'
Feeling a burst of power nestle within my body like a flame that could never be extinguished, I felt a newfound sense of power fill my senses.
It made me feel like I could do anything.
'And the funny thing is, I don't think I'm losing any power anytime soon.'
Staring at my hands, in my vision, orange lines continually stretched from across the entire island and were focused onto me.
And when my naturally limit was reached the orange lights instead of dispersing with the air as their domain like how the mana just floated around when my bar was full, the malaise followed me.
With every movement and gesture of my body, the malaise followed it like a incredibly loyal dog.
So loyal in fact that it appeared like an orange aura around my body.
Unfocusing my vision, it now appeared to be something like an orange outline that just seemed to linger around my body, not at all tinging my body in orange like I expected.
But nevertheless, accepting it for what it was, I moved forwards while thinking about what my power could do.
Now that I knew I could actually use the malaise instead of the bastardized version of using the natural attraction through displacing the mana through my runes.
I wondered what else I could do.
'Since I turned that plant into a monster, I should be able to create some can't I?'
Swinging my arm, the malaise quickly ran towards a burning puddle of blood and hit the fire.
Most of it passed through the flame without purchase, but of the few particles that did, they interested me the most.
'So this is how it works.'
Watching the orange particles mix with the red flames like a small tornado, I watched as the flames flickered ominously before they formed a vague human form.
Seeing as that vague human form was similar to the inferno spirits that I had killed before, I now knew for sure the malaise was the reason for the monsters which proliferated the islands.
The only question left here was what that had to do with cells since I hadn't seen any despite killing tons of monsters in the outside world.
'Scratch that'
I turned my gaze to the figure who controlled a literal army of monsters to attack the avatar of Death.
'I think I should have some well deserved revenge.'
Cracking my neck, my footsteps carried me forwards where I would collide against the unknown figure.
Crafting several weapons to replenish my dwindling stock, a pair of orange and blue scythes incredibly reminiscent of the claws that Mama Tick brandished against me appeared.
Holding the two claws near double my size by the base of the thorax, I stared at the rising flames surrounding me.
Moving them away with the malaise's power, I slightly marveled at how useful the malaise was and how much easier it was to control.
That didn't mean mana was useless, it was just taking a back seat for now.
Nevertheless, I walked forwards.
[Scythe Claws] in hand, the figure turned their gaze towards me as the Silver knight followed by the army of monsters finally felled Death.
Watching as blueprints, cells among other things dropped from the body of Death, I turned my half greedy gaze towards the man and quickly burst into a run.
With a mixture of the Shield of Cthulhu, the Ram Rune, double jumping and malaise, I appeared right in front of the figure.
The figure themselves, flinching in surprise at me appearing suddenly from far away to right in front of them, thus bypassing the copious layers of monster defense that would've o doubt slowed me down enough that I would have to use the bow to attack them.
But nevertheless.
The army was for naught.
Using the right scythe claw it descended from the air where it collided against the spear thrown by the silver knight with a gut wound.
Following it up by the left scythe arm, it collided against the belated reaction of the figure.
Clashing against the arm that was strangely metallic in nature, the right scythe arm fell down again.
---
Blood coated the interlopers body as they tried to move the army of the malaise'd creatures to their bidding.
But strangely enough, unlike the other times how they usually followed their command without a second thought lingering in their heads.
They resisted.
A phenomenon that hadn't occurred since they had started learning the arts of mind control.
In fact since the malaise boosted their prowess many fold it should've impossible for any to escape the thrall once it was placed upon them.
Beings who had incredibly strong wills like the Silver knight Captain were exceptions to this rule, but they could be worn down with effort.
But besides that, the Interloper grit their teeth as they tried to command the army using the long untouched basic magic mind control that they had used initially instead of using the malaise boosted one.
Surely that would work right?
Wrong.
Panicking upon feeling the incredibly unfamiliar and stagnant flow of mana passing straight through their body in a speed that snails would ridicule.
They hurriedly blocked the gigantic scythe which threatened to cleave their body in half.
---
A funny thing that I have uncovered in my experiments.
The malaise despite being a disease in nature isn't actually a disease in conventional terms at all.
Not originating from any known sources, the malaise instead acts much like the mana that powers magic.
This is where the traits of diseases come in.
Suppressing the natural flow of mana in the body to form what I like to call mana cores.
The Malaise causes all mana that comes in contact with it to become stagnant like how blood clots when in air.
If I recall correctly now, I think my disciples call this mana core a Cell.
Rather fitting since the so called cell imprisons the mana within the round frame, the orange dot within serving both as the glue and the chains which bind the mana to its circular form.
But nevertheless, the malaise seems to majorly take residence in the heart where it produces more of itself using mana, where it changes the body of the being it inhabits.
And since the beings couldn't withstand the sudden introduction of power into their bodily systems, they are forcibly changed to adapt to it, gaining power but losing their sanity.
The Diary of the Royal Court mage of Sevallia - Arwyn Dalamar
---
"Kugh" The Alchemist grimaced underneath his tattered robe, the enchantment flickering away as the shadows partially revealed the face beneath.
Covered in a network of blue cracks that leaked blue blood illuminating the ground itself in blue light, the Alchemist used his blood to heal all of his wounds.
But frustratingly enough, the mana flow within his body was incredibly disrupted, so much so all attempts to repair his arm were stopped.
Cursing inwardly, the double jointed legs of the Alchemist ran forwards while the apprentice quickly ran behind.
After encountering the three servants, who had broken straight through several barricades after sensing the undulating mana underneath the ground.
The Alchemists plan was abruptly stopped in its tracks.
With a heave of the spiked balls, they crashed into the machine and stopped the transfer of the concentrated mana altogether, creating a painful backlash to the ones who were in it.
But since one of the two figures involved was quite literally dead in all terms of the word, the back lash solely reflected on the Alchemist.
And did it reflect on him.
Arm bursting due to the abruptly congested flow of mana, the congested flow which was peacefully moving around the Alchemists body and thus empowering it became a fatal poison.
Coughing out blue blood in the form of liquid mana, it dissipated upon contact with the air and dispersed into tiny little blue particles.
But he was lucky since that was the extent of his injuries.
Gaining a network of ugly cracks that covered their skin, the Alchemist didn't wait another second to take revenge on the servants and bolted.
Leaving behind the apprentice who belatedly followed.
The Alchemist only gave a fleeting glance backwards with a harsh blue gaze and without hesitation, kicked.
With a mana infused leg that carried strong power.
Mana undulated outwards of his leg and disrupted the myriad enchantments while sending a shockwave through the ground.
And with the enchantments surrounding the stone which supported the ceiling disappearing, combined with the fact that the force sent tremors through the earth, it began to collapse.
Cursing quietly, Euterpe pulled back the strings of her golden bow before loosing the arrow, sending shockwaves through the air as it blasted towards the Alchemist with all the force of a cannon.
Something that unfortunately missed.
Colliding with one of the falling stones, the shockwaves generated by the arrow accelerated the collapse of the hallways and sent stones crumbling downwards with a new ferocity.
Crashing down quickly, a loud booming noise resounded through the catacombs of the city causing several of the monsters to look at the direction of the fall.
But since this was a daily occurrence here and they have since learnt that it was usually nothing, they returned to their idle shambling.
A scant few monsters heading there.
Clenching her fist, Kleio slammed her fist into the wall with anger before cursing quietly.
"If only we learnt that damned collector was the alchemist sooner."
Recalling how the Collector was in the middle of a mechanical ritual of some kind, the fist colliding against the wall weakened and revealed the fist shape imprint on the enchanted wall.
'At least we stopped him from doing whatever he was doing.'
But it was something natural.
Since the Alchemist knew he was going to be hunted to absolute oblivion if he was found, he took several measures to change everything about him.
From his physical body, habits, name among other things, the collector appeared as some unknown accidental that appeared shortly after the appearance of the time loops.
Letting out a cold sigh, her cold gaze turned towards the trembling tiny figure of the Apprentice that was trembling madly in the corner of the hallway.
Staring coldly at the little gremlin, she moved to grab him by the scruff of his neck where they moved back towards the ritual room, her sisters and fellow servants themselves preparing a myriad of torture tools.
Fashioned out of various implements in the room, the trembling in the apprentice increased as the forcibly welded items gleamed underneath the blue light.
Throwing him against the wall, the apprentice limply hit it and tremblingly gazed at the servants.
Ignoring the pitiful gaze for help, Kleio coldly spoke.
"Now then, answer our questions and you may live, if you don't satisfy us then..."
She glanced at the pile of torture tools being hastily made by her fellow servants.
"Then we will pry the answer you, and trust me, will are good at our jobs."
Glaring at the apprentice, it didn't take long before he collapsed underneath the glares and started to speak.
+++
Tree