The Simulacrum upgrade went off without a hitch. In fact, it turned out notably better than I expected.
(L)Paradise Simulacrum (Adept)
Visit a mental plane fashioned by the Legendary Dark Knight Sparda for an extended period of time, during which no time passes in the physical world. You can bring people in and out of your mental slice of Limbo at will.
Available for 96 hours every Two weeks.
I got four days instead of the three I predicted, but between all of my improved affinities, it wasn't that much of a surprise.
Where the Simulacrum skill improved what was already there, my new Transcendent skill remade me just like it did once.
I fed all of my weapon masteries, martial arts, acrobatics, parry, Devil Aura, Devil Eye, and meditation to create something better than the sum of its parts, and I got what I bargained for and more.
(Transcendent)Death Symphony (Basic)
The complete synthesis of your most effective Martial and weapons arts to create something profoundly inhuman. It embodies Dante's innate adaptability and aptitude for combat, granting a higher level of intuitive violence and performance.
Predator's Gaze: Based on Devil's Eye, this skill runs on Demonic and Angelic energy and grants you a passive 150-meter-wide domain where you can sense and track everything. Narrow your focus and improve your tracking by designating any object or creature as your Prey. It expands the domain intuitively, allowing it to reach as far as your eyes can see. Ability to sense energy is retained.
Death's Shadow: Innately know the weak spots of all foes affected by Predator's Gaze. Hitting weak spots automatically triggers a Critical hit. This boosts your Damage by 20%.
Demon's Guile: Receive a greater sense of balance, danger, and intuitive body control. Grants a passive stat effectiveness boost of 30% to your Dex stat and Perception.
Asura's Temperance: Grants a greater sense and control of your strength. Grants a passive stat effectiveness boost of 30% to your strength and a 30% boost to all resource regeneration.
Phantom Reposte: Imperfect parries nullify 80% of the attack received and reflect 60%. Perfect parries block 100% of the attack and return 80%
Feral Flow: Grants a 0.5 boost to speed, Damage, and concentration for each attack you land. The bonus lasts as long as he doesn't doesn't hit. Switching weapons doubles the bonus for one hit. Bonus stacks up to 50%.
Reaper's Call: Reaper's Call: Leverage the metaphysical weight of your existence and use it to dominate those you deem as enemies. People caught in the range of your aura skill are affected differently based on their strength. People equal in strength feel a 10% reduction in concentration, speed and an unshakable sensation of fear. The percentage ramps up by 10% for every 20% lead you have on your opponents. The Fear status also drastically increases. Sustained by the energy your soul naturally radiates.
Walking Arsenal: Automatically raises all weapons mastery to Adept Tier and improves ease of weapon mastery by 50%. Works for all future weapons.
I pulled the blade off my chest with instinctive strength and ease, the changes already jumping out to me. Predator's Gaze rippled out the moment I laid eyes on Yao for next to nothing.
Detailed information about her tumbled out like a full-on Identity from a video game.
Yao-Sorcerer Supreme
A centuries-old sorcerer and master of the mystical and martial arts in the truest sense of the word. Her advanced age gives an unmatched insight into every branch of magic. She's immune from aging but can be killed by a skilled enough fighter.
Weaknesses: Connection to Dark magic, limited immortality.
Strengths: Magic, Martial Arts, Time magic.
I blinked rapidly, taking in the information. Parts of Yao's body also lit up, and I saw a vast network of interconnected vulnerabilities. I knew what places to cut, hit, stab, or punch to inflict maximum Damage, and I was sure if I focused on my perception field, I could probably predict what spells she'd use before she finished casting them.
The entire experience was alarmingly manageable as my mind and my body adapted to the changes. I was about an inch taller, and my muscles were not quite as full, but I knew I was stronger, faster, and could better handle my weapons.
"You've changed again," Yao commented. "Your eyes will draw even more attention."
I caught a look at my reflection in Rebellion and saw that they glowed a more vibrant purple with my Sight ability enabled. I figured it was because my ability ran on both energies instead of one now. However, what stood out the most were the vertical slits I had now instead of round corneas.
They practically confirmed the speculations of my ancestry. I deactivated Predator's Gaze to see if it would change anything. It did.
My iris shrunk and rounded out, returning to their normal size, and I let out a breath of relief.
"Congratulations," she said. "You've grown again."
"Enough to fight Domina?" I asked. Yao tilted her head slightly.
"You're not quite there yet," she said, and I nodded. I summoned my shirt and threw it on. It was larger than I remembered.
"Any updates on the virus?"
"You're not going to like it," Yao said. "They've all been taken to the demon world."
Shit. Yao went into further details, and the more she explained, it became clear that the demons never intended to synthesize the virus on Earth. Though it begged the question, why not just transport them to Limbo the second they got their hands on it?
"Infighting," she explained. "Domina's power gives her authority over the Cambions present, but she still answers to her older brothers, none of which are on Earth. She's likely receiving more scrutiny for her failure to kill you or Jean. And I'm sure contesting her bounty did not do her any favors either."
"Do you think they'd go after her if they know she set up Isha?"
"Unlikely," she said. "Lumos might. I heard he and Corvus have a soft spot for her but he's most inactive and moral of them all."
"I'm not going anywhere near a mind mage and light magic user without Jean as backup," I said with a sigh. "We stick with Regan, then.
Yao nodded. "How goes the recruitment," she said. "Dr. Hansen is ready to proceed."
"Three down today. Natasha's coming along slower than I'd like," I said, "but we don't absolutely need her or the widows."
"Yes, you do," Yao insisted with some brusqueness in her tone. "My Sorcerers might be eager to volunteer themselves, but it doesn't mean I will let them risk their lives before we're certain."
"Unify has never failed," I said. In fact, I was convinced it would be so successful I could offer Yao the process as a replacement for drawing from the Dark dimension, but I had a feeling I already knew what her answer.
"I should get going," I said.
Domina
"Isha's alive," Lumos said in his wispy voice, "It's our responsibility to look for her."
"Is it?" Enrique questioned, legs crossed on the stone table at which we all sat.
It was no secret how we really felt about Lumos and his devoted caretaker. He accomplished in years what took us decades. It'd been cute when he overtook me, but Enrique nearly started a civil war when he won their little duel.
Corvus was so far beyond that he didn't need to worry about him for the next century or so, but that didn't mean he didn't see Lumos as a threat.
I'd descended to Limbo on his request for a proper meeting, drawing me away from my other responsibilities on the surface. Oscorp had been a fun but vital distraction. Finding out the Hulk formula was not nearly as stable as Bruce Banner had advertised had been a bit of a setback, but with Oscorp's help, we've been pushing the envelope, developing numerous alternative means of stable applications and strategically engineered improvements.
The little man was devoted to making the perfect soldier, and Shaw and I were looking forward to reaping the benefits.
It'd taken some persuading to muscle my way into the invasion, and Shaw had only agreed to include me when I promised him all of the land and technology, 60% of the Vibranium recovered, and the heart-shaped herb.
However, our plan, which I'd been years in the making, fell apart overnight. Somebody took out Klaue right under everybody's noses, and no one knew it was, but I have a pretty good idea.
Until we secured another path into Wakanda, I couldn't afford to waste my time indulging the most obnoxious of my siblings.
"The mind mages have not been able to locate her," I said. "Besides, Dante Sparda is not known for his mercy. He's butchered every last demon Isha and I have sent after him. Why would he spare her?"
"For information?" Lumos pointed out. "I've studied the boy as well. He's more dangerous than you're ready to admit. He's a younger version of me, and he has Jean Grey and Yao in his corner. You need to take a firmer hand with him."
"For once, I agree with the twerp," he said. "He grew from a pup to a wolf overnight. I say its high time you rally your little fan club of ninjas and hunt him down."
"And risk making him a Martyr in the eyes of the humans?" I shook my head. "It's smarter to draw him to us. By now, Fury should've recruited him to stabilize the situation in Antarctica. They can't have gamma monsters running around the continent. I know a few Cambions and mercenaries that would love a crack at him," I grinned. "Let the monsters wear him out so that we can strike when he's at his weakest."
"I would like to tag along," Lumos said, and I blinked, certainly not surprised but suddenly conscious.
"I promise they won't kill him," I said. "Just beat him within an inch of his life. You can ask about your darling Isha when they return with him."
"I insist," he said with a tone that brooked no arguments, and I found myself subconsciously leaning back.
Lumos was not one to raise his voice or put his rank to use like this. He was the meekest of all of us. Staring into his rainbow-colored eyes and pallid white face, which was adorned with his yellow-wheat hair, I wondered if there was darkness beneath all that blinding light.
Silencing Dante just became an even bigger priority. I fingered my ring, checking to see if the enchantment to prevent mind-reading was still working before I looked up at him and finally spoke.
"Well, if you're sure. I'll be forthcoming with the directions."
Enrique whistled at the exchange. "I guess that leaves me to update Corvus."
---
Dante
After taking a portal home, I told Rin of the new changes, and although he really wanted to come along with me, I insisted he wait at home for me.
He was faster and stronger now, but not so much that he wouldn't slow me down if we had to run. He eventually agreed, and after some last-minute modifications, I was off.
I poured Vibranium into Ophion and received several upgrades that made the chain more energy-absorbent and improved the range considerably.
Ebony and Ivory received the strangest boost of all. Each bullet I shot out got a passive density boost that made them ¼ as durable as Adamantium.
After donning the full Vibranium armor and half mask T'Chaka gave me, I was off to Antarctica in my new trench coat.
The cold air whipped around me, tossing up my mopy white hair. I drew in the dry air of the South Pole and opened my eyes, activating Predator's Gaze. I grinned as my senses rippled out, rendering the surrounding area in agonizing detail.
I picked up on twenty or so creatures easily. Most of them were some fox-bird hybrid that my Predator's Gaze identified as a Blizzard Griffon.
Blizzard Grifon
Born from the amalgamation of a fossilized prehistoric fox, an Antarctic Skua, and human DNA.
Weaknesses: Extreme heat
Strengths: Supersonic Flight, Sonic Howl, Vibranium-reinforced body and skin, Radioactive Fury, Regeneration.
I blinked at the description.
That…was a lot, and I counted ten of them circling me.
I was miles away from the epicenter of the reactor's explosion and deep into the snow desert that made Antarctica so dangerous. Lucky for me, we were in the summer, so I didn't have to worry about insanely low temperatures, but sudden wind storms, hidden services, hypothermia, and dehydration were still big concerns.
Thankfully, I had bountiful resistance to all conditions thanks to my Promethean body, and I had the foresight to bring a trench coat. I could also turn to Cloak if things ever got too uncomfortable, but the cold was not my biggest concern at the moment.
A piercing trumpeting sound was.
To my left, at the edge of the basin, I saw a towering, blubbering monstrosity over 15 feet tall standing upright on unwieldy limbs. It had an elongated nose and translucent greenish skin that rapidly shifted colors.
Frostguard seal
Formed from the amalgamation of human DNA and a Seal.
Weaknesses: Extreme heat. Sharp edges.
Strengths: Superhuman strength, Explosive speed, Damage-resistant torso and skin, Radioactive Fury, extreme regeneration.
"Super Walruses," I said. "Certainly not what I was expecting."
Invictus wrapped around my legs with a single thought, switching places with my boots, and in my hands was Severance. Behind the leading Walrus, I counted eight others waddling closer at the edge of my Perception.
I flung my body forward with a stomp, leaving a crater of snow and stone underneath my feet. The seal's body lit up underneath my Gaze, revealing a multitude of weaknesses, most of which were concentrated around the limbs but not its neck and stomach. Its back was weak, though.
The line about damage resistance came to mind again. I dropped into a slide, lashing out as I passed its limbs. The leg went flying, albeit with more effort than anticipated.
Something deep shifted within after the first stroke. A strange strength bubbled from deep within me and saturated every last atom of my body. My mind stilled, my muscles twitched, and I felt more connected to my skills and abilities than ever before.
Kicking the ground, I twisted to my feet with unnatural grace and slashed his left upper back. Blubber and blood came spilling out. The seal swiped at me with a brutal backhand, which I easily parried using Phantom Reposte.
The parry was perfect, and the blowback took off its hand, leaving it exposed to a stab to the heart. I sent a Burst of Nether fire through the tip of the blade. It exploded, covering me with bone, fat, and blood.
The beast flopped to the floor, but I didn't get a notification, nor did its numerous weak points disappear. In fact, I noticed it was glowing. Green gamma energy started pumping out of its guts as its muscles bubbled and started to swell. New bone, tendons, and cartilage burst out of severed limbs. The beast was making a full recovery right in front of me.
I could've ended it with a charged kick from Invictus, but I was here for recon, not Red Orbs. I flipped back, giving the creature some berth while I kept my senses trained on the Griffon circling above me.
The seal was on its feet in seconds, limbs nearly double their former size. Green Vibranium scales covered areas it'd been formerly attacked.
It let out a defiant wail as Gamma radiation poured off it and charged me.
I snorted and handily dodged the charge, but I had to admit its speed was commendable. It circled around, charging me a second time, moving slightly faster, but it was still far too slow to touch me.
Its speed reached the apex on the fifth charge, and I decided to switch things up.
I planted my feet on the ground, filled my leg up with demonic energy, and stood in waiting. At the very last moment, I shuffled to the side and struck out. The Burst and Impact-enhanced hit rippled through its gut, sending it back dozens of feet. It was mostly healed when it climbed to its feet, new scales already sprouting.
With enough time and hits, I could see how these monsters could become incredibly lethal, especially against regular combatants.
I wondered how many times it could pull itself from the brink.
Was the seal like the Hulk and had no perceivable limit, or was there a hard cap on how much explosive growth they could experience before they reached their peak?
In any case, this wasn't the time to test that.
I needed to be sure I could take them down at all.
I summoned Arbiter, filled it with Nether Fire, and sent the Axe head flying with a Burst. The blade made it two-thirds through its chest before exploding. Nether fire evaporated most of its torso. Only part of the skull and its mineralized skeleton survived. The monster did not get up.
I got 2000 Red Orbs for that execution and turned intangible micro-seconds before the diving Griffon hit me. It had dived the moment it saw me pull out Arbiter, likely hoping to catch me off guard while still engaged in a fight with the monster.
The near miss earned me an instance of Demon Evade, which boosted my base damage by 2.7x.
Twisting to the side, I lashed out in a diagonal slash packed with Nether fire. It evaporated the Griffon's head and heart before it could even react, and it collapsed to the floor dead, confirming my theory about the first kill.
If you hit them in the head and heart simultaneously, they won't get up.
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