Chapter 21: Against Third Grades
The tempting prize fell flat on Nith and the three men across from him. None of them spoke to the old voice, instead focusing solely on each other.
To keep himself sane under the weight of the abundant power his body couldn't handle, Nith skipped introductions and darted toward the group of three.
His body exhaled the black venom, which was crucial to protect Kyouka from danger. It would take time for The Dark Haze to completely flood the marble arena, but Rome wasn't built in a day.
Meanwhile, Kyouka retrieved the dark-purple venom from her backpack. She threw countless vials toward the ceiling, summoning a meteorite shower. Her next move conjured her cauldron from her backpack, filled with crystal-clear liquid bubbling and spreading invisible gas.
Connecting to her cauldron through The Alchemist's title and skills, Kyouka heated up its contents. She hastily plastered a mask across her lips and nose.
Staring ahead, Kyouka witnessed the first clash between Nith and one of the black-robed men. The man's sword didn't cut through Nith's purple skin, but neither did Nith crack the man's sword.
Their strength seemed equal. That said, there was a strange look in the man's eyes after the clash.
If Kyouka could have seen Nith's expression, she would have noticed that Nith was just as surprised.
The reason was simple—the unknown group possessed a skill similar to Nith's Eclipse Venom.
But their version was superior, trying to absorb more than his strength.
He felt as though the man's skill wanted to devour his mana, blood, flesh, and everything else, down to his entire existence. Nonetheless, the man couldn't go that far, as too much strength pulsed within Nith.
So much that it unknowingly became a shield, forcing the unknown power to devour only the bonuses of Eclipse Venom.
While Nith rejoiced as his powers gained a sudden advantage over his foe, the man shouted to his allies, telling them to leave Nith to him and to go after Kyouka.
He slashed at Nith after his command, only for the hunched figure to catch his blade.
A much stronger suction wrapped around Nith's arm. This time, he could imagine numerous tongues lashing out at his purple aura and skin, licking away his strength.
Nith, however, tightened his grasp around the man's sword. A few seconds later, after a dangerous stalemate where a single wrong move could cost his life, Nith commanded all his force into his hand.
His hand became like a demonic claw. For a second, he couldn't feel it, as so much strength gathered at once. Shoving his will into his numb hand, Nith animated it, squeezing the sword into pieces.
Nith's right arm lifelessly dropped, dangling ineptly beside his torso.
Across from him, the man's wounds exploded upon losing his weapon, as if he'd paid a price for having it shattered.
"How could… the sacred sword… of our Lord… break…"
He screamed in disbelief, while his blood fountained from every wound and crevice. He fell to his knees like a broken marionette, his blood pooling beneath him. He vomited more blood, panting heavily.
Nith didn't look much better. Purple veins climbed his right forearm, preventing him from using it. Breathing became harder with each passing second, mainly due to the toll he'd taken just now.
It didn't stop him from spitting venom at the man's face. "Just fucking die."
This man was done for.
Nith didn't even have to use his tongue-twister poison to slow him down, as the man's wounds and whatever price he'd paid were enough to kill him. He would die soon, with Eclipse Venom devouring his strength for Nith's use.
Alas, Nith overestimated himself. His vision blurred, and beads of sweat entered his eyes. He instinctively closed them and clutched his head to steady himself. His legs gave way, forcing him to drop onto the floor beside the man.
'This damn body! I'm using Kyouka's high stamina potions, and it's still not enough to exceed the limit?!' Nith cursed, gasping for breath.
-
When Nith crossed paths with the first foe, the other two were already on their way to the brilliant alchemist. By the time they entered her earshot, The Dark Haze had spread enough to form a small room around her.
Moreover, Kyouka had produced a lot of invisible gas around herself, which was Nith's Asphyxiation Toxin.
It affected her, but Kyouka's alchemist skills allowed her to spread it more around her than close to her, forming a second barrier and keeping most of her muscles intact for longer.
'They've made it here!' Kyouka inwardly exclaimed.
Despite the fear clenching her heart, she focused on the fluctuations within The Dark Haze, allowing her to spot the enemies before they noticed her.
She threw a combination of her reversed potions and Nith's Asphyxiation Toxin at them.
Although Kyouka had a magic touch and her great talent had resulted in a formula to produce Nith's venom in abundance and grant it additional effects, she hadn't had time to study the Asphyxiation Toxin.
The fact that she had come this far in a single day already justified her talent.
That said, wounds and blood draped her enemies. These were the channels she would use to quicken the effects of the tongue-twisting toxins!
As the vials shattered on them, the men swallowed their resentment and kept cutting through The Dark Haze.
Their unique devouring skill consumed the dark mist like a voracious eater, clearing a path toward the alchemist. Additionally, their experience guided them toward Kyouka based on the direction of her potions.
Their combat experience stood out, while Kyouka kept chucking potions, unaware of how this would come back to haunt her.
The resource advantage was still on Kyouka's side. She significantly slowed her enemies down, with the Asphyxiation Toxin taking its toll on them.
In combination with her reversed potions, Kyouka entered a battle of attrition, one where poison masters always had the upper hand.