Genetic Ascension

Chapter 469: Overplayed Hand (2)

The feeling of danger locked onto Sylas again. He could feel it as though it was coming from all sides and yet nowhere all at once. The pressure was such that he felt like he might suffocate at any moment.

His gaze flashed, a deep green light flying out from their depths almost like beams. The pressure was pierced through, and a cold sweat matted his back.

He realized at that moment that the danger he was feeling was a psychological tactic, but it felt so real that he couldn't break free of it easily.

'This Vorthyx is on the same talent level as Nosphaleen... the difference being that he's Level 9 while Nosphaleen is only Level 5, and the gap shows...'

Sylas had a hard time breaking free of Nosphaleen's coercion easily, and despite the distance between himself and Vorthyx, this was the second time he had made him think that a false danger was, in reality, a real one.

If he got any closer, the feeling would only become more potent. But at this point, he had no other choice.

To his back, the Basilisk King had already been surrounded by General Song's army, and there was simply no way back. Unless he could accomplish his goal, all of this would be a failure. "Sorvanis."

Vorthyx's voice echoed, carrying a peculiar quality to it.

From the far-off distance, Sylas could tell that he was speaking another language, and this time, there was no system to translate it for him. But the word he spoke sounded phonetically almost identical to the name he had read from the Clypsian bleeding from his nose.

Sorvanis seemed to be awakened by the mysterious energy, and his condition slowly stabilized. The Clypsian spat out a mouthful of blood to the side with derision as he glared into the distance toward Sylas.

He said words in clear anger that Sylas couldn't understand, and Vorthyx replied with a cold tone.

After hearing whatever Vorthyx said, Sorvanis fell into silence. Or rather, it seemed like he didn't dare to speak again.

Sorvanis knocked his head back and chugged an Elixir in a single go.

The three Clypsians could see that Sylas was getting closer, but none of them seemed to care. Elyndor had absolute confidence in herself, and the other two shared the sentiment.

However...

When Sylas reached within 30 meters of them and Sorvanis was just standing up to act again, the entire situation changed once more.

Sylas' Rune Soul expertise crashed down from above like a wave, nearly shredding the barrier apart.

Elyndor, a cold beauty who had yet to say a single word, suddenly felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest. She spoke out a string of words in a panic, and this time even Vorthyx had a fierce reaction as well.

This first person that Sylas had ever met with Rune Breath was Nosphaleen. In his impression, these people were stronger, so the odds that they had even greater control over Runes than himself was high.

What he didn't know was that he no longer had Rune Breath; he had Rune Soul. And... Elyndor only had Rune Breath herself.

She hadn't believed for a second that there was anyone here who could do anything against her barrier. And in truth, she was in part right.

Sylas was a raw talent, but she was someone who had been systematically trained. Something like the shocking geometry that Sylas had learned to incorporate into his <Arctic King's Domain> was something that Elyndor had likely learned in theory long before she even grasped Rune Enlightenment, let alone now.

The structure of Elyndor's force field was thus incredibly robust and sturdy, and it was like Sylas had the strength of a giant with the coordination of a toddler.

He smashed against it with great force, and his power was far beyond what Elyndor could imagine, but her skill was far beyond his likewise.

This created a counterbalance. But it was doubtful that it would last very long... because Sylas was a quick learner.

The moment he sensed the fluctuation of the force field, he seemed to have grasped several weaknesses all in a single instant.

He understood how he could break it, but there simply wasn't enough time. If he had a foundation of theory, it would take him a split second. But if he wanted to shatter this barrier without force, he would need to build the key to do so from the ground up. That would take him at least two minutes by his estimation.

Sylas realized all of this the moment his Will collided with the barrier. He just might be too late to do anything.

But as was the pattern today, he pivoted again, changing his plans when he saw the panic on the faces of the Clypsians. He came to a stop, his frosty <Arctic King's Domain> suppressing the region around him.

His Will surrounded the force field and gently pressed down. He raised a hand as though he was about to strike down before he paused.

"Which of you can translate?" he asked coldly.

Sylas' gaze flickered. He had never been more surprised in a single day than he was today. In fact, that included the day the Summoning descended.

It felt like too much was out of his control.

The moment his words descended, Vorthyx waved a hand, and the three of them were enveloped in rays of light once again. The Great Celestial Wall lit up before vanishing. Sylas stood in silence, huffing for breath as he slowly lowered his hand.

'Still not strong enough.'

He looked up into the skies. He was neither strong enough nor knowledgeable enough.

To his back, the Basilisk King had already been caught in a net, its head forced to the ground. Its yellow eyes flickered with unwillingness and anger, but for some reason, seeing Sylas' back from such a far-off distance away, it had a feeling that Sylas was experiencing the same

thing.