Leveling up the World

Chapter 865: Music Devastation

You have broken through your ninety-sixth barrier.

You are level 96.

Choose the trait you value the most.

A purple rectangle flashed in front of Dallion. One additional advantage of the new domain was the additional levels hed earned. The previous four times Dallion had chosen to improve his empathy trait, raising it to seventy. On this occasion, he hesitated. He could always use a higher reaction, not to mention that his perception was lagging behind as well.

No, he chose empathy again. He had to look at more than short-term gains. Five points wouldnt provide him with an insurmountable advantage. Developing his empathy, in the long term, would.

Nox, do your thing, he ordered.

GUARDIAN CHALLENGE!

Nox has challenged the guardian of STONE CIRCLE on your behalf!

The guardian has no choice but to respond to the challenge.

A towering colossus emerged, rising thousands of feet in the air. If there were clouds in the realm, theyd barely reach his chest. Despite the impressive size, at level five, it was more for show. Without blinking an eye, Dallion performed a dozen line attacks in immediate succession, all aimed at the guardians head.

Used to this sort of attack, the monstrosity raised his arms to cover his face. That proved to be a fatal mistake. Knowing the colossus weak spot, Dallion used his flight spell to circle the guardian until its ear became visible, then performed a series of point attacks.

FATAL STRIKE

Dealt damage is increased by 500%

FATAL STRIKE

Dealt damage is increased by 500%

Red rectangles stacked near the guardians head.

STONE CIRCLE Level not increased due to lack of inhabitants

4000 inhabitants required for STONE CIRCLE to improve further

The VILLAGE remains Level 5

Dallion paused. He suspected that inhabitants would be area specific, although he had hoped the vicinity to Sandstorm would allow him to use some of the furies in excess of the town limit. In the future, it wouldnt be a bad idea to create a small community here and a few other settlements in order for them to act as sentry-villages.

Soon, he thought, returning to the real world.

The size of the domain wasnt particularly impressivethe water islands were larger in size. That was all taken into account. Dallion very well remembered one of the first things he had been told about domains: he controlled everything within them, even the air.

Thought you might need some help, Vihrogon said, stepping into the real world part of the domain. Theres four of us and ten islands. I guess that makes it two and a quarter each?

A volley of water projectiles launched from the nearest island, aimed at Dallion. Once again, Harp blocked them with a series of projectiles of her own.

Drawing the aura sword to him, Dallion performed a point strike in the direction of the water island, while simultaneously casting new aether barriers.

Any idea what were facing? Dallion asked.

A bit before my time. The dryad stretched, vines shooting out of him to strike the few water droplets that Harp had missed. A thousand at most, Id say.

Three hundred, the nymph specified. Its standard for a water island to have three hundred soldiers, all of them capable of magic. At least thirty of them awakened.

That composed only part of the attack. The main focus wasnt its destructive power, but the emotions it spread. Dread, hopelessness, and uncontrollable sadness emanated throughout the valley, coming from two powerful sources.

MUSIC EFFECT - DEVASTATION

The strength of your attack is too strong to be contained.

Youll suffer 10% of its intensity until it stops.

Gritting his teeth, Dallion concentrated, fighting to withstand the effects. The sensation reminded him of what he had witnessed when exploring the world sword. There was no way to measure the current music attack, but if it was as high, the effects would become visible any moment now.

Five seconds passed, then ten. The nearest water islands slowed down, decreasing their attacks. A water golem emerged on the scene, utterly unaffected, yet he was quickly engaged by Gleam.

Of course, Dallion thought. Illusions.

Taking advantage of his reaction trait, he used the time between chords to draw a series of magic symbols on his forehead. Bit by bit, the pain diminished. In terms of physical abilities, Dallion would still suffer the effect, but the illusions hed drawn on himself ensured that his mind didnt experience any of that. At most, it seemed that hed spent a night away with no sleep.

A little longer, Dallion told himself.

More of the water island slowed down. A few of the distant ones attempted to target him as before, but Vihrogon was doing a good job of keeping them protected. Hundreds of instances kept shooting thousands of vines, shielding them from all direct attacks, while casting the indirect ones away as well.

Two islands stopped in their tracks, as the humans aboard them jumped off in an effort to stop the pain. Falling a hundred feet wasnt much for an awakened, but in their current state, Dallion could be certain that they would be injured or unconscious at the very least.

Enough. Harp stopped playing.

A little more! Dallion persisted. The contents of his stomach rebelled, screaming to fly out.

Dal. Ice cold water grabbed his hands. Thats enough, the nymph added. Thats all you can do for now.

Dallion stopped. He knew that she was right, although deep inside, he resented himself for it. Maybe he should have increased his body trait after all? Being driven to such a state after minutes of combat made him feel so weak.

Theres nothing wrong, dear boy. Adzorg offered his support from the realm. Fighting an army is like that. Keep in mind, youre not an archduke yet, and your enemies arent low-level awakened.

Strictly speaking, the old mage was right, but in a war that didnt matter in the least. It was that notion which allowed Dallion to break through the doubt he had put himself in with the last attack. Without a moment to lose, he waved the aura blade, casting a series of healing spells. Green circles emerged, shining a soothing light onto him. That felt much better. A few more seconds and he would almost feel like before. Sadly, he didnt have that much time. Summoning another clay cylinder, Dallion went on to release a ray of destruction at one of the islands still moving. The spell hit its target head on, only to be deflected to the side.

Damn it! Dallion thought.

This hadnt been a standard reaction of the island itself, someone had countered the spellsomeone with a high level of skills.

Its not over. Dallion flew straight for the island that had deflected the attack. As long as he defeated the commander there, the rest would retreat. Many were already in pretty bad shape as it was.

A line attack flew past Dallion, missing him by inches. The relative calm had come to an end. All Azures that had withstood the music attack were now reengaging in full force. Their attacks seemed a lot slower now that Dallion had gotten used to them. Splitting into fifty instances, he evaded them all with ease. Just to be on the safe side, he cast a few more protective spells, covering himself in a full aether armor.

Just then, another combat splitting took place. A hundred instances burst out of the water island, revealing a skinny man with a weapon twice his size.

A shield blade? Dallion wondered.

He had seen pictures of the weapon in several of the weapon scrolls, but never one in real life. From what he remembered, the weapon was created exclusively for fighting slimes; its flat side was widened and reinforced to the point that it could act as a shield. Only people of considerable skill and strength used such weapons. Handling it with anything below a sixty body trait was outright impossible.

So, its you again, the mans instances said. All of them had spread out on the ground, looking up at Dallion in utter disgust.

I suggest tactical retreat, Adzorg said from Dallions domain.

Why? Dallion asked. Hes not a mage.

He doesnt have to be. Thats one of Archduke Dreuds personal bodyguards. The same that almost killed you while puppeting a boy at the Academy.