Salvos

487. Differences Between Primeval And Arch

I heard the cries of the baby Wyverns behind me. But still, I ignored them. They couldn’t join me. And I couldn’t just sit around protecting them. They had to listen to me— to stay put as I dealt with this threat.

Ira was here. He was locked in battle with three of my clones. I could see their clash up ahead. The golden flames flashed, only to be interrupted by a pool of black liquid. The fragments of a blood sphere that rippled and darted around the Primeval Demon and protected him. They couldn’t even touch him, despite working together.

And that was why I needed to help them.

We stood the best chance of defeating him if I was there too. If he won, he would end up slaughtering the adventurers. He would massacre the surviving soldiers camped just outside of Lunaris. I didn’t really care if most of them died, but there were some I still cared about like Jaakko, Zack, and Helen.

More than that, I did want to pass up this opportunity to gain more levels. I’d already gained a significant amount of experience from killing a bunch of lower-leveled Demons with my clones. Killing Ira would give me more experience as well considering he was 10 levels above me. So I had all the reason in the world to face the Primeval Demon here and now.

The only thing that briefly held me back were the three baby Wyverns. Novis, Bellum, and Oriur. I didn’t need to glance back at them to see what they were doing. Already, I could see them running my way— giving chase as I left them behind. But I flicked a finger, and they came to a halt.

It was as if they’d run straight into a glass window that was as sturdy as a wall. [Fragmented Pocket Dimension]. A partial casting of that Skill. Unfortunately, I couldn’t concentrate and form my full pocket space here in the Mortal Realm and fight at the same time. I kept them trapped there so they couldn’t give chase, but it wouldn’t completely protect them since the spatial walls were relatively fragile.

I’d considered trapping the three baby Wyverns in the Ring of the Forgotten Prison too. But the thing was— I didn’t know if they could survive in that space. It wasn’t the most conducive environment for… anyone, really. Even as a Level 147 Archdemon with a special Class at Level 116, I still found my movements being partially impeded while in there. It felt slightly nauseating— a bit confusing, too.

If not for my spatial senses, I’d probably be left completely lost whenever I enter the Ring of the Forgotten Prison. I didn’t want something bad to happen to the baby Wyverns, so I wasn’t going to take the risk of keeping them there.

So I kept an eye on them, even as I reached the walls of Lunaris. Ira hovered there as his blood-spear impaled one of my clones. I recoiled, backing away from the golden explosion.

“Just two clones left…”

I murmured and looked towards the Primeval Demon. I called my remaining clones, and they flew to my side. They joined me as I twirled my Divine Nebular Spear.

“You’re Ira?”

I called out to the [Hellprince]. He stood atop a sheet of solid blood. It hovered, carrying him higher to meet my gaze. Slowly, he nodded.

“Indeed I am. And I take it you must be Salvos. The Liberator of the Plaguelands. Or do you have a new Title now?”

He tapped a finger on his chin, and I beamed.

“That’s me!”

“I am glad I can finally meet you in person, and not through your… apparitions.”

He dismissively waved a hand towards my clones. But I shook my head.

“You’re a lot smaller than I remembered. When I last saw you, you were this big [Cambion]. Now you’re a small [Hellprince]. Belzu didn’t really change this much when he became a [Hellprince].”

“Belzu is but an insect buzzing before our King, so he will always be an insect.”

Ira spread his arms wide as his blood poured from his back, creating spikes that hovered mid-air.

“But me? I achieved this form through perseveringly serving our King! And I shall make you perish for him!”

My eyes flickered, and a salvo of blood-projectiles came my way. My two remaining clones scattered as I raised my Divine Nebular Scythe, knocking the onslaught of spikes. I called out to my clones as they circled around the Primeval Demon.

“If you’re going to die, die on him!”

They nodded in agreement, avoiding the attack. They unleashed their golden flames at Ira, but his protective sphere deflected their magic. When their flames dissipated, the black blood lashed out like whips, narrowly missing my clones. And that was when I took my chance.

I knew that Ira couldn’t be touched as long as the sphere of black blood protected him. That was why my clones struggled so much. However, I also noticed that whenever they tried to attack him, there would always be a brief moment where his defenses would go down— when he launched a counterattack. I saw this all even when I was with the baby Wyverns, using [Manifestation of the Old Gods].

So I took my opportunity. I activated [Haste] and [Warped Time] before speeding forward. The black blood receded quickly, moving to protect him. But I was faster. I reached Ira, grinning as I swung down with my Divine Nebular Scythe. And he raised his blood-spear, easily parrying my slash.

I recoiled, flying back with a grunt. I crashed into the earth, creating a massive crater where I lay. I picked myself back up with a groan.

“He’s strong…”

Speed wasn’t his specialty, but it was clearly that magic and physical prowess was where he excelled best. That was why he just stood there rather than trying to keep up with me or my clones.

Ira laughed as he looked down at me, ignoring my clones’ attacks helplessly bouncing off his blood barrier.

“You may be fast, but what is the point of speed if you are both weak and fragile?”

He flicked his wrist, and his blood-spear shot out again. It caught one of my clones off-guard. She flew directly into it before exploding. I felt the ground shaking from the blast, watching as the weapon returned to the Primeval Demon’s hand.

“Even for apparitions, they are hopelessly easy to kill. Did you really think you could defeat me like this?”

“Yes I—”

I burst into the sky, raising my Divine Nebular Scythe as blue fire trailed after its blade. Ira smirked as he watched me draw closer. And at the very last moment, I teleported behind him.

“—can!”

I swung down, the first strike in a [Barrage of Cinders]. But my attack was stopped. I felt the impact being dulled like it had hit a hard liquid. I looked down, seeing the black blood already protecting Ira. I clicked my tongue and zipped around him in a circle.

He didn’t move. His eyes simply darted after me, watching my every movement. I moved as fast as I could around the Primeval Demon as his black blood followed me. I swung down again— and teleported.

It was a short-range teleportation. Something I could do in rapid succession. And I appeared at the other side of the blood barrier. A second attack. A continuation of [Barrage of CInders]. But once more, his defenses moved fast enough to protect him.

I didn’t waste any time. I pulled back and repeated this maneuver again and again and again. Each time, I was inches from reaching him. My attacks nearly connected, but somehow, his defenses were always a little bit faster than me. I gritted my teeth as my teleportation [Barrage of Cinders] failed. I was just about to retreat, when I noticed a ripple run through the blood barrier.

My eyes grew wide as, all at once, the sphere spiked out in all directions. I barely blocked the attack with my Divine Nebular Scythe. I winced as bits of the black blood broke off, splattering against my skin. It wasn’t just like regular blood. Somehow, it stung. Like I was being pelted by small rocks. My lips twisted— then I grinned.

“Now!”

Ira blinked as my clone teleported to his side in that brief moment where his blood barrier was gone. His eyes grew wide, and she swung at him with a flaming golden scythe. But he thrust forward with his blood-spear, roaring.

“That didn’t work the first time!”

His attack tore through my clone’s weapon. She blinked as he stabbed her— and she sneered. Ira stabbed her through the torse, and her form began to waver. Ira stared, the realization settling in as she clutched onto his blood-spear.

“Boom.”

I pointed. His blood barrier rushed back, receding to protect him. But it was too late. My clone exploded, engulfing the Primeval Demon entirely as he screamed.