The Reverse Mana System

The defense barrier around the village collapsed and mana beasts from all around flooded inside.

Immediately, the villagers all panicked and chaos spread. The Apostles immediately charged towards the mana beasts which were being slaughtered like chickens.

Suddenly, the four tier 5 Hammer Bears appeared in front of the four Apostles and the two tier 6 mana beasts also began fighting the tier 6 Apostles.

All the weaker mana beasts were able to pass them and began flooding in the village.

Alex and Blacaw were also surrounded by these mana beasts, but in front of Blacaw who was mid tier 5, all these beasts could only wait to be slaughtered.

He and Alex retreated back to where the villagers were concentrated.

[Emergency mission : Retreat]

[Description : Leave the village and safely escape from the beast wave..]

[Rewards : 200,000 exp, +5 skill points, +2 skill upgrade cards.]

[Optional mission : slaughter and rescue.]

[Description: 1. Hunt down at least 20 mana

beasts.

2. Rescue the individuals Lucas and

Sheri.]

[System rewards : one portable weapon store

port, +400,000 exp, exp equal to 2 times the cumulative damage dealt to the mana beasts.

+1 blueprint upgradation card.]

[Base rewards: World energy container, +500 gold coins, moving carriage.]

[Do you want to accept the optional mission?]

[Yes/No]

Alex had never seen an optional mission before, and this one truly gave off generous rewards.

The system rewards were also high. A [portable weapon store port] meant that he could set up a location from where he could enter and exit the weapon store and dungeons and wouldn't have to wait to find another place like Old Man Dreron's place and a [blueprint upgrade card] meant that he could get the better version of the blueprints of the customized weapon that he was making.

' Is this optional mission activated in order to gain the World energy container? That seems very likely. ' Alex thought to himself.

Suddenly, a tier 1 Inferno growler, a mana beast with fire affiliation appeared before Alex.

Alex quickly drew out his Basic mana sword. Someone questioning him about the origins of this sword was the least of his worries, not to mention that no one would be foolish enough to be focusing their attention on him when their own lives were not guaranteed in this chaos.

[Mana analysis complete.]

[Reverse mana generated.]

The system notification appeared and Alex slashed his sword at the Inferne Growler. Blue coloured wind blades covered the surface of the sword as it sliced through the beast's ribcage.

The dead body of the mana beast fell down on the ground. Seeing this, all the nearby Inferno growlers were enraged and a barrage of fireballs was unleashed at Alex from every possible direction.

Alex dodged the first few fireballs and immediately cast a shadow movement.

Before the Inferno Growlers could even react, two more of their ranks had already had their heads severed from their bodies.

Lucas was not much of a fighter, so he was helping the other villagers evacuate in the opposite direction to the battlefield while keeping his focus on all the people who were fighting, but when he saw Alex fighting a group of tens of Inferno Growlers, he wanted to impulsively run there and help him.

But what happened next gave him goosebumps. Alex, who was weaker than any of the mana beasts surrounding him, just weaved his way through the group while swinging his sword from time to time, and with each swing of his sword, a corpse of an Inferno growler would fall on the ground.

It wasn't only Lucas, all the higher tier fighters from both the sides caught Alex's action in their senses and were equally surprised.

At this moment, even Alex himself was in a daze, the reason being a new system notification that was recited in his brain.

[New ability, Intermediate Battle Awareness unlocked.]

[Effects : heightened concentration and senses

when engaged in combat.]

[Requirements : kill 60 adversaries.]

Alex could feel his senses become much clearer than before and he could even sense all the movements in an area of radius 5 meters around him.

Alex wanted to leave right after completing the basic requirement of 20 mana beasts, but his way was blocked by a tier 2 mana beast.

[Mana beast : Rock Armadillos]

[Level : 54]

[HP : 5000]

[MP : 2740]

[Strength : 380(520) Agility :180(240)

Endurance : 400(580) Intelligence :200(280)]

[Skills : fatal scratch, headbutt, rock projectile,

boulder tail.]

[Abilities : armor, damage reduction, mana armor reinforcement.]

[Special ability: Impenetrable ( damage from all attacks is reduced by 690 points by sacrifice of other attributes. )]

Alex could tell that this beast wave was being controlled from the scene. He had just shown his combat abilities and the mana beast which would've been the best counter to him was already sent his way.

Due to his level being much lower that this Rock Armadillos, the damage his attacks did to it would definitely not reach 690 in one hit, that meant that his each attack essentially wouldn't do any damage at all.

He looked at the Demonoid-beast hybrid that was overseeing the battle while flying in the air who was making screeching sounds from time to time. This creature was most definitely the leader of this beast wave.

It had both the beast domain of a tier 6 mana beast and the intelligence of a demon, not to mention that it had broken the barrier by using some one time use artifact. Alex could see a smirk on its face even from a distance.

Alex couldn't defeat the mana beast, so he began running away, but the Rock Armadillos followed him around throughout the battlefield. Finally, Alex hit a dead end.

He couldn't continue fleeing because if he took a step further, he would be in the attack range of a tier 3 Goliath tiger which was fighting against a group of peak tier 2 hunters.

Alex knew that he'd only end up dead if he interfered there, so he could only stall this Rock Armadillos for the time being.

He swung his sword without using mana and immediately ran past the mana beast.

This continued for about ten minutes before a smile appeared on Alex's face.

[Mana analysis complete.]

[Reverse Mana generated.]

The system notification appeared before Alex and he immediately turned around.

Using speed enhancement, Alex immediately appeared before the Rock Armadillos and stabbed his sword into its head while covered with a wind blade.

The wind blade gave out a metallic luster and directly penetrated into the shell of the Rock Armadillos. Due to it penetrating the head of the beast, the damage done was also quite significant and immediately one third of the HP was reduced.

Sqquuuuiiiillllcccchhhh!

The Armadillos made a shrill cry. It waved its tail which was covered by a layer of rock like a whip and attacked Alex.

Alex knew that it was too late to dodge. He immediately used the body of the sword supported by his hand to block the tail from hitting him.

Crackk!

The tail hit the blade. The impact of the collision immediately broke the blade and Alex was thrown dozens of meters away.

[Severe physical damage alert!]

[HP has been reduced by 48%.]

The system notification appeared before Alex.

He immediately got up from the ground. His left hand was broken and a severe pain in the ribs assaulted him. Alex could see his broken bone heal slowly, but he was sure that he was no match for a tier 2 Mana beast.

Only one attack was able to reduce him to this state. He could see the mana flow of the Rock Armadillos, but the attack came too quickly.

Boulder was a basic skill and so the mana beast at tier 2 essentially required a very short time to use it.

Alex got up and immediately fled using speed enhancement. Nearly all the villagers were gathered near their wagons and required a very short time to leave.

At this moment, the Demonoid-beast hybrid that was overseeing the entire battlefield made its move. It immediately charged towards an tier 5 Apostle and swung the Warhammer towards the Apostle's head.

Given the short time to react, the Apostle could only put up a basic defense and was immediately hit on his head.

Pannngggg!

The sound of the impact was deafening as it echoed through the village. Alex could see the HP of the Apostle drop to zero in just one attack.

The might of the attack sent shivers down the spine of everyone present and the entire battlefield lapsed into silence.

" Hahaha...! puny insects. You dare to resist when I am here. None of you will leave here alive tonight." The sounds of the hybrid and it's frantic laughter were the only things that could be heard on the battlefield.

"Lord Harmon, I will try to stall this monstrosity and the other beasts. Please take the villagers and escape." The other tier 6 Apostle said to Harmon and charged towards the hybrid.

Harmon immediately grabbed Chester and made his way to one of the wagons.

"Everyone, leave all the things that you haven't loaded yet and board your wagons. We can't delay our departure any longer." Chester shouted.

"You people should also leave. We will try to stall these beasts long enough for you to escape." The remaining three Apostles said in unison.

Blacaw nodded and immediately signaled Alex to retreat towards his house.

Alex immediately went towards the chief's house in the middle of the village.

Blacaw had already grabbed Sheri and Lucas and reached there just a second later.

He then walked to an empty corner of the backyard and drew something on the ground.

Immediately, a crack appeared in the air and a blinding light emerged from it.

The light dispersed after a second and the view became clear. A shed had appeared on the empty ground and an orangish light could be seen coming from the shed.

Blacaw opened the shed and went inside.

A sound of neighing was heard as the sound of horse hooves tapping the ground reached Alex's ears.

[Mana Beast : Flame winged horse.]

[Level : 104]

...

...

.....

...

Alex was shocked. A carriage drawn by a tier 3 mana beast was taken out of the shed.

It was a horse like beast which had flames covering his body and it's agility was through the roof.

The mana beast seemed very tamed and was drawing a large carriage.

Alex, Sheri and Lucas boarded the carriage while Blacaw took the reins of the horse and the Flame winged horse immediately began galloping it's way out of the village.

"I didn't expect a tier 5 rune maker to be living here." Alex said to Blacaw.

" I wasn't originally from here. My parents were former Apostles of Lord God, but they died in the century long war of Gods and Demons, later I was sent here and settled down here after meeting my wife." Blacaw replied.

Suddenly, the carriage stopped.

" Alex, could you please take the reins?" Blacaw asked.

"You aren't planning to ...." Alex asked, exasperated.

" I have no other choice. He's already here." Blacaw said, pointing at the Demonoid-beast hybrid that had appeared behind the carriage.

" Maggots, do you think that you will be able to escape from my grasp? No one has ever been able to survive under my, Rargrizeth's seige."

"No, you can't do this. Father please don't..."

Sheri began crying as she tightly hugged Blacaw's hand from behind, refusing to let go.

" Don't worry, little Sheri. Papa will protect you." Blacaw said, patting Sheri's head.

After some time, a rune appeared on Sheri's forehead and she immediately lost consciousness.

Blacaw stood up from his seat, put a concealment rune on the carriage and jumped off it. He put another rune on the concealed Flame winged horse and left.

Before Alex could even say something, the horse began running frenziedly.

Alex could only watch the silhouette of Blacaw as it grew smaller and finally disappeared into the dark of the night.

By his side were Lucas who had been crying for some unknown time and an unconscious Sheri.

Try as he might, all the money, ores and other things in the carriage could not distract him from the last smile that Blacaw gave when looking at the unconscious Sheri before leaving.

Blacaw was the first person who had left such a strong impression on Alex in both his lives.

Sound of wind being torn apart was heard in the forest as an orange streak of light passed through it.