Echo Of Infinity: 100× exp

The Echo of Infinity: Chapter 31 - Sky Tyrant's Fury

Panic erupted in the camp as the Sky Tyrant dove. Wagon drivers screamed, horses reared in terror. The disciplined adventurers reacted instantly, forming defensive positions around the wagons.

"Hold the line!" Torvin roared, planting his shield firmly. "Archers, focus fire! Lysandra, barriers! Seraphina, Blessings!"

Zephyr was already loosing arrows, swift and precise, but they sparked harmlessly off the creature's iridescent scales. The Guild crossbows fired heavy bolts; one struck the creature's flank, eliciting an enraged shriek but seemingly causing little damage.

Lysandra thrust her staff towards the sky. *‘[Rampart of Stone]!’* A thick wall of rock erupted from the ground, angling upwards to intercept the dive. Simultaneously, Seraphina completed her chant, *‘[Aegis of Courage]!’*, and a golden aura enveloped the defenders, bolstering their resolve and offering magical protection.

The Sky Tyrant slammed into the stone rampart with devastating force. Rock shattered and flew, but the barrier held, diverting the creature's initial dive. It screeched in fury, landing heavily just outside the camp perimeter, the impact shaking the ground. Its glowing blue eyes swept over them, radiating cold menace.

It was easily fifty feet long, whip-fast tails lashing, claws gouging the earth. The primal energy rolling off it was suffocating. Kael’s Accumulator interface remained blank regarding its specifics – too high Tier or simply not registered by the Weave as a standard monster.

"Grokk! Torvin! Hold it back!" Lysandra shouted, preparing another spell.

The Orc Barbarian roared a challenge, charging forward with his maul. Torvin moved beside him, shield raised. The Sky Tyrant swiped with a massive claw. Torvin met the blow with his shield, staggering back several feet despite his [Guardian] stance, sparks flying from the enchanted metal. Grokk swung his maul in a huge arc, aiming for the creature's leg. The Tyrant sidestepped with surprising agility, its tail whipping around and catching Grokk across the chest, sending the Orc tumbling back like a discarded toy, gasping for air.

Seraphina rushed to Grokk's side, her hands glowing with healing energy. Kael watched, heart pounding. This creature was overwhelmingly powerful. Tier 1 skills were practically useless against it.

The Tyrant opened its maw, and Kael felt a terrifying build-up of energy. *‘[Sonic Lance]!’* Kael’s mind screamed the identification based purely on the energy signature, a skill likely far beyond Weave classification.

A focused beam of pure sonic force erupted from the creature’s throat, aimed directly at the center of the camp. Lysandra reacted instantly, *‘[Earthen Grasp]!’*, and thick hands of rock surged from the ground, attempting to clamp onto the Tyrant’s head and divert the beam. She succeeded partially – the beam struck the ground near a wagon instead of the defenders, obliterating rock and soil, throwing the wagon onto its side like kindling.

Kael knew he had to do something more than plink at it with his sword or weak Mana Bolts. His team was being overwhelmed. He needed disruption.

He focused, channeling mana through his [Mana Weaver Lv. 19] class, pushing it into the Resonance Stone. *‘Make this look like the artifact!’* He poured energy into an [Enhanced Mana Bolt], overloading it, aiming not for the creature's tough hide, but for its eye. Simultaneously, he prepared his real ace.

*‘Accumulator: Evolve [Shadow Scout] to [Nightblade Lv. 20]. Update fabricated status: Keep Class [Duelist Lv. 15]. Project surge of unstable shadow/artifact energy.’*

The overloaded Mana Bolt shot out, looking like an unstable flare from the glowing Resonance Stone. The Sky Tyrant, momentarily distracted by Lysandra’s earth magic, didn’t react quickly enough. The bolt struck near its eye – not damaging it significantly, but causing pain and surprise. The creature reared back, shrieking.

In that instant of distraction, Kael activated his new [Nightblade] ability. *‘[Shadow Step Lv. 1]!’*

Darkness coalesced around him, and he vanished from his spot, reappearing instantly in the shadows beneath the rearing Sky Tyrant, right near its exposed underbelly. The teleportation was short-range, consumed significant mana, and felt jarring, but it worked.

He was momentarily hidden, the Tyrant disoriented by the bolt to its eye. He saw his chance. The scales on the underbelly looked slightly less thick. He channeled all his strength, speed, and the [Duelist]'s [Precise Strike] skill into one desperate attack with his sword, aiming for a gap between the scales he instinctively identified.

His sword plunged in, meeting resistance, then sinking deeper. Not a fatal blow, not even close for a creature this size, but it drew blood – dark, viscous ichor welled up.

The Sky Tyrant *screamed*, a sound of pure agony and outrage. It thrashed violently, dislodging Kael and sending him tumbling away. Its attention, previously divided, now fixed entirely on the insignificant creature that had dared to wound it.

Its glowing blue eyes locked onto Kael. He felt an overwhelming pressure, a telepathic (?) assault of pure terror and command: *‘SUBMIT. DIE.’*

Kael staggered, his mind reeling from the psychic onslaught. He was exposed, wounded from the fall, and directly targeted by the enraged behemoth.

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Publishment Date:  8/4/2025