Chapter 193: Felling the Bone King
A claw came Jacks way. He barely ghost-stepped away, seeing the large, sharp bones carve the stone floor like it was water. His fist shone purple. He unleashed a Meteor Punch at the arm as it recovered, but all his explosion did was break the surface bones. There were many more layers underneath.
How can I be so weak!? he thought, eyes wide. I may not be at the Elite level yet, but Im stronger than peak E-Grade monsters! Is this all I can do?
Yet, the harsh reality was right in his face. Compared to the Lords and the Bone King, he had a long way to go. He couldnt even use his Life Drop.
Grab its arms! Minerva shouted from the entrance.
The other cultivators around Jack sprang into motion. Magic flew everywhere. Explosions filled Jacks ears. Light blinded him.
Keeping tabs on the Bone King was all he could do. He charged with a roar, channeling a Meteor Punch.
The fat guy from Exploding SunChotusuddenly turned golden and gigantic. He grabbed one arm of the Bone King, struggling to keep it to the ground. The turtle fell on him as well, as did several other Physical cultivators.
The King tried to tug its arm free, but the cultivators combined pressure stopped it for an instantenough for the eagle to fly in its face, carving it up with its talons. The King roared. The wolf jumped on its back again, tearing bones up with its strong jaws, as Priya flashed under the Kings belly and slammed a sun into it. The explosion raised its entire body by an inch.
Longsword flew back into the battle, holding his ribs with one hand and swinging with the other. His sword cleaved through the upper-left part of the Kings face, cutting it clean off.
The King, realizing it was losing, went berserk. Its body erupted and thrummed with power. It threw everyone off its arm, then cleaved around wildly. Priya and Longsword dodged. Many others were not as lucky, cut into ribbons or shattered by the Kings attacks. Jack himself had to ghost-step away, narrowly dodging certain death.
Green power filled the air. The long-haired woman of Exploding SunKareenaand the dryad of Hand of God both raised their hands, releasing life magic. It swam into the injured bodies and healed them, giving them the strength to fight again. Even Longswords ribs were repaired.
Of course, those who died instantly could not be saved.
The moment the healing magic was activated, the Bone King snapped its head that way like it smelled anathema. The healers were already running, but the Kings tail slammed into the ground and propelled its upper body forward, ramming through some cultivators and sending them flying.
Jack was one of them. He felt a colossal impact against his crossed arms, then the world spun until a stone column brought him to an instant halt. He fell to the ground, groaning and unable to stand. His ribs were broken. Through the corner of his eye, he spotted the King rampaging. It was trying to reach the healers while everyone else was taking the opportunity to pummel it.
A sun smashed into its head and exploded inside. The wolf tore its spine apart. Longsword cleaved at the base of its tail, and the eagle was swooping by quickly, forgoing caution in favor of damage.
But the King, being a D-Grade monster, was not completely stupid. It suddenly stopped and raised its hand into the air, grabbing the eagle mid-flight and crushing it. No healing magic could bring it back.
It threw the eagles body into the healers as if mocking them, causing them to jump aside and give an opening. It then ignored that opening to spin around itself with its arms extended, maiming anyone who didnt react in time.
That was a lot of people.
Chuto, the golden giant, had no time to dodge. He used his open palm to block the strikean impossible endeavor. He was sent flying back in a straight line, crashing against a wall hard enough that the crack of his bones was audible over the din of battle. Priya screamed and jumped at the King, her entire body radiating intense light and heat. She smashed into its head like a smite from the heavens, unleashing an inferno that charred its bones black.
The King tried to roar again, but its voice was long gone. All it managed to do was open its mouth in a silent cry. A new beast flew in therea sparrow smaller than the previous eagle, but also faster. It lodged itself into the Bone Kings throat and started cutting around wildly with its claws and sharp wind tips. The King tried to chomp on it, but the sparrow was too far back. The King then clawed at its mouth, but Longsword cut off its hand before it could reach.
It then swiped at him with the other hand, ignoring the sparrow, but the turtle and wolf attacked it at the same time, tipping it over and making it crash face-first into the ground.
In the blink of an eye, everyone was on top of the Bone King. Magic filled the air. Powerful strikes cracked bone. Colors abounded. All the elements had gone haywire. Darkness expanded around the Kings head, cutting off its eyesight.
Jack realized he had recovered. His prodigious regenerative powers had stitched back his ribs. He jumped into the battle, hovering over everyone else and unleashing a Meteor Shower on the Kings back, digging deeper and deeper even as it squirmed under them.
With a final push, the King raised its body, throwing them all off. It faced the ceiling and roaredand, in its moment of defiance, Longswords sword cleaved through its neck from behind, severing it.
A head of bone crashed onto the stone floor, its jaws closing one final time. The red flames went out. Its colossal body collapsed slowly, rolling forward onto the floor until it lay slumped and motionless.
Level Up! You have reached Level 95.
Level Up! You have reached Level 96.
Level Up! You have reached Level 97.
Silence pervaded the chamber. Then, a massive cry of triumph. Everyone yelled at the same time, celebrating their lungs out.
They had killed an immortal.
***
Jack waded through the battles aftermath. He saw bodies strewn aboutsome of the galaxys brightest geniuses, fallen in their quest to glory. The iron stench of blood filled the chamber. Broken bones crunched under his feetall that remained of the D-Grade Bone King.
Healers toured the bloody chamber, helping the few wounded that remained. It was towards one such healer that Jack paced, slowly, absorbing the destruction around him.
Violence was ugly. But it was his path.
His steps brought him to a stone column, against the base of which leaned a man with canine tendencies. Salin, Jack said in greeting. Are you okay?
HeyJack.
The canine had received a backhand from the Bone King, which almost shattered his entire body. Only the long-haired womans fast reaction had saved him. Yet, despite the excruciating pain he had undoubtedly experienced, Salin looked ready to laugh again. His lips were crooked into a smirk with one eye closed. All the pain in the world couldnt touch himor, at least, so it seemed.
Thank you, Jack said to the healer still tending to the last of Salins wounds. She was Kareena, the woman with long silver hair who was part of Lady Priyas team.
Dont mention it, she replied, not taking her eyes away from Salin. In battle, we are all brothers and sisters. This is the least I could do.
Jack nodded. Right then, a small shape dashed before him, then stopped and extended a fist. Jack smiled and bumped it. Whats up, Brock?
Bro, Brock replied, giving Jack a thumbs-up. That carried all the meaning in the world.
Jack had seen Brock before the battle began, but he remained overjoyed. His little bro had broken into the E-Grade! That was terrific! Not to mention the army of crabs hed reportedly amassed.
Nauja followed right behind Brock. As an archer, she had remained near the chamber entrance during the battle, so she was safe. Nice fight, she commented. That move of yours was flashy.
Meteor Shower? Thanks. Its my strongest one.
She nodded. I am also working on a new skill. I tried to use it during the battle, butI dont quite understand it yet.
The one you got in the Trial?
Yes.
It will come. Ive experienced two Dao Visions so far. One was harder than the other, but both gave me insights. Its just a matter of time.
I guess. I just cant wait! She smiled radiantly. Jack smirked back. He was stupid to worry.
What did you say its called? Arrow that Cuts the Sun?
She scowled. Not even close. Its Sun Piercing Arrow.
Thats what I said.
Not even close! What kind of name is Arrow that Cuts the Sun? First of all, it doesnt make sense, and second, it sounds terrible. Arrows dont even cut. Even a child could think of a better name.
Whereas Sun Piercing Arrow is an artistic masterpiece.
Whatever, Mr. Meteor Shower.
Jack laughed. From the side, he could practically sense Salins urge to say something stupid. Too bad his chest remained caved in, making every word a struggle.
The battle against the Bone King had been bloody. Four of the twenty-three participants had perished, along with two of Lady Minervas beasts, and many more had been injuredso many that it took the healers hours to patch up their most grievous wounds. In the meantime, everyone else conversed with their companions, took in the battle and its aftermath, and prepared themselves for what was essentially the final ring of Trial Planet: Garden Ring.
Unlike every other ring, Garden Ring was more a reward than a trial. The cultivators who made it there could just walk around and collect treasures, enter Trials, or pursue other benefits. Of course, there was danger if you wanted the very best rewards, but most people were content with what was freely offered.
The greatest danger in Garden Ring was other cultivators. When presented with such wealth, disputes arose easily, and nobody stopped people from killing each other. Even the three Lords and their teams would be slaughtering each other for the greatest treasureas Longsword had told Jack during their journey.
Just like the Integration, Trial Planet was designed to be a massive meat grinder. Many people died or failed, but those who proved their worth received enormous benefits.
In light of the next Rings circumstances, the rapid socialization had dwindled after the battle. Everyone knew they were finally at Garden Ring. The person they befriended today might be the one to kill them tomorrow.
The bodies of the fallen were buried in a corner of the antechamber. The hard stone that made up the floor was nothing for these strong cultivators. A massive rock was placed over the common grave, announcing the names of the fallen to those who would come next.
As Jack learned, the labyrinth cleaned and restored itself between batches of cultivators. The labyrinth itself was actually a small part of the entire labyrinth Ring, constantly rolling around its surface to reveal new walls, corridors, trials, monsters, and throne rooms. Meanwhile, everything outside the current labyrinths bounds was magically restored to its original state.
In other words, this grave would disappear soon. But the action still mattered, for everyone knew it was only luck that they werent the ones in the tomb.
Then, led by the three Lords, everyone walked to a small passage behind the Bone Kings throne. It was shortonly thirty feet in lengthand leading to an empty pedestal. It was a teleportation device like the one that had transported them to Labyrinth Ring, except made of bronze instead of iron. That meant the teleportation wouldnt be random.
The Lords and their teams were the first to touch the pedestal and wink away. More groups followed, while Jack was content to take his time. In the end, only he and his group remained.
Instantly, Jack reached for his hidden pocket and retrieved the gray orb hed taken from the labyrinths Treasure Trial. He hadnt dared inspect it before, even when out of range, afraid of anyone in Longswords team having an advanced perception skill. Now, however, that the Lord had warped away, he had his chance.
Whats that? Nauja asked.
Jack snuck a glance at the orb.
Repeat Exploding Orb, E-Grade
This orb can hold enough power to match the all-out attack of a peak E-Grade cultivator. When thrown with force, it explodes on impact, instantly releasing all the power it has accumulated. The orb itself is unharmed from the explosion. Its inner formation absorbs power from its surroundings, refilling its reserves over the next thirty System hours. It is then ready to explode again.
Huh. Thats useful.
An item I got in the labyrinth, he explained, but keep it a secret, okay? I kind of stole this from Longsword.
Gan Salin raised both brows, while Nauja nodded. Sure, she replied. Good job.
Thanks. What do you think about it?
Thats a very strong item, Salin replied. Explosive orbs are not too uncommon in the galaxy, but they have limited utility because theyre one-use items. I have never heard of one that can be used repeatedly. It is a very cost-effective item in the long run. I bet it can be sold for a stupidly large amount of credits.
Really? Is it worth selling?
Depends. If you have someone at the F-Grade or early E-Grade that you want to protect, this item is a godsend. It can basically save their lives once a day. If not Then, yeah, just sell it when were out of here.
Hmm. Do you want it, Brock?
The brorilla quickly shook his head. He then mimed that such a strong failsafe would limit his future growthlet alone the un-bro-ness of relying on such an item.
Jack nodded. Hed expected that. For now, the orb would remain a strong weapon in his possession, and he would reconsider after leaving Trial Planet. He just had to be carefulif Longsword saw this item, he would understand he had been tricked.
Lets go, he said, re-pocketing the orb. If we take too long, people will get suspicious.
Holding Brock from the shoulderjust to be sureJack laid his hand on the bronze, and space warped around them.
When he recovered, he quickly looked around. This was the eighth ring of Trial Planet: Garden Ring.
Where everything would be decided.
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