Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Chapter 1324: Most Wanted (4)



It had come as a surprise to Skullius.

His basic Null Life abilities - Null Extraction, Static Limbo, Unbound - had completely been removed from his body as conventional skills.

The signs of this odd development had begun during his battle against his alter, the possessed Festos. While being bombarded by the Primary assault of Aphotic Catacomb of the Daemon, his access to all his skills had been cut off, leaving him defenseless, but he had been able to utilize basic Null Life abilities to protect himself with the help of his phantoms.

(A/N: Refer to Ch.1214. You might want to read the whole chapter to get the idea. It's not complicated at all.)

He had controlled Null Life Essence through sheer will rather than relying on the brand of the relevant skills engrained in his body. He had found it odd back then, but time had been tight to speculate.

When he transcended mortality, Skullius found that all his basic Null Life abilities had been removed from his body, but he could control their effects still - with even better results, in

fact.

The explanation Serenity had given was that Divinity rewarded the long journey taken to reach it by allowing a fresh Divine complete access to abilities they acquired from their home world and the system created by its 'overseer' - the Deity or Deities - without cost and restriction. For instance, a combatant from Aigas, after reaching Divinity, would be able to use their Class skills with the same ease as breathing; there would be no costs at all.

In Skullius' case, however, it was different. His skills like [Infinite Sword God: Primordial Sword] had remained as skills branded to his body instead of evolving to this unique state because he was never an original inhabitant of Aigas. He wasn't born here, and he wasn't human. With [Flesh It Like You Mean It] he had cheated his way into the power system on Aigas and hence couldn't retain the benefits.

When it came to Null Life Essence, however, this benefit was applied. His 'overseer', Serenity, claimed him. Skullius was hers, and as far as she was concerned, he was wholly and truly a Null Lifeform. And this was why Skullius had all the freedom in the world to use basic Null Life abilities like...

"Null Extraction!" The two Skulliuses called at the same time.

The effect of the ability was applied on the entirety of Aigas at once, excluding the two other timelines that existed within it as great drapes. The result of all the Null Life Essence in the world from dying humans, beasts and Cavern being drawn by two Divine entities was the significant increase in the speed of its surge towards the two.

Even if a majority of individuals in the world couldn't perceive Null Life Essence, its gushing from all directions cocked up a great gust that swept many away in swarms. Uyuniya and Elita sensed the wild rush of the energy quite clearly, but they could hardly do anything about it. They sensed the massive streams of it split in two and get absorbed by either of the Skulliuses.

There was 7,6 billion units of Null Life Essence collected in total, quite the staggering value and more than enough to satisfy the cost for [Entropy's Harmonising Nimbus]' goal.

The clone poured his own reserve towards Skullius, and cost was paid immediately, but [Entropy's Harmonising Nimbus] actually absorbed all the excess Null Life Essence amassed even though it exceeded the amount it had asked for, leaving Skullius dry.

The cloud sparked with copious volumes of Ju`wtte. It was pumped and charged, and for a moment, Skullius thought he sensed the connection of his nimbus to his clone's. If its powers were indeed raised by a vague exponential value, Skullius judged that unlike before, when it created the highly coveted Parlous Nature, Second Divine Sinew, its processing time would be much leaner this time around; it should take a shorter time to produce another Parlous Nature!

But Uyuniya wouldn't stand for it.

She couldn't react to the speed with which Null Life Essence flew into Skullius and his clone, but she was determined to stop the result of it.

...!!!

'Dammit!' Skullius thought, bewildered. Uyuniya had not moved to attack since he and his clone split up to grant themselves another reprieve from her assault. But that didn't matter, apparently.

In a rapid sequence, Skullius saw his clone drop to the ground mid-flight, a sure sign that Uyuniya had elected to use her Mastered Void Gate ability on it. But then her void Clot, which had only coated several inches of her before, suddenly exploded out in a huge radius, crashing into Aigas' firm design and replacing it with dense black.

Skullius managed to get out of the range of the expanded Clot, but he watched as his clone was swallowed up by the darkness. He seemed to spin off to nowhere within the void, which, unlike Uyuniya, he couldn't control even if he regained consciousness.

The clone... was lost. The Hybrid Warmoth gritted his teeth.

Was his clone dead?

If he was simply transported into the wide great void, then his chances of survival were dreadfully low.

Elita, Suzamete and Serenity had emphasized how perilous a journey through Void's body was without a vehicle.

Skullius cursed.

'I didn't know she could do that. Isn't it already draining as it is?' Skullius thought as he flashed over to a newly-formed clearing in the area.

Uyuniya's immense Void Clot dwindled and then vanished around her. She suddenly slumped. Skullius could hear her panting from behind her magenta mask. She placed her Voided Death Essence arms on her knees, but Skullius could still feel her attention on him.

'Why are you so damn relentless?' he thought.

Right then, Elita appeared by Uyuniya's side. She hadn't been able to keep up with the events of the last six seconds prior to Skullius' clone vanishing. She placed a hand on Uyuniya's shoulder and said something to her in that language Skullius couldn't understand.

Skullius needed no translator. He was sure she was trying to convince Uyuniya to stop now that she was exhausted.

Uyuniya shrugged off Elita's hand and barked something that was probably insensitive given how Elita drew back, looking shaken. The alien woman's Void Clot returned, though slightly

more constrained than before.

Skullius narrowed his eyes.

"Again, I will ask you, Elita," he suddenly said. "Is the trade-off as you imagined? Do you still think making this woman, your companion, Divine was still worth sacrificing hundreds and thousands? Because I still can't see it. Honestly, I might have believed your resolve if your goal was simply revenge against the Purity."

If Elita had an answer, she kept it to herself. She didn't even look at Skullius. "Answer me, dammit!" Skullius roared, but it wasn't Elita who responded. Uyuniya sent her Broader Existence crashing down on him like an invisible world-sized boulder. Uyuniya was rushing towards Skullius by the time the impact of the hit had settled. Her Void Clot was potent and difficult to deal with, especially now that Skullius had no Null Life Essence left to use with guarding.

But the Hybrid Warmoth was unconcerned. He didn't even attempt to move out of the way of Uyuniya's charge even though she was a little slower now.

Confidence surged within him suddenly, because the nimbus was pouring into him a glow unlike no other. The soft blue gleam, straight trails coursing over his skin and flesh, was different from the hue of Null Life Essence or the mysterious swirling beauty of Exora Amras. It looked a lot like an array that interconnected without end.

This was it!

The ingenuity of the [Entropy's Harmonising Nimbus] had birthed another gift for the Hybrid Warmoth and it filled him with confidence that bordered on arrogance.

The new Exotic Parlous Nature born would surely-

[LOOK OUT, SKULLIUS!!!]

"Don't you dare, sister!!!!!"

'Wha...'

Skullius was alarmed.

His high was disrupted by the Voice of Worlds and Serenity suddenly screaming of unseen

peril!

And indeed, there was terrible danger, and it didn't come from Uyuniya's reckless assault.

Instead, it barreled out of her Void Clot, which abruptly widened. The assault was swift. It flashed faster than Skullius could comprehend while his guidance field expelled notification

after notification.

Darkness covered his view, almost too great to be defined.

Void meant to kill him right there, right then!