Bro, I'm not an Undead!

One would likely be confused on what was the connection between a Special Skill and the technique it was derived from when it was established that the term 'skill' was a broad term for applications of mana.

The answer was a simple fact of semantics.

Some sword Techniques came with extension moves that utilised the qualitative concentration of mana from a blue core like Steamed Rapid Body which was derived from the Sword Technique, Steam Glow.

In essence, one could also call the Elemental Contrast, Steam Glow, a Special Technique as it was capable of unleashing attacks of such a standard. Special.

However, this wasn't the highlight of the current showdown as what stole the limelight, literally, was the silver beam of light that disintegrated everything it touched as it barrelled down the mountain!

The ground crumbled, the trees turned to ash in the light's wake, everything that the light didn't touch being pushed away and breaking apart horribly!

The atmosphere on the mountain darkened considerably as the pillar of light dashed forward with speed and might!

This silvery light was the Special Skill, Rage of the Peace-Loving Sage!

It left no fancy after effects asides from a deep and wide gouge on the earth as it went, all things shivering as it passed!

Bron's figure was illuminated by the incoming attack as he had his hands at the ready to receive the impact of this skill!

With his Full Body Aura brimming around his body, he consolidated the hazy rings, the very fundamentals of his technique as he used a Special Skill geared towards offense for defense.

The Dissipating Fistful Arcs around his arms attained a luminescent shine while producing a low hum.

'I have to time it correctly...' Bron thought as sweat trickled down his brow, the anxiety he felt being unreal!

Learning Special Skills was difficult.

With the three paths that were usually available for growth; stages, classes and cores, one would be hard pressed to keep them all balanced, though many chose to specialise in one.

Bron had distributed his effort unevenly, giving the skill required to improve his class to a advanced one priority, thus neglecting his progression in the stages.

However, he had been rewarded with a Special Technique that he developed on his own after many years of practise which enhanced the focus of his power.

It was merely the first hurdle he had to transcend before reaching his goal!

The Dissipating Fistful Arcs thrummed with a sound akin to static, distorting the air before him right before the impact!

The sheer force behind the [Rage of the Peace-Loving Sage] astounded him, but he pushed all his strength into not letting it pass with his rings!

Blood curdling screeches of colliding energies smashed against the ears of every sentient species on the mountain along with a blinding light and a shockwave that turned things in Guddhar's favour!

"URRNGHHH!" Bron grunted while gnashing his teeth as he felt the skin on his hands disintegrate from the explosion of power!

It seemed bits of Guddhar's skill reached him after the clash, causing him extensive damage!

"HOLD ON!" Stylla called as with all her mana coming into use, her body emitted a devastating storm of scorching steam that rose up high and descended onto the figure of Guddhar that was only now becoming visible after the bright flash!

Stylla had become the charging burst of steam once more as right when she was a few meters above Guddhar, she turned back into her human form and brought down her blade with the bright lustre of Steam Glow!

At this point, the Greater Sage Monkey had just finished the cast of its Special Skill and was not prepared for this sudden attack!

With its extreme agility, it launched a heavy punch towards Stylla while extending its other hand into the distance as it called for Yamogogofafa!

Stylla's blade flashed crazily as it shredded the fingers of the Monkey, which were a little less tougher than the flesh on its torso!

Blood flew as the Monkey screamed but the howling sound of wind as Yamogogofafa approached gave the Monkey confidence as right when the large object returned to its grasp, it didn't use any of the skills contained in the statue but just bashed the raw stone carving against Stylla!

Stylla's steam engulfed the entire area as she used much of its remnants to tank the attack but was ultimately blown away bleeding with the bones of her arm and fingers crushed!

Guddhar then raised Yamogogofafa to plunge it into the ground with an immense force but an intangible yet powerful energy repelled the statue from the ground strenuously!

Fore was roughly twenty meters away, laying upside down on the broken branches of a tree in the same way that he had fallen a few moments ago.

His hands were outstretched as he exerted all the mana he had post his Full Body Aura activation to try and stop the statue from touching ground!

"Argghhhhh!" he roared as he strained his body. "GET HIM!"

It didn't take a genius to identify the runes on the bottom and top of Yamogogofafa and determine that they had the outlandish effects of tossing people up or down.

All three of the mercenaries had gotten a taste of it with the flight earlier.

Fore wouldn't let it happen again!

Stylla got up from where she had been flung and sped towards Guddhar who was still trying to force Yamogogofafa into the ground!

Bron also grit his teeth and roared as he dashed towards the golden Monkey!

Guddhar saw the incoming mercenaries and frowned, puffing up its cheeks to use its Special Skill once again for which it had the abundance of mana for it!

Stylla accelerated and so did Bron, eager to stop it from doing it again, their failure to do so last time motivating them based on what they had seen!

Then...

Like an image that didn't belong.

Like an artistic trail of darkness that a certain Deity had just painted.

A quick steam of darkness that shifted constantly, trying to maintain a humanoid form flew from the sky and blasted into Guddhar!

All of sudden, the Greater Sage Monkey stopped moving as while covered by the dissipating darkness that seemed to be flowing into its body, its eyes turned black.

...!

Fore, Bron and Stylla were bewildered by this phenomenon but it didn't stop them from going for the kill!

Within Guddhar's mind though, a tumultuous scene occurred where a vast well of darkness started to invade the colourful space with moving images of memories that was the Cluster General's mind!

A massive silvery image of the angry Guddhar looked down on the wafting darkness that was obviously Skullius using [Crude World Projection]!

Right when Skullius had smashed into Guddhar, he had used his remaining points of mana to exploit [Basic Evil Invasion]'s main advantage!

It did not have a cooldown!

Now, with his strained [Crude World Projection] that was almost fading while even in this form, gripping pain stormed against him with the soul damage, the Discount Human persevered.

He knew that the pain from the soul damage wasn't normal, but if he could just...

"RAAAAR!"

With the enhancement that [Crude World Projection] offered, Skullius sought to invade and conquer Guddhar's mind, but the Monkey didn't let him do as he pleased!

His huge form radiated with a brilliant light as he clapped his hand together, a staggering force gushing out like a vicious wind to blow away the advancing waves of Skullius' darkness!

The Discount Human felt himself being overpowered.

He wasn't used to bring repelled and didn't know what else he could do.

One thing was for sure though.

If he allowed himself to fall here, it was likely that he was going to die!

With that motivation in mind, Skullius powered through, with every exertion that he put himself through bringing him immense pain as the soul damage kept piling!

The fierce winds from Guddhar's clasped hands didn't recede and Skullius thought about changing tactics.

Looking at the many memories that were linked to linking brilliant lights, he thought to try a baseless idea.

His darkness shot through and plunged into the blotches of images and when it did, the colourful image turned dark!

Guddhar's eyes peeled open in its starry, simplistic outline, shocked!

Skullius didn't miss this reaction.

'Heh... seems like it does something then...' he thought before injecting more of his darkness to all the memory spots that were nearest to him, turning them dark and void!

"MUKAV'ARRR!" Guddhar barked at Skullius as it withheld its attack and rushed at him, flying through the starry space with rage!

'Yes! That's it!' Skullius thought as he proceeded to rush to meet the Monkey, his image flowing with darkness as at this point, he ignored everything just to get this Monkey!

If he could seize it, it would end all his problems in the Cluster and even help with his stage progression!

Right when the two bashed into each other...

[Doom Factor 2 takes advantage of the growing soul damage. You will now...]