Re: Evolution Online

[???]

The system's inspection skill gave no level and also no name. Liam was startled a little because he hadn't come across anything like this in a long time.

In fact, the creature in front of him was extremely peculiar. Its appearance was intimidating while its presence was completely absent. He couldn't fathom exactly how powerful the creature was.

He had a bad feeling and his danger sensors were triggered. However, so far all the opponents he had faced were to train him and not flatten him. The logical part of Liam's brain told him to fight because this would also be one such training. But his instincts still screamed for him to run.

Liam knew very well that he had survived so far only because of his instincts. He did not plan on doubting himself now. To many beings, he was merely an ant and for some reason, he got a similar feeling staring at the creature in front of him.

So without hesitation, he let go of whatever this was. Nothing was more precious than his life. He could always grab a hold of another opportunity like this. 

This was not a do or die situation. He did not want to die here without any reason. He decided to abruptly end the training session and immediately switched places with one of his soul minions.

Or rather tried to.

"Damn it." Liam cursed as the unsettling feeling he had worsened. He was not able to communicate with his soul minion. When he paid close attention he noticed that his soul minion had already been dismissed.

In fact, every single one of his soul minions was dismissed. Not only that he had also lost his connection with the undead. How did he not feel anything?

Panic started to set in when he immediately tried to summon them again, only to fail again. In fact, he couldn't sense his soul at all.

Liam's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the inky black formless creature in front of him.

He took a deep breath, attempting to calm his racing mind. Fear was a natural response, but it wouldn't help him in this battle. He needed to be clear-headed and adaptive.

Was he under some sort of mental attack? He did not know but he did not have the time to stand here and think about it. 

Without wasting another second, he dashed forward as he swung his sword down, sending out a beam of icy energy toward the creature. 

The Arcane Frost Slash, imbued with his dao of ice, was his best bet under these circumstances. The beam whistled through the air, its cold frigid aura stark against the pitch-black form of the creature.

He went all out from the beginning, not planning to conserve much in this fight.

But the next second, Liam faltered. To his shock, the attack seemed to phase through the creature, causing no visible reaction.

No. In fact, there was no trace left of his attack. Instead of phasing, it was more like the creature had absorbed his attack completely.

Liam paused. He no longer dashed toward the creature that was inching in his direction bit by bit. It did not seem to be in any hurry. While he was running to it, it didn't seem to care at all.

Liam took a step back. Then another. He instantly started moving in the other direction as he put some distance between him and the creature.

At the same time, he continued attacking the creature with all sorts of attacks ranging from sword dance to fire slash to his strongest attack.

He had enough time so he mustered the strength, stamina, and mana to attack the damned thing repeatedly.

However, no matter how many times he attacked, the result was still the same. Every single one of his attacks was eaten by the creature.

Liam was truly at a loss for words or action. What was he supposed to do now? As he mulled over this question in his mind, suddenly something else happened.

A few voidlings popped up in front of him, peeling off the surface of the barren landscape. At first, it was a few but quickly the number began to explode exponentially.

The voidlings were unique creatures that bordered on the living and the non-living. While humans or other living creatures might know fear, these things did not know any fear just like his undead.

Soon the few voidlings quickly joined together to form a towering massive structure, the whole lot of them merging into a single unit.

The sight was overwhelming, the towering mass of voidlings, a writhing, shifting amalgam of countless creatures, each with its gleaming core. They moved as one, a living tide that washed over the barren landscape toward the creature.

Liam immediately became thrilled. The two creatures in front of him were extremely formidable, both mysterious in their own ways. If they fought against each other, then he would definitely be able to get more clues on how to defeat them.

He might even be able to finish one off if the other one ended up inflicting severe damage on it. This was surely a win-win situation for him.

Liam gripped his sword tightly as he moved onto a strategic position, not too close and not too far from the combat zone. He then watched as the humongous amalgamation of voidlings started to show their hand.

They surged towards the inky black creature in a relentless wave. It was a surreal sight — two bizarre and powerful entities clashing in a place that seemed beyond the bounds of normal reality.

The voidling mass roared and shrieked as it approached the creature, its many cores pulsing with an eerie light. Liam watched intently, his sword at the ready, waiting for the right moment to strike.

To his amazement, the formless creature remained still, its inky blackness almost absorbing the cacophony of sounds emanating from the voidlings. As the voidlings collided with it, something unexpected happened.