by L. M. Kerr
Technically, that made him the only person here that would, with complete certainty, be affected by the alcohol-infused incense, a rather frustrating realization to come to. If he had known that this would matter ahead of time, he probably could've figured out some way around it.
Even back when he was sprinting through the base, because vodka was touching his hand, he had to keep activating his King’s Rock. Alcohol could be absorbed through the skin, a problem he wouldn’t have had if his Endurance stat had been higher, though that in itself was already an absurdly niche perk.
As luck, or really, a decade of training and experience, would have it, multi-tasking was something that Micheal excelled at. It also helped that the energy expenditure needed to cleanse the small amounts of alcohol that kept invading his body was very small. Even when combined, the energy required to use both rocks at once, again and again, was not enough to overwhelm what he got back from his Energized Physique's passive recovery.
There was a reason he could face down dozens of warriors at once and duel against them perfectly; his Legion nickname one that was well-earned. His powerful Soul was the lynchpin to everything, letting him handle all of these synchronized burdens, albeit just barely.
Thus, one thing led to another and everything fell into place.
Micheal’s extremely potent alcohol-incense rapidly spread throughout the entire room, undetected.
The next few seconds seemed to race by as the battle continued to escalate.
Shadow Captain Tanin was finally starting to waver, his enhancing Blood Aura fluctuating as he mostly gave up on attacking, focusing more on staying alive and forcing Silverback to pay attention to him than on trying to strike the man down.
The elite leader of the Ape Division took full advantage of that as he switched to only using one hammer to block incoming attacks. He then began to hurl his other hammer at a secure-looking door on the other side of the room.
Silverback’s hammer smashed into this dull, reddish-grey door, exploding forth with a torrent of powerful Advanced Tier Hammer Energy. The door trembled but, remarkably, held steady, showing some insane durability. The Division Leader didn’t let that bother him as he repeated this attack without hesitation.
The Farians were helpless to stop him. The elite warriors of the Shadow Guard kept up their attacks, but as the seconds went by, more and more of them collapsed to the ground, either struck down by counterattacks from Silverback or falling unconscious due to overdrawing their Blood Auras. Even Tanin looked like he was barely able to stay on his feet.
And finally, as the battle seemed to reach a peak, where everything looked as if it was about to fall apart, hopelessness painting the eyes of the Farians…
It was here that Micheal’s alcohol-infused incense finally began to show some results, leaving him where he was now:
In a room full of staggering drunks.
To Micheal’s mild disbelief, not only did the magic incense successfully affect Silverback, it also affected every Farian present…
Literally not a single person in this room was immune.
‘They ALL drink?!?’ The thought was filled with mild exasperation. His original plan relied on at least some of the Farians being able to stay sober. Now it was starting to look like he had walked into a cross-species Alcoholics Anonymous meeting gone horribly wrong.
Micheal knew alcoholic drinks were popular among the Farians; it wasn’t as if they completely isolated themselves. They were open to trade and often did, with either the Silent Sword Sect or local villages, both of which had alcohol galore.
Adding on to that, even the toughest Farians here were injured and exhausted by this point, weakening whatever defenses their bodies possessed, especially given that this was a surprise ambush.
Still… he hadn’t expected for it to work on literally everyone.
Those among the Shadow Guard that ranked lower in terms of Endurance began to show effects first, stumbling or falling.
Shortly after that, Silverback was hit, his accelerated time-body coming to haunt him as it overshadowed whatever resistances he gained for having a Sky-Tier Endurance stat. The alcohol-based incense entered his bloodstream through his lungs and skin, spreading through his body significantly faster than it did for anyone else.
Lastly, the rest of the Farians, including Shadow Captain Tanin, began to fall into a stupor. The Shadow Captain was only affected so quickly because of the condition Silverback had left him in, beaten and bloodied.
To Micheal’s disappointment, because the incense affected everyone, no one was able to take advantage of this moment to land a decisive blow on the Celestial Silverback Type user.
Instead, Micheal was forced to lie witness to what was, quite frankly, one of the saddest scenes he had ever watched.
The two supposedly elite forces drunkenly attacked each other, one side putting up a mostly pathetic series of strikes, though with admirable teamwork, while the other proffered a shaky, but barely passable, one-man defense. A few members of the Shadow Guard that had been flying back through the air when the alcohol began to hit them didn’t even manage to reach Silverback, falling over before they could re-join the battle.
Despite that, Captain Tanin and the elite warriors of the Shadow Guard still managed to keep Silverback occupied, preventing him from pulling out any type of antidote. Though Micheal didn’t see a visible Spatial Ring on the man, Micheal had personally witnessed several members of the Beasts of Providence use Spatial Rings. Those Spatial Rings had inexplicably seemed to vanish after he killed the other warriors, even those that died inside the signal-blocking bubble, a curiosity that still bothered him.
While the Shadow Guard was successfully keeping Silverback busy, Silverback himself was doing the same right back.
His style of defense was combative, preventing the Farians from obtaining any chance to resist inebriation. Both sides seemed to think the other side was the one responsible for Micheal’s scheme as they each recklessly pressed forward, drunkenly giving their all in what now resembled a barroom brawl.
Those tense few seconds proved key as everyone still standing was forced to ignore the invisible incense for a bit longer. This let the alcohol securely diffuse into their bodies, invading almost every single type of biological tissue that both Silverback and the Farians possessed, advancing through their relatively similar highly-permeable cell membranes.
Once that started, there was no going back.
A flush of Ki alone couldn’t get rid of something like this; for the elite members of the Shadow Guard, it would take at least 10 minutes of focused meditation to return to normal; for the two First Rate Warriors, it would take around 50 to 60 seconds, though time acceleration could speed that number up.
Micheal relentlessly threw more vodka at his enemies as if he had been possessed by the spirit of an enraged but upright bartender from another life.
His enemies (and potential allies) lost before they even realized they were losing.
Almost as one, they all transformed into drunken degenerates, flailing about ineffectually like fish out of water. As the sheer concentration of alcohol-based incense in the air went up, it continued to advance the rate at which the substance could be absorbed into superhumanly strong cells, making its ever-growing impact easily visible.
As Silverback finally realized the danger he was in, in his final coherent moment, Silverback did the only thing he could.
He activated his last-resort Defensive Artifact as his legs gave out.
Two large hammers thumped down lightly on the ground, the rabid Hammer Energy in them long since fled, as the Division Leader of the Ape Division was covered in a large cocoon of silver energy, its color slightly off-tone compared to his Celestial Aura. This large, oval-shaped sphere of energy completely encompassed his body in a protective layer, shielding him from both the magic incense in the air as well as any potential outside attacks that might be raised against him.
It was something Micheal recognized at first glance,
a very rare, but well known, Limited Artifact that could only be bought from the Shop. It was also a quite unusual one to possess here on Second Layer: a Silver Shell Home Necklace. It cost 884,550 Points and could be activated repeatedly, requiring between three to five days to recover after each use. The shell it made was known for being strong and durable, its overall defensive prowess and activation length based on the Soul stat of its user. When in cocoon form, the user of the Artifact became effectively immobile.
Given that the Points Wall of the Second Layer was roughly 500,000 Points, it was an Artifact that should’ve been impossible to obtain. Even Micheal, with his advanced Soul Quality that let him stretch that Points Wall, was unsure if he would be able to hold that many Points.
It almost certainly had to have come from an Irregular, someone who was gifted a massive amount of Points before they even fully arrived on the First Layer. That Irregular would have had to buy this particular Artifact and somehow allow it to make its way up to the Second Layer. It was even possible, though unlikely, that this Celestial Silverback Type user was the original Irregular that had bought the Silver Shell Home Necklace. Some of the records that Micheal had read did claim that there were a larger percentage of Irregulars present in the earliest Waves.
Silverback maintained his Celestial Aura while he was encased, quickly dropping into a quiet, but still very drunk, meditative lump on the floor.
The other members of the Shadow Guard fared slightly better than their brothers-in-arms, but not well enough to matter. They began to fall like flies in a vicious cycle of dropping to the ground, attempting to stand back up, and then stumbling back down again. There were a few smarter ones among this group that lay down and began trying to expel the alcohol, though it was also possible that they might just have fallen asleep. The Shadow Guards all wore featureless dark masks, making it rather hard to tell. Their only real distinguishing features were their body types and Blood Auras.
Even Shadow Captain Tanin was only a tiny bit more stable. The elite warrior had wasted no time, shoring up his defense in the precious few seconds he had managed to steal, slightly recovering from his injuries as a result. He was just barely able to keep standing, his gaze piercing down towards the silver cocoon of energy that had enshrouded their mutual enemy from the Beasts of Providence.
Micheal sighed and then shrugged.
The plan had worked, ignoring a few kinks here or there, but… well…
As he got to his feet and fully assessed the situation, which really just meant he stared at the inter-species mess he had made, he picked out a few determined growls and moans that caused him to scratch the back of his head rather sheepishly.
This scene almost made him look like he was the bad guy, trying to take advantage of the situation.
A second later, Micheal began to move forward, realizing that time was short. Before he took another step, however, he sensed an intense Blood Aura that seemed to appear out of nowhere.
On the opposite side of the room, an elderly female Farian jumped lightning-fast through a dull red doorway, the same one that the Celestial Silverback Type user had been intent on shattering. Blood-red flames surrounded the woman after a brief moment, the image of a Red Phoenix, an extremely rare Bloodline, fluctuating in the air near her.
Micheal’s eyes lit up, forming a smile so visibly bright it made him look insane, as his entire being bubbled with excitement.
Throughout all of the Farian Tribes, there were only two figures in recent history that could control the Red Phoenix Bloodline.
The first was the Tribal Heir to the Kowalsi Tribe, a Farian that was off gods-knew-where, probably invading a random backwater mountain range or something. Members of that Tribe weren't exactly known for their peace-loving ways, to put it mildly, something that would apply doubly so to the direct descendent of their Tribe Leader.
The second Farian that used this Bloodline, however...
…was none other than Myla Hannis, the Wise Lady.
‘YES!’ The excitement that flooded Micheal’s chest was palpable. Adrenaline pumped in his veins and blood pounded in his ears as he zeroed in on her face, noting the rather befuddled expression she had donned.
Myla Hannis… was alive.
He had found Myla Hannis.
As long as he didn't give up now, the Great Disaster stood a real chance of being stopped!
His plan was working!
Micheal banished the admittedly creepy smile from his face, replacing it with a practiced, friendly expression as he waltzed forward, doing his best to contain his excitement.
“Oh, hey!” Micheal raised his left hand and waved, keeping his right firmly clasped on the King’s Rock. The alcohol-imbued incense was still present at an overwhelmingly high concentration, a self-created predicament that Micheal couldn’t really resolve at the present moment.
Luckily, it appeared that Myla Hannis didn’t partake in alcohol, abstaining from even the red wine that had begun to rise to prominence among many female Farians, amusingly making the Wise Lady the only person in the room that could walk unaided.
The female Farian had covered herself in a secure layer of burning red fire that was probably capable of shielding her from his incense, or at least, it would have been if she had been aware of Micheal's scheme. Given the circumstances, no one else but Micheal could be even remotely prepared for this, though he could hardly fault her for that. She ended up being exposed to the incense for a few brief tenths of a second when she entered the room, making contact with just enough of the invisible smoke to engender at least some type of effect if she was vulnerable.
Even the Farians that were hiding in that saferoom, if there were indeed more in there like Micheal was assuming, would not be left unaffected by his incense. That door might’ve only been opened for a split second, but that split second was enough. Micheal had unapologetically ramped things up to an absurd degree, relying on knowledge that, while not particularly secret, wasn't generally well known yet.
Only a small percentage of Farians could suffer any type of permanent injuries from an alcohol overdose, thanks in part to their alien physiology. This was one of the major reasons Micheal had decided on this plan, cognizant of the fact that if the Wise Lady happened to be both wounded and vulnerable when he found her, his actions probably wouldn't worsen her condition. Farians weren't completely immune, especially not from the short-term effects, and the absurd amount that Micheal had shoveled into the air was by no means healthy for anyone... but... well, it was a risk he had to take.
As for humans, normal ones from Earth would already be dead just from standing here, while even most of the elite superhumans that now populated the Second Layer would begin to suffer serious injuries, including permanent brain damage, if they remained in this room for too long.
Still, given that the only humans here were his enemies… well, it wasn't exactly the most tragic of news to hear.
The Wise Lady’s face whipped over to glare at Micheal as he spoke, her eyes virtually stabbing daggers through the murky air and into his chest. Her gaze carried an immense amount of weight behind it such that it almost made his heart stutter.
By this point, she had also raised both of her hands, a multitude of red fireballs shimmering in the air above her, made of the same type of fire she had covered herself with.
Micheal sent up a silent prayer of thanks at this, very pleased that the Incense Rock’s incense wasn’t flammable, even when initiating alcohol.
This was the infamous Farian ‘Phoenix Fire’ that Micheal had heard about, fire that had the power to burn nigh endlessly, even if left to its own devices. These flames were extremely difficult to extinguish, though their power weakened if their controller was no longer actively manipulating them.
The simple fact that Myla could cover herself in a layer of Phoenix Fire was already incredible. Who would dare to even try to get near her, let alone physically attack her?
This fire could be used to mark someone with even
a light touch, transforming their life into a living hell as it constantly pulsated. Not only would it bring forth unending pain, it could also continue to spread if one didn’t pay careful attention, requiring continuous suppression using some type of energy source, like one's Ki. It could also ruin Artifacts, burning anything from swords to shoes and everything in-between. Even Spatial Rings weren't safe, the fire capable of spreading into and destroying a ring from the inside out if someone tried to store it.
Micheal had been told about the horror of its use during the deadly war between races. He’d heard stories of ever-burning fire that forced people to cut off arms, legs, or more, just to stop the pain. Leaving it on was a death sentence, regardless of how strong someone was. Superhumans still needed to sleep, or to at least observe periods of peaceful meditation, in order to survive. One could only go so many days without before they either perished or went insane and then perished.
Micheal didn’t let even a flicker of panic or surprise cross his face, doing his best to leave a good first impression as he continued speaking.
“Nice timing!” He smiled winningly.
Myla Hannis stared back. She hadn’t spoken, apart from a few vague stutters that Micheal barely picked up on. He could tell that she was at a loss for words.
His eyes flicked up to her and then down to the glowing, silver cocoon that the Celestial Silverback Type user was both hiding and attempting to recover inside of.
‘Well, well, well…’ Micheal thought as he broke out into a sprint, hoping his brief attempt at forming a good first impression sufficed, all the while simultaneously ignoring the tiny voice in his head that was telling him he'd left an absolutely awful one.
He lowered his left hand as he made a beeline for Silverback's cocoon, his winning smile transforming into a grim, frozen snarl that practically emanated pure menace, the very picture of an evil villain.
‘We can’t be having that.’
.
Chapter 54
Micheal’s abrupt transition from casually talking to entering into an all-out sprint managed to catch Myla Hannis off-guard.