Chapter 27
The beast roared again, the sound echoing through the frozen expanse as it reared up on its hind legs, its massive body shifting like a storm ready to rage. The ground beneath it cracked, splitting as if the earth itself were breaking under the creature's fury.
The surrounding air shimmered with the heat of the Ancient One's magic, and the once-crisp snow that blanketed the area began to melt, turning the battlefield into a slushy mess. But the Ancient One remained unshaken, her focus unwavering as she stepped forward, her hands glowing with the raw power of her Eldritch flames.
The beast swung its tusks toward her once more, but this time, she wasn't caught off guard. With a sharp gesture, she created a massive barrier of flame that intercepted the tusks mid-swing. The heat from the barrier was so intense that steam rose from the ground, thick enough to obscure her figure for a brief moment.
She danced through the steam, her movements fluid and graceful, as she summoned a pulse of energy that sent the beast crashing back. The air crackled with her power, and the previously thick snow was now a slush beneath their feet, steam rising in every direction as the creature struggled to regain its footing.
The environment around them began to warp in response to the Ancient One's power, the very air bending with the intensity of her magic. The icy winds that once whipped through the battlefield were now stilled, replaced by the burning heat of her arcane energy. She wasn't just reacting anymore; she was controlling the flow of battle. As the creature stumbled, a wound across its side from a burst of Eldritch fire, the ground beneath it shook violently as if the earth itself had been wounded.
The beast staggered, its movements slow, yet its rage remained uncontained. The Ancient One, with calculated precision, closed the distance between them, her hands weaving through the air as she summoned a spear of fire that lanced toward the beast's heart.
The spear struck true, piercing through the creature's thick hide and causing it to bellow in agony. It stumbled backward, its massive form faltering. The Ancient One pressed her advantage, unleashing another wave of flame that enveloped the creature entirely.
The heat was so intense that the creature's fur began to smolder and blacken, its skin bubbling from the sheer intensity of the magic. The air was thick with the smell of burning flesh, but the Ancient One remained unmoved. As the creature's strength waned, she summoned one final surge of power, her magic coiling around the creature like a tightening noose.
With a swift motion, she thrust her hands forward, and the creature was consumed in a vortex of flame and energy. The explosion of power was blinding, and when the light faded, the creature lay motionless, its massive body reduced to a charred heap before it turned into dense clouds of mana.
The battlefield was still, the only sound the crackling of fading fire. The snow, once pristine, was now a charred wasteland of melted ice and scorched earth. The Ancient One stood amidst the ruin, her breathing steady,
The moment she did, Ash immediately sat down to meditate, deploying his breathing method. The Ancient watched unhurriedly as Ash started to absorb the mana, which she could not sense. Ash, however, was in heaven as he thought, "All this mana... I wonder what type of change would occur when I finish infusing it into my shell."
That is right, Ash was not planning on expanding his core, no, since it was recently established and was not solid in foundation. Increasing its size would do harm in the future, hence why Ash planned on densifying his shell. And boy, was there a lot of mana—after all, this whole area was thick with mana, so dense that it was now infinite, close to being crystallised.
So Ash spent not one day, not two, but five days straight absorbing this mana and enhancing his shell. By the time it was done, Ash's shell was no longer thin—no, it was literally armour that had continually become denser and denser. When it became bulky, it condensed, becoming thin again, but its power was not diminished.
This cycle of densifying and condensing repeated through the whole five days until all mana was gone. And when it was gone, Ash opened his eyes as the Ancient stood over him. "It took longer than I thought, but you did it. No monsters appeared," she said with a smile.
Ash replied, "Have you been guarding me this whole time?" he asked as the Ancient nodded. "It was my job to ensure your safety, just as you have ensured that they do not return." But she couldn't help but notice Ash's smile as she asked, "It looks like you have gained something." She said,
as Ash smiled, "Attack me," he asked, which she smiled knowingly as she extended her hand. She was not surprised by his request—after all, just like she did to the creature, the Ancient One released a vortex of green flame called the Flames of Faltine, which consumed Ash as it did the creature.
But unlike the creature, when the light faded, Ash was unharmed. His shell, instead of being under his armour, was actually outside of his armour. That is right—Ash's shell was dense enough to expand and even come over his armour. This was something Ash could previously do, but if he did, with how dense his shell was before,
it would not have held a regular attack, as it would have become less dense the more it was expanded. But Ash's shell was now dense enough for him to expand it outside of his shell, and not only that, he could expand to a 50-meter radius before it becomes too thin to withstand any attack.
All in all, Ash's shell was now so unbelievably dense that he swore it could withstand a nuke. "This armour of yours, is it an extension of your power?" she asked, as Ash nodded. "It's powerful. That was one of my most powerful attacks, and it doesn't even have a scratch on it," she noted as they did more tests.
And it was safe to say, even at his current level—he could punch the side of a mountain and create a crater on it, which is superhuman level and not just low superhuman. He was about the level of the Hulk, or getting close to it, yet even then Ash could not dent his own shell.
"This is really impressive defense," the Ancient said, as she and other sorcerers helped the refugees whose towns were destroyed by the phenomenon settle back in, before she teleported them back. Several sorcerers and apprentices were waiting, and the moment they appeared, cheers could be heard. "Wha—" Confused, Ash looked at the Ancient One, who smiled mysteriously at him as she said,
"They have been fighting these creatures for a while, killing them, but there is always another one to take its place. They finally got to take a break from it, thanks to you." She said as Ash sighed, "Well, tell me I am fam—" He paused as the Ancient gave him a knowing look, and he was surprised for a second before he mumbled, "Darn prophets," before he quickly forgot once he got inside and saw the feast prepared for him.
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A/N another chapter, *SIGH* even as i revise, i am still uploading, if only i had the same dedication to better myself, i might have already become the youngest billionaire in the world.