The Systemic Lands

Chapter 267: Day 538 (6) – To Risk It All

Thanks to a well time Radiant Beam I was able to restore my left foot. Still the super hybrid did not let up. The silver balls that shattered space were particularly annoying as the super hybrid got better and better at directing them.

I retreated away from the plaza towards where the super worm had been left, just outside the inner wall towards the East. The main body had turned to dust, but its scales were still there like I hoped. I grabbed one with both hands and spun around. Using the scale like a fan I hit the silver orb of energy, breaking it apart before it could impact me. The scale didn’t break, and only deformed slightly from the attacks.

I raced at the super hybrid swatting away it’s orb attacks. The super hybrid swung its unruined hand at me. Acid Shot. I had regenerated enough energy to use the skill again. The hand was engulfed with acid. Its melting fingers punctured the scale. I let it go and retreated, avoid a foot being swung in my direction.

It was slowly being worn down. I retreated and grabbed another scale. So nice of the Ritualist to leave me items to shield myself. The super hybrid had flung the scale off its hand. At least it wasn’t regenerating. If it had that ability as well, I might have just given up.

I kept dodging about, grabbing another scale as I needed to. I would rush in and use a point-blank Acid Shot that the super hybrid didn’t have time to block. It was almost sad in a way. The Ritualist’s greatest strength had been his keen intellect and ability to break past boundaries. If anyone thought outside the box, it was him.

Now all that was left was this rampaging monster. It was dangerous, but nowhere near the level the original Ritualist had been. It was not able to adapt well and as I exploited more and more of its weaknesses it was less able to cope. Slowly getting melted down, bit by bit. I had noted its movements had become slower and its reaction times were struggling.

If the Ritualist was in charge, he would have just sent silver orbs at me and positioned himself at the store pillars to prevent me from reaching them when I was injured. That was why I didn’t think of this super hybrid as the Ritualist anymore. It was dangerous, but none of his vast cunning.

The monster leapt away from me and swung both of its ruined hands in the air. I raced forward and it was forced to stop whatever it was attempting to block an Acid Shot with its shield. The super hybrid began to retreat.

Oh no. You aren’t going to run away and bring me more headaches later. A Radiant Beam came at the super hybrid. It went tumbling along the ground since it didn’t block in time. I reached the store and purchased another spear.

I raced forward as the super hybrid got to its feet and jerked its hand to the side. There was a scream. I lunged forward. It tried to twist, but I had aimed at its chest for a reason. The metal spear impacted, and the monster fell on its back.

I had let go of the spear as the monster toppled over. I leapt up into the air and landed as on the spear as it tried to pull it from its chest. I slammed my left foot onto the top of it driving the spear deeper. I leapt up and back down, driving the spear completely through the monster. Silver blood was leaking out.

I leapt off the spear before I could be ensnared. I went back to the store and purchased a large war hammer. The thing was massive. I dragged it over to where the monster was trying to get up. I brought the massive hammer up and slammed it downwards. There was a loud clanging and the super hybrid’s head deformed slightly.

I brought up the hammer again and slammed it down. It impacted a shield and then the head of it snapped free of the hilt and I stumbled. A silver orb formed and struck me in the chest. I stumbled backwards as my armor was shattered and my chest was bleeding.

I quickly retreated and went back to the store and purchased another restoration. That was why I had health insurance for nonsense like this. I was quickly healed. Another Radiant Beam struck the monster. I went back over.

Acid Shot. Acid Shot. Its legs began to slowly melt. Painfully slowly just like the rest of it. At least the eyes were damaged far more quickly. Only a few of them were left functional. Just die already. “I won Ritualist,” I said at normal speaking voice, but only the monster could hear me if it could through its pain and abnormal biology.

“I regret that things came to this. You should have taken my hand in friendship so long ago. I would have thrown Ken to the wolves myself to have you at my side. Your genius was terrifying, your intellect impressive, and your tenacity to fight me impressive beyond mere words,” I expressed my feelings at a safe distance.

While normally not one to monologue. Looking at the ruined super hybrid before me, gave me a sense of loss. This great opponent. A personal rival who had injured me and almost killed me multiple times. Now he lay here defeated at my hand. With some help from the rest of the city.

It seemed fitting that I would be the one to give him a eulogy. Even if it was only for me, it was the end of an era.

“So ends the Ritualist!” I shouted out and raced forward. I punched down on the super hybrids head with all my might. It dented the metal heavily and my hand hurt since I had put everything I had into the punch. Acid Shot. My hand was engulfed with acid along with the head. I yanked my hand free.

The acid pooled inside the depressed metal, rather than running off the monster. I quickly backed away, not wanting to get caught up in a suicide attack. It tried to get back to its feet once more but failed. I waited, not going to take a single chance this time.

Acid Shot. I melted more of the head away. Acid Shot. I melted the limbs. Acid Shot. I began to melt the torso. I noticed people watching from a distance, but I was going to melt every bit of this super hybrid until not a single piece was left behind.

It took time for my energy to come back, but I was in no rush. I was going to be absolutely, one hundred percent sure, the Ritualist had no chance of coming back ever again. I looked over the area as well for any piece of the super hybrid that might have detached but didn’t find anything.

Acid Shot. I was slowly working on the torso. To melt it down into nothing. Acid Shot. You weren’t even going to come back, even in my dreams. That had been weird and opened up a whole new series of questions. I would have to follow up on that. Then there was the Astrologer I would have to speak to him as well. I had a lot of questions for that suspicious person and couldn’t wait to have a real conversation, not something in the middle of a battle.

Acid Shot. There was a pit slowly forming where the torso rested in. The acid having eaten into the ground. Acid Shot. I didn’t care. Other people could clean up the mess, but nothing was surviving. Acid Shot.

A Captain of the RMPF began walking over. “Champion Michael,” he saluted me.

“Captain,” I replied with a salute back. I still had no idea of the correct procedures regarding saluting. Something I should figure out.

“General Smith perished in the final fight. Part of a Radiant Beam came back and hit him in the neck. He couldn’t breathe and couldn’t get a restoration,” the Captain explained. That was unfortunate. I had a good impression of the man.

“What about Clarissa, Naran, is he okay?” I asked thinking back to how Clarissa was trying to drag him out of the plaza. I hadn’t seen them, but figured they had gotten to shelter. Acid Shot. I was keeping an eye on the melting torso. Not taking a single change.

“I don’t know sir, I can find out? Any other orders?” the Captain asked.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Terrance,” the Captain said.

“Well congratulations General Terrance. You are now in charge of the Red Military Police Force here in Purgatory. Organize recovery efforts and repairs. Also recover the scales from the super worm, they might be useful. Send a runner once you know where Clarissa and Naran are. I will go to them,” I said.

“Yes sir!” The newly promoted General saluted and ran off. He had some big shoes to fill, hopefully he managed. The fact he was the only one to come out here, said good things about him. Acid Shot. This thing was taking forever to melt, but I didn’t mind. I would rather take my time and do it right, then rush and have some nightmare fueled abomination rise up in the middle of Purgatory at the worst possible time.

Acid Shot. Get melted you super hybrid. I deserved a reward or at least some points after all this headache. The Almighty System was being stingy as always. I didn’t even want to think what a level 5 monster would be like.

Acid Shot. Just a few more and any trace of the Ritualist would be wiped out. It was tempting to keep a trophy, but that was just asking for trouble. I was not about to have a One Ring kind of situation on my hand. Then the Ritualist somehow uses his Puppet Master powers to take control of another body after the artifact is stolen and create problems for me in the future.

I could just see how that would go and how annoyed I would be. That wasn’t going to happen. Melt it all down, with no exceptions. Acid Shot. Whatever monster he got the toughness from was no joke. I noticed Clarissa walking over, she looked stressed and tired. No Naran, that was not a good sign. I had been keeping an eye on the pillars, but he hadn’t been brought out yet.

Trying to melt him and the Ritualist at the same time had been questionable, but a reasonable course of action. I would never trade hostages or negotiate. People say that, but I would go a step further and kill the hostages. It had taken me a moment to come to that point since it was Naran, but once you were a hostage you were as good as dead in my mind.

The look on Clarissa’s face did not say good things about his situation. Acid Shot. Also, she wasn’t moving that fast either. She got Michael points for the City Shield but lost them for the thinking her super squad was useful. If you don’t fight monsters constantly, you lose your edge. They never had an edge to begin with.

Now that I had time to think it made me wonder how the super hybrid had controlled them with their high stats from consumption. That was a question I would need to ponder for a while. Just like the dream nonsense. Acid Shot. The last bit of the super hybrid melted away. Finally, it was over. I had won.