He gritted his teeth and repositioned himself with another burst of spectral movement . He was now right out of the falling mountain’s way , and a command to his Specialty Core prompted a surge of vibrant Life to spread through his body . The ichor painting his body black was joined by a coating of red . Zac had started falling already , but a patch of grass appeared beneath his feet . He stood upon the boulder a moment later and began running across its surface .
Five golden pillars were erected in his wake , right in the middle of the rock , while a golden wreath appeared on Zac’s head . The five pillars were perfectly straight , with ancient steles fastened to them . Yet they seemed like the fingers of an empyrean God digging out from the ground to protect him . The golden radiance of Empyrean Aegis] joined the gold and black of the surroundings , and the Life-attuned half of the storm was curtailed just like the Death was .
Order and tranquility were imposed on the area , forming a sanctuary in a world gone mad . Zac didn’t stay on the falling boulder after confirming the situation . He jumped off the edge , each step taking him hundreds of meters with Earthstrider] . The environment severely suppressed his movement skill the last time he was caught in the madness . With the help of the defensive domain awarded by Empyrean Aegis] , he could move almost half the distance of the skill’s original capability .
The boulder and the pillars grew increasingly distant as they continued their descent into the depths , but it didn’t matter . Reaching Peak-mastery of the defensive skill had fundamentally changed how it worked . It was no longer a defensive domain centered around the area close to the pillars . It was now two domains connected through the laurel on Zac’s head , transmitting the energy of the pillars to his direct surroundings . Any damage was diverted and transmitted back to the pillars .
If he’d stayed close to the pillars , the two domains would have superimposed , increasing the suppression and defense by almost half . The skill would also have worked even without the mountain piece acting as a foundation . However , the falling boulder created a small wind tunnel in its wake , protecting the pillars from taking too much damage from the ambient atmosphere . Thus , they could tank more damage for Zac .
The distance the skill worked was incredible . During his experiments back on Earth , Zac managed to keep the skill active with the pillars on one side of his island while he stood on the other . With the speed the boulder fell , he would long since have landed on the other shores before the pillars were dragged out of reach . Of course , he couldn’t expect the skill to work as well in this chaotic environment .
Zac soon closed in on the limit of air steps permissible by Earthstrider] . By that point , two pillars had already crumbled from forcing his way through the storm . Yet three remained , so Zac took out his glider , using the lull the empyrean domain awarded him . Zac used every method in the book to force his way through the storm . Two broken pillars turned to four , and crackling sounds echoed out from his golden crown as the storm furiously tried to rip apart the empyrean domain .
Eventually , the final pillar crumbled , which unleashed a massive golden wave . The storm was pushed back for over a hundred meters , and Zac used the breather to take out a patch of soil to reset Earthstrider] . Still , no land was in sight . He steeled his heart as he plunged into the madness , using only his body to brave the explosions . Ancestral Woods] would have managed to move him a good distance , but it was a landlocked skill .
The shallow cuts across his body were soon replaced with massive tears that released copious amounts of blood . Without his powerful constitution , he would have been rendered unconscious from such a loss . Instead , it turned into a weapon that allowed him to fly a little bit farther . But the wounds accumulated too fast , and Zac couldn’t keep up any longer . He could only pray he’d made it far enough as he took out another heavy metal block and fell toward the ground .
Zac’s prayers were soon answered as solid rock rapidly came up on him . A groan escaped his lips as he slammed down , worsening his wounds . The crossing had been deadlier than the fight with the Earth cultivators , and the teleportation array was still over an hour’s travel away—a journey well beyond what he could endure in his current condition .
His body creaked in protest , but he scrambled to his feet and started running . He moved while scanning the surroundings , continuously using the trapped Kill Energy to run Surging Vitality] . He needed to be a bit bloodied to stave off the storm , but the last stretch had pushed him far beyond what was needed or safe . After five minutes , Zac sensed a small crack in the mountain , leading to a hidden cave ten meters deeper in the foundations .
Death made a reluctant return and he snuck inside using Abyssal Phase] . Zac spent the better part of the next hour recuperating and recovering his Miasma . The moment he felt strong enough , he moved out again , opting to stay undead . All skills but Pillar of Desolation] could be used again , meaning he wasn’t a sitting duck . Besides , his human form had probably been spotted entering the Calamity days ago , which meant people might be looking for him .
Zac hid his presence with every tool he possessed as he continued his trek toward the exit . He sensed a few discordant auras ahead , most likely arrays erected to brave the storm . Zac gave them a wide berth , but a frown appeared on his face after half an hour . The storm was abating .
His protective cover was about to disappear , and his senses could already reach twice as far as before . It helped him navigate the dangerous terrain , but the risk of discovery increased by the second . Zac shredded all pretenses as he started running as fast as his legs could carry him , opting for speed over stealth .
An increasingly bad feeling settled within him as the minutes passed until he sensed a minute ripple .
A tracking array . Zac stopped in his tracks , and three corpses appeared on the ground . Each was pierced by a chain , soon forming a macabre entourage floating behind Zac as he closed in on the teleporter . He only managed to proceed another five hundred meters before the expected blockade appeared .
That’s far enough , Draugr . - A booming laugh echoed as a glittering barrier sprung up around him .
It shuddered when faced with the abating gales but held in the face of the storm .
Six beastmen , led by a white-and-gold furred lionman approached . A large sapphire was fastened on his forehead , and hundreds of smaller gemstones were connected by intricate golden links in his mane . He exuded a powerful aura that partly harmonized with the environment : Life and Nature .
I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw the son of Azra desperately flee toward the teleporter , looking like he’d been chewed and spit out by a Hellmaw , - the lion said . - I guess it was true . Looks like you’re even more dangerous than we thought . But you’ve already fought one battle , and you’re all alone . Hand over the Calamity Core] , and you can be on your way . -
Zac inwardly swore . He’d hoped his gruesome display would have at least given anyone second thoughts about targeting him . Unfortunately , it wasn’t enough to subdue this beastkin , and Zac wasn’t surprised . The lion gave off an even greater pressure than the Earth cultivators , even if he was only a fifth-echelon guest . Either a new arrival or someone who intentionally kept his Mana low to enjoy the opportunities of the Perennial Vastness a bit longer .
It looked like another battle couldn’t be avoided . Zac wasn’t confident in finishing the job with his undead form alone . He would probably have to find a chance to swap races and fight on as a human . It would expose his second identity ahead of schedule , but getting out of the Calamity with the Calamity Core] was more important than scamming people like he did before the previous mission release .