Essence sang around his bdes as Leo danced around the Voidlings ing at him from all sides. Each of the monsters received a si for their attempt t him down, a cut that a few seds ter exploded, severing their heads from their bodies.

  It took a lot of trol and precision, but thanks to all the improvements he had gohrough in the past few days, Phantom Erasure was no longer a difficult skill to use. Hell, he had even mao bi with Kiss of Death, giving both of the abilities some extra power.

  Now, he just had to learn how to keep those skills active at all times. Turning them on before each hit was getting slightly annoying, even if it was a good way to practice trol.

  Though, it's definitely getting easier and easier. Leo mused, slig through the neck of a Cursed Walker. The bde went right through the flesh, ing the need for Phantom Erasure. Muscle memory is doing most of the job at this point...

  He leao the right, avoiding the meaty palms of a furious Brute. It tried to follow up with its other hand, hoping to grab him. However, despite being among the few level twenty Voidlings in the area, it was all for naught.

  Leo still had the advantage.

  Grabbing onto the ining hand, he used it to propel himself forward, leaving a long gash on the limb as he flew. The Brute roared but quickly shut up as three tails spped its cheek, taking a k of flesh along with them.

  The beast stumbled, but he gave it no time to recover as he nded on its shoulder. He painted cut after cut on the Brute's body, eae going deeper and deeper. The almost instantaneeion tried to fight him, yet not even it could help when the monster's head blew up like a balloon.

  Fug hell. Those things are getting way too tough to kill. They are regeing too fast. Leo scowled, once more nding among the sea of Voidlings and tinuing the never-ending dance of death. I doubt a lot of people have enough firepower to do this.

  However, he also had to sider that this was a Brute from a Tainted Wastend. When bined with the beast's high level, it was no surprise that it caused more trouble than other Voidlings.

  Ah, whatever... I'm not even using my full power. A group of experienced survivors should be able to figure something out.

  For a few more minutes, Leo immersed himself itle, using every sed to perfect his ability to fight. For the most part, he only used melee skills, but with the sheer amount of Voidlings around, shadows often had to e to his rescue.

  A Tainted Wastend, even one oskirts of London, was no joke. It easily housed a few hundred, if not thousand, Voidlings, of whily a couple were under level eighteen.

  We should probably get going soon. This was only supposed to be a short pitstop. Got to go baapping the city. He reasoned and jumped onto the Vetilim vine. Nyx, finish up a me at the north border.

  'Roger that.'

  With screeches and roars eg in his head, Leo left the scorched ground of the Wastend behind. He climbed the ruins of a small apartment building and waited, his eyes searg the vast cursed nd below him.

  Here you are.

  He smiled, spotting the dark feline running along rooftops ailim webs. Quite a few flying types followed after her, but it was nothing they couldn't deal with. After all, he had spent most of the m trying to solve this issue.

  Nyx, just get oop. I will deal with your tail. I need a bit more practice.

  The feline snorted. 'Just don't hit me this time, please.'

  Leo grimaced. It was just one slip-up, but now she would never let him fet it.

  Cheeky cat.

  He shook his head and focused oask at hand as Essence surged out of his soul and into the air. Slowly, about a dozen shadow spears formed above him, yet it was not the end.

  Still eling energy into the structs, he drew upon his bloodlust and pushed it into the shadows. A few spears almost burst on the spot, but he reigned in the wild power, keeping it tained and bubbling underh the surface.

  And now!

  With a sihought, the salvo of long projectiles sailed forward, right at the cloud of Voidlings flying behind Nyx. Usually, he would have waited for the spears to hit, but not now. Now, they just had to get close.

  "Eruption," Leo muttered, closing his fist.

  At once, every single struct still in the air burst into hundreds of long, thin shadow tendrils. They all instantly dived for the Voidlings around them, seeking prey.

  The beasts screeched as not o multiple tendrils speared their bodies. Most fell right away, leaving a trail of blood behind, while others tried to fp their wings, hoping to stop mid-air.

  Good luck with that. Leo smirked as more tendrils pierced those still fighting, finally taking them down. You are in the clear, Nyx.

  'Nicely done. I ing up then.'

  Nodding, he sat down at the roof’s edge and summohe System. It had tried to force a notification into his vision when he was f the spears.

  You have successfully mastered the Eruption teique. Fusion assistance is now active. gratutions!

  You have created your first Fusion teique: Shadow Bomb = Eruption + Creation.

  Please hat fusion teiques do not have a mastery level, nor are they listed in your status. Their strength relies solely on your skill and power.

  Fusion, you say? Leo quirked an eyebrow. Guess that's a fitting name for what I've been doing. I wonder what else I bine... A thought for ter.

  Before he could check his newly mastered teique, Nyx finished her climb and sat down beside him. She gave him a questioning look to which he just shrugged.

  "Just some system stuff. Fusion teiques. Rings any bells?"

  The feline shook her head. 'Not quite. I have an idea what they could be, but...'

  He nodded, standing up. "I will expin on the way then. Time to move on from here. I want to go a bit dee-"

  Whatever he wao say died in his mouth as a muffled, earth-shaking howl echoed all around them. It tinued food few seds, freezing the duo in pce.

  "What in the world?" Leo muttered, looking all around, searg for the source. Just then, a sed howl came, and this time, he zeroed in on the dire it came from. Yet, there was nothing in sight.

  This 't be good. He shared a quick look with Nyx. They both nodded and broke into a sprint, jumping off the building. The hearth of London awaited.

  The lohey ran, the louder the howls became. It was obvious they all came from a Voidling of sorts, but it was nothing like what Leo had heard before. Not even a Nightmare could make its voice travel for kilometers. Then there were the ret explosions. Though those could be anything at this point.

  There! He screamed through the link, nodding towards the massive blurry crimsoure in the distahat towered over all the buildings in the area. We o get closer.

  'Are we fighting or just ,' Nyx prodded.

  The tter. Besides, I think someone already has beat us to the former. Leo observed, just now notig the small bright explosions impag the giant. Wait a sed. Is that a fug trent?

  Now that the monster grew closer, he had no trouble identifying it, even without skills aiary. He had seen simir creatures multiple times in movies, TV series, books, and games. For some reason, people just loved the idea of massive, walking trees that id waste to everything around them.

  Though this thing is definitely made out of Vetilim. Leo noted, watg the massive beast swipe at something he couldn't see. Still too far. What about Identify?

  Crimso (Void Lifeform) | Rank: E+ | LVL: N/A | Type: Surfaature, Armor, Unique

  That's... neowerful. And those types... Bestiary? Despite the call, the System didn't answer. Of course, it couldn't be that easy. Maybe if I get even closer?

  And so he did. Along with Nyx, he climbed the tallest building a safe distance away from the raging Trent and sed it again. Only to be met with the same oute. However, not all was lost; at least now, he knew what the beast fought against.

  A group of over ten survivors ran circles around the Trent, using the enviroo their advahey fought with golden ons, sending arrows and Essence missiles at the beast that exploded on impact. Even those fighting in close bat carried some sort of glowing bdes, burning the monster with each cut.

  Without saying a single word, the group still fought like a single unit, c one another and always targeting the same areas. The Trent, despite its strength, could do nothing against the annoying is. Or so it seemed for now.

  Who are you people? Why does it look like you all have the same affinity? Leo furrowed his brow, only for his eyes to widen when he sed the seemingly human survivors.

  Blessed Emissary | LVL: 19

  Chaos65