Reborn as an Extra Chapter 566: The Curse of Eternal Suffering. Part-5.
Previously on Reborn as an Extra...
’Right now, two paths lie before me... I could uncover the nature of its world authority and seek a way to slip through its barriers...’
’Alternatively, I might need to follow the gaze it’s locked on and discover precisely what this beast is anticipating...’
The cube of possibilities remained locked onto the shadow dragon king’s altered form, unwilling to shift its aim, leaving Rio with no alternative but to ponder his upcoming moves.
’If only it were conscious, I’d at least have an opportunity to clash with it or pinpoint its vulnerabilities, but...’
Gazing upon the enormous, twisted shape resembling a tree, Rio could merely exhale a breath of despair.
’Yet at present, spotting any flaw seems impossible, since it isn’t even stirring in the slightest...’
Foes that shift and counter are far easier for Rio to handle, given that his sword arts boast countless methods to pierce through the guards of heavily armored adversaries.
However, when an enemy remains motionless and envelops itself in every ounce of defensive might, concentrating purely on protection, it becomes a nightmare for Rio to overcome—unless the foe is inferior in strength to him, naturally.
’It’s reminiscent of... imagine Link frozen in place, receiving Riya’s most potent ongoing healing spell, saturating his form with top-tier defensive abilities, and layering it all under dense coatings of ’Dao Rhythm’...’
’Everything piled up in layers, crowned by world authority... what a chaotic nightmare...’
Beyond just the shadow dragon king’s essence, numerous mature dragons also dwelled within that colossal, immense frame; their united might rendered the entity so formidable that it appeared invincible!
’I’m not sure even assaults from figures like Ashtel Rex or the reigning dragon king could dent it... not without them unleashing their full arsenal of ultimate strikes...’
’Considering the fragile weave of space-time within the spirit realm... it probably couldn’t endure a full-throttle clash between such mighty SS-rankers...’
The massive tree’s attention stayed utterly fixed on that remote, mysterious presence high in the heavens, showing no concern whatsoever for Rio’s proximity as he examined it from every angle.
’Does it dismiss me entirely, or is it truly incapable of dividing its focus from the one obsession gripping its resolve?’
Perched upon a huge rock, Rio found himself mulling over countless theories swirling in his thoughts.
’Could its fixation on that objective stem from the awareness that even a momentary lapse would doom it to eternal madness under the miasma’s grip?’
Similar to people, every creature across the realm possesses feelings, and sentiments such as hope, resolve, affection, and more serve as the strongest shields against the taint of miasma.
For countless SS-rankers, their native lands and kin act not just as chains binding them to their human essence, but also as vital tools to prevent their passions from sliding into miasmic decay.
Rio stands as an ideal case; his devotion to Lia alone prevents him from attaining mastery in ’Perfect Sword Intent’ and evolving into an unparalleled engine of devastation across the globe.
This might apply equally to the colossal, nightmarish dragon tree; it channels its last shreds of reason into a steadfast conviction that its awaited prize will inevitably come back to it.
’Yet what exactly are you holding out for?... enduring a millennium of patience... to what end?’
Were it capable of speech, Rio would relish engaging in such a dialogue with it, but regrettably, it lacked the clarity of mind for anything so intricate.
As Rio grew increasingly baffled over his next step, a fragment of the enormous tree’s pristine soul energy somehow escaped the bounds of its world authority.
Nothing unusual about that, however; Rio had witnessed it occur among numerous individuals before.
Ashtel Rex’s soul energies and psychic pulses would radiate outward in every direction during his activation of world authority.
Rio was well aware that an SS-ranker’s ’World Authority’ essentially amounted to dominion over specific ’laws’ of the ’world,’ requiring the deployment of mental and soul energies to manifest it.
Typically, no mana or supplementary force was required to amplify it, since world authorities carried inherent potency and ruinous force.
Rio understood these mechanics fully, yet the current predicament sparked a sudden recollection of his duel with Lia during the ’Supreme Talents Tournament.’
In that bout, Lia held her own against him by sensing his ’mana flow,’ and afterward, she revealed to Rio her awakening of a special gift allowing her to perceive someone’s mana currents, soul energies, and destiny for the ensuing moments.
Through this, she glimpsed brief futures, and bolstered by Kai’s exceptional instincts as a pinnacle SS-rank divine spirit, she effortlessly foresaw nearly all of an enemy’s intended actions.
Rio triumphed over Lia by shielding his soul energies and destiny from her scrutiny via ’True Immunity,’ then manipulating his mana flow through sword intent to mislead her.
’If... On second thought... would Lia’s foresight power function against a figure enveloped entirely in world authority?’
Rio’s ’true immunity’ ability proved exceptionally strange and formidable; its strength nearly rivaled that of a ’world authority.’
Still, Lia failed to pierce it at the time.
’Did her inability stem from our equal ranks, or because her power simply falters against those wielding ’world authority’ or similar exceptional traits like mine?...’
’No, that doesn’t ring true... Something tells me she couldn’t overcome the barriers due to her insufficient strength in those days...’
’As she climbs to greater pinnacles ahead, her gift could very well soar to unprecedented prowess...’