"Angie, don't push yourself too hard." I told her the first thing after I took notice that the variant Sentinels are finally making their move.

Although she was only barely a month pregnant, no way in hell that I'm going to take chances.

"Be at ease, my beloved. The child in me took precedence over my incline for battles. I won't do anything that would put her at risk."

Her? Did you just arbitrary decided on its gender?

"I'm a Nephilim. My constitution isn't that of a human's. Your worries are excessive."

Excessive but not unneeded but she has a point. Pregnant might not trouble her in a way it trouble normal humans.

One of the Variants summoned a spear made of magic into it's hand. [Mystic Instruments] is the name of the skill it just used according to Appraisal.

My attention is primarily on the Variants but I didn't take my attention off of the smaller fries. There was a few close calls but Angie saved my ass a couple of times. I said close calls but I don't think I would be hurt that much even if they landed their attacks.

The spear-bearer Variant finally tosses the spear in it's hand.

I put up [Plane Displacement]but it pierces through it although not quite easily. If this was back then, I would have panicked a little but I'm stronger now.

I put up three more [Plane Displacement] and it is stopped at the third one.

Is there anything [Plane Displacement] can easily block anymore?

A strange warmth like a blanket over my shoulders, I felt it suddenly. There is also some dazzling light behind me.

I turned to find a prism shining intensely with bright white light.

[Space Magic: Prism], [Light Magic: White Light], it reads. Looks like it's a combination of two magic spells. The white light is trapped within the magic prism.

At Angie's will, white laser-like beams are shot out and all of those beams are dashing towards the variants.

"What the...." Engrande is left speechless, not at Angie but at the Sentinels.

The small fries ceased everything they were doing and retreated back to the variants. They are all desperately trying to defend the Variants against the attacks by forming a wall with their own bodies.

Some Variants escaped the attacks using teleportation techniques, some are saved by their minions, and there is also a few who are not fortunate to survive an S-rank's offensive power.

A few.... no. It is more than a few. The surviving Variants only numbered to four. There were those who dodged the beam but a second beam arrived immediately.

Jesus.... Angie and I are definitely on different leagues here. I would have no problem in taking down two or four of them with some slight difficulty but Angie just absolutely destroyed more than half of their numbers without so much as a sweat and not to mention how she decimated the small fries too.

If she wasn't here, things would definitely played out very differently in a terrible sense.

Maybe this situation isn't that bad after all. Maybe I should be taking this.....

--Whoops.

Just as I thought that there will be smooth sailing, I'm handed lemons.

The remaining small fries crumbled into dust and new ones stopped coming.

At a glance, it does look like luck was on our side but my instincts are doing nothing but alerting me.

"Lord Creator, I sense a tremendous threat incoming."

"Tin-man's right, boy. I could feel it too."

Hmm? If we're talking about intuition and feelings, wouldn't Citra be making a whole lot of noise right now?

I look back and found the reason. It wasn't that she didn't see it coming but rather, she is scared stiff. Does it really warrant that much fear?

"Master, something big is coming."

To Tom's words, I nodded.

The Variants stop fighting and gather at a certain spot. They look like they are performing an impromptu ritual. The dust are gathering in the air, spiraling and expanding outwards, creating something like a portal.

I won't let you, you know?

I signal Angie, Djin, and Cormac to use long range attack to interrupt them but all of the projectiles disappear as if there is a nullifying barrier around them.

"Even Senna's....." Engrande stares in disbelief. I can relate. It is absurd to think that Angie's attack could even be stopped.

I rush in to interrupt them but some of the dust forms into stakes and aimed for me. It is for naught, however. Over the course of our time back in that deserted city, my [Spatial Magic] and [Mana Overseer] has reached level eight. At level eight, I have unlocked a few skills which makes everything so much easier.

One of them is [Spatial Magic: Phase Shift].

The stakes went through my body as if I was just a mere illusion.

I arrived at the center of the ritual but none of the Variants seem like they will be doing anything to stop me.

Going through my list of arsenals available, I picked [Fracture].

-- Guh! No good. It didn't activate. How about this? [Sever]. It didn't work either, eh?

A hand came out. It came for my throat but it passed right through me of course.

In just a few seconds, a much taller Sentinel came out of the dust portal. It is twice the size of the Variants and it wields a double bladed sword. To be precise, a double bladed butcher knife that matches its size.

As soon as they are finished with the ritual, they all came attacking. I received support from Angie and the others but their magic projectiles are still being nullified.

I fend off two Sentinels with my tail. And I phased through the rest of the attacks.

Convenient as it might be, [Phase Shift] is something I can only activate for a short while and it has an interval or in gamer's term, a cooldown. I have to use it wisely.

The large Sentinel, Warden is its name according to appraisal, attacked with the double bladed butcher knife.

The Warden has an Overall Power Ranking of A. It has over five thousand HP for an A-rank. Its Arcane Arts consist of [Earth Magic], [Mana Control], [Mystic Instruments], and a racial skill; [Eternal Guardian (Legacy)]. No Effective Combat Power. I guess it ain't that intelligent.

That's good.

No doubt with a power ranking of A, it surely would break through [Plane Displacement] with a swing but I have a new trick.

[Shatter Shield]. Superficially, it looks the same as [Plane Displacement] from every angle but it shatters upon impact and return the same amount of force back to the attacker. I could have just [Spatial Leap] out of there but I was feeling a little bit daring.

I don't know what came over me.

Granted, that was a dangerous way to do trials.

After deflecting its attack, I counter with [Sever] but it didn't activate like other offensive magic. Before it could launch another attack, I blinked back to safety.

Hmm.... It seem the nullifying effect only affects direct magic attacks.

"It's a tough one, ain't it? Any words of advice for caution?" Engrande asked.

"Just the usual." I said something on a whim and charged straight at the Sentinels again.

"The usual?"

"What's the usual?"

"I don't think we have one."

Bartholomew raised an eyebrow. Cormac believed my nonchalant reply while Engrande got use to my eccentricities.

I swipe my claws enchanted with [Sever] at the Sentinels. As I expected, it didn't work.

From behind, six [Abyssal Javelins] fly towards the ceiling above the Sentinels. The javelins of darkness brought the ceiling down but the Warden easily warded off with a swing of its weapon.

I hear Angie clicking her tongue. Oh right, Angie has [Abyss Magic] doesn't she? She mostly uses her unique Arcane Art [Twilight Providence] only.

"Djin, you're on." I leap back as I evade a few attacks from the retaliating Sentinels.

Djin appears next to me only seconds after I gave out the command, leaving red sparks in his trail. With Indara in his hands, he instantly decimated two of the Sentinels who were too close to me.

No. He decimated one. The other survived with only its legs lobbed off. However, it doesn't give much thought to the damages it took. It comes at me like a bullet without any care to its own well-being.

I easily catch its weapon aiming for my heart and crushes its head with my other claw. My size is considerably large than a Sentinel. I could fit an entire Sentinel's head in my palm.

The remaining two attacked in turn but they stopped in mid air as if someone pressed the pause button on a certain universal remote albeit only for a very short period of time.

Although I didn't witness the source, I can tell that it came from Angie's [Time Magic].

Their sudden pause gave Djin and I enough time to finish them off.

Then, it is the Warden's turn. It's double-bladed butcher knife clashes with Indara while it sent its fist at me. I put up [Shatter Shield] and cross my arms as an insurance. Its fist broke the shield but the repelling force is resisted by the Warden. My insurance stance blocked the punch but I feel my bones cracked against such strength.

[Master!]

[Lord Creator!]

[Papa!]

"Dear!"

The three who are linked with me screamed through telepathy. Angie was left out of it but her worries is still transmitted.

"I'm fine."

Broken bones are nothing to me after all. I just wanted to gouge my enemy's strength. Speed is my forte. If I wish, I could do dance with the Warden all day.

My bones are mended before I knew it.

Overgrown roots appear and entangle its limbs.

"Yeah! Got you!" Nilin gleefully yelled.

Well, not that I needed that but it does make what I'm about to do easier. So.... thanks?

I went in with [Spatial Leap] and right hook the Warden's face.

Damn, it's tough, physically.

Something fell out. I don't know what it is but it looks pissed after that. It easily untangled itself from the roots and attack.

"Hah~!?" Nilin yelled.

Why the surprise? Are you not aware of your own strength?

While retorting to Nilin in my mind, I got into a close combat with the Warden.

[Master, do you need help?]

[I'm alright, Tom. Just standby.]

[Got it.]

The Warden desperately tries to slash and cut me but I am just too fast. Feeling slightly mischievous and caught in the mood, I lightly slapped the Warden's face with my tail as a bonus.

I'm enjoying this too much at the wrong place and the wrong time.

I didn't think Golems like Sentinels have emotions but the Warden's rock-stiff facial expression is slowly warping into a grimace.

It keep missing me and I keep landing my hits. It finally snapped and attack my teammates. Djin attempted to stop it but a single swing send Djin flying away.

It fires some earth magic spells with rocks as the projectiles but they were all defended against by Citra's persisting barrier.

Angie and Cormac attack with long range magic but the results are the same as always.

Engrande exits the barrier and faces it head on. It ethereal arms clad in flames, he rains barrages of punches at the Warden.

I thought for sure Engrande would turn it into grounded meat but the Warden either deflected or blocked the punches perfectly. The punches that got through are met with strong resistance of its skin.

What is it made of?

Despite the many attacks it suffered, its help is still healthily above fifty percent of its maximum value. Not that it's bad, my health is still at full due to my regenerative ability.

Cormac dives into his shadow and reappears at the back of the Warden. He is wielding a black sword this time instead of a bow.

The Warden notices it and splits its double-bladed butcher knife into half.

Oh wow. That is awesome. Something about the scene tickled the chunni heart within me.

Oops. Focus, Hyx. We're in a battle now. I should stop day dreaming and help out.

I close the distance between with consecutive [Spatial Leaps]. I invoke [Mana Transmission] and starts draining its Mana.

Both of the Warden's hands are occupied but not for long. After repelling away Cormac with ease, it attacks me.

[You are unworthy to lay a hand on Lord Creator.]

Djin said something pompous and defended me against the slash. With some fierce and elegant swordplay, Djin slices off the Warden's left arm.

With a little of its focus lost, Engrande takes advantage of it. He grabs hold of its other arm with all of his arms and tears it off.

Oof...... That's gotta hurt.

-- EEEEEEWWWWEEEEEEE!

It shrieks in an incoherent manner. Perhaps that was a chant for a spell because I can see a magic attack coming.

Appraisal reads [Earth Spike]. The ground protrudes spikes around the Warden Engrande and Cormac hop away from it, Djin receives the spikes which broke against its metallic body. As for me, it just went through me.

After draining two-thirds of its Mana, I felt something changed. It is also at the same time Bartholomew comes on the offense.

His barehanded punch sent the Warden flying away from us. I intended to drain it dry of its Mana but Barthy here kinda messed that up.

I look at the cut-up Hobgoblin but he looks at like he did a very proud thing.

Ignorance is truly a bliss.

"Hmm. Something's different?"

Angie commented and launches a few magic at the Warden. This time, every magic hits the Warden and it went flying even further away.

"Yeah. I drain a lot of its Mana away and I seem to have drain away its nullifying barrier."

Strange though, I don't see any text appearing when it uses the nullifying barrier. Is it not some kind of magic?

"Kyu~! Kyu~!"

Ok.... I don't like the sound of that.....

In the next instance, images of multiple Sentinels appearing around the Warden flashes in my mind.

Oh.... shit....

Looking back at the Warden who is now a considerable distance away from us, its health have returned to full.

That must be its [Eternal Guardian] at work.

Multiple magic circles conjuring around it. From those magic circles, variant Sentinels rose from it. I called them Variants but their name according to appraisal is Elite Sentinel, not very creative but who am I to judge.

I can't count exactly of their numbers but there must be more than twenty of them.

Good god..... As much as I like to fight, I ain't a junkie. There is a limit to it.

"Dear...."

I heard Angie weakly called out to me and I turned to look at her.

Her expression looks strained. She is sweating profusely. What happened?

"Lass, you don't look good." Engrande and I are of the same opinion.

"Are you unwell, Lady Senna?" asked Djin.

"I'm fine. It's just that I felt drained all of a sudden."

Drained?

I activate a stronger Mana Vision and analyze her condition.

What the....?

I can see a fetus in her already and it was absorbing Mana and nutrients from her at an unbelievable rate but not at a rate that would dry her up.

How could this be? She's barely one month pregnant.

No. This unexpected situation should be expected. My child is not of two humans but a Magic Beast and a Nephilim. A few differences should have been considered.

Damn it. I fucked up. I should have known this. If Kai wasn't busy, he would have pointed it out.

I can't afford to fool around any longer.

"Djin. Tom. We're going all out."

The two nodded without any hesitation.

"Dear...." Angie called out to me.

"You take a rest. I'll handle this swift and clean."

She wanted to retort but Engrande clasps his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. "Take a rest, lassie. Your child deserves it."

"Y-yes." Angie reluctantly comply.

Now that's taken care off.

Hmm?

I invoke [Famine Shield] in the nick of time as a few projectiles came flying at us. The magic missiles melted into the shield and is converted into my Mana.

"That's quite rude of them." I said that but it is us that was being rude here. I ignored them in the middle of a battle after all.

I gesture Kirin to my arms.

Citra left Kirin and went to Bartholomew.

Kirin and I embraced.

No, we aren't doing anything salacious in the middle of a fight. I am simply recharging my Mana. Yeap. That's all. Her soft and fair skin in contact with mine is no agenda of mine at all, nope.

Regaining back my Mana to full, I face towards the fully assembled Sentinels.

Djin poured his Mana into Indara until it reaches the threshold. Tom activate his [Wrath of Oni].

As for me, I enchant myself with [Spatial Magic] and [Overload]. This way, my attacks and skills will be considerably more effective and stronger but at the cost of higher Mana expenditure.

"The rest of you, take care of Angie, okay?"

"Of course, laddie."

"Nn."

"Fine. I-if this is also T-Tom's wish."

"Understood."

"Yes sir."

"Kyu!"

Good. Now, let's do this.

[Well, I have made this more difficult than it needs to be.] I patronized myself as Djin swings Indara down on the Warden.

The Onyx blade broke through every shield and barrier the Warden had put up and bisecting it into half. The last foe is finally slain.

This whole thing could have been resolved much earlier and easier but I wanted to test how far I have come with my training with Engrande but since Angie began showing some strange symptoms, plans changed.

To summarized the whole battle, I threw all the Sentinels in a sub-space I created with [Proxy Realm]. In there, I let Djin and Tom ran wild. The Elite Sentinels were immediately wiped out. As for the Warden, Djin and Tom held him in place with the close combat skills as I slowly drained it of its Mana. Once it was completely drained, we went all out.

It was tough, however. Its body was partially made with Azunmite but it wasn't impossible for us. We lost slowly chipped away its durability a.k.a its health. [Proxy Realm] reached its limit about this time but it was already enough. It had became fragile enough for Djin to destroy it in a single swing.

[Soul Harvest] would definitely ended everything with ease but if I did that, I'm not sure what would happen to the bigger picture since they are mandatory Guardians of this place. Souls consumed by [Soul Harvest] are forever damned.

When the last Sentinel crumbled into dust from two halves, I see a relief expression spreading on Angie's face.

Damn.... She's really beautiful, isn't she?

"Angie, you alright?"I asked.

"With you here, even the dark is bright." She smiled gently at me.

If it's just us here, I would have already pushed her down and have her until she begged for mercy twice.

Suppressing the emerging wolf within me, I smile wryly in return.

Kirin who is in my arms, tighten her hold on me. Again, we're not doing anything shady, I am simply recharging. Yes, that's all. Nothing else. And by the way, I am back in my human form. The moment [Proxy Realm] broke was also the same time my Mana reached its minimum threshold, returning back into my human form.

Angie's smile twitches and falters at Kirin's action. I can see sparks scattering between them.

"Just stop with it already." I said and brushes Kirin's hair. She relents and enjoy the hair brushing. You're the older one here, Angie. Please bear with this.

"Yeesh. Save that for later, can you?" Nilin who looked jealous at our three-way affection is pouting.

Tom who noticed the pouting Nilin, he approaches her. "There, there." Nilin is surprised at the sudden head pat from Tom. She resisted the ecstasy for awhile before finally giving in.

Tsundere till the end.

While I'm warmly looking at the two, Djin comes towards me. "Forgive my imprudence, Lord Creator but I suggest we keep moving. This ruin is full of the unexpected. We can't brave the possible risk that exist even now."

"Whew, that was hard. Indara thought we would have loose. Indara was really afraid just now."

Indara told me while still in his sword form. I realized this kinda recently, he talks in third person when he's nervous huh. During the whole battle, I can kinda hear his mumbling of our chances of victory.

But it's not really that hard though? My bad.

"Hey, Tinhead is right." Engrande said. I see an empty barrel beside him. Did he just chugged one down right after the battle?

I look to Bartholomew, Cormac, and Citra. The three gave me a look that assured their well-being.

Good. Everyone's alright. We should keep moving now.

"Let's go." I said and moved towards the direction of what seems to be the exit. Actually, it was the only exit in this room.

"This is it huh?" Tom asked, walking beside me.

"Yeah. After so long, we finally get the break we deserve. We might be looking at retirement after this." I said it jokingly but Angie's giving me a funny look.

Tom suddenly bursts out a short laughter. "Do you think it would be a bad joke like last time?"

I smiled wryly. "I hope not." and turned it upside down. "It better not be."

I felt my cheek getting poked. "Nn. Scary."

To my left, is a glaring Angie. Kirin noticed it and returned her glare with a childish response. She was blowing raspberry.

I thought Angie would have retort or retaliate but she swiftly ignored her. Oh? Is Angie finally acting her age?

Kirin looks disheartened at this. Really? You're sad because you can't provoke her? Jesus, you're older than me, you know?

We arrived at a bridge. It was wide and made of some sturdy rock, thank god. And there aren't any crocodiles nor alligators underneath but a pitch black fall.

"Kyu~!" Citra shrieked and dove into Bartholomew's armor.

I immediately understood the nature of her cry.

As we are crossing the bridge, a huge wave of dread assaulted us. Everyone felt it. Angie is clutching at her belly and curling up. I invoke [Spirit Magic: Calm Field] around us and pulled her into my embrace.

Her constitution got better but I have mixed feelings since I'm embracing Kirin and Angie together. Please don't fight. Not right now, at least.

I exchange glances with Tom.

"It's familiar...." said Tom.

"Is the murderer itself." I glanced back at where we came from. "The murderer of our friends." I would have clenched my fists if Kirin and Angie weren't in my arms.

Bartholomew and Cormac seem to remember it too. Their face distorted with rage and sorrow of the memories of their fallen brothers. If these were them before, they would be cowering in fear.

"It survived?"

I'm guessing Tom meant the Void Demon survived his battle with Vira. It's not that surprising now that we know a little more about them. "Course it did. Otherwise the previous civilization wouldn't have so much trouble with it."

If they were that easy to be killed, Rising Valley would still be standing today.

The trembled after the dreadful air, fissures making their way all across the room. From the cracks caused by the fissure, dark purplish energy spilled out from these small crevices.

All the leaked energy headed towards the center of the room like crawling snakes. The energy sips into the broken pieces of the Sentinels and even the dusts.

"Fucking hell....." I muttered. I felt cold shivers on me when I realized what it was trying to do. It is making himself a body with the Sentinels' remnants. I swear I could see a slight resemblance of an oddly familiar human face among the undulating energy.

"Papa, what's that?"

That is what your kind was created for, is what I want to say but his juvenile appearance made me think twice.

"Angie." I nudged at her who was staring blankly at the gathering energy. She snapped back to reality and look at me. "And all of you, be careful. This pain in the neck here is one tough son of a bitch." I told them all.

“Lord Creator, I advise retreat. The advice may be ill but this entity before us is more so. Forgive my imprudence.”

I didn't bother to offer Djin even a glance. I let go of Angie and Kirin who are in my arms. I moved in front of them. Engrade looks like he is about to offer the same advice but I shut him up with a wave of my hand.

"Noted. But I ain't running." I retort.

I can't run. I don't want to.

[Master? Remember, you now have something more important than just vengeance.] Even Tom advised me through telepathy.

[I know! But I can't let him go..... Not after what he had caused me to loose....]

[Hyx.]

Kai finally spoke.

[I'm really against this but.....]

but?

[If this is truly your decision, I will support it as much as I can.]

[Huh? I thought you will be persuading me to do otherwise? What gives?]

[You forgot, Hyx. We are one and the same. Your vengeance is mine too.]

I see. Then, [I'll be counting on you, Kai.]

[Yes.]

Vengeance is brewing within me but I let it fuel my actions instead of letting it take over.

"Aedrox." I sneered at the Void Demon.

A body made of the remnants of the Sentinels, he stared right back at me. A fearless grin formed on its rigid and strangely human-like face.

The face is sorta familiar although I can't quite put my finger on it but I felt irritation just from looking at that face.

"Harbinger!"

It called out to me. The space around him begins to crack open like frail glass.

The cracks become holes. From these holes, hundreds of different creatures pour into the room.

[Ooooo.... kay..... Papa? Indara think we should run. Please?]

Indara's voice barely registered in my mind. I was concentrating on appraising the monsters pouring in.

They are all monster I have encountered before in the dungeon and they all have either Encroached or Corrupted status. They are all at least C-rank.

And among the hideous creatures with purplish veins tracing their bodies, one stood out among them.

A beautiful Dryad which I have shared my love with just the night before.

"No....." Kirin who also saw the Dryad muttered in a completely hollow voice.

"It can't be....."

"Your majesty......"

Aside Kirin, Engrande and Djin, the others could only stare in terror and despair.

Her eyes are completely white. Like the others, purple veins cover her whole body.

I didn't want to believe it but the truth is laid bare before me.

Appraisal clearly tells me the name of the Corrupted Dryad.

Luamiraya.

"Like my present?" The Void fuck asked.

To his question, I bare my fangs and snarled at him. I feel heat rising up in me. It literally felt like my rage is boiling in a very literal sense. It is really getting hot.

I have even unconsciously breathing raggedly. My mind slowly slips into turmoil.

My whole body is shivering.

And I only feel the heat within rising without limits.

[Hyx, something's wrong.]

[No shit, Kai.]

[No. I'm not talking about her. I'm talking about you. Something is happening! This is really bad. You're--]

Kai was abruptly cut off.

[I'm what!?]

I screamed back at him. Despite my best efforts, my rage begins to cloud my mind. At that moment, I heard a voice from the system.

[Conditions Cleared]

Oh no.....

[Commencing Evolution]

Just fucking great.