145. The Sinking Land
Extinguished the fire clinging to my body through alchemical synthesis.
A breath of relief.
MP began recovering rapidly, though it had been depleted.
Araba could no longer move.
No strength remained to sustain motion.
HP had not changed, but SP depletion would result in immediate HP exhaustion.
SP was now nearing total exhaustion with even minimal movement.
At this point, it was merely a matter of choice—do with me as you please.
Fufu.
Though more resistance than expected, the outcome unfolded exactly as anticipated.
I had known from the start that eliminating Araba’s HP was impossible.
Scale-based skills suppressing dragon-kind magic were incompatible with my abilities.
Attempting physical strikes only caused my own hands to ache.
Araba’s defense far exceeded my attack power.
Thus, HP was abandoned as a target.
If HP is ineffective, then reduce SP instead.
That is the purpose of Sloth.
My fourth broken skill.
Sloth evolved into Edé Syne fairly soon after acquisition.
Honestly, I didn’t understand the description well, so I didn’t prioritize it much. But once I tried it, I was surprised by how well it suited me.
Using Curse of the Malevolent Eye lowers not only HP, but other stats as well.
It had little effect on Araba, but against opponents without resistance to status effects, this alone is a devastating combo.
Combined with Teleportation, it allows me to force a one-sided endurance battle.
By marking the target, I can constantly monitor their stats. Then, through Teleportation, I can appear unpredictably to disrupt their meals, waiting patiently until their SP depletes.
In fact, that was the strategy I intended to use against Araba.
The spatial awareness ability I acquired—unnecessary, yet now a liability—rendered teleportation too risky to use.
Perhaps the most troublesome skill Araba obtained was spatial awareness.
Only because she expended her final reserves, her maximum effort, did she deplete her SP so quickly.
Had she maintained greater composure, the outcome might have differed.
No room for error. No room for slack. And yet, it led to defeat.
A ruthless tactic, even by my own standards.
Now then, Araba—did you compose your haiku?
I shall be your executioner.
It is time to end this duel between you and me.
If you cannot move, I will unleash magic freely.
Will your HP be reduced to zero first—or your SP exhausted?
Which will it be?
I smile inwardly, looking down from above at Araba.
She slowly raises her head.
Our eyes meet.
A jolt.
Her eyes were clear—unnaturally so.
What is this, these eyes?
You have lost to me.
Act more like a defeated dog. Show more regret.
Araba slowly lowers her body, as if dismissing my complaints.
Only her neck remains straight, facing me.
Then, an anomaly occurs in Araba’s status display.
Skill text fades to gray.
This indicates the skill is deactivated.
Passive skills deactivate by turning gray in the status view.
Araba’s skills turn gray, one by one.
Even the Sky-Scale skill that tormented me.
All resistance-based skills.
So you won’t resist? Is that it?
What is this?
What exactly is this?
Why are you satisfied so easily?
Because you gave your all? No regrets?
Is that what you mean?
Don’t be ridiculous.
Be more despicable.
Fight harder for your life.
Struggle to survive.
Why can you so easily discard your life?
Life, once lost, cannot be regained.
I may lack credibility—after all, I’ve been reincarnated—but normally, death marks the end?
How can you end so cleanly?
What am I, if I still fight to keep living?
Or is it because you know this world doesn’t end with death, which is why you’re so composed?
That makes it even more infuriating.
Ah, very well.
As you wish—I’ll kill you.
Release all the cursed eyes.
Cursed怨, Stasis, Repulsion, and Annihilation.
Alara’s body dissolved into dust without resistance.
[Experience points have reached threshold. Individual, Edé Saine, has leveled up from Level 19 to Level 20.]
[Base stats have increased.]
[Skill Proficiency Level-Up Bonus Acquired]
[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Qi Combat Technique LV9' has evolved to 'Qi Combat Technique LV10']
[Condition met. Skill 'Qi Combat Technique LV10' has evolved into 'Battle God Technique LV1']
[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Rage LV2' has evolved to 'Rage LV3']
[Skill Points acquired]
[Experience points have reached threshold. Individual, Edé Saine, has leveled up from Level 20 to Level 21]
[Base stats have increased]
[Skill Proficiency Level-Up Bonus Acquired]
[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Doomful Evil Eye LV3' has evolved to 'Doomful Evil Eye LV4']
[Skill Points acquired]
[Experience points reached threshold. Individual, Edé Syne, has advanced from LV21 to LV22]
[Various base stats have increased]
[Skill Proficiency Level-Up Bonus Acquired]
[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Telekinesis LV1' has evolved to 'Telekinesis LV2']
[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Repulsion-Attraction Evil Eye LV1' has evolved to 'Repulsion-Attraction Evil Eye LV2']
[Skill Points acquired]
[Experience points reached threshold. Individual, Edé Syne, has advanced from LV22 to LV23]
[Various base stats have increased]
[Skill Proficiency Level-Up Bonus Acquired]
[Proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'HP Rapid Recovery LV7' has evolved to 'HP Rapid Recovery LV8']
[Skill proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Thread Talent LV8' has evolved to 'Thread Talent LV9']
[Skill proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Slash Resistance LV5' has evolved to 'Slash Resistance LV6']
[Skill Points acquired]
[Experience threshold reached. Individual, Ede Saine, has advanced from LV23 to LV24]
[Base stats have increased]
[Proficiency Level-Up Bonus Acquired]
[Skill proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Blunt Resistance LV5' has evolved to 'Blunt Resistance LV6']
[Skill proficiency has reached threshold. Skill 'Fear Resistance LV9' has evolved to 'Fear Resistance LV10']
[Condition met. Skill 'Fear Resistance LV10' has evolved to 'Great Fear Resistance LV1']
[Skill Points acquired]
A bitter victory, leaving a poor aftertaste.