Chapter 1094: Monster From The Depths [Pt 2]

As the light from Starfall faded, my heart sank.

The beast remained, its eyes still glowing with a monstrous vitality. Its hide was scarred and burned, but it was regenerating at an alarming rate.

"How are you still alive?"

My most powerful spells weren't enough, it seemed.

But I still had one trick up my sleeve.

With a deep breath, I muttered, "ArchMage Mode."

~VWUUUUUSSSHHHH!~

My hair whitened instantly, the world around me seemed to crystallize, and an array of orbs started to form around me.

They were like miniature moons, each radiating a pulsating glow.

"I'm condensing the Nether," I explained, mostly to myself.

The Nether energy around me was being drawn in at an incredible rate, concentrating into these cores, bolstering my power beyond measure.

'Mage Mode grants the user power to exceed their current status. But with Archmage Mode, I have the assistance of Spellcraft, making my power rise two steps ahead.'

In my current state, I had finally stepped into the Transcendental Stage.

The creature growled, sensing the shift in my energy.

But I was ready. My body hummed with untapped potential, my senses heightened to an unimaginable degree.

"Let's see you survive this..."

All the Nether that had condensed gathered, clashing together, as the power within me swelled to the highest degree.

I made this Spell just for this thing.

"... [Grand Oblivion]!" I roared.

This was my strongest Archmage Spell, the culmination of all my training and innovation.

The air crackled with power as the magic gathered, forming a colossal sphere of light around us.

~BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!~

The world turned white, the sheer force of the spell vaporizing the Dark Waters that surrounded us.

I could feel the heat radiating off the spell, but it didn't hurt.

Instead, it filled me with a sense of determination, a desire to overcome this obstacle no matter what.

The light faded, and the creature remained. It was battered and bruised, its hide marred by countless burns and scars.

But it was still alive, still regenerating, still standing.

"What? How?"

I felt a flicker of doubt. Could I even kill this monster?

It seemed to be immortal, its vitality unstoppable.

But I couldn't give up. Not now. Not when I was so close.

I had to keep trying.

"Just die!"

With a roar of determination, I launched myself back into the fray. My orbs of condensed Nether danced around me, enhancing my spells, strengthening my defenses.

I was in control now, the tide of the battle shifting in my favor.

Yet, the creature was relentless, its will to survive equalling mine.

It lashed out, its attacks wild and ferocious.

But I was faster, smarter. I dodged, I countered, and I attacked.

Still... still I couldn't kill it!

The battle raged on, a dance of light and darkness in the heart of the Dark Waters.

******

"Haa... haa..."

Exhaustion gnawed at my bones.

"Why... why won't you just die?"

The creature seemed to mirror my fatigue, its movements sluggish, its attacks less frenzied.

Its monstrous eyes glowed less brightly, a sign of its waning strength. But it still lived. Its life force remained undiminished despite our prolonged battle.

"What can I do next?" I pondered, heaving heavily. The monster was seemingly unkillable, its regenerative abilities surpassing anything I had ever encountered.

'Well... almost anything.'

Its regenerative speed was slower than the memories of Jared that I had relating to Karlia. It seemed she had the superiror regeneration, but this creature was just as annoying.

Even a lage-scale attack that should have killed it down to its very atoms didn't do the trick.

I was stuck at this point.

In my frustration, my mind drifted to the Goblin Village. The Goblins... the Chief... and then Gobtia, to her kind smile, her wise words.

And then it hit me.

The [Connection]!

I recalled the feeling of unity, the sensation of being part of a shared consciousness.

It bypassed all resistance, all barriers.

Could it work here?

'I must be getting crazy and desperate here, but I'm out of options.'

I allowed Gobtia's voice to guide me, her words echoing in my mind.

"The [Connection] bypasses all barriers. It binds everything it touches without exception."

Closing my eyes, I focused on the flow of Nether, allowing it to guide me towards the monster.

'The intensity it has is simply outstanding. It's like a living lump of pure energy...' I heaved slowly.

"It draws me in."

I descended steadily, my heart pounding in my chest.

'This... better work.'

I reached out to the creature, its tentacles flying towards me in a wild fury.

Just before they hit, I deactivated my barrier, reaching out to touch the tentacle.

As our beings connected, a strange sensation washed over me, the world shifting in an indescribable way.

'This... this is...!'

Suddenly, I felt a deep connection with the creature. Its thoughts, its fears, its desires... they all flowed into me.

I was one with the monster.

Our beings intertwined in the most profound way possible.

'Unbelievable! Its thoughts are actually flowing in.'

This creature wasn't just a random monster. It was sentient. I could sense actual traces of emotions and memories from it.

It drew closer and closer to me.

And then, everything began to turn blank.

A stark white nothingness consumed my senses, the world around me ceasing to exist.

I floated in this void, my mind connected to the creature, the rest of the world fading away into insignificance.

I didn't know what would come next, didn't know if I had made the right choice. But in that moment, it felt right.

It felt like the only option I had left.

'I have to delve deeper...'

And I was ready to face whatever would come.

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[A/N]

Thanks for reading!