One-Eyed Monster

”The threat is underground!” Nonoa said.

”Hiding underground, how shameless!” Igor was furious.

”We need to force those guys out from underground.” Nonoa said.

”But you only have two swords left!” Igor retorted.

”There seem to be quite a few underground, but it doesn’t matter; if we don’t force them out, we don’t stand a chance!” Nonoa smashed open a Soul Devourer that was biting, he now had to give it his all, even if he had to eliminate these Soul Devourers in a clumsy manner.

”Alright, I’ll cover you; you force those guys underground out.” Igor said.

The ground started to ripple again, and the Soul Devourer that was forced out suddenly formed a huge mound of earth on the surface, moving slowly toward Igor and his team, as if this mound had become a defensive wall, escorting a group of biting Soul Devourers ahead.

This tactic is quite good!

The mound can block some of the Sword Qi attacks and keep these biting Soul Devourers from being too exposed...

It’s hard to see how many Soul Devourers are hiding behind this moving mound, and by the time the mound gets close, ten or so Soul Devourers will jump out and scare you to death!

These Soul Devourers are already difficult to deal with now!

Nonoa controlled his energy, aiming to deliver a heavy strike, and rushed ahead of those underground Soul Devourers. These subterranean Soul Devourers also need time for elemental attacks; they had released two attacks earlier and should be preparing now.

Now it’s about racing against time!

Nonoa’s arm trembled as he over-released his energy; only this way could he quickly wield his sword.

Igor was clearing out the biting Soul Devourers around Nonoa; these guys existed solely to cover for those subterranean Soul Devourers, and their numerical advantage also provided Igor and Nonoa with some harassment.

In the Border Realm, once you adapt to the rhythm, you don’t have to worry about stamina; energy acquisition follows a time cycle, but stamina here is unrestricted. Consciousness controls a body, using it to gather energy, release it, while physicality doesn’t exist here.

As long as the consciousness is strong enough, energy can be obtained endlessly; those with weak consciousness can only be devoured by Soul Devourers.

These Soul Devourers are like termites in the Border Realm, making what’s supposed to be a robust consciousness suddenly wretched...

The Soul Devourers surrounded Igor and the team, but for now, they couldn’t do anything to Igor and Nonoa.

The level of these Soul Devourers is too low to release energy, only capable of primitive consumption, which poses little threat to Igor and the team.

It’s just that Igor learned quickly, mastering how to release energy in a short time. He could even sense the time standard of the Border Realm, making him an intermediate rank expert here now.

However, Igor’s moves are still unfamiliar; he can only resort to simple punching and kicking, along with some sloppy sword moves...

Nonoa is different; he’s already considered a half-expert in the Border Realm, able to freely release energy and directly deploy it as maneuvers, showing maximum power. Those Soul Devourers awaiting an opportunity underground attack in the same way, but their energy-release method is still not plentiful, at an intermediate level where the cycle takes much longer.

This is Nonoa’s advantage, his only advantage.

Although the subterranean Soul Devourers are at intermediate level, they are numerous; if they stagger their attacks, Nonoa’s advantage will instantly vanish.

Now Igor created a favorable condition for Nonoa, which Nonoa utilized well, gathering energy directly onto his manifested sword for a strike with Sword Qi!

Man and sword as one, I am the sword, the sword is me! Nonoa recited the Sword Mantra, leaping up with a line connecting him and the sword, resembling a flying sword from afar!

After the leap, Nonoa flipped in mid-air, directing his sword toward the ground, rapidly descending with gravity. He intended to pierce the ground with this sword.

Bang, boom!

Invisible Sword Qi spread out, and the manifested sword pierced the ground steadily, like stabbing into an enemy’s heart. Instantly, Sword Qi wreaked havoc above and below the earth.

The ground began to crack and spread outward continuously, and those Soul Devourers intent on surrounding for consumption were jolted by the Sword Qi, scattering away. The Sword Qi’s power was strong, severely damaging the underground.

Igor felt the entire ground tremble, stabilizing himself to avoid being thrown by the Sword Qi... Seeing the strike’s formidable power, Igor was incredibly excited too.

”I’ve finished my last two swords!” Nonoa felt weak.

”Don’t worry; they’ve been defeated. This Sword Qi is really powerful!”

Before long, several subterranean Soul Devourers crawled up shakily, covered in wounds, their already tattered clothes looking even more terrifying.

One, two, three... A total of five Subterranean Soul Devourers, quite an elaborate trap.

”These guys likely don’t have any attack capability left!” Nonoa commented.

”You need to keep gathering energy!” Igor reminded Nonoa.

”Yes, but we can’t stay here!” Nonoa replied, stepping forward.

They didn’t notice that the Soul Devourers climbing up from the underground began to consume the nearby lower-level Soul Devourers...

”Bringing out several Subterranean Soul Devourers collectively really shows they esteem you, Igor; your Consciousness Entity is unique!” Nonoa analyzed the current situation for Igor.

”For so many of them to devour just me, this doesn’t make sense; I only have one entity, and they’re... huh?” Suddenly, Igor noticed another squad of Soul Devourers catching up, precisely six...

”We’re doomed!” Feeling something amiss, Nonoa’s expression changed drastically.

”What’s wrong...”

”Can’t escape, we have to fight!” Nonoa abruptly halted.

”What’s the situation!”

”These are the six Soul Devourers from earlier; they’ve evolved!”

”Evolved!” Igor was shocked, seeing Nonoa’s resolute expression.

”Yes, we’re not their match.” Nonoa smiled, ”But we can’t give up because of this, right?”

”Um,” Igor hesitated, unsure how to express his feelings, ”No worries, if you can’t swing your sword, I can still unleash Flaming Strike!”

”Flaming Strike, glad to fight alongside you, Igor.”