Chapter 213: Clash of Giants
*Bing-Bong*
The author would like to quickly address that since it’s been about several dozen chapters since aether armor was last mentioned or used as a concept, that they would like to mention a bonus side chapter has been published in order to help explain what the hell it all means.
Reader’s enjoyment is not predicated on having read this supplementary chapter, but it helps.
*Bing-Bong*
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The sound of metal clanging against metal and aether enhanced attacks rebounding against one another, echoed throughout the room as Orgo and Zhen Shi exchanged blows with the two leaders of the Wolfe Family.
While quite a few battles in the adjacent room had ended and it freed up allies of each respective side to go and possibly assist their respective leaders, nobody did.
The battle between Grandmasters tended to be so intense that only those at peak Aether Master and above would be able to assist meaningfully, or at least be able to resist the shockwaves produced.
Regardless of either side’s intention, both could just wait for the time being.
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“You seriously think that little toothpick is gonna be enough to pierce me?! I’ll cave your skull in before you get the chance!,” Orgo shouted as his aether armor deflected Jacob’s sword, giving him a chance to swing his pickaxe back in retaliation.
Orgo’s bold claim of his defensive abilities weren’t merely for show.
As the Grand Digger of the Digger’s Union, it made sense for Orgo to have a formula and skillset that could best be described as “rock solid”, especially since most of the members were essentially disciples of his.
Orgo’s formula was known as [Nine Crystals Tortoise Mantra], a major grade Ethereal formula characterized by the use of Terraqi aether to make one’s defensive capabilities strong enough to shatter steel and the development of an endurance that could make the user able to go without food, water or sleep for two weeks straight. As such, and given Orgo’s jovially loud personality, his aether armor looked less like armor and more like he was made of crystals.
Jacob dodged the heavy pickaxe swing, and attempted to slash at Orgo to counter.
A horrible scrapping sound was the result as his cane sword failed to cut through Orgo’s armor once more.
“Tsk! Stubborn rock head!,” Jacob cursed as he bounced back to disengage.
Sharply contrasting Orgo’s wild and untamed looking armor, Jacob’s armor looked distinctly more “proper”.
With a silver sheen, wolf motif and form fitting design, it was an armor appropriate for one who’s formula was known as [Desert Wolf Tactics], a formula equal in strength to Orgo’s, but with a higher emphasis on speed. Granted, if a certain transmigrated boy was in the room, he would have commented on how the armor’s design reminded him of a certain marquis.
“But you’re right, Orgo. Perhaps my old blade can’t cut through your shell,” Jacob said as he resheathed his cane sword. Once it was fully sheathed, he twisted the cane’s head once, illiciting a strange clicking sound. At the same time, Orgo felt a sudden pressure coming down on him, and a sharp increase of dread in his stomach. When Jacob drew his sword once more, he immediately understood why.
“Is that-?!”
“Ifrit Fire Heart Crystal? Yes,” Jacob smiled, “I do believe you once this was considered the ‘most destructive” of the Four Elementalist crystal ores, yes? My old steel blade might not have been able to cut through your shell, but this new blade of mine should be able to cook you like a crab over the fire. Now have at thee! [Gale Rush]!”
In a burst of aether enhanced speed, Jacob rushed forward at Orgo, his new cane sword flaring to life as he did.
The shadow of a spirit of fire, wind and destruction seem to manifest around Jacob as he did.
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*BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!BOOM!*
While the fight between Orgo and Jacob Wolfe could best be described as speed vs power, with both sides wielding weapons, Zhen Shi and Harold Wolfe’s fight was decidedly more…brawler intensive.
The exchange of blows between the two of them made for a rather striking sight, with Harold’s armor reminsicent of a demonic golden wolf, while Zhen Shi’s looked significantly hydrodynamic looking with organic curves and fin-like details.
Neither of them had attempted to make use of any aether arts yet, instead, they used their aether to accelerate their movements and increase their destructive ability and defensive capabilities.
“Hahaha! I’m surprised! I figured after all of these years, you would have broken down by now!,” Harold laughed in a condescending tone.
Zhen Shi didn’t respond, he preferred to let his fists do all the talking for him.
“Don’t feel like talking? What a turn! I remember when we last exchanged fists you were significantly chattier! When was that again? Was it before you became a widower? Or just right after?”
A flash of emotion briefly overcame Zhen Shi, causing him to hesitate for a brief second.
This brief hesitation allowed Harold to swing a heavy fist towards Zhen Shi’s stomach, luckily Zhen Shi managed to his attention back quick enough to fire off a counter at Harold’s face.
This particular exchange of blows was surprisingly heavy, forcing both to take a few steps back as a result. One could assume that this was an equal exchange of damage infliction based on their actions, but their aether armors told a different story.
“Oooh, would you look at that! That’s a pretty nasty crack you got in your armor, ya old codfish,” Harold mocked as he noticed the sizeable spiderweb cracks in Zhen Shi’s abdominal armor, “losing your heart for battle?”
Zhen Shi glanced down at his abdomen and noticed the spider cracks as well. He couldn’t help but to touch the wounds in his aether armor as one does when unsure of their own pain.
‘Dammit! I can’t fall in this battle, not now at least. I have to least cripple the man for a bit,’ Zhen Shi said to himself as reaffirmed his need to fight. Responding to his conviction, the cracks in his armor began to repair themselves.
“Apologies for the pause, Harold,” Zhen Shi said as he got back up into a fighting stance, “I was just admiring the cracks I left in your face.”
Instinctively, Harold lifted a hand and touched at his faceplate, confirming that there was a sizable crack across it. The anger in Harold’s heart at the slight wound caused it to repair almost instantly, but the fact that had occured in the first place…displeased him.
“You know…I just realized something interesting,” Harold began to say as he walked towards Zhen Shi once more.
“Oh?,” Zhen Shi asked as he walked to meet Harold half way.
“This week happens to be the same week you buried your beloved…Zhen Hua all those years ago, yeah? Wouldn’t it be poetic if in the same week your clan had to bury your matriarch, that I bury all of you with her?!,” Harold exclaimed as he swung out an attack. This time, he actually did use an aether art, one that made his right hand look like a claw belonging to monstrous mole.
[Mountain Rending Claw!]
