Chapter 1001: One Man Army
Chapter 1001: One Man Army
"Are you sure he can handle a single wave on his own?"
"It's fine. He has Tristan and Myst to back him up if ever a problem arises."
Being the commander and the heart of the entire defense formation, Alfaera was forced to stay put alongside Claire, watching Valyr and the others head to the battlefield to face the eighth wave.
"Do you think he can keep his words?" Watching the three move closer to the battlefield proper, Claire eventually asked Alfaera the question that was on her mind.
"After all, even though the aura he's shown us may be genuine, his combat strength might be not."
At those words, Alfaera looked back at her guard with a slight smile. "You've been here since Astarto was a village, Claire. Is there even a reason for you to ask me that question?"
In response, Claire returned a smile of her own. "Sure, but I've only heard about his feats back then due to circumstances. Since I haven't seen it firsthand, I'm a bit skeptical."
"Well, it doesn't hurt to be skeptical," said Alfaera after mulling over it for some time. "In any case, having interacted with Valyr for quite some time now, he doesn't promise anything without making sure he has the ability to do it."
"So, you believe he can do it, then?" asked Claire in response, raising her eyebrow in curiosity.
Though, just as Alfaera was about to respond to the question, Valyr had finally released the entirety of his aura, causing both Claire and Alfaera to focus all of their attention towards the battlefield.
Watching as Valyr's aura continued to climb in strength the more skills he activated, Claire had a look of realization on her face, understanding that she might have greatly underestimated the one that was once called Astarto's Light.
On the other hand, Alfaera's gaze seemed to have stuck on the battlefield like glue, not wanting to miss even a single moment of what Valyr would do next.
Though she'd also underestimated how strong Valyr had become during the last time they'd seen each other, she interpret the young man's massive boost in strength as a positive, her body slightly shuddering in excitement as she watched Valyr make his move.
"[Four Paths Azure War Arts]."
"[Stampede of the Azure Tiger]."
As these words left Valyr's mouth, Alfaera and Claire both watched as the wave of blue energy the young man released turned into a massive number of ferocious azure tigers.
Then, as if the young man that brought them to life had given them a command, the azure tigers began to attack the monsters of the eighth wave without abandon, making use of the strength Valyr had instilled within each of them to their fullest.
Seeing as how a single skill was already easily taking care of the tide's penultimate wave, almost everyone was left at a loss for words once Valyr unleashed yet another skill.
Though, this time, it came from the clouds.
"[Four Paths Azure Magic Arts]."
"[Azure Phoenix's Lament]."
Within seconds, a massive cloud of dark blue energy began to cover a great portion of the battlefield's sky, most of which could be found far above the monsters making up the eighth
wave.
Screeeecchhh!!!
Without any warning, azure phoenixes eventually began to rain down from the massive cloud, targeting the nearest monster within their trajectory as they worked together with the azure tigers to engage in wanton slaughter.
Seeing as how Valyr only unleashed two skills to take care what the majority would have taken hundreds upon thousands of skills to defeat, it went without saying that those doubtful of his earlier title immediately lost all their doubts.
As for those that believed in him, they watched the lone man within the battlefield fight against the monsters as if he were a conductor of an orchestra, putting him on a higher pedestal as he showed far greater power than before.
At that very moment, everyone was thoroughly reminded of one thing.
The Tidebreaker had made its return.
...
"[Superior Analysis]."
Ding!
[Canine Tidespawn (Legendary Elite)] (Level 60)
Class: Canine Tidespawn (Uncommon)
HP: 12,700/12,700
MP: 11,860/11,860
Attack: 2,758 2,758
Defense: 1,585 - 1,585
Stats: 352 VIT, 589 STR, 915 AGI, 604 DEX, 331 INT, 333 WIS, 367 PER, 184 LUK
Concepts: [Intent Seed of the Alltide]
Skills: [Basic Alltide Combat Style], [Intermediate Innate Regeneration], [Intermediate
Physical Resistance], [Tidemother Connection], and 19 other skills.
Remarks: A common monster under the control of a Tidemother. It has taken on the shape of a
canine, exhibiting greater speed and strength than other Tidespawns.
Anyways, why are you even fighting against something like this?
Focusing his attention on one of the monsters affected by his curse, Valyr utilized his identification skill on it as he watched both wide-area skills gradually lose their steam.
Though a single Tidespawn within the eighth wave was more than enough to pose a threat to those that had been defending against the tide so far, having fought against enemies with far greater strength than them, Valyr briefly felt a sense of incongruity.
After all, what he knew as skills that dealt considerable damage to his foes now turned into miniature nukes, with each attack from them removing a monster from the battlefield before the latter could react.
"In any case, I'm gonna have to take a more active role soon enough."
Muttering these words to himself, Valyr kept an eye on how much time the two skills he cast would continue to linger, eventually activating a skill as he headed deeper into the battlefield.
"[Defiance of a Thousand Aspirations]."
"Allocate the points evenly between DEX and INT."
Ding!
[Your Points of Aspiration has been reallocated.]
[164 of your points have been allocated to the DEX stat.]
[164 of your points have been allocated to the INT stat.]
Briefly moving his body in various ways to acclimate himself to his new stat distribution, Valyr soon took out his spear as he activated another skill the moment the two skills had
finished wreaking havoc.
"[Four Paths Azure War Arts]."
"[Wrath of the Azure Dragon]."
Swoosh!
Imbuing his spear with Prime Azure Energy, a number of monsters immediately fell prey to the attack as holes were gored into them before they could even react.
Not wanting to miss the opportunity he'd given himself, he then used [Descent of the Azure
Phoenix] on a nearby monster before using its body as a platform to jump into the air.
"[Four Paths Azure Magic Arts]."
"[Azure Dragon's Claw]."
Swoosh!
Leaving the spear where it was, Valyr swiped down towards the monsters in his vicinity, sending dozens of monsters to their grave as the man continued to string attack after attack.
In the end, Tristan and Myst did not have to move even a single muscle as Valyr deftly handle the eighth wave on his own, clearing the eighth wave in just half an hour as he showed everyone the true definition of a one man army.
Though, just as the final monster of the eighth wave fell victim to his barrage of attacks, Valyr felt the gaze of the Greater Tidemother fall on him, causing him to freeze up as a cacophony of voices resounded in his mind.
'The one that has sullied the life of our kin. The one that tormented our kin's soul for their own nourishment. You've finally shown yourself.'
'If you've continued to hide yourself against the sight of the Alltide, perhaps we wouldn't have found you.' The cacophony of voices in Valyr's mind continued to speak. 'Yet, you've
foolishly dared to appear in front of one of us.'
'With that, we shall act as the arbiter of our tormented kin's wrath.'
'We shall mete out punishment for your sins.'
"..." For a while after that, Valyr went silent, looking down at the ground as he processed what
the voices had told him.
Though, after some time, he looked back at the Greater Tidemother, only to let out laughter
as he took out an item from his spatial bracelet.
"Me? Foolish? You must be joking." "If anything, between the two of us..."
"You're the ones that are foolish."