—–

“You’re not getting away!” I shouted as I began to chase him down with my Shadow Tentacles boosted by the amazing power of my Shadow and Death Domain, which began to consume his Holy Light Domain with ease with the more Mana I poured into it.

FLAAASH!

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

My tentacles almost caught him multiple times, but he used his barriers, which I was able to shatter after a few hits with my tentacles, to defend himself most of the time. At the same time, he showed off his usage of magic once more by boosting his physical abilities and speed through the infusion of light magic into his body.

Meanwhile, Emeraldine recharged her arrow with spiritual energy for another big blast, firing another powerful arrow that exploded over the old man’s barrier, breaking it apart.

BOOOM!!!

“Now, Maria!”

I used the power of my shadow tentacles, controlling them and managing to finally land a powerful blow on him as if several whips bitch-slapped him.

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

“GRUUUUAAGGH…!”

BOOM!

He was thrown away with a fierce and loud boom! I clearly felt his body breaking bit by bit. I used this instance to utilize Lesser Curse on him and bathe him with deadly curses that lowered his stats and metabolism while also using my venom, which my tentacles were covered in. The deadly venom began to eat away at his life force and to stack more on top of it. I was also using Ghost Touch and Life Drain to take away his life and damage his soul, even if it was slightly!

“Uuuaaggh…! [Holy Recovery]! [Antidote Light]! [Healing Rain]!”

He struggled to move away, using his barriers to defend himself again from our bullying while he bathed himself in healing spells. The bastard had the same self-sustenance ability as me, but what I found out is that his arm didn’t regenerate back no matter what! If we can manage to take away another one of his arms, he won’t have his staff equipped anymore, and we can steal it, weakening him a lot in the process!

“You’re not running away!”

I was also struggling to move. The holy light he constantly fired weakened me even more as he had suddenly summoned something called “Golden Sun,” a massive sphere of light that flashed above our heads and continuously bathed us with light, weakening me even more. Even by shrouding myself in darkness while using the advantage of my Domain, I was still slowing down.

I was constantly firing attacks at this sphere. Still, they seemed to be barely damaging it, so I had to go all out and release even deadlier attacks to it, but I was also splitting my mind and attacking him with my shadow tentacles.

Meanwhile, Emeraldine utilized her holy nature magic to control the terrain and produce roots from the ground to make him constantly trip while also firing arrows every few seconds.

But where was Partner in all of this? Well, she was patiently waiting for her opportunity to strike.

I used the help of Emeraldine as we bathed the old man in deadly attacks and made him retreat constantly, her arrow finally managed to destroy his Holy Wall once more, as I manipulated my Shadow Tentacles and corned him, making him move back to us as he gritted his teeth and fired several rays of light at me.

One of them blasted my head off, but I regenerated it back using Undead Heal while I evaded the other hits with impressive dexterity.

“RRAAA!” He cried out in anger as he was being corned by the two of us.

Left without barriers, he was just about to make another one, but I moved my shadow tentacles below his feet by inserting them underground, and I grabbed his legs and made him trip again!

“Unngh…!”

BOOM!

He fell over the floor and lost his concentration, enough time for a shadow figure to emerge from within the woods. Having her power enhanced by my domain, she was shrouded in darkness and deathly killing intent.

Her powerful spear fell onto the man’s body!

CLAAAASSH!

“Unnggaaaggh…! T-There was another?!” He cried in horror.

His equipment formed a barrier around his torso and head, protecting him from Partner’s deadly piercing spear blows!

CLASH! CLASH! CLASH! CLASH!

The barrier was breaking down as he quickly tried to run away from her onslaught, only to have his other arm caught on it. Her piercing spear destroyed the barrier of his equipment in no time, and I used my shadow tentacles to grasp the arm Partner sliced, grabbing it away and storing it in my inventory!

“Unnnggh?! AAAGH…!”

“Thanks for the loot, old man! I’ll become a holy woman after using that glorious staff!” I laughed.

“Aggh! H-How did you send it away?! M-My arm! I am left without arms?! Uaggh…! [Heal]!”

He healed his wound and quickly began to generate several barriers around him, which he then manipulated and fired at us as if they were giant projectiles!

“[Holy Wall]! [Holy Wall]! [Holy Wall]!”

He began to desperately use everything he could, trying to blast us away with his desperate attacks.

Partner was infused with my power, as I utilized the new power of my Soul Grimoire to boost her stats, spending my Mana in great quantities and a few dozen magic crystals I had accumulated inside my inventory!

FLASH!

Her stats were boosted by a few thousand as her attacks pierced through the barriers and shattered them all!

“You’re nothing compared to my Master!” She roared.

She fiercely stood in front of us as Emeraldine collapsed to the ground due to her lack of Mana, but she still kept her consciousness. I began to refill her Mana using my own, as I used my Shadow Tentacles at the same time to corner the old man and not let him run away, but he was putting too much of a fight even without his arms!

And then I came up with a brilliant idea!

“Emeraldine, wield this!” I shouted as I gave her the old man’s staff to her.

Leaving aside her bow, she grabbed it and suddenly felt a great boost to her Mana and Magic!

“Oooh! T-This!” She muttered, feeling a large wave of power rush through her body.

“Use it and help us out!” I shouted.

—–