Spirit's Awakening: The Path of Lightning and Water-Chapter 311: Wounds

Nalzerak’s body convulsed, impaled on the construct’s jagged back spikes. The green aura of his corrupted abyssal mana and intent flickered and sputtered, struggling to hold its form.

The assassin’s imposing figure now sagged into the spikes, his emerald eyes narrowing with fury and rage. Each spike embedded in his form injected him with the construct’s own intent, the oxidized bronze colored intent sending shocks of destructive lightning mana coursing through him.

Yet, even in the face of death, the Kharthi demon’s twisted grin returned, his jagged teeth glinting as he locked eyes with Lassim that was about to launch his death blow to end the fight.

The battlefield, once roaring with the sounds of their clashes, was now eerily silent save for Nalzerak’s labored breaths, Lassim’s own exhausted breathing and the sound of the spikes tearing into flesh.

Nalzerak’s claws twitched, his movements sluggish as if he could will himself free, but the bronze energy and the shape of the spikes held him firmly in place.

Despite all this and his grievous wounds, his voice was sharp, cutting through the oppressive quiet. "This isn’t over," he rasped, "You’ve delayed the inevitable, mortal. The General of Rage that tasked me with your death will send more. You’ve been taken notice of, and my death shall increase your importance further. His wrath will descend upon you, and all who—"

Lassim didn’t wait for him to finish.

With his halberd already in motion and raised high, he poured the last reserves of his fused, divine mana, that was dwindling due to the extensive [Lifestream Aegis] healing and attacks, into the blade.

The weapon gleamed with the bright violet and azure hues, surging with barely contained power as the embedded lightning fish within it darted forward preparing for their final strike. In one fluid motion, Lassim swung down with all his strength, the halberd carving through Nalzerak’s neck in a single, devastating [Slash].

The vortex of spiraling energy released from the halberd engulfed the area, creating a storm of light and sound that reverberated across the plains.

What followed was Nalzerak’s severed head tumbling to the ground, his emerald eyes still glowing with hatred, his mouth frozen mid-threat. His body, still impaled on the spikes, suddenly collapsed into itself, the corrupted energy of the Abyss that fueled and powered his presence in this universe suddenly unraveling in a grotesque display—the kind that Lassim had seen countless times before now from weaker members of the Abyssal Legion that he’d killed or seen killed in the past.

Dark ichor spilled from the wound for only a moment before the entire corpse began to dissolve. The assassin’s body crumbled into a pool of abyssal sludge, falling from the spikes and meeting the ground. The abyssal energy began hissing and steaming as it evaporated into the air.

What little remained was ash and a faint, sickly residue of his corrupted and green intent. The putrid stench and innate sense of ’wrongness’ of the decaying abyssal energy filled the air.

The construct let out a low growl as it turned, its oxidized bronze eyes locking on to the remnants of the demon, as if ensuring that Nalzerak’s death was final.

Lassim staggered, his body trembling from the efforts of the battle as the adrenaline rush was ending. Blood still dripped steadily from his numerous wounds, pooling at his feet as his [Lifestream Aegis] struggled to keep him standing.

The translucent, watery glow of the technique surrounded him, tirelessly working to close the deep gashes and mend his battered body, but the mental toll from the rough, nearly 30 minute onslaught was undeniable. So much happened in the blink of an eye in this short assassination attempt. His breaths came in shallow gasps, and the world around him spun as the mental pain and dizziness threatened to overtake him.

Yet Lassim’s attention and focus returned in a moment of clarity as it was quickly drawn away from the construct’s presence in front of him as a faint, pained sound reached his ears.

"Lassim…"

The weak, rasping voice belonged to Rlyis. Lassim turned sharply, his Spirit Sense honing in on her and Eno’s crumpled forms. Blood pooled beneath their bodies; their breaths shallow.

Lassim moved to their sides as quickly as possible with a short [Tempest Steps].

Kneeling between them, he returned his halberd to his inner heart world before placing trembling hands over both their bodies, his Spirit Sense immediately assessing the extent of their injuries.

The green corruption left behind by the assassin’s attack was still present, coiling insidiously around their mana pathways like parasitic vines despite his death. Eno’s pulse was the weaker of the two. The metal elemental cultivator’s body was rigid, his breaths barely perceptible, but they were both still alive—for now.

"You’ll be okay," Lassim said, though his voice was hoarse and a bit shaky.

He turned to where Eno lay nearby, his condition no better. The metal elemental cultivator’s body was rigid, his breaths barely perceptible in comparison to Rlyis’. The same green intent energy was affecting Eno more strongly with it spreading through towards his inner heart world and threatening to still his heart; extinguish his life.

Gritting his teeth, Lassim extended the activated [Lifestream Aegis], expanding its reach to encompass both Rlyis and Eno as well.

The translucent glow of the technique enveloped their bodies thinly, the best he could manage in his condition, flowing into their wounds and attempting to infuse his lightning sprite fish into the technique to target the corrupted energy.

Lassim winced as he felt the resistance—the green tendrils fought back, their abyssal nature rejecting the Aegis’s purifying energy the same way it had in his own body. Yet, the wincing he was doing was more in reaction to the way Eno’s and Rlyis’ bodies shook and seized as the fight between the two intents occurred within them.

Rlyis let out a faint groan as the energy began to work, her body continuing to convulse slightly before eventually relaxing. Eno’s breathing stabilized marginally, but he still seemed completely unconscious in the wake of the green corruption receding ever so slowly.

Lassim poured everything he had into the technique, ignoring the searing pain in his own body and the mental strain threatening to overwhelm him.

Minutes stretched into what felt like hours. Sweat poured down Lassim’s face, his vision blurring as he fought to keep his focus. Possibly because of the visions of the future he’d be shown, or the hazy, dizziness and mental exhaustion, but the combination of these factors gave Lassim the sudden thought that this was truly what he was meant to be doing.

This was exactly the kind of scenario that he wanted to prevent, but… if he couldn’t be strong enough to prevent it, then he’d be strong enough to pick up his allies after defeating the enemies. Something in him just felt like this was his purpose as he continued to work on everyone’s wounds.

He might not be able to be the full bastion and shield to protect everyone he knows or is close to yet, but he felt like he’d worked on himself just enough—an actual milestone against an incredible enemy’s surprise attack. He had realized in this moment that he has the tiniest sliver of true power to protect others, and he planned to continue to grow further so that he could pick up the pieces after whatever the Abyss’ sends at him and those he cared about.

In the haze of his self reflection and spinning mind, the green corruption was relentless. But, his effort with [Lifestream Aegis] was unyielding. Finally, the abyssal energy dissipated, leaving faint scars in their mana pathways but halting its spread.

"They’ll live," Lassim muttered to himself, though his voice lacked conviction—as if trying to convince himself. The toll on his body was truly immense, and he knew he couldn’t afford to collapse from his still bleeding wounds—not yet. If not for his powerful Spirit Ascension stage, level 2 cultivation and variety of body enhancing techniques, divine mana, and even the Leviathan’s curse to take his body to the extreme for his current cultivation prowess, he’d have long since died.

Forcing himself to his feet, Lassim retrieved his communication disc with trembling hands that he could barely still enough to keep the disc from escaping his grip.

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The device hummed to life, its interface projecting a faintly glowing screen before him. He typed out a message, his thoughts concise but urgent:

Sect Master,

Urgent Request: Healer Needed

Location: Construct Workshop

Details: Abyssal Demon Assassin Attack. Eno and Rylis are severely injured. I’ve barely stabilized them. Immediate aid required.

He attached the location marker for their precise position of the workshop’s residence building, the place he planned to carry them to shortly, and sent the message.

The response came almost instantly—a single glyph of acknowledgment from the Sect Master, confirming the urgency of his request. Relief washed over Lassim, but it was short-lived.

Turning back to Rlyis and Eno, Lassim carefully hoisted them onto his shoulders, ignoring the protests of his battered body. Blood seeped from his wounds with each movement, but he pressed on, determined to get them to safety.

The hybrid beast construct followed silently, its bronze eyes scanning the surroundings as if still expecting another attack.

The journey back to the outpost was grueling, but at least he could fly and float through the air with no unnecessary jostling of his two Array Master teachers.

Lassim’s injuries still made it a test of his endurance, his arms weak and strained trying to hold them. The weight of his comrades only added to the strain, causing blood to flow a bit more steadily down his legs from a large open gash at his waist from one the assassin’s many earlier attacks.

Finally, the outpost’s defensive arrays came into view. He slipped through the protective barriers and nearly staggered through the gates, slowly dropping in elevation so that he could reach the residence building’s doorway. His legs nearly giving out as he landed and he needed to grit his teeth to get the door open.

Inside, he laid Rlyis and Eno down on the central table, his hands shaking as he worked to clean their wounds and stabilize them further with some physical bandages this time. The construct stood watch by the still open door at the entrance of the residence, working as the perfect guard dog and radiating the powerful Spirit Mystic stage pressure at full alert.

Time began to lose its meaning and even remembering his own actions from the entire flight over seemed to have passed in a blur. Yet, Lassim continued to work tirelessly, suppressing his own pain and exhaustion to ensure Rlyis and Eno’s survival.

His [Lifestream Aegis] remained active, the technique’s glow constantly reminding him of all three of their situations and how terrifying the attack had actually been, almost succeeded if it weren’t for the risky suggestion to fill the construct with his intent. Somehow it worked out and the construct had created its own intent based off of his and he admired the way the construct had been able to fight directly against the assassin.

Lassim’s mind was a mess as he thought about everything and sometimes spaced out blankly, just hands trembling and shaking as he held his hands above his teacher’s bodies. He lost track of how long he’d been working and his disorientation only continued to grow.

The sound of footsteps approaching and the construct’s immediate reaction to growl menacingly broke his concentration and awakened him from his daze.