No way... the God of Stone is real? It's not just some old fairytale they tell kids?! The colossal figure carrying the entire city... the sight was so grand and awe-inspiring it nearly took my breath away.
But don't get distracted! Focus on what's in front of me!
I scrambled to my feet and rolled out of the way in the last split second! The earth worm thing attacked the spot where I'd been standing, shattering the ground. If that had hit me, I'd have been torn to bits. It kept lunging at me in a frenzy, forcing me to retreat again and again until I was almost at the cliff's edge once more.
Without hesitation, I leaped onto the old stone bridge connecting Stone City to the outside world. At least up here, I should have more room to move.
The earth worm didn't let up. It kept charging after me, determined to tear me to shreds.
But then... something unbelievable happened!
The earth worm, charging at high speed, froze in mid-air as if it had hit an invisible wall! No... not exactly hit. It was slowly piercing through a transparent energy barrier that surrounded Stone City's border. Its body began to burn, making a sickening sizzling sound before it turned to ash and disintegrated completely!
And finally... the mastermind behind the earth worms emerged from the shadows. It was another humanoid Soul Either... or maybe most of the Soul Eithers out here look like humans?
"Cowards... this damn city," the Soul Either spoke in a raspy voice, before slowly walking towards me.
I didn't waste a moment, immediately drawing "Divine Moon" and getting into a ready stance.
"Bring it on!" I shouted back in defiance.
"Then you come out! I'm not risking my life going in there," it shouted back mockingly.
And yes... it had just fully dawned on me. This Soul Either... it could talk! That meant it was mid-level... or maybe even higher. I wasn't sure, but it definitely wasn't the low-level trash I was used to!
It walked right up to the barrier's edge and stopped, staring at me with contempt.
I didn't wait, deciding to use a technique I'd just thought of on the spot. I swung my sword!
"Divine Moon... Crescent Moon!!"
A wave of pure silver sword energy shot through the air in the shape of a horizontal crescent moon!
But it easily dodged my attack.
"Heh... you cowards. This is starting to get on my nerves," the Soul Either muttered to itself.
And then... it decided to step through the barrier! Its body immediately burst into flames from the sacred energy! But strangely, the wounds from the fire healed rapidly. Its flesh twisted and contorted, its once-human-like skin cracking and turning into hard, black scales... Yes... its appearance now was exactly like the Soul Eithers I'd seen inside Stone City!
Or maybe... the reason the Soul Eithers inside Stone City look so grotesque... is because they tried to cross the barrier?
"Surprised, aren't you?" it said with a sneer. "That I can enter this pathetic territory."
"The only reason I didn't want to step in at first... is because this barrier drains a fair bit of my spiritual power."
"But even so... if stepping in means I get to kill you... it'll be worth it."
I fell silent for a moment, before replying with a challenge.
"Kill me? A Soul Either like you?"
"Let me tell you something... I'm... B-rank, you know!"
The Soul Either didn't say anything more. It just gave a mocking smile before crouching down and touching the stone bridge with both hands. Suddenly, the ground around me began to tremble, and countless earth worms shot out from the floor!
"Divine Moon... Full Moon!"
I spun around, slashing my sword in a full circle, creating a bright wave of silver sword energy to defend myself!
Even so, the technique wasn't as perfect as I'd hoped. A few of the worms broke through my defense and slammed hard into my body several times!
Ugh!
But as I was struggling to defend, I finally spotted its weak spot! It was on both of its wrists that were touching the ground! But its weak spot was strange... there were two red dots, one on each wrist!
The question is... do I have to destroy both of them?
I quickly regained my footing and told myself...
Well... only one way to find out!
"Divine Moon... Crescent Moon, Form Two!"
I changed my slash from horizontal to vertical! The sword wave cut through the worms in front of me, slicing them in two and clearing a path for me to charge straight at it!
Seeing me coming, it quickly lifted both hands from the ground, causing all the worms to dissolve, before barely dodging my blade!
"The condition for your power... is touching the ground with your hands, isn't it," I said to it.
"So what if it is? What can you do to me?"
After it spoke, it placed its hands on the ground again. But this time, I was ready! I tried to gather my lightning Soul power and channel it to my feet, hoping to use unexpected speed to attack!
And the energy came!
CRACKLE!!
I shot towards it with several times my previous speed!
"Divine Moon... Waning Moon!"
I slashed my sword in an X-pattern, aiming to sever both of its wrists in a single strike!
But I was still slightly off target, only managing to hit one of its wrists!
"So fast!" it cried out in shock.
It swung its leg to kick me away, while using its other, unharmed hand to touch the ground, causing an earth worm to shoot out and slam into my body again!
Ugh!
I coughed up blood and stumbled back, seriously wounded.
That Soul Either... the wound on its wrist was already regenerating at an incredible speed