"I wonder how far I can go because of your sacrifice."
Varian's words drifted in the air and the Abyssals were dumfounded for a moment before they burst out laughing.
"Humans and their arrogance. Haha. I never get enough of it. Hahaha." The leading Abyssal laughed as he wiped out the corners of his eyes.
His smile slowly receded and he looked at Varian with an indifferent face. "Do you think I wanted to chat with you?"
Varian gave him an uninterested gaze and sighed.
'I know. I know. You just wanted to distract me enough to set up your sweet trap.'
The Abyssal snorted at Varian's expression and snapped his fingers.
Vroom!
With them as the center, a barrier enveloping a few miles sprang into existence. It was translucent and perhaps a few miles up in the sky.
The dome like structure was made of hexagones and exuded a fey feeling.
Varian raised an eyebrow and checked his comm. The communication channel was cut off.
He couldn't even contact Sarah right now. Much less call Richard or Evander for support.
Boom!
Right then, the wreckage of a space ship crashed onto the barrier and slid down.
Even when bombarded with such a high kinetic energy, the barrier merely shook a little.
Whatever this barrier was, not only did it block off the communication, it also stopped anything from coming in.
Varian threw a stone at the barrier and confirmed the obvious. Nothing from inside could leave either.
He wasn't sure of its specifications, but the one thing he was sure was that it cost hella money.
"I thought you despised me. Why go to such trouble?" He couldn't help but ask.
This was truly getting the VIP treatment.
In fact, since the current mission was too important, the Abyssals splurged their fortune and used a huge jammer.
According to Boo, no one on the planetoid could communicate with the outside. So even the nearest planetoid was unaware of the predicament.
Of course, such a jammer would only last for a limited time. Even if it lasted for long, the researchers and technicians in the planetoid would manage to breach the jammer a little and send a message.
So the Abyssals naturally didn't use it since the war began. The jammer was only used after the cadets encountered the Astor Clan.
To the outside world, the cadets were just facing the remnants of Astor Clan. They would be fine.
But shortly after the cadets were under pressure facing the desperate Astor Clan members, Abyssals joined.
Since they came prepared, they put even the strongest geniuses in trouble.
Currently, the situation of cadets was turning unfavorable.
But even they didn't get the treatment of a personal barrier.
"Varian. Age 18. Survived a space crack as a Level 2. After returning, strength was at the peak of Level 4. Advanced to Level 5 shortly." The Abyssal leader spat. With each word, his killing intent rose by a notch.
"We used a jammer for the planetoid." He explained. "It blocks all signals and sends fake messages. We still have around fifteen minutes until the human space patrol realizes the situation here and sends reinforcements. But fifteen minutes is enough to kill off every genius here.
Even then, for you and only for you, we have a special barrier. Everything inside is blocked off from the outside. Others can still communicate within the planetoid. But you can't even ask for help.
I don't know what exactly you did, but Demon King personally ordered to see through your death. If our man power wasn't dragged by those monster seniors of yours, you'd be facing Level 6s." The leading Abyssal said with a triumphant expression.
'Demon King…' Varian's pupils constricted and his thoughts spun.
When did he provoke this guy?
When he fought the clones inside ghost ship in the lost dungeon?
No!
Boo clearly stated that those clones didn't transmit any information back.
Then the only high profile thing was…
Varian barely restrained his urge to facepalm.
It was the federation wide announcement! Then his return. To others, he was blessed by the goddess of luck.
For the Demon King, such a person was an eyesore.
Plus, his performance in the Tower of Trials might have already reached the Demon King's castle, cementing his decision to take 'care' of Varian.
Right now, others could communicate with each other within the planetoid, and cooperate.
Heck, they could even run away!
Thus, if they could survive the next fifteen minutes, their chances of survival would be much higher.
But Varian had to face these Abyssals alone.
"How about it? Do you regret your high profile actions? Are you despairing?" The leading Abyssal asked with a smirk.
Clearly, after the barrier was set up, he regarded Varian as good as dead.
Varian was still racking his brains on how he offended the Demon King. The leading Abyssal regarded it as him despairing and chuckled.
"I shall thank you first." He said and soon, his breathing turned erratic. "Doing this mission by myself, I will get a promotion and a hefty reward."
He looked at the subordinates behind him. Their faces were filled with greed and bloodlust.
Clearly, they too were excited for the reward.
"Brothers, slice this human piece by piece. Let's make our King proud!" The leading Abyssal no longer delayed as he raised his spear and roared.
"For the Abyss!"
"All hail Demon King!"
"All hail the Emperor!"
The thirty Abyssals charged at Varian as they sang the war cries.
Varian finally snapped out of his train of thoughts and shook his head. He was thinking how to 'test' his powers without leaking his identity. His initial idea was to ask Boo to destroy the surveillance nearby.
But even then, someone could be spying on him.
However, the barrier gave him a golden opportunity.
'Boo, this barrier blocks off the space completely. So it prevents even the Abssyals from sending information out, right?'
'Yes. No one will know what's happening inside. Even a low Level 6 would take at least five minutes to break this barrier.'
'What is this grudge?!' Varian's face twitched. For any level 5, this was an overkill.
'Master, this barrier is nothing to me. Should we escape?'
'Escape? Why escape?' Varian's lips curled up as a black sword appeared in his hand.
Out of the thirty Abyssals that surrounded him, twenty low level 5 and ten mid level 5. Each of them were elites of elites.
Especially the ten mid level 5s. They would rank in the top 100 in the Tower of Trial's Honor List. There was even three that could hit the 70s.
The greatest danger of them all, the high level 5 Abyssal, stood in the back and watched everything with amusement.
"Give up human. You are surrounded by us."
Varian raised his sword and grinned. "Fools. You all are surrounded by me."
-Boom!
His figure flickered and he disappeared in an instant.
"W-What?!" The Abyssals nearly jumped in shock.
This wasn't some high level speed. This was clearly teleportation!
The skill unique to a Space Awakener.
But Varian was a Body Awakener. Not once did he show the slightest hint of being a Space Awakener!
"A-Absurd!" The high level 5 Abyssal was also taken aback. But he didn't loose his cool and ordered. "Anti-Teleportation Formation."
The Abyssals scrambled into two circles. The ones in the outer circle were looking outward while the Abyssals in the inner circle were looking inward.
The once in outer circle and inner circle had their backs against each other, ensuring that Varian could not teleport between them.
The high level 5 Abyssal stayed outside. Leveraging his high speed, he would chase Varian and force him to spend his space power.
Eventually, Varian would exhaust his space power and could easily be killed.
"It's useless." The high level 5 Abyssal growled. "You are destined to die!"
Even if he didn't run out of space power, relying on his faster reflexes, he had a chance to kill Varian.
At least, that was the plan.
Varian's figure appeared a few hundred meters away.
-Shuaa!
The high level 5 Abyssal's axe shot at him at break neck speed.
If it was just another Level 3 Space Awakener, he would not be able to react in time and hit by the axe.
But Varian had the senses and reflexes of a Level 5 Enhanced.
So before it could even graze him, he teleported once again.
Despite a high level 5 staring daggers at him, Varian wasn't anxious. He calmly observed the formation.
This was the same formation Varian encountered when he raided a hideout in the Virgin Dungeon as a Level 2. It happened just a month ago.
When he proposed he wanted to raid a hide out alone, Sarah initially objected.
Only under his insistence did she relent. Still, she made sure that she was close to him in case any emergencies arose.
Thinking back to Sarah's actions, Varian couldn't help but smile warmly.
Sarah could've easily rejected his request. After all, she was only obliged to bring him in. Even if she only ordered him around, as a weak Level 2, there was nothing he could do.
But she didn't. Even though it was her first time knowing him, Sarah did her best to help him out.
Perhaps, beneath the indifferent demeanor she carried in front of the crowd, Sarah was truly a caring person.
'Thanks, Sarah. Now, I no longer need your protection.' Varian smiled heartily.
-Shuaa!
"You pussy! Don't go hiding all the time!" The Abyssal shouted as Varian disappeared once again.
Varian ignored his opponent's provocation and studied the formation.
Last time, he had to struggle quite a bit to win.
This time, would things be better?