Tartarus frowned.
Now, it was highest priority to not let Kane into the Layer 4.
But, if Kane did not enter the Elder Dragon pieces would continue to be tricked by Neo.
“If only I can get a chance to communicate with First Great Disaster, or the Second Great Disaster…”
Tartarus shook his head.
What was done, was done.
Instead of leaving things to chance, he should do what was guaranteed to work.
“I can empower the Protectors that are still alive. That should be enough to stop Neo until I can contact with the Second Great Disaster.”
…
Zone 2, Layer 4, Nightmare World
The dragons’ hivemind felt like a hum in his head.
They reached a big open space.
Neo recognized the place.
It was where he woke up in his time loops. It was a lucky coincidence. If he had known about it, he could’ve devoured the corpse long ago.
“This is it. The Protector of Zone 2 died here. It’s soul is sealed deep below. The Great I will revive it now,” announced Nyxtharion #2.
“How do you bring it back?” wondered Neo.
“The Great I will use our power together. One of the Great I isn’t strong enough. Watch,” replied Nyxtharion #69.
The dragons stood around the ground.
Their scales glowed a little.
They made a deep sound, like a song. It felt heavy.
Purple light came up from the ground.
It moved like smoke, then turned into a shape.
Claws came first, then bones, then a body with old skin.
The Protector of Zone 2 stood up.
It was a huge monster made of bones and shadows. It had no eyes, but it looked at Neo. It roared, and the ground shook.
“That’s big,” muttered Neo.
“Fight it. Show that you can handle it,” ordered Nyxtharion #4.
The Protector ran at Neo.
Its claws hit the ground where he was.
He jumped away and made his Death Sword appear.
He swung it and cut the Protector’s arm.
Black stuff came out, but it kept coming.
‘Weak defensive abilities. But insanely high regeneration.’
‘Or is this even regeneration? It looks like a monster made out of Shadows.’
Neo kept parrying the attacks barely.
Revived beings were weaker than their original counterpart, and since the Protector was revived just now, it should be unable to use its abilities properly.
Yet, Neo was unable to hurt the Protector.
Despite using Death Sword, an ability that could hamper healing abilities, the Protector could ‘regenerate’ easily.
The dragons watched.
After confirming Neo could fight properly, they moved.
“Now,” commanded Nyxtharion #2 through the hivemind.
The dragons moved.
Nyxtharion #4 shot purple fire at the Protector’s head.
Nyxtharion #28 and #69 used Space Lock together.
It was strong this time, and the Protector couldn’t move.
Nyxtharion #45 jumped in and broke its back with its claws.
The Protector tried to fight, but the dragons were too much.
After a long battle, the something within the Protector shattered.
Its limbs dissipated, and it fell lifelessly into the ground. Neo could sense that it had ‘died’.
“Devour it,” said Nyxtharion #2.
Neo nodded.
In the pile was a glowing piece—the Protector’s core.
Neo walked to it.
His Darkness came alive, and surged towards the corpse.
[Strength +1,30,000], [Agility +1,40,000], [Endurance +1,50,000], [Constitution +90,000], [Combat Experience against Shadow Entities +100], [Combat Experience against Elemental Beings +90], [Mastery of Shadow Elemental Combat +110], [Shadow Elemental Affinity +120], [Innate Communication with Shadow Elementals +130], [Harmony Pathway Incantation Mastery – Shadow Element +140], [Grand Shadow Incantation Knowledge +150], [Summoning Mastery – Legion of Shadows +135], [Body of Living Shadow – Fluid and Resilient Form +130], [Darkened Regeneration – Restoration Through Shadow +120], [Ethereal Movement – Silent and Intangible Motion +110], [Perfect Shadow Integration – Become One with the Darkness +125], [Elemental Embodiment – Core of the Shadow Pathway +140], [Unseen Predator – Absolute Stealth in Darkness +130], [Shadow Domain Creation – Manifestation of a Personal Abyss +145], [Abyssal Shadow Tendrils – Manifestation of Dark Limbs +135], [Phantom Sovereignty – Command Over Lesser Shadows +120], [Unfathomable Depths – Resistance to Light and Holy Energies +110], [Dimensional Veil – Partial Phasing Through Space +130], [Primordial Shadow Synthesis – Fusion with Pure Darkness +140], [Darkness Forged Constitution – Body of Indestructible Night +150], [Incarnation of the Eclipse – Master of Twilight’s Abyss +160], [Whispered Invocation – Casting Without Words +120], [Tenebrous Howl – Roar That Calls the Abyss +110], [Eternal Night’s Embrace – Presence That Devours Light +130], [Unbreakable Shadow Core – Immortality Within Darkness +145], [Dark Legion’s Call – Instinctive Command Over Shadow Beasts +140], [Sovereign of the Black Tides – Authority Over Living Night +150] [Energy +2,500,000].
Neo dropped to his knees, gripping his head.
The cavern spun.
Voices whispered, loud and sharp, cutting through his thoughts.
“What’s wrong with him?” asked Nyxtharion #4, looking worried.
“He’s going crazy. The Darkness is too strong,” replied Nyxtharion #2, watching Neo shake.
Neo’s hands trembled.
The Protector of Zone 2 was stronger than anything he’d ever fought.
He remembered the Grand Expedition—millions of Empyreans, tens of thousands of Paragons and Exalted, dozens of Fabled, and Dragon Clan Leaders who could fight whole armies alone.
All that power together could just barely beat a Protector, if they could defeat it.
And devouring someone strong always brought a larger, darker insanity.
This Protector was revived, not as strong as before, but it still almost broke his sanity.
“Is he okay?” wondered Nyxtharion #28, tilting its head.
“No. His mind is falling apart. That Protector was too much,” answered Nyxtharion #69.
Neo’s eyes blurred.
The voices got louder, yelling in his head.
He saw old friends, dead enemies.
His Darkness wasn’t just strength—it was madness, and it was taking over. He scratched the ground, trying to stay himself.
“His Darkness is too powerful. It can devour everything. Not fair,” muttered Nyxtharion #45.
“It’s strong, yes. But the Great I don’t feel bad about it,” added Nyxtharion #34.
“Why not?” questioned Nyxtharion #45.
“To get power like that, he must have had suffered a lot,” explained Nyxtharion #2.
The hivemind buzzed.
Neo’s madness leaked into it, like a dark wave.
The dragons shook, feeling it.
They’d felt this before, when they first joined minds with him.
Now it was worse—stronger, scarier.