Chapter 213
Oliver’s pulse quickened. He could feel the weight of the dark espera pressing down on him like a suffocating blanket. The creature’s dark espera tried to crush him, bearing down like a weight on his chest. He needed to weaken it, or else it would be difficult to get close. Each breath felt heavier, the air around him thickening with the creature’s corruption. Dark espera was especially harmful to exorcists with pure, untainted espera.
He needed something more. Something potent enough to burn away this darkness. He raised his hand, black flames dancing at his fingertips.
[Holy Flames of Nightmare]
With a sharp thrust of his palm, the black flames burst forth and engulfed the chimera. The flames roared to life, scorching the ground beneath them as they wrapped around the creature. The flames howled as they licked at the dark espera, burning through the corrupted energy. For a moment, Oliver thought he had gained the upper hand. The chimera staggered, its grotesque form jerking as the holy flames gnawed at its flesh. The chimera staggered, its movements growing sluggish as the holy flames feasted on its defenses.
But then, with a bone-chilling roar, the creature surged forward, seemingly unfazed by the damage it had taken. It powered through the fire, a primal fury driving its limbs. It didn’t stop. Instead, it let out a deafening roar that almost shattered Oliver’s ears.
With a furious bellow, the chimera lunged through the fire, ignoring the damage. Its claws came down like hammers, savage and fierce. Those terribly sharp claws scraped against Oliver’s arm, tearing through his cloak and drawing blood.
“What?”
Pain flared up his arm, sharp and searing, as the creature’s claws ripped into him.
The searing pain jolted him as he was thrown back by the force of the blow. He skidded across the dirt, his breath ragged, eyes narrowing at the creature that now loomed over him. It was growing wilder, losing control, the dark espera around it pulsating violently. It was clear that the chimera was losing control, slowly going berserk.
It didn’t even bother healing itself, leaping into his flames without hesitation, catching him off guard for a moment.
The chimera felt stronger than Jetia at this point, its power swelling as it absorbed more dark espera from the environment. Dark espera overflowed around it, shrouding the creature in a dense cloud of malevolent energy.
The chimera lunged at him as Oliver rolled sideways, quickly trying to gain some distance between them.
Its movements were erratic, but the raw strength behind each swipe was undeniable.
The chimera let out a low howl as the Holy Flames of Nightmare burned intensely on its body.
Layers upon layers of dark espera slowly smothered the flames until they were completely extinguished from the chimera’s tough hide.
“Damn it…” Oliver gasped, clutching his bleeding arm. His heart raced as he struggled to catch his breath. The chimera was relentless, and it was getting stronger, feeding off the dark espera in the air. His strikes, his flames—they weren’t enough to stop it. Not yet.
‘Come to think of it, this is the first time a demonic being has actually managed to injure me.’ He couldn’t help but feel the gravity of the situation.
But he wasn’t finished. His body screamed in protest, but his mind remained calm. Forcing himself to his feet, Oliver calmed his mind. The [Eternal Winter Physique] hummed inside him, his control over ice limited but present. He used a fine layer of ice to close his wound, stopping the bleeding with the help of frost.
The chill numbed the pain slightly, giving him a moment of clarity. As his arm healed, he raised his uninjured hand and summoned a wave of freezing air, attempting to slow the chimera’s movements. The frost crept across the ground like a living thing, reaching out to entrap the creature.
The frost spread across the ground, creeping up the creature’s legs and binding it in place for a moment. It thrashed wildly, cracking the ice, but it bought him the time he needed.
“This is going to hurt.”
Oliver dashed forward, calling upon his palm technique. His movements were swift, a blur of energy and precision as he closed in. His eyes locked onto the chimera’s eerie, human-like eyes, determination burning behind his [Cosmic Void Gaze]. He wouldn’t use it recklessly, just enough to seize the creature’s attention and daze it.
[Eternal Twelve Lies Palm]
The air shimmered around Oliver’s outstretched hand as twelve massive spectral giants appeared, their palms mirroring his own strike. Each palm was a projection of pure, condensed force, aiming to crush the chimera beneath their might. They descended on the chimera all at once, their blows crashing into the creature’s body with the force of a mountain. The ground shook with each impact as the chimera howled in agony, its grotesque mouths twisting and contorting, unable to process the overwhelming assault.
But even as the illusions struck, Oliver could feel it. The chimera’s body was far from breaking. It was a beast driven by pure, chaotic hunger. The dark espera swirled violently around it, resisting the attack. The creature’s body cracked, but it did not fall.
A piercing shriek escaped the chimera’s mouth as it curled its body to avoid the assault and minimize the damage. Its survival instincts were still intact, impressive for something so twisted. Even without intellect, it knew how to do such things, which impressed Oliver to some extent.
Oliver staggered back, panting, sweat dripping from his brow. He had used too much espera already.
His energy reserves were draining faster than he anticipated. It was most likely due to the excessive dark espera clouding his surroundings.
Had there been another Rank-1 exorcist in his place, they would have long since drained their espera and become the chimera’s breakfast.
“I can’t keep up this pace forever…” he muttered, glaring at the creature as it rose from the aftermath of the palm strikes. Its eyes blazed with an unholy rage, its body pulsating with malevolent energy. Its eyes burned with rage, the dark espera around it swelling with malevolent energy. It was more ferocious now, the damage only making it more dangerous.
Even without intelligence, the chimera already viewed him as a huge threat to its own existence, and its desire to kill surged even more.
But…
Did Oliver care?