Genetic Ascension

Chapter 410: Tideborn and Stormveil

The humanoid before him had blue skin. It wasn’t skin that emitted a blue light like with the Sylphs, but rather truly blue skin. It wasn’t a fierce color, and it was a bit muted almost to the point of being grey. This made it look more natural than not, but the rest of this individual’s build was almost too obviously alien.

He had sharpened, almost elven-like ears, there was a reflective scale on his forehead, and a few more smaller versions on his cheek. He was a bit lanky, but he still stood easily over a head and a half taller than Sylas, putting him at easily over seven feet tall.

But what was odder than all of that was…

—

[Nerion Tideborn (FFF+)]

[Level: 5]

–

[Physical: 677]

>[Strength: 722]

>[Constitution: 773]

>[Dexterity: 607]

>[Speed: 605]

[Mental: 833]

>[Intelligence: 1384]

>[Wisdom: 222]

>[Charisma: 893]

[Will: 732]

—

Sylas could actually read its stats. This was the first time since he had entered this Dungeon that he could actually read the stats of an opponent. ‘Level 5…?’

Soon afterward, though, he didn’t get much time to think about it. The harsh winds hit him in waves and suddenly he felt like he was right back on those stairs. The harsh climate buffeted against his body, lashing out in wave after endless wave.

Sylas took a breath, his telekinesis forming a barrier around him that pressed it all down. The air around him seemed to warm as his gaze sharpened. After his Will evolved, his telekinesis had become more malleable, almost like Aether in that sense. Rather than having to focus on enveloping a target in his Will, he could practically pick a target and have it act on it.

In the past, he couldn’t envelop his body like this without a lot of focus and control, so he ended up guiding it with fists and kicks instead. But now, he could pick his entire body as a target and it felt almost… natural.

There was a drawback, however. And that was that it took up a lot more of Wisdom. By now, he could split his mind to over a dozen targets with ease. But when he was in this state, he could no longer split his mind so many ways. It felt like he was back to square one, only able to split his mind three ways, four if he truly strained himself.

However… It was well worth it.

Sylas faced off against this blue-skinned man, but he quickly found that something was odd… He didn’t seem too eager to move.

**

While Sylas was making his deal with Brisa, there was a sudden flash of light and a pale-faced Aerwyna appeared. Not far after her were the few teammates that remained.

The disappointment in her eyes couldn’t be hidden in the slightest. She had come with the thought of competing for first place. When the fourth group was suddenly replaced by the machinations of the system, she thought that she had pretty much secured her victory, though she didn’t show any of that haughtiness on her face.

But now… She laughed at herself. She had been cautious enough, but she had no one but herself to blame for failing at the final step. Had she not insisted on being so clever and targeting Sylas directly, she could have fought out for a victory in points. Unfortunately, she had had to rely on a rare treasure she had been saving to escape.

She looked down at a cracked jade piece and shook her head.

—

[Coward’s Back-Up (FFF-) (Treasure)]

[Level: 17]

[Escape from any System Organized Event with a Level threat Grade]

[Uses Left: 1/3]

—

This treasure had been passed down in her family for a very long while, more years than she knew how to count. Yet, she was the second person to have to use it. There was no doubt that this was a great shame. However, the only thing she regretted was that she hadn’t been able to use it earlier.

Aerwyna’s expression suddenly changed. Her gaze flashed as her head turned violently, landing on an old man bleeding out on the ground. Her eyes widened and her heart almost leapt out of her chest.

“We need to go. Now.”

In that moment, she felt far more fear than when she had faced off against Sylas. This was clearly something that was far beyond her paygrade. Unfortunately, she was still too late.

The whirring of engines sounded overhead and a warship suddenly appeared high in the skies. The trees swayed and were pressed down, several of Aerwyna’s team almost being thrown off their feet in that instant of time. On the bow of the ship, there was a group of three who stood and Aerwyna couldn’t help but grow stern.

The Stormveil family. This was the fourth group of participants that hadn’t been able to appear before due to the system’s interference… but somehow Aerwyna felt that their appearance now wasn’t so simple at all.

At their helm was a young man wearing fluttering white robes. His gaze was sharp and his bearing was noble. Above his head, there were flickers of dancing wind that sometimes formed the outline of a greenish-blue crown that vanished just as quickly, blinking in and out as though it refused to fully form.

—

[Aurion Stormveil (???)]

[Level: ???]

—

Aerwyna trembled when she realized she couldn’t see Aurion’s stats or Level. She knew that they had all been holding back from Level 10 in order to complete this trial first, but she didn’t expect this fiancé of hers to have gotten over it so quickly. Not only did he not show any dissatisfaction toward the sudden interference of the system, but he had even left them all far behind.

Aurion’s ship slowly landed, crushing the trees beneath it. All the while, he only gave his fiancée a casual glance as though they weren’t affiliated with one another much at all. However, when his eyes landed on the corpse, his own expression couldn’t help but become several hints more serious as well.