novelraw Chapter 68: Sector Arbiter!
Chapter 68: Sector Arbiter!
Daniel started running. He didn’t use stealth this time around.
[Shadowsteps]! He blurred across the room.
The Arbiter saw him coming and tried to fire a beam, but the shot went wide because its targeting systems were glitching.
Daniel closed the distance in seconds. He didn’t slash with his daggers. He needed something heavier. He needed to break it physically.
He ran straight at the floating entity. As he reached it, he leaped. He jumped onto the Arbiter’s chest.
He planted his left foot on the central crystal, finding solid footing on its dull surface. The creature dipped under his weight.
Daniel didn’t stay there. He used his left leg to push off, launching his body backward into a backflip.
As he rotated in the air, he extended his right leg. He aimed his heel directly under the ’jaw’ of the floating crystal structure.
"Sit down!" Daniel roared. His heel connected with a thunderous impact.
CRACK!
The force of the backflip kick was tremendous. It struck the Arbiter from underneath, launching the massive construct upward and backward.
The Sector Arbiter flew across the room. It twisted uncontrollably in the air, crashing through a metal railing before slamming into the ground.
It slid across the metal floor, sparks flying as its crystal body ground against the tiles, until it finally came to a halt near the wall.
Daniel completed his backflip and landed in a crouch.
He looked up instantly, his eyes burning with focus. The Arbiter was struggling to rise. Its crystals were cracked. Its phasing ability had failed completely.
Daniel didn’t give it a second to recover. He unslung his Skyreaver Bow while sprinting toward the downed enemy. He pulled his right hand back.
He gathered a dense ball of purple magic in his palm, but he didn’t just throw it. He compressed it. He layered it with kinetic force. It was the move he had used against the Core Sentinel’s floor runes.
[Kinetic Mana Pulse].
"Eat this you bitch!" Daniel roared.
He shoved his hand forward, driving the glowing sphere straight into the crystal monster.
CRACK-ZZZZT!
The impact was devastating. The magic exploded inside the creature’s structure, while the kinetic force hammered the physical shell.
A web of cracks spread across the central crystal. The glowing light inside turned erratic and red.
Daniel hit the floor, landing upright.
He didn’t stop. He knew he had to shatter it completely. He looked up at the damaged, solid construct. He engaged his legs, the muscles bulging with power.
He launched himself upward again. He twisted his body in the air, gaining momentum for a final strike. He focused his remaining stamina into his right leg.
He activated [Forceburst] through his foot.
"Shatter!" His heel connected with the cracked central crystal.
KABOOM!
The force of the kick was too much for the damaged structure. The Sector Arbiter exploded.
Shards of crystal flew in every direction like shrapnel. The central core imploded, releasing a wave of white light that washed over the entire room.
Daniel flipped backward in the air, landing gracefully on his feet. He skid backward, shielding his face with his arms as the crystal rain fell around him.
The humming sound died immediately. The massive energy barrier blocking the exit flickered and dissolved completely. Silence returned to the Transit Hub.
Daniel stood up slowly. He brushed the crystal dust off his shoulders. He was breathing hard, but he felt a surge of triumph.
He walked over to the spot where the Guardian had been. There was no body, just a pile of glowing, geometric shards lying on the floor.
A blue notification window appeared in his vision, glowing brightly.
[You have slain: Sector Arbiter - Series Omega Prime (Level 6 Elite)]
[EXP Gained: 360 EXP]
[Level 5: 1290/1700 EXP]
Daniel stared at the notification. He clenched his fist. He was getting stronger. Every fight, every struggle, was pushing him closer to his goal.
He looked at the pile of crystals. This was high-grade material. This was the essence of a complex machine. He knelt beside the remains.
He placed his hand on the largest shard, which was still pulsing with faint light. He prepared himself for the harvest.
"Let’s see what you are made of," Daniel whispered.
The geometric shards of the Sector Arbiter hummed beneath Daniel’s palm. They felt warm, vibrating with a residual energy that was completely different from the organic monsters he had hunted in the forest.
Daniel closed his eyes and initiated the process.
The reaction was instantaneous. A stream of brilliant white light surged from the crystal shards and shot up his arm. It moved through his veins like liquid mercury, heavy and substantial.
Daniel gasped, his back arching as the influx of power hit his core. It felt like his brain was being rewired. Complex mathematical equations and geometric patterns flashed behind his eyelids, burning themselves into his mind.
His muscles tightened, becoming denser as the high-grade energy reinforced his fibers. His skin tingled as it toughened, absorbing the defensive properties of the Guardian.
It was intense, bordering on painful, but Daniel welcomed it. This was the feeling of growth.
This was the feeling of becoming something more than human. The light faded, leaving Daniel kneeling on the metal floor, panting softly.
A series of bright blue notifications scrolled across his Databand, confirming the harvest.
[Soul Assimilation successful on Construct: Sector Arbiter - Series Omega Prime (Level 6 Elite)]
[Gain: Spirit +20]
[Gain: Adaptability +18]
[Gain: Strength +20]
[Gain: Physique +20]
[Assimilation Charges Consumed (8/15 Remaining).]
Daniel stared at the numbers. They were staggering. A twenty-point jump in multiple stats was a massive leap. He stood up and flexed his hands. The air around him seemed to ripple as he did so.
His perception of the world had changed again. With the massive boost to his Spirit and Adaptability, the interfering static of the Astral Verge was completely gone.
He could feel the energy flowing through the walls as clearly as he could feel the blood in his own veins. But the rewards didn’t stop at raw stats.
A new notification pulsed with a golden hue, signaling a skill evolution.
[Skill Enhanced: Shield Mastery (Passive) upgraded to Energy Shield Manipulation (B-Grade)]
[Skill Description: The user has transcended basic defensive instincts. You can now project, shape, and move energy shields at will. Shields have increased durability and can reflect minor energy attacks.]