Genetic Ascension

Suddenly, a blinding ray of light reached them.",

"What the hell, Max. Isn't that a Conquering Sequence?! Didn't you say they were in battle?"

"Forget that, hurry up!"

Max shot forward, his speed exceptional. He seemed to leap from the ground onto the branches of some trees as though they were just a step away, while his irritable companion followed up.

"Cover me, Jared." Max called out, his voice much more restrained. "This Gnoll Village spawned with a Den. We can't give it up."

…

[Time to Success: 00:00:21]

---

Sylas kept looking at the timer, but he was on full alert. The walls should actually be a benefit to him this time, so he didn't make any rash movements, remaining as still as possible.

He remembered how difficult it had been for him to find the location of the City Stele, even when there weren't any individuals to stop him. Even if a beast, or even a person, saw the blinding flash of light, they would only have a general location and nothing too exact.

His ears twitched.

'That's not a beast.'

The person was exceptionally light on their feet, but the moment Sylas heard the silent scuffles and dull thump, it felt like a hand had wrapped around his heart.

Someone was here.

He moved, shifting his position in the tent.

'This person, assuming they know what that flash of light was, will know that there's someone here. If that's the case, they won't take a normal approach to checking the tents, they'll either launch an all out attack from the outside or they'll just get rid of the tent in the fastest way possible, maybe even throwing it into the air.

'It's also possible that there's a scouting skill similar to Olivia's that could ignore any cover…'

Sylas was torn. In one case, the person would expose themselves first and he could take advantage. In the second, he would be a sitting duck, waiting for a person's response.

He made a decision in his heart and counted the seconds in his head.

After three, he unleashed Madness.

Max frowned, feeling a sudden assault on his mind that he wasn't ready for. His eyes went red as he was creeping forward, and his baser instincts almost took over.

'A mental attack? What is this?'

He had never run into such a thing before. The effects of Sylas' Madness were unlike anything he had faced.

…

Off in the distance, high in the trees, Jared held a bow, a frown on his face. His eyes glowed as he activated a Skill that sharpened his vision. He could see the target, and he was sure that Max could too. So why wasn't he moving?

…

On the ground, Sylas slipped out of the tent, moving, shifting to the side of an adjacent tent until he caught sight of his target.

---

[Maximillion Cooper (F)]

[Level: 4]

[Physical: 62]

[Mental: 51]

[Will: 55]

---

Sylas' gaze sharpened. Those stats… he had to kill this man fast before he locked onto him.

He was just about to use his dagger when he heard the whistling. Sylas had already been through one archer attack before, and on such high alert, he heard it as clear as if a beast was roaring into his years.

Without hesitation, he dove to the side. He could barely see a streak of blue through the night and he didn't even have the time to understand just what was happening when he actually saw the arrow curve in the air.

He had reacted quickly, but still not quickly enough.

The arrow grazed his shoulder, leaving a deep groove that would probably require two or three dozen stitches. It was a ghastly wound that left his arm feeling almost limp.

Sylas couldn't believe he had just survived a battle of such terrible proportions, only to land himself in this situation immediately afterward.

Sylas couldn't believe he had just survived a battle of such terrible proportions, only to land himself in this situation There was a dull BANG as the arrow cut out a small crater in the ground.

Max's head snapped in the direction of Sylas, using the location the arrow had landed in as a guide.

'Not good,' Sylas' mind spun like a churning engine.

He used his momentum to roll to his feet, springing up and hugging the walls of the village.

The only way to stay out of the archer's line of sight was to keep close to the walls, or more accurately, the side of the walls the arrow had come from. If they wanted to target him from that position, they could have to come closer or even climb atop the walls themselves. If they didn't dare to, then they would essentially be cosigning their partner in crime to a one-

on-one battle.

Sylas' jaw steeled. He realized that maybe this group wouldn't find that to be so bad. He was completely outmatched, and he barely had time to wonder about why his scan worked when this man's Mental was greater than his own before he was forced to duck again.

Max suddenly appeared by him, using a Skill or maybe a Gene Talent that reminded him of a Sudden Burst. However, Sylas could practically 'feel' him approaching from the side. The moment Max's acceleration Skill came to an end, Sylas activated his own, just barely dodging out of the way as an arrow soared over his head.

Sylas spun around, his back slamming into the wall of logs as he faced Max, his green eyes glistening. He activated <Madness Control> and <Maddened Enlightenment> at the same time.

All around, Aether began to gather, and the situation became vaguely illuminated, allowing Sylas to see more of the situation than just barely outlined shadows and streaking arrows.

At this point, he was certain that these two had some sort of night vision Skill or Gene Talent. There was no way that archer could target him from so far away without one. In that case, he had nothing to lose by doing this.

"Agh!" Max subconsciously blinked as his eyes were assaulted by the sudden light.

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