Genetic Ascension

[2000 PSs bonus]",

It seemed that this new Vipermancer Profession was giving him both obvious and hidden benefits.

'I should rest for the night.'

He felt good, extremely good. He assumed that it was both because of his increased Mental and Constitution. He definitely needed less sleep now than he did in the past. But he was still mindful of the Madness Key's warning. If he could afford it, he should take a rest when he could.

'Hm?'

Sylas frowned. He felt his mood shift oddly just now. It was something that he would ignore usually, but ever since he had comprehended Madness, he was hypersensitive to his own mood changes.

'What was that? No, what's this uneasy feeling?'

Sylas was about to rest, but something told him not to.

He frowned, but ultimately listened to it. He was at most two or three hours from Casstle Main.

Casting a glance at the basilisk, he frowned. It was fatigued because of its injuries and it was far too slow.

"Follow after me using our connection. Protect this one. Don't let him escape."

Sylas gave it simple commands. The Loyalty of the beast was low, but a Contract of Subservience was a Contract of Subservience. Loyalty was a measure of what kind of commands the beast would follow and how far they would be willing to go without a command.

So long as the command was reasonable and didn't extend too far, even a beast with one Loyalty would listen.

After he finished speaking, Sylas' foot pressed so hard into the ground the soft soil sunk three inches before he exploded forth.

…

Sylas heard the sounds of battle long before he saw them. In the depths of the night, unless he kept his night vision Skill active indefinitely, it was impossible to see a far distance. However, it wasn't long before his eyes spotted it.

It was the only light source, one light by the torches of Casstle Main and bolstered by the Aether pulsing into the skies.

The first thing spotted were the trolls. They were far too large, standing at two and a half meters tall on average. Their figures were large and bulky, their shoulders as wide as carriages. They looked like walking, club-swinging trucks.

There were just three of them, but the carnage beneath them was unsavory. Sylas spotted the corpses of Rotten Wolves strewn around them and he immediately understood that the situation was bad. If not, it was impossible that Cassarae would have gone so far.

---

[Grumlok (FFF+)]

[Level: 5]

---

[Physical: 137]

>[Strength: 183]

>[Constitution: 247]

>[Dexterity: 52]

>[Speed: 67]

[Mental: 2]

>[Intelligence: 0]

>[Wisdom: 5]

>[Charisma: 0]

[Will: 151]

--- 𝖋𝔯𝔢𝔢𝖜𝖊𝖇𝖓𝔬𝔳𝖊𝔩.𝖈𝖔𝖒

Sylas couldn't believe his eyes. All three had stats just as ridiculous. And yet, they weren't alone.

There was a group of what looked like under a dozen humans who were attacking what looked like a Casstle Main defensive shield vigorously with the backing of the trolls.

'How did this happen? Where did humanoids with such outrageous strength come from? And why are they working with humans?'

Sylas' green irises flashed in the night as his gaze landed on a person.

---

[Rakk Smith (FFF+)]

[Level: 5]

---

Nothing else showed up. However, Rakk immediately turned to meet Sylas' gaze, his own irises flashing as well. When he realized he couldn't scan Sylas, his expression became frighteningly serious.

"You three, go deal with him. If you can't capture him, don't hesitate to kill."

[Alexia Brooks (FF+)]

[Level: 4]

---

[Jackson Obri (FF+)]

[Level: 4]

---

[Natalie Parker (FFF-)]

[Level: 4]

---

Sylas heartbeat fell into a steady rhythm, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere.

He didn't believe in the metaphysical, and he especially didn't like things that he couldn't explain. He had felt an odd feeling, and it led him here. It was irrational and made little sense, but he had followed it and ended up in this situation.

How was that possible?

His status window appeared and blended into the world, augmenting his reality. Then, his gaze landed on his Luck stat…

It felt like the only explanation.

Premonitions?

It was faint, and without Madness he wouldn't have even registered it… but he was certain that it was there.

Madness.

Sylas took a step forward and in that moment, it seemed as though his foot rippled color out into the world. The vague, illusory feelings seemed to solidify until the world was projected into his mind.

Alexia nocked three arrows into their bow the instant they closed the distance to just 20 meters. Natalie and Jackson continued rushing forward as she took a light jump into the air, releasing her three arrows at once.

Her jump seemed to allow her to glide. She kept moving up under a force that was beyond her actual leaping strength and she didn't stop until she was just barely five meters high in the air.

Then her arrows descended, one flying true and the remaining to curving in the opposite direction. The latter two weaved through the shallow line of trees Sylas was standing within.

Jackson brandished a sword while Natalie had yet to take out any weapons… or so it seemed. Sylas felt like he could see through it all. His visualization had never been so clear before. The night might as well have been bathed in the sun's rays.

Just when the arrows were about to hit Sylas, a green glow grabbed a hold of them. One layer, then two.

They froze in the air, unable to move even a single step forward any longer.

By now, with Madness' buff, Sylas' telekinesis could output a Physical of 121. When he cast it out twice, whatever momentum the arrows had once had was snuffed out like a waning flame on a cold day.

Sylas took another step forward, and the arrows reversed, flying back with so much speed that Jackson couldn't even react before his head was pierced right through.

Natalie arched her back, becoming almost akin to a contortionist. Her head almost hit the ground and she barely stopped herself with a palm, but it was useless.