Chapter 457 Jack“s Surprise Attack Against Tralbok!?
"I see you found us, Eedaj," Tralbok calmly spoke, unfazed. "Mind elaborating as to how you did it so quickly?"
"That's not for me to say, as I wasn't the one who found you," replied Eedaj. "Now, hand Moranti over, along with his scythe, and we'll allow both of you to leave peacefully."
Tralbok chuckled. "You think a band of low-level gods can intimidate us? Sure, I know that Sterfen is hiding somewhere, but that won't make much of a difference. Don't force me to--"
"Don't worry about me!" Moranti shouted with beaming arrogance, refusing to be used as a hostage. "I may get hurt, but Tralbok and Oosam can't kill me. Just do what you need to!"
Hiding his contempt for Moranti with a smile that wasn't a smile, Tralbok continued, "If you want to fight, then we'll oblige. But don't expect us to back down so easily. We've got somewhere to go, so hurry up and decide whether you'll risk your lives in vain or not."
Having said his piece, Tralbok resumed his journey with Oosam. But he was cut off by Jin.
"I've heard you gave Eedaj a tough time not too long ago. If you're that strong, then allow me to try my hand," Jin confidently stated, relaxed and ready to do battle.
"You, a lv. 91 wants to duel with me?" Laughing, Tralbok shook his head. "Sorry, but I don't have time to waste on small fry."
At that remark, six illusory arms took form and attached themselves to Jin, a glowing katana firmly gripped in each hand. "So be it." Jin darted forward, swinging toward the God of Time.
Aware of Jin's strange ability, Tralbok avoided the attack in place of blocking it. Even with a five-level advantage, Tralbok had to acknowledge Jin's abilities to evade defenses almost completely with his phasing stills.
Eedaj rushed toward Oosam. With each of them wielding dark and illusion magic, Eedaj didn't want to leave the others to face the tricky god and find themselves at a disadvantage. Choron joined him as well. That way, two lv. 93's were up against the lv. 95 Illusion God.
While Jin was striking toward the evasive God of Time, trying his best to force Tralbok to the ground.
With command of cosmic energy, all gods could levitate and carry themselves through the sky naturally. However, Tralbok's natural speed mixed with lightning magic meant the God of Time would have the advantage in the sky against Jin who was a skill-based warrior without wind or lightning affinity.
Aiding Jin in that effort was Lunara. At lv. 93, Lunara rose in the sky and took to her true form. She then dove down toward the duo.
Not left with many options, Tralbok covered himself in lightning and dashed downward at a slant. The God of Time made sure to advance forward while also dropping toward the ground to avoid the diving hydra.
Jin took a different approach. As Lunara fell, Jin flew in a straight line northward.
When he made contact with the colossal hydra, Jin disappeared. His phasing skill left Jin unaffected by the falling beast. This allowed Jin to keep up with his enemy using simple Geometry.
Then a voice went off in Jin's mind.
'Now.'
Nodding to himself, Jin darted again toward Tralbok. He aimed for just ahead of his enemy, hoping to hit him mid-flight.
Tralbok scoffed at the futile efforts that both gods put against him. Since Oosam was keeping Choron and Eedaj busy, who were both faster than either Lunara and Jin in terms of a chase, Tralbok focused on fleeing rather than fighting. He readied his time magic and prepared to evade.
Abruptly, the sharp whistle of wind sounded from a nearby cloud. For some reason, the cloud parted yet Tralbok found nothing leaving the cloud.
Before this scenario had taken place, Jack had already purchased Sterfen's passive stealth skill for six thousand skill points. It was all thanks to having publically executed Pestro, which awarded Jack with his first-ever divine reward for ten thousand skill points and a one-time achievement named [Not even gods are safe].
Adding the one thousand five hundred and sixteen points he already had, and Jack gladly paid for the ultimate stealth skill, leaving him with five thousand five hundred and sixteen skill points for later.
With both of their stealth skills, Jack and Sterfen had been patiently waiting in that cloud. Their plan would only call for a single moment, so they would have to wait.
Now, they finally acted.
With Jack pouring all mana into his minokawa form, Sterfen clung to him as Jack launched them out of the cloud while still invisible. That's why the clouds had parted.
But Jack didn't stop there. Though his body was weak and would struggle in a prolonged fight, Jack had the stamina for a burst of intensity. The moment Jack rocketed out of the cloud at full speed, Jack then cast Time Stop.
Tralbok went wide-eyed as he felt the familiar sense of time magic being cast by another. But he was too late to stop it.
Both Jack and Sterfen used that single second of Time Stop to the fullest. Jack's unadulterated speed delivered Sterfen to his target. With an unguarded throat, Sterfen sliced into Tralbok, attacking so cleanly as to keep blood off of his knife.
The second passed and Tralbok immediately placed a hand over his throat. Turning back a second's worth of time, Tralbok healed himself in the only way that could possibly seal one of Sterfen's wounds.
But that left Tralbok wide open to Jin's incoming attack. In tangent with Jin's attack, Lunara's nine heads all released roars with icy breath attacks to keep Tralbok from evading Jin.
Covering himself in lightning and preparing to receive Jin, Tralbok stared as the eight blades of the samurai neared him.
However, just as the blades pierced his flesh, Tralbok was left baffled. All eight blades phased through his entire body. Not a single scratch was left on Tralbok or inside of him. The God of Time was utterly perplexed as to what Jin was doing.
Tralbok then noticed that there were only seven swords. One of Jin's hands were unarmed.
Nothing was making sense to Tralbok as Jin's attacks and entire body phased through the God of Time.
At least, it didn't make sense until the charge was over.
Tralbok rushed ahead but felt that something was off. Now, there was no resistance coming from the chain behind him.
Turning to face Jin, Tralbok's confidence instantly dropped to well passed his stomach.
Jin's target was never Tralbok in the first place. The samurai had phased through the God of Time, forcing himself to remain steady while still feeling some slight effects from the electricity dancing around Tralbok. But that didn't stop Jin from attacking his true target.
The God of Discipline had swung all seven of his swords through the cuffs keeping Moranti at bay. Yet none of them had a single scratch on them. That's because Jin had directly attacked the locking mechanisms inside, enacting Jack's plan to perfection.
With the locks shattered, Moranti took a deep breath as he ripped the cuffs off of his person. Exhaling, Moranti wiggled his fingers and toes. Finally, after five hundred years, he was free.
Lunara halted her icy breath. Jin stepped aside. Jack kept his transformation with Sterfen on his back, both still invisible. Tralbok was speechless as his throat immediately dried.
"Finally!" Moranti shouted as he stretched his body, popping most of the joints across his body. Then, he eyed Tralbok with a smile that wasn't a smile. Moranti simply asked, "Now, will you return my scythe or would you like me to be merciless?"
Before Tralbok could muster together some words, Jin spoke up, "It should be in here."
Moranti and Tralbok looked to find Jin holding out a ring. It was very familiar to both of them, especially Tralbok.