Chapter 38: Heavenly Reversal
Lisa, Kyle, and Isabelle were fending off the Grave Echo Brute while Chloe and Autumn were treating Fate's injuries.
Isabelle ran around the Grave Echo Brute, stabbing it whenever she saw an opening.
Kyle attacked it head-on, keeping the aggro of the monster focused entirely on himself.
Meanwhile, Lisa continuously fired a barrage of Light Arrows at the monster.
While moving around, Isabelle spotted a weak point and immediately used her skill to strike.
(Silverwind Flurry!)
Silverwind Flurry
Rarity: Rare
– The user unleashes a rapid series of thrusts so fast they appear as a continuous stream of silver flashes.
Isabelle successfully landed multiple critical strikes on the Grave Echo Brute, weakening it.
The Grave Echo Brute let out a cry and grabbed the coffin on its back.
Then it began swinging the coffin wildly, expanding its attack range.
Kyle prepared to block the incoming strike using his weapon.
But suddenly—
The coffin opened.
It revealed that the Grave Echo Brute had activated its skill, Coffin Trap.
Before Kyle could be caught—
Something passed by him.
The wind surged forward, fast and powerful.
It collided with the Grave Echo Brute, and its coffin shattered instantly.
A cloud of dust covered the area.
When the dust began to settle—
A figure emerged.
He had white hair and a pair of crystal blue horns.
His eyes were as blue as the sky.
In his hand was a slightly curved blade, emanating a powerful aura.
As the dust cleared completely, the figure became fully visible.
It was Fate Kindspring.
He had collided with the Grave Echo Brute and saved Kyle using his sword—
Aetherfall.
Earlier, when Fate was knocked back into a tombstone, his Cold-Steel Sword had shattered as he began losing consciousness.
As Chloe and Autumn were helping him, Fate felt a powerful aura emanating from his storage ring.
Then he remembered—
He still had a trump card.
Back in the present, Fate had shattered the Grave Echo Brute's coffin using Aetherfall.
Fate glanced at his surroundings before turning back to the monster.
"Let's continue, shall we?"
The deformed monster became enraged after its coffin was destroyed.
It let out a terrifying cry as it activated one of its skills.
Cry of Fear
Rarity: Uncommon
– Lets out a wide-range fearful cry that weakens targets.
Normally, anyone who heard this would be shaken, except for those strong enough to resist it.
Fate and the others had grown stronger ever since they entered the dungeon.
Status Window
Name: Lisa Astryx
Level: 35
Stats:
Strength: 60 (Colorless)
Agility: 70 (Colorless) (+5)
Endurance: 60 (Colorless)
Intelligence: 80 (Colorless)
Mana: 90 (Colorless)
Status Window
Name: Chloe Serfort
Level: 35
Stats:
Strength: 60 (Colorless)
Agility: 60 (Colorless) (+5)
Endurance: 60 (Colorless)
Intelligence: 75 (Colorless)
Mana: 80 (Colorless)
Status Window
Name: Autumn Greenwoods
Level: 35
Stats:
Strength: 70 (Colorless)
Agility: 80 (Colorless) (+5)
Endurance: 60 (Colorless)
Intelligence: 70 (Colorless)
Mana: 80 (Colorless)
In other words, they had all grown stronger.
After seeing Fate stand back up from the monster's attack, Isabelle began to regain her composure.
(I need to calm down… and relax my body.)
Isabelle steadied herself using her unique skill.
Mask Of A Hundred Faces
Unique Skill: Mask Of A Hundred Faces
– The Unique Skill: Mask Of A Hundred Faces works by using its core abilities to control, replicate, and project emotions and expressions. Each core ability has its own specialized use, enabling deception and psychological dominance.
Core Abilities:
– Emotional Dominion:
Allows the user to fully control their own emotions, expressions, and presence.
Grants:
• Complete suppression of emotions
• Immunity to fear, charm, and emotion-based interference
• Perfect control over facial expressions and body language
– Emotional Mimicry:
Allows the user to observe, record, and perfectly replicate the emotions and behavioral patterns of others.
Includes:
• Speech tone and rhythm
• Reactions and habits
• Personality-like expression
If the target is mentally stronger, the replication becomes slightly less accurate but remains functional.
– Psychological Projection:
Allows the user to impose a chosen emotional state onto others.
Effects vary depending on the emotion:
• Fear → Intimidation / hesitation
• Calm → Reduced hostility
• Rage → Provocation
Effectiveness decreases against strong-willed targets.
Penalties:
– Identity Erosion:
Overuse causes the user to gradually lose their sense of true self and genuine emotions.
– Emotional Rebound:
Suppressed emotions accumulate and may return all at once, causing instability or loss of control.
– Mental Strain:
Using multiple abilities simultaneously places heavy stress on the mind, leading to fatigue and reduced performance.
Isabelle, now fully composed by using one of her Unique Skill's core abilities, Emotional Dominion, stood beside Fate to fight the Grave Echo Brute.
Kyle saw this and let out a sigh.
"Sigh… seems like we'll be able to fight properly now."
Kyle then glanced at Fate's curved blade, clearly interested.
"Hey Fate, where did you get that from?"
Fate replied,
"I got it from a weapon store."
"You should tell me where and help me get one of those," Kyle said as he took the front position again.
Fate raised his sword and pointed it at the Grave Echo Brute.
"After we slay that."
Fate, Kyle, and Isabelle charged toward the Grave Echo Brute.
Meanwhile, Lisa and Chloe recovered their mana after continuously casting skills, assisted by Autumn and his potions.
Fate was the first to strike the Grave Echo Brute.
Isabelle followed up, piercing its legs and slowing it down.
Whenever the monster tried to attack, Kyle intercepted it and took the blow.
They fought like a wolf pack against a grizzly—one warrior engaging the monster head-on, while the other two struck from the sides with precise coordination.
While attacking, Aetherfall spoke to Fate.
(Master, why did you only use me now?)
Fate didn't have a proper answer and simply replied,
(I didn't think of using you this early… but never mind that. Can you help me here?)
Aetherfall remained silent for a moment before responding.
(Use my signature skill—Heavenly Reversal.)
While continuing to attack, Fate asked,
(What should I do to use your signature skill, Heavenly Reversal?)
Aetherfall sent a surge of energy from him to Fate's hand all the way to his mind.
Fate received a flood of information and instructions on how to use the skill.
He began to understand how to use Aetherfall more efficiently.
Fate then turned to Kyle.
"Can you cover me for one minute?"
Kyle asked,
"Do you have something in mind to completely defeat this thing?"
Fate responded with a firm nod.
Kyle saw the determination in his eyes.
"Alright then, I'll cover you for one minute."
"I'm putting all my trust in you now, Kyle," Fate said as he began gathering mana from his surroundings into Aetherfall.
Kyle pushed forward, fighting the Grave Echo Brute with greater intensity, though his stamina began draining rapidly.
Isabelle supported him, buying time for Fate.
She thrust her rapier with speed and precision, dealing continuous damage to the monster.
Kyle stood firm like a massive tree, shielding Fate from danger.
Meanwhile, Fate gathered mana into Aetherfall.
The blade began to glow with a deep blue light, carrying a calm yet overwhelming presence.
As more mana was poured into it, vein-like patterns on Aetherfall began to shine.
When Fate finished gathering mana, he raised his sword and shouted,
"Kyle! Isabelle!"
Both of them heard his signal and immediately retreated.
The Grave Echo Brute realized the danger too late.
All it could see—
Was Fate.
Standing there.
With a massive illusion of a dragon behind him.
The monster felt the overwhelming mana concentrated within Aetherfall.
Fate then shouted the skill's name.
"Heavenly Reversal!"
He swung Aetherfall downward, releasing a massive crescent-shaped energy slash that traveled over a hundred meters.
The monster froze in fear and failed to move.
The attack landed—
And a massive explosion followed.
A powerful gust of wind swept across the battlefield.
As the dust settled—
Nothing remained where the Grave Echo Brute once stood.
Only a small crater was left behind.
A System Window appeared before Fate and the others.
System Window
[The Hollow Bone Cemetery]
Rank: D
Objective: Reach Wave 3 (Complete)
Clap. Clap.
They heard someone clapping.
They turned—
And saw Eugene.
He was applauding them.
Eugene spoke with a faint smile.
"Congratulations. You were able to clear the dungeon without my help."
Fate and the others collapsed onto the ground, exhausted from hours of battle with little rest.
Meanwhile—
At the Kindspring Manor—
A figure sat across from Vale Kindspring.
Vale looked at the visitor, clearly familiar with them.
"Fancy seeing you here. You should have given me a heads up so I could prepare for your arrival."
The figure smiled slightly.
"It's fine. This isn't something that requires preparation."
Vale leaned forward slightly.
"Then what brings you here—"
"Elder Sister…"
The figure revealed her identity.
She was Vale's elder sister.
She spoke calmly,
"I heard you adopted an otherworlder as your son, so I came to see the boy."
Vale replied,
"Then you'll have to wait. They left an hour or two ago to clear a dungeon, but I'm sure they'll be back shortly."
Meanwhile—
Fate and the others remained lying on the dungeon ground.
Chapter 38 End