“Why isn’t he turning into smoke and simply moving away?” she asked with some confusion and concern.

  “Those suction cups seem to have a special trait,” Abyss answered as calmly as always. “I’m afraid your friend is unable to completely turn immaterial and float away. The ability to do so is being sealed off, either by touch or thanks to the toxins leaking out of the suckers.”

  “That might be dangerous…” Tina whispered to herself.

  “It’s not like there is much we can do to help,” Silvia added. “We are like ants compared to them right now. Even Ast’s draconic form wouldn’t serve a better purpose than a distraction. Which will work only once with the ability to adapt so quickly in the possession of that ugly thing.”

  “We’ll save that for a critical moment,” Asterios joined in. “For now, I think he can handle himself. Umbra isn’t a weakling. And he has the advantage of home turf. Let’s watch how he tears this usurper to shreds.”

  A deep chuckle echoed in their minds, announcing that their friend had enough leeway to listen in on their conversation. They smirked amongst themselves and returned their attention to the battle on the other end of the enclosed space. Umbra had almost disappeared underneath the monster’s mass, surrounded by a cocoon of slimy limbs.

  Then, another screech forced everyone to cover their ears.

  The octopus jumped back as if struck, and it became obvious that it had been. One of the tentacles fell to the ground, separated near the base. Umbra was rotating in place, multiple long and sharp edges extending from his body. If his opponent hadn’t reacted so quickly, over half of its appendages would have been lost.

  And from how it looked, the beast lacked instant regeneration.

  “Pathetic,” Umbra boomed. “Let me show you how it’s done.”

  The blades reformed into limbs, and they shot forward. Shadowy tendrils latched onto the wounded monster, slithering around its injured tentacles. Coiling around them firmly, they began pulling. A painful howl filled the area as he began tearing his enemy into shreds, dark blue blood spilling everywhere around them.

  No more than one-third of the wriggly legs were removed before their owner compressed its body and escaped Umbra’s reach. The damage was done, though. Its figure looked worse for wear now. However, if it had eyes, defiance and resolve would most likely be shining in them, judging by its still confrontational posture.

  The constant wailing and shrieking were getting tiresome for the spectators, but the beast was intent on using its sonic abilities at every opportunity. They affected Umbra too, albeit not much. He had some minor trouble getting a hold of his darkness while tickled by the soundwaves tinged with spiritual energy.

  Then, out of the sudden, the octopus launched itself into the air, rotated upside down, and plunged into the ground. With the emphasis on plunged. The solid rock didn’t stop it from disappearing into its depths like into any normal liquid. This move surprised everyone as they didn’t suspect the beast to be capable of something like that.

  Their surprise didn’t last long as Althea pointed above them. “Look out!”

  All the heads snapped in that direction, and they found their missing assailant. The giant monstrosity hurtled itself at them from up in the air, most likely transferring itself to the ceiling with that last trick. Its maw was opened wide enough to form a flat circle with rings of unbelievably sharp fangs positioned like hundreds of spears.

  And it was coming right at them.

  Asterios and Althea shifted instantly, grabbing as many of the girls into their claws as they could. Selene was left for the last, upholding a powerful barrier around them that prevented their early demise. A strong draft had tried to drag them towards the monster as it sucked them in during its descent. With everyone collected, the two Dragons bolted aside, escaping the range of the attack and landing on top of the tall spire.

  Unfortunately, while they came out unscathed from it, the Shades weren’t so lucky. A dozen or so of the mysterious beings ended up consumed by the beast. The rest had fled in time, rushing to the towering structure serving as the object of their worship. They hid behind it, observing the battlefield.

  But the damage was already done. The Shades that had fallen prey to the octopus seemed to revitalize it. The cuts it had received earlier closed up. Its torn limbs were beginning to regenerate slowly. It was back in the fight after a quick snack. Asterios could imagine the havoc this entity could wreak if it appeared in his or Miria’s homeworld. The Nethernight Realm was a scary place.

  It didn’t lack equally scary protectors, though.

  Umbra wasn’t fazed by his opponent getting a little bit refreshed. He was more furious about it harming his followers. Sure, he might have been rather dismissive of the annoyingly devoted Shades, but in the end, he hadn’t kicked them out of his territory, letting them stay and continue their silly, harmless antics.

  No one but him could ever lay a hand on them.

  An impressive spiritual pressure reached Ast’s group as killing intent surged out of their friend. It was another familiar feeling some of them had experienced in the past. This time though, they weren’t pushed to their knees or even pressed into the ground. While the heavy weight still dragged them down, Asterios was capable of fighting it.

  Letting out a rumbling growl, he contested the force with his draconic aura, which refused to bow to anyone anymore. Leaning into it and allowing those primal instincts to take over, he shielded his mates with his wing, including the still-transformed Althea, and pushed back against the demand. They shuddered slightly as his energy penetrated their flesh, filling them with warmth and innate respect.

  Naturally, the invader didn’t experience any support and received the full brunt of Umbra’s ire. Missing its landing completely, it smashed into the ground, unable to correct its path after failing to capture Asterios and the others. Before it recollected itself, something unusual happened.

  The purplish slits representing Umbra’s eyes disappeared as he seemingly closed them to focus. Asterios felt a slight pull, but it didn’t require much fighting against. He felt like it wasn’t exactly aimed at them and simply tickled their senses as it spread through the pressure his familiar was still exuding on the area.

  That couldn’t be said about the Shades.

  Most if not all of the creatures came out of hiding, floating into the air again. They raised their arms into the sky and hummed together. Their delicate forms rippled and undulated as if in a trance. Multiple threads of dark energy seeped out of them and rushed towards Umbra. The strands connected into one before attaching themselves to the Lord of Shadows.

  It looked like the octopus wasn’t the only one capable of using the Shades for its benefit. Umbra’s method was much less homicidal, though.

  His form grew enough to tower slightly over the invading beast. As he opened his eyes, purplish streaks ran down from them, forming sharp, ominous paths descending to the very edges of his shadowy frame, looking like he had been struck by violet lightning tens if not hundreds of times. The lines glimmered with power, making him appear even more dangerous than before.

  Holding a hand out at the front, he gathered lots of black mist, streaked with the purplish circuits. It took the shape of a massive greatsword. The main difference between the usual weapon and his creation was the fact that it lacked the hilt, instead extending from Umbra’s limb like a part of his body.

  With one test swing to the side, the Lord of Shadows lunged forward, sliding over the ground in its mountainous shape. The beast tried to stand its ground, but the two clashed with enough force to send it skidding back. Two more tentacles were lost in a wild slash that launched an arc of dark violet energy after the blow, boring a massive gash in the opposite end of the cavern.

  Umbra swung and stabbed while making use of his ethereal form. As long as the octopus wasn’t actively holding onto him, he could phase in and out of the material plane, making perfect use of his shadowy composition. More and more wounds appeared on the octopus’ body, blue blood splattering everything around their bout.

  During one of their fierce exchanges, the monster extended itself far too much, lacking half of its limbs already, and allowed Umbra to pierce right into its core, his sword sinking deep into the flesh. The girls cheered at his victorious strike, ready to witness the finishing move. But Asterios frowned, his draconic gaze watching as the invader’s energy gathered instead of waning.

  Thankfully, his shadowy friend was a perceptive one and sensed it from up close too. Pulling back, Umbra positioned his giant blade between himself and the enemy. Shortly after, the beast, making nothing of its injury, tilted its maw forward, releasing a booming roar. A dark blue glow exploded from its insides, and a thick beam of a similar shade struck Umbra’s makeshift weapon, splitting into a bunch of smaller rays as it fractured around the sword.

  The attack was dangerous, and everyone could tell, the girls releasing gasps of surprise. They understood that the monster wouldn’t fall simply from being critically injured. Its regenerative capabilities were through the roof right now. It had to be completely wiped out of existence to be defeated, as it lacked any vital organs.

  Asterios felt a little tug at his mind and smiled softly. He responded with a mental nod, opening up the connection more. Power flowed out of him, escaping his onyx core, rushing towards the requester. Even his mates sensed it, glancing up at his draconic form curiously.

  A whirlpool of darkness swallowed Umbra, leaving only his sword arm outside to continue deflecting the energy attack. It didn’t look like the octopus was going to run out of it anytime soon, but whatever was happening to the Lord of Shadows didn’t take longer than a few seconds at most. The obstruction faded and revealed his new form.

  Umbra’s general shape was different now, switching from a hulking pillar into something vaguely humanoid with a sleek and lean frame. Its features felt kind of demonic with all the sharp and ominous edges and protrusions, or perhaps draconic as he sported a long tail and scale-themed armor all over, streaked with the familiar purplish paths. He lacked wings, but his head did resemble that of a Dragon to some extent.

  A Shadow Dragon Knight.

  Standing proudly, he brought his weapon to the side, taking aim. The beam struck his armored chest, but it split against its angled front in the same way, posing no threat to the enhanced Duke. The sword separated from his arm, its hilt in his hand. He then threw it at the monster with all he had.

  As the blade sank into the beast’s body once more, the blue ray was pushed aside, skidding over the wall and ceiling. Umbra took a deep breath, or at least acted like he was, and launched his own attack at his opponent. A pillar of swirling darkness hugged by a purple coil of energy shot out of his jaws. Shortly after his stylized snout, it exploded in size, covering his entire figure and more.

  The violent burst charged ahead and met with the repositioned attack of the octopus, which unfortunately posed no chance against a much more powerful blow. The blue ray was pushed back and swallowed moments before the merciless darkness devoured its owner too. The shriek of panic cut off right after the beginning, the entire place turning silent. The only noise filling the air was the whooshing of Umbra’s shadowy breath attack.

  Half a minute later, he canceled the technique. It should have been enough to be sure. The violent pillar dissipated and revealed a slick, deep trench in its wake, nothing left behind, not even a trace of the giant octopus monster. It was gone. Just like a fairly sizable chunk of Umbra’s floor and some of the opposite wall.

  But that was a small price to pay for salvation.

  Asterios sensed the withdrawal from his source before the others watched Umbra return to his previous state. Their friend assumed a fairly shapeless form before becoming the butler they were starting to get familiar with. A moment later, they were reunited at the top of the spire, the Shades repeatedly bowing and worshiping their god and savior. Umbra could only sigh to himself as he arrived before the party, Asterios and Althea changing back too.

  “Amazing!” Miria clapped her hands. “You got that bastard good! What was that at the end? You looked so fierce! Almost like Master!”

  “I didn’t want to drag it out after that beam attack, so I requested a little bit of help from Master,” Umbra admitted. “Our fight might have caused a lot of collateral damage from that point onwards. So, I strengthened myself with Master’s energy and launched a counterattack.”

  “A good decision.” Asterios nodded. “I have no doubt you could have beaten that monster on your own, but I appreciate you thinking of the others. And I admit that form looked quite badass. Did the Shades have anything to do with it?”

  “You noticed?” His familiar chuckled. “Partially, yes. I first gathered energy from them. After the octopus went after the Shades, I realized that it was blind, relying on its spiritual senses. That’s why it showed up above your group. It found a large cluster of it to consume.”

  “So, by absorbing energy from the Shades, you made them less noticeable while also making yourself literally glow with power,” Silvia pointed out. “Smart.”

  “Exactly,” he confirmed. “Apologies for taking so long. My opponent was a troublesome one. It had no mind to assault, acting purely on instinct to keep consuming everything on its path. We should be safe for now.”

  “I agree,” Abyss chimed in. “I don’t sense much else in the close vicinity of this pocket space. But, I do sense something rather peculiar.”

  “What is it?” Selene asked, glancing around.

  The mocha-skinned lady pointed below them. “Traces of mana we have gotten closely acquainted with not that long ago.”

  They gasped at the revelation, turning to Umbra.

  “This was originally part of the world outside, right? Before the titan fell and its blood assimilated this plot of land into the bits it consumed in the past?” Asterios raised a brow at his familiar.

  “It’s as you say, Master.” Umbra looked back at him.

  “And this rocky spire-like tower, it’s always been here?” Althea asked.

  “Since my birth, pretty much.” He rubbed his featureless chin. “Why does it matter?”

  “Well, I think we are starting to form a theory.” Tina giggled. “You know how those underground facilities attracted the attention of various beings? There’s a chance that one lies right beneath your birthplace.”

  Umbra’s head cocked back in understanding. “Ah. You are suspecting that its energy and influence were the aspects that brought forth my existence. That is an interesting theory.”

  “And a quite probable one,” Abyss commented. “There might have been a breach, a leak, that served as a spark. You are a fairly strong entity compared to most in this realm, even from back when I was overseeing it actively. Perhaps you have fed on this power, making it yours after converting it from the light affinity.”

  “How would I have done that, though?” he wondered out loud.

  “The tower.” Asterios snapped his fingers. “All this dark mist seeping out of it has to be the converted energy.”

  “So, that means there’s another facility below it, right?” Miria scratched her head.

  “There’s only one way to find out.” Selene grinned. “As long as Umbra doesn’t mind us potentially ruining his power source.”

  The person in question shook his head. “The effect it has on me currently is minuscule. I would need to absorb its fumes for centuries more to raise my strength. Whatever happens to this place, I won’t blame any of you. Besides, I am now connected to a much more potent source, if not three.”

  Asterios snickered, catching his grateful glance. “Very well. Let’s try not to ruin Umbra’s birthplace. Completely.”

  The ladies chuckled in agreement. Considering what had happened after their last visit beneath the ground, it might be a difficult thing to ask.

  Chapter 14

  The Troubles of Draconic Pride

  “How are we going to get there, then?” Miria tilted her head while looking all over the black floor, which contrasted greatly with all the white around them. “Can Abyss make another tunnel for us to descend into, or would that count as ruining Umbra’s home?”

  “If that’s what will be necessary, I don’t think I’ll mind a little hole in this structure,” the Duke responded thoughtfully. “I’ve seen the spire get damaged a few times, and it didn’t seem like a problem. I do share some connection with it, but even its complete destruction shouldn’t affect me too much.”

  “Save for the pain of losing your birthplace,” Althea added. “Perhaps you don’t share too many great memories with it, but it’s always sad knowing that your home is gone forever.”

  “Even if we have your permission, Little Shadow, I would rather not employ the help of that technique in this place,” Abyss said, capturing everyone’s attention. “For mana to make it to the surface in such an amount that allows it to spark a new existence and continuously help it grow, we have to be dealing with a considerable leak, and thus a breach of containment.”

  “I see.” Asterios nodded to himself. “It might be risky to further damage the structure, isn’t that right?”

  “Correct,” she confirmed. “Considering the story behind this pocket space, I dare assume that the titan’s ability hadn’t encompassed the entirety of the underground facility. It might be unstable compared to the one we visited earlier.”

  “And if an emptied spiritual cluster can cause so much chaos, just imagine what a fully functioning one can do if it goes out of control,” Silvia pointed out.

  “An unrivaled explosion of mana.” Tina shuddered. “But, hey. If it blows up, at least it will be inside the titan’s blood, sparing everything outside.”

  “I hate to tell you, but we are and will be inside if that happens.” Selene smirked teasingly.

  “Let’s make it quick, then,” Asterios said. “I don’t like putting you all in unnecessary danger. Technically, if it blows up, the problem fixes itself as one of the clusters gets removed from the connection. But, I don’t think we are willing to simply wait it out like with the previous one.”