NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 56: Danger Adds Up
A suffocating aura of necrotic energy radiated from its decayed armor, seeping into the air like a sickness.
Adam felt it immediately...
The cold burn against his skin, the way his body tensed as if resisting an invisible force.
Then came the pain!
His skin prickled, dark veins briefly surfacing across his arms.
A corrosive sensation spread through his body, sinking into his very bones.
It was as if something was trying to rot him from the inside out...
Corruption!
Necrotic energy was invading his body.
But before it could have any severe effects... a faint golden glow suddenly covered around his skin.
The Holy Water Elixir's effect activated, repelling the corruption like fire burning away a plague.
The discomfort vanished in an instant!
Adam exhaled sharply.
[Select Viewer Skill to Copy]
Disciple of Ice.
[Temporary Copy has been activated...]
[Due to low level and low rank, skill picking will be randomized...]
The system beeped again.
[Temporary Copy is successful!]
[Temporarily Copied: Frozen Time!]
[Reducing Frozen Time to its F-tier version...]
[Frozen Time has been reduced to Slow Touch.]
[Temporary Copy] : Slow Touch (30 Second Duration)
[Slow Touch] : All attacks from the user will inflict a slow effect (1% slow per hit, stacks up to 14%)
A debuff.
Not ideal, but usable...
Without hesitation, Adam activated [Body Blood Magic].
Strength surged through his limbs, his muscles tightening as his physical capabilities spiked.
Then, he moved.
A single step.
The stone floor beneath his foot cracked as he dashed forward.
The Death Knight, as if sensing his intent, reacted.
It raised its greatsword and drove it into the ground.
BOOM!
Necrotic energy exploded outward.
Adam's figure disintegrated on impact...
Only for the Death Knight to realize that it had struck nothing!
It was an illusion from [Surreal Creation]!
The real Adam had already repositioned himself behind the Death Knight.
His grip tightened on [Divine Edge], mana flowing into the blade.
The sword flared with golden light, divine energy burning through the thick corruption in the air.
Then...
Slash!
A clean, precise strike aimed at the Death Knight's back.
But...
Clang!
The greatsword moved faster than Adam expected.
It swung upward in a perfect parry, knocking [Divine Edge] aside before Adam could land a decisive blow.
'Too fast-!'
The realization barely registered before—
A heavy force crashed into his stomach.
The Death Knight had kicked him.
Bang!
Adam's body shot backward, slamming into a broken pillar.
His vision blurred for a moment as the impact rattled through his bones.
He gasped for air.
If not for Body Blood Magic's enhancements, that could've shattered his ribs!
[Blood Crystal has been consumed.]
[Mana and Health are slowly replenishing.]
[Blood Regeneration has increased by 10%.]
Even as pain flared in his torso, Adam didn't waste too much time on it.
He raised a hand...
Blood whips lashed outward!
They shot toward the Death Knight, coiling around its armored form like living chains.
For a brief second, the bindings held.
But then...
A sickening, corrupting force pulsed from the Death Knight's body.
The necrotic energy devoured the blood magic in an instant.
The whips withered, the magic controlling them dissolving as lifeless blood splattered onto the stone floor.
Adam wasn't surprised.
He hadn't expected it to hold.
He was just buying time to activate [Temporary Copy] again!
[Select Viewer Skill to Copy]
Forest Scarecrow
[Temporary Copy has been activated...]
[Due to low level and low rank, skill picking will be randomized...]
The system beeped again.
[Temporary Copy is successful!]
[Temporarily Copied: Gaze of the Forest!]
[Reducing Gaze of the Forest to its F-tier version...]
[Gaze of the Forest has been reduced to Blind Crow.]
[Temporary Copy] : Blind Crow (30 Second Duration)
[Blind Crow] : Launch a shadow-like crow. Upon hit, target will be blinded for 3 seconds.
Three seconds was enough.
He activated [Surreal Creation].
Instantly—
Hundreds of shadowy crows erupted into existence, flooding the battlefield.
They swarmed around the Death Knight like a living storm, dark wings blotting out the dim light of the ruined chamber.
The Death Knight, unfazed, raised its greatsword and swung.
Several crows vanished in bursts of dark mist.
Realizing they were illusions, the Death Knight ignored them and advanced toward Adam.
However...
Among the countless fake crows, one was different.
A single shadowy crow moved with a purpose.
And before the Death Knight could react...
It struck!
A cold, hollow sound echoed as the shadow faded into the Death Knight's visor.
Then...
Darkness.
Its vision was gone!
Adam moved.
He lunged forward, raising [Divine Edge] high.
The golden glow of the blade blazed against the encroaching darkness.
Slash!
A clean hit.
The Death Knight staggered backwards
For the first time, its body shook.
The necrotic energy holding it together convulsing violently.
Adam gritted his teeth.
'The holy energy isn't enough to destabilize the necrotic energy inside its body...'
Before he could strike again—
BOOM!
A second necrotic explosion erupted.
Adam was sent hurtling backward once more.
He landed in a crouch, sliding against the cracked floor.
His eyes narrowed.
The Death Knight was still standing.
It had been wounded, but the sheer force of its necrotic core was keeping it stable.
Adam tensed, preparing for another round.
However... a speaking voice was heard near the entrance!
"Quickly! Surround him and don't let him escape!"
Adam's head snapped toward the entrance.
A group of armored figures were pouring into the chamber.
The Stream Hunters from the undead faction!
Adam's breath came slow and measured as he took in the sight before him.
The Stream Hunters stood at the entrance, forming a tight formation, their eyes locked onto him and not the Death Knight.
Adam's grip on [Divine Edge] tightened.
His mind raced, calculating every possibility.
This had just escalated from a difficult battle to an all-out war.
'They took an unconventional route to get here…'
By all logic, it should've taken at least ten more minutes for them to arrive...
His muscles tensed.
He had no time to figure out the details.
One of the Hunters stepped forward, clapping his hands together as he began a chant.
Adam's eyes sharpened.
A Caster!
Out of all the magic users, Casters were the ones he despised the most...
Not because they were the strongest, but because their magic had the largest area of effect.
One incantation could turn the battlefield against him in seconds.
He couldn't allow that.
Without hesitation, Adam activated [Body Blood Magic].
The blood in his veins burned with power as he flicked his wrist, sending a barrage of crimson spikes toward the chanting Hunter.
One of his teammates immediately reacted, stepping in front of the Caster and raising his arms.
A stone wall emerged in front of him.
Boom!