Utopian System

Chapter 374 System's Pain Limit

Zentros's obstruction had cost precious instants.

If Elio didn't catch the last artromus now, the monster could end up hiding until the potion's effect wore off.

But circumstances demanded priorities.

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Selene had been maintaining her combat with Zentros.

Her transformed speed was impressive, matching the artromus leader movement for movement, but each connecting blow barely stripped 40 points of damage.

The problem was evident: while Elio had instinctively discovered how to force his mana veins to their limit, after a long period of constantly pushing every aspect of his power, Selene hadn't yet found that unique sensation of overload. Experience more content on empire

Selene hadn't experienced as many near-death experiences that demanded as much from her as the young man had.

The damage difference was taking its toll.

Zentros, recognizing that Selene's attacks were more an annoyance than a real threat, had begun ignoring some of the impacts, focusing on getting increasingly closer to Elio to help his companions.

Until finally blocking Elio at the last moment to successfully let his ally with the highest kill count escape.

♢♢♢♢

Elio turned his attention to the artromus leader with barely contained fury.

If he couldn't reach the fugitive, he would ensure that for now at least none of the remaining monsters would survive to threaten Selene or his companions in the chamber.

The lithium prison formed around Zentros like a metallic spider web. The discharge that followed was devastating, sending the paralyzed artromus leader crashing against the crater floor.

Elio looked up instantly, calculating one last time the distance to the escapee, but it was too late, the last artromus had completely disappeared.

'Shit.'

The situation was clear: he couldn't leave these monsters alive and go searching for the fugitive.

Too much risk, too much danger for everyone he cared about. He would undoubtedly lose several people, Selene couldn't contain them, and in the worst case, more artromus could escape.

'This ends now.'

Elio launched himself at Zentros like a living projectile. The artromus leader, still trapped in the lithium prison but having overcome the paralysis, began channeling energy for an explosion that would free him.

But it wasn't that prison that broke first.

The first lithium prison exploded in a shower of metal fragments, releasing the artromus it had been containing.

Magic exploded from his body like a geyser of pure power, enveloping his transformed form in a visible aura of energy. The sword in his hands began to glow with blinding intensity as Elio pushed all the power he possessed through it.

The edge pierced through the artromus's arm as if it didn't exist, continuing its lethal trajectory directly toward its neck. Transformed flesh and armor yielded equally easily before the new unleashed power.

It was time for the finisher.

Zentros and the other artromus tried to intervene, their combined powers creating an elemental earth barrier between Elio and his prey.

The attempt was futile.

Elio's sword cut through the elemental construction as if it were mist, dispersing the magic as easily as it had pierced flesh and bone.

Without losing momentum, the blade found the decapitated artromus's torso, cleaving it cleanly in half.

The body pieces fell in opposite directions as Elio turned toward his last opponents.

Only three artromus remained alive, and one of them was beyond his reach... for now.

Elio had finally reached the absolute pinnacle of his transformed power. His sword and magic had transcended previous limitations.

The mere resistance of the artromus was no longer enough to protect them as it had until now.

Not from his sword...

But also not from his magic.

Now facing the artromus, Elio raised his hand, trapping one in a prison.

But he didn't stop there.

The formations continued growing though the artromus tried uselessly to break them.

It would have needed 9 mana points to match one of Elio's.

The prison containing the artromus began to change, the lithium flowing and reforming as a colossal hand.

The metal fingers became sharp stakes that, for the first time, could penetrate the transformed flesh that had previously been impenetrable to anything but the sword.

Elio closed his fist. Each movement of his fingers was reflected in the metallic construction, the stakes sinking deeper into the artromus's body.

The crunches that filled the chamber were horrible, the sound of a supposedly invulnerable creature being torn apart with a scream that transformed into a wet gurgle.

Zentros, his neck partially regenerated, watched his companion's destruction with horror...

In one final act of absolute desperation, he launched himself at Elio with all the strength he had left.