Argent dodged yet another energy laser attack from Ayse as he jumped off his wyvern and pierced one of her guards with his spear. “You dare to say I was the one who betrayed him!? You were the one who planted that wicked idea into Father’s head and the previous King’s! You forced us to kill each other!!!” Argent shouted back as he did a spinning like attack with his spear before distancing himself away from the guards.
Separately, the Dashing Wyverns were finally given the opportunity to show off their teamwork against the Storm Viper who tried to attack them in the air. Despite being able to fly, the creature who prefer land combat, shot numerous thunder bolts out of its mouth to force them back on the ground. Yet the wyvern’s air to air combat was unparalleled and they had an easy time dodging those thunder bolts because of the six degrees of freedom in mid air. Launching attacks of their own the Dashing Wyverns split up. One half distracted the Storm Viper by letting out multiple breaths of fire while the other half had the goblin riders nose dive from above before retreating thereby slowly acc.u.mulating damage to its lengthy body.
Yet the proud Spawn of Syldra, would not accept going down like this. It stopped with the thunderbolts and started to emit electrical charges out of its body to protect itself instead. Unfortunately those lightning attacks were not as effective as the Storm Viper had expected them to be. Goblin healers had made use of their resting time to cast magic that gave them higher lightning resistance. The goblins also had gone through the Town’s alchemical stores and gathered bags of magical powders that reduced the effectiveness of static discharge around them after having learnt that their enemy would be the Lightning Army.
This allowed the Dashing Wyverns to act bolder in their attacks and try eliminate the Storm Viper before it could potentially inflict serious damage to the entire unit.
When all of this was going on one goblin stood out from the rest. Piercestriker flew up vertically high with his new wyvern as if they were going to launch a death strike from the skies yet that was when something miraculous happened. Piercestriker body started glowing alongside the Wyvern while he felt the chi within him rotating around him eccentrically.
“User, Goblin Piercestriker seems to have fulfilled the criteria to be entering a stage of evolution. This evolution is outside of the planned one which was promised as a reward. Do you wish to allow it, so that System shall provide aid to speed it up?” The System noted and Jin who was looking at the overall battle was shocked at the content of the sudden message.
“Erm, go ahead I guess?” Jin moved his console to look at Piercestriker and his stats popped up too. The console immediately updated a new page of stats and an updated card picture for his Tact Tweaker.
“The Goblin seems to have managed to develop a unusually high affinity with the Wyvern it was currently riding. Such evolutions are considered symbiotic evolutions, a subtype of side evolution rather than a step up evolution. Bellator Peppers has left a note for you in case of such situations arising. System is now playing back her explanation: ‘Think of side evolutions as unlocking and changing hidden class instead of a step up evolution which is more like a class advancement’ .” The System played the recording of Peppers voice and explained it further which lead Jin to understanding that it was more like a Goblin version 1.5 than a totally new form.
“Ah, you scared me back there. I thought for a moment that he would change into some sort of winged flying goblin after making friends with a surviving wyvern from the Dashing Wyverns. ” Jin sounded relieved after he saw the new stats of the new ‘goblin’ form.
“Negative. Only through a step up evolution will there be such cases of major changes, whereas a symbiotic evolution will strengthen both parties and enable them to improve their teamwork. Side evolutions are more commonly encountered in the wild, though they are still rare. The changes may happen instantly after the requirements are met. User’s monsters only require the proper equipment, other new minion or certain skills. All it takes is the right click. System will help out in speeding up the process and enable the monsters to get in peak condition in such situations.” The System noted, stating that Piercestriker’s name to be changed to WyrStriker.
Wyrstriker experienced some minor body changes as the side evolution occurred. He became aware that he no longer required the saddle which was burdening the Wyvern with more weight. Instead, his body could automatically create a kind of mechanism that allowed him to stick to the Wvyern.
Piercestriker did not understand how this happened but he guessed he would find out later. Upon reaching higher altitudes, the Wyvern did a backflip and dropped into a free fall towards the Storm Viper. Being pushed back for a while, the Storm Viper was attempting to gather her energy to annihilate the pesky wyverns flying around it even at the cost of its own life. But before it could do so, a spear pierced through its head at Mach speed. Wyrstriker did not stop there, he continued to push his old spear into the snake’s body and headed for the duel against Argent and the guards.
General Argent being a seasoned Wyvern rider could roughly sense the change in the air and decided to ruse the guards by skitting around to fight against them. The guards thought the General was fighting defensively and decided to go offensive as predicted by Argent himself. Even Ayse’s war wolf mount participated with the collective offensive. “Hmph, Dad sure has a keen sense.” Wyrstriker lowered his body to increase the aerodynamics, hoping to achieve terminal velocity and raised his spear that was filled with chi with the snake on the front.
“Because he had been through many battles, although I feel that you had your own fill too.” The Wyvern who previously only answered through its emotions via the mind to mind connection, was now seemingly able to communicate via his thoughts to Wyrstriker.
Wyrstriker was initially shocked by it when his new mount suddenly introduced himself as Iwen. It was the ability of a Wyvern Knight, which was the current new class Wyrstriker attained. Even in the whole Dashing Wyvern unit, there was only one that achieved the same and unsurprisingly it was General Argent himself.
During the descent, Iwen also shed his old brownish red skin for bright red scales and prepared to ignite the gas he produce from his mouth to incinerate some of the orc guards.
As expected, the corpse of the Storm Viper fell towards them and impacted and electrocuted the Orcs to a certain degree. (The Storm Viper was acc.u.mulating discharge before it was stabbed by Wyrstriker.) Seeing how the impact killed almost every guard in sight, Iwen withheld his attack. He later turned his body and glided towards Colonel Ayse and shot out multiple fireballs at it.
“Heh, it seems our reports were wrong. You have another rather fiesty Wyvern Knight in your possession.” Colonel Ayse blocked the fireball attacks with her multilayer barrier, though the outermost layer went down which irritated the female Orc. Wyrstiker controlled Iwen to glide straight towards her until the very last minute before he used the momentum to spin around and smack the shield with his tail destroying even more layers. Not letting up, Wyrstriker himself jumped out to strike her with his old spear… only to get bounced back. Changing his spears he took some distance before charging towards Ayse once more.
“So cute. I like hard working goblins. But I love them even more when they are dead.” Colonel Ayse raised her other hand up and conjured a fireball of her own version. It was purplish in colour and it crackled, only to see that it was imbued with lightning element. General Argent understood what kind of attack that was and wished to aid his child but he was too far.
“GET OUT OF THE WAY!” The Spear General shouted as he threw his own spear in the hopes of distracting Ayse even just a little bit. He even went so far to shoot repeatedly at her barrier with the laser gun he was holding till it overheated but to no avail. This was because her gravely injured war wolf mount sprung out to protect its own master for one last time. Most of the laser gun shots were block by the wolf’s body but Argent’s spear pierced through him cleanly with immense force that it was able to impact strongly against the shield barrier Ayse created. Unfortunately, the Lightning Fireball flew out of her hand and headed right towards Wyrstriker as she ignored and the subsequent laser gun shots and spear attack from Argent.
But Wyrstriker simply smiled.
He pushed his gearbox spear forward and suddenly his spear spread out like an umbrella which allowed him to block the particular fireball. More so, he was able to absorb part of the energy of the fireball and stored it within his spear as he continued his charge. The dust and explosion from the lightning fireball gave Wyrstriker some cover as he diverted his movement a little and jumped out from the left. Ayse was pleasantly surprised that the kid goblin survived and created the same initial barrier once more.
“Have a taste of your own medicine.” Wyrstriker smiled as he plunged the gearbox spear into the barrier and released the absorbed energy. An even louder explosion occurred. Ayse unable to see through the smoke realised that there was something foreign in her stomach. Wyrstriker had utilised his old spear, doused with wyvern poison from Iwen’s tail spike.
“What?!” Colonel Ayse was so shocked that for a moment she was unable to comprehend that she was pierced. Being a scholar she lacked much in battle experience, limited to the theoretical knowledge about it, yet she always assumed that her multilayer barrier would be able to hold against any attack just as it did against the Orc Generals. Especially when her mana was not expended as since it was powers bestowed by Shaitan Noble of Thunder Syldra. She simply stood there with a hand on the spear not believing the situation.
That was when Argent walked towards her after picking up his spear that was now glowing in white light. Ayse started to realise that she had completely forgotten that Argent’s weapons were imbued with the power of light which could nullify the Shaitan’s magic and that included her multi layered barrier.
“F.u.c.k!” Ayse coughed out blood as she knelt on the ground with the bitter realisation that she had underestimated the Father and Wyvern Knight duo. General Argent was not ashamed for his son ‘stealing’ the glory for putting down a high ranking Orc. However, before General Argent could get any words out from her mouth, Wyrstriker stabbed his gearbox spear into her heart and the old spear into her neck to ensure she died quickly from it.
“Ahh…I actually wanted to ask some questions…” Argent thought his son was out for blood taking care of such a high ranking officer but Wyrstriker shook his head.
“Master Jin will have his ways getting your request fulfilled this way. Please don’t question why. Instead I have questions for you, Father. I’m sure you can see the slight transformation which have occured to me. Who exactly is that Wyvern? Why did it feel so familiar when I initiated the mind to mind connection with him?” Wyrstriker brandished his gearbox spear as he noticed other orc officers and orc rank and file heading towards them.
In actual fact, they were trying to retreat after seeing Colonel Ayse’s demise. When Ayse died, the taboo magic cast upon them faded away almost immediately and the orcs all were able to see that they were stuck in in a losing situation after their leader was cut down. Regardless, some did not give up without a fight though most retreated back hoping to rejoin the main Thunder army again.
“Half of these Wyverns that my goblin riders are using were found by both you and your brother? Don’t you remember?” General Argent cleared the Orcs that were charging towards them before their Wyverns flew in upon being called and brought them out of their retreat path.
Some time later they rendezvoused at the Valley Town of Gob Gob Bu and during the flight back, they talked about the past. Wyrstriker learned that it was the nest of eggs that his brother had discovered one day. The next day he aided his elder sibling to move them to the house, hoping to have a good delicious meal of fried eggs.
It was their mother who noticed that those eggs were heavier and shaped slightly different from the usual ones. Consulting with their father, Argent assumed that what they found out had to be abandoned Wyvern eggs. Without being near the right temperature they were unable hatch. After learning that inside were those majestic creatures both brothers immediately asked their parents to keep them. Hence, Wyrstriker’s brother and him took great care of the eggs until the first hatched and Argent delivered it as well as the rest to the Royal Pet Farm.
“So in other words, Iwen must have been the first one to hatch. Seeing as you and your brother were around at the time he must have imprinted on you and was more than happy to finally see you again. … Although it’s a little late, congratulations on getting the form of a Wyvern Knight. The scriptures of the olden days used to tell us that it is a form of blessing from the Gods for worthy goblins, it is a kind of new life starting, so… Any title or name you wish to be bestowed upon or would you prefer to continue to use the name of Piercestriker.” General Argent pat Wyrstriker on his back when they reached the ground.
“Wyrstriker. Master Jin decided on that name long ago. He had trained us in the hopes of achieving this kind of breakthrough but we seemed to have lacked something, which is why he had taken us out. ” Wyrstriker lied as he knew it was the System that came out with the name since it informed about it when the evolution happened. Nonetheless, if Wyrstriker wished to change his name, all he had to do was to ask Jin.
The cultivators were finally able to relax as the Orcs were retreating. Many sustained wounds but they were not as major as they thought they could be. Zeru commended their efforts before mass teleporting them to the Recovery Instance for check up and healing. In the meantime, Hou Fei came down from the Cathedral Tower and talked to Zeru about a few things, hoping to get some update from Jin. Zeru was happy to scratch that itch or curiousity and gave Hou Fei the rough version of what his Master was planning.
“Huh…Operation Pompeii?” Hou Fei was surprised by the new updates. Meanwhile the goblin militia handled their wounded and gathered their fallen. Separately, the remaining Anti Tank users and goblin marksmen came to report to Hou Fei who told them he could not be any prouder. They nearly used up all their ammunition and scored tens if not hundreds of confirmed hits. It was unfortunate that a number of Anti Tank Guns were busted by the Super Laser Beam attack but it was to be expected during the war. Even the now abandoned M4 Sherman Tank took much of beating defending the weak point of the broken fort walls. Hou Fei later dismissed them as he and Zeru discussed more about Jin’s new development.
“I shall overlook the area for a while longer and report to Jin when necessary. You can return to the recovery instance and enjoy some good sleep. A private room was allocated for you with shower and afterwards you can enjoy a fresh hot meal. The time dilation in that room matches with this particular world so you can rest easy.” Zeru said and Hou Fei agreed wholeheartedly as he passed a tablet that controlled the detonation of explosives to Zeru before leaving.
Afterwards Zeru went forward to General Argent who was passing orders to his subordinates. “Master Jin would like to have a talk with you. General Argent.” Zeru opened a portal requesting General Argent to enter as soon as possible.
“As much as I’d like to entertain Master Jin’s request especially after he sent such a major assistance to the operations here, I can’t abandon my men.” General Argent shook his head reluctantly until he heard sounds of howling coming from the other side of the town.
General Gladios, Slashreaver and the best response unit Gladios could muster entered the town before the main army officially arrive.
“Bro, it is nice to see you well and alive.” Gladios came down from his personal wolf mount as he surveyed the surroundings.
“You are indeed a sight for sore eyes.” Argent kindly asked Zeru to wait for a while as he summarised the events to Gladios. Sword General Gladios could not help but pat Argent on his back for a good job well done.
“If King Sol hears of this, you and the rest of the goblins here will most definitely receive a medal for your efforts. We will conduct a proper military funeral for the dead once this is over.” Gladios looked at the dark moonless night once more.
“Please, as if I need another medal.” Argent grumbled as he thought back at the award ceremonies being so boring that he regretted being forced to attend them.
“In any case, you do not have to worry, I am here to supervise.” Gladios declared proudly while Zeru also reassured Argent that he would be staying watch too.
Argent sighed as he adjusted his battered armour before stepping forward into the portal.
