The pulsating drumming from the crystal spires silenced—Nemenoth's communication and observation apparatus discarded.

Swirling white mists flushed out of Luke. Sooty arose from her immaterial roost. Luke opened an arm up. Whispering Tome wiggled free, now hovering by the Reaver's hip. A soft white glow undulated from the crystal bastion.

According to the texts on the Crystal Demon Point, Nemenoth enraged whenever one hunter was left to face him—in that state, the boss earned the reputation as unbeatable. The Reaver surmised this was where the dungeon boss derived its confidence from. Originally, Luke contacted a different plan to counter this or even the scales, but with the elemental upgrade, he wasn't sure if it was required anymore.

A backup, in the worst case.

"Wayfinder."

"What tickles your tongue, frosty?"

"Don't call me that."

"Why in the blazing needle not? You leak mist and frost over half of what you touch. What else do I call you?"

"…" Wrinkling his nose, Luke moved on, knowing his tongue rarely matched Wayfinder's nonexistent one. "Are all your abilities up?"

"Sure as a magnetic core. Can take a spin at Devil's Needle too now, if you'd like. The other three, ready to pull you up when you bumble about."

Eyes sharpening, Luke set his jaw back as he thought, Not here, but after the auction, there's a question I need answered. Devil's Needle is the best way I can think of to get that information.

An elixir appeared in Luke's hand before he returned it to the Inventory. The Black Metal Mask showed itself in his mind's eye. The Spectral Heart began to beat erratically in excitement. In his short time as a Defier, Luke learned they all surpassed hunters to the point they couldn't be considered the same species anymore. Initially, it baffled him. Then, during the battle against Vathen and Garic, it hit him.

There would be no way those who satisfied themselves in fighting monsters could compete with those who developed the ego and techniques to defy gods or their servants. Likewise, recognized as a Defier, the Interface now required him to do things no hunter could hope to do, not even the elite among them. The Reaver was forever barred from achieving a full feat through normal means.

According to the records, no hunter below tier 3 ever managed to solo Nemenoth. If that couldn't be considered a feat even for a Defier, Luke would hunt down the World Spirit or whatever powered the Interface and file a complaint. Otherwise, he'd be about to undergo an incredulous task for nothing.

Elemental Infusion twisted around Sooty and Xera. Fetching the two Crystal Keys, they floated above Luke's left palm. Pushing up lightly, the two items homed to their resident indents, filling them in with a click. The previous smooth, glowing white gate started to alter. Its latent energy empowered by brands cracked slowly.

The cavern behind Luke shook, and obsidian chips fell from above, sliding off a transparent barrier surrounding the dimming bastion. Splintering, the crystal made a fragmented threshold, hovering in place after sifting enough to allow Luke enough space to squeeze himself in. Another taunting whisper bounced from the bastion's door shards.

'Plunge yourself into my crystal tomb hunter. Arrogance reflects upon—soon to take form as my greatest echo. The Sliver Black Spire cannot spare you here.'

Withdrawing more Cleansing Crystals, Luke tapped them on Sooty, reverting his companion to her optimum. The time to use the Corruption Mechanic for training had come to an end. Sooty rubbed her head against Luke's neck in appreciation.

"Everyone ready? I'm confident we'll pull through, but knowing my luck, it won't go as planned."

Wayfinder opened and shut his clasp in acknowledgment. Sooty cawed proudly, Whispering Tome shut its pages.

Glancing at Xera, Luke teased with a wink, "You're not going to give out on me, are you?"

"Sword Wands don't give out. We just like to smell the roses sometimes. That's how you say it, right? Wayfinder taught me when you slept."

Tapping on the compass, Luke said, "You're doing a service. Although it sounds like you've taken liberties during the process."

"Aye, and the Staff-Spear gentlemen speeds things along. Hop to it, lad. Keepin' your next damsel waiting."

"Yeah, this one is the feistiest one yet."

Pushing aside the floating crystals, the Reaver entered Crystal Demon Point's final room—Nemenoth's Crystal Tomb.

__________________________________________________________

Crystal braziers contained glittering white flames, each arranged in a circular formation, sealing Nemenoth within.

The room inside the barrier spread to a massive domed interior. A swaying iron bridge connected to the circular platform, a sheer drop beneath, at its edges, red crystals encrusted the walls, spiraling down. Able to see for miles, Luke still couldn't find the bottom.

Safe to say falling was not an option.

The domed area ringed into three portions, each smaller than the one before it by an order of magnitude. The outer ring appeared wide and ordinary in terrain. The smaller inner ring connected to it raised up, and through careful inspection, Luke pinpointed traps. Although he couldn't quite figure out their effects at a glance.

Unnatural white light, the opposite of the soothing kind found in the Shimmering Expanse, reflected off every surface. Offering no quarter from its harsh glare. All traces of shadows were eradicated.

The central core suspended itself above the inner ring, where Nemenoth hovered in a crisscross meditative position. Radiant white glowed from every crystal crevice, shaping the boss creature. His eyes were purple gemstones, mana flowing freely from them. Crystals swirled like liquid around him, in the upper reaches, the barrier connected to the ceiling. Where countless white jagged crystal spires awaited, Nemenoth altered them as he pleased, making them act as extra limbs or play toys, as he did now.

A sigil, shaped like a demonic form encased purifying crystal, waned underneath the boss.

On his back, short white glass structures shot out. As the Reaver stood there, Nemenoth showed signs of the coming enrage, a black aura crackling alongside his otherwise white crystal body. Opening his mouth, rows of sharp, jagged crystals revealed themselves along a snaking silver tongue made of gems. Two small openings acted as breathing holes in the monster's face.

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Silver tongue now hanging out, well past the crystal chin structure, Nemenoth said in a deep, resonant voice, "Decades since one of the flesh and blood hunters came to face me— alone." Gemstone eyes settled on Sooty, and Nemenoth corrected himself, "The last also fared against me with a companion, two in her case." Inspecting his clawed hand in boredom, the white crystal demon recalled aloud, "A Beastmaster, if the crystals do not lie in their memory." He jerked a sharp, monstrous finger at the reflective crystal walls surrounding the lair, "Now another to keep me eternal company."

The words bounced around, humming with every crystal composing the dungeon room. They wormed into Luke's ears from every direction, acting dangerously close to an auditory attack. Luke radiated out waves of misted frost, moderating the insidious trick.

Summoned to the mirror surface of the crystal walls, ghastly faces appeared—watching. Scanning casually, the Reaver picked out eight recent faces, Vathen, Garic and their team members.

Meeting the accusing stares head-on, Luke scoffed, "You eight put yourselves there. In the next life, choose better."

As someone who crawled out of a netherworld, spirits and echoes barely fazed the Reaver. Sliding Xera out her scabbard, Luke flicked her out to the side, stepping slowly forward. He steadily crossed the swaying iron bridge connecting the small area he started into the three ringed arena Nemenoth sneered at him from. The iron bridge froze as solid ice traveled down its links, stilling the sway.

The sigil underneath Nemenoth cracked, exploding apart when Luke crossed the iron bridge, a step away from entering the barrier denoting the territory under Nemenoth's full control. Black, red and violet hues scattered upon the boss, his mostly white crystal body now altering.

A powerful aura blasted out from the boss, rising. Then rising again.

And again.

With each unknown shackle bursting apart since the Reaver met the unfortunate conditions to face Nemenoth without the Spire's suppression, crystals melted apart, swirling around the crystalline demon. The geode armor composing most of Nemenoth's physique reformed, almost flawless in its protection—the force required to surpass it now multiple times the norm. Nemenoth grew a size larger, close to a towering twelve feet, now twice as tall as the Reaver.

A pure, translucent set of bladed fist weapons settled over Nemonth's two clawed arms. A crystal crown sprouted from the horned skull, pulsing black brands covering it in a ring. Finally, red flowing mana veins rose to the surface of Nemthon's encrusted skin, power thrumming within them. Sliver tongue snaking out, the crystal demon said, "To relive what the Sinned Seven stripped away from me, chained to the Spires. To thank you, foolish hunter, you are granted the privilege to enter my most treasured echo collection. Always present, but never witnessed—a chained echo like Mirah."

Tapping upon the barrier separating the two, white mist left Luke's mouth as frost rimmed his iris. Cracking his neck, Luke used the gesture to signal Sooty. The corvid summoned an Iron Feather on herself. Wisping shadows slithered up her beak and talons, hiding away nervous black feathers.

Strands of white frost slicked Luke's black hair. The Spectral Heart beat calmly within him, the metaphysical incorporable organ pumping Essence laden lifeblood throughout Luke steadily. Shifting glacial winds rustled the Reaver's armor and hair, raising them slightly.

Pushing through the barrier, Luke slid to the point of no return.

Frosted eyes up to the threatening white crystal spires glinting down at him, Luke said, "It seems others are here to see our show, Sooty."

Sooty rushed through the barrier, shedding her hesitation. She beat her wings beside him, entering a flow of focus.

Butting his two fists together, power crackled between them. Nemenoth said, "Shades of the past, divine spirits, and lords of the living all scry upon those they are connected to. Godless hunter, many of their threads weave around you—tugging for their agenda. No matter, soon their worldly chest piece will be mine."

Whispers pervaded from every direction, coming from the smooth white crystal walls reflecting unnerving white light. The dome they created grew, sealing the way Luke came. The iron bridge snapped apart, crunched by the sharp crystal walls, its structure ruined. Parts of it fell to the abyss below while the rest uselessly bayed against the central platform.

Closing his eyes for a split second, the Reaver expelled iced air, snapping them back open. Glowing blue-white runes etched on Xera, and a frosted Essence Bond strapped itself to Nemenoth, containing his rushing aura somewhat.

Like a cut string, the tenuous peace pulled apart. Raising both palms, Nemenoth controlled the crystals like a living being. Hundreds of spires rushed from the walls, the jagged formations above and the ground beneath, all aiming to puncture the Reaver. Shards summoned up from the concealed traps in the middle slanting terrain ring rocketing to Luke like homing missiles.

Except for the half a foot radius under his feet, Luke occupied no safe grounds—besieged on all sides. Even that existed because he froze it in layered thick ice. He sensed crystals struggling to break through, stalled from their goal, the elemental zone too sturdy to turn into a sieve. Sooty dived, twisting her body to avoid the crystal lines dominating the skies. The absence of shadows crippled her usual mobility, now reliant on her baseline agility.

The shards from the ground still fixated on Luke, though the hundreds of crystal limbs split, a minor portion chased after Sooty. Sucking up the small frost patch, Luke fed it to his soles. Electric currents danced upon his smooth ice epidermis. Dashing a quarter second before the innumerable crystal limbs skewered him, the Reaver bisected the crystal abilities directly in his way.

A swirling frost domain created winter around him, reclaiming the immediate ground he strode over while slowing the homing crystal shards enough for them to miss their target—him. Three gemmed liquefied spires cut into the domain. Luke deflected them into one another in a sword orbit, displaying the full capability of the predictive sight gifted to him from elemental sight.

Already at the midpoint between his previous position and where Nemenoth manipulated the crystal elements all around, Luke wrung out the agility attribute, and bursts of air split apart. He shot like an arrow. The increased acceleration caused the tracking spires to miss him a second time.

Resonate voice worming around, Nemenoth observed, "Speed saves you, godless. Your stamina will wither, and when it does, a crystal tomb welcomes its newest occupant."

Pointing Xera at Nemenoth's neck, Luke stamped Siphon there, its sapping properties sucking away stamina and Essence for the Reaver's ends. Ether from the air rushing into him, mists brimmed out. While the grounds around him tenaciously fought against his frosts, the air was fair game. Dashing to the side, Luke avoided exploding crystals and skewering spires, crushing the spot he left. A mist shroud grayed every inch within the barrier, clouding the zone and lowering visibility.

Immediately, Luke noticed the difference. Fewer crystals came after him, and the homing effect weakened. Sooty's portion of the obstructing crystals halved—Nemenoth's attention pressured further. Now able to circle, barely in perception, the companion aimed for Nemenoth's crystal back structures.

"Creature of black, all that crystal can see, I witness."

Spiraling from Nemenoth's back, the structures twisted out, splitting apart into six liquid streams. Folding her wings, Sooty swooped in—misted shadow covered her beak. The crystal streams formed a bulwark, attempting to stop the attack. Reaver Beak would be useless if it couldn't serve its primary function as an armor breaker. Sooty's beak touched the barrier, sundering it apart. The liquid reformed, while four limbs missed, and two punctured the corvid's back. Iron Feather snapped, as did one of its two sub-feathers, significantly reducing the punishment. Black tinged Sooty's talons, and both bore down on Nementh's exposed back. Shadow Wing appeared, about to plant a Reaver Beak of its own to ensure a devastating combo from the two.

"Persistent pest." Nemenoth started to whirl around when a glacial pressure ripped from his chosen direction—beginning to coat him in ice. Essence Fissure streamed against Nemenoth—unlike usual—it did not halt him entirely. Nemenoth struggled to prevent Sooty's two pronged plan. Shadow Wing planted the Reaver Beak effect, lowering Nemenoth's armor efficacy. A crystal encrusted fist smashed into it, unraveling its form and blocking Sooty's Talon Strike. The ability cracked apart the extended arm, infecting it with Vorpal rot.

Reforming behind Nemenoth, Shadow Wing gifted Sooty its Iron Feather and raked Talon Strike into an exposed crystal clavicle. Nemenoth's natural bodily armor split a layer, crystal fragments dropping. The fragments clung to Shadow Wing, exploding. The shade conjured itself again, smaller than before. Spare crystal spires turned it into a sieve, ending the ability duration early. Fully oriented toward Sooty now, Nemenoth swiped a claw at her fast enough that she couldn't avoid it entirely. Sooty crashed to the middle ring, where crystals sprang up to explosively meet her. The renewed Iron Feather divided the critical blow and force used to send her flying away.

Flashing in front of the crystals, Luke snatched Sooty out of the air. Rearing a hand back, he froze the crystals, using Triple Step to save himself from the oncoming spire onslaught.

"You did your part perfectly, Sooty. Take a rest until you're ready again."

Closer on the fragile side, Sooty's right wing bent at an odd angle. Wisps of shadow mended it slowly, alongside the feedback she received from Vorpal Touch's rot festering inside Nemenoth. Luke held her against his chest with one hand, bisecting hostile crystals with Xera in the other. More ice fragments joined Luke's elemental domain every second, with arctic winds carrying them around. The Reaver felt the frost and Siphon drain Nemenoth's strength. While he didn't directly attack the boss, any damaging frost took attributes. If not before the racial change, it did now. A natural sensation told him, close to genetic knowledge if anything.

Spreading throughout Nemenoth's middle, the rot browned the crystal physique. Liquefying a jagged crystal pillar from above, Nemenoth fed it to his chest. It raced to contain the infection—partially effective. The frosted runes ringed around the boss's body contained his attributes, bits of frost appearing at his waist. Musical crystal sourced hums rippled, trying to break apart the frost and ice Luke spread around the core and second ring.

Twitching at the chest, Nemenoth dug out a rotten crystal portion.

"A poisonous pest. One of the ruin effects." Purple gemstone eyes on the Reaver, Nemenoth opened his maw further, silver tongue licking the jagged crystal rows, "A sinned or a killer of millions—which are you, godless hunter? The leisurely style is a mistake against your kind."

Roughly raising a hand, crystals wrenched themselves out of every crevice in the core and middle ring. Black and red veins pulsed, covering both sections, save for where Luke sliced apart a frosted patch.

The commanded crystals exploded in unison, creating a nova with nowhere to hide. Luke solidified the aerial winds, encasing himself in an Ice Wall, hunching over Sooty. The nova overwhelmed the rushed Ice Wall, searing into Luke's elemental body. Hundreds of spires rushed at him, and one bore into his left shoulder. Freezing it instantly, Luke jerked his shoulder, snapping it off. Already, ice filled the muscular hole.

Nemenoth, no longer taking the crystal commander strategy, charged toward Luke. Lightning arced at his right leg, the Reaver rose to meet the boss creature, rearing Xera back. A crystal claw stalled the blade and clutched it. The measure cost Nemenoth dearly, splitting deeply into the hand; frost seeped inside, freezing the usual crystal regeneration.

Forming Xera into a wand, Luke made Nemenoth lose his grip. Shattering frost on his body, he rotated mid-air like a twister, dodging the crystal limbs from behind and the second claw from the front.

Pointing Xera at the Nemenoth's left hip, an Essence Lance with four shards appeared, ripping through the sturdy body like it were regular flesh. Ruinous echo ate at Nemenoth's resistances, aiding Luke's frost and Sooty's rot. The nearly contained browned crystal spread toward the grievously wounded waist portion.

Using the crystal chunk that Luke blasted apart, Nemenoth plastered it to the Reaver. While Luke's elemental body froze it, preventing an implosion, it crippled his speed for half a second. Anticipating danger—Luke flung Sooty away, words too slow for the situation—and gifted her intent through Reaver's Link instead. He frosted his insides, creating an inner circle, except for one central position—the Spectral Heart.

A spire conjoined with dozens of others, ripping through the middle of his chest.

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