Asura in Arknights

The Originium particles wrapped around the cane emitted sparks, which quickly spread into a raging sea of ​​fire.

"Explosive Flame Wave Sword!"

End of Chapter Nineteen

Li Ang has always been pondering the true nature of his Originium Arts.

For an infected person who has awakened Originium Arts, the most difficult thing may be to recognize the true nature of their Originium Arts. No matter how similar the effects of two spells may be, their essence may be completely different.

Like primitive humans who find high-tech alien weapons, if they don't understand the true nature of their Originium Arts, the Infected may spend their entire lives just using the high-tech weapons in their hands to smash people.

Of course, this is not something that can be figured out in a short time.

If an infected person could understand the essence of their own magic, they could organize their Originium Arts into basic spell units, allowing others to learn their magic. This is the origin of modern Originium Arts. Li Ang is not yet able to do something so profound.

He now only vaguely senses that his Originium Arts seem to be fundamentally different from Adele's.

The shockwave that Li Ang unleashed earlier simply released the energy from the Originium particles, but what if he applied the fire magic unit that Adele taught him on top of that?

On his first attempt, Li Ang nearly burned down the backyard of Dr. Kent's clinic, and he never tried such dangerous magic in town again after that.

By continuing to experiment along this line of thought, Li Ang hopes to develop more ways to use it, so he feels it is necessary to give his Originium Arts a name.

The words "Wave Sword" naturally came to mind, even though his current weapon was a cane.

A crimson sea of ​​fire poured out from the tip of the staff, illuminating the still not fully lit sky in a fiery red.

The tall-hatted sorcerer riding on the back of the alien creature had not anticipated this turn of events. His face turned deathly pale in the firelight. The alien creature had already lunged towards the flames, and he had no time to control it to avoid the sea of ​​fire.

The next moment, the alien creature carried him into the sea of ​​fire. The viscous, liquid-like flames instantly engulfed them, and the tall-hatted sorcerer let out an extremely painful howl.

The Originium Arts mastered by the High Hat Warlock were ice-based, which is why he wasn't immediately incinerated by the flames.

Of course, this was not enough to save his life; it merely prolonged the time he had to endure the pain.

Perhaps because Li Ang was not yet proficient, the energy in the Originium Particles was not completely converted by the Flame Spell Unit, and a small amount still retained its original characteristics.

This immature method of use produced unexpected results, even better than completely transforming into flames.

After a brief delay, the inferno began to boil again, with dense explosions emanating from it, and flames rising dozens of meters into the air.

"The tower...will not let you get away with this!"

The sudden explosion completely destroyed the tower sorcerer's body, leaving behind a last word that sounded like that of a third-rate villain, before the screams abruptly ceased.

One blow kills.

There seem to be very few defensive Originium Arts in this world. The human body is so fragile in the face of devastating flames, and even sorcerers are no exception.

But... what is this "tower" they're talking about? Is it the mastermind behind the attempt to kidnap Adele?

Such doubts flashed through Li Ang's mind, but the battle was not over yet, and he did not have time to think about these questions.

The raging flames did not cause much damage to the alien species. Its body only looked like a twisted vine, but its actual fire resistance was frighteningly high. On the contrary, the damage caused by the explosion was much greater.

Just like the classic plot in the movie, when the controller, the Tall Hat Sorcerer, died, the alien species completely lost control.

The mutant's movements paused briefly for a few seconds, then its body suddenly swelled up without warning. The vines that made up its body seemed to be stimulated by something, and they detached from its body, flailing wildly in mid-air, looking countless times more disgusting than before.

In just a few seconds, it almost swelled into a giant sea urchin.

However, this can be considered a good thing for Li Ang.

Without the controller's command, this mindless monster posed no threat to him whatsoever. Even without Li Ang's intervention, the alien's body was collapsing at a steady pace.

However... Li Ang couldn't just stand by and watch, because no one could say what the consequences of letting things go unchecked would be.

The moment the sorcerer fell into the trap, Li Ang had already switched his spellcasting unit from the staff on his wrist to his eyes. In exchange for increased blood crystal density, the infected could gain even greater power.

The red light flashing in his eyes grew even brighter. Li Ang mobilized all the remaining Originium particles and released them all at once towards the ever-expanding sea urchin in front of him.

The shockwave transformed into a tangible storm, and even the ground could not withstand the immense pressure, resulting in a dense network of cracks.

With this mindset, the alien creature was completely unable to dodge. The swollen sea urchin was like a flattened tomato; with a sound like a splattering crack, its countless wildly flailing tentacles were squeezed into thin sheets, and the splashed unidentified liquid splattered all over the nearby land, revealing the core hidden deep inside—

The original spindle-shaped head of the Xenomorph.

"This thing... is really disgusting..."

Avoiding the still twitching pieces of flesh on the ground, Li Ang looked at the core of the monster in front of him with disgust.

Despite enduring so many attacks, the head still maintained a roughly intact shape, with new tentacles continuously growing on it, attempting to repair the body that had turned into a puddle of mud.

This thing is indeed very powerful, but its appearance is really disgusting. I really don't know how that warlock could stand it.

Recalling the scene of the sorcerer in the tall hat being grabbed by the alien and placed on its back, Li Ang shuddered deeply. The alien's body was very smooth, without any protrusions. How did that sorcerer manage to fix himself on it?

My apologies, my apologies... This is something that cannot be thought about too deeply, as the psychological trauma it causes is probably more severe than the battle itself.

Clearing his mind of all the chaotic thoughts, Li Ang thrust out his cane without hesitation, pinning the head to the ground.

After a series of spasms and convulsions, the head finally ceased all activity.

Without the tall-hatted sorcerer maintaining the spell, the wind had gradually dispersed the thick fog in the air, revealing the sky that was beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn.

The long dawn has finally come to an end.

At this moment, other sounds finally came from the direction of the SUV behind them.

"Hey, Adele."

Slowly pulling out his cane, which was covered in sticky liquid, Li Ang turned around and waved to Adele. "You're finally awake. Don't worry, it's all over now."

Chapter Twenty will surely be put to good use next time.

Adele remembered that she had just had a very long dream.

In her dream, Adele returned to a time many years ago when her parents first took her to a volcano. Perhaps it was that experience that made her so deeply fascinated by volcanoes, such natural wonders.

Looking back now, I really miss those days.

Adele's parents both work at William University in the capital of Letania. Her father is a professor at the Originium Arts Academy, and her mother is an expert in natural environment and ecosystem research. Influenced by her parents, Adele also followed this path and became a scholar specializing in volcanoes.

With her parents holding such high positions at the school, Adele naturally carried pressures that ordinary students didn't experience. However, Adele consistently performed well, and in the end, she planned to conclude her university life with a thesis she completed independently.

Actually, Adele originally wanted to write a paper on underwater volcanoes, but unfortunately, Iberia has not allowed anyone to enter their territory for many years.

There might be some chance if it were just sneaking in, but there's simply no room for such a formal scientific expedition.

Adele had to settle for second best and set her sights on another volcano near Iberian territory.

Adele didn't know how long she had slept, but she woke up groggily to find herself lying in the back seat of an SUV.

After getting her bearings, Adele suddenly realized something: hadn't she slept in a tent last night? Why was she in a car now?

Before Adele could figure out the answer to this question, a deafening explosion outside snapped her back to reality.

Instinctively looking in the direction from which the sound came, Adele was met with a scene of utter chaos.

The ground was covered with a thick layer of ice, and there were holes of all sizes everywhere. Some areas were even stained black by some kind of substance.

Adele was completely stunned. This place wasn't like this before nightfall. What had happened while she was asleep?

……

"Huh...huh..."

Li Ang flicked the liquid off his cane onto the ground and greedily inhaled the fresh air around him.

After a fierce battle, Li Ang was actually close to his limit, both psychologically and physiologically.

Needless to say, the physical exertion was immense. An ordinary person couldn't even withstand the force of one of the alien's arms, yet Li Ang fought it head-on for over a dozen rounds, expending an astronomical amount of energy.

On the other hand, there is the consumption brought about by using Originium Arts. Li Ang has never stopped using Originium Arts from beginning to end.

Moreover, the number of Originium Particles that Li Ang can control at the same time is limited. Each time he uses a spell, he will consume a portion of the Originium Particles. In battle, he also has to multitask, casting spells while replenishing the consumed Originium Particles.

This also exposed another flaw of Li Ang: while he had enough explosive power, he lacked endurance. Once the Originium Particles were exhausted, the power of his spells would drop sharply.

As for how to solve this shortcoming, Li Ang doesn't have any particularly good ideas at the moment.

Perhaps... we could try compressing those Originium particles? If we can't increase the quantity limit, then we should try to improve the quality; that seems like a viable approach.

“I’m fine, Adele, you don’t need to come over. Just wait for me by the car, somewhere away from here.”

Leon stopped Adele from rushing over, then slowly walked towards her.

The fluids inside the alien organism should not be volatile toxic, but the consequences of contact are unclear.

At this moment, the ground beneath Li Ang's feet was soaked with an unknown liquid. Throughout the battle, he had been carefully avoiding the splashing liquid, and the air shield made of Originium particles had played a significant role.

Just to be on the safe side, it's best to keep Adele away from these things.

Looking at the land ahead, which had turned completely black, Adele understood Li Ang's concerns. Seeing that Li Ang seemed to be alright, she retreated back to where the off-road vehicle was.

Recalling the battle just now, Li Ang was also quite surprised by his own performance.

This was Li Ang's first battle since arriving in Terra. Apart from some of his movements appearing a bit clumsy, there were almost no problems with the entire process, as if the instinct for fighting had been deeply rooted in his soul.

Of course, this is also inextricably linked to Li Ang's fighting style.

Li Ang mainly relies on his Originium Arts; he doesn't need any sophisticated swordsmanship. He just needs to aim at the enemy and throw out Originium particles.

And the enemy Li Ang faced... was that tall-hatted sorcerer.

Although his actions were somewhat foolish, completely disregarding the possibility of Li Ang showing weakness, the opponent's strength was undeniable. If the opponent could let go of that meaningless arrogance, it was still uncertain who would have the last laugh.

What impressed Li Ang the most in this battle was not the terrifying monster, but the complete combat system of the tall hat sorcerer.

If you look at the spells of the High Hat Warlock individually, you'll find that none of them are particularly strong. The most threatening one is the sky full of ice spikes. However, when these spells are combined, they can have an unimaginable effect in battle.

Before the attack begins, a fog is released to set up the battlefield. The fog can interfere with vision and paralyze the enemy's body, making it easier for alien species to infiltrate the battlefield and launch surprise attacks.

The mutant's overwhelming power is enough to defeat most enemies; if the mutant cannot defeat them, then join the battle yourself.

At this point, the mist released at the beginning can play another role, helping the High Hat Caster quickly lower the surrounding temperature, making the environment more suitable for the opponent's Originium Arts to be used.

Compared to this tall-hatted sorcerer, Li Ang's fighting style... was rather predictable.

After the battle, the high-hatted sorcerer taught Li Ang a great deal with his own life. Li Ang was very grateful for the sorcerer's teachings, and he would certainly apply what he had learned in the future.

When Li Ang walked back to the vicinity of the SUV, exhaustion surged uncontrollably from the depths of his soul, and he didn't even hear what Adele was saying.

But I suppose it was just some words of concern.

"Don't worry, I'm just... a little tired."

After leaving those words, Li Ang felt the last bit of strength in his body disappear, his consciousness blurred, and he slumped forward.

……

"Lyon? Lyon!!"

When Adele was startled to see Li Ang collapse in front of her without warning, she quickly caught his limp body.

Adele visibly relaxed after reaching out to check his breath.

So, he really was just asleep...

Chapter Twenty-One: The Tower

"So, we've come here again..."

Looking at the vast white space, Li Ang sighed. Why wouldn't he be allowed to rest even when he was exhausted to the point of fainting?

Li Ang felt that he hadn't rested for very long before being pulled into this space. What made him even more helpless was that this was something he had no control over.

"Alright, let me see what it is this time."

Now that he was already here, Li Ang couldn't just leave empty-handed.

Last time, Li Ang stayed in this space for a very short time, only managing to see some fragments of daily life, and there was nothing useful at all. If only he could see memories related to the village's secrets this time.

Blue light spots began to gather around Li Ang, and the surrounding environment changed accordingly. A fragment of memory slowly unfolded before Li Ang's eyes.

As his perspective shifted, Li Ang found himself in a passageway made entirely of metal.

In the passageway, many people wearing protective suits were walking back and forth. From behind those goggles, Li Ang recognized many familiar eyes, which belonged to the villagers of that village.

-------------------------------------

Finally, Li Ang discovered the secret hidden in that village as he had hoped.

Beneath that village, there should be a sizable research institute, and those so-called villagers are all personnel associated with the institute.

When Li Ang was in Duwa Town, he also learned some information about that village.

After Adele took him away, several strong aftershocks occurred at that location.