Chapter 62: Battle of the elites

The Typhon Tribe was by no means weak. Their ability to manipulate the spirits and raw forces of nature, it made them formidable opponents.

This ability was what gave them the confidence to crush the Nemean Tribe, even after seeing their newly built wall.

"What’s going on?"

However, what they didn’t account for was the mysterious boost in power every single warrior had, including their better weaponry.

"How are they so strong?" Telah dodged an incoming spear thrust, grabbed the shaft, and yanked it toward her. She then drove her own weapon into the man on the other end, killing him with a single blow.

The Typhon Tribe’s weapons were forged with the finest bronze and were enhanced by the spirits, yet the weapons of the Nemean tribe not only tore through their own like butter, but even cut through their spells with ease.

"Scared, little girl?" Nala pulled her sword out of the face of a dead Typhon tribesman while flicking the blood off her blade. She walked over to Telah slowly, killing another poor soul who thought they could contend with her.

"Your tribe was on the brink of collapse, yet not only did you manage to build this impressive wall, but your weapons and abilities are stronger than before. What have you done?" Telah’s voice was cold and calculating.

Figuring out the source of the Nemean Tribe’s new power so she could destroy it was the only thing on her mind as she stared at Nala, who continued to approach her slowly.

Spinning her spear around her hand, she gripped it with both hands and pointed it at Nala.

"Unlike your tribe, ours has a god watching over us." Nala grinned.

"How amusing, relying on gods because of your weakness. If I kill your god, does your power cease to exist?"

"There’s only so much weight the voice of a dead person can carry."

Nala and Telah dashed toward each other through the chaos of the battlefield. Telah struck first, thrusting her spear straight at Nala’s chest. Nala twisted aside, feeling the spearhead narrowly miss her, then swung her sword toward Telah’s side.

Telah quickly pulled her spear back and blocked, and the impact was far heavier than it should have been. Telah’s feet slid backward through the dirt as she struggled against Nala’s strength.

The power Kanan had given Nala was enhancing her body, making every strike significantly stronger than normal.

Telah grinned. "Not bad." She swept her spear low. Nala jumped over it, but Telah immediately followed with an upward thrust. Nala twisted her body, and the spear passed beside her.

Then the spearhead flashed green. Lightning erupted from the weapon. Nala barely moved her sword in time to redirect the spear, but the electricity traveled along the blade and jolted through her hands.

"Gah!"

Telah took advantage of the opening, spinning her spear and striking again, but Nala manipulated the space between them. For an instant, Telah’s spear seemed to stretch farther than it should have, but Nala bent the distance between herself and the weapon, causing the strike to fall short.

She stepped forward and slashed, but Telah ducked beneath the blade and slammed her palm against the ground. Green energy spread through the dirt, and a wall of earth erupted beneath Nala’s feet, throwing her balance off.

Telah lunged instantly, not wanting to let this chance slip. However, Nala recovered just in time and met the spear with her sword; another heavy clash shook both weapons.

Around them, the battle continued. Warriors shouted, weapons collided, and bodies rushed past, but neither woman paid them any attention.

Nala pushed forward with another powerful strike, Telah blocking most of them, but then something changed.

A green energy erupted from Telah’s body, an energy that wasn’t her own. She wasn’t injured or harmed in any way. Instead, her power skyrocketed.

But it wasn’t just her. All over the battlefield, the Typhon Tribes power increased tenfold, and the grins on their faces sent the Nemean Tribe into a panic.

Telah’s grip tightened around her spear, and she lunged at Nala, their weapons connected once again. This time, the clash sent Nala skidding backward.

"Now," Telah said, "Let’s see how long that god of yours can keep you alive."

---

Back in the shrine, Kanan felt his power suddenly wane. It was as if a greater force was overpowering the spirit energy he was providing to his people, like someone else was doing the same thing to the Typhon Tribe.

"What’s going on out there? Why does it feel like my power was just cut off?"

[The host’s power was not cut off, but weakened. A greater force that can use a similar ability has dominated the battlefield.]

"A greater force? The Typhon Tribe’s Chief!"

Since Kanan was speaking out loud, some of the people there had confused looks on their faces. It was thanks to Nia and Anna that they learned Kanan could speak to their gods, explaining what he was currently doing.

[The host is correct. Due to the amount of spirit energy the Typhon Tribe Chief is pulling from nature, it is interfering with the host’s spirit energy.]

"But I’m using the spirit energy from my own body."

[The host also draws spirit energy from nature to fuel what you’re doing. Less spirit energy from nature means less powerful spirit transfer will be due to the strain it can cause the host’s body.]

"Is there a way to counter what the Typhon Tribe Chief is doing?"

[Affirmative, but the host will not like what he will need to do.]

"I gotta get close, don’t I?"

[...]

"Well, damn."

[New Objective - Eliminate the Typhon Tribe’s Chief and subdue the rest of the Typhon Tribe. Once complete, the host will be informed of his next task. Failure means death.]

’Man, this is why status windows are better.’

"Nia, Anna, I’ll be heading out for a bit."

"What? Master, you can’t be serious! You shouldn’t leave the shrine. You can help everyone while staying safe!" Nia was not about to let Kanan go out there to lose his life. Though they only knew each other for three months at most, she was already fond of him.

The same applied to Anna. She didn’t like the idea of Kanan risking his valuable life on the battlefield, especially when he was already helping their people in a safe place.

"This isn’t up for debate. If I don’t go out there, our people will suffer more than they already are. Keep this place safe." Kanan left the shrine and ran to the northern wall where the majority of the battle was taking place.