Chapter 264: 264. Rah

A swarm of Vykers approached them at sonic speeds, moving like streaks across the sky.

Their massive silhouettes were blasting through the dark sky. Their advance was making the air tremble and pressurise at several points in their path, creating a chain of terrifying sonic booms, specifically the instances where they slowed down to take a turn and then accelerated again before breaking the sound barrier.

Within moments, several attacks were hurled toward William and Rah, each one conjured from an unknown energy that pulsed with a terrifying rhythm and surged forward with immense force, distorting the space around it.

“What if I help you awaken your echo?”

The eye at the end of the tail looked at William intently for a few seconds, as if carefully measuring his worth and sincerity. There was a strange depth in that gaze, something that did not feel like it was coming from a simple-minded beast.

Then it blinked once, as if nodding and telling William that his proposal had been accepted.

In the very next moment, Rah reacted as it curved its body mid-air instantly and dodged an incoming attack that had been aimed directly at him.

William looked at the level of perception Rah had shown and silently wondered how the so-called powerhouses on Aris would fare against him.

As both of them acknowledged the newly formed partnership between William and Rah.

The Vyker, which had been silently hovering in the air, began moving its wings and tail in a strange yet controlled rhythm, allowing it to move forward at high speeds.

A faint, satisfied smile appeared on William’s face as he noticed this development.

From behind, he could hear several screeching cries echoing, not through the air but directly inside his mind, as if they were shouting through thoughts.

“Raaahhh!! Stop right now, Raaah!!!” a voice came from behind, making William realise that this winged beast had a name. They were calling him Rah.

“Fck you, Rah. Do you have a death wish?”

A much louder and more distinct voice thundered through William’s mind, carrying a heavy presence that stood out among the rest.

William turned his head slightly and saw a massive Vyker chasing them. Its frame was larger, more rugged, and far darker in color compared to Rah’s.

Its body looked denser, its bone armour was more pronounced, and its presence alone told William that he was the leader of the swarm that was chasing them.

Its wings stretched wide as it pushed itself forward with powerful bursts, almost like a catapult launching itself through the air with unstoppable momentum.

William carefully observed the speed at which the other Vykers were closing in. Although Rah was skillfully dodging every attack thrown at them, William could tell that this constant evasion was starting to slow him down; the slight delay in his movements was becoming more noticeable with each passing moment.

“Rah, let me sit on your back and help you deal with them,” William said quickly, his voice firm yet controlled.

Rah did not hesitate. He slightly adjusted his posture, lowering his back just enough to allow William to climb on without losing speed.

William steadied himself and turned around, now facing the pursuing Vykers directly. The wind rushed past his face as he locked his gaze onto the approaching monstrosities.

Armament Nexus appeared in his hand and immediately transformed into his divine sword, Crimson Aeon. The weapon vibrated with a faint hum, responding to his touch as if it had been thirsting for blood.

The blade initially shone with a pristine white glow, reflecting a pure and refined energy, but within moments, strands of demonic energy began to coil around it, twisting and wrapping along its length like living serpents.

Soon, the sword shifted into its demonic dragon state, a form it had attained after the death of Vorin, carrying with it a heavier and more oppressive aura.

Without wasting a second, William swung the blade forward.

A powerful slash of Sovereign Sword Intent surged outward, tearing through the air as it rushed toward the incoming Vykers. The slash was domineering, and even the bigger Vyker dodged it instead of taking it head-on.

However, something strange happened.

Midair, the slash began to behave abnormally.

Instead of maintaining its original form, the attack suddenly shrank and then split into multiple smaller arcs of sword energy. Each arc began moving independently, scattering in different directions as if guided by an unseen force.

Some of the arcs struck the Vykers, briefly halting their advance and disrupting their formation, while others simply dispersed into the air without effect, fading as if absorbed by the surroundings.

William’s eyes narrowed slightly as he processed what he had just seen.

By now, he had already absorbed the information about this realm, and one thing was clear to him. Mana, spiritual energy, and demonic energy were not dominant forces here.

This realm operated on something entirely different, something unfamiliar to William.

“Varience,” Rah’s voice sounded in his mind steadily.

“Use variance to attack,” Rah instructed as he continued maneuvering through the massive floating debris levitating in the air, weaving through broken structures and fragments of ancient ruins in an attempt to escape the pursuers.

William frowned slightly, his thoughts moving rapidly as he considered his options. “I cannot use it for now,” he replied, aware of his current limitations.

His attention shifted toward the system.

“System, do you know what is happening to my attacks?”

[Host, this variant energy is altering the properties of your attacks. I still need more observations to fully conclude its behavior.]

“Ok, I can just browse the shop’s new section dedicated to items related to variance energy. Show me some cannons or weapons that work on variance energy.”

[Host, those weapons require a proper energy source. You will need to spend additional points on them. You currently only have a pitiful 5000 SP left, as the divine beast poison you purchased for Agrath consumed nearly 40,000 SP, along with the aphrodisiacs.]

William clicked his tongue in frustration, his grip tightening slightly. “Can I not get anything useful with 5000?”

[The weapons available in that range will not be effective.]

“Then will anything in my current arsenal work?”

[Every attack will still function, but its properties will change. Whether it remains lethal or not depends entirely on how variance energy affects it.]

William took a deep breath and steadied himself.

Time was running out. The distance between them and the pursuing Vykers was shrinking steadily, and he could already feel the pressure building.

He needed to act quickly. Otherwise, retreating into the Domain of Infinite with Rah would become his only option.

However, he was deliberately holding back from doing that. There was still something he needed to accomplish first. He wanted to place a servant mark on Rah.

That was exactly what Sub quest three required, and the reward attached to it was too valuable to ignore.

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[# Unknown’s Chain Quest]

[Sub quest 3: Make Rah pledge loyalty]

[Description: Vykers are the predominant race living in this forgotten realm. They are the rulers of this land and come in all shapes and sizes. The race consists of two major factions distinguished by their features, winged Vykers and land Vykers. As the Eternal Sovereign, it is only natural to rule them and build a legion of these terrifying creatures. Take one step at a time.]

[Task: Start by making Rah pledge loyalty to you and place a servant mark on him]

[Rewards: Ability to use variance energy]

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