"Damn it!! These guys won't die no matter how many times I cut them!"
Wilong's frustration was audible even through the rushing currents. His spear, the 'Green Dragon's Bone', was a blur of emerald light, effectively tearing through the Nymera ranks, but the wounds were knitting back together as quickly as he could carve them. The Nymera warriors were shrugging off lethal strikes as if they were nothing more than minor inconveniences.
As Grienfield surged into the fray to reclaim his honor, Giaya Nymera moved with predatory speed to intercept him. Under normal circumstances, a 'Commander' wouldn't stand a chance against the raw power of a 'King', but the playing field had been warped. With her 'Dark Disciple' Status and the 'Dokryong's Divine Spear' pulsing with corrupted energy in her hands, she was doing more than just holding her own. She was parrying Grienfield's heavy strikes and launching vicious counter-attacks that forced the King onto the defensive.
"Pwahahaha! It doesn't matter how much help you scavenge from these walkers! Give it up, King Grienfield Dokryong. The days of your Clan's rule are over!!" Giaya's laughter was jagged and arrogant as she traded blows with the King. She didn't even spare me a glance; in her eyes, I wasn't even worth considering a threat.
That was her mistake.
"[Notice: One of the Pillars of the Array, 'Undying Souls of the Abyss' has been destroyed!]"
"[Notice: The 'Immortality' effects from the 6th Pillar of the Array have been cancelled!]"
"!?? What!?"
The arrogant sneer vanished from Giaya's face, replaced by a mask of pure confusion. The same shock rippled through the other two commanders and the Nymera rank-and-file. It seemed Melchior had finally tracked down the first source of their power.
As a [Rune Interpreter], I had felt the greasy, lingering traces of an Array the moment we stepped onto the palace grounds. It was a massive, wide-range construct that I suspected spanned the three main Naga Kingdoms of this Floor. That was why I'd sent Melchior off on his own, to hunt the pillars. Now that the system had identified it as the [Undying Souls of the Abyss], I knew exactly what we were dealing with. This Array consisted of six pillars, each providing a different, soul-warping Status Effect. The 'Immortality' buff was easily the most annoying, but it was only one piece of the puzzle.
This level of craftsmanship was far beyond a standard {Demon}. A {Demon King} wouldn't be able to move personally due to the Tower's 'Restrictions' and 'Probability' on the lower floors, so the culprit had to be a {Demon Peer}, a being just a step below a King, but equally malevolent.
"Now!!" I shouted, my voice cutting through the water.
My companions didn't miss the opening. Seizing that split second of confusion, Wilong and Leo landed a flurry of lethal strikes. Without their immortality to bail them out, dozens of Nymera warriors were instantly silenced, sinking into the silt. Even the three commanders took heavy damage from the sudden shift in momentum. But the Array wasn't finished with us yet.
"[Notice: The effects of the Array's 5th Pillar, 'Berserk' have been activated!]"
The Nymera who survived the initial slaughter didn't retreat. Instead, their eyes turned a rabid, glowing red. The [Undying Souls of the Abyss] was designed to substitute its buffs; as soon as 'Immortality' was severed, the 'Berserk' Status flooded into the survivors. This surge only affected the Nymera bastards, as they were the chosen 'allies' of the Array's caster.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Eclipse Sanctuary: Temple of the Fallen Angel' Lvl 7!]"
Giaya wasn't about to let her army crumble. As she activated her Exclusive Skill, a dark, oppressive aura settled over her troops. The 'Berserk' buff was naturally a double-edged sword, usually turning taken damage into strength at the cost of the user's life force, but Giaya's [Temple of the Fallen Angel] granted them an enormous durability boost. It essentially removed the risk, allowing them to absorb massive damage and convert it into raw power without their bodies falling apart.
"[Activating The Exclusive Skill, 'Sea Dragon's Word: {Be Still}'!]"
Grienfield roared, his voice carrying the weight of ancient depths. As he unleashed the 'Divine Word', the rushing Nymera warriors were suddenly pinned to the seabed. They struggled, their muscles bulging under the 'Berserk' influence, but they were completely immobilized.
This was the true power of the 'Sea Dragon' the Nagas worshipped. If my memory was still as sharp, that 'Sea Dragon' was one of the eight 'Divine Beasts' hidden within the 'Tower of Trials'.