Chapter 7:

Chapter 7: The Archbishop

SOLARIS: Journey Through Another World

Hana and Archbishop Leo were engaged in battle while the person who had been strapped to the table was still there. Alice had to focus on her own fight; she would rely on her ice more, as Hunters Surge was her trump card. She was able to catch one of the disciples off guard by impaling him with Ice shards. She charged in on another, gripping her blade with both hands, allowing her to swing it with more force. Alice's blade went through the disciple as she moved on to the next. Hana struck the flat of Leo's sword using her palm, pushing him back before kicking the operating table away. She had kicked in a way so that it practically slid across the floor, and the patient was strapped down, keeping them from falling. This one action gave Leo enough time to push back against Hana. One of the disciples managed to cut Alice's arm, a small cut, but it stung. She had managed to dispatch all of them, leaving her with nothing more to do but stand by in case Hana needed help, which was very unlikely. This was her first time seeing the Immortal of a Thousand Wars in action, and it was also her first time seeing one of the high-ranking disciples in action. Alice had no idea how their hierarchy worked, was Bishop below the leader, or was there another rank above bishop. Alice narrows her eyes as a strange aura begins forming around Hana's blade, until it starts fully wavering around it. When her blade struck Leos, it caused an explosion of energy, pushing Leos back. He manages to get a good look around at his dead minions, and the sides of his mouth drop, causing Alice to tense and raise her sword to him.

"They were..." He trailed off. Was he the type to care for his underlings like that? " Weak, how far the disciples have fallen," He looked more disgusted than disappointed. This time, it was Hana who managed to catch him off guard, though he blocked it. Hana's fighting style was unique; she fought using a mixture of her sword skills and hand-to-hand techniques. Whenever she could, she would use her free hand to land a blow against Leo. It doesn't look like it's doing much, but whenever she does, he winces in pain. Based on what Alice could see, the fight looked evenly matched, both sides were sustaining blows, small cuts and bruises all over. Leo's hands had a strange white to them, it kinda looked like his bones were sticking out; And it was, kinda. A layer of bones covered his hands, bearing the same dark lines that Cleo had embedded into them; they were more like cracks than lines. Hana stumbles back as he thrusts his blade at her. She's able to step out of the way as it catches her cloak, which she throws off, allowing her to thrust her own blade into Leo's side. The blade slides into his side, she pulls back, his blood splattering the floor. Leo staggers back, his hand covering his wound. He grits his teeth as he looks from his wound to Hana. Suddenly, the pained expression on his face subsides, replaced by the creepy grin he'd always wear. And they understood why once he removed his hand, the wound was closing, he was regenerating. Leo shifted his foot, causing bone spikes to burst from the ground toward Hana, who was forced to evade them, allowing Leo to land a blow of his own, though it was without his blade. He had thrown a punch that slammed into Hana's side, throwing her off balance. Based on what Alice has seen, Leo's powers were bone manipulation, which seems to allow him to conjure them wherever, regeneration, and a potential third power bestowed on him by the Valued one.

" Tell me, Leo, all these experiments on people, what's your end goal?" Hana takes a stance, her legs planted firm as her sword back at her side, " That would ruin the surprise if I tell you now! You'll just have to wait and see like everyone else." Leo lunges back, " Then what about removing it, huh?" Hana pushed forward, continuing her interrogation,

" Why would you need to know how-" Leo cut himself off mid-sentence. Laughter erupts from him as he pushes his hair back with his free hand,

" You know somebody who's been infected? Perhaps you've brought me what I've been looking for!" Hana had drawn her sword fast, causing an arc of energy to release and slam into Leo's blade, causing the rest of the slash to carve through the wall, leaving a deep cut. This attack left a small window for Leo to counter, which he did. A bone shard shot out from the ground, forcing Hana's right hand to let go to shatter the bone, but in doing so, she missed the one coming at her from ahead, it wasn't sharp but it knocked her back hard, her weapon leaving her grip as two more bone spkies erupt and hold the sword in place, while several other spikes keep Hana from getting up, one of thise spikes pierced through her hand, blood trickled down the white spike. Alice knew where this was going. Leo creepily turned his head towards Alice before he dashed toward her. In that same instance, she threw up an ice wall, which proved useless. Leo pushed through the ice wall only to be met with a surprise. Alice had done her best to mimic Hana's footing, though she had no idea how to conjure energy onto her blade, so she added a layer of ice. Alice held firm; she would try to imitate the move Hana had done just then. When Leo was close enough she swung, the force behind this attack felt heavier than normal, it slammed into Leos palm as he tries to take it head on, frost forming along his arm, The ice layered blade cut through his arm as it knocked him back, a large ice wave formed behind him as he bumps into it. That attack was so damn cool, but it took way too much out of Alice. Leo examined his hand curiously as it healed, the frost from the attack melting away on its own.

" Incredible, I can see why you've constantly been coming out on top over my underlings." His gaze drifts off, getting lost in a thought, "...Perhaps you could withstand the entropy?" He asked himself, but he began walking toward Alice with a new purpose, and bone spikes positioned themselves so that Alice was unharmed but stuck. " SO, how long has your friend been affected by Entropy essence?" Leo asked, " I would assume recently, if it's been more than five days, they'd be nothing but a husk by now!" Leo kinda answered his own question, but Alice kept the conversation going, " I'd say a few days now?" This news brings joy to Leo as a big smile sits on his face, " Your friend is the one. Now I know for certain that you've delivered to me the one." Leo's pursuit would be halted as he stops walking before he leans his head back as a bone fragment zips past. Hana had freed herself. She dashes for her sword, pulling it free from its bone restraints with ease. Despite her arm having been pierced, she still gripped her blade with both hands, swinging it back into the same position as before, only this time, there was no energy around it. This attack was much quicker. Hana had tensed her right arm, and before she swung, she spoke.

" Heaven series first form, Cleave!"

17 people. Leo had tried finding someone who could withstand the Entropy essence. On the first day, the energy would seep to the surface, mostly visible on the face; on the fifth day, they would wither and die. On the rare occasion, patient 10 withstood for 10 days. But now he's found one who, not only withstood the entropy essence for longer than ten days, but never showed signs of having taken in the energy? Not only that, but he found a potential 19th candidate, yes. There was something about this girl that seemed off; she was hiding something, and he would figure out what. Leo reels his head back as a fragment from his bone spikes is flung past him. Those spikes were coated in entropy energy, even someone like Hana would have a hard time breaking free while fighting against the entropy entering her energy flow...Unless she's immune to it, did it have something to do with her immortality? Leo would have no time to ponder on this, he switches focus from the girl back to Hana, his eyes shoot wide open. Hana had already taken a stance, sweeping her blade in a wide arc. Leo's view tilts back as he can suddenly see his own back. He had been cut in half; what little life he had, he clung to. His eyes drifted up to where the arc from the attack struck the wall. His eyes remained wide open, and a laugh escaped his mouth as he stared in awe at the massive hole in the wall, one that reached all the way up to the surface. " So, this is what you can do, Hana."

-ASSISTED BOSS CLEAR-

-LEVEL UP+ -

Alice could see that it was around evening thanks to the massive hole Hana had carved out when she killed Leo. But all this was for nothing; they were still clueless about how to cure Cleo. She sheathes her sword and makes her way over to the person on the table. Unfortunately, he had gotten caught in the crossfire, a bone shard sticking out from his chest, blood pooled around the table. Frustration builds in Alice. Again, like other times, she doesn't know how to feel when seeing something like this. Alice shoves the table aside and returns to the room where they left Cleo, the ice she had thrown over the door remains, good. The same could be said for Cleo; the lines remained the same length from when they showed up. Maybe Leo was right; Cleo was the key to whatever it is they were doing. If that's the case, then they need to remove the essence as soon as possible. Alice slumps down to the floor, leaning against the table, and falls asleep next to her friend.

-MAIN OBJECTIVE-

Reach Level 900

REACH DIAMOND RANK IN 5 MONTHS AND HAVE ARTHUR JOIN YOUR TEAM

PREVENT THE DISCIPLES FROM BRINGING THE VALUED ONE

~~KILL THE ARCHBISHOP(1/1)~~

-SIDE OBJECTIVES-

FIND AND CURE CLEO OF ENTROPY POISONING

PROFILE: ALICE

LEVEL 40

ATK:138

SPD:122

DEF:150