The Dreamer's POV

'What the…' Sixteen of them circled me, totally crushing my presence with their gargantuan sizes. I had problems dealing with one, sixteen would be impossible to beat, just how was I going to do this? How would I survive the numbers?

The clone pairs each equipped with an ethereal trident raised theirs in unison like they shared a singular mind, and from the little circle from which I hovered, there was a quake, and then an eruption.

The ground shook and tore open sending forth a massive jutting piece of rock that encapsulated the area at which I was.

"Oh Fuck." There was only one way to go, and it was up, Haven wasn't going to withstand this blow.

It came at a speed that shouldn't have been, in the sense that rocks shouldn't move as fast, and I had to swiftly teleport out of harm's way.

I reappeared behind them, their backs to me. Seeing them all clustered together reinforced the power of this Suphas, but not just that, the sight of them grouped this way was picturesque, it took me all my all not to be frozen with my mouth agape.

They swiftly broke off, pulling from themselves and turning my way. One did the honors of thrusting its trident and sending a blast of piercing energy right at me.

I teleported a few meters to the side, evading the blow, almost like I had sidestepped.

My eyes were wide and a massive shadow came atop my figure and for the first time since the battle, I saw what was beneath those numerous legs as one of the Suphas jumped, falling at me.

Again, I used teleportation to get out of the way, and there was a large quake. My image flickered hundreds of meters away, but they had seen where I was immediately, and then I locked eyes with one.

I saw its ghostly face stretched and curved into a creepy smile.

"You should have chosen the Ingot when you could. Now, you shall know despair."

It was like the words sunk into me, and for the first in a while –since getting my mental fortitude multiplied innumerably, I felt fear, more than just a modicum of it. These things, they were daunting, Suphas was daunting and I would have to respond in kind to get a response.

"Tch!" I clicked my teeth disapprovingly.

'I haven't used my gravity powers on it. No, the forger resisted my gravity press. Suphas wouldn't be halted.'

I gritted my teeth, what could I do that would stop it in its tracks, something to slow them if I couldn't at the very least hurt them? I frowned, my mind circling back and forth for ideas.

I then decided to do it, I was going to give it my all regardless of how much energy I burn. If I was going to die then I would at the very least go out in dignity, that was the only acceptable way.

"<Draconic Body>" I muttered, and my clothes went up in flames, burning to nothing. My exposed skin grew in temperature, and then began sizzling, a red glow surfacing. It was like I was literally aflame, and an invigorating fire was set up within me.

Red dragon scales sprouted atop my skin, beginning from the bottom of my feet and hastily creeping up to my neck and then to my head. <Dragon Eyes> were activated already, and my red glowing slitted eyes went well with the rest of my red fiery body.

The odds were frankly not in my favor, but at that moment, I felt like I could do anything.

"I will burn everything!" I screamed, groaning and arching forward, and then my Wyvern Blade and Draconic dagger blurred into form.

This body lifted the mental restraints I put over myself, but in truth, it made me feral and mad with bloodlust.

Flames burst from my blades, my body in turn sprouting hellish flames. I roared, and my opponent simply watched, I could tell that it was somewhat intrigued by my over the top display.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Though <Draconic Body> invigorated me and boosted my senses, it left me more exposed to mental attacks and my mental fortitude was sacrificed for such an outburst of power.

Sixteen of them, each as menacing as the other. There had to be a catch to this, even Suphas the great boss of the second floor had to have a certain weakness, and these clones could be it.

My eyes turned to each and everyone of the group, they were exactly the same, they were true clones, but surely such use of power would utilize an enormous amount of energy, energy of an amount that would drain even Suphas over the course of time, as a grand skill like this needed constant energy for sustenance.

"Absolute Appraisal!"

I got access to each and every one of them and as I had suspected, they all bore the stats of the original. The only thing that was different was the abysmally low energy it had.

'What? Shouldn't it be storming to finish things as soon as possible?'

Suphas's energy was more than halved over the True Clone skill. There was no reason for it to get it activated save it wanted to show me something.

'An egoistic urge to project despair unto me.' I thought, and then smirked, exposing a little fang. Stay updated via empire

"Pride comes before fall."

My chest expanded, raised as I filled it in with air. It was like my chest contained an explosion.

I thrust my arms and clapped my hands, and called out, visualizing my move.

"True star!"

I lit up, going brighter than ever, a brilliant white flame burning atop my skin, and at the same time, the flames around the area stretched towards me, extending tendrils that sucked into my burning skin.

Their flames would be my strength. The flames from the destruction all swiftly began sucking into me, and I was getting even brighter and brighter.

Realizing I had enough firepower, I decided to let it all out to the ones that created them.

"Flame Touch!"