The Gamer's System

Chapter 271: Try To Keep Up

There was a reason why Vask was the one who survived. It was a decision made by the remaining Monarchs; devoting all of their [Chaos Energy] to saving him. In fact there was a choice between him and another Monarch but then, Pilliade entered into the argument.

"This is not even a question. Among us, Vask is the youngest, most talented and, the only one with a kind of power that could continually develop and be enhanced."

"So you're saying we should rely on the kid for such an important mission?"

"I believe our fight is enough of a statement to prove his worth correct?"

Even as the world of Gaia was ending, Vask was still the twelfth seat among the Monarchs. But this was only because he had no time to climb up the ranks anymore.

Following the year when he failed to take up the spot of Pilliade, Vardus' plans were finally set into motion. Bringing forth the calamity that is the [Blood King] and starting the war which began shaking the very foundations of Gaia.

Yet even with the limited exposure of the Monarch, everyone witnessed how disciplined he was. How orderly his servants and citizens were. How the Monarch continued accomplishing feats beyond any other Monarch. But the strongest reason as to why he was sent was because, Vask was the natural counter to their Grand Monarch.

Despite Vardus being able to control time, Vask had complete rule on space and could change it according to his will. Even if Vardus speeds up time, slows it down., pauses it. None of this would matter if Vardus can't even hit him.

"We're counting on you kid."

"As soon as you see him again, stab his side for me okay? Make it as deep as the one he placed on Bennet."

"Good Luck Vask."

These were some of the last words retained in his memory as everything was consumed by Darkness. And throughout the eons, it was this sole mission that kept him sane. Even in the vast emptiness where he was contained, Vask never lost track of his goal nor did he stop preparing.

That is why there was a sense of relief on Vask as he finally stabbed Vardus. He was able to grant one of the favors asked by his fellow Monarch. But things were far from over.

"Don't kick the bucket too soon. I need to repay you for all that you did to Gaia." Vask alone was enough to match the speed and phasing of Vardus. The two of them continued battling it out with all the other members of the team adjusting in order to support Vask.

Every attack made by Vardus was met by either him slowing down or speeding up. Depending on the amount of space added or removed from specific spots, sometimes his hands would move too quickly while his legs would be delayed. Causing them to stretch beyond normal limits and break some of his bones while tearing off some of his muscles.

Then there were the attacks made by the elites and the Mythos dwellers. because Vask could control the space within [Event Horizon] entirely, it was easy for him to change the trajectory of these things. To speed them up and to slow them down. All to increase the chances of these to make contact with Vardus.

For the first time since Vardus came out, it finally looked like they had a chance to win. A glimmer created by Vask who was unrelenting.

"Now that is a proper expression old man. I thought you would never take me seriously." Vask said, feeling the change of Vardus' aura into something fiercer.

[Emperor's Time] was used once again. And this time, it was to summon something which Vask was quite familiar with. As soon as time resumed, Vask saw twenty orbs with gear like objects within them, floating around Vardus.

"Back away guys! That thing is bad news!" Vardus forced the orbs to come out of [Event Horizon] and, while some of them just vanished, the next ones were able to come through.

"Why? What would happen?" Kaguya asked, trying to swallow them within her [Oblivion]. The attack failed however as even before Kaguya halted the spell, [Oblivion] already vanished. Leaving the orbs completely fine.

"Those things are called [Time Eaters].  As soon as they make contact with any object or spell, they would speed up its time until the point of decay. Absorbing the said amount for themselves."

"You mean these things will kill us?" Eerie asked, shooting them down with her arrows. The attack proved to be a futile attempt as the orbs were still in one piece and still going after her.

"Exactly that." Were the only words uttered by Vask as he tried to make Vardus lose focus on the spell. However, he was too late as more of these came out. With some leaving the area while others went to follow Vask.

"How do we deal with these?"

"Don't feed it anything. Whatever the [Time Eaters] consume, it'll just be redirected back to Vardus as energy which he could make use of."

"That's easier said than done." Quinn mentioned as he continued moving through the air in such a high speed just to get away from the orb. Another one came right in front of him, forcing him to fly up as the [Time Eaters] collided.

There was one thing that was inevitable with the said skill. That is, a member of the group eventually getting hit. It was impossible for this to not happen and so, Vask did his best to try and force its cancellation by attacking Vardus.

However the Monarch himself was surrounded by ten [Time Eaters] as his guards. This made coming close that much harder as Vardus could also stop time.

Vask tried altering space over and over again in order to confuse his enemy. But the [Time Eaters] seemed to have minds of their own. Following Vask wherever he went. That is, until he finally found an opening. It appeared in a split second and, this was all the invitation Vask needed in order to close in.

"Erase." Vask destroyed the space between him and the Grand Monarch, making it look like he blinked as he finally came within striking range. As he did however, he felt cold sweat run through his forehead as, his mind caught up with reality.

It was a trap.

[Emperor's Time] was activated once again. Within this interval, Vardus destroyed Vask's invisible armor through his [Time Eaters]. And these same creatures proceeded to eating away the Monarch himself. Yet there was not enough time for the execution. Forcing Vardus to back away as time moved again.

To him, there was a complex amount of detail covering what happened to Vask. But to everyone else and, to Vask himself, all that he saw was his arm disappearing in the blink of an eye. The Monarch screamed from the pain and, this caught the attention of both Julia and Mordred.

It was all the distraction needed for two [Time Eaters] to come close to them. Hitting them both at bullet speed and, in less than fifteen seconds, their body dried up and turned to bones. Soon enough there were only ashes that were blown by the wind.

It was too much to take in all at once. So much so that the reaction of some elites could not be avoided.

"NOOOO!" Jake screamed in a state of fury and went to attacking Vardus. Vask couldn't stop him as there were still [Time Eaters] trying to catch him.

"Bring them back!" Jake shouted, throwing his spear at Vardus.

The Grand Monarch disregarded the weapon and focused on absorbing Jake through a [Time Eater]. However, Jake was no fool. He used [Overdrive] and weapon blinked. Swapping places with his spear and creating a new one on his hand instantly.

As Jake was too close for comfort, Vardus was forced to turn back time. Back to the instance when Jake was just about to throw his spear. The Monarch didn't miss this opportunity, performing the same moves until the point when Jake was in front of him. With two [Time Eaters] immediately hitting the Javelin user.

"Overdrive!" Before he could even meet the same fate as Mordred and Julia, Jake was able to back away. Yet his resolve was still intact. Taunting the enemy just as quickly as his retreat.

"I'm going to kill you!"

Once again, it was a hopeless situation. It was like every time they got a bit of leverage, Vardus would just destroy it completely with one of his attacks. But Zeke wasn't just about to give up.

"Vask are there any other moves which he has aside from this?"

"Yeah. He has something called [Transcendent Time] forcing his body to go beyond its limits. Basically it destroys his physical form in order to give way to him turning back to a Monarch and, at full capacity."

"How strong were you guys again back then?" Zeke asked just to make a proper estimate

"Each of us were as strong as the three main deities combined."

Zeke's mind was thinking far ahead. Not only on the fight before them but the fights that would occur and the conflicts that would follow.

He knew all of many possibilities that would come after and, he needed to make use of all his skills while putting these into consideration. Failing just a bit in the equation would result in all of tier deaths. And he wasn't just about to let something like that happen.

"Okay I've got all the data I need." It was a lie.

"Yes! So we can win now right?"

"Yeah. We can beat him." Another lie.

From that point onward. With the gamer entering the battlefield. The things which he said would always be a mixture of lies and truths. All for the sake of finishing the quests without any of the elites and Mythos dwellers dying. Including, of course, Mordred and Julia whom he knew how to revive.

"I'm gonna need the best out of you guys." Zeke created [Thirty] magic circles on top of Vardus and, covering a wide area. And just before he struck, the gamer commanded:

"Try to keep up."