Village Head's Debauchery

"Are they capable of utilizing the enchanced Gearweavers?" Stronghold Leader Zogar asked, his voice tinged with doubt.

"No, they can't. But that's precisely why they were chosen. What better way to demonstrate the effectiveness of the enhanced Gearweavers than to display them in the hands of individuals who are barely fit to handle them?" Seraphina responded.

Stronghold Leader Zogar nodded, grasping the underlying meaning behind her words.

Orion and the others also nodded in understanding.

Seraphina touched the glass and spoke, "You may begin. If you complete this task successfully, we'll consider making an enhanced Gearweaver that fits your Devourer's Bracelets." Her voice resonated across the vast space below, reaching Seig and Leif's ears.

Seig and Leif halted their actions and turned their attention toward her, indicating they could see her. They both nodded in understanding and refocused on each other.

"Are you ready, boy?" Seig asked with a determined grin. "I won't be going easy on you."

Leif nodded. "I'm ready. But you should be careful; I've grown stronger since the last time we fought," he responded, his hands tightening around the enhanced Gearweaver, feeling its heaviness even though the weapon's tip was still supported by the ground.

'How much does this thing weigh?' Leif thought inwardly. He was a god's chosen, possessing immense strength and a growth path quicker than other races' hierarchy of power. However, he still found it difficult to lift the enhanced Gearweaver properly.

"All right, since that's the case, I'll give you the chance to strike first. Remember, we're all in the same boat, so if you look bad, that makes me look bad too. If you don't give it your all, forget about asking me to spar with you again," Seig said firmly. He lifted the enhanced Gearweaver effortlessly with one hand and placed the blade's dull side on his shoulder.

Leif's expression became serious as he swiftly muttered, "Boost." The Devourer's Bracelet immediately surged to life, its engine grinding as it transferred Vylkr energy from the vail to his Devourer's heart.

A faint heartbeat resonated from the Devourer Bracelet, gradually quickening into a drum-like rhythm. Fierce, flickering strands of Vylkr energy burst out of the Devourer's Bracelet, spreading down his hand and enveloping the enhanced Gearweaver.

The enhanced Gearweaver was absorbing his Vylkr energy.

The moment the Vylkr energy descended upon the enhanced Gearweaver, it hummed and vibrated fiercely. The mechanical parts around the weapon retracted slightly, with ripples spreading down the blade.

Then, as if on cue, a fierce wave of Vylkr erupted from the enhanced Gearweaver, with several vein-like structures pulsing around the blade and mechanical parts. The energy shot up towards Leif's hands, covering his entire body with countless strands of raw Vylkr energy.

The raw Vylkr energy flowing within Leif's body surged, pushing his physical limits and increasing the potential Vylkr energy he could utilize.

An eerie aura spread across the area surrounding Leif, especially around the enhanced Gearweaver.

Leif proceeded to lift the enhanced Gearweaver with more ease and swung it towards Seig. An arc of inky black Vylkr energy emerged from the weapon and hurtled towards Seig.

Seig narrowed his eyes at the incoming attack and activated his Devourer's Bracelet. Gears within it surged to life, and countless strands of Vylkr energy erupted from it, swiftly flowing towards his enhanced Gearweaver.

As the weapon hummed and underwent a transformation, the raw Vylkr energy shot back upwards, covering every part of his body. Feeling the power surge through him, Seig grinned tensely as his muscles tensed, feeling the violent, raw Vylkr energy flooding his every tissue.

He swung the enhanced Gearweaver towards Leif, creating a similar arc of Vylkr energy that painted the air like a canvas as it headed towards his opponent.

Bang!

The arcs of Vylkr energy collided, struggling briefly against each other before disappearing into thin air.

Sensing a sudden connection with the enhanced Gearweaver as it assimilated his Vylkr energy and his Devourer's heart synchronizing with it, Leif grinned also. He immediately rushed towards Seig, closing the distance with a single step and brandishing his enhanced Gearweaver as if attempting to cleave him in half.

Instead of countering, Seig stepped back, widening the distance between them before Leif's blade could reach him.

BOOM!

The enhanced Gearweaver struck the ground, shattering it and creating several meters of vast craters. Dust billowed into the air, momentarily obscuring Leif until he burst out of the cloud, swiftly advancing towards Seig.

Seig frowned as he examined the enhanced Gearweaver in his grasp. The tip at the centre down to the middle half appeared to split open, revealing the tendrils of Vylkr vines within.

The handle was covered with vine-like structures pulsing with raw Vylkr energy. Intricate runes adorned the metal parts, glowing brightly as the gears and hums grew louder, creating a chilling spectacle for onlookers.

Is this how the Vylkr warriors always feel?

Such power!!

He was already at his limit from the sheer amount of raw Vylkr energy flooding his body, and he could tell that Leif was feeling the same way.

Leif directed his enhanced Gearweaver toward Seig, prompting Seig to raise a brow. Just as he prepared to take advantage of Leif's growing familiarity with the enhanced Gearweaver and strike, the split tip area underwent another transformation, further widening.

A thick cluster of Vylkr vines surged toward Seig.

Seig's eyes widened. Instead of deflecting, he sidestepped, narrowly evading the attack, and quickly put some distance between himself and Leif.

This time, several sweat drops formed on his forehead, and a worried expression clouded his face as he inspected the enhanced Gearweaver.

Facing an opponent wielding a Gearweaver capable of generating its own Vylkr energy, depending on the amount it had absorbed beforehand, enhancing the wielder's abilities, as Leif and Seig were experiencing firsthand, as it could prove disastrous for opponents unable to withstand the Vylkr energy, was one challenge, another was the ability to generate Vylkr vines mid-battle, no matter how weak was a frightening prospect.

Just imagining the Vylkr warriors in Paradise awaiting the completion of such weapons was enough to make Seig gulp.