Chapter 62: Attack of the Elementals
Having stormed back into the guardhouse in a hurry to inform everyone else of the situation, the Dwarves rush back into the city to inform Skorsug and get reinforcements. Meanwhile, the rest of us wait at in front of the gate and prepare for battle. Milla cast Fire Enchant over her gauntlets and Lia precast some magic allowing it to be used as needed without a chant later. As for me, I'm just sitting on the ground, waiting for the Elementals to show up, and within the next minute, they arrive at the city's entrance.
As with all Elementals, their stats are completely uniform, with 10,000 across the board. The two Metal Elementals are called Metallum and Aes, while the Wood Elementals are named Lignum and Calpar.
"Only three people? It seems those stubborn Dwarves finally gave up."
"Aes, be careful, something doesn't seem right. We made a deal with you metal heads but if something goes wrong then don't blame us for reneging on our agreement."
"Lignum, there is no need to worry, just help us get the Metal root and we will help you get a Wood Root later. It's just some hired hands, they may be stronger as an individual when compared to the Dwarves, but it's three people compared to the force of an entire city, how hard could this be. Lets just get this over with."
They are too far for Milla and Lia to hear their conversation, but it seems that the Metal Elementals are underestimating us, that Aes fellow in particular. The Wood Elementals seem a little more cautious though. I think I'll have some fun with this before returning to my true form.
Seeing the Elementals begin their charge, I coat most of my body in jointed pieces of ice using Ice Enchant in combination with my Manipulation skill. Following that up, I use Fire Enchant over my entire body while making sure to keep reinforcing the armour of ice to prevent it from melting.
Milla rushes up to one of the Metal Elementals, Metallum, while Lia unleashes all we precasted magic on to the Wood Elemental Lignum. Meanwhile, I copy Milla and meet Aes and Calpar in battle.
Surprised by the sudden appearance before them, I attempt to reach out and grab them before they regain their barring. But they regain their composure faster than I had hoped, but they don't react to my actions.
"Ha! just what do you think you're doing. Don't you know you can't grab onto soulforms like use, you fool! I'll show y--"
Interrupting the overly proud Aes, I grab hold of both there heads and slam them into each other and into the ground. Not willing to let my advantage go, I increase the intensity of the flames on my hands as I keep my hold on them. But this advantage doesn't last long as they manage to kick me off and create a few metres of distance. Overall I managed to deal around 1,000 damage to Aes and 1,700 to Calpar, not bad.
"How are you able to grip us like that! We're Elementals, soulforms, you shouldn't be able to grab hold of us!"
Man, this guy just doesn't shut up. Is talking the only thing this guy can do?
"Aes, just shut up and fight. Just adapt and deal with it."
Seems like the Wood Elementals are far more level headed compared to the Metal Elementals, or maybe Aes just likes to listen to his voice. This time, the don't blindly charge and try to keep their distance with ranged attacks. They seem to think I am restricted to melee combat like Milla, but rather trying to close the gap like her, I maintain my position and counter their ranged attacks with my own. As a torrent of bladed grass comes my way, I use my Fire Breath to block it, but some metal spikes get past my sight and ram into me. I manage to swipe a few away with my tail, but most of them still hit my side, dealing a few hundred every hit for a total of 1,234 damage.
Thinking it would probably be better to focus one of them down over spreading my attacks between the two of them, I repeat the feat I preformed in the alleyway of Draelgium, using a small explosion by my feet to propel me forward towards Calpar. With the help of the explosion, I close the few metre gap within a second, quickly forming an Ice wall behind him I grab hold of Calpar and slam him into the wall. Without rest, I continuously beat down on Calpar for a few seconds before attacks from Aes force me to dodge and retreat, but the damage has been dealt and Calpar only has a little less than 2,000 HP left.
Seeing a clear disadvantage, Lignum pulls away from his fight with Lia. "Calpar, retreat! Sorry but this feathery Dragonoid is too much, our agreement ends here. If you want to throw your life away against a foe who can deal significant harm to us then be my guest, we will have none of it."
"You damn coward! Fine, I don't believe a weird looking Dragonoid can beat me!"
"You delusional fool!"
I don't stand still while this is argument is going on as I use another explosion propel myself ahead and cut off the path of retreat while creating a ring of fire around the area with the only exit leading to the city gates. "I never said I was a Dragonoid." With their attention on me after the creation of the ring of fire, I end my Humanoid Shapeshift, returning to my true form.
"Shit! You've really dragged us into a corner haven't you, Aes! Why the hell is an Elemental Spirit Dragon here!? These things were supposed to have gone extinct ages ago!"
Ignoring the surprise of Lignum, I dive straight at the injured Calpar, giving him a point-blank shot from my Fire Breath and Ice Bullets. Ending his life there I proceed to consume his soul and absorb the Essence. And a mere moment later the System rings.
"You have slain a Medium Wood Elemental. Killing an Elemental grants a fixed amount of EXP (cannot be modified by any bonuses) depending on its rank, you have been awarded 20,000 EXP. You have levelled up. Having absorbed its soul you have obtained the Essence of The Serene Grove. Having accommodated the Essence of The Serene Grove, you now have the ability to create and manipulate plant matter. You have gained Wood Absorption and the damage received from lighting has been increased to 650%."
Oh, fuck that! Why did my lightning weakness get worse! At least I have some toys to vent on. With him being trapped I approach Lignum and in a fit of desperation he tries to use a variety of different attacks on me from bladed grass to wood spikes, but as an Elemental, his attacks all stem from a single Element that I am now immune and heal from. Repeating what I did to his companion, Lignum now hangs on with a mere sliver of health while I throw him towards Lia to finish off since she had originally been keeping him company.
Meanwhile, the Dwarven reinforcements arrive at the scene. While briefly stumped at the sight, they shake it off and begin their charge into battle, assisting Milla who had been fighting with Metallum this whole time, not giving him a chance to relent.
Having sent Lignum off to Lia and with Metallum busy dealing with Milla and the Dwarves, I turn my attention back to Aes.
"I will admit that mistakes have been made, but I won't go down without taking someone with me!"
Running away from me, Aes begins to glow and dashes towards Lia who doesn't seem to have her focus on the battle, having just finished off Lignum. By the time she realises that Aes is aiming at her, it's too late for her to react. In a hurry, I use all my abilities to put myself between the two, wrapping myself around Lia. Despite my protection, Aes still continues and glows brighter and brighter before he self-destructs sending shrapnel everywhere. hundreds of shards pierce me dealing a total of 6,000 damage. Had I not levelled up from killing Calpar, I probably would have died from this suicide attack. Although he didn't get his intended mark as Lia is thankfully unharmed, there were several Dwarves who got caught in the blast and perished under the damage from the shrapnel, allowing him to keep his word of taking someone down with him. Reacting quickly before his soul dissipates, I move to consume and absorb it, granting me the Essence of Emboldened Steel.
Having accommodated the Essence I get the same bonuses as earlier, but for the Metal Element instead. But my lightning weakness actually went down to its previous value of 450% and I gained a new resistance other than Metal, Medium Earth Resist.
"Umm, thanks for saving me. I didn't take you as the type of person to put themselves in harm's way for others."
"That's because I'm not. I just saved you on a whim that's all."
With Lia resting on my back, I slither over towards Milla and the others as they a celebrating their victory over Metallum. Walking over to us is Milla and Skorsug.
"Thank you for your assistance today. If not for your help, I feel we would have eventually lost the Root that our ancestors went through much trouble to obtain and protect. Please join us tonight for a grand feast, far superior to the meal you had last night. I don't think I forgot about what I said in Draelgium, I'll make sure there is plenty of our best Alcohol ready to be served."
I have Lia jump down from my back and in a flash of light, I resume my humanoid shapeshift. "Well don't keep me waiting, let's go!"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Akkre_Kojuuin
Akkre_Kojuuin This really is starting to become the time I upload new chapters. Now the real question, do I write about her drunken actions next or skip right to the consequences? I'll think about it. seriously though, do people even read this?
Still haven't decided if I want to go through and make it official and add the Yuri tag to this novel. I'll think about it.
Have a nice day everyone.
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