Divine Luck: SSS-Rank Battle Maid Harem

It took seven broken barriers to slow down the surging underworld energy to a pace where it needed more than a minute to break the eighth. But it wasn't enough. The underworld energy continued building, and its pressure reached beyond the barriers. The oppressive air stifled Zach's breathing slightly.

Since he had to focus on the barriers blocking the underworld energy, he couldn't support himself with an additional skin-tight layer like he was used to. However, that also meant that he had deactivated his restrictive barriers. He felt like a bird released into a steamy kitchen.

Although the underworld energy's speed had taken a hit, its power hadn't. Zach wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to withstand it. He had promised Dukiel a day, so that was how long he was going to hold it.

Fortunately, his world essence energy was already working on the internal injuries he had suffered. It would be slightly easier to hold that long.

Zach sat down cross-legged. There was no need to waste any more energy standing up. If something required him to stand up, he could just stand up when that something became relevant. Or he could have Yanael and Soara pull him to his feet and carry him away if they need to run.

He closed his eyes and focused on the sensations of his barriers. By shutting everything else out, he could more clearly tell how the underworld energy was pressuring and corroding his barriers.

That meant he could alter the ones behind the current defender to be more resistant toward the nature of underworld energy before it was their turn to defend. It was a good idea. But it wasn't that easy. All Zach could do was reinforce the barriers and try to make their surface more glass-like so that the underworld energy would have trouble penetrating it. The underworld energy shouldn't even be able to get a hold of his barriers even when pressed against them.

Zach lost track of time as he focused so intently on his barriers.

"Psst, Zach." Nessa gently whispered to get his attention.

Yanael and Soara had recognized the presences and concluded that the newcomers weren't a threat to Zach, so they didn't wake him up in advance. The more he could work on his barriers, the better.

Zach opened his eyes, slowly turned around, and stood up. He looked at Nessa, Anerias, Violina, and Dukiel. The sewer was a little cramped with all of their familiars, excluding the Serpentine Millipede, squeezed into it.

"How long has it been?" He asked Dukiel.

"A little over an hour."

"The city is cleared. We have three potions with us," Violina informed Zach of the status after Dukiel answered his question.

"Good." Zach nodded and reached out to receive a potion. Dukiel also received one. And Violina had the final one.

"Using a potion would be a waste unless we can hit a Named with it. Since they've done something like this twice now, they can do it a third time. Using one to stop this surge of underworld energy is unnecessary." Zach explained his reasoning to the others, who were preparing to throw their potions since another barrier broke with an audible crack.

"Are we sure they think there's a limit to how many potions we can make, though? We're still operating under that assumption but what if it's wrong?" Nessa asked.

"...That's true. They had a spy last year. Unless it was a fourth-year, they should still be at the Academy. They shouldn't have any trouble figuring out that these potions aren't as difficult to make as Mursoth might have believed last year," Violina added.

"...All they have to go on in that case are the words of a spy. If we use a potion wastefully here, we will have confirmed that possibility. The Underworld might be preparing for a shower of potions, even if only due to the spy, but they won't unfold their umbrellas until they start getting wet." Zach didn't dismiss their doubts, but he didn't think it was enough of a reason to start using anti-underworld energy potions all willy-nilly.

"Let's hold on to the potions for as long as possible until we can overwhelm those bastards with them," Zach said with a determined face.

"Got it." Dukiel was quick to stuff the potion into his clothes. Violina hesitated a little, but she also did it. Zach had done it as soon as he got the potion.

The newcomers looked at the surging underworld energy and the bulging barriers with worried frowns. Zach's barriers were enduring a lot of pressure.

"Let us know if there's anything we can do, Zach," Nessa said after several minutes of tense silence, during which another barrier broke.

"I'm just waiting for a pause in the pressure so that we can retreat. It looks like we'll have to give the sewers and part of the city. The containment talismans are in place, right?"

"The others should be arranging the last couple of ones as we speak."

"I'll hold on for an hour or two, then."

Zach prepared to reinforce his barriers and add yet another few after speaking. However, he suddenly felt the underworld energy stop leaning against his barriers. He opened his eyes wide as the smoky darkness of the underworld energy withdrew from the entrance to the sewers.

The light from the sewers was barely enough to see the first few steps of the tunnel. The barriers muffled any sound coming from the tunnels. But just because they couldn't hear anything didn't mean the students couldn't feel it.

Something that was not underworld energy was approaching the sewers.

Continue your journey on empire

"Hum. I was wondering why things weren't working. So, it was you guys. What a surprise."

A short, blue-skinned man stepped into the light from the sewers. He looked at Zach and the others with a stiff taunting smile.

"Have you been waiting here all this time, even if there's a month left on the deadline?"

"You know there's a month left? I figured you guys had been unable to tell the time since you're stuck underground without a sun and that was why you're attacking now." Zach crossed his arms and met Mursoth's eyes.

Mursoth shrugged off Zach's veiled insult and grabbed the hilt of the dagger strapped to his lower back. He unsheathed it and took a step closer to the barriers.

"So what? If you have any complaints, stay where you are, and I'll bring you the Great Ugor."

Zach's eyes widened as Mursoth reached up with his dagger and pointed the tip at the barrier in front of him.

He turned around.

"RUN!"n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om