Biological Supercomputer System

Their brain crystal could be measured, but there wasn't a metric to rank them. The biological supercomputer gave a rank to powers because it was using the customs humans used, based on the information it got from Erik when it parasitized him.

But the measure of a power's might, of their efficiency, rested only on the number of neural links, meaning that ranks were just something the humans used to classify their enemies.

This classification system, although arbitrary, helped humans understand and prepare for threats. By having a standardized way to measure power levels, they could better strategize, allocate resources, and assess risks in combat situations. Even if the system wasn't perfect, it provided a framework for tactical decisions and threat assessment.

Erik knew they needed to change how they rated their enemies' strength based on the situation on the Mur continent. Here, thaids were too powerful—they had more than 54 neural links, at least based on what he was seeing, which was way beyond their normal rating system.

They needed a better way to measure their strength. Of course, he wasn't going to do something like this first because he wasn't interested, and second because he had the system telling him the number of neural links thaids had, and these guys had a lot.

Erik's main problem now was that the data confirmed his fears: these monsters far outmatched his army in power. Though they were fewer than the Chimaeric Demons, their overwhelming power turned that numerical advantage into nothing.

Yet it wasn't their stats worrying about Erik, but their brain crystal powers. Based on what the system said, Draining Field was a power that weakened the three-headed void ravagers' prey, meaning that whatever strength Erik's army had, it would be nullified.

<Are we sure these are their brain crystal powers?> Erik asked the system.

[Have I ever been wrong?]

[Unfortunately not,] the system said.

<Do you know how much they can weaken their opponents?>

[I think it depends on the amount of mana they use. The more it is, the stronger the effects. The problem is that I don't know if it stacks. Maybe one ravager can affect the opponent only up to a certain point, but if the effect stacks, then these things might bring our attributes to zero.]

<Damn. What about mana and brain crystal powers?>

Even if the enemies drained their attributes, Erik's army wouldn't be helpless—they could still rely on their brain crystal powers.

[That I don't know too. I can infer what a power does, but I'm not omniscient. To see what this thing does, we have to see it firsthand. However, based on what I know about how a brain crystal power works, I don't think it will affect both mana and attributes. A power affecting attributes is already powerful as it is. If they could also prevent you from using brain crystal powers, it would be a broken ability, and broken abilities do not exist. There is a limit to what their DNA can allow them to do.]

<Yeah… If they could really do something like that, the three-headed void ravagers would have conquered the planet. This means other Thaids can fight against them, and they usually win.>

The system wanted to tell Erik that he and his clones were not Thaids from Mur and that they had far less mana than their opponents, taken overall, yet it refrained, knowing that would only make Erik feel more cornered.

Then the creatures got close enough for Erik to feel the effects of their brain crystal powers.

It was a subtle drain that made his muscles feel heavier, as if gravity itself had intensified, and that increased as time went on. And they got closer to the three-headed monsters.

Through the Instability brain crystal power, Erik felt his clones experiencing the same effect, and that wasn't good at all.

"It's starting."

Erik opened his status, and the interface showed a gradual but persistent decrease in his attribute points the closer he got to the enemy.

What had begun as a bare drain was quickly becoming more pronounced with each passing second, like a rising tide slowly but inexorably swallowing a beach.

The undead thaids at the rear of the formation were affected too, but it didn't matter. Their role wasn't to fight, especially considering how useless they would be. Yet the weaker they were, the worse the situation would turn out for the army as a whole.

"We need to keep moving," Erik said to the radio. "Maintain the formation and continue the retreat. The closer we are to Mur, the better it is."

"Master, they're gaining on us," a clone said. "We can't outrun them forever."

"I know. That's why we're going to hit them with everything we have once they're in range, but this doesn't mean we should engage them."

He paused. "I will be honest. I don't think many of us will be able to survive them, so, in case we manage to escape, the closer we are to Mur, the closer we are to salvation."

Those words made the clones remain silent. It wasn't easy to accept that many of them would die, and knowing that their master might not survive too made them feel even worse.

"However, when they get in range, use every power and ability at your disposal. Do not engage in close combat unless absolutely forced to, and maintain maximum distance at all times. Their powers will drain us until we're as weak as a Densoph."

Learning from Erik about the thaids' brain crystal powers only made the clones' unease worse.

"I want waves of power—staggered, continuous. Don't give them a chance to get closer to us and keep moving. If we stop, we're dead."

"What about the undead, master?" the clone asked. "Can't we send them to stall them?"

Erik nodded.

"That's exactly what I wanted to do, but not now. If we send them now that they are still this far, we won't get much. If we do it later, we would gain some precious moments with the beasts in range of our attacks. We will be able to decrease their numbers, or so I hope."

Erik didn't know if his clones' mana was enough to deal damage to the creatures. These things were not as powerful as the Cerulean Bird, but they were strong nonetheless. There was a high chance that their attacks would tickle them exactly as they did with the harrowing blue bird.

"As soon as the thaids get closer, send them to prevent them from coming even closer. Is it clear?."

The clone nodded and closed the radio, most likely to relay the orders. Then finally it happened.

As they kept retreating, the three-headed void ravagers moved faster than Erik's army. No matter how hard they tried to stay away, the enemy creatures were getting dangerously close. Erik realized they had no choice but to send the undead, knowing that while they headed to the three-headed monsters, they would also get in range.

"Send them."

The clones gave the orders, and the undead obeyed like the puppets they were. The undead surged toward the approaching thaids. Like a wave of decay meeting a wall of darkness, they crashed into the front lines of the three-headed beasts.

While they went, the thaids entered the Chimaeric Demons' range. Then the creatures clashed with the thaids.

The fight became brutal quickly. The void breath from the creatures tore through the undead ranks like paper, disintegrating entire squads in seconds.

Yet the undead served their purpose.

"Now!"

Fifty thousand starlight fireballs erupted from the Chimaeric Demons' maws, filling the sky with searing white light. The barrage struck the front ranks of the pursuing monsters, but the results were far from what they'd hoped. Erik saw only minimal damage on the creatures' bodies as they got hit by the many attacks.

The Chimaeric Demons were too weak, but, of course, Erik said something else.

"They are too strong…" The last thing he needed was to say something that would make the Chimaeric Demons think he was blaming them.

Based on the waves below, some of the monsters had been killed, but few—a dozen at best. Erik could do nothing more but observe to understand if the attacks were actually going to work.

He focused on a creature and saw that it needed around fifty hits from the starlight fireball to be killed.

The creature fell from the sky after such a number of hits landed on it.

<This is not good…>

Yet there wasn't much else they could do.

"Keep firing! Don't let them get closer!"

The Chimaeric Demons launched wave after wave of attacks, their power lighting up the sky in a continuous stream of destruction and fire.

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