[Psychokinetic] Eyeball Pulling - Chapter 153 (Patreon)

Astrid scowled at the two incoming hounds. One had already proved to be a difficult opponent with its instant teleportation Skill, she could only imagine the pain two at one time would be.

Instead of despairing, her blood boiled at the challenge. Grinning, she swept out an illusion all over the arena like a wall of mist before dropping dozens of metal needles down on the ground.

Hidden through the illusions, the needles laid in wait as the void hounds blinked toward her.

Since they were a distance away now, Astrid realised that they were limited in the distance they could teleport to. Now knowing that it was just a short distance jump, Astrid took to the skies, but retained her connection with the needles.

The hounds displayed their savage maw, then leapt up into the air. Astrid seriously doubted they jumped up for no reason, and instantly made an educated guess where the next jump was going to be.

A few metres in front of the beast, Astrid [Crashed] the air, sending the monster hurtling to the ground with a resounding thud. But the other hound was already leaping through space, claws were at the ready to slice into her armoured throat.

Although she was armoured, Astrid really didn’t want to test the impact it would have against her throat, and even more so her spine. It wasn’t a risk she was willing to put herself through.

Instead, Astrid connected to the matter within her body, and flung herself down to the ground.

The hound recovering from the blast looked up at her. It was about to leap, but a sudden explosion rocked the ground underneath its body. Dust splattered into the surroundings, and when it cleared, the monster had blood pouring out from the underside of its body.

Needles in the dozens had penetrated deep into its flesh.

Astrid grinned and continued down, her hardened body from the voidbent metal plus the high dense Mind Barrier, stomped into the creature's body.

Surprisingly, the effect of her Stage 3 Mind Barrier took effect. Astrid could feel the internal damage the monster accrued from her Mind Barrier’s reflected damage. Of course, Astrid wasn’t happy with only that. She needed to make sure the beast was dead, and she doubted small needles and internal bleeding would do the trick.

With her foot pressed up against its skull, Astrid controlled the voidbent metal around her armoured foot to extend into a lance-like spike. It shot out from her foot, and entered into the soft flesh of the hounds ear.

Eyes hazing over like the illusionary mist surrounding her, the red heart of the beast dimmed into a dark-grey. Without spending a single second more, Astrid ripped out the monster's eyes with a powerful pull of Psychokinetic mana.

She placed them within her Sovereigns Eye storage.

Happy at the monster no longer breathing, Astrid was well aware of the danger she was in. She could feel the approaching void hound.

Just like before, two Mind Barriers shattered, and only the last one offered resistance against the monster’s lashing tail. But now having experience against the fearsome teleporters, she was ready.

Astrid [Crashed] the matter just as the attack was about to land, sending the monster hurtling through the air. Using [Crash] another time, it was about to land, but the moment the connection to the matter was formed, the hound dodged to the side with a blinking leap.

It was like the hound could sense the danger–or maybe it was smelling it with the strange whiskers coming out of its nose. Whatever it was, it made follow up attacks difficult.

Not willing to be swayed by failure, Astrid rekindled her efforts. She sent dozens of [Crashes] to the monster’s body, but it dodged them all with acute precision. It had also begun moving in all different angles, making it impossible for Astrid to pinpoint, or guess, where it was going to land.

Despite that, Astrid held a mass of matter surrounding her Mind Barriers at all times. Since she had an acute control of it, she could blast it in close quarters, negating any damage to herself.

Astrid was like a cannon surrounded by high explosive ordnance.

Dodging another one of Astrid’s [Crashes], a deep purple emerged from its pupils. Whatever it was about to do, Astrid wouldn’t let it use a Skill so easily.

Having stopped for a second in preparation to attack, Astrid connected to the beast's eyes and made a neat discovery.

The monster was using dark-matter for its Skill.

Grinning, the connection formed. Astrid pulled against the imaginary string that she had latched onto the void hounds eyes. Its eyes watered, then instantly turned red.

Eyes bulging, the monster attempted to blink, but Astrid forced its eyelids open. Hovering closer, a torrent of mana left her eye and coiled around the beast.

It attempted to move its head around. Its body trembled, but Astrid was locked on.

Can’t blink now, can you? Astrid chuckled, each millisecond she neared the beast, the strength of her connection only grew. Standing in front of the monster, she finished with a mighty pull. The mana swirled around her eye before ripping the eyes from the beast's skull.

This time, the hidden effect of her Eye-Ball Pulling ring activated. Two small  eruptions exploded the beast's head from within, sending brain matter, and sharpened pieces of bone in the surrounding area.

Two void hounds lay dead on the ground, only for them to vanish the next moment. Four took their place in the distance.

“Wait, you thought that was it?” The Eye-Queen held the microphone to her mouth and cackled. “There’s no rest for a warrior! You think the countless myriad races will settle while there is blood in the air? Hell no! Once they catch the scent of blood, they are on you like flies to shit–trust me–I know. Oh, and by the way, this is only part one of the trial. Best of luck!”

“Oh, come on!” Astrid scowled.

After taking hits from the previous two hounds, she could feel an intense heat from her insides. It was like a hot water bottle had been punched into her gut. The pain notified her that she couldn’t take much more hits from the rabid beasts. And judging by their coiling muscles, and being even taller than the previous two, that much was certain.

Quickly taking a health potion, the beasts were already upon her.

***

Astrid panted as her metal arm lay at an awkward angle. Even despite the hardness of the voidbent armour, each hit from the beasts’ tails was like a hulking whip from a giant.

Pain wrecked all her body, there wasn’t an inch that remained without it.

Pieces of shattered Psych Warped wall and weapons lay scattered on the floor next to the four void beasts.

It was a hard fought battle, but after Astrid had discovered that they were using dark-matter energy to teleport, she was able to make out exactly where they would reappear. Then attack.

With a quick check to her mana container, it was almost empty. If eight of the void hounds appeared, then she seriously doubted her ability to deal with the teleportation of all of them.

“Congratulations! Or not, I mean, it’s not like they’re strong or anything, but good for you I guess. Anyway, that concludes the first part of the first trial!” The Eye-Queen chuckled.

The Eye-Queen looked straight at her, but Astrid knew she wasn’t focused on her body directly.

Astrid spat at the mocking words from the transcendent being that hovered within the active volcano like an actor in a play.

It was completely over the top, but Astrid could understand how it would be fun if she was on the other end. It seemed like something she herself would do.

Shaking her head, she awaited her reward.

“Oh, did you expect a reward for defeating those mutts? Haven’t you been listening, this is the first PART of the first trial. You just completed a part of it, duh. The younger generation really just want more and more, don’t they?”

Are you kidding me? Astrid thought in agony. If she didn’t get a reward, how was she meant to continue further?

“So I’m giving you a rest–a checkpoint! If you wish to leave now, you can do so. Or you can decide to forge ahead, like a stubborn ass. Oh, but death here really means death. Death by mind scramble! After all, It’s no fun if there’s no risk, what would be the point?” The Eye-Queen’s lit up mouth pouted.

Your Anger has reached 67/100

Astrid took a breath before her temper exploded. The woman with eyes surrounding her really knew how to piss her off.

I’ll check the System first. Let’s see if it gives me something good. 1000 Intelligence… Astrid clenched her fists, only to let them go in disappointment.

You defeated - Void Hound - level 205!
You defeated - Void Hound - level 209!
You defeated - Void Hound - level 212!

…
Extra experience is granted for defeating an enemy many levels above!

You have Levelled up!

Oculus Witch Level 125 -> Oculus Witch Level 130

Voidmare Level 125 -> Voidmare Level 130

Gained 50 stat points.

Astrid quickly placed nine Stat points into Intelligence and placed the rest into Wisdom. She was aiming for five-hundred wisdom, and judging by how quickly she was gaining experience from fighting way above her Level, and solo, it would be soon.

You now have 1000 Intelligence.

You now have 416 Wisdom.

Milestone reached - 1000 Intelligence.

“Yes!” Astrid pumped her fist into the air.

Intelligence [ Stage 4 ] failed to upgrade.

“Shit.” Her shoulders slumped.

Conditions not met.

Conditions still to meet: defeat a Level 250 with mana.

Level two-hundred and fifty… Astrid sighed in defeat, well, that answered the Eye-Queen. Without the Milestone reward, she couldn’t go any further for now.

“Take me back.” Astrid faced the looming figure of the Eye-Queen.

“Boo! The contender is a wimp, she forfeited!” At her words, hundreds of people all appeared around the arena just to boo at her. Hundreds of thumbs all pointed to the floor in utter disappointment.

“It’s a tactical retreat!” Astrid bellowed at the crowd.

With a flash, she closed her eyes, only to reopen them and see Leena, and the others still talking to Jonathan. It was as if time didn’t budge a single second despite her being in the illusionary arena for what felt like hours.

My Skill levelled up… Astrid stumbled, something was entering her mind.

“Astrid, what’s wrong?” Leena took a step forward and grabbed hold of her hand–only for Astrid to seethe in pain.

Noticing that, Leena’s eyes widened in shock as she gazed at Astrid's body as wounds began emerging from her body. Blood seeped out from her nose, ears, nose, and mouth.

All of a sudden, the pain, and damage she had suffered from the trial washed over her like a tide.

Crack.

Her arm snapped.