My Goblin System : Levelling up with my SSS Class Devouring skill-Chapter 276

But it didn’t matter if she could heal everything if they couldn’t land a single hit.

Mika tried again, her hands moving through different patterns. [Absolute Zone: Spatial Isolation]

This time she didn’t try to trap TheReaper directly. Instead, she created zones around her allies, pocket spaces that would let them move freely while making it nearly impossible for enemies to reach them. It was a defensive application of her power, creating layers of reality-warping protection.

TheReaper walked through the zones like they were suggestions rather than laws of physics.

"Your spatial manipulation is good," he acknowledged, examining the zone structure with what looked like genuine professional interest. "Impressive control for someone so new to magic. With a few more years of practice and proper training, you’d probably be able to actually inconvenience me."

He reached Mika and tapped her staff. "But right now, you’re working with a fundamental misunderstanding of how space actually works. You’re imposing your will on reality, which works fine against normal opponents. But I’ve been dealing with space magic for three centuries. I’ve fought archmages who’d spent lifetimes mastering dimensional theory."

The zones collapsed, Mika’s concentration disrupted by proximity to someone whose very presence seemed to warp the rules she was trying to manipulate.

Rin had been preparing her next shot, pouring more and more power into the arrow through her amplification ability. If a 1000x amplification hadn’t worked, she’d go higher.

[Maximum Amplification: 10,000x Force]

The arrow glowed like a miniature sun, containing enough destructive potential to level a city block. Her amber eyes burned with determination—this would hit. This had to hit.

She released, and the arrow moved faster than sound, faster than anything should be able to track, aimed directly at TheReaper’s back while he was focused on Mika.\

TheReaper’s hand moved in a casual gesture, and the arrow stopped mid-flight. Just stopped, hanging in the air three inches from his back, frozen as if someone had pressed pause on reality.

Then he flicked his finger, and the arrow reversed direction, shooting back toward Rin at the same amplified speed she’d fired it.

Rin’s eyes widened in terror. That was her own attack, carrying 10,000 times normal force, coming straight at her—

Mika threw up an emergency zone between Rin and the arrow, compressing space to create a barrier. The arrow hit the zone and actually broke through it, Rin’s own amplification overwhelming Mika’s control.

Seraphelle’s staff glowed.

[Divine Shield: Maximum Protection]

A barrier of holy energy materialized in front of Rin just as the arrow arrived. The projectile hit the shield and exploded, the amplified force detonating in a blast of light and sound that shook the entire throne room.

When the light cleared, Rin was still standing—Seraphelle’s shield had held, barely. But the healer was breathing hard, sweat dripping down her face from the effort of blocking an attack that powerful.

"Good teamwork," TheReaper said, nodding approvingly. "The controller bought time, the support protected the damage dealer. That’s proper party coordination. You all have clearly been training together and learning how to synergize your abilities."

He started walking toward them again, casual and unhurried.

Gattychan had recovered and retrieved his sword. He could feel his villain-bane still trying to work, still attempting to weaken TheReaper while strengthening himself, but it was like trying to drain an ocean with a bucket.

"We’re not giving up!" Gattychan shouted, raising his sword.

[Adaptive Evolution]

His secondary ability activated—the power that let him evolve instantly to counter whatever threatened him. Facing TheReaper’s overwhelming speed? His body adapted, reflexes sharpening, perception accelerating. Facing overwhelming power? His durability increased, his strength multiplied.

The evolution was immediate and dramatic. Gattychan felt his stats spike again, new abilities forming specifically to counter TheReaper’s demonstrated capabilities.

New Adaptations Acquired:

[ Speed Enhancement (to match faster opponents) ]

[ Enhanced Perception (to track rapid movement)]

[ Durability Boost (to survive powerful strikes) ]

[ Power Resistance (to withstand overwhelming force) ]

And because his adaptations stacked permanently, he kept all his previous evolutions while adding these new ones.

"Better," TheReaper acknowledged, watching the transformation with something like professional interest. "Reactive evolution based on experienced threats. That’s actually a genuinely dangerous ability if you survive long enough to accumulate enough adaptations. Give you a few years fighting various enemies, and you’d be nearly unkillable."

Then he moved.

Even with enhanced perception, Gattychan barely saw it. TheReaper closed the distance in a blur, his fist driving toward Gattychan’s chest.

The hero brought his sword up to block, enhanced strength and evolved durability bracing for impact.

The punch went through his guard like it wasn’t there, slamming into his chest with enough force to crack Seraphelle’s defensive buffs that had been layered over all of them.

Gattychan felt ribs crack despite all his enhancements and flew backward again, this time hitting the wall hard enough to actually embed slightly into the marble.

[Instant Heal]

Seraphelle called immediately, her magic flowing into Gattychan and fixing the broken ribs, restoring his health to full.

But he’d experienced new threats now, and his evolution kicked in again.

New Adaptation: Impact Resistance New Adaptation: Regeneration (Minor) New Adaptation: Damage Reflection (Weak)

Gattychan stood up, his body automatically adjusting to counter the types of attacks he’d experienced. He was literally getting stronger from being beaten, learning and adapting with each exchange.

"This is the problem with reactive evolution," TheReaper said, his tone almost educational despite the violence. "You need to experience the threat first before you can adapt to it. Which means against someone truly overwhelming, you just die from the first hit before you can evolve."

He appeared in front of Gattychan again, moving so fast that even enhanced perception couldn’t fully track it.

"The only reason you’re still alive," TheReaper continued, "is because I’m deliberately not hitting hard enough to kill you. I’m letting you experience threats and adapt because I’m curious about how far your ability can go when properly pushed."

Another strike, this one aimed at Gattychan’s head. The hero managed to partially dodge thanks to enhanced perception, turning what would have been a knockout blow into a glancing hit that still sent him stumbling.