Tier 3+ - Accidental Champion (Book 6) - Chapter 41 - I’m Used to Working Alone

Xavier wasn’t sure if what he wanted to do would even work—he wasn’t even sure if it was a good idea to try.

But he had to do something drastic if coming up here was going to be worth it. If it was going to mean something.

Xavier: [I’m about to try something. I don’t know if it will work.]

The other version of him raised an eyebrow. [We need to talk. Come up with a strategy together. If you’re going to remain here, we should combine our skills. So far, all you’ve done is attack and cast a spell, on your own, without consulting me.]

[I’m used to working alone.] Xavier smiled. [Sound familiar?]

The other version of him let out a chuckle. [At least tell me what you’re about to do.]

Xavier pursed his lips. [The time dilation field is being affected by the enemy. That’s why I’m not sure if this will work. But I’m… Mostly confident that it will.]

[Yes. That hesitation in your speech tells me all about your confidence.]

Xavier sighed. He was finding it a bit of a chore, talking to himself. Was this how other people felt? [My control over the time dilation field is almost absolute. It has been affected by an enemy before, and this… This doesn’t feel as strong as that time. I can tell what it’s limiting—it’s making it impossible for me to move.]

[You can move this thing?]

Xavier took a moment to explain, telling him how he carved the time dilation field through space, bringing it with him like a personal shield, altering time at will as he did.

The other man’s eyes widened more and more as Xavier spoke. [That is… That is strong. I thought I was overpowered, but to have an ability as powerful as that…]

[But while I’m unable to move it, I should be able to expand it and contract it at will. Doing so will place the enemy within the field.]

[Why on Earth would you wish to do something like that? They will begin moving at the same speed as us.]

Xavier explained how cooldowns interacted with the flow of time within a field. He could speed time within the field up—like he was now—or he could slow it down, having time in the surrounding universe move significantly faster from their perspective.

This was something Liana had done. She’d looked frozen in her time dilation field as the world had passed around her. As she’d waited for Xavier to save her husband from The Nightmare, not wanting to spend another second in emotional agony on the hundredth floor of the Tower of Champions.

If he pushed himself hard enough, he could do what she did. He could make two months pass in a matter of seconds from his own perspective, giving him the ability to summon the Spirit of Time.

But those seconds would be hard won. And despite how confident he said he was, he was worried about how his time dilation field would fair.

And what if the World Destroyer and the Soul Amalgamation managed to make it outside the field?

The two Xaviers would be screwed.

Xavier: [Can you give me the time we’ll need? Can you ensure we both survive that?]

Other Xavier: [What exactly is this spell you need to cast? Tell me what we’re fighting for.]

Xavier sighed. He’d never had to run everything he did by someone else before. Honestly, it was becoming tiring. He figured at least he would trust him, but apparently that wasn’t the case.

Xavier took a moment to explain.

Other Xavier: [God. That… That is brilliant. You…] There was a sense of awe in the man’s voice. [Maybe I was wrong about what I said. Maybe you shouldn’t listen to me. Maybe… maybe hope isn’t just for fools and Disney movies, with powers like you possess…]

The man trailed off, then he gave Xavier a determined nod.

Xavier steeled himself for what he was about to do.

There was a hell of a lot riding on what Xavier was about to do. He could still feel the pressure of the damned World Destroyer on his mind. Could feel how oppressive it was. Could feel its effects on the time dilation field.

On his mind.

What he’d told the other version of himself was strictly true—the time dilation field was stuck in place. Xavier could only expand or contract it.

What he hadn’t told the other version of him was that even doing that would be an incredibly difficult feat with how volatile it was.

But Xavier knew he would be able to do it.

This wasn’t something he would have attempted even a short while ago, but after how far he’d come—and after gathering all those titles from Thazamar and Areildon, not to mention the last sixty floors of the Tower of Champions—Xavier’s attributes had gone to a whole new level.

Safe within the confines of the time dilation field, he took a moment to examine them, bringing up his status screen. It had been a while since he’d had an in-depth look. A moment that a certain part of his mind recognised as nothing more than pure procrastination.

He was afraid of what was about to happen next, and he wasn’t too prideful to admit that—at least to himself.

Saying it aloud was another story.

XAVIER COLLINS

Age: 26

Race: Dragonkin

Grade: D

Moral Faction: World Defender (Planet Earth)

Class: Wayfarer of the Infinite Path (Mythic)

Level 280

Strength: 37,637 (168,990) [Attunement: 40%]

Speed: 36,437 (185,464) [Attunement: 40%]

Toughness: 36,279 (162,893) [Attunement: 40%]

Intelligence: 37,036 (166,292) [Attunement: 40%]

Willpower: 35,731 (196,163) [Attunement: 40%]

Spirit: 36,065 (197,997) [Attunement: 40%]

Mastery Points (D Grade) until next level: 3,020/100,000

Available Spirit Energy (D Grade): 190,299 / 192,997

Available Willpower Energy (D Grade): 194,929 / 194,929

Available Speed Energy (D Grade): 184,230 / 184,230

Available Intelligence Energy (D Grade): 165,058 / 165,058

Available Skill Points: 0

Free stat points remaining: 0

Titles:

Bloodied Hands, Born on a Battlefield, Settlement Defender, Quester, First Defender of Planet Earth, Survivor, All 100, First All 100, 1,000 Stats, First to 1,000 Stats, Greater Butcher, All 1,000, First All 1,000, Level 100, First to level 100, E Grade, E Grade Progenitor, E Grade Speedrun (Unmatched), Destroyer of Hordes (Unmatched), Ahead of the Pack 2, Goliath Killer 2, Tenth Floor (Tower Milestone), Homeward Bound, First Dungeon of Earth, Dungeon Diver 110, Dungeon – First Clears, Dungeon – Solo Clears, Dungeon – Record Clears, 10,000 Stats, First 10,000 Stats, All 10,000 Stats, First All 10,000, One Grade Up – Support, Two Grades Up – Support, C Grade Killer, C Grade Demolisher, C Grade Destroyer, Strongest E Grade (Unmatched), D Grade, D Grade Progenitor, D Grade Speedrun (Unmatched), Revive a Lost Art, Changer of Fates, The Forty-Ninth Descent of Thazamar, 1,000 clears – Forty-Ninth Descent of Thazamar, The First Descent of Thazamar, Nineteenth Zone of Areildon, 1,000 clears – Nineteenth Zone of Areildon, 100,000 Stats, First 100,000, All 100,000, First All 100,000, Seventy-Ninth Floor Climber, Seventy-Ninth Floor Ranked 1 – RECORD HOLDER, Solo Tower Climber 79, 1st Seventy-Ninth Floor Climber, 1,000,000 Stats, First 1,000,000

Spells List:

Spiritual Trifecta – Rank 150

Heavy Telekinesis – Rank 150

Spirit Break (All) – Rank 150

Spirit Infusion – Rank 150

Soul Harvest – Rank 150

Soul Strike (Ranged) – Rank 150

Soul Block – Rank 150

Soul Harden – Rank 150

Willpower Infusion – Rank 120

Core Burn – Rank 150

Summon Otherworldly Spirit – Rank 120

Otherworldly Communion – Rank 100

Soul Shatter – Rank 150

Soul Puppet – Rank 150

Hover Dodge – Rank 150

Enhanced Telekinetic Strike – Rank 150

Time Alteration – Rank 150

Time Prison – Rank 150

Soul Sacrifice – Rank 100

Soul Born – Rank 100

Body Cultivation – Rank 150

Chronomantic Mindforge – Rank 150

Portal – Rank 150

Recursive Analysis – Rank 1

Fear Dominion – Rank 120

Inscribing – Rank 109

Skills List:

Physical Resistance – Rank 150

Magical Potency – Rank 150

Magical Resistance – Rank 150

Physical Damage – Rank 150

Assimilate Properties – Rank 100

Scythe-Staff Mastery – Rank 150

Meditation – Rank 150

Aura-Control – Rank 150

Identify – Rank 150

Cultivate Energy – Rank 150

Core Strength – Rank 150

Running – Rank 150

Split Mind – Rank 150

Evasion – Rank 150

Aerial Combat – Rank 150

Dismantle – Rank 150

Red In Tooth And Claw – Rank 150

Iron Grip – Rank 150

Close Combat Fighting – Rank 150

Aura of Fear – Rank 100

Ritual – Rank 100

Health Seer – Rank 150

Sword Mastery – Rank 150

Dagger Mastery – Rank 150

Spear Mastery – Rank 150

Bow Mastery – Rank 150

Axe Mastery – Rank 150

Warhammer Mastery – Rank 150

Halberd Mastery – Rank 150

Stylus Mastery – Rank 150

General Weapon Mastery – Rank 150

Minor Spirit Coins: 870,020

Lesser Spirit Coins: 240,821

Spirit Coins: 24,809

Xavier stared at his attributes, really taking them in. He had been watching his numbers go up like crazy with all the titles he’d been gaining. And… It was strange. There was a part of him that hadn’t really noticed just how powerful he’d been becoming, as he’d been pushing from one descent to the next back in Thazamar, the difficulty had been constantly increasing alongside his power—actually, it had been increasing faster than his level of power could keep up.

Which was why he hadn’t truly realised just how dramatically he had changed in the break he’d had from the Tower of Champions.

He’d known in a detached sort of way, but right now, looking at his stats…

I have almost 200,000 attribute points in Spirit and Willpower.

He silently shook his head. It made him wonder just how many attributes the man floating in the vacuum of space next to him must possess—his speed must be phenomenal if Xavier had been having trouble tracking his movements.

Insane. Just… Insane.

It was the Speed attribute he wanted to look at the most right now. That, and Intelligence, were the main drivers in his Time Alteration spell. Willpower, too, he knew would play a part in fighting the influence the World Destroyer was having on his mind and his spell.

The other Xavier was simply staring at him. The moment after his nod had stretched, and the man looked at him expectantly. [Are you ready?] he asked, surprisingly gently.

My speed is 185,464, with a 40 percent attunement. Time Alteration is Rank 150—as high as I can push it until I reach C Grade, he thought to himself. I can do this. I have to be able to do this.

Xavier nodded. [I’m ready.]

He had something up his sleeve, something that would help make himself even more powerful—something he hadn’t taken advantage of for a little while. He knew if he used this particular ability too much, it would put him in a very vulnerable position.

But right now, do to this, it seemed more than worth it.

Xavier infused Soul Energy into his body and mind. The fear he’d been feeling didn’t go away, but rather his resolution was reinforced. His ability to control his magic was empowered. His ability to push his mind was strengthened.

He cast Body Cultivation, utilising his Soul Energy instead of his Celestial Energy, cycling it through every inch of him.

The energy coursed through him like fire through his veins. God, it felt intoxicating, wielding such power. If he could find a balance, figure out how to regain his Soul Energy more quickly, and never let himself push over the edge, perhaps he could utilise this more often…

Xavier gave his wings a small flap, which sent him flying backward a little faster than he’d intended, right to the back of the time dilation field. He managed to stop himself before he went through the barrier.

The other version of him stood across from the Soul Amalgamation, ready to fight. Xavier wasn’t sure how long this would take. He needed to make almost two months go by if he was going to restore his use of the Spirit of Time.

The other version of Xavier would have to hold out as long as it took, then, hopefully, Xavier would be able to contract the time dilation field again with the two of them still within it.

With Soul Energy coursing through him, Xavier manipulated the time dilation field, expanding it so it would contain the Soul Amalgamation as well as the World Destroyer.

The strain on his mind was intense, on a level he had never experienced before. He was the only one to hear the ragged shout that tore from his throat as his fists clenched so much his bones creaked, fracturing and then healing over and over. The pain in his hands was like a salve, soothing the mental anguish he was going through.

The time dilation field expanded slower than it ever had, something he hadn’t anticipated. But he couldn’t fight it. When he tried, the field flickered. If he pushed too hard, it would falter and crack.

Something told him he wouldn’t have time to cast the spell a second time. The cooldown wouldn’t start until the spell ended, and he’d have to escape—or die—before it reached its end, even as fast as the cooldown had become.

The time dilation field touched the Soul Amalgamation first, and there was a delay before it reached the World Destroyer.

The Soul Amalgamation blinked, looking a little dazed as the flow of time shifted, now no longer in sync with the World Destroyer. The soul-construct looked at the other version of Xavier first.

Then he started into Xavier’s eyes.

That was when thousands of arrows slammed into the soul-construct. So many that it was hard to even see the entity. But when it was all over, they didn’t make him look like a floating pincushion.

They just… ricocheted off the soul-construct’s armour… and where they hit the skin of his exposed face, they ricocheted too.

The arrows slammed into the World Destroyer just as harmlessly.

My, my. You’re the same person. I’ve never killed the same person twice before.

Chaos ensued.