Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 2179: They weren’t strong

While the first corruption energy soldier had fallen, the entire domain didn’t immediately crumble as other corruption energy soldiers remained. However, its absence created a weakness, a vital opening we could exploit. A structure is never as stable when a piece of its foundation is removed.

It was precisely this instability that allowed Lupus and me to break free from the domain’s confines. But the egress wasn't the most significant development; the true revelation was our discovery about the array itself.

We realized that despite the array’s formidable overall power, the individual corruption energy soldiers summoned by War were not particularly strong. This made sense, as they were merely manifestations formed from the ambient corruption energy of lesser monsters. These soldiers weren't inherently powerful, nor did receiving a buff from War's domain significantly enhance them.

Nevertheless, they were still creatures of corruption energy, and given my increased strength, dealing with them was manageable. "We must target the nodes before we can dismantle this domain," I declared.

Lupus, concurring with my assessment, moved before I could even issue the command. There was no need for further communication; our objective was clear, and our roles understood. Our superior speed rendered the corruption energy soldiers utterly ineffective. Even if War attempted to intervene, its speed was insufficient to protect its minions. Since these soldiers served as the nodes anchoring its domain, War was compelled to defend them.

The longer this continued, the more precarious War’s domain seemed, teetering on the brink of collapse. Yet, a nagging feeling persisted that something was amiss. In fact, War itself seemed weaker, expending considerable effort just to shield its soldiers.

It didn't feel like the true extent of War’s power had been unleashed, but halting our assault was not an option. Allowing War's domain to engulf us again would severely limit our ability to act. The sight of more and more soldiers being purified seemed to elicit no reaction from War, which amplified my growing unease. Its apparent indifference to the soldiers' demise suggested it was orchestrating something far more significant.

Ultimately, my suspicions proved correct. As the corruption energy soldiers continued to fall, they eventually vanished. Yet, War showed no sign of distress over their disappearance; in fact, its demeanor suggested satisfaction. Simultaneously, War seemed to absorb more corruption energy, subsequently birthing new, more potent soldiers around itself.

"They’re stronger this time…" I murmured, my strike now requiring two purifying blows to eliminate a single soldier. It wasn’t an isolated improvement; all the newly summoned soldiers had simultaneously increased in power. Observing this, I began to grasp the true nature of War's domain, a concept seemingly alluded to in its very name.

"War embodies an endless cycle of bloodshed, growing stronger with each life extinguished. Therefore, these corruption energy soldiers were destined to perish—they are mere distractions. No, not distractions, but rather a mechanism for the domain's advancement." The more soldiers that were annihilated, the more potent War’s domain became. To dismantle it, I needed to strike at its core.

The immediate challenge was the unknown extent of War's current strength. "It was already formidable, but after I purified some of its corruption energy soldiers, it should be even more powerful now." This was my first encounter with an adversary that intensified its strength based on my attempts to harm it. It appeared there was no straightforward path to defeating War.

"So, you have discerned the truth," War stated calmly, noticing my cessation of attacks on the corruption energy soldiers. A wave of bitterness washed over me, but I disregarded it, continuing to evade its assaults. Even with my attacks stalled, the soldiers wouldn't cease their own aggression. If not for my superior speed, the situation could have turned perilous. I also noted that the second wave of soldiers exhibited a slight increase in speed.

Ultimately, I had no choice but to disengage from War.

Despite grasping the core of its domain, I couldn't directly attack War.

My previous attempt to strike War resulted in it deploying corrupted energy soldiers to intercept my attack. This forced me to reroute my assault before it could reach the soldiers.

"It doesn't expend energy fighting, and it possesses an infinite supply of human shields. How am I meant to defeat it?" I questioned aloud to myself.

If only my domain could be deployed, I could manifest divine energy constructs directly upon War's position.

However, if I were capable of utilizing my domain against War, it would signify my superiority, and I wouldn't be facing such a dire struggle.

This truly was a battle that seemed to lack any viable resolution...