Psychokinetic Eyeball Pulling

Chapter 67: Domination

The kobold stood there, just its appearance made the weaker Wayfarer’s shimmy on the spot. It opened its maw and a beastly roar surged. The smaller kobolds raised their scaly arms, they clasped their clawed hands around their make-shift weapons. Astrid watched as it filled their bodies with a newfound vigour and strength.

It must be a leadership skill from the chieftain. Astrid mused.

She wasn’t worried in the slightest. Although the chieftain was stronger than the rest, it was still weak. She glanced at a first year to her side. He was shivering in his leathered steel-toe capped boots.

Astrid had her arms crossed and her posture resembled when she would take a casual stroll within the noble gardens.

“Are you not worried?” Nick asked.

He held his hands readied on his dagger, his eyes glued to the chieftain.

Astrid shrugged her shoulders. “Not really, no.”

Nick nodded and the whites of his knuckles kept their pinkish colour as his hands relaxed.

The little kobolds made their move. With the inspiration from their leader, they charged forward with no regard to their life. It was as if they were protecting their homeland from intruders. Their eyes were scarlet red and saliva dripped from their opened, jagged mouths.

The second year warriors were the first to take the brunt of the charge. Calum had explained the formation before, so everyone knew their positions. The first years acted as a secondary force, the bravest of them used the longer reach of their weapons to attack past the second years.

Ranged skills were being fired from both years, magical and physical. Mana swirled in the air as they activated the mana within their bodies.

Mina’s dexterous hands fired her bow. It was like a whip striking the ground. The thrumming of the bow reaped life after life. The hesitation within her was long gone, unlike the first mission.

Astrid would help now and then, just like when she was undergoing the underbelly subjugation. She tried to divert the blades from their hands. Her mind connected to a flanking kobolds hand as it was mid swing, its jagged machete, made from scrap metal, hurtled towards a first year's neck. Astrid tried to deviate the blade, but she underestimated her current strength. Instead of moving the blade to the side, the creatures wrist was yanked from its arm. Blood spurted, covering the forest floor in a deep red.

The kobolds were indeed crafty; they used the trees to their advantage. They dashed in and out, using guerilla warfare tactics, while others climbed up the tall nature and used long-range weapons.

But it was all meaningless. Astrid didn’t even need to erect her Mind Barrier. She relied purely on Psychokinesis to catch all the projectiles that threatened the group and returned them back to their sender like an express delivery system.

You’ve got mail. Astrid chuckled to herself.

The chieftain realised things weren’t going to plan and, instead of charging in alongside his troops, he turned tail and ran.

Can't have it running away, can we? Astrid smiled to herself, then nodded. There was no need to hide her abilities. She let the fledglings have their experience. Now it was her turn to have fun.

Astrid rose into the air with Levitation.

First years, second years, and kobolds alike all stared at her. At her command, the kobolds rose into the air alongside her and the retreating chieftain was no exception. They struggled with all their might, yet it was pointless. With Astrid’s current intelligence, level difference, buffs, and equipment, they were naught but helpless little chickens in her grasp.

Astrid connected to over forty kobolds all at once and, with a thought, their eyeballs were torn from their sockets in a shower of blood. Then came the miniature explosions. The strength of the little [Crashes] from her newly gained ring obliterated their skulls. Brain matter, fragments of bone, and blood cascaded into the surroundings. Splattering of red sprinkled onto the Wayfarers.

Finally, I can test my new skill, Mind Domain. With having the skill, activating it was second nature. It was like a brand within her mind. Even if she attempted to forget it, it was impossible.

The entire world changed around her, and in an instant it was only her and the chieftain left remaining in a world of nothing. There were no trees, no Wayfarer’s, and no kobolds. The chieftain's body broke free from the air and it landed on the white ground. Its head glanced around in horror, then it landed on Astrid’s figure that floated within the air.

This is all my imagination, right? Then anything is possible? Astrid’s hair grew longer and from its previous golden lustre, it turned to an ashen white. Claws grew from her fingertips and black tattoos covered her body.

I want a crown too! With the thought, a crown emerged from nothing as it rested upon her head. Just like her tattoo’s it was pitch black.

So this is what I looked like while in my Anger Overload? Astrid admired her visage. Although it was rather scary, she kind of liked it. It was a good way to demand fear, and judging by the horror-stricken expression on the chieftain, it worked.

Astrid raised her hands, and the grass grew from the white floor. It was a verdant green, and unlike her illusions, these were as accurate as the real thing. It was as if she was back in the forest.

With the grass, the trees joined. Growing from a lowly seed into a mighty tree that loomed over them. One, two, three trees grew, until an entire forest had emerged.

Then many kobolds appeared. Limbs were missing, their eye sockets were hollowed out and blood seeped from within. Their bodies hovered and spiraled around the chieftain. The blood dripped onto the leader’s thick scales.

“Wh–what are you?” The chieftain’s vocal chords trembled.

They were strained, as if it had learned her language from a robot.

Astrid quickly hid her surprise. How did it know her language? She guessed it had something to do with her Mind Domain. Since this was her arena, it must also translate everything so that she can understand what the monster was saying.

“What am I?” Astrid chuckled and pinched her chin in thought. “I am the Psychokinetic Witch! Or does Mischievous Witch sound cooler? I’m not entirely sure.”

“Wh-why do you invade us?” The chieftain took a step back. Its legs trembled as her eyes landed upon its body.

“Invade?” Astrid said. “Don’t forget that you were the ones who invaded us first. Now, for our survival, we need the resources that the Towns and Cities hold.”

“B-but…”

Astrid could tell what he was going to say. She knew because she was inside his head, reading all of his thoughts and memories. It was like a picture book flicking through pages in an instant.

“I know it had nothing to do with you, but that’s the life we live now. We can’t afford to be merciful. Today it is you, and tomorrow it may be– No,” Astrid shook her head. “I have too many things to fight, so tomorrow it can’t be me. But in the future? I will die, probably.” Astrid raised her hand. “It will be painless, I think.”

The trees that she had grown were uprooted and their heavy weight rose into the air. The soil fell from the roots and filled the Mind Domain with an earthy smell. With a command, they shot through the space like bolts from a ballista.

The chieftain glanced at the axe within its claws and clenched hard. It accepted its fate. It knew it had no chance of fighting against the otherworldly witch, and what the girl said was right. They were warriors, and they were destined to die.

The tree smashed against the chieftain's body. The logs moved at such a speed that they turned to wooden fragments at the contact. Like an arrow through another arrow. A few moments later, the space vanished.

Astrid rubbed her eyes and glanced at the other wayfarers. They looked up at her in awe and bewilderment.

The chieftain’s body fell from the air and thudded against the forest’s floor.

Otherworldly Witch? That also has a good ring to it. Astrid grinned.

She glanced at Mina; she was rooted to the spot with her mouth agape.

“What?” Astrid asked.

“You’re awesome,” Mina fumbled with her hands, almost dropping her bow.

“Thanks,” Astrid said.

Astrid levitated over the Wayfarers and landed in front of the chieftain. Its eyes were lifeless, and it clenched its hands around the shaft of its heavy axe. There were no wounds or a hint of blood on its body, only scars from its previous battles against the other tribes and wolves that skulked the town.

She pried the axe from the kobold’s lifeless hands and identified it.

Uncommon - Level 40 - Wild Battle-axe: An axe crafted from natural resources.

| 20 added strength.

| 15 added constitution.

| 5% extra damage while using strength based Skills.

Josh could get some use out of it. He already uses two-handed axes as if they were one-handers, anyway. Astrid levitated herself back into the group and landed beside Josh.

“For you,” Astrid said.

“But it belongs to the entire group, doesn’t it?” Josh looked around.

“That’s only when we have to fight a powerful opponent together,” Astrid said. “I killed it all on my own, right Calum?”

She glanced at the leader of the second years, the current mission commander.

“That’s right,” Calum said, a vein bulged from his neck.

It was easy to guess why. Astrid had gone over command and displayed that it was indeed her that was the dominant force on this mission, and Calum hadn't even made a move yet.

But she was a Wayfarer, not a soldier within the Humanity Corps. She could take initiative and act within reason. If she waited for Calum to act, the chieftain would have escaped. She wanted to provide for her team and if that meant ruffling a few feathers, then so be it.

Astrid wouldn’t take command, but she wasn’t afraid to throw her weight around. She also needed to level.

She gazed at everyone around her and sank into thought. It was undeniable that the others would simply slow her down. Gloria and Froderick were the exception as the former held incredibly powerful Classes. The only reason Leena could go on this mission was because she was her personal maid.

It was the bitter truth. If others couldn't keep up, then it was dangerous to bring them along. She was aware of her current level and position.

Should she separate from her team and go at it alone with Leena? No, if I go alone, Leena will need to stay here just in case something goes wrong, like if a dungeon appears or something.

The thought of going alone was scary, yet exciting. She fidgeted with her foot, tapping it against the floor.

Decisions, decisions. Astrid left that for later. Instead, she gazed at the messages that filled her system.