For a second seeing the lack of movement on the street Tatiana had a small hope that someone would contact the authorities But then her hopes instantly deflated She had been staying in this place for a few days now with her girls and knew that wasn�t the case Unless someone of authority showed up the people wouldn�t move to help This town was still too new too competitive

Uh The military man was just looking at the short blonde man with wide eyes But before he could speak further a yell cut him off

Ethan You can�t just kill him

Of course the blonde man Ethan said with a smile But I knew the man who could resist my attack wouldn�t die from a petty ambush such as that You sir please step aside I have business with this man

Ethan was talking to Baloo Shrugging Baloo just patted the military man on the back and then took several steps back But when he touched the man�s back Tatiana would have sworn that she saw a flash of green like a small snake slither out and down the man�s collar

Tatiana would have likely caught more of it had she not noticed that Baloo was barefoot Was he always barefoot Her eyes widened Did he smelt metal barefoot That would be incredibly dumb

Uh um unfortunately I have another appointment so I must bid The military man began but Ethan cut him off

Not so fast Let me see if you aren�t just all talk then eh Ethan started forward quickly speeding up to a dead sprint As he arrived in front of the military man his right fist flashed forward to smash into his jaw

The military man took a step back arms flailing But as she watched one of those arms abruptly contorted and came down tight to the man�s face It flicked out knocking the punch aside and then shot forward in a jab The jab smashed into Ethan�s face

Blood sprayed out of Ethan�s broken nose likely done in by Ethan�s own forward momentum as much as everything else As the military man straightened looking down at his hand in confusion the cloaked man rushed forward

Brother Ethan You scoundrel how dare you strike a man of God

Finally the military man seemed to decide that the emotion he should feel is arrogance He put his hands on his hips and snorted Tatiana almost wanted to roll her eyes It was obvious that this wasn�t a character that could so expertly execute an attack like that Tatiana would be surprised if he had a single Skill above Lvl 50 She glanced at Baloo curiously

Did that mean that Baloo was assisting somehow But why

Did you not see him run into my fist I was only stretching Or did you want to fight Let it never be said that Derek Lundain Commissary Officer refused a challenge of an honest duel

Tatiana�s eyebrow twitched Commissary Officer Was this man a cook

We are from the United Church of God the masked individual said glaring over at Derek Ethan was on the ground rolling back and forth and holding his nose Do you know the hornet�s nest you just kicked If you think we don�t have connections to the Federal Police you�ve got another thing coming I assume you are in Fretarch�s District We can make a call within an hour that will have you out of a job

The arrogance was truly short lived and disappeared like a popped bubble I I grrk

Derek grunted as his body contorted again making him lean abruptly backward A plasma slug from a pistol shot up missing his head by inches Slowly he turned his head and looked down at Ethan who was looking up at him with a face that was glee rapidly turning to shock and horror

Derek and Ethan�s gazes locked Derek seemed mostly puzzled but Tatiana didn�t really have the angle to see the full expression on his face But Ethan�s quickly became flooded with dread

Finally with surprising abruptness Derek turned and power walked quickly away not glancing back The robed figure stepped forward to Ethan checked on him then seemed to be intending to follow Derek when Baloo stepped forward

Probably enough violence for today right Baloo said his voice soft But instantly the posture of the robed figures stopped in their tracks Perhaps whoever that was they heard it too That below that innocuous question was a threat

And especially after so recently being foiled by the random cook the robed man hesitated

Then Baloo turned to Adrea For someone who doesn�t want to kill your friend sure fires a lot of guns

And then he turned and walked away After a brief hesitation as she watched Adrea going to Ethan�s side to dab at his bloody nose Tatiana followed after Baloo

Chapter 519

They had basically reached Randidly�s fake home when he realized that it wasn�t a coincidence that she was following him Feeling largely awkward that he hadn�t acknowledged her before now Randidly turned around and regarded Tatiana Truly she looked extremely out of place in a steel working town like this He supposed that it made sense for her to hang around Washington D C where she would need to interact with the nation�s elite but the System had made a farce of her presence here

She stopped as he turned around regarding him with the same wariness that she had shown before at the party There was a wall there one that he didn�t fault her for He was a strange individual and he had certainly participated in some strange and violent situations Even more worrisome he suspected that she had the angle and a sharp enough gaze to catch some of his interference with that poor fool Derek

To Randidly�s surprise she spoke first Why did you save him

Randidly blinked then laughed Her expression darkened as he did so so he stifled the laugh as best he could and kept it a chuckle They would have killed him if I had not Humanity has a lot of enemies It�s easy to forget it here but we don�t have enough wiggle room to waste effort on internal struggles And I believe a human life should always have inherent value I protected a life need I more justification

Something in her face eased as he was talking although he couldn�t determine what of what he had said had reached her She simply nodded breathing out a long sigh Feeling an oncoming silence Randidly galvanized his meager social skills and said So how are you doing

Instantly he winced because it sounded just like a cheap come on But this seemed to just make Tatiana sag further Expelling another sigh she looked up at him and said You certainly are more than I expected It hasn�t been good I suppose you�ve heard that the edges of a suburb were reported to be sighted to the west Until further notice I am to remain here and scout new arrivals to the Zone for our business

Tatiana gave Randidly a penetrating look At that moment he felt like she was looking with every ounce of effort she had trying to penetrate and see what lay underneath the surface of him What sort of character was he

Randidly didn�t blame her in the least He felt abruptly self conscious that he was ostensibly a simple steelworker but he remembered that he had gone along with the line that he was also a former front military fighter In addition he wore a strange combination of leather and denim that would have meant he was a biker prior to the System�s arrival but in current Zone 1 just made him look savage

Obviously his feet were dirty and bare the skin callous and browned from long years now without shoes

In addition Randidly made a mental note about the expanding Zone If what Tatiana was saying was true there would be what might be a large population boost coming into Zone 1 in the recent future Which meant two things that military forces might be heading in this direction and also that there might be population boosts in Zone 32 as well The first was a headache the second was oddly intriguing Snuffing out both trains of thought he focused on the task at hand For now he planned on conducting another search for the Creature tonight Other things could wait

To his surprise Tatiana�s gaze turned soft as she finished her examination Look thank you for interfering at the party Just as a warning that Tooya might be a nameless prick but on his friend�s list is someone with real clout Even my partner is scared If they come after me they sure as hell would come after you

Randidly frowned and Tatiana had a knowing look in her eye But Randidly suspected that she misread the reason he was upset Obviously dealing with almost anything a single person could throw at him would be relatively straightforward The problem was that this unnamed individual might use government forces to deal with him Which might bring him to Ghost�s attention

Inwardly Randidly made another mental note construct a bucket list This bucket list wasn�t for before he died but what to do immediately should he ever be discovered by the Zone 1 government Item number one was to have an interaction with Ghost to determine his connection with the Creature

Snapping back to the present Randidly said So you will be in the area for a while

Tatiana gave him a wry smile Why do you plan on asking me out

Instinctively Randidly chuckled When was the last time he had time for flirting Helen likely and that had ended

Abruptly Randidly realized that Tatiana�s face had gone strange He felt a flash of panic Oh not that you aren�t someone to ask out you�re very striking It�s just

It�s my fault for making a poor joke Ha I can�t remember the last time someone called me striking you are a strange mix of things Mr Baloo Erickson

Smiling Randidly said You can call me

Then he stopped Instantly his high Intelligence and Reaction both rose and started firing on all cylinders He was about to say Rand but that was too close to his real identity And it wasn�t like his name was common enough for it to slip by in conversation So he went back to the original inspiration for his fake name with his Stats being so high that Tatiana likely didn�t even notice the hitch in his speech

Viking Or V It�s a nickname Inwardly Randidly burned red with shame Did he really just ask an attractive woman to call him Viking

Viking She gave him a frank look You don�t exactly uh

Randidly looked down at the belly conjured by the illusion He was about to say something when he realized that the corners of Tatiana�s eyes were crinkled up with humor He cleared his throat

Well it�s not raiding season so I might have let myself go A bit Randidly said matter of factly

Tatiana burst out laughing

Afterward both agreed to keep in touch while they were in the area and went their separate ways To Randidly�s surprise Tatiana went farther West out past the edge of town Shrugging he went inside his little shed he supposed it didn�t matter where he did his scans So he settled down and gathered Aether to himself

To start he repeated his previous huge expenditure spreading his reach over all of the Zone As his Mana burned out quickly Plant Dominance extended rapidly outwards It wasn�t something that most people would detect He didn�t use it to move the plants but Randidly couldn�t discount the possibility that his use of the Skill would cause a ripple to spread outwards the moment the Skill touched the plants Still he believed it was worth it He needed information

Again the time after the scan was about two hours of sifting through information This time he ferreted out the Creature�s touch rather quickly Its particular brand of Aether stuck out among the others Randidly�s gaze sharpened It was even more widely dispersed now What did it mean

The rest of the night Randidly sent directed pulses of Aether to sense certain areas of Zone 1 He started with the military and political headquarters while staying away from the West Providence where Ghost was working out of To his surprise Randidly wasn�t able to detect anything in any of the military or government locations that he checked

That was interesting So the Creature had no direct hand in the UHF for all that meant That was basically a puppet for Ghost anyway Randidly was tempted to move directly onto scanning Ghost�s area but he was still wary Best to wait another day when he had more Mana and wasn�t already exhausted There was no real hurry as far as Randidly knew although it was difficult to remain comfortable when an enemy he had clashed with so many times was lurking around him

Sighing Randidly leaned back and looked up at the ceiling One thing at a time he could only do one thing at a time Focus on that task sharpen his mind to it Only with 100% of his will behind it would he get the best results

The spear can only move forward

Abruptly Randidly chuckled It had been a while since he had thought about Shal and his advice But reflecting upon it there was a lot that could be gained from using the principles he had learned from Shal and Aemont Especially now when he was attempting to formulate a Skill There was a particular resistance to it as if his Aether knew this had already occurred and it was unwilling to move in the same shape Forcing it didn�t solve the issue so Randidly was interested in softer methods

So for the rest of the night Randidly produced the Diary of the Spear Phantom and read from it By the end of the night his eyes were glowing with a bright emerald light

Chapter 520

Alan softly rubbed Jane�s hair The sleeping girl stirred but only a little and rolled over

This is all for you so you can be strong far stronger than me Alan whispered This is all for you

His wristlet buzzed and Alan withdrew his hand from rubbing his daughter�s hair he didn�t want her to wake His first reaction was annoyance but then he noticed it was Ezekiel calling him and his attention sharpened Ezekiel hadn�t checked in with Ghost yesterday for whatever reason and Alan was very interested in knowing why

As Alan walked out of the room and answered the call he had a brief moment of wonderment why did Ghost feed him that bit of information about Ezekiel not checking in Recently Alan had become increasingly paranoid of Ghost�s motivations Part of the reason was the stress of dealing with constant setbacks in the borderlands and the Zone growth but another part was that the rest of the UHF government was insulated from those problems Therefore they began to grow more demanding and vindictive losing sight of the threat hanging above all their heads

Hello How goes the exploration

Instead of the man�s usual snarky attitude Ezekiel seemed remarkably somber when he spoke We�ve made contact with the people of Zone 32 and people who have access to the upper levels of government at the main Village here It�s hard to understand but it looks like we lucked into a high ranking military squad But there is more

After a hesitation Ezekiel continued when we encountered them I engaged in a rather friendly duel with one of the locals I believe that both sides were curious about the other side�s strength

Ezekiel didn�t continue as if he didn�t know what to say Alan breathed out through his nose No wonder the man hadn�t checked in It was an emotional problem That also explained why Ghost put the task on Alan to solve That shitty little glorified toaster

You lost

Yes and badly But that�s not the worst of it Hank participated after me and with someone I would say Ezekiel seemed to struggle for several seconds before he said would say was much more powerful He fought him to a draw but I believe Hank was injured There was

WHAT Alan shouted Immediately he winced and hurried further down the hall from Jane�s room If she awakened his wife would kill him He continued down the hall and out onto the veranda of the house

What happened It was almost unimaginable to Alan that his brother would ever lose The man was a shortsighted idiot but he had been carefully shaped and sculpted by their father who was a man who was nothing if not thorough

I was unconscious but from what the kid told me

Kid

Oh yea Now Ezekiel fell silent again but it wasn�t shame that silenced him but another sort of embarrassment As if he were caught playing with matches by an adult Their uh their doctor was just a kid like 13 or 14 It was hard to tell he talks really strangely But he said that Hank developed a new Skill and was just suffering from a lack of ambient energy The kid supplied it somehow and helped him heal

Alan muted the call as he pondered this and wrapped twice on the wood of the railing As expected a bird landed next to him flashing with a metallic gleam As it opened its mouth it spoke with Ghost�s tinny voice It is possible More than possible I always expected that Hank had incredible potential so much so that him creating a Skill was only a matter of time Only

The bird trailed off A soft Hello came out of Alan�s watch The tiny bird shook its head and said Only I am concerned that a child would have the ability to fix it It is disturbing I�ll update my projections for this Zone with the provided information

Alan unmuted the communication I�m here Inform me the instant that Hank awakens Is there anything else

Yes There is a natural formation of ice here something really weird The locals they say it�s a remnant of a battle one of theirs had with something called a Judgement� It doesn�t mean anything to me but I thought it might mean something to Ghost

It didn�t mean anything to Alan either but that didn�t mean it wasn�t important Hopefully Ghost would feel it fit to share that tidbit of information with him Before he let Ezekiel go Alan clearly asked Are you the father of Randidly Ghosthound

There was silence And then the line went dead as if Ezekiel hadn�t heard the question Alan swore quietly He rapped on the wooden rail again and then spoke What can you tell me about this Randidly Ghosthound

Confusing Ghost�s little bird said I�ve been following his movements but it is difficult both due to his speed of movement and the limitations on the drone Hopefully a breakthrough with the drone initiative will happen soon and these problems will become moot

Alan fell silent The young man was apparently willing to just busy himself with small tasks ignoring the political ramifications of his obvious strength Worst of all he was apparently working for Senator Firefly the minority speaker in Congress The man�s pompous attitude relying on the younger Ghosthound to back it up was becoming increasingly obnoxious Another problem to deal with

But instead Alan moved on to a different topic Father Foster and her ilk are setting up another normalization camp in the West after they heard of that new suburb the boundaries are likely to expand to I can interfere but it will be

Let them be Ghost replied quietly

Alan�s mouth firmed into a grim line I urge you to examine their actions more harshly You know Dr Karman was last seen at one of their

I am aware They have been investigated They are clean And with that the bird flew away Alan swore quietly and abruptly wished he had a cigarette He never smoked himself but Hank had and Alan made it a habit to borrow them while the two brothers were still close But obtaining them now was extremely difficult The tobacco farms existed but no one was really willing to work them Prices skyrocketed

Sighing Alan turned back and went to the kitchen to make coffee It might be almost midnight but he had work to do

Neveah had been given simple instructions

I need you to be me Randidly had said to her But me at my most low key I don�t want to scare them I just want them to think they know where I am especially before they realize realize what I am to Zone 32 I want to be a mysterious but harmless presence But if you have any questions feel free to contact me

Neveah resolved never to need to contact Randidly Both because he was likely busy doing some boring training but also because this was the first time she had ever been alone

She was very excited

So when she wandered into Zone 1 she considered what she knew about Randidly and what he did when he was low key He didn�t like to talk to people so she couldn�t just waltz into a town as much as that made her sad That just wasn�t Randidly�s style

Instead he had this mysterious power of making other people come to him This Neveah had studied in detail So when she was in Zone 1 she did her best to emulate Randidly After months of careful study her examination had yielded definitive results Move somewhere make a home a little away from other people and people came and visited you That was simply how it worked

Now homes were very important to people and now that Neveah was a people they were very important to her as well Monsters weren�t particularly concerned about such things a cave was just as good as the open sky as long as it wasn�t raining But to people a home was an obvious weakness and an expression of oneself Although Neveah had initially thought the concept of a home was stupid why give your enemies the exact place they needed to strike to wound you she recently realized that was the point

This home would be her weakness So if she wanted to meet people she simply had to wait and defend it It was strangely logical in a very human way

So she followed her process First find a big city She skipped some of the smaller ones as she wasn�t interested in just a few people coming Randidly had told her to make sure they knew where she was Or he was Gender was confusing to Neveah at the best of times and pretending to be Randidly made her more confused

Then she found a nearby hill There was an apple grove there but Neveah never liked apples and she demolished it Meat was much more suited to her tastes Then using her Earth Shaping Skill she constructed a castle Her original idea was to make a giant statue of Randidly to show people around who was there but then she remembered that she also had to be low key So instead she spent time sculpting all of her favorite people in her front yard but on a small scale Randidly Alana Ace Dinesh Tykes

Then within a single day people came to visit her just as she planned It was so nice to be proved right

Chapter 521

Gary Firefly was a meticulous man It was what earned him his job as a curator at the National History Museum and it was what enabled him to best take advantage of the arrival of the System letting him become a Senator He ate the same breakfast every day squeezed apple juice and sauteed spinach and peppers It was the reason he had lived to the age of 58 before the System and the reason he would continue living to be 100 now that he had used his Stats to reinforce his Vitality and Endurance

Therefore it was a bad Tuesday when he had been told that someone had demolished his private orchards and erected a castle there During a four hour span of time

The orchards he maintained because a cute fellow curator Ms Terrygate had always talked about the apple orchards of her youth When he became a Senator he planted the orchards on a whim just a half mile from Carrolshold the heart of his district Almost casually he had asked Ms Terrygate if she would work for him caring for the orchard

He obviously didn�t intend anything untoward he had been a married man before the System�s arrival and she was 20 years his junior It was very unfortunate that his wife had perished in the System�s initial chaos and Gary couldn�t deny that Ms Terrygate made him feel a sense of warm comfort

Gary Firefly at first wanted to send a few chosen military elites to get to the bottom of this but he was cautious in addition to being meticulous Doing something so rapidly required some manner of resources Until he determined who was behind this he would remain tranquil So Gary went himself to visit this strange new castle

When he arrived he bid his security detail of 6 men to wait behind Although Gary himself was only Level 39 he had on him at all times an energysuit that had been specially designed with protection in mind Without a monster above Level 50 appearing within the bounds of the Zone Gary was relatively confident that nothing could harm him

There was a gate of the sort that was 3 meters high and 2 meters wide and would normally have been filled with wooden doors There were no wooden doors There was only the cold imposing stone of the castle walls At the entranceway Gary cleared his throat Then he did it again more loudly

When no answer was forthcoming Gary hesitantly stepped across the threshold Within there was a wide courtyard and a keep The courtyard was populated with strange stoic statues Gary�s frown deepened as he took several steps forward examining a female figure holding a spear The handling was rough as if the sculpture was hastily done But the casual nature of the doing couldn�t cover up the talent of the artist who had done these Even without putting an eye out for detail they were still excellent

The woman in front of him felt like an ancient Amazonian warrior with a strong jaw and a long spear that radiated the possibility of a sudden strike She was beautiful too but in an abstract way that Gary found fascinating Although very little time was done with her face the more Gary looked the more he could see that there were places where the artist had slowed down to capture the right feeling The hands for one with the lines of tendons so clear that Gary brushed his own knuckles across them The feet too and the knees

It was in the physicality that the artist concentrated their focus and it made for a raw awe inspiring sculpture

So the owner of this new castle wasn�t just wealthy but also appreciated fine art An individual of class then

Gary Firefly continued farther until he came upon the entrance to the keep Like the outer wall there were no doors in any of the entranceways and the windows were also wide and bare Gary shivered it felt as though he was walking through the bones of a castle rather than a castle proper Why had the owner done this when she or he showed such an eye for detail in the sculptures

Because physicality was important Gary realized with a chill From afar none would know the gaping entrances of the place they would only see the castle This then was a message

At the entrance to the keep Gary stopped and cleared his throat once more Again there was no response He grimaced This was what he was worried about If no one was here what was he to do He could obviously destroy the castle but

Do me a favor

Gary Firefly half turned and saw a young man with short black hair that was coming around the side of the keep His eyes were fierce but there was a powerful curiosity in that face The young man spoke again

Don�t move

Then without waiting for an answer the young man stopped stared fixedly at Gary for several seconds and then raised his hands and flexed his fingers The ground trembled and then rose Stone seemed to flow like liquid upwards resisting the power of gravity

Gary�s eyes widened immediately This man was using a Skill to sculpt And not something like Sculpting but in fact he had a Skill that would allow him to control stone Gary was privy to some of the most top secret disclosures that Ghost provided to the government so he understood conceptually that Skills could accomplish almost anything if they were trained

But he had also cast his vote to focus the Zone towards technology rather than developing the magic of the System Humans had been on top of the food chain for thousands of years and Gary Firefly had firmly believed that if they continued relying on the technology they possessed they would continue to be so Initial results before the borderlands opened up seemed to prove Gary right

But now watching this artist work

It took all of 10 minutes with Gary standing transfixed as he watched the man work First the shape then the face and posture and then the details A very long minute spent elaborating Gary�s right hand and the spatial watch he had there held at the ready for any ambushes Also a long time on Gary�s tie and collar accentuating his distinguished state of dress

When the man finished he didn�t say anything but his face brightened Then he grinned at Gary Randidly Ghosthound I just moved here

I Gary blinked gazing at Randidly�s outstretched hand Ghosthound That name sounded familiar But then the reality of the situation and the memory of the destroyed orchard came back with a vengeance Gary took the man�s hand but coughed lightly when the man�s shake was almost limp

It was like he had never shaken a hand before Gary made sure to make his own grip vigorous From what he understood those who focused on magic would oftentimes leave their physical Stats low Any edge now would be useful

Indeed My name is Gary Firefly as I�m sure you know I own this land I am just wondering who put you up to this stunt of destroying my orchard Gary�s tone was dry

I didn�t know You grew apples Sad The young man said shaking his head

Forcing to keep his rising blood pressure even Gary said Those orchards meant a lot to me Do you have any idea who I am

No I�m from the other Zone The young man said matter of factly

This stalled Gary�s next comment leaving him somewhat confused This was not how he had expected the conversation to go But before he could gather his reaction the young man continued speaking

But taking something is bad I owe you a favor What would you like me to do

Again not what Gary had expected He had expected to walk into a strange political meeting of some sort where someone got his attention with the orchard but had a larger plot backing them up so that Senator Firefly would be kept from seeking vengeance Instead he found a young man that claimed to have no knowledge of who he was and offered him a very open favor

Was it possible the young man was telling the truth He definitely had some capabilities based on how quickly he had made the statue But crossing over from the other Zone So quickly Not only would one need to be strong but they would also need to be strong enough to travel quickly

But if this strange character was truly that strong

Gary Firefly wasn�t usually a person who went off of gut feelings or went out on a limb but the combination of the strange castle the sculptures and this man�s attitude had put him on his back foot So he smiled and said

If you replant my orchards and bring me the body of a Level 60 monster we can call it even

What he did not expect was for the man to smile and ask Maybe we can be friends as well

Chapter 522

It turned out that becoming friends with Randidly Ghosthound was one of the best decisions that Gary Firefly had ever made Everything he touched seemed to go well He had inquired about Rand�s Stats and Skills and had been refused with a bright smile Still Gary didn�t really care about the details It was enough that this young man produced results

Within the past three weeks since Gary had met Rand the young man had given him enough high Level carcasses that West Providence had paid Senator Firefly�s personal military company ten million dollars in order to acquire more materials to experiment on As they pushed the bounds of weapons they needed to be sure that their results were enough to overcome the rising Endurance of these high Level monsters

One time Rand had actually asked what Gary did with the bodies the young man had been thoughtful Then he had informed Gary in his strange abridged speech not to put too much stock in such tests because they didn�t account for the monster�s Skill

This was a revelation to Gary Luckily only Rand was there to see it and the socially awkward kid just grinned about it It was with great pleasure that Gary Firefly met with the representatives of West Providence

Your research is going well Gary asked knowing how these idiots would answer

This particular representative was a young woman with her blonde hair up in a ponytail She beamed at him Yes excellent With these examples we believe we have a prototype that will revolutionize the military sciences Very soon we expect the borderlands to be open to us

Of course of course That�s good to hear Gary said Perhaps I was being foolish I abruptly had a queer fear last night you didn�t account for the monsters� Skills when you performed the experiments but undoubtedly my fears are unfounded I cannot wait for the good news I hope you don�t mind if I inform Congress of the projections of your

Wait wait She was shaken now but in the bright eyed optimistic way of youth Account for the Skills Of course when the monster died they stopped Senator where are you going If you don�t mind I�m sure my supervisor would love to hear

I�m terribly sorry I�m sure you understand I have another meeting Gary said smoothing his shirt down

His meeting was a visit to his newly planted orchards Rand wasn�t exceptionally talented at planting but the System made up for a lot of deficiencies Within a week of the castle�s arrival there was now an orchard on the hill beneath it After these three weeks Gary felt no choice but to believe that this Randidly Ghosthound was from another Zone Ghost himself had agents watching Rand�s every move corroborating the stranger�s story implicitly

Gary was just pleased that Rand had come to him and damn the stupid orchards What was a silly dalliance before being in control of your own destiny Due to Rand�s actions Gary�s faction was better respected by West Providence which got him the high end prototypes to field test This in turn earned him the support of the military who wanted to control who had access to these prototypes

After watching Father Foster�s movements Gary also had a thought to sponsor a refugee camp for those who would be liberated from the frozen time in the borderlands It was unclear how many would survive but Senator Firefly liked the sound of spinning himself as a humanitarian force with the election coming up in two months There wasn�t looking to be any real resistance in his district but he knew some of his supporters would be facing tough slogs with Father Foster gaining more mainstream support

Which was why when he arrived at the orchard he approached Randidly with a smile The young man basically seemed to spend most of his time with Gary�s aides and Ms Terrygate who had taken on a motherly role for the kid There certainly was something childlike about Rand and the way he reacted so surprised at even the most common thing

Shoes for instance left Rand aghast and even after the concept was explained to him he shook his head and said he wasn�t allowed

Rand how are you Gary asked finding the kid picking apples with at least three of Gary�s most athletic aides all of them sweating Without looking up Rand answered while he continued to pluck and throw apples over his shoulder towards the three aides

Good good good This is fun His hands worked independent of each other and flicked his wrist only lightly to throw each apple But each sailed over towards the area where the three aides held baskets and caught the apples In fact the dropped apples were only because the aides kept competing with each other to catch the apples

As Gary arrived they all paused for a second and looked at him as though they were caught committing a crime It was only when three apples hit the ground due to their inaction that they snapped back to it taking turns now

mm Indeed I�m glad you�ve learned to appreciate apples Oh by the way did you know a lot of my friends are moving into this area They might even help out with the orchards I�m just trying to figure out where they can stay

Oh Rand said brightly turning around with a smile They can stay at my castle I have a lot of empty space

Well I don�t know and I wouldn�t want to impose Gary said slowly Besides this might be as many as a thousand people I doubt there is enough room

Well I could just make more Rand said with a shrug

Gary smiled Oh could you

Days settled into a routine for Randidly From morning until early evening he worked in the furnaces making more of the sought after Erickson Steel Apparently the quality had so impressed some of the buyers that demand was rapidly increasing and now Foreman Davey paid him 6 50 per ingot It was a small thing but in the quantities that Randidly was selling it quickly added up to several extra hundreds

In addition Randidly was experimenting with more advanced metals and experiencing modest success He didn�t go so far as to mix his blood into the metal again as that metal was so resilient he couldn�t shape it but he used other recipes to make metals that Randidly would experiment with on the side

Refine and Extract were the obvious beneficiaries of this extra experimentation as both continued to steadily improve In the early evening he would return to his little hovel Occasionally he would receive calls through his interspatial watch that seemed to function much the same as a phone Randidly made a note to see if the technology of it was possible to bring also to Zone 32

Not that the communication really mattered as people had the friend�s list function of the System But it was a familiar distraction Humanity here seemed to take comfort in it

Most of these calls were either from Griffith or Tatiana although occasionally Foreman Davey would call talking about a spike in demand for Erickson Steel Inwardly Randidly wondered how they seemed to know he was taking a break at this time In addition how the hell did they justify communicating with him if he spent his time in this worthless hut Randidly wasn�t a status minded person and even he was starting to be irked by the thought that he would be seen living in this place By now most steelworkers knew of him and his Erickson Steel and greeted him deferentially It was nice

It wasn�t enough prestige to catch the attention of Ghost but it was a nice return to the respect he received in Donnyton

But on the subject of how the other people justified his home maybe they just thought he was that sorta guy After all most people seemed more thrown by his bare feet Randidly shook his head sadly

In the evening and through the night he would go to the forest and work on his search and his underground space Of all the areas of these few weeks for Randidly the most disappointing was the search for the Creature He must have gone up and down the Zone searching for traces of Aether and yet he found nothing

The giant scans that exhausted him still caught the barest hint but the individual scans did not It was infuriating but it also made Randidly cautious The best explanation that Randidly could think of was that the Creature had prepared countermeasures for him Although he could subvert it with his general search the specific ones didn�t let him detect it

Still Lucretia was working tirelessly to expand his ability to detect Aether and the related Skills improved as a result It was only a matter of time And when the clash happened Randidly intended to be ready

In some ways his daytjime activities improved his focus for the night activities because as time went on his image for the underground area shifted Now Randidly was creating not only a housing comlex but also a forge where he could make his own metal away from the eyes of Ghost

The only other indulgence Randidly allowed himself was to continue to plant the flowers left at that small shrine into the ground quickly turning it into a strange little grotto in the forest Some of Randidly�s Vitality seemed to bleed into the flowers he touched and they often grew bigger or brighter than their normal counterparts Some of the flowers even climbed up nearby trees like vines

The Raid Boss that was hiding within the area had disappeared along with its spawn but Randidly didn�t mind It was all the better that it left especially with the increased military presence in the area The borders of the Zone had continued to expand and probably close to 2 000 people had been relocated to a nearby camp run by the strange church of Father Foster

When Randidly heard this figure there was a very sour feeling in his chest These 2 000 were only ? of the total that had been freed by the expanding edges of the Zone But along with people high Level monsters were found there The rescue operations encountered heavy casualties All the while Randidly knew he could have done something about it

Chapter 523

So it was about a month and a half since Randidly had arrived in the Zone he had 9 670 00 and was just about to begin the smelting of what might be his final batch of metal as a steelworker when there was a knock at the door to his rented workroom

Randidly paused This had never happened before Was it Foreman Davey

But when he opened the heavy metal door there were two unfamiliar men in military uniforms Both were wearing packs that contained expandable exosuits Both seemed to be relatively capable for men from Zone 1

Mr Baloo Erickson The first man said It is unfortunate but the military has been extremely hard pressed with the expansion of the Zone Thousands die because we simply don�t have enough bodies We are here to inform you that your military Skill has been noted Congratulations you have been invited to be part of a rescue operation occurring tomorrow

Randidly smiled Unfortunately I�ll be fulfilling an order for Foreman Davey tomorrow

Such an invitation is compulsory for those who do not possess Tier I citizenship Our orders come from a power much stronger than the Analytics team The man said with a sneer His partner regarded Randidly with a more mild gaze but the milder one was the more dangerous one for sure Still it rankled to have these two here to strong arm him

fine then Randidly said softly He could flee or resist but he truly had felt guilty about the fact he had so much power and didn�t use it to help these people He could have prevented thousands of deaths These past few days he had been haunted by those lives And this haunting was far worse than it was when Randidly had killed the guards back in Shal�s world as they escaped from the prison This was a different sort of guilt one he couldn�t shake And it was affecting his image formation

Then Randidly made to close the door but the sneering guard stepped forward to block him Mr Erickson I trust you understand we cannot trust citizenship less individuals You haven�t proven yourself to the country As such you will be staying in a holding

Oh Randidly�s voice was still soft but now his smile was reckless He opened up Indomitable Will of Yggdrasil and Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil His whole bearing changed Around him he felt the illusion pulse and warp somewhat under the Skill�s powerful effects But at that moment his eyes were emerald suns burning with a righteous fury But I don�t want to And that is enough isn�t it

Dull eyed the guard stumbled backward taking the Skills directly Immediately Randidly cut them off and turned to the other guard I�ll be there tomorrow Be safe friends

The other guard who had only been hit by the edge was still white But he gave Randidly a tight lipped nod as Randidly closed the door Frowning Randidly moved away and headed back to his metals The fact they had approached him here this wasn�t a random thing Perhaps this was Tatiana�s warning finally coming to fruition Was someone within the government throwing him in harm�s way as a favor for Tooya

Randidly hadn�t seen the man or his brother around since the party Even Ricky Stain had left him alone although Randidly knew that the slimeball was still approaching other metal workers and getting them to go through him for their raw materials and sales As Randidly expected rumors had emerged that Ricky Stain provided raw ore that was of the most inferior grade and most everyone had distanced themselves from him

But there were always the desperate

As for the current problem the only question was whether the person who caused this would monitor his performance and attempt to hurt him more directly or whether this experience was enough

Randidly sighed Remaining low key was hard

Bulletsto ah fuck this

Hank stepped back waving his hands placatingly Grinning Kayle stopped and spun his knives across his fingers

Surrendering so soon That makes your record 0 and 10 against us Kayle said the gloating evident in his tone

1 and 1 and 9 Hank corrected for the millionth time

Kayle waved his hand airily The duel where you collapsed counted as a loss not a draw And also the win was against Vandal He�s just a kid But you�ve recovered well and you are much sharper now Excited to head back into the borderlands huh We�ve finally been given orders to do a sweep through the edge of the Zone and find any more survivors It will be good to move on from this Ghostice

Hank nodded slowly It was time for their group to move on as well They had stayed here two weeks already first to allow him to recover from that close brush with a deadly Aether Starvation and then to give Hank�s group the chance to fight with the locals if they wished

It was a summarily humiliating experience Laurel had abstained preferring to talk with the Zone 32 mages as to their training methods But Affina Ezekiel and Hank when he recovered all challenged the various members of the other expedition

It quickly became apparent that there was a definite tier amongst the people and between the two groups At the bottom there was the average fighter from the buckle wearing town East End They were strong quick and competent but they were ultimately just grunt soldiers and Hank�s group didn�t bother with them Above them there was a vast space with the Donnyton Squad members They each had different strengths but were mostly role players These too were ultimately set aside as opponents Beyond them lay the third tier and the place where Affina and Ezekiel found themselves suitably challenged That was Vandal the leader of Squad 29 and the two vice captains of the other Squads

These four were great at everything and incredible at their own individual area Fighting against them was usually a matter of a chess match where you would try and get the opportunity to take advantage of the area in which you were great and kept the opponent from doing the same

Hank especially after he had obtained the three new Skills and his evolved Soulskill found these four to be increasingly easy to suppress As he recovered and familiarized himself with his new tools he felt an increasing gap opening up between them Mostly Hank believed it was his new SoulSkill The Ballad of the Righteous Coyote He just felt grounded in a way that he had never previously Like he was connected to something bigger like the fabric of the world�s story was laid out before him

With his Soulskill he could understand a bit of what was occurring or about to occur in the world Knowing his role allowed Hank to exceed his normal performance He was poised and ready for any trouble the world might throw at him And in a strange way Hank felt he could lift his nose to the wind and smell trouble coming a mile off

Right now he smelled it both in front of him and behind him which was disturbing But his instincts seemed to push him forward Besides he had a responsibility to speak with the political leaders of this Donnyton This was his path

Well that was at least how it felt to Hank It was a nebulous thing this feeling his Soulskill gave him But it was delightful to feel

When he brought it up to Laurel she gave him a strange look then shrugged This gave him more worries than relief because she was the type that became extremely quiet and solemn only when she felt something serious was occurring When Hank asked Paolo and Kayle he received a much more direct answer

They exchanged knowing looks and then Kayle said You�ll have to talk to Nathan if you want to know anything more specific but I suspect what you feel is a bit of pure Aether It will make the System more malleable to you for a while Relish this chance they are hard to come by

After some searching Hank had learned that Nathan had returned to the borderlands right after helping him He resolved himself to thank the kid when he came back through the borderlands

When Hank himself wasn�t dueling he was watching other duels of all levels of strength and skill There were group battles too generally 5 on 5s between the Donnyton Squads and also between Donnyton and East End Although there was a powerful rivalry there was also an admirable comradery there But Hank supposed that was just the way it had to be between people of this level of strength Everyone knew how hard getting here was There was a respect for that

Hank tried the group fights once but it was a whole different animal In that match he was isolated from his squad and knocked out Luckily a woman who used two shields named Cassie smashed apart the enemy forces in the time it took for Hank to finally go down rendering his squad the victor

But the fun couldn�t last It had been two weeks of training and it was time to move on When Hank counted up his PP his eyebrows rose precipitously He had gained almost 70 Skill Levels over these two weeks Most of it was in his new Skills but still

That was more PP than he had gained in any month for the past year and a half And that was with him spending most of the first week recovering in bed

This is the difference between us � Hank thought reflecting on his losses This is the line And from what they said Paolo and Kayle are some of the best but they aren�t the best Hell what is the best of Zone 32 like �

Chapter 524

Paolo and Kayle saw them off Hank�s group would travel with the East End ers South to their Village and then would continue to Star Crossing and take a Teleportation Platform to Donnyton Again Hank was a little dubious about the process But at least he understood why these people didn�t seem to have any vehicles they could just fucking teleport

Hank shook hands with Paolo and then with Kayle Thank ye kindly for the instruction Who knows how long it would have taken for me to get a feel for this on my own You two are mighty talented to arrive here so quickly

Haha it�s not like we haven�t had help Paolo said his arms folded But the smug look on his face revealed how much he enjoyed the praise Hank�s mouth twitched but he said nothing But before the two Donnyton Squad leaders departed Paolo added

When you get to Donnyton find Alana Ask her for a duel She�s the current leader of Squad I That woman will show you what humans can aspire to be

Then Hank left with Vandal and his crew with Ezekiel Laurel and Affina trailing after Affina�s face was especially serious and many times she turned and looked back towards the direction that the Donnyton�s group vanished It even got to the point that Ezekiel noticed and zeroed in on this behavior

What are you doing Ezekiel drawled his eyes narrowed at the Asian woman You look like a lovesick schoolgirl Get a hold of yourself

Of all things Affina blushed I doubt that Sir Kayle sees me like that Just a daydream

Then she hurried off Ezekiel was left struck dumb staring after the usually so silent and stoic Affina Laurel snorted and walked up to Hank her arm sliding around Hank�s You guys really didn�t see her intently watching all of Kayle�s fights She even asked him to go for a walk so they could exchange pointers She played up her blindness around him so he would offer to lead her by the arm Does that seem like typical Affina to you

Hank shrugged Honestly he hadn�t seen any of that He was busy with other things Fighting and improving himself was one thing but there were others

The time spent recovering wasn�t just spent idle They had been in contact with the leaders of Zone 32 and they arranged a meeting with people in power They brought up certain issues but they were waiting until they were in person to conduct any real business

Secretly Paolo revealed that Donnyton was in heated talks with the other Villages over the substance of what Donnyton was able to agree Although Donnyton was the most powerful Paolo claimed the others weren�t without their own strength And Donnyton never wanted to make these decisions unilaterally

But one decision that they had come to and in turn Hank was told was that Donnyton was named the capital of the Zone and the Zone was named Rawland Although Donnyton was only a tenth of the Zone�s population sitting at 15 000 after the flood of new arrivals in the edges of the Zone it was where trade was concentrated

Still around the same time Hank found himself comfortable with his new Skills was when Rawland had reached a political decision they were ready for Hank and his group to come to Donnyton

The journey to East End felt quick although it took an entire day It was just a very different experience than traveling in the borderlands Here the monsters were frequent but they weren�t dangerous

This was one thing that puzzled Hank and when he asked Vandal the young man just shrugged Zone 32 or Rawland seemed to have more Raid Bosses and Dungeons than Zone 1 by a lot They took small diversions twice to address reports of a Raid Boss They defeated two Tier IIs and even stumbled across a Tier III that had hidden itself This was due to Laurel who felt a flash of insight that many would die if they did not go into a nearby copse of trees

There a Tier III python Raid Boss had set up hop and immediately ambushed them

Now Hank and his team were few but all were experts they acquitted themselves splendidly But there were several powerful individuals Vandal was a wrecking ball and the squad that came with him were experienced and efficient cleaners

During their weeks together Hank had gathered a few ideas about Vandal He ate the meat of monsters and took on some of their characteristics But what Hank didn�t realize was that due to the consumable nature of this Vandal didn�t use truly powerful monsters as fuel in a duel against other humans

After takings 6 bites of the dried meat Vandal swelled to become a 3 meter tall red hulk smashing the trees of the copse and revealing the python minions They bit and attempted to bind him but his raw physicality just ripped through their bodies He was a force of nature And behind him his squad moved quickly shooting bolts of fire at the incapacitated snakes reducing the pressure by finishing off the wounded enemies

Sighing after the battle Vandal transformed back into a normal human with an unhappy expression Only have one more of those Apparently it came from a four armed ape in the borderlands had to trade with the Ghosthound�s crew to get it What a waste definitely overkill

Ezekiel hadn�t heard but Hank�s ears harpened at the mention of the term the Ghosthound Then he inwardly shrugged Although they called Ezekiel his name it wasn�t so strange for them to have a nickname for Ezekiel�s son But that didn�t sit quite right with Hank

There was something in the way Vandal said the name something in his tone that gave Hank pause But he couldn�t rewind and hear it over again Plus it was a small thing So they moved on towards East End

When they arrived it was almost nightfall with low clouds sliding in from the edge of the horizon It would probably rain that night

As they spotted the mall that made up East End Hank spotted something else A small bunny like creature peering over a rock at Hank Aside from the fact that its ears seemed as long as its small body and lay flat against its head then down its back it really looked exactly like a brown rabbit But there was an intelligence in its eyes and a strange brown glow around it that seemed to indicate it was something more sinister

Hank reflexively drew his repeater and then hesitated Even if it was a monster it was such a small thing and he didn�t see a Level indicator above its head Was it really just a bunny Or a weird variation caused by the System That didn�t seem very difficult to believe

Shrugging Hank instead shoo ed it away and turned to follow the others in his group But as he did so he could clearly hear the soft sound of paws delicately moving over rock Resolutely Hank ignored it The creature wasn�t stalking him or getting closer just following him So what was the harm

But as they arrived at the entrance to the mall which had been heavily reinforced with metal bars the sound of the feet grew frantic the little bugger had launched into a sprint

Wheeling around Hank leveled his repeater but still when he looked at the small body the brown fur

wasn�t this just a fucking rabbit

But in its eyes Hank saw something else now excitement

The bunny leaped squealing and Hank decided to say fuck it He fired his repeater causing the rest of the group to turn around The bullet took the bunny in the chest

Or it would have Instead the bullet passed through the rabbit causing a few ripples in its body The rabbit continued unabated slamming into Hank�s right hand But again instead of being flung away it sank into his hand entered his body It felt warm and comfortable

Congratulations You have learned the Skill Elemental Affinity (Unique Earth) Lvl 1

Welcome to East End Vandal said yawning while he did so Land of the Elementals Come on in before more of them come to claim you all

Chapter 525

Congratulations your Skill is 30% complete Please continue to provide a powerful image to assist in the formation of the Skill

Randidly sighed He couldn�t stall anymore he would have to move to meet the military for the expedition soon He had hoped that when he put his mind to it it would not take too much effort to reform As the Sun Stills But without the assistance of the battle against that spear user who focused on the sun he was having a hard time capturing the feeling

Even now after reaching 30% he felt the well of focus on the image running dry he couldn�t finish the Skill like this Shaking his head Randidly stood and stretched a little then left his little shack to look up at the rising sun

Although the day seemed to loom before him with a huge waste of time that might result in him revealing himself Randidly was surprisingly cheerful He took the time to start a small fire and fry some eggs and monster meat he had stored in his interspatial ring Very quickly the smell of cooking food brought out nearby people Most of them were teens who didn�t like either their situation at home or the rules of the Unity Church camps and came here at the chance to work for something better But there were also some more impoverished families of steelworkers that came out with hopeful eyes

He hesitated for a few seconds checked the sun and then began to cook more food more than enough to everyone in the area to eat

Seeing that Randidly or rather Baloo was going to provide for the people many poor families approached with moist eyes and offered to help cook Randidly thanked them awkwardly and accepted A few of the more prosperous individuals went back to their homes and returned with a few things to help with the meal

It was cornmeal mostly and other bread but one family had a few jars of fruit juice and the most valuable bit was a bottle of pre System honey Randidly�s neighbor produced some potatoes and Randidly felt obliged to produce a basket of peppers he had Very soon there was a breakfast hash going and Randidly directed some of the children to plant the pepper seeds nearby

After a moment of thought he produced some corn and potato seeds he had and gave those to the children to plant as well When they finished Randidly pressed his hand into the ground and released a pulse of Aether It would only have a negligible effect but it would give the plants here an edge There might even be some mutations in the future due to that spurt of energy It was worth watching

By that time Randidly was close to running late and he departed the people waving him off and continuing to produce food to cook together Just as he was leaving he mentioned that it might be easier if some people dug a cooking pit and made some stationary grills to work on Then he left content with his 3 Levels in Cooking and 1 in Chef�s Palate

The base of operations for the expedition wasn�t hard to find They were situated midway between the steelworkers ghetto and the Unity Church�s Re education� Camp When he arrived Randidly was apparently recognized because one of the two grim sentries gestured for him to follow and led Randidly to a mustering area

These military types have too much free time Lucretia commented as Randidly walked through neat rows of tracts and tents Why must they insist everything be so precise It is extremely offputting

I suspect you are one of the few who thinks that � Randidly thought back bemused

Randidly felt her roll her eyes This is why your people have no understanding of karma They simply chase the shape rather than understanding the substance Neat rows will not let weak soldiers win wars

But it keeps the roads clear for them to flee � Randidly pointed at

As Lucretia cackled with laughter Randidly moved to join the group of about 30 or so people already standing there talking quietly Disturbingly there were about 6 soldiers around all of them carrying those plasma rifles that the people of Zone 1 love so much A lot of the people here he recognized with a pang they were people who traded regularly with Foreman Davey

A point for him just being swept up in this revenge which was good If this blow was aimed more at Foreman Davey and Randidly happened to be happily thrown into the danger area all for the better That meant they likely wouldn�t push him into using any of his true strength

He had checked his reflection this morning and he hadn�t found any deviations in the illusion But if anything that made him feel more nervous Fine for now meant it would fail later Hopefully the timing of that didn�t end up fucking him

Again Randidly wondered what Neveah was doing She seemed to be having a great time which was good but similarly worrying Her sense of fun was a bit skewed He blamed himself for allowing her to spend so much time with the two clowns Paolo and Kayle Dinesh was supposed to be a calming influence but he turned out to have just gotten corrupted by them as well And now

Now what he didn�t know wouldn�t hurt him

Very quickly a figure swayed through the crowd and arrived at his side

Hey Viking Tatiana said as if this were the most natural name in the world

Randidly blushed It was one thing for people to call him Randidly and for that to be weird After all he could blame the weirdness of that name on his parents Specifically on his coo coo mother But Viking was a name that Randidly blurted out when he couldn�t think of anything else it was a moniker of his who foolish making And explaining that it was just a joke or something now was a bit

So Randidly said coughing into his hand You are here too I wondered They don�t they don�t seem to be very worried about establishing a working relationship with us

No Tatiana�s smile remained bright but her voice was chilly They know what this is just like we do

It was a sobering thought Around them the crowd parted again and Gregory and Sonya came forward to stand with them It was a party reunion just short Griffith Randidly thought idly Around them the other steelworkers began to cluster Not joining them per se but listening intently

It seems we were designated as the leaders of this group Tatiana said with an eye roll

Must be our stunning good looks Gregory said revealing a gap tooth smile

Sonya gave Tatiana a long look Or our palpable charisma

Just then a man who appeared to be a higher rank than most of the soldiers strode out of a nearby tent and came to greet the gathered steelworkers To his credit when he glanced around at the surrounding soldiers he made a small gesture with his hand The soldiers that were standing around the group let go of their plasma rifles so they hung by their straps

It was a small reduction of an implied threat but it wasn�t something that the man had to do Randidly appreciated it

Good you are all here I�m Sergeant Phillip I�ll be acting as a liaison between you volunteers and the UHF military wait Sergeant Philip pulled up short as a skinny man opened his mouth to speak I have one rule for this do not say you didn�t volunteer It will go a lot easier for all of us if you embrace this charade and we don�t have to enforce the reality of the situation

The skinny man faltered Gregory folded his arms and gave the man a look Let�s hear what the Sergeant has to say

Either a bigger trp or this man is more interested in saving people than in being the instrument of the punishment for you Lucretia mused If he treats you all as volunteers you�ll have more autonomy and both you and he can ignore the ugliness that led you all here If you force the issue

A waste of effort � Randidly stayed still content to let Gregory take the lead here especially since he agreed with playing along with Sergeant Phillip�s game

Sergeant Philip turned to Gregory with a small smile Sergeant Phillip was an olive skinned man with short curly hair as I was saying I am your liaison Myself and five of my men will accompany you during the mission We have a 20 mile stretch to cover and based on our predictions the border is going to jump anywhere between a half mile and a mile backward That�s a lot of ground to cover and it�s all residential At least 10 000 people will need to be located and brought safely back into our Zone That�s our job

You might not know this but the real danger to the new arrivals to the System is monsters from other parts of the borderlands because time was frozen somehow prior to the System there are no monsters in this area That�s why we will have a detachment of 200 soldiers sweeping the surrounding area eliminating nearby monsters Now as soon as the time is unfrozen monsters will begin to spawn but they will start weak We need to get as many people out before the average Level of the monster reaches Level 30 That�s about the point where the detachment will start to feel pressured by the monster spawns That�s when we pull out

Inwardly Randidly felt disgusted that Level 30 monsters would be enough to force the detachment on their back foot but he supposed he couldn�t be that upset That�s the point where the thick outer skin of monsters meant that it took a lot more plasma to burn through In addition that was when monsters began having significant Levels in the Skills Now that was probably only about 50 Skill Levels but that did a lot to slow the burn of the plasma

Chapter 526

And what is our role Tatiana said The group of volunteers stood around them listening intently They too wondered what exactly the military has in store for them

Sergeant Phillip glanced at Tatiana and then blinked then looked at her again Tatiana�s suggestive smile inched wider It seemed that the good sergeant was so intent on his mission that he hadn�t truly looked at any of them Now he was momentarily struck dumb by Tatiana�s sensual appeal

This woman regularly calls me Viking � Randidly thought feeling deeply wounded at his own earlier mistake

Uh hello ma�am uh you um Sergeant Phillip stumbled for a bit then seemed to regain his momentum You will form small groups and fan out among the buildings No need to go in because it looks to be a lot of apartment buildings Just stand outside and direct people back towards where the reserve detachment of 25 men is waiting They will evacuate the people into defensible shelters

How will we know when the monster Level reaches the danger zone Randidly asked quietly

Twisting his mouth Sergeant Phillip said That�s the difficult part We will be partially relying on reports from the security detachment but there will be a delay between the monsters spawning in the new areas and wandering outward to the place where the squad is watching for monsters from higher Leveled areas

It seemed that Tatiana realized what Randidly meant after Sergeant Phillip answered They exchanged a long glance Basically they would know because they would now be being attacked by Level 30 monsters Everyone around them turned grim faced The truth of it hit them too There was now a definite edge in the glances that looked towards Sergeant Phillip and his crew

The Sergeant raised his hands I�m aware of the eventualities that are going through your head But let me assure you this won�t happen instantly There will be a gradient The Levels of monsters will be noticeably rising I recommend you form groups with this in mind Those that have the ability to handle something near Level 30 split up

Then he sighed We are all working under less than ideal conditions Congress isn�t giving us enough money to fund these rescue missions Most of the soldiers who came are volunteers using their off day to help It is unfortunate that you were all swept up in this but we need the bodies Please These people aren�t ready for the cruel realities of our new world They need someone to be there to help them

The mood shifted It was a small thing but it was enough Everyone remembered what it was like that first day when everything went to hell and no one knew what was going on around them

Randidly was inwardly wondering how quickly the Levels would rise and how quickly they could evacuate the populations Because hidden in this scenario that was developing was a decision on Randidly�s part Say only half of 10 000 people had been evacuated and then the military withdrew due to the monster Level Would Randidly choose his anonymity over the lives of these people

Of course he wouldn�t It was just a bitter thing that all his work might be for nothing But very quickly Randidly crushed that feeling After all there was a lot he could do to assist without actually appearing to assist The worry was just too many high Level Skill uses would wear at the substance� of the illusion whatever that was

Sergeant Phillip continued to speak We recommend you focus on the realities that the people can grasp now and not try to overwhelm them with the truth at the beginning It can be after all a little overwhelming Instead tell them there has been a power failure and that people are being evacuated to a station a mile away We will be passing out cadet uniforms to give what you say a bit more weight In addition the firing from the Borderlands will be audible That might scare the hesitant ones into moving

There were further explanations but they were largely ignored Sonya began to question the other people dividing them into groups with enough strength to fight against something that was Level 30 Tatiana drew Randidly to the side As it happened Randidly was very aware of how Sergeant Phillip�s eyes followed Tatiana as she moved with Randidly

It�s annoying but we should split up Tatiana announced as if she had only come to this decision after a large amount of thought Randidly blinked He hadn�t even thought for a second they would go together Both of them were strong enough to resist the Level 30 They should be apart

Then she gave him an amused look What You thought we were just going to hang out the whole time

No you�re right I was just surprised You�re acting like we

Her eyes flashed dangerously but Randidly ignored it you are acting like we are friends Ah well that came out wrong I suppose we are

Now it was Tatiana�s turn to blink Then she giggled girlishly all the sensuousness falling away to reveal a pure mirth Ha I suppose I deserve that Well I think neither of us are people that make friends easily Me because of my occupation and you because well because you can�t be bothered But it is a lonely thing to be out in the country without a friend

Randidly nodded slowly It had been a long time since he had thought about loneliness It was strange to consider now Then he shook his head That�s fine but promise me one thing

This isn�t all just a ploy to get closer to Sonya is it

Rolling her eyes Tatiana pushed at Randidly He took a half step to the side so she didn�t just throw herself backward with the push on him Then the two parted Bemused Randidly walked over to Sonya and she gave him the few people that would be under him during the evacuation All looked at him with extremely respectful looks in their eyes They likely saw Gregory Sonya and most of all Tatiana consulting him and accepted him as that sort of leader Which felt like quite the hassle

Randidly glanced over his shoulder Tatiana was brought by Gregory to a group of 3 young women and men that she would be leading Very quickly Tatiana said something and the whole group was laughing But while the group laughed she glanced over their shoulders at Randidly and winked at him Then she turned back to her group

Randidly shook his head sorrowfully looking at his group How did she do that She made leadership look so easy

Let�s uh do our best Randidly said awkwardly The group waited as if they expected more but Randidly didn�t have anything else to say They stood in awkward silence until the operation began

Alan�s hands were clasped tightly together You have the footage of this group from East End fighting against that Tier III Raid Boss What can you extrapolate from that in regards to the strength of this Rawlands

Ghost was silent for at least 10 seconds which was a very long time for his predictions in a war we would draw In anything less than a war we would be crushed

Alan frowned How does that make sense And give me some context I need to speak in front of Congress in an hour

Allowing me to speak at these sessions would be much more efficient Ghost said almost sullenly Alan just closed his eyes Again ten seconds passed before Ghost�s oddly metallic voice was heard

most of our research has been with an eye towards this final point in the System We have prepared the equivalent of a nuclear option based upon manatech For this reason an all out war against them would have a much more favorable outcome for us However if we do not rely on the nuclear option their individual strengths would inevitably suppress our military

the difference in population Alan began but he was interrupted

LIkely it would not be so much of a factor as you think As people grow stronger in the System they become not only more efficient but also gain a higher window of operational efficiency Let me lay this out in terms you can understand If we were to place these Squad Leaders Kayle and Paolo onto the Tier system they would be Tier 6 citizens That is simply the Skill they have shown Based on observation I estimate them to truly be something near to a Tier 7 citizen

These are individuals that are worth as much as a few hundred well trained men And people below Tier II will likely by of little to no use in handling these characters In addition through conversation and inferences my analytics suggest there are at least 20 of such Tier 7 individuals And one Tier 8 this Alana Randidly Ghosthound is also somewhere between those two Tiers We do not have anyone above Tier 5

Further our weapons were created as tools not as enhancements due to your predecessor�s shortsightedness We have not developed equipment to provide stats it solely adds more of a barrier for the wearer They are better equipped better trained and have better Skills Their Classes are diverse and effective Although they fight in an archaic manner

Alan�s eyes opened The decision wasn�t just made by the former President It was also heavily influenced by Dr Karman

Ghost fell silent

Sighing Alana asked You haven�t thought more about Father Foster

Your concern is amusing but rest assured I have every processor at my disposal carefully analyzing data regarding his murder If I so much as find a hint of a clue

If you are using all of your processors trying to catch the killer how are you making these grand predictions about Rawlands

For the third time Ghost fell silent and this time it was a silence that continued to stretch It seemed that the robot truly didn�t know how to respond to its figurative speech and Alan�s literal criticism Alan shook his head this is why machines couldn�t speak in Congress Aside from not being an elected official

so you recommend the political route Peaceful trade And in the meantime we engage in an arms race for control of the danger zones Alan said slowly

Affirmative

Shaking his head Alan stood That was the expected outcome It seemed that not all things had changed with the arrival of the System As always individual power took a backseat to the strength of an entire nation Although each Zone was powerful in its own right they were ultimately working together against the System There was not yet proof that it was worth it to waste their resources fighting each other

All was not lost however Ezekiel�s reports indicated a rift between the different cities in Rawlands There was no monolithic authority just the long reach of power

Chapter 527

Senator Firefly the floor is yours the Speaker said sitting down in his chair as Gary rose Gary flashed a smile to the room and took his time slowly walking to stand at the podium in the center His suit was charcoal with a maroon shirt and a crimson tie After an offhand comment from Randidly Ms Terrygate had spent an increased amount of time sewing as she attempted to raise her Skill

At first Gary had been dubious whether such effort was worth it and whether sewing would be a Skill worth having But his current suit was a testament to the amount of improvement that was possible over a month when there was a concerted effort Plus it had the strange side effect of increasing his Reaction and Focus by 5 stat points each Gary had never heard of such a thing

It had been so shocking that Gary hadn�t quite figured out how to use it to make a profit yet which was quite unlike him

President Howard sat with folded arms watching Gary walk up towards the podium The System had done away with parties as a concept and there hadn�t been enough time for new ideologies to emerge but Gary Firefly and Alan Howard had always been opposed Mostly on the issue of where funds should be allocated

Gary wanted the money to go through the military first with more emphasis on training and hardening� the Tier System Meanwhile Alan poured money into West Providence like he was giving water to a fish bleating weakly on land President Howard also argued against defining the Tier System too rigidly in fear of creating a caste system

Didn�t the fool realize it was far too late for that If they were going to have the damn thing they might as well make it clear and not rely on the mysticism of an AI to determine It would give the lower class workers hope to rise Right now there were so many damn probationary citizenship applications coming through that the Bureau of Citizenship was in shambles They needed money too

Everyone did

But today�s agenda concerned two issues one of which was at least ancillary related to citizenship the rising number of refugees and their new neighbor Rawlands

�Ladies and gentlemen thank you so much for letting me be the first speaker today as we discuss these critical issues facing our great nation � Gary said knowing full well that most would love for him to not to possess the dubious honor of starting with the floor Yet here he was mostly due to the extra clout that Gary had from Randidly

�We are here today to talk about whether to recognize this Zone 32 this Rawlands as an independent nation Obviously this is a point of contention as it was a nation that was previously under the umbrella of the United States of America the predecessor to the UHF But of course like us this Zone dragged itself up by its bootstraps through every trial and tribulation thrown at it to arrive here This is an accomplishment deserving of our admiration They were not prepared as we were They were not warned They could only struggle against each new threat that arrived before them in turn doing their utmost to survive �

Gary smiled �You might be wondering how I know these things That is because a traveler from Rawlands stopped into my orchards a few weeks ago and we�ve become very good friends His name is Randidly Ghosthound and he is a great warrior Although the technology of there Zone was practically stuck in the stone age they were still able to leverage the System to receive significant benefits I might also wager that these benefits are superior to our own The Classes they have access to are different than ours both in focus and diversity Mr Ghosthound told me once that over in Rawlands they believed that your Class does not just come from the criteria given to us by the Village Spirits but also is shaped by your understanding of the world

�When is the last time we saw a Class not related to our chosen profession Why do we lack this diversity

�I cannot speak to the undoubtedly compelling that President Howard will soon present for us today but I would like to make my stance known the commune of knowledge and connection of trade between our Zones can lead to nothing but benefits I believe that Rawlands should be recognized as a sovereign nation �

Now Gary paused looking at the bored and glazed eyes arrayed before them There were enough briefings and secret meetings prior to this that Gary didn�t doubt most knew how they would vote What he needed was something to stir the pot Not that he believed that in the end Rawlands wouldn�t be recognized but his sights were set further afield and this was just one round of a grand game

� in the interest of giving my fellow congress members a clear picture of how things stand I have brought Mr Ghosthound to today�s session He is currently waiting outside If there is a majority who shares my feelings perhaps it would be best if we question him directly �

Randidly�s eyelid twitched �Ma�am there has been an attack at the power plant Power is out We�ve been sent to escort civilians to a disaster station until we can apprehend the culprits �

�I don�t believe you � The woman said spitefully her wrinkled face squeezing together �You don�t truly believe in what�s going on If you are going to lie to my face then why would I come with you What if you are a salesman �

What is this salesman that this woman would fear them so Lucretia asked slightly puzzled

Randidly didn�t have the energy to answer her He had been hard at work for almost an hour now moving people from apartment buildings and condominiums and having them escorted back to the disaster station In the apartments once one person left most people followed drawn by Randidly�s crew�s air horns Their speed also rose noticeably when the first sounds of gunfire echoed in the distance

All in all Randidly had led his team of 6 to clear 5 buildings already They were moving so much faster than the soldier expected that Randidly sent one or two people into each building to pry out recalcitrants who didn�t exit when everyone else did With plant dominance it wasn�t hard to extend his senses into every houseplant and bit of mold in the building resulting in a pretty comprehensive search Things were easier in the buildings

Now they moved into higher end condos and there was significantly more trouble

�Ma�am the power is clearly out � Randidly said calmly wondering what crime he committed in a past life to deserve this inanity �You can hear gunfire There is no cell service This is an emergency and I would appreciate if you �

The woman a 60ish year old woman with a thick new jersey accent held out a phone to him �I dialed 911 and it�s ringing Now do you see why I can�t come with you You just told me the cell service is out and here it is ringing like normal �

The line clicked and then a voice emerged �Thank you for calling 911 what is your emergency �

Randidly wanted to slap himself in the face Of course Zone 1 took the time to set back up cellular service and of course they didn�t bother to improve it enough that old phones wouldn�t work �Look that was just a guess on my part But you really need to come with me Look your neighbors are departing �

�Bah they are Gentiles They are as gullible as lambs � the woman said waving her hand dismissively The family in question was a youngish couple with what looked like twin 5 year old boys They carried their children and hurried after one of Randidly�s team members towards the shelter

As Randidly considered his options he felt a pulse of warning from Acri it had encountered a monster in the nearby area that was Level 19 It looked like the rise in Levels was beginning to accelerate

Again Randidly tried to open his mouth to say something but the woman held up a forestalling hand �Get off my front lawn or I�m calling the cops And believe me I�ve made calls before they know they need to respond promptly to my calls �

Then Randidly�s radio squawked �Viking report High sighting for your group �

Grimacing Randidly raised the radio to his mouth and replied �19 �

Randidly�s squad had heard Tatiana say it and now they were saying it too The worst of it all was they all gave him weird looks but said nothing Inwardly Randidly deeply wished someone would say something anything just so he could come clean and make a joke out of it As it was it sounded like some lame codename a tween thought up

The woman of all fucking people snorted �Did they just call you Viking Do you think you are a spy Okay okay get off my land I�ve had enough �

She closed the door in his face Randidly waited three seconds then knocked There was the sound of dragging furniture and Randidly could see through the glass window on the door that the old woman was pulling a fainting couch over to block the door When she noticed his gaze she flipped him off

�Fine � Randidly said and he turned on his heel and walked away There were still about 30 people left in the neighborhood Beyond the neighborhood there was one more apartment building but Randidly had already sent two of his people ahead to talk to those gathered there and start bringing as many people as they could back

Chapter 528

One thing that Randidly noticed was that there were an absolutely mind boggling amount of people stuffed into these apartment buildings Likely around one thousand a pop His group alone would clear six of such buildings with almost 90% of that group moving back towards the designated location But rather than cheer Randidly up this chilled him to his core

Because the number they had been given was 10 000 people that they could save Randidly estimated that he had already sent 9000 back and that was just his group All in all the 5 groups could bring back 50 000 people assuming that the areas they moved in were similar sizes But Randidly had purposefully chosen the least populated area both because he didn�t want to have to interact overmuch with people and because he trusted that he could cover the most ground At his estimation by gathering information with Plant Dominance there was just shy of 80 000 souls in this newly freed up area

Randidly doubted that he was particularly more inciteful than the officials in the Zone They would likely have reached a similar number or a near estimate based on census information from pre System Yet they had said 10 000

How many people did they think were going to die here And they couldn�t send more military aid

How many people HAD died in situations like this

Randidly helped two more condos one of a couple another of a 10 person extended family when Sulfur sent out a cry Level 21

Fast too fast

Randidly used Plant Dominance again looking for a better picture of what they still needed to do and discovered several monsters lurking on the side streets watching the fleeing refugees that followed the military folk His eyes flashed and then his whole person rippled as he used Spearing Roots to simultaneously kill 12 such monsters

For several seconds the ripples continued until the illusion around Randidly finally settled his identity as Baloo Erickson still intact But he had felt the edges of it there

And also Aether Detection gave him some insight into what is happening The glamour around him was simply a powerfully felt image of a person The Skill left a Mana based medium on Randidly�s body that acted as an anchor to hold the image down and cause other people to see him thus It wasn�t a problem with the medium Randidly wasn�t detecting any weakness from that despite the passage of time Bruya certainly knew how to utilize illusions

BUt Randidly�s images for his Skills were so powerful that they were slowly rubbing away at the image that had been left on him to make him appear like Baloo

Randidly grimaced Did that mean he had to rely on old Skills like Mana Bolt and Arcane Orb It might be worth a try if combat became necessary

His radio squawked again as Randidly jogged back to the edge of his area to assist in the evacuation of the final apartment building �Level 25 spotted Repeat Level 25 spotted The support detachment is preparing to disengage All units prepare to withdraw The high Level monsters will soon arrive �

Randidly�s eyes narrowed into slits Level 25 What happened to

�I thought they were confident up to Level 30 � Tatiana�s quiet reply came For a second there was silence and then over the radio there was a long sigh from Sergeant Phillip

Ahead of Randidly there was some trouble as a group of teenager got into a fight with one of Randidly�s men They seemed to be refusing to move a lot like the old woman had

Gregory spoke coming over the line �If I pull out now there are probably a couple thousand people just sitting here twiddling their thumbs They will all die I can�t go I�ll stay as long as I have to �

Randidly pressed his eyes closed The problem was the images right So as long as he used a Skill that had a weak image one he hadn�t really worked on he could use it without damaging his illusion overmuch Plus it needed to get attention Although Randidly didn�t like it fear would be best That would get people moving Even if they were wildly stampeding as long as they headed in the right direction it would work out

Very quickly Randidly ran through his Skill list in his mind Pollen of the Rafflesia Too dangerous and would likely incapacitate Magic Missile No one would even know what they were seeing Maybe it really just was Arcane Orb to make a splash

But then Randidly remembered something He smiled

�Summon Pestilence �

When Randidly used the Skill originally he would generally summon it near him both out of convenience and due to the level of his stats But he had gained quite a few stats since then and when he poured his Mana into it this time he summoned the bugs in the sky At first it was nothing just a few dozens but then it was a dozen dozen and then hundreds and thousands The illusion wrapped around him rippled softly but it was nowhere near the chaotic trembling of before

Randidly showed his teeth It really seemed like his illusion was on its last legs Hopefully this worked

Before long there was a low drone as the bulk of the bugs remained in the sky swirling around each other A few Randidly brought down but those were just meant as scouts When he brought the bugs down he wanted it to seem like an end of days plague Only then would he be able to force even the most stubborn out of their homes Of course the more bugs he gathered and the more he imaged what he intended the stronger the disruption on his illusion was Randidly grimaced His Willpower was so high that even a casual image was strong enough to influence it

So he ceased stockpiling them and let them descend The droning quickly rose in volume becoming something that demanded attention

Somewhere a person looked up

They were the first ones to scream

Then more and more screams joined as the people realized what was happening Carefully Randidly focused his control over them to send the bugs to the windows up in the high places then began to apply pressure by throwing bodies against windows Likely due to his increased Intelligence even the smaller of the pestilential bugs were the size of a human hand and the bigger ones rivaled small dogs When people got a good look at what was trying to get into their house it was no wonder they fled

Of course there were those frozen by fear or those that locked themselves up in a closet to escape but they were in the minority Most quickly got to fleeing in the face of the bugs

�What is that Someone on the frontline report � Sergeant Phillip said but it seemed most everyone ignored the man They were all taking advantage of the chaos and momentum these bugs granted them and began moving more people towards safety

After clearing another condo Randidly figured most everyone who was going to leave was already leaving Satisfied he turned to go but then noticed a flash of light coming from a condo

The old woman who refused him earlier had come out onto her porch and had set out at least a dozen hairspray cans She currently had one can in her left hand and one of those elongated electric lighters used to light candles in the other

Calmly she lit the lighter and sprayed immolating a dozen bugs that were on her porch Then she delicately set her tools down and picked up a broom to sweep the carcasses off her porch

Sighing Randidly looked up The droning was almost deafening It was shaded in this area due to the number of bugs Yet this woman believed that she could calmly and methodically eliminate them Although Randidly felt a deep loathing for her he certainly had to respect her resolve

Wanting to attempt to save her one more time Randidly started walking towards her condo at a rapid pace Some of his restraints on his physical stats fell away and he moved much much faster than should be possible for a person moving at a walking speed But when he arrived outside her porch she was already ready with a quip

�Foolish bool put some shoes on I just swept the pests over that way You know if my husband was still alive he would sit you down and talk to you about the trappings of manhood but I haven�t the time �

Randidly was about to say HE didn�t have time for this shit when his face abruptly changed to a serious expression Without waiting for permission he vaulted up onto the old woman�s porch It was a small space and he almost hit her while doing it Then he stepped forward scanning his Skill list again

�Roundhouse Kick will have to do � Randidly thought

When the Level 33 Iguana blasted through the wall it was met with a roundhouse kick Its fleshy body was more resilient than Randidly expected so it was just stunned and he had to move forward and rip its body to shreds with a few Talon Strikes to finish it off His illusion trembled but it held

Chapter 529

It was becoming hard to direct the insects now so Randidly largely let them go buzzing too and fro attacking monsters and leaving people alone As he straightened the old woman was there with her arms folded regarding him frostily

Sighing Randidly said �Look you saw the notifications right A new magical apocalypse has hit earth Everything is governed by the System It lets you grow strong but it also throws monsters like that at you You were stuck in frozen time for the past year and a half and I�m just here to try and rescue you and people like you So stop making trouble and just let me get you to safety �

�Hmph you are single aren�t you young man � The woman said shaking her head as she walked past him �Still at that age when you get angry at women for forcing you to be honest Well what are you waiting for Don�t just stand there collecting giant bugs in your open mouth lead me to safety

Fuming Randidly closed his mouth and did so

Alan felt a headache coming on when he received the news This was exactly NOT what he wanted

Perhaps it had been callous of him but he had been carefully diverting resources from the rescue missions at the borders to other areas It wasn�t that he didn�t know about the loss of life but Alan believed it was worth it Right now the influx of so many people who didn�t understand the System or the threats that they were facing was undermining everything he had been able to build in the prior months There were so many votes coming into districts that it was almost impossible to keep track of them all

And no matter how much support the Tier initiative received Congress had always been careful to emphasize that voting did not require citizenship They were elitists but many of those that survived the early days of the System had clung strongly to their root beliefs about the nation All could who registered could vote

Still there were very real roadblocks in place to deter a casual registrant Often it would be more hassle than it was worth to spend the time to register to vote You would need an organization supporting such an effort on a vast scale to make it worth it

Which was Alan knew exactly what Father Foster was doing

The speaker cleared his throat �Mr President I believe the floor is now yours to say your piece on the diplomacy issue �

Alan stood casting a glance over towards Senator Firefly The man�s pompous grin was more of an eyesore than his extravagant suit The momentum was shifting in Firefly�s direction and Alan knew that they would likely call this Randidly Ghosthound before Congress to speak Still even Alan was curious what the man could tell them when he was directly questioned

However one thing at a time That victory cannot go easily to Senator Firefly

�I do not want to derail the discussion � Alan said planning on doing just that �but I want to speak briefly about today�s rescue operations and the refugee issue I just received word that the preliminary numbers are in and across the Zone we have liberated 150 000 Americans I have no doubt they will make splendid citizens of the UHF Congratulations ladies and gentlemen �

Everyone clapped but many did so only out of politeness Everyone knew that the refugees were growing and growing far far too fast to keep up with But It had been in the thousands before Not 150 000 This was two orders of magnitude above what they were prepared for

�Even even the most optimistic estimates stated that only around 30 000 would survive the rescue operations even with our most talented troops there � One senator said confusion clear in his voice �So so �

�We appear to have grossly underestimated the size of the expansion In addition the Western expedition was uncommonly successful Almost 69 000 just from that one area But now we have 150 000 people who need places to settle down and grow Does anyone have any suggestions �

The hall went silent Everyone thought about the volatile elements that refugees could bring into a district No one wanted to subject themselves to that

Unsurprisingly the first suggestions were to send some of them to the already established refugee camps These locations were built to handle them so a few more wouldn�t hurt Alan almost wanted to smile at this unintended joke There were 10 of those refugee camps already operated by the state Each was designed to house about 8000 people They all had over 10 000 there currently

How would 150 000 people fit in these already overstocked camps

The obvious second option was to make new camps but again that would mean someone would receive more refugees and none wanted to volunteer On the one hand it could be said that a desperate man might consider accepting refugees They would possibly be indoctrinated into the district and become a staunch voting block of support for some of the Senators But on the other hand

All eyes turned to Senator Lazar He had come out of one of the first expansions of refugees along with 5000 or so others But all of those were moved to a district together When that happened they hadn�t realized that the former senator from that area was Senator Lazar himself So when the next election came around and the previous Senator was ousted by the refugees working together Everyone took note Any group of people could have someone charismatic and famous Bringing them into your district was a dangerous gamble

�I do have one suggestion � Alan finally spoke breaking the small arguments that had sprung up over making more requests to Father Foster That was exactly what he didn�t want

�Ghost has established a special work area in quite a few of our current districts Unfortunately the drone initiative hasn�t taken off as he had hoped but no one can deny that they are a positive economic force in the area � Alan said Several faces flushed and turned ugly as if they knew what was coming Other faces split apart into grins �Perhaps part of that problem is available labor If we move 1000 to each of these work areas �

�This is preposterous They aren�t economically beneficial You just admitted they have largely been failures � Senator Kane said She pounded her hand on the table �Throwing more Tier Zeros into the mix will do nothing but hurt those districts already burdened �

�How funny � the House Speaker said dryly �The 20 of you that received the work areas fought so hard for them And now you claim they are detrimental Then why haven�t we heard a peep about this before now No I agree with President Howard �

There was a chorus of agreements There were currently 61 districts in Zone 1 and only 20 of those had work areas It had been a bitter fight to obtain them and the losers were more than happy to foist the refugees on the winners now

�You are being ridiculous � Senator Kane bellowed �That�s only a fifth of the total number of refugees We need real solutions to the problem This isn�t the time to latch onto petty disputes or get even for perceived slights �

�I actually agree � Senator Firefly said surprising everyone in the room Alan was especially suspicious of the calm serenity on the man�s face Alan had hoped that the vicious arguments about refugees would knock off some of the enthusiasm for speaking with Randidly Ghosthound and believed it had And yet Gary Firefly was completely unphased

�In fact I was going to propose two things Combined with the methods we discussed earlier I believe the crisis will be adequately handled �

�Your methods are � Alan asked

Senator Firefly smiled �First that we keep them where they are Some might see it as inhumane to subject them to those conditions but for most of them it will be a transitory stage There they can build dwellings and farm to raise their Skill Level while we determine their relative aptitude Perhaps we can move the camps farther away from the border but with a sufficient military presence it shouldn�t be too much of a stretch �

�These should be new districts � Senator Kane interjected her eyes alight with the discovery of a scapegoat �If this chunk of populations is going to become something lasting they should become separate districts �

Most were in support of this but there was some discomfort with it After all more districts mean more people sharing the power in Congress But it looked like they would have enough of a consensus to push it through

�And your other method � Alan asked

Chuckling Senator Firefly said �Well I recently realized that the population and economy of my district aren�t keeping up with some of you closer to the two Providences So I plan on allowing a refugee city to be built in my district Say about 20 000 people I hope my small contribution helps �

Chapter 530

For the first time in a long time Randidly felt exhausted The day had been long and full of trials Although there was a strange intermittent humming from his Illusion it seemed to have survived Unfortunately the mental troubles didn�t seem to be very close to being over

�This is where you live I suppose I should have assumed from your bare feet but tsk tsk you should really develop a marketable Skill � The old woman who had finally introduced herself as Maude said

�I have a Skill � Randidly replied �I smelt steel �

�Oh � Maude seemed genuinely surprised by this �That�s good �

The refugees they rescued had been told to remain in the area of the disaster center for the time being until lodging could be erected for them According to what Randidly could glean they planned to set them all up shop right there not 2 miles from an area crawling with Level 50 monsters

For reasons wholly unrelated to the very real danger that she was in Maude refused to remain at the compound and followed Randidly back to his place In addition she had brought �that nice foreign family from down the road � who turned out to be seven Haitians who had come to America weeks before the System arrived and spoke enough English to know that they didn�t understand anything Randidly said They followed Maude�s points well enough however

It was a hassle but Randidly felt an odd affection for the exasperating woman and her antics At the very least when she was around everyone eyes were fixed on her and not on Randidly With his illusion behaving somewhat erratically having a distraction served him well

Plus Randidly cared about these people He had helped them and he didn�t want to abandon them now

Tatiana thought the woman was hilarious and had been reduced to a giggling blob by the woman�s snark Not that she had any room to talk She had picked up a dozen or so strays herself Although Tatiana�s tended to be young attractive women

In his heart Randidly felt a thread of trepidation about the fates of these women considering Tatiana�s company but he trusted her She wasn�t the type to force women to do anything they didn�t want to do

They parted at the edge of town Randidly returning with his 8 strays Tatiana walking away with her 12

�She�s out of your league � Maude said seriously after Tatiana had gone Randidly did his best not to roll his eyes and helped the Haitian family erect a small hut next to his own The work went rather quickly because Randidly handled all of the heavy lifting At the end of it Randidly was slightly put out because this hut was a much better product than his own

It was somewhat aggravating to be outdone by the refugees but honestly Randidly supposed it didn�t matter It also seemed to have an effect on the people around him who appreciated that he didn�t put on airs As it was he could only retire to his hut after getting the new arrivals settled He had promised to take the father of the family Jude to the steelworker�s area to get him started on a job the following morning

A month ago if someone had told Randidly he would come to Zone 1 to help others get jobs he probably would have looked blankly at you Now Randidly had the inklings of a plan

One point that he had considered in his plan to become an influential drone maker was the fact that he would need a feasible way for him to obtain the steel he would want to work with Erickson Steel had already gained some traction as a high quality product and Randidly had his own experimental steels that he would use on his drones But would the fact that he was supposedly smelting the steel and also constructing the drones raise any flags

Not that he currently understood the process of drone creation but from the talk he had heard from Foreman Davey it wasn�t proceeding very quickly at all Randidly was willing to push that but only a little bit If Randidly had a supplier of Erickson Steel that would be one last astonishing thing about him It wouldn�t be too strange to groom a successor to his Steel Smelting SKills right

However Randidly knew that this was much easier said than done He had thousands of advantages over Jude that allowed him to make Erickson Steel so casually But it was a line of thought worth pursuing If nothing else it would push the man towards PP generation which would be a boon for his family in the long run

After letting the work of the day fall away Randidly relaxed and reached out with Plant Dominance Methodically he continued to scan Zone 1 This time he was much more thorough in the past as the Zone was constantly expanding� adding higher Leveled Zones to the edges But after about three hours of this Randidly was left with a grimace

It seemed that the more specific his scan was the less he could detect from the Creature�s Aether This last round of very specific targeted scans yielded nothing He had even moved through West Providence with great care Perhaps it was the lack of plants in that scientific and military installation but he found nothing

Yet his Zone wide scans always caught a whiff of it And if it wasn�t his imagination that whiff was growing stronger and more distinct each time What was even more confusing was that it seemed subtly different than the Creature�s Aether that he was used to

Randidly had been aware that this was a different incarnation or clone or something a construct of Aether with sentience But he didn�t really consider what that might mean Could this version of the Creature not even be aware of him Or if it was could it not understand the experiments it had done on him

Lucretia�s perusal of the Creature�s fragmented memories added some things but not enough to receive a definitive answer There was at some point a split but it wasn�t clear when the incarnations were separated out from each other Then after that there was some communication but mostly it was from the incarnations to the mother� It didn�t appear that there was significant communication between the different incarnations

The split seemed to be after the Creature transported him into the dungeon on Shal�s world But beyond that

It was almost more unnerving to not know whether the Creature that was operating here viewed him as a threat or understood him as intimately as the other Creature had To be sure Randidly felt confident that he understood the Creature�s goals And that was enough for him to act against its interests

For the rest of the night Randidly deeply pondered the problem of recreating As the Sun Stills He needed a spark an image that would help drive him forward There just wasn�t enough leftover from his fight against Drak in Shal�s world

It would be a long and fruitless night but Randidly didn�t worry about it overmuch He just needed a shred of a path forward If he had that slight whiff he would be able to brute force the rest

After all a spear can only advance And part of using a spear was waiting for that opportunity

The squad leader raised his watch to his mouth No response from Ghost�s observers

None Came the reply over the radio Which can be interpreted as approval Operation is a go Remember the most important goal is to secure the Elixirs Of secondary important is securing the child He shouldn�t be powerful but there are two dangerous individuals the African American and an Indian man The rest appear to be more support and crafting based Classes

Copy the squad leader said sitting back He didn�t yet give the order to move in both because of how dangerous the monsters were here and because he believed that they could move while one of the dangerous ones left their base of operations From their observations they regularly left to patrol the nearby area and even head into the danger zone that the cabin was built on top of

Today luck was with them As the three squads acting in concert watched both the dangerous individuals headed into the danger zone leaving the cabin relatively unprotected They waited 10 minutes for safety The large woman and a Hispanic man were standing at an outdoor fire stirring a pot There was a woman painting near the entrance to the Danger Zone trying to capture the aura of the energy that was roiling off of it

The squad leader flashed a hand signal and then waited one more minute for word to spread Then they moved as one These men were all veterans of the first expedition into the borderlands A lot of them had been heavily wounded in fighting in those first few weeks and had bounced back to form a special squad They knew their business

Things began to go wrong very quickly

Chapter 531

The first thing that occurred was relatively innocuous but it made the squad leader�s skin crawl Abruptly they found themselves back where they started with a no trespassing sign standing between them and the cabin Below that sign there was a smaller sign that said beware of dog

Illusions as we thought His watch chirped And the drones are seeing the same thing you do it looks like the Skill doesn�t work on you individually but on the world itself Troublesome But they can�t bend space You must have moved forward Continue with the operation

So they pushed forward passing the no trespassing sign Then a mist sprung up from the ground making it almost impossible to proceed But the watch rang out proceed so the squad leader gritted his teeth and continued forward The rest of the squad continued with him arrayed around him in formation

The next obstacle they encountered was a wall of interconnected roots and vines that blocked their path and extended up a dozen meters into the air Looking up it was almost impossible to imagine a way over such a barrier In his heart the squad leader felt a sense of foreboding and considered leading his squad backward

Unfortunately one of his technical soldiers spoke up

Ares Leader I have a Skill called true eye that has been shooting up like crazy in this mist It�s all been an illusion I�ve gotten almost 12 Levels on it and a headache to boot But this this is real I can�t see through it at all

The squad leader paused you could see through this shit the entire time and you didn�t say anything

The soldier in question awkwardly coughed into his hand The squad leader sighed

Fine then if its real it will burn Everybody get out your plasma rifles Fire on my mark

There was the soft shuffling of fatigues as all of the squad members got into position

Fire

The bolts of plasma buzzed forward indiscriminately The squad leader supposed they could have arranged for a more thorough strike but he was still pretty suspicious of this wall of plant life that had appeared out of nowhere This was not a natural thing But he had a job to do so he was going to bulldoze his way forward anyway he needed to

However as the plasma sizzled through the air the wall moved

Where the bolts of plasma were heading it simply opened up the vines moving and stretching The projectiles harmlessly passed through it with only a smell of burned greenery to show for it Slowly the squad leader lowered his rifle and solemnly regarded the wall

Everyone take a step back The squad leader said producing a plasma grenade But as he reached for the pin there was a hissing and the thorny vines drew themselves into the ground leaving only the mist once more

This was even more ominous but at least it meant a problem was out of the way The squad leader pocketed the grenade and walked several steps forward but he was stopped by a question

Ares Leader what are you doing The soldier with the hidden Skill asked his voice puzzled

The squad leader�s mouth formed into a tight thin line He glanced contemptuously back over his shoulder and then turned back forward What does it look like I�m

Then he froze There it was the 10 meters tall wall of thorny vegetation right in front of him as if it had never moved Which it probably hadn�t In front of him several exceedingly sharp thorns gleamed maliciously almost amused by the squad leader�s attempts to circumvent the obstruction

An illusion then

Disturbing

Private get that fucking Skill of yours operating at full efficiency The squad leader said darkly Come stand with me Point out everything you see

Behind him from one of the other soldiers the squad leader heard someone mutter this operation is so fucked Inwardly the squad leader agreed But he couldn�t let that show So the team continued on burning through the wall of vines and tromping forward If he was being honest with himself he squad leader enjoyed it more than a little This strange wall of plant life that had appeared suddenly was likely just a Skill but it had still caught him by surprise Venting that frustration is cathartic

Although their source of true vision was unreliable it was at least something to go on It would give them valuable points of data so they could determine their next step But the squad leader didn�t like how it had come It was all luck That was the thing about this System it all seemed to end up being about damnable luck If your luck was good you could get a Skill or a Path that could earn you a fancy Class

If you weren�t you just became stuck playing long odds in the most dangerous borderlands humanity had ever face

It took a half hour but soon they found themselves at the small prairie where the cabin was located The cooking fire was there still burning the pot swinging slowly back and forth There was no one in the surrounding area The squad leader paused Had the target fled

Negative came the response from the watch Proceed Squad Leader

Sighing they continued The prairie around them was still Too still It was completely silent There wasn�t a single gust of wind or buzzing insect to interrupt the heavy sound of silence It blanketed them all and everyone seemed to shrink a little in its presence They took smaller more gentle steps so the deafening sound of their feet crushing grass was just a bit more palatable

Ares Leader shouldn�t we The lucky Skill soldier began but the squad leader�s eyes flashed and he grabbed the private�s arm He couldn�t remember the man�s name but he should at least have the good sense to adhere to military discipline when speaking especially in such a hostile zone

Radio silence during the approach he hissed feeling like his words blew through the prairie like a freight train full of jostled porcelain Eyes as wide as dinner plates looked back at him green and clear The man nodded solemnly regret clear in his expression

Above a low rumble of thunder set them all to jumping They looked up A soft rain had begun to fall on them It felt cool and blessedly real on their skin tiny pinpricks of ice cold liquid on skin feverish on tight nerves Sure they were all veterans of the borderlands but the mental games that some of these monsters played were something else entirely This was not supposed to go like this

And it also made the squad leader extremely dubious of the prospect of ever achieving any kind of peace with these people the people from the other Zone How could they be trusted when any of them could manipulate illusions at will

Sarge The private began The rain

I know it is not fucking real you little shit The squad leader began but then he paused Slowly his face turned solemn and he took a few steps to the right slowly drawing his laser pistol

This was a veteran squad of the borderlands who had traveled together multiple times into the dangerous areas in order to scout and secure valuable raw materials

How the fuck could there be someone in the squad who he didn�t know by name

A pair of green eyes regarded him in confusion but then it seemed like the man in front of him realized something His mouth split into a toothy grin Really You don�t bat an eyelash at me calling you Ares Leader but Sarge sets you off You military types are truly hard to predict Well it was fun

The plasma bolt took the stranger in the chin staggering him Within a second the superheated material melted the man�s flesh away and revealed wine body Blood sizzled and the rotten stench of carbonized flesh filled the air But the man straightened as if he was none the worse for wear with half of his jaw melted away

The mild green eyes were growing brighter and brighter now becoming emerald lamps that spilled out liquid light that the squad leader seemed to be suspended in He couldn�t tear his gaze away

You should not have come here The man whispered his voice strange If you shoot first we will fire back

Aw fuck this Another man broke in shooting three more bolts of plasma into the strange creature�s torso It stumbled but didn�t fall simply straightening as the boiling skin on his body evaporated leaving charred muscle It shambled forward as a fleck of plasma ate into its foot a thin line of smoke spiraling upwards It was grinning or trying to and looked like the cheeriest zombie that the squad leader could imagine

The squad leader raised his watch to his mouth We are in position Just bring the rain

Although it was considered a failure it was within his authority to call in the air strike There were problems with the drones being shot down en route so they had left the machine with its payload only a half mile away Besides theirs was a private outfit Officially there wouldn�t be any political fallout from him burning this piece of hell to the ground

The squad leader knew that it was possible that they were completely off the mark and might be standing in the middle of nowhere In addition he might have just ordered the deaths of all of his men But there was something about watching a man�s flesh melt that just

Raising his pistol the squad leader fired again and the zombie staggered and fell its entire chest cavity finally collapsing as its bones became brittle from being baked Overhead there was the soft hum of the drones engines as it arrived and shot the missile in a straight arc towards the cabin

The squad leader looked at the prairie and its strangely assembled house of vines and roots with a bit of nostalgia in his heart It reminded him of his childhood and of innocence To lose the elixirs was a great thing and he would be blamed for it But coming here the squad leader abruptly understood something that the political elite probably hadn�t realized yet

Zone 1 would be destroyed by these people There was nothing they could do

The missile hit the hut They were close enough that prior to the System the squad leader would have probably died But now he just felt his ribs and left arm break as he was sent flying It took several seconds for him to recover from a stunned state and climb to his feet

Just as the squad leader felt a flush for relief and thought it was over they had won something moved

The hut was still there completely unaffected by the grassland filled with fire around it Whoever had made this had

The house moved

Slowly at first but then with increasing surety it opened itself up the roof lifting to form long tentacles The walls separated the floors spread out and rose With surprising delicacy the squad leader watched the vines place furniture and people to the side behind its protection Then it reared higher swelling to an almost 30 meter high mass above them

And still it unraveled more coming up from the ground The squad leader faintly saw a strange tree with burning leaves at its core before his eyes were inevitably drawn upwards towards the center of the mass

There the squad leader saw a mass of black rot and ugly pink flesh the size of a minivan It seemed to peer down at him for a very long time Then it opened its mouth showed its hundreds of rows of teeth and exhaled foul air in the squad leader�s direction Although it seemed like an aggressive move it came out sounding more like a sigh And the squad leader instantly understood what it meant

You should not have shot first

Chapter 532

Nathan considered saying something perhaps saying some action to Thorn to save the lives of these foreign soldiers Yet he stayed still simply watching what transpired When Thorn went through the laborious effort of raising its core out of the ground Nathan was aware that their fates had already been sealed But there was still an impulse to act to protect them

If Tykes were here to hear Nathan�s thoughts Nathan knew the older man would tease him mercilessly Tykes always had a sharp comment for how soft he deemed Nathan For a while Nathan had tried to argue with him stating that he was a mage while Tykes was a physical fighter Logic didn�t work with Tykes When Nathan had inquired to Karlito what his options for addressing the issue were the man had just winked and said machismo

Luckily Tykes was sent away on purpose to lure the lurking soldiers into their area of influence Originally they had planned to simply let Bruya toy with them They had even kept the people wandering through the illusions close to their actual position so they wouldn�t hurt themselves It came as quite a surprise when they called down a freaking missile strike

If Thorn hadn�t been here

But of course he was cradling the Arbor sprout and keeping high Level monsters from attacking those of the group that couldn�t fight And Thorn had grown fat and strong on the blood of these powerful abominations over the last few months Even Nathan didn�t know how far its roots spread underneath them all thirsty and watchful

Thorn�s core that messy sphere of rot and flesh inflated then deflated It inflated then deflated again It was considering thinking very hard about what it should do now Everyone knew that the Ghosthound would disapprove of pointless violence But they had clearly been attacked Without the Ghosthound�s guidance it was hesitant to act decisively especially when there would be no way to take back its actions

But then the core contracted and stayed contracted With exaggerated slowness it moved gingerly forward towards its opponents The squad was on the ground and even now only two or three had moved And those moves were exceedingly feeble These were helpless targets

They are also full of blood � Nathan thought to himself considering Thorn

Was this what Tykes would do Standby and let the plant devour these people

Thorn�s hundreds of vines with razor sharp thorns moved up and down in the air as if they were buoyed by a soft wind They seemed to drift casually like a fog bank Always onwards always forwards so large you couldn�t see the other side while staring at it soon to engulf them all

Within a minute Nathan couldn�t see the soldiers any longer as they were obscured by Thorn�s amorphous body It sank lower condensing itself and Nathan saw how its appendages twined inwards For a lover�s embrace Nathan decided It was descending to kiss the soldiers

Those seconds seemed to last forever

Then something changed Thorn quivered But unlike what Nathan was expecting its limbs did not plunge into feast on the soldiers On the contrary Thorn straightened somewhat and half rotated peering behind towards the horizon Nathan followed its gaze puzzled Thorn was looking back towards their Zone Zone 32 which he was now told was named Rawlands

A low rumble emanated out from Thorn making Nathan�s teeth buzz Then it blurred into motion becoming the deadly storm of thorns and violent momentum that it could become when angered Like a tiger it pounced back away from the soldiers As Nathan watched it sank right into the ground and disappeared from sight its powerful vines leading the way and digging it a path down into the ground

There was another rumble and then Thorn was gone Nathan frowned looking over towards the Arbor sapling which was twisting around nervously Thorn shouldn�t have left like that It was supposed to remain here and defend them and Arbor�s sapling That was what the Ghosthound had said

did something happen If he could just leave too

The borderlands were honestly a pretty boring place Besides that one time that the cowboy guy needed his help Nathan had done very little that wasn�t theoretical with his Class If he moved somewhere else

Karlito and Bruya began flirting as they calmly walked over towards the cooking fire as if nothing had happened Dinesh and Tykes wouldn�t be back for a while and their final member of the squad was probably still hiding next to the Arbor sapling Without much anxiety Nathan walked towards the soldiers

Most were still unconscious Of those that seemed to be moving only the most official of them seemed to notice Nathan�s arrival The rest were blank eyed zombies from what they had seen

What was that The man gasped out his eyes fixed on Nathan

Nathan smiled and raised a finger to his lips You spoke all you were allowed to with that missile Now just wait for our answer

Following that Nathan fired an Arcane Orb directly into the man�s face He hadn�t Leveled it much but his Intelligence was still reasonably high The man�s head was slammed back into the ground with a crack and he once more fell unconscious With a wince Nathan turned and walked quickly back towards the group

He truly wasn�t so good with the physical things If he knew how to knock the man out more softly he would have

When he reached the group Nathan raised his voice Bruya can you put up an illusion

The woman didn�t even look up from her plate of stew and the group was in a tropical rainforest A multicolored parrot cawed loudly right into Nathan�s ear causing him to jump a little but he didn�t let that rob him of any enthusiasm

It�s time to move out Who�s up for joining the Ghosthound

Karlito and Bruya looked at each other Bruya mildly scratched her chin Karlito shrugged And so it was

Hank curiously regarded the strange rabbit being that had been his constant companion JJ as Hank had named him had been initially very unhelpful on account of being shot at But as the memory of that faded and JJ drew more energy from Hank�s body very quickly more details regarding his Skill were opened to him In addition the population of East End had been invaluable in assisting him to develop a mastery of the new Skill

The little bugger was rather trembly but the more Hank worked with him the more reliable he became He could produce stone spikes from the ground send seismic tremors to detect enemies and could raise small stone walls to provide cover for Hank

Unfortunately JJ�s Mana pool was based on Hank�s own and was therefore rather meager Very quickly he would burn through his Mana pool and leave Hank with just a trembly rabbit for assistance Still his body was incorporeal and couldn�t really get hurt And it wouldn�t take long to recover enough Mana to send some seismic tremors so it was a relatively nice arrangement

There were drawbacks to the elementals however Hank experienced a 15% decrease in Health Mana and Stamina regeneration which apparently was pretty high for such a low Level elemental Instead of regenerating his own attributes that regenerated JJ�s And that split would only grow as time went on Although Hank was assured that JJ would quickly grow in power that was still a hard pill to swallow especially in regards to the Stamina regeneration

Often he had Health and Mana to spare but that Stamina

especially with his new Skills

But Hank felt the natural connection with the damn bugger and it was hard to be mad at him for too long Plus he was told that he would gain a small amount more Health Mana and Stamina per Level now that they were connected

After two days to familiarize themselves and shop around Hank and company really needed to depart from East End Apparently there was plenty of political deadlock in Donnyton so there was no real rush for the diplomatic meeting But they couldn�t keep stopping places for Hank to learn new Skills

They had arrived and spent time shopping in the mall talking with the people of East End Although they weren�t as big as any of the other Villages initially they took in quite a few of the displaced people from the expanding Zone Plus several months ago they had made a concerted effort to support the one Elementalist Class they had Under her careful care wild elementals had started appearing near the city A lot of mages interested in studying them or attempting to become an Elementalist themselves had migrated into the city

A large apartment was being thrown up next to the mall now that they had run out of room beneath the mall They hadn�t communicated at all with the leaders of East End as they were away but one of them was in constant communication with Donnyton so it didn�t seem necessary So after he had familiarized himself with having an elemental and Laurel had time to shop they were prepared to move on to Donnyton

Unfortunately fate wasn�t with them

As they were about to depart a voice spoke from the roof of the mall

Mr Ghosthound Is that you

Ezekiel stopped turned around and looked up He had been rather bitterly walking in the countryside around East End recently because no elemental had chosen him At first Hank had been worried the bastard was hunting people down to eat but JJ was also excellent at scouting His investigation had yielded nothing which was a relief

When he saw the person who spoke his eyes widened Is that Sydney Harp

Chapter 533

Oh wow how many years has it been Sydney said with a laugh pouring two cups of tea Then she raised her eyebrow at Ezekiel Still enjoy rum

Ezekiel�s smile was sharp as he examined the young woman in front of him who had once been his son�s playmate She had certainly matured into a confident young woman but that was not unexpected Even when she was just a toddler Ezekiel could tell from the way that Sydney led his son around that she would be a force of nature when she grew up He just didn�t expect that to be such a literal statement

There was a frigid dangerous air around Sydney now Ezekiel couldn�t figure her out He also had to focus for a very long time to figure out how old Sydney was if she was the same age as Randidly 25 Or at least he thought so Sometimes it was hard to keep track

Especially when you weren�t a part of said son�s life truly

Of course I do It�s probably been at least 10 years right Ezekiel said feeling strangely old and out of place She produced a glass bottle from underneath her desk and poured a little in both teacups Ezekiel nodded graciously and took a deep sip Then he leaned back in his chair

yea about that long I believe She sipped her tea then too and to Ezekiel�s surprise she took a much deeper sip than he had And as he watched she finished the cup entirely and poured herself another Ezekiel kept his face still Hank was slightly annoyed that they were dwelling here for a while but wouldn�t say anything because Sydney was apparently the leader of East End Politically it was a free in that they could desperately use The longer they took in their discussion took the more annoyed Hank would become Which suited Ezekiel just fine

She took a small sip from her knew cup and set it down I assume you�ve seen Randidly

Ezekiel nodded cautiously suddenly on guard Was there some sort of rift between the two of them It honestly wasn�t so surprising considering how Randidly had followed her in a very puppy dog esque manner to Rawlands Ezekiel had thought a few times to say something to his son but what was there to really say The kid had a crush

yes Is there something going on between you two

Sydney barked out a laugh which was a big relief Then she shook her head No of course not I haven�t changed my outlook on that Although I was surprised to find that he had moved on But that�s the System right It gave us room to grow I�m just amazed that your family managed to survive Do you know

Ezekiel shook his head feeling a flash of distaste Andrea was in a different area She likely ended up in a different Zone It will take a while to see whether things will work out so perfectly

Then he coughed into his hand and asked So does Randidly have a Class We were only able to talk for a brief time Does he belong to your Village Oh and how is Ace did he

Well yes Ace is fine But Sydney was now giving Ezekiel a very strange look Randidly does have a Class although what it is exactly is the biggest secret in the whole Zone You didn�t know who he is Or what rather

Ezekiel tilted his head to the side Ruefully Sydney finished her cup of tea and then poured herself another This time Ezekiel didn�t miss as she lightly tapped her finger on the side of her cup and the burst of mist as she rapidly lowered the temperature of the brew That was how she made the mixture so cold

He�s someone important then Ezekiel said slowly confused by her reaction I knew he had to be strong because he was just in the borderlands a day after they opened But we

What could he say They hadn�t seen each other consistently for years before that and they had no idea what to say or talk about So they had basically stayed silent

It�s understandable We both know how communicative Randidly is Then Sydney paused and sighed He�s well it�s hard to explain You are aware of Donnyton yes He

Oh so he�s at Donnyton That�s certainly impressive Or he�s not The look that Sydney was giving him was even stranger now

After a brief hesitation Ezekiel said Is he the leader of Donnyton

Ha If only it was that simple Sydney looked down at her cup now and fell still He�s much more that than But without a doubt he�s the most powerful person in our Zone And honestly I don�t believe there is much of a chance that there is someone more powerful than him in all of humanity He created his own Class you know He didn�t receive one from a Village He�s an independent

Ezekiel blinked What does that even mean

Ghost listened to the soft blips of the hearts of the six bodies that supported him gave him the power to learn Skills and were the fleshy anchors that kept him locked in this facility in West Providence There were a lot of times when he wondered why Dr Karman had seen fit to make him exist only at this stationary location Why had he not been a movable being with a physical body

Even if he could create a true drone avatar it wouldn�t have the benefit of his Skills as it was far from him Ghost would need to find a way to condense his body into something mobile while maintaining the health of all 6 of the human bodies he was based upon His calculations were all too clear what would happen to the consciousness that was Ghost should even one of them perish

It was a frustration only Ghost knew The reason that he was this way was because Dr Karman had gone into that strange depression immediately after he had created Ghost and turned to drinking to calm himself down After that he had started attending services at the Unity Church in West Providence which was just a small chapel at the time

Within a month several thousand dollars worth of donations had seen fit for it to expand to a respectable congregation It was the night before the grand opening of that church that Dr Karman had been killed at a donor dinner

Ghost forced the eyes of his hologram closed It didn�t prevent him from being completely aware of the area around him through his sensors but it was a human habit that he had embraced More and more Ghost was growing to rely on and resent his human tics They were so inconvenient in some ways But they were his only way forward

And the drone initiative even his most pessimistic predictions had projected that the drone initiative would be booming at this point while there was currently very little progress The problem was two fold Or rather it was a demand problem which prevented as many resources as Ghost had predicted from being put behind the undertaking

No one needed drones in Zone 1 military or civilian It seemed that upon reaching the new world they were connected to fewer Raid Bosses spawned in their Zone Therefore no one could muster any enthusiasm for any of the surveillance or basic defense drones that Ghost had prototyped Especially with the knowledge that Ghost would hold a backdoor key to their control

Ghost opened the eyes of his projection and walked to the wall A console lit up immediately scrolling information across it His gaze was focused on it for a while before he sighed

Based on population scans of the areas that the Unity Church was set up Ghost had a pretty good idea what was going on The Unity Church was deploying its information network to find and eliminate Raid Bosses near its establishments and was using that as an increased incentive to fall under their purview However heat scans revealed that there were quite a few people who had gone cold among those relocated to the Unity Church refugee camps Numbers in the tens of thousands

Throwing untrained and un Leveled people against Raid Bosses would result in significant casualties but Ghost didn�t doubt some of their bishops� were discovered in this manner after they survived Ghost hadn�t tested it but he suspected the System would reward a victory from such an under Leveled individual

Shaking his head Ghost turned off the console His thoughts were unusually flighty tonight touching on too many topics But he understood why

Without moving he engaged the audio file It began to play exactly where Ghost had wanted it to The first noise was the shuffling of pages as a few people took notes on the previous response the man had given Up until now Ghost had been more exasperated than anything else by the interview But this question

Mr Ghosthound the senator asked You yourself are a fighter are you not Would you perhaps be able to demonstrate a bit of your skill for us To give us a way to gauge the strength of Zone 1

There was silence from watching the interview Ghost knew that Randidly was pondering the question Finally he said No that�s not a good idea After all I�m just a low key guy

A few members of Congress laughed Randidly had a childish innocence that Ghost couldn�t determine the veracity of If it was contrived it was very good But it was Randidly�s followup that worried Ghost

But I wouldn�t help you get a baseline Randidly said I�m more powerful than the rest of the people Oh but they are pretty strong too Don�t antagonize them lightly

Every scanner and bit of computing power went over this phrase again and again And Ghost�s processors had one result what Randidly said was true Or at least he believed it

Ghost had confirmed the power of others It was almost a disaster but a rogue force had attacked the strange group in the hut in the borderlands Luckily or unluckily they failed but the details were unclear The whole reason Ghost couldn�t stop them was due to the illusion interference But the event had served to underline their strength which was a degree higher than Zone 1�s

And Randidly thought he was much stronger than them

How strong did that make Randidly

Below him the heartbeats continued their steady beat Ghost settled in for some late night computations He needed this answer before any of his other plans proceeded

Chapter 534

Randidly wished he was a puddle so light and heat would evaporate into nothing and he could escape this place

�Well he may be an ass but at least the foreigner sticks to his guns � Tatiana said dryly looking at the large projector screen that was set up right next to the steelworkers� town Most everyone who lived and worked there had awoken that morning surprised to find a screen had been erected Apparently it had been done by the Unity Church

And after a sufficient number of people had gathered a brown robed priest of the Unity Church announced that it was about to broadcast a recording of the first interview with an individual from Zone 32 from Rawlands

Imagine Randidly�s surprise when he discovered that his own face was calmly sitting there being interviewed by Congress

�Mr Ghosthound � One the senators said with a frown �Are you saying you are the most powerful person from your Zone

Randidly or Neveah wearing Randidly�s face leaned back in the shiny wooden chair she had been given �Well first and foremost I am a low key and friendly guy But yes I am definitely the strongest �

�Ah the pride of youth � A rather round man in a red suit said stepping forward �Let�s not dwell on strength shouldn�t we learn something more My friend Randidly please tell Congress what you told me about forging in Rawlands �

�Oh yes All of the forging is done by hands Everyone has forging related Skills Well not everyone I don�t have those Skills I don�t forge � Then Neveah paused and finished with �But I don�t really understand why not it seems fun �

�Because you aren�t you � Randidly wanted to scream What didn�t she understand about remaining low key with his face He supposed it wouldn�t have mattered in the long run as the government of Zone 1 would learn of his accomplishments from Zone 32 eventually and then try to find him Perhaps it was better this way so they didn�t wonder why someone who was supposedly so powerful had been just hanging around in Zone 1 for so long

But why did she have to act like such a weirdo while doing it

�What do you think Viking � Tatiana said not looking away from the screen There was a strange intensity to her gaze that made Randidly nervous And how could he blame Neveah when he transformed himself into a weirdo all on his own

� uh well he seems � Randidly tried to search around for an accurate and inoffensive way of describing himself � unusually intense �

Tatianna nodded chuckling Then she flashed Randidly a smile �I agree but probably not just in the way you are thinking There certainly is something compelling about his gaze I don�t think I�ve seen eyes that green before But I recognize the sort of man that he is �

�Huh �

Tatiana cracked her neck She was wearing gold earrings which swayed from side to side at the casual gesture �You just learn to have a knack for these things All powerful men are the same And that guy He�s got a real niche sexual desire I bet he likes getting peed on or something Definitely wants to be the submissive in some sort of roleplay �

Randidly opened his mouth then he closed it He tried to imagine someone peeing on him and how he would react to it and suddenly that person was Tatiana Hurriedly he coughed into his hand to hide his acute embarrassment

Tatiana slipped her arm through his and pulled Randidly away from the screen as Neveah excitedly explained the different things that Randidly did in a �normal� day �So you�ll get enough money today right Everyone�s talking about it They expect the price to go up as soon as you purchase the first probationary citizenship Oh no one�s mad though They are happy that SOMEONE finally got out of the steel factory �

�Yea how did you know � Randidly asked letting himself be led away towards the steel factory Tatiana�s hand was very warm

�Well for one thing Foreman Davey has been hyping you up as a success story to most of the new arrivals It�s all about making people think it�s possible to move up in the world even though it�s only the peculiar people like you that ever manage it �

Randidly smiled ruefully �Other people could given time I�m just doing it a bit faster �

When Tatiana shook her head her curls bounded back and forth wafting a perfume in the surrounding air �Perhaps in theory But you have kept your expenses low have you not I don�t mean to be rude but you must spend basically nothing on your living situation And I hear you hunt your own meat which has become something of a trend among the steelworkers� spouses Hunting and growing your own food means that much less to pay for But most people don�t do that Most people stay at a nice apartment eat out take the time to attend the expensive lectures offered to become better at steel working Have you ever thought about offering a lecture or two I bet Foreman Davey would let you especially after you become a probationary citizen It would be great publicity for this whole operation �

Chuckling Randidly said � it�s true my Stats give me a few advantages in terms of efficiency

Tatiana gave him a look

�Maybe more than a few � Randidly admitted Almost unwillingly Randidly pulled his arm away and flexed his fingers They were exceedingly clean from a scrubbing this morning But when he looked at his hands he could only see the callouses from squeezing a spear These were not the hands of a simple metal worker

Think about it Viking Tatiana said with a shrug There�s no such thing as too much money and influence right

Decklan leaned forward laying his cards down on the impromptu table they had made to play the game Ladies and gentlemen it looks like it�s tea time

Everyone around him stilled There were 5 others at the table inside the hut but outside of it there would be others tending to the garden and patrolling in the area around the mine Tera was undoubtedly lying on the roof looking up at the stars It was what she loved to do here on crystal clear nights Guarding the mine wasn�t an exciting job really aside from those brief times when they needed to wipe out a Raid Boss But it was an important one for Donnyton

Tonight was a clear night and when she heard the prearranged phrase Tera undoubtedly sent an alert to every member of the Squad One of the nearby members of Decklan�s Squad who was relatively new stood abruptly

How much time do we have He asked his eyes widening

Older members of Decklan�s Squad rolled their eyes at the young man�s foolishness They all stacked their chips and cards in neat stacks before standing and then it was more of a stretch than anything else These were men that had fought with Decklan in those early days defending the walls of Donnyton from the waves of beasts that came to crush new Villages

Although they were casual their movements were extremely quick Within a few seconds they had stowed away the cards and grabbed their gear strapping it on with a practiced ease They were quite used to ambushing others so being on the receiving end of it didn�t throw any of them Sometimes it was easy to forget but they were in the business of killing

The only way this ended was with someone better coming to kill them

Decklan smiled at the new Squad member Three seconds

When the wave hit it was harder than even Decklan anticipated It was led by a bull type monster clearly a Raid Boss spawn Behind them were waves of insect armored humanoids who were surprisingly well armored if unimpressive otherwise Still these armored humanoids were an excellent counter for Decklan�s Squad

This move was pre planned then

Chortling Decklan strolled out among the monsters They might give his boys some trouble but his knife was a found item in the System from a Level 59 monster These Creatures weren�t even Level 40 They were rotten wood and chaff quickly cut away

But there were a lot of them and they weren�t trying to engage Decklan�s group just keep them busy Decklan looked up from killing a dozen to scan the rush in front of him There were only a thousand but it was still an almost impossible task for his Squad to survive long amongst these numbers Or stop them from making it into the mines

Then a figure moved forward out of the crowd a hulking monstrosity encased in obsidian armor

Decklan whistled It is has been a long long time since I�ve had a duel I hope I haven�t lost my touch

Chapter 535

Tera snatched one of her knives out of the corpse of a nearby monster and flicked her wrist That knife materialized within the neck of a bull that was charging at the newest member of their Squad who had fallen on his ass

Decklan�s Squad was not a numbered Squad so sometimes it was hard to recruit from the normal people of Donnyton Even recently with such a huge influx of population into the area Still those people needed time to grow into their Paths and Skills and adjust to the world of fighting None would rival the experience that the people who started in the Zone would have Those who fought their way to this point might be covered in scars but they had an edge

Alana was doing the best she could but there just wasn�t enough time to temper the new arrivals

Cartwheeling over Tera stopped next to the kid and lifted him roughly to his feet He seemed to barely weigh anything at all Stay on your feet Keep your weapon up and your center of gravity low All of these are slow so work with someone else to kill a few Got it

She didn�t wait for his answer but was already gone using Prestidigitation to make a knife appear from nothing to shove down the ear hole of one of the insect people It screamed and chittered at her but fell

Tera glanced over towards Decklan who had apparently found the leader Decklan was moving quickly and striking hard but the strange armor that the man wore slowly healed even as Decklan struck more blows If he wanted to hurt the opponent for real he would need to take more risks or burn through more of his Stamina

Tera knew Decklan�s moves well They were powerful but they were Skills that were often based on percentages of Stamina The more you spent the more powerful the effect but that didn�t make up for the fact that Decklan was not gaining increased staying power in a fight as he Leveled No he was just growing more deadly

Inwardly Tera was torn for a split second She wanted to help Decklan but suspected that her attacks would do little to tip the tide of that battle On the other hand Decklan�s Squad already had two injuries on people that put them out of commission They were quickly being pushed back by the sheer number of insectoids

Tera gritted her teeth She didn�t even see the Raid Boss that spawned these fucks Because it was likely so far away it couldn�t control the tide to attack really But it would still stay safe to make more some other day

After Tera put these down she swore to herself she would hunt these Raid Bosses down and end them all

Who could have done this � A thought popped up an annoying thought These were controlled Raid Bosses launching an assault in Donnyton territory But she ignored it That was for later

Fall back give up the cave mouth Let�s bleed em dry while they are stealing our gold Tera called and the squad formed up and shifted around moving more off to the side The insectoids seemed to be aware of the change and they surged to pressure the Squad further without letting them have a respite The two wounded were being tended to but the healer was barely able to cast Heal without being pushed backward

Knives condensed like flakes of snow on a cold day and Tera dealt them like a hand of poker She felt the familiar ding of gaining a Level but she ignored it as she moved smoothly between the falling bodies of the insectoids It was a dance of a sort a performance She was the Juggler and although her power wasn�t so impressive in terms of death defying feats of dexterity few could match her

But of course her eyes were just as sharp during the fight and she saw the flash of three shadows each bigger than the last that slipped into the mines

Now was another impasse Her performance had bought the squad enough time to regroup and form up around her so she could pause and glance towards Decklan The obsidian figure facing him was definitely starting to look the worse for wear Blood was dripping out of a wide wound across his chest But the armor was reforming and Decklan was standing still

That was never a good sign

Two of you head out to assist Decklan Anton and Fran The rest continue to support and cut these bitches apart I need to figure out what they are after

They would likely try to stop her or have a few go with her and Tera knew they couldn�t spare the bodies They needed to be here So she left moving quickly and producing a thin cloak from her interspatial ring With the cloak around her her Sneak Skill Level was effectively doubled and her movement speed increased by 10%

In a whisper she was gone deeper into the dark tunnels The entrance was rather wide but she followed the trail of monsters deeper into the branching maze The deeper she went the more serious her expression became There was only one mineral that could be found in this branch and it was a very rare one

It was Tellumurite

When she rounded the corner Tera was quiet but they seemed to be ready for her Three insectoids jumped out at once and walked their necks towards her knives They were down and she was rolling past them An arrow sailed overhead hitting where she would have been in a standing position

Tera slowly stood storing the cloak away If they knew she was there it wasn�t worth the encumbrance

There were four people in front of her The first and only revealed face was a middle aged man holding a bow His face was solemn as he regarded her his gaze fixed Tera felt a tingle between her shoulder blades Behind him there were three more figures the first looking like a normal sized human the second a huge man the size of Dozer and the final one being a creature wrapped in tattered cloth that was as big as a van

You are a guard aren�t you The large human asked So guard us It shouldn�t take long

The middle aged man grunted and loosed two arrows The first went towards the spot that Tera just vacated the second toward the spot she was moving towards Tera almost wanted to snort as she twisted her body and dodged it Four more arrows followed that but Tera was gaining ground

There would be a moment when the man switched from a bow to a close combat weapon and that was the moment Tera was aiming for to strike When he changed he would be in transition That was an opening that she could exploit

Except she was only two meters away and he hadn�t switched

Feeling slightly disdainful Tera grabbed the next arrow the man shot at her right out of the air It was partially luck at this range but her senses and control of her body were extremely high Without a trick

She felt the flash of magic An electric discharge spread up the arrow through her body freezing her briefly The man smiled at Tera as he aimed an arrow at her navel and shot it

The paralysis lasted only for a second but he was very very close Instead of dodging Tera could only lean back and bed First a little then a lot throwing her body backward Even with the Flexibility Skill Tera had it was a close thing But within a split second she had become a letter O her head coming around and back between her legs She wasn�t so sure if this was possible before the System but she thanked God it was now

The arrow ripped pass through her armor along her stomach passing so close that it left a brush burn The man looked down at her with wide open eyes She flexed her hands producing more knives and threw them upwards from her position between her legs One went into the man�s shoulder and the other was heading for his throat

But he hadn�t come here for nothing He jerked his head to the side and there was only a shallow gash across his throat The blood was warm and red but it would take a while for him to bleed out

Still that gave Tera time to straighten and cross the last few steps to him as he stumbled backward Without even blinking she cut his head off and raised her hand to throw knives at the other figure

The middle figure the Dozer sized one who spoke earlier moved before she could pick a target consciously Three of her knives slid into his body in the midsection but he didn�t slow He spread his arms wide and rushed towards her

Well if he was relatively tanky then

Just gonna overwhelm him with numbers

Tera pressed the limits of her Skill as she made more and more hidden knives appear With a small gesture they slammed into the approaching figure causing him to stumble Some missed his body ripping through his cloak harmlessly But those gave Tera a better idea of where to strike and soon he was more porcupine than human

Aw shit The man said as he stumbled The Skills are failing already or

So soon The smaller figure spoke looking up from the area where they had been retrieving mined Tellumurite What surprised Tera was that the voice was a woman Fine then I�ll handle her Don�t you dare die on me

Then the small figure turned and began stalking ominously towards Tera

Chapter 536

Decklan sighed This was fun Do you really have to go so soon

The man covered in the strange liquid obsidian chuckled His right arm was cut to the bone but he didn�t seem particularly bothered by how useless it was at his side Don�t play coy We both know that an operational sortie from Donnyton can get here within 10 minutes There isn�t enough time to see which of us is the winner

I would say the judges are unanimously in my favor Decklan said raising his knives They were crimson now from drinking this strange man�s blood

The man smiled In war the only battle that truly matters is the last one Let�s save this for that shall we

The damn insectoids surged forward interposing themselves between Decklan and the man Moving quickly Decklan slashed his way through them But by the time he had broken the encirclement the man was gone Decklan clicked his tongue then cut his way through the monsters towards his squad

Beneath them there was a strange rumbling from the ground Decklan�s smile widened Reinforcements and that was only 7 minutes 32 seconds

Around them the monsters seemed to notice it too and they began to gather themselves and slowly retreat The monsters suffered disastrous casualties pulling out of the mine but a core group with a cloaked figure made it away If Decklan hadn�t fought to a stalemate with the obsidian man perhaps he could have done something Now however

Chase Someone asked Decklan when most of the monsters were away

Decklan shook his head because a thin thorny vine popped up out of the ground and waved at him We�ve got that covered Where is

But the vine was waving wildly at Decklan He could read Thorn�s intentions it wanted Decklan to head into the vine Sighing Thorn walked toward the entrance to the mine Time to see what was taken

Still there was a bit of excitement here wasn�t there It had been so long since Donnyton had any foe that they had struggled with directly There were the weak monsters but the big threats the Ghosthound handled If there was a terrorist group raising Raid Bosses

Decklan allowed his thoughts to run away from him as he quickly walked into the mind His face was in a bemused grin until the last possible moment

Tera

Foreman Davey passed Randidly a thin piece of paper Congratulations You are now a probationary citizen of Zone 1 Basically as long as you don�t break any laws you are now eligible for Ghost to raise your citizenship tier based on your performance

Randidly dubiously looked down at the paper which he had signed Honestly the whole thing seemed someone feeble especially now Did he really spend so much money on a piece of paper

But he supposed it was just a step he needed to take The more Randidly established himself as a creator of drones the less likely it would be for Ghost to assume he was from Zone 32 where there was no technology Or at least that�s what Randidly was counting on

In addition the higher he rose in the area the more exposure to information he would have There was something strange about the Zone aside from the Creature�s lurking plans There were some rotten things under the surface With that information Randidly could begin to address those threats too

Because the longer he was here the more he felt responsible for these people If he had strength he couldn�t in good conscience just sit back and allow people to suffer

My performance Randidly asked Are there tryouts for citizenship

Oh no ha I forget sometimes that you one of the newly free refugees Ghost watches everything through cameras and drones in the sky If you choose to start building drones now that�s the sort of technology you will be working with A little theory intensive especially at the beginning but there is a demand for drones always

interesting Randidly said feeling a chill down his spine Just how much information did Ghost have It couldn�t be too comprehensive or he would likely have been seen through already But that might just be a function of how recently this small steel town had been built There were cameras all through the new apartment areas and several businesses were now opening in the seedier areas outside the factory These all boasted factories

From now on Randidly would need to be especially careful about revealing his strength Hopefully his illusion held

Perhaps he should increase the timeframe of his plans for his other base beneath the forest

Randidly told Foreman Davey he would take a day to think about the possibility of working on drones Foreman Davey chuckled and informed Randidly that it would likely be another 2000 in upfront costs to buy what was needed to start working with the drones

Randidly excused himself to go work for a while in the refinery

While Randidly was walking around Randidly saw Jude receiving instruction from another metal worker To his surprise Jude was speaking fluent English nodding along with what the woman was saying Randidly almost tripped over his own feet

But then Randidly shook his head ruefully Of course he could speak English The System translated everything that they said Basically no matter what language they used the System would shore up the gaps in understanding Thinking back the other man hadn�t ever spoken another language he just looked blankly at Randidly whenever he spoke to him and only responded in grunts when Maude gave him instruction

Could it be that the man simply didn�t like him

Feeling slightly put off Randidly went into his area and began to work Truly the longer that Randidly spent here in the refinery the more he enjoyed the work His control with Gravity Affinity was growing increasingly fine and the mixing of the molten metal grew more smooth with every attempt

Likely it wasn�t a matter of proficiency with the Skill but understanding what exactly he was trying to accomplish when he used it Metals worked best when the mixtures were made in a fixed pattern It was a rigid structure Slowly Randidly learned that making the spread of the powdered monster bone uniform was good but concentrating the bone at uniform points throughout the metal was even better Constantly Randidly was refining his process and increasing the strength of the metal

Or at least Randidly believed so He hadn�t tested the tensile strength of the metal in any scientific way in order to hide how much his Skills were improving But some very unscientific tests with his hands revealed that the metal was definitely increasing in strength One step at a time

Randidly made about 600 ingots within the first 24 hours within the refinery then took a break to experiment with other methods He tried adding potions directly to metals but that didn�t seem to work He reduced the red and blue shards to powder and attempted that too but it seemed the effect was negligible Even higher tiered mixtures didn�t do much

Then Randidly got out some of the bones from the strongest monsters and made a few ingots out of that These came out excellently and seemed to be a third again as strong as his usual fair

All this took Randidly only 4 hours Sighing he lay on the ground of his workroom and stared at the ceiling Although he could turn in the ingots now his speed of production was still too shocking it was best if he could stall for a bit more time So he closed his eyes and turned his attention inward

Randidly�s working with metal had given him a new view on how his Skill should function Just like the creation of something was a scientific process a reaction between different forces and energies so was destruction It was perhaps a simpler reaction but it was a reaction nonetheless Randidly had focused very powerfully on the image and forces but he believed that one way of strengthening his image was to go through the concrete processes that would occur as a sun stills

Now Randidly didn�t have any true scientific background But as far as he could tell the sun was an engine that grew bigger and bigger and grew hotter and hotter as it burned At some point the sheer weight of itself demanded that it burn hotter and brighter in order to continue to function As the sun runs out of fuel more and more of its mass becomes concentrated at its core where the engine resides

Eventually the engine fails under its own weight and it collapses on itself

That was a supernova That was the powerful force Randidly was seeking

Congratulations your Skill has become 50% complete

Randidly smiled

Chapter 537

A knock at the door interrupted Randidly�s thoughts Bemused he stood and walked to the door The last time someone had interrupted his work he had been press ganged into the military for a day What could it be this time

To his surprise it was Sonya standing there when he opened the door

What are you doing She asked him with a frown

Randidly opened his mouth He honestly wanted to ask her the same thing A fellow metal worker of all people should understand how annoying it was to be interrupted But there was something in her expression so Randidly just shrugged

Your party is tonight for you becoming a probationary citizen Sonya said poking him in the chest Tatiana made sure I came to check on you because she said you would forget

Forget What party are you talking about Randidly said laughing slightly

Oh we probably didn�t tell you Well we are using you as an excuse to get well and drunk So Find yourself a clean shirt yea

Later that night Randidly sat next to a wide bonfire looking around with amusement It was a waste of time yes but he enjoyed it Randidly had trained like crazy from the System�s arrival until now All that time he felt the threat of the Creature hanging over him a reminder that he could never slouch or everything he knew would be destroyed

But now in an identity of a different person Randidly felt himself easing up somewhat It wasn�t like he was getting lazy But rather Some part of him was growing to understand how important times like this were to stop and enjoy life To connect with the people around you

Ideas and images were living things If you isolated yourself they would become weak and anemic only through sharing and understanding can your will build a strong foundation to keep you through the hard times Or at least that was what Randidly was telling himself tonight

It likely helped that Randidly felt somewhat baffled by the details of what the Creature was doing here Without a firm goal he was losing himself in the routine of this fake life he had found for himself There was no real rush to push forward past this

But in defense of his justification he would likely never have thought to examine the steps of a supernova in order to figure out the function of his Skill It seemed obvious in retrospect but it would be like an artist drawing a skeleton before painting a portrait It was a very mechanical inspiration for what is sometimes seen as a mystical process

Tatiana sat down next to him wearing a brilliant emerald dress They were on a row of benches set up to the East of the first out of the blowing smoke About two hundred people mostly steelworkers were getting rollicking drunk to the South of the fire where the food and drink were kept Although Randidly thought the alcohol here was extremely bitter he sipped dutifully on all the drinks he was given Even if he was only a pretext for the hard worked steelworkers they still admired him and congratulated him

And when they spoke to him he could tell they truly were glad that he had managed what they were all struggling for It gave them hope A hope for possibilities In a way the way they looked at him reminded him of how the people of Donnyton looked at him but at the same time it didn�t Here people saw him as the example of the anecdote they always heard about this being a land of opportunity Randidly proved that it was possible to advance

At Donnyton all they saw was a being that wasn�t truly human A being that could make anything possible

Penny for your thoughts Tatiana said with obvious amusement With a start Randidly realized she had probably sat down two minutes ago and he hadn�t even acknowledged her He had noticed her approach well in advance of course but he had done nothing to indicate he was aware she existed

Uh Randidly thought about it then shrugged inwardly Honesty was easiest Do you ever have people look at you and just feel like they don�t see a person

Tatiana snorted Not to be crass about the business I own but Did you just ask a whore if she ever feels like people don�t see her as a person

that�s a good point Randidly said with a sigh He set his tin cup on the bench down beside him and reached out with his hand The bonfire had shrunk a lot from when they were roasting the meat earlier so they were currently seated only a meter or so away The heat really came from the coals while a few thin tendrils of flame devoured the sticks thrown on top of the fire

When Randidly reached out those flames twisted up towards him and around his fingers It was hot without the heat meaning anything When he realized that Tatiana was giving him a flat look he chuckled and withdrew his hand The flames stretched and strained afterward before snapping back to their normal behavior

Chosen of Fire indeed

What I mean is Randidly said slowly These days I feel like people look at me and see the idea of something For the people at this party I am the dream of the future In that past I was the human that was better at being a monster than monsters were I�m no longer just me

Well you did tell me to call you Viking Tatiana pointed out That makes you more of a character from a bad movie than a real person Can you blame us for enjoying the show

Randidly gave her a sour look She laughed and threw her hair over her shoulder Her perfume was light and spicy It reminded him of the heat of the fire

Okay fine Baloo just Baloo what do I see when I look at you then Tatiana asked

Inwardly Randidly died a little because she called him Baloo but she turned and faced her squarely Her jaw was strong and her skin was tan Her eyes met his calmly as he assessed her Her dress was silk with tight interweaving shapes across it It was relatively chaste but the shape of Tatiana�s body meant that if a man wanted to look hard enough he could get a sense of what was underneath

Randidly turned away looking back towards the fire A friend

A log popped and snap Someone was singing their song wavering in and out of tune as the singer struggled against the weight of the alcohol they had drunk

it�s a strange thought but all I can think is that if I had asked Sonya that she would have had me pressed against a wall with my panties off within 10 seconds Tatiana said with a chuckle

Randidly also shook his head Sonya certainly had spent half of the past few hours making passes at Tatiana It seemed she understood the other woman wasn�t interested but that just made the allure all the more irresistible Luckily Gregory pulled Sonya away with more alcohol or else Randidly had no doubt she would still be here

It�s strange I feel connected to you Randidly announced

Oh

Randidly shook his head his face heating somewhat You as in everyone here I�ve been to a lot of places And I�ve just felt adrift I understood my role based on goals I had to accomplish There were relationships and things

we are in a relationship Tatiana said raising her eyebrows in mock surprise

Randidly ignored her but it was like I didn�t feel the ties to the people there I walked away when my goals led me to other places It was as if I was numb to these things I had built Or even I didn�t want to feel the constant weight of these connections I had made Maybe I was running away But some of those connections were dangerous Starting clean has a certain brutal appeal doesn�t it

Yes it does Tatiana uncrossed her legs folded them beneath her If I could do it all again well the System threw some wrenches into things I also don�t mind being here with you but it certainly could have been a little less rough getting here I know what you mean about leaving everything behind I ran away from home when I was 17

Randidly nodded and then feeling extremely surreal reached up and squeezed her shoulder The skin of her bare shoulder was warm and he let his hand linger there for a bit just to establish contact Then it fell away back to his side

The corner of Tatiana�s mouth turned upwards I think this is where you ask me why I ran away and then I share a secret I�ve been carrying on my own for 10 years It�s a bonding thing

You are a grown woman If you want to share something I�m sure you will do it Randidly said leaning back and closing his eyes

He felt her hair first the soft strands on his shoulder Then the weight of her head and then the heat of her body as she leaned her head against his shoulder They stayed there for about 10 minutes saying nothing sharing nothing The fire crackled and popped the people continued to sing and there were raucous calls in the distance where people had set up a game of pool under the open sky

Do you know why I enjoy your company Tatiana asked

Randidly shook his head

Because you feel grounded Like all of the flirting all of my learned sensuality it doesn�t mean anything at all it can�t sway you You wouldn�t even care if I was just average looking You would enjoy sitting with me even if I was horribly deformed My aesthetic is worthless

I mean Randidly began but she punched him softly in the side still leaning against his shoulder

Oh shut up There are times where truth is less important than the moment This is one of those times Just enjoy the moment Baloo

So the two of them sat without sharing just breathing the warm air of the night

Chapter 538

The facility where the drones were being researched and produced was a hundred times nicer than the place where Randidly was before So much so that Randidly was getting a little annoyed as he walked around Included on the premises were a cafeteria and a gym that could support weights up to a ton

Partially this was for the workers but also it served as a convenient way to test the drones Foreman Davey who now wanted Randidly to just call him Davey showed him the different locations and then the workstation where Randidly would do most of his work

The problem is demand is still lagging a bit behind what we expected Davey said shaking his head So the prices for the drones are still low So much so that Ghost is subsidizing their production You�ll get an extra 20% of your selling price from the government That should change soon though the government finally made a deal with the Unity Church

Randidly nodded without comment as he scanned his workstation

This place was three rooms The first was a typical lab with different materials for cutting equipment and electrical appliances Another was a library with two computers and several bookshelves filled with leather bound volumes Davey told Randidly that these were all primers that he should read through before starting to try and create a drone

There are just so many parts to each and industrialization won�t get us what we want Davey said with a sigh Sure we could mass produce the things and have but they are weak Around Level 20 monsters can overpower them without breaking a sweat It�s not a matter of materials either but of some quality that is imbued in by a Skill Skills become so important after 20 We have a few people here who have the Drone Assembly Skill and its reached near 50 Their drones have 30% higher performance in the field That�s what we are after But in the numbers of a mass production so we need a lot of laborers to fill it out You have no idea how happy I am you bought your citizenship so fast

Is there anything else I need to buy Randidly asked running his fingers across the books

No the materials here were included in your starter package Davey said then he flexed his hand and produced a folder Plus these three basic blueprints The System did some fucked up things to electronics simplified them to an absurd degree The fact that they continue to function is ridiculous They are more runes than circuitry So you�ll have to throw out everything you know about electronics and learn that It�s something of a grind especially when your Intelligence is below 80 or so If you have any questions let me know

Randidly with his Intelligence of 325 smiled politely

For the next three days Randidly lost himself in the books Making materials was one thing but assembling the drones was quite another Materials had inputs and outputs but they were static The drone was a series of parts and connections between those parts If the parts failed the drone was broken If the connections failed the drone was broken If the parts were connected in the wrong way the drone was broken If the power couldn�t flow to the parts and to the connections the drone was broken

The three days wasn�t just spent reading but also refining his image for As the Sun Stills or whatever new Skill it would become At nights he returned to the forest and added the finishing touches to his underground base below the forest This was a much more difficult task now that Randidly was staying on the drone compound as everything was monitored so he created an underground tunnel from his room to the base to avoid suspicion

With his starter package Randidly had obtained three blueprints the Skylark the Porpoise and the Bull As far as Randidly could tell these were named randomly The Skylark at least flew and was an observation drone The Porpoise was about the size of a large dog and was mainly designed for overland transport with an interspatial watch hidden inside it The Bull was smaller maybe the size of a beaver and contained explosives At its front was a drill Apparently you just sent it to dig under the enemies and blow them up

As Davey had said the electric circuitry of yesteryear was replaced with a variation of runes Although they were different from the runes that Randidly knew as they were discovered by a different author very soon he understood the details of the language Honestly it was extremely crude so much so that Randidly made several improvements within his first 12 hours

He didn�t mind using these improved versions of the different power and data transferal runes as he suspected that even Ghost wouldn�t notice After all the details that Randidly could correct were focused on how the runes were engraved upon the material There was no real change to the shape but instead he evened out the application in many places deepening the reserve of Mana to add to its effect

Even with all of this assembling his first drone was difficult

But difficult in the way of a puzzle that you are delighted to solve

For one thing Randidly was a bit too strong sometimes He had grown used to using his hands to bend the metal into the shape he wanted and it soon became clear that this was a bad habit there just wasn�t enough precision in his hands to get the metal in the right shapes Especially for the two propellers in the Skylark they wouldn�t function if they were bent out of shape

So Randidly began training with tools taking his time He lost himself in the sensation of working with metal It was a heady experience and one that Randidly had never truly felt before in his life It was strange to him to take such a dead and inert substance and bend and shape it into something extremely productive and useful

There were several times that strange Skills popped up but Randidly rejected them out of hand He didn�t want to learn something like Metal Bending or Electric Rune Mastery They were useful and would likely generate PP but Randidly suspected he could discover a more holistic Skill to spend one of his Skill slots on

Randidly�s first Skylark was an ugly thing scuffed and somewhat squatter than the blueprints depicted Even now he was still refining the process of using tools It was a simple thing containing a power source a camera two engines for the propellers a data storage unit and a communicator As most everything was made of runes aside from the power source it was light and relatively simple to make

But because of that lightweight it was very easy to damage and destroy

It was something of a disappointment then that when Randidly turned the Skylark on it trembled farted out a black cloud and was still An hour and a half later Randidly realized that the connection between the power source and the engines had grown so hot that the material had melted and the thing shorted out

Randidly�s eyes flashed This had occurred because he had improved the connector enabling it to handle more energy Where the defects in the runes on purpose Or was it just a coincidence

Either way Randidly�s mouth was creeping open into a grin This was fun It reminded Randidly of building legos as a child a pursuit that had compelled him to bother his dad until Ezekiel had taken Randidly to Legoland While there Randidly didn�t really touch anything but he had stood solemnly beneath the giant structures looking up at all of the colorful toy blocks

What are you looking at Ezekiel had asked after about 15 minutes finally looking up from his pager long enough to realize that something was wrong with his son

I�m going to make my house out of legos someday Randidly had said

Now Randidly had found those legos

Before he could continue however he returned to the smelting factory and made another 100 ingots of Erickson Steel to sell for seed money Now that he was a Probationary Citizen he could access the market himself and sell it but that would take time and attention For the extra few dollars Randidly wasn�t willing to invest his time into searching for contacts to sell the steel too Instead he simply continued to rely on Davey who was extremely smitten to see Randidly still bringing him steel

With more money Randidly returned to the drone compound and purchased additional materials Then he once more locked himself away in his small lab While experimenting with different ways of drawing the runes he considered his immediate plans

His search to locate the Creature wasn�t progressing He had scanned in specific areas across the entirety of the Zone but had found nothing A general scan however caught the scent It was faint but it proved its presence Perhaps there was a connection between the Creature and Ghost but Randidly was having a hard time keeping his tension up as Ghost seemed profoundly inept The political turmoil and the undercurrents of resentment caused by the ranking of people damaging to the health of the Zone yet Ghost did nothing

Perhaps some sort of rebellion was what the AI wanted To drive some people out or to locate strong talents

Either way Ghost seemed pretty unconcerned with Randidly and fake Randidly who was likely still parading around with that Senator causing trouble As such Randidly felt a bit more comfortable allowing himself to stand out a bit more

With his primary goal temporary without any leads he defaulted to his secondary and tertiary goals gathering information about the Zone and generally improving the conditions of humanity under the System For the tertiary goal Randidly made a mental note to head back to town every once and a while both to check on the people around his hovel but to see Tatiana

Randidly twitched slightly then smiled wryly shaking his head He breathed in then breathed out Making plans to see Tatiana was fine Randidly reassured himself They were just friends There was nothing else there there was no reason to feel awkward about it Which for him was extremely difficult

But still he could nudge people like Maude and her refugees towards improving and the surrounding area That would do a lot towards raising the quality of life for these steelworkers and their families

For the second goal Randidly still believed that becoming renowned as a local drone creator would help him gather information on the Zone If his performance was exemplary he would get higher tiered citizenship With that he could travel in different circles perhaps even go to the nearby city to talk

Tightlipped Randidly paused what he was doing and looked East He could sense it through his connection with Thorn Something was happening in his Zone in Donnyton But he couldn�t solve their problems for them He had to learn to trust them They could handle this He had other work here in front of him

Sighing Randidly turned back to the materials Time to try making a Porpoise I suppose

Chapter 539

When Randidly presented his Porpoise to the man who handled all purchases on the drone plant Henrik Doc the man sighed in an extremely exaggerated manner It seemed that everything the man did was exaggerated from the way he dressed to the way he coifed his hair

This is your first attempt I suspect The man drawled walking over to the Porpoise and flicking it There was a clear ringing one that Randidly was somewhat proud of It was made of a weaker derivative of Erickson Steel after all Henrik seemed to care less He opened up the side panel to reveal the hand scanner

With the Porpoise the basic function was to put what you wanted inside of it put your hand on the scanner then focus on the image of how to get from the Porpoise�s current position to the location you wanted it to go Focusing on the image was extremely important because otherwise the thing would run into a wall

After scanning his hand the Porpoise�s wheels engaged and the thing rolled forward to the end of the room Then it came back driving up to Randidly and running a circle around him five times before heading back over to Henrik

Randidly�s eyebrows rose That was a strong image instruction The more that Randidly worked with the drone blueprints the more he realized that he had underestimated the knowledge that went into these creations A lot of people must have worked very hard to perfect them or one AI had spent quite a lot of time and data refining them Any improvements Randidly thought to make often had unintended consequences

This Porpoise for instance was his third attempt and came out quite a bit heavier than the normal Porpoises But Randidly had been attempting to up the armor and the battery life of the things by increasing the integrity of the materials It was almost a zero sum game because the increased weight made it spend more battery moving But Randidly believed that there was some small improvement which made him pleased with himself

Then Henrik walked over to the Porpoise and kicked it on its side Instantly the pressure plates on the side engaged pressing outward to lift it back to its wheels But the motors of the thing began to whine dangerously as the plates pressed farther and farther outward Eyes widening Randidly did some calculations in his head The increased weight likely meant at least three times as much power was spent righting itself after an accident

Which turned his improvements into a net loss of power

Well it�s unsatisfactory but we are currently very lax in our standards Henrik gave Randidly a look that made it clear that Henrik believed Randidly being allowed to work here at all was a relaxation of standards Here is 50 for your efforts We will take the drone and find a task that suits its unique circumstances

50 was almost exactly what it cost to make so it was a wash Still Randidly was starting to think that he didn�t even deserve that It was frustrating to have failed again

But at the same time something had been ignited in his chest For the first time in a long time Randidly had wanted something and tried for it and failed It made him want to succeed all the more

So Randidly took another day going back and reading more thoroughly through the books in the library of the office getting a better understanding of what he was doing Then he used the computer to spend 100 on other recommended reading that was available for purchase specifically in regards to gritty details about the strength of different materials

Staring intently Randidly memorized every corner of the blueprints he had He had considered purchasing more for reference but each seemed to cost at least 1000 and those were the cheap models There were improved combat drones although not many that were almost 90 000 But if Randidly could make 100 a drone in the future that level of production might not be that far away

It was during this time reading a random detail of the function of the drones that something clicked into place in Randidly�s mind Instantly his eyes glowed emerald Where they had been parts before with an understandable role now they were a whole A beautiful moving whole composed of dozens of individual parts

It was almost like a work of art Because part of the power of the drone was its technological compression All that work and intellect was bent and twisted and slipped together until it had been warped into a form the belied its impressive functions

During the next hour reviewing the three different blueprints Randidly gained 12 Levels in Spriggit�s Tinkering In addition another notification popped up

Congratulations Would you like to learn the Skill Engineering Savvy � Lvl 1 Y/N

Randidly selected yes

He had thought a lot in the past few days whether it was really worth it to spend a Skill slot on a drone making Skill when he might need them in the future Two small things and one big thing made clicking yes easy First it was a general Skill and he might find other applications of its use Second it was often worth it to save things up for lean times but Randidly suspected momentum and PP now was more valuable than learning some Skill at some future date and Randidly still had several more Skill slots

Finally Randidly loved it The feeling of metal the strange tinkering workshop where he now found himself the creation of something autonomous from himself it was like a strange more organic form of the Soul Seed And Randidly was a bit shocked to find himself thinking that this was a more organic process but it wasn�t about the outcome that was organic It was just that when he created a drone he could lose himself in the wonder of the work and felt accomplished when he was done

When he made a Soul Seed Randidly wasn�t sure how but it felt hollow Like it was more the System�s work than his own But he supposed that humans made other humans in a similar way for centuries Was it truly just his young male instincts panicking at the first sign of children Whereas the drones were a more innocuous offspring

Shaking his head with amusement Randidly rose and dusted off his most recent attempt at the Porpoise It was a sturdier thing than Randidly had done in the past Seeing how his changes affected the weight didn�t dissuade Randidly that he was doing something worth doing it just gave him a better idea of what the consequences of such changes would be

Although Randidly maintained the weight in the frame he had slimmed down the metal components on the insides to keep the weight reasonable The runic boards inside were thin now but they still had a decent amount of integrity The wheels were slightly larger and positioned farther forward and back to give the Porpoise a more stable base

Feeling confident Randidly took the Porpoise to Henrik

Henrik hit the thing with two Fireballs and the thing fizzled to a stop Randidly blinked the thinner internal circuits had melted very quickly under the barrage of heat More than that though this was the first time Randidly had seen someone use a powerful magic spell since coming into Zone 1

In his chest more and more sparks of frustration were coming together

Then Henrik kicked the Porpoise over Or at least he tried to The things� spread wheels kept its balance through the first two kicks Henrik blinked Without a word he handed Randidly 75 and took the thing away

Shaking his head ruefully Randidly returned to his workshop and considered the modifications he had made And as he did so he burst out laughing

The problem is that I�m trying to adjust the materials while using the same runes as everyone else That won�t work They�ve been pushed to their limits I might make some small improvements but Randidly grinned at the ceiling Those sparks inside of him had become a conflagration and he could feel the intensity driving him forward Doesn�t that just mean I simply need to invent a new runic language to do what I want

Before he let himself get carried around for another week Randidly returned to his base in the forest checking in on things there The flowers that he had empowered had bloomed perhaps a little TOO largely They were the size of dinner plates and a sweet scent wafted from them for about a mile Luckily the trees covered most of it but

Then Randidly frowned He had planned to head then to the shanty town where his hovel was and Maude and Jude were staying but his attention was caught by a group of people in the small farming compound there

Because he recognized quite a few of them

Randidly felt a headache brewing Why had Nathan and company turned up here

Well Randidly looked at his arms At least he could get the illusion touched up

Chapter 540

Tatiana looked at the kid in front of her with her eyes narrowed Step away from her We appreciate your help but we will take over now

A kid he was even if he was built like a linebacker and carried an iron wrecking ball like it was just a balloon He shook his head slowly his eyes never leaving hers The poor girl was sitting behind him on the ground shivering Tatiana knew rationally that the kid had probably carried the poor girl here but now he was a violent male presence He needed to leave

And if he wouldn�t willingly she would make him

Pushing her body to the limits Tatiana rushed forward while drawing a stun baton Having no real animosity with the kid she set the baton to its stun mode Then eyeing his physique as she shot forward towards him she upped the charge to incapacitate If she had learned one thing from Baloo it was to never underestimate someone based on their appearance

And this fucking kid looked the part of battle veteran much more than Baloo did

Much to her surprise the kid deftly flicked his wrist and sent that dangerous metal ball careening forward She rolled to the side and drew a small caliber plasma pistol She only fired twice aiming for his extremities but he moved his arm and leg and stepped toward her his face filled with aggression

What she needs right now isn�t violence Tatiana said doing her best to keep her voice even

The kid sneered at her Real rich from the bitch who started the fight

At the word bitch Tatiana felt her heart grow cold This time when she raised the pistol she shot a dozen times burning quickly through her Mana The whole point was to impress upon him the danger of pissing her off To follow up she upped the charge on her baton once more and rushed forward

But then her instincts screamed to her and she leaped to the side The huge iron ball came shooting back and would have smashed her to the side had she remained standing there

As the ball arrived back before him the kid twisted and kicked and the ball was launched towards Tatiana just as she completed the throw of her stun baton aiming for his head But then her eyes widened

Three times she used her Quickstep moving backward away from the ball But even then it had arrived before her in less than a second She had no time

Her eyes flicked upwards shocked at this kid�s power Suddenly a voice whispered that she had been too hasty to jump to conclusions when she saw the wounded women in his arms He wanted to protect her too She shouldn�t have started the fight

But he was a dick for responding so aggressively for sure

She saw him calmly reaching for the iron chain a sneer on his face Then the idiot let her baton hit him The electric current rushed through him his body seizing There was enough power in that jolt to power a grade school and yet the guy just twitched as though he was paralyzed

But that second meant that the iron ball was about to hit her She raised her arms and crossed them hoping vehemently that when she was nothing but paste on the dirt the other members of the compound would hear and rush over from caring for the other women Hopefully this asshole had enough empathy to feel guilt and would remember this day for the rest of his life

Tatiana didn�t like the twisted satisfaction she felt imagining him torn up by the guilt but there it was Sometimes you couldn�t help the dark parts of yourself

Should I have kissed Baloo that night by the fire � Tatiana wondered idly It was a strange thought she felt

Coughing Tatiana fell back There was a figure in front of her

Is this serious A mild voice asked A familiar voice

To her surprise the kid answered sounding somewhat sheepish no She fuck man no it wasn�t Shit

Grumbling the kid turned around and looked down at the girl curled up on the ground She was a lovely thing with long blonde hair and vivid blue eyes The only problem was that her face was slack her eyes empty She had lost something wherever these people had come from But the look on the kid�s face when he looked down at her

Even sitting on the ground 20 meters away peering around the iron ball which Baloo had stopped Tatiana could see the expression was pure and genuine empathy There was a depth of emotion there too that Tatiana dare not examine too closely lest it drag her own trauma back out of the box she had separated it into

Then Tatiana blinked Because Baloo had stopped that huge ball of iron like it was nothing

He crouched down next to her his eyes bright He seemed somewhat bemused So what did I just walk in on A lovers� spat I understand sometimes there is a palpable connection from the first glance but isn�t this a little soon

Sighing Tatiana leaned back on the ground and looked up at the sky Please leave me alone for a minute I just thought I was about to die and do you know what I thought right at the end

What were you thinking

After a pause Tatiana said that I wished the ball was a little smaller so it would destroy my body but leave my face for an open casket funeral

That got a laugh out of him at least

Randidly looked at Dinesh with a frown They were currently in a small tea room on the farm compound As it turned out Dinesh and company had encountered a strange bunker on their way South to find Randidly and had liberated the 4 women and 2 men that the people of the farm were now caring for While the more conscious 5 were being helped into buildings by the women who lived here Tykes had brought up the rear carrying the blonde girl

She was a light thing probably only weighing 120 lbs but he had taken his time Even Randidly�s meager social skills could discern that Tykes was smitten with the girl Which was fine but then Tatiana came over and demanded that Tykes release the girl He had been somewhat slow to comply and Tatiana understandably concerned with the girl�s safety took exception to it

Of all the details of the story the most shocking was that Tatiana lived and ran the farming compound The same compound in the forest under which Randidly had a secret base He shook his head almost helpless Life was weird sometimes

Clearing his throat Randidly gestured for Dinesh to continue

Heavy resistance for the Zone But it was strange These were people who behaved like monsters high Stats but their Skills were haphazard at best All wearing these black cloaks They wore crosses around their necks too From the little we�ve learned of the Zone we suspect they were a less than savory arm of the Unity Church

They were alone in the room Bruya had come up to Randidly and touched his shoulder briefly but after that the rest of the crew headed out to camp with the farmers That was all it took to reinforce the illusion around him which took one of Randidly�s worries away at least Once Tatiana recovered she had to go check on the new arrivals and left Randidly to his own devices without even questioning his presence

He admired her commitment to these strangers� wellbeing at least But Randidly had intuitively known that about Tatiana She was rough but kind A total cliche in a way

Do do we know what is wrong with them They were all Randidly began slowly

Weak Yes they were Dinesh glanced towards the door Perhaps their doctors will have a better idea I can only guess at the specifics

Randidly snorted Knowing the small group living here he doubted they had anything like a true doctor with System related Skills A general guess then

Organ harvesting Dinesh said closing his eyes A lot of metal tables in the inner parts of the bunker Large glass containers filled with flesh And there were a lot of empty cells that we found

Randidly breathed slowly out his eyes narrowing There were two bits of information here First that the Unity Church really was involved in some very dark things From the first time he had run into them he had suspected it but he didn�t want to let his atheism color his opinion But so it was

The second thing was that there was a trace around them A hint of the scent of a familiar Aether

The Creature

Unity Church huh Randidly said almost to himself thinking over his scans of their area Nothing of note that he could remember But a lot of bodies

Dinesh nodded as if it had been a question for him They responded quickly too We hit the bunker hard Tykes going wild on the cave fortifications they had to guard and Karlito and I following to mop up the rest They put up a good fight but they did more damage to themselves in the fight throwing themselves against us than we actually inflicted Within 10 minutes a team of 20 had arrived and we had to slip past with illusions

Randidly grinned and saw Dinesh shiver slightly But he couldn�t help it Because at that moment Randidly finally found a target for his focus

But even though he caught the scent it was still extremely faint Just passed along through several intermediaries Perhaps the upper levels of the church

But even more confusing why was the Creature involved in organ harvesting

Chapter 541

Donny steepled his fingers his expression grave What do we know

They knew the location of the mine They knew its defenses at least in the general sense They knew the location of Tellumurite in the mines They retrieved the Tellumurite It�s hard to tell if they knew our shipping schedule but they struck two days prior to the packing day Therefore they received five days worth of the mineral Mrs Hamilton said smoothly as if she was checking off items from a list in her mind Then she glanced at Simon who sat cross legged in the middle of the room

It was extremely rare for Simon to travel anywhere in person since he had become the Zone�s Champion Which just made Donny more worried

Simon said nothing so Mrs Hamilton continued

Their main force was composed of Raid Boss minions The Raid Bosses themselves were located in a small camp several miles away Their location has been found but they have done well to cover their tracks The Raid Boss minions were released to run rampant Although we may have missed a few Glendel is using his ghosts to cover most of the plains as we speak Based upon these facts I surmise that they have been biding their time nearby the mine for at least a month building up forces These all were fodder to obtain the mineral

Why Donny asked straightening his hands and flexing them Why spend so much time to get Tellumurite It can give a boost to Skill performance and learning Skills but with just that amount

We can�t rule out that they plan to use it in an unusual way Mrs Hamilton said with a sigh

you mean in the way Randidly used it To ignite a great deal of Aether to cause an explosion Donny said with a sigh We are talking real terrorists And if that�s the case I assume the prime suspect is Yystrix The Creature as Randidly calls her

All gazes turned to the fourth person in the room Lyra She calmly sipped her team seemingly unperturbed by their suspicions Donny had taken Randidly�s message seriously but he had a very different relationship with Lyra He understood that she was prideful but she truly wanted the best for humanity

But her posture now very clearly indicated that she would contribute nothing to the conversation So Donny moved the topic forward

He turned to Simon How did you miss this With this many Raid Bosses shouldn�t it be easy to detect

Simon sighed and Donny was surprised that now of all times Lyra spoke up Let Mrs Hamilton talk about the core squad of the enemy�s operation

Yes I believe that also contains the answer I am of the opinion that the Creature had a hand in this but she hired out the labor The core was four individuals A man with obsidian armor A huge man with a deep bass voice who remained covered the entire time A strange monster the size of a car And

Simon sighed again and then spoke Someone who wields a hammer yes It was they that struck the final blow

The room fell silent for several seconds

Thea Donny said slowly looking around Lyra smiled at him

She is Nemesis The Village Spirit who had once been a person said softly Just like Champions seek to raise us up us as in Humans Nemesai will attempt to make us fail the tests of the System The Calamity is their god It makes sense that they would work in conjunction with Yystrix

The group mulled that over for a bit A classification that would hinder the Zone made a lot of sense considering the past moves the System made to fuck them over It was just somewhat tiring because there was always a trap

But where did they find the man with the obsidian armor that kept Decklan tied up That level of fighter he wasn�t someone from Zone 1 unless they are severely tricking us with the information available Donny said

Mrs Hamilton pushed her glasses up her nose I have a theory But it has some troubling implications Specifically that the System�s goal is to punish overly powerful races Even the final resting places of seven Zones means that there would be an extremely high pressure

She trailed off for a second then snapped back into focus What I�m saying is that I believe that the obsidian armored man was in fact a foreign power But he was not a person He was Zone 1�s Nemesis

Everyone fell silent again Simon opened his eyes slowly I had felt something was wrong But to think well as you expect I have tested my limits I cannot leave the Zone I am bound here I did not lie Nothing changed after joining the wider world I can dream of anything under the sun as long as I dream it here

so the working theory is that there is System created super powerful terrorists Donny said slowly That can move from Zone to Zone And as more Zones connect to the wider world the more of them there will be can they be killed

This final question was directed at Lyra She nodded Plus all Champions� powers currently grow fuzzy around the Nemesis A head start When there are more that fuzziness will fade so they can be located more easily

Better to kill them now I�ll look into it Mrs Hamilton said with a nod

Donny almost wanted to smile If today was any other day he would have smiled at the relentless practicality of the woman Just like that a whole new series of threats were coming their way but she faced it unflinchingly Donny wished for that assuredness

He also wished that the Ghosthound was still here Because what he had to do next was very difficult But the Ghosthound had made his choice clear and it made sense Donnyton needed to grow on its own It couldn�t rely on that man�s strength forever

With a sigh Donny stood The rest followed his lead Well let�s get to it This funeral won�t run itself

Randidly left the compound before Tatiana had emerged content to return another time to speak with her about her presence there He moved Nathan and the rest into town where they took up residence in his small hovel like it was nothing Tanya seemed the most happy because there was a distinct lack of hairdressers in the steelworkers� town

But Karlito took all of an hour to ingratiate himself with some seedy looking workers and was soon playing dice while preparing his stew Bruya hummed softly and began curing leather from some monster they had killed Tykes was surly and seemed perpetually looking West towards the girl he had carried

Nathan was the most delighted because he finally had some children his own age to play with

Each wore a powerful illusion as their faces were known to Ghost which was another headache that Randidly needed to explain to Tatiana But that could wait for now

Randidly had intended to return to the smelting rooms to make some more metals but he was stopped by another large screen that the Unity Church had erected Now they were talking about asking for volunteers in the building of their new shelters for the rapidly growing number of refugees The government predicted another wave of suburbs would be freed up in a week and they needed labor to finish the project in time

We are also happy to announce An elderly man said with a stern face making his message somewhat comical that the Unity Church will now be purchasing large quantities of steel made from this location for its construction and even more importantly many of the drones produced by Ghost�s initiative These observation and defense drones will constantly patrol the areas owned by the Unity Church while working on the project your safety is all but guaranteed

Randidly snorted and turned away He wasn�t sure what he wanted to do about the Unity Church issue as of yet but he had already given Dinesh orders to scope out the surrounding area for similar organ harvesting locations And when one was found

Well Randidly would personally go to get to the bottom of the issue

But then he froze and turned around looking at the elderly man who was still speaking Because he recognized him

It was his maternal grandfather Kulwort Shaw

Chapter 542

There were ten thousand people standing in front of him gazing intently up at Donny Donny kept his face neutral impassive The sunlight sent speckled stars of gold careening off of his armor Honestly Donny was surprised so many people were willing to look so directly at him all things considered

But the air was somber There was a seriousness in everyone that wasn�t usually there This had been a cold splash of water in the face of Donnyton Already rumors about what happened were spreading to the other Villages Donny hoped that it wouldn�t become politically important but it was something worth keeping an eye on But for now he had a job to do

As Donny cleared his throat he noticed that Decklan was conspicuously absent from the front row where the other leaders of Donnyton sat neatly It was good that Decklan had been evening out recently especially since the borderlands opened The wildness was good for him and helped mollify his spirit

But all of this had ripped away that humanization Donny knew that as grief seized the man something else would creep out of him his true nature as a Killer

Tera Feeny has fallen who next will stand for Donnyton Donny said enunciating clearly

It started with Dozer but soon the entire first row was stomping their feet Very quickly those rows spread backward in ripples until the entirety of the assembled ten thousand were stomping in unison It was a slow even beat but extremely powerful when spread across so many individuals

The tradition was a spin off of the Ghosthound�s challenge to Donnyton It had started in small scale funerals those of people who died in Dungeons or to ambushes from Raid Bosses Often for the tragic loss of a talented youth who recently became a member of a Donnyton Squad

Boom Boom

We will stand Came the spoken reply It was almost breathy It was a sigh as everyone released the energy of emotion they held in their hearts And as they did so the stomping got faster

Boom Boom Boom Boom

Donny breathed in and then breathed out The Vice Captain of the Assassination Squad of Donnyton has fallen who will next stand for Donnyton

This was different Donny abruptly realized than any other funeral he had been to Part of it was the scale but another part the more important part was what Tera had been to Donnyton

She had been there at the beginning She was one of the firsts She knew the Ghosthound before he was the Ghosthound At the time he had gotten to the Skills faster but they were still reasonable It was more like the Ghosthound knew some tricks that the others hadn�t grasped yet Whereas now he seemed to be operating on a scale that none of the rest of them could fathom

One of their first one of their strongest one of their brightest had died

We will stand The crowd bellowed against the sky In the combination of noise something seemed to be rising An old sleepy beast was shaking off the dust that covered it and baring its fangs

Donnyton had lost something And it was angry

The stomping feet grew even more rapid so much so that people began to lose the rhythm But they more than made up for it in terms of volume of sound

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

A citizen of Donnyton has died Donny said his mouth dry When he spoke he opened his chest and used every bit of his enhanced Stats to yell as loud as he could If he did not it would be impossible for these people to hear him Who will next stand for Donnyton

WE WILL Came the reply and the beast was awake now It seemed to be rising up from the stomping bodies strands of noise and emotion weaving themselves into something truly monstrous This construct was out for blood

Those individuals who were able to attend this funeral were not only Tera�s friends and family but everyone who was someone in Donnyton Arrayed before Donny was the army of Donnyton to a greater degree It was the weapon they had forged urged on by the Ghosthound

After the Ghosthound had left they had continued to sharpen that weapon with training and armor but they had lost something They had lost sight of their ultimate enemy the System The strange collection of impossible rules that had changed their lives and threatened to kill them But under it they grew strong

Perhaps they had confused this given strength for kindness or compassion from the System As if this was a collaborative effort rather than humanity using every tool at its disposal to fight for every scrap they had received

We will not make this mistake again � Donny thought closing his eyes and letting the noise wash over him

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

A human life has been taken Donny bellowed raising his arms Who will take it back

WE WILL

Randidly returned to his workshop on the drone factory campus and spent another day working He didn�t attempt to trade in any of his drones as he was slightly disappointed with the outcomes but he had slowly been developing some ideas about how he would need to adjust the runes inside of them to do what he wanted

The actual adjustment was a very frustrating job

After 6 hours with only minimal success Randidly took a break and considered his available PP It had been quite a while since he had spent the time to upgrade his Paths and he suspected that he had plenty of PP now to finish off his current Path

He of course was right Randidly had gained 7 Skill Levels in Spearing Roots 4 in Plant Dominance 13 in Potion Making 9 in both Refine and Extract an impressive 20 in Chosen of Fire 6 in Fire Resistance and Cooking 5 in Chef�s Palate 2 in Farming and Roundhouse Kick 5 in Mana Engraving 10 in Spriggit�s Tinkering 4 in Aether Understanding and Aether Detection 7 in Living Aether 9 in Gravity Affinity 3 in Soul Bond and 14 in Engineering Savvy

There were plenty of PP so much so that he could easily finish off his current Path

Congratulations you have completed the Intermediate Soul Bond Path Some consider these paths to be lonely pursuits but you have found a way to forge a bond with another while each of you continues on their own path There is a danger here because this connection will associate you with threats against the other but there are rewards as well Take care traveler For the farther you walk with another the more catastrophic the eventual parting will be Health Mana and Stamina +200 Level up gains increased by a small amount due to your partner�s abilities

Due to the power of your partner you gain an additional 6 unallocated Stat points per Level You have gained the ability to instantly summon your partner to your current location Consumes ? of your total Health Stamina and Mana There is a one month cooldown

Chapter 543

Randidly chuckled wryly at the rewards for this Path The attributes were a nice boost but what was the focus of his attention were the allocatable Stats He wondered whether 6 was high relatively speaking In terms of rewards for Paths it was undoubtedly high But Randidly wondered if he gave Neveah an even bigger amount of power through his enormous Stats

This did remind Randidly that he needed to contact Neveah and see what she was up to Obviously she wasn�t in any danger but her just hanging around that political man made him somewhat nervous

As for the bonus ability perhaps there were situations where that would be useful but the cost was somewhat hard to bear in the short term Obviously there was a lot of strategic value of one of them being able to go into battle while the other could summon them out if things grew too sticky It was worth considering down the line

Satisfied with the gains Randidly looked at his available Paths Honestly he was starting to grow somewhat weary of the proliferation of options

Heretic XXV 0/ Nexus Traveler Cohort 5 0/50 Experimenter I 0/50 Fighting Proficiency III 0/ System Transgressor 0/1 Steps of the Godling II Path 0/200 The Road to Mastery 0/500 Growth of Yggdrasil II 0/500 Crown of Yggdrasil 0/500 Friend to Humanity 0/100 War Leader 0/200 Path of the Patron 0/500 Metallurgist 0/300 Advanced Mana Engraving 0/400 Aether Convergence I Perfect Soul Bond 0/1000

After the Judgement once more descended at 20 Heretic continued to climb steadily upwards Strangely that Judgement hadn�t been that difficult to handle the yeti that had attacked him the previous times wasn�t summoned on that occasion Instead just hundreds of the empowered minion yetis came They were extremely annoying but weren�t a serious threat without their larger counterpoint

It was honestly a pleasant surprise But at the same time it gave Randidly a chill It felt too weak to be purposeful Another option then was that the yeti was still alive on Shal�s world It seemed impossible but

Shaking his head Randidly considered his other options He could worry about the Judgement later Nexus Traveler 5 Experimenter I System Transgressor and Friend to Humanity were all immediately discarded None of them seemed to yield useful Skills which was sorta what Randidly was looking for now Although he had a limited number of slots finding quality choices for those slots were important

And Randidly had the feeling that he was beginning to be deep enough in the Path tree to find them

Because he was unsure of how it would affect him he discarded Steps of the Godling Lucretia had taken over much more directly in handling the issues of his Soul Skill which freed him up from that responsibility She didn�t rule it directly but as far as Randidly could tell she had an organization on the ground inside of it When there was trouble she dealt with it decisively Internal weakness could not be permitted again

War Leader was intriguing but he was not one who would ever be leading an army That was not the Ghosthound�s MO Although Path of the Patron was extremely tempting it was discarded for similar reasons Becoming a Patron which is what Randidly believed that Path would result in was an official process Randidly would not take the System lightly

A new arrival Perfect Soul Bond was discarded just because its cost was a monstrous 1000 PP Randidly shivered Depending on how quickly he grew that might take him as long as a year It was hard to imagine keeping a Path for that long

Another new Path open to him Aether Convergence seemed tempting But Randidly was wary of what heading down that Path might mean After all what changes had he made that would lead the System toward rewarding him with an Aether Convergence Path What if the effect was to combine his Aether�s with the System

No better to avoid it Randidly decided Which left a much reduced list to choose from

Fighting Proficiency III 0/ The Road to Mastery 0/500 Growth of Yggdrasil II 0/500 Crown of Yggdrasil 0/500 Advanced Mana Engraving 0/400

Fighting Proficiency was another shot in the dark but it was growing slowly and the prior two Paths cost 80 and 100 PP respectively Therefore the next leg of that Path couldn�t be very long On the other hand the Skill he had obtained previously from that string of Paths was Counter Although Counter was a useful move and one that Randidly had been able to grind recently for experience its power was only so so Honestly Randidly had suspected that Shal�s way of teaching was the real problem Randidly was simply not very skilled at counters

Growth of Yggdrasil was another leg of something he had completed in the 6 months of training before the borderlands opened He had earned a pretty sizable amount of Vitality from putting points into it and was rewarded with a boost in the Rarity of his Yggdrasil Skills at the end which was extremely tempting He put that as a maybe

Road to Mastery was the next step in the Newbie Trainee Apprentice Journeyman Adept line of Paths or so Randidly believed It was something that would probably yield Skills So that was another maybe

Advanced Mana Engraving might help a lot now as Randidly struggled to figure out how to make these runes that he wanted But that was a red herring and Randidly knew it He wouldn�t receive the knowledge from a Path He might obtain a useful Skill but the actual knowledge of its use would only come from himself

For this Randidly had a new plan He wanted to go back and make a sizable chunk of metal and then use that to buy all the different blueprints that he could afford He would learn the runes involved in them and then use the Mana Engraving Encyclopedias he had been given all that time ago on Shal�s world With both these sources of study Randidly refused to believe he wouldn�t be able to make progress on the creation of his own style of runes

There was a ghost of a smile on his face The Spear Phantom Style of runes

But Randidly knew what he was taking For a long time he had wondered why he had not created a Skill Set with the Yggdrasil Skills One explanation was that there was a special process to do so but Randidly had done it with the Ashen Spear without doing anything at all special Then what was missing was not a random input but a Skill to hold it all together and make it a Skill Set

The Crown of Yggdrasil had a certain solemnity to it that drew Randidly�s eyes It made his skin tingle Instinctively he knew his answer was there

Of course when Randidly put his PP into it nothing happened for a long time It was only after he dumped fully 50 PP into it that it gave him 10 unallocated Stats Randidly shook his head unhappily but tried not to pay too close attention to it It would give him the reward he sought he had no doubt He wasn�t sure of the details but from the treatment of Skill Sets on Shal�s world it was clear they held a special allure

The fact that he had a high Level Skill was interesting but not enough a Skill Set at his Level made him exemplary Randidly was looking forward to seeing how obtaining a Skill Set would change his Yggdrasil Skills

Before Randidly rushed back over to the metalworking factory to put his plan into action he took a glance at his Stats and rolled his eyes Honestly at this point it was getting hard to follow all of the changes to himself But in his heart he knew he was becoming strong

Health(/R per hour) 3522/3253 (+730) (1477 (+165

Mana(/R per hour) 4109/3616 (699 (+9

Stam(/R per min) 3211/3094 (+60) (482 (+45

Vit 322 (+15)

Str 342 (+52)

Agi 362 (+24)

Resistance 277 (+45)

Willpower 430 (+10)

Intelligence 360

Skills (Soul Skill) Seven Lands of the Spectral Tree Lvl 1346

Combat Spear Mastery Lvl 178 White Phantom�s Half Step (Un) Lvl 73 Heavy Blow Lvl 94 Dagger Mastery Lvl 10 Iron Skin Lvl 47 Dodge Lvl 98 Fighting Proficiency Lvl 137 Block Lvl 74 Phantom Onslaught Lvl 42 Sweep Lvl 54 Spear Deflect Lvl 10 Calculated Blow Lvl 89 Roundhouse Kick Lvl 67 Idiosyncratic Cut (Un) Lvl 99 Pierce the Skies Shatter the Earth Lvl 57 Body Control Freeze Lvl 37 Stalemate Breaker Lvl 29 Talon Strike Lvl 38 Counter Lvl 51

PoFE Class Skills Plant Dominance � Lvl 110 Spray Holy Sap (Un) Lvl 9 Sharpness Lvl 69 Call Grove Defenders � Lvl 34 Earthquake (Un) Lvl 43 Invigorating Call (Humanity)(Un) Lvl 14 Four Shaded Domain Lvl 29 Phantom�s Lantern (Un) Lvl 33 Grasp of Lava � Lvl 67 Erode Image Lvl 7 Vengeful Bloom (Un) Lvl 19 Gallant Intervention (Human) Lvl 4 Spriggit�s Tinkering � Lvl 23 Aether Understanding Lvl 43 Summon Lava Golem (Un) Lvl 22 Aether Infusion Lvl 41

Aether Skills Aether Detection Lvl 91 Aether Manipulation Lvl 97 Living Aether � Lvl 100 System Interference Lvl 10

Spells Spearing Roots Lvl 92 Mana Bolt Lvl 28 Mana Shield Lvl 32 Arcane Orb Lvl 22 Fireball Lvl 30 Magic Missile Lvl 4 Healing Palm Lvl 12 Pollen of the Rafflesia Lvl 20 Summon Pestilence Lvl 54 Wall of Thorns Lvl 29 Yggdrasil Soul Seed � Inspiration � Incinerating Bolt Lvl 91 Circle of Flame Lvl 75 Plantomancy Lvl 35 Hammer of the Dawn Lvl 37 Burning Footsteps Lvl 23 Ashes to Ashes Lvl 49 Touch from Beyond � Lvl 24 Gravity Affinity Lvl 52 Incendiary Eruption Lvl 22

Crafting Potion Making Lvl 73 Farming Lvl 34 Plant Breeding Lvl 19 Mapmaker Lvl 7 Analyze Lvl 29 Refine Lvl 62 Extract Lvl 47 Mana Engraving Lvl 104

Auxiliary Sneak Lvl 46 Acid Resistance Lvl 22 Poison Resistance Lvl 21 Pain Resistance Lvl 63 First Aid Lvl 16 Pathfinding Lvl 18 Fire Resistance Lvl 99 Sewing Lvl 11 Cutting Vegetables Lvl 2 Manual Labor Lvl 6 Digging Lvl 5 Cooking Lvl 72 Clockwork Mastery Lvl 16 Aether Connection Lvl 15 Soul Bond Lvl 102 Chef�s Palette Lvl 30 Nether Resistance Lvl 13 Child of the Rain (Un) Lvl 16 Chosen of Fire � Lvl 66 Engineering Savvy � Lvl 15

Chapter 544

Hank measured the man in front of him Everyone who he had run into in Donnyton had a certain something It was purpose Hank eventually decided but the part of him that had been raised by Rick refused to let it lie at that There was a certain surety about them but it was more than that

They were decisive and believed in what they were doing However that was tempered by the knowledge of their own weakness It was a delicate balance and one that so many of them seemed to easily adapt to

The man a teenager really in front of him was an average looking fellow It was hard to believe that the Chieftain of Donnyton was so young a man But he had been there since the beginning and his shoulders had grown to fit the mantle of a responsibility that he wasn�t prepared for and he didn�t want But in his eyes there was a certainty that said he had risen to the challenge against all odds

My name�s Donny It�s good to meet you Donny said shaking Hank�s hand His grip was firm I didn�t mean to keep you waiting but Tera was a dear friend of mine I hope you understand

Of course Hank said meaning it The System ain�t made it easy for us The monsters seem to grow stronger and smarter every day

Donny�s smile was sharp They really do Will you be acting as the diplomat of your Zone

Chuckling ruefully Hank shook his head Partly it was because neither Alan nor Ghost trusted him but the other part was that Hank had been doing his best to give off the air of an irresponsible leader during their lazy journey down to Star Crossing where they teleported to Donnyton Due to that Laurel had become the spokesperson for Zone 1�s leadership

She was only military adjacent but she was trusted by enough important high ranking individuals that she would suffice Plus Hank had no doubt they had Ghost run dozens of simulations and seen her betray them or defect in none of the scenarios

She was also a much better choice than the other options Ezekiel and Affina

I�m more the rough and tumble type Here for safety Hank�s the name Besides while I�m here I�d love to learn more about your training methods I had my teeth kicked in by fellows going by the name of Paolo and Kayle on the way down

Donny laughed I don�t doubt it The two of them are both notoriously difficult to fight I�m not totally confident myself in beating them in a straight duel And feel free to look around The training sessions generally cost some of our currency but while your here consider it on the house Just no starting trouble alright

Hank gave his toothiest smile I wouldn�t dream of it sir

Laurel rolled her eyes

Generally Laurel�s instincts were very accurate It was partially the result of her impressive intellect but Hank consoled himself these days with the fact that her Class also pushed her in the correct direction Still Hank was extremely surprised himself that it only took 17 minutes before he got into trouble

Why would you bother with bows Hank repeated They are cumbersome slow guns A good pistol on the other hand

The attractive woman he was facing smiled even wider She waved away his words and just said I get it You are slow And I�m sure your toys there are very precious But this training ground is for adults Maybe take a step back

Normally Hank wouldn�t have talked trash so quickly But as soon as he arrived at the training area he had witnessed about a half dozen burly men tripping over themselves to make way for this petite pretty thing They even had the gall to act like she was god�s gift to archery when she was fiddling around with two pathetic small bows the size of her hand

It was what Hank assumed was the sad comparison to a pistol and he couldn�t help but laugh She looked at him sharply seemingly insulted That only goaded him on further He had come to Donnyton excited to meet competent and powerful individuals To find this woman teaching here toying around with her worthless little bows

It was something of a letdown And Hank wasn�t a man to let such a disappointment slide

Girlie Hank announced The day I take a step back is the day I eat my boot Now run along before you get hurt

There was a strange surrealness to the air Hank could feel it as he spoke as if these words weren�t all him but were something more A natural outpouring of his Soul Skill But honestly he didn�t mind There was a recklessness to it a challenge to anything that purported to be something that it was not that he admired It was a part of him that would chase truth and beauty to the end of the world

Delightful You are new and you seem at least halfway decent Do you already have a Class Splendid then this won�t be bullying She said with a sweet smile My name�s Annie You are just a treasure aren�tcha How about this an old fashioned duel to first blood I�m short on time so I�m going to start without waiting for an answer But you don�t mind right

With a great deal more ease than she had previously she spun the tiny bows across her fingers

Hank�s expression became serious There was something in her expression all of a sudden

She had it too That surety of the strong of Donnyton And strangely as soon as it had come that impulse from his Soul Skill was gone leaving satisfaction It had apparently seen all it needed to She had passed its test

But Hank�s grin just spread wider In a duel he might not be the best but he was more than enough to put up a good showing Having an opportunity to fight against someone who gave him the chills like this lovely girl wouldn�t happen often so

She already spun the bows holding them steady with her pointer and middle finger Her pinky and ring finger reached into small quiver tied to her wrists and she flipped it up to the bow With her thumb she drew the string of the bow backward Within a split second a tiny needle streaked towards Hank

His eyebrows rose So she wasn�t just a pretty face

Hank Dodge Rolled to the side and straightened reaching for his repeater But then Hank froze Because his guns weren�t at his sides they were laying on the ground back from where he was just standing His eyes scanned them and he held back a gasp

Something had expertly cut through his belt at the point he was about to go into the roll so he didn�t notice the difference in weight at all

Annie spun the bows again laughing What are you looking at The duel is to first blood I seem to have missed your skin completely Let�s keep going then Maybe I�ll get lucky if I keep trying

Gritting his teeth Hank rushed her But no matter how fast he thought he was or how well he planned and predicted her moves she seemed to be able to disappear like a ghost at will and appear behind him In terms of speed he was nowhere near her match

After 20 minutes Hank was completely sleeveless

After an hour he was panting with the continued exertion as he attacked her over and over again After his pistols were taken from him he made no move to pick them back up It was a point of pride The only weapons he would use were his fists But he couldn�t for the life of him close the distance enough to use them

His torso was completely bare

Sighing Annie stopped abruptly around the two hours and ten minute mark So much so that Hank looked up surprised He hadn�t come close to catching her but his Dodge Roll and Dueling Skills were rising so quickly he couldn�t believe it Had she finally given up

Honey can you take care of this man He�s surprisingly resilient Annie complained flipping her hands He just won�t admit he lost this duel It truly surprises me that he can claim with a straight face that he is a man

The individual that Annie was speaking to smiled Hank would call him a man but that would be woefully inadequate in describing truly who she was speaking to It was a man like the hulk was a man But where the hulk had a physique without an ounce of fat this man just seemed solid Not that he was particularly fat but he did have something of a belly and there wasn�t much definition to his arms But where he stood out was pure size

His shoulders were the size of basketballs and his hands were large enough to wrap around a person�s head He was probably fully two meters tall and weighed close to 300 pounds At least

The man cracked his knuckles It looks like he just wants to box Annie But look since you seem uninterested how about I handle it

Annie tittered You would do that for me

Chapter 545

Annie actually thought that this ambassador from Zone 1 was rather cute if misguided There was a very aggressive pleasure in slowly shooting the arrows until his clothes revealed the body underneath for all that the man was probably 10 years her senior

Besides there was something very pleasurable in how he refused to concede even when it had become increasingly obvious that there was a vast disparity of power between them Of course this meant that he had probably gained two dozen Skill Levels over the course of their confrontation but that didn�t mean that most people could see the benefits in remaining in the fight and being humiliated Men especially found it a hard pill to swallow

There was a spark in this one�s eye he was desperate for the wildness and thrill of testing himself

Crossing her fingers Annie hoped that Dozer wouldn�t be too rough with him

Dozer moved with surprising quickness for his bulk and closed the distance between himself and the cowboy The cowboy for his part said nothing to imply he rejected the challenge In fact he raised his fists and adopted a boxing posture

Dozer was not a particularly emotional man although he truly was more insightful than Annie gave him credit for early on in their relationship But when the cowboy adopted a stance he smiled pure and wide It was the look of a child who had found the toy he had been waiting for

At an unspoken signal both rushed towards each other the cowboy moving much more quickly than Annie would have given him credit for She had been aware that part of her advantage lay in her use of her stealth Skills to keep him from being able to read her shots but it was still impressive to see his stride eat up the distance His movement style also revealed that he was a competent boxer as well

Dozer had no grace just momentum Then he threw his first punch There was an audible crack as Dozer tightened his hand into a fist and raised it The blow seemed deceptively slow

To his credit Cowboy rolled backward instantly But as the cowboy looked up at Dozer his eyes narrowed and she sensed he could intuit that he had just made a mistake

Building on his momentum Dozer rumbled forward two more blows smashing outward From anyone else these would be casual jabs From Dozer it could kill a regular human and even those with Classes would blanch at the thought of being hit with the fist directly

Instead of dodging Cowboy stepped forward and under the blows After he had narrowly missed getting his head knocked off he threw a left of his own one that smashed into Dozer�s midsection Dozer had a good 7 inches on the man and the closest target to him was Dozer�s huge torso

Without bothering to dodge Dozer brought his left arm around in a hook

The cowboy expertly stepped to the side and then threw two more lefts But before they even landed his eyes widened as he sensed the danger After throwing the hook Dozer twisted his left arm and clawed outward at the cowboy using a lot more force this time It was fast and too late to dodge The cowboy�s eyes narrowed

He adjusted his stance and twisted to throw a right at Dozer�s jaw

It hit and Dozer�s head tilted incrementally to the side At the same time Dozer�s hand landed on the cowboy�s shoulder There was a moment of pause as the cowboy was knocked off balance and stumbled while Dozer gathered his strength

With a roar Dozer burst into motion his body twisting almost 90 degrees to the left His attack was now more of a grab than a claw and the cowboy yelped as the rapid rotation caught him and brought him around flinging him into a nearby tree

He tumbled head over heels and crashed into the tree which cracked Wood and man collapsed in a broken heap to the ground Silence reigned for several seconds

Annie rolled her eyes I know he�s tough but jeez That barely took any time at all You need to learn to savor your meals

Shrugging Dozer cracked his neck while rubbing his chin thoughtfully All the while that wide grin stayed on his face It was a good punch

Randidly stared intently at the remains of the bonfire he had made the previous night

There was a weight to burning he was slowly realizing and that was key There had to be a certain amount of constant heat in a large area around it and then like a seed an even deeper and more dangerous seed would slowly bloom That bloom would slowly spread outward until it filled the entire space that the prior heat had occupied If there was enough fertile ground now an even more powerful heat would be born there But that required area

The coals in front of Randidly glowed orange and red a luminous rainbow of ambient energy It was impossible for him to up the scale of the experiment without alerting Ghost so he had simply made a small example after a barbecue was held in the small shanty town

It was very far from what happened in the case of a sun�s formation of course But it was illustrative of where the power came from It was almost pseudo science at this point but that heated area slowly increased the possibility of something greater being born

The supernova phenomenon occurred because at some point that seed of heat that bloomed was to the functioning process of a sun fundamentally more dangerous than any of the vast space had been previously It broke the balance

Unfortunately no balance would be broken in a small fire

Congratulations Your Skill is now 75% formed

But that didn�t mean there wasn�t something to learn

However before he could consider further Randidly received a message from Dinesh

I found another one of Unity Church�s facilities

Randidly eyes glowed emerald and vicious in the darkness It was time to find out what the Church was truly doing He had been somewhat hesitant about what to do after learning that his Grandfather was part of the Church After all Randidly�s relationship with his mother was strained to say the least She had a similarly distant relationship with her father who had raised her alone after his wife died

But there was always a wariness there On those rare occasions that Randidly saw his grandfather he had always been on his best behavior Because the man was extremely eccentric and volatile One time to prove to Randidly that there was nothing to fear from riding a bike his grandfather had ridden a children�s bike 12 miles from the store back to his house and back

He had returned with Randidly�s overnight bag because he was staying with his grandfather at that time Then his grandfather had checked his watch I might as well just tell your mother to pick you up here Good day

Then he had left Randidly and the bike and gone home It was confusing more than anything else

Plus right now Randidly was Baloo Erickson There didn�t seem to be any organic way to approach the man while he remained affected by the illusion Well other than joining the Unity Church which was becoming increasingly popular in the area More and more Raid Bosses had been showing up in the area so their assistance was useful

Of course Randidly kept the area around him clean with the help of Sulfur and Acri so it wasn�t too pressing But it was slightly annoying He had even begun to suspect that the Raid Bosses were being herded somehow into the area to scare people into joining because there were suddenly so many more than there had been previously

Letting his thoughts go for the moment Randidly asked Dinesh for the location Then he returned to the underground base to meet with Bruya She adjusted his illusion to look more like a Randidly sized Lucifer with short but vivid orange hair and a strong nose

Looking at himself in a mirror Randidly flashed a smile The mini Lucifer sneered back at him looking so haughty that he couldn�t help but laugh It�s perfect

So it was only an hour after he had received the message from Dinesh the two of them were standing above the location of the compound It was a peat bog from the look of it and the day was humid and hot to match it The wetland was covered in a dozen or so low mounds and they stared at the smallest of these from a nearby hill

I followed a suspicious truck to this location Dinesh said quietly 9 individuals were unloaded very quickly while they were bound and seemed semi conscious I don�t have confirmation but I knew you would want to know

Randidly nodded absently Already he reached out to the plants in the area and their tendrils wound their way downward He turned to Dinesh How many trucks did you need to follow to find this place

Dinesh simply shrugged Chuckling Randidly let it pass Let it never be said that he complained of the presence of competence in his groups Then abruptly he received feedback from the plants surrounding the underground bunker Very quickly his expression soured

We are going in Randidly grunted

Chapter 546

The first thing his roots told him was that there were several people crying in tiny cells along the back of the facility There was a large front area that he couldn�t really get into but beyond that there were several smaller rooms Two of them appeared to be laboratories One was a gym of all things

In one of the laboratories a woman was standing over a senseless young woman seeming to stop and admire the scalpel Randidly�s lip curled upwards

Don�t you fucking dare �

All across the facility Randidly poured his Mana into the plant matter that was squirming along on reconnaissance missions With that infusion the tiny individual plants swelled to ten times their size reaching out to grasp the half dozen or so workers that were in the facility Instantly alarms began to ring

Randidly cursed quietly If he had time he could have disabled that But saving the girl was more important And within 10 seconds his plants had ripped deeply enough into the electrical lines that ran through the facility that the alarm sputtered and failed There wasn�t even a backup power to the bunker so everything was plunged into darkness Those crying individuals in the back continued to wail

For now Randidly had to ignore them Instantly he sprung into motion and leaped over to land on top of the small mound He had a problem Although he had quickly overwhelmed the other workers that fucking scalpel woman was fighting off most of his vines Although Randidly thought he had her dead to rights from the get go she was able to overpower his vines and click something on her belt It activated an energysuit which sprung up around her

The suit burned through the plants but it also quickly ripped through the energy cell that kept the suit going Randidly�s mouth quirked into a vicious smile That was the real problem with the exosuits that Randidly had seen they simply didn�t embrace the System They were powerful sure but they relied on batteries Who had time for batteries in a fight

After making a mental note to see if exosuits used different runes to operate Randidly redoubled his efforts against the scalpel woman Luckily she had moved away from the unconscious woman when Randidly moved in with the plants but it also meant she had been able to reach other cutting medical tools which she used very skillfully to fight his plants off

Then Randidly was able to cut the power Within 5 seconds the woman was bound and restrained albeit with some difficulties Randidly grimaced The woman probably had almost 200 Strength or a Skill Leveled to a ridiculous degree

Upon the surface Randidly pointed at the ground and sent a command to his plants There was likely an easier way down into the facility but he couldn�t be bothered with it Besides the woman had spoken rapidly while fighting off his plants and Randidly somehow doubted that she was asking for mercy from a plant

So his plants swelled and simply ripped apart the ground exposing the facility below Randidly hopped down Dinesh close behind him

There are 8 people at the back in cells I�ll go handle the girl they already brought to the operating room Randidly said grimly and Dinesh nodded and dashed off into the darkness Randidly took a different path and soon arrived at one of the laboratories Although he didn�t want to dwell too long he took the time to peer in

The plants had senses that Randidly could use but mostly they were pressure and air currents Therefore sounds and objects were possible to discern with a little work but color was difficult Not that Randidly thought he would find a big red button but still

What he did see in his brief glance was that there were bloodstains on the table Randidly�s eyes narrowed Although it was almost perfect darkness Randidly seemed to see the room in perfect clarity It was due to one of Neveah�s Skills seeping over but it was extremely useful

Below the operating table there was actually an apparatus that collected blood The wall was lined with shelves that could house jars There were 6 tables in the lab but only one of them ever seemed to be used Underutilized It was audacious that it seemed that whatever organization that created these locations had plans to scale up the usage

What was their timeline

After checking the scalpel woman was still safely bound and the unconscious woman was breathing Randidly walked forward a bit and peered into the gym area The large area up front he had now infiltrated and was just a loading bay for their trucks There were small housing quarters for the employees along the east wall but the gym still struck Randidly as extremely strange

And upon seeing it Randidly realized why

This equipment isn�t for the employees Randidly whispered as he looked at the intricate and intimidating pieces of machinery Every exercise piece contained restraints these are for the people they captured

To test their strength

Randidly looked sharply up Dinesh

At the same time he sent a message There was a series of abrupt movements at the other side of the facility in one of the holding cells Very quickly so quickly Randidly didn�t get a plant over in time it ceased

Yes I am fine came the reply I believe I believe one of the prisoners was a plant They were placed here to prevent escape When I liberated him he attacked me He was likely Level 30 as well I was forced to kill him

Swearing quietly Randidly moved away from the gym It was a curiosity but it wasn�t worth the risk Very quickly he arrived at the scalpel woman The fact there was a plant was worrisome

It might be a coincidence that the first didn�t have a plant and the second did but on the other hand

What if the opponent was altering its behavior now that it had been alerted to the threat of some outside group knowing what they were doing Or even worse what if there was a plant in the first group of rescued people

Randidly needed to move

Roughly he yanked the scalpel woman to her feet His plants curled around the unconscious woman and carried her away Although interspatial equipment did a lot for transportation they couldn�t hold people Therefore they would need to make due with physically moving them in order to make it out of here

Even with the help of Randidly�s plants it was a slow process Well it felt extremely slow to Randidly But in truth they were clear of the facility in a little over four minutes Pausing outside Randidly looked down at the scalpel woman She was completely bound and blinded but it was a strange thing to be taking a prisoner

Would he torture her

The question would have to wait because at the moment Randidly�s ears twitched drones were coming along with helicopters The reinforcements were coming more quickly and more heavily

Randidly clicked his tongue unhappily There was nothing definitive but Randidly didn�t doubt that he would be able to trace these people to the Unity Church It was almost a let down that he hadn�t been able to find more than a trace of the Creature�s energy That similar trace was still here of course but it was frustratingly vague

How did the Creature control its influence so well What were its goals in making these strange facilities

Dinesh Randidly said abruptly Keep going to the agreed meet up point Tykes and Karlito will meet you there

Buying time Dinesh asked skeptically Is that really necessary Besides the public Randidly Ghosthound that is staying with the senator is known to control plants If you

Relax this is just stress relief Randidly said flexing his fingers Some combat drones were on the way and he wanted a look at their insides He would try his best to capture a couple so he wouldn�t need to buy their blueprints

Besides I have many types of spells Randidly pointed at the ground which began to bubble and hiss After a few seconds the dirt had become a bubbling pool of molten rock A hand pierced the surface and grabbed at solid ground Then it hoisted its red and orange body out of its hole

Let�s see if they have an answer for a Lava Golem

Chapter 547

I�m really sorry I haven�t had time to talk Tatiana said to Randidly as she moved a pot off the fire to a stone slab to cool I�ve been rather preoccupied with nursing the injured we received back to health

Randidly scratched his chin no worries That�s actually why I�m here Recently we discovered a group of similarly abused individuals We brought them here because well I wouldn�t know where else to turn I have a lot of Skills but this is an area where I don�t think I�d be very helpful

Tatiana looked up at Randidly sharply his eyes searching his face for something Inwardly Randidly wondered if something had gone wrong with his Baloo Erickson illusion But after several seconds she gave him a tired smile

More huh Well this is definitely the place for them We won�t let those fucking Unity Church goons touch a single hair on their heads Where are they

That woman Monica Randidly said gesturing over towards the central hut Last time I was here she seemed like she knew what was going on We gave them to her Eight more this time Are you do you have proof the Unity Church is responsible for them

Honestly Randidly had the same impression But he would appreciate some proof

Tatiana hissed sitting down on a wooden chair Well no But those that were willing to talk did all confirm they were staying in one of the Unity Church Refugee camps The last thing they remember was heading to bed like any other day If someone really was going into Unity Church camps and body snatching I have a hard time believing the church wouldn�t know about it

Inwardly Randidly wondered if that was true It seemed like more and more people were being vindicated from the borderlands every day The methods of rescuing had become much more refined and now there was a constant stream of new blood to the System Of course there was apparently a super camp in the East that was a city entirely composed of refugees but that was still unable to handle the sheer volume of people

Fuck Tatiana swore abruptly She glared at the ground shaking her head back and forth Her hair was up in a ponytail and Randidly found himself oddly comforted by the way it swung back and forth It�s true it�s just a gut instinct But even worse than their wounds is what some of the girls said about life in the refugee camps How they need to repeat the chants of the priests How they are told they need to indicate specific flaws they see in other people in their daily prayers so they can stomp such behavior out of themselves How the primary virtue in the Unity Church is faith in God and trust in your fellow man Asking questions is frowned upon especially in regards to the System They say that everything will be revealed in time

Tatiana trailed off seeming to run out of gas Suddenly she just seemed tired She was definitely a woman who had fought her way through some tough times to get where she was The time spent struggling became the bags under her eyes

Then she sighed Well if Monica has them they should be fine for a while I just made bean casserole would you like any

So for the next 10 minutes the two of them sat outside and slowly ate in silence Tatiana seemed lost in her thoughts and Randidly was already thinking about the drones he had recovered from the spat earlier as he was leaving the bunker There were a half dozen different varieties he had recovered and Randidly was pleased to find that they were some of the most expensive

Besides it was nice to just sit and think Slowly Randidly was learning the role of rest in his life

I have a strange question Randidly said finally

Tatiana looked up at him her eyes curious Randidly scratched the back of his head

I�m not sure if I should even say it It just sounds well anyway why are all the girls who live here with you so attractive That can�t be normal right

Tatiana burst out laughing Ha And here I thought you were near celibate

Randidly gave her a sour look but she ignored him

No it�s not a coincidence A lot of these gals were people that I knew before the System They were recently freed from the borderlands Worked as escorts or were reporters or the pretty lawyer at the firm Back in old Washington when the same older men with wives were hitting on you you swiftly learned to rely on social cues from other women to understand what sort of situation you were in for if you decided to humor the man Did he have weird kinks Would he try and blackmail you If it was a transaction for money would he stiff or shortchange you

Saying it now it sounds seedy But that�s just what life was like Now I dare not let these girls go I mean look at them they are gorgeous It was one thing to have threats hanging over them was just how much more upper body strength men have than women And when men got old enough in the old world that went away Now They would be devoured

As they were speaking two women walked from one hut towards the central hut It was clear from the breathy laughter of the one and the constant spinning and posing of the other that the latter woman was wearing a new dress and showing off Her friend was more than happy to laugh and compliment

It was a simple thing a sapphire blue number that stopped a bit above the woman�s knees She paired it with a leather belt that was probably from some of the oversized wolverine monsters that Tykes had helped kill last week When they noticed Randidly and Tatiana they both waved and continued on their way

Both were tall and slender with high cheekbones and thick hair that cascaded down their backs They seemed more at home in a catalog than a series of brick huts

See one you like Tatiana said elbowing Randidly

He chortled lightly None more than you

Well then She said smiling back at him

They fell silent just looking at each other In fact the silence lasted so long that Randidly began to get uncomfortable And she was just looking at him sizing him up again

It was a relief when she spoke So you just found these people

Yep

So I�m to believe that it is a coincidence that you and your group is the only few that have found these tortured people

you realize that makes me wonder whether YOU are the group that is hurting these people No one else has even noticed they were missing

Shocked Randidly blinked at her Did she really think But Tatiana laughed and slapped his shoulder lightly Before she got over her giggles both her and Randidly�s watches beeped and flashed red

Frowning down at it Randidly almost didn�t notice that Tatiana took it in stride and pressed a button on the side A voice began speaking out of her watch

Warning This is not a drill We have breaking news Approximately two hours and seven minutes ago a military bunker was attacked by an unknown terrorist assailant The assailant himself did not appear to use exosuits but his accomplice had an extraordinarily powerful energysuit that made him glow and emit vast amounts of heat

In the course of his actions the terrorist killed a dozen employees at the facility even taking the time to execute sick civilians that were being treated at the facility Attached is a depiction of the terrorists If you see this man please contact the authorities immediately I repeat this man is highly dangerous and

Before the message could continue Tatiana touched the button again A face appeared above the watch a cruel and haughty face with a strong nose and bright orange hair Randidly frowned Not that it was a problem that he possessed an illusion that was labeled as a fugitive but there was something profoundly disturbing about the whole thing

Why had the location he had attacked been called a military bunker� Was it just a coincidence or

This was you guys wasn�t it

Randidly jerked upwards staring at Tatiana Her face was very close to his Her eyes were bright She looked down and tapped the button again The holographic display changed to a fuzzy approximation of his Lava Golem It was crouching on the ground above ripped metal that had previously been a drone She hummed softly and pressed the watch again The display went dark

What Randidly asked trying to scramble to figure out what to say

Your hands smell like blood Viking How many did you kill Tatiana said not looking up at him

Randidly took a step back and looked down at his hands How could she

Then she reached out and took his hands in hers She was looking at Randidly with a face filled with worry Jesus are you a war veteran or not Look I didn�t mean to sound so accusatory I�ve seen these people If this was you it was the right thing I just want you to know I trust you

Randidly looked at her That feeling was back This was becoming intimate the way they treated each other Wasn�t this fast They had only known each other for a little over two months

Randidly cleared his throat you sound like a Unity Church member talking about trust all the time

She punched him in the gut

Chapter 548

The problem with the truth Randidly knew was that once it was out it was impossible to take back If he were to tell her the truth there would likely be repercussions that were difficult to predict So at the time she asked Randidly had simply said that yes they were related to that man He refused to say anything more

They had fucking held hands through the whole talk Well less a talk and more her asking questions and him looking at the ground

What the FUCK was he doing Randidly didn�t have time for this

So now sitting in his workshop Randidly considered

The Creature was here likely fueling some arm of the Unity Church or the Zone 1 government to perform experiments by taking body parts The details of which were difficult to understand Why on such a grand scale Why would a gym be included in the blueprints Why had the media found out about it so quickly

Obviously to locate him But who would have the power to request that

Randidly needed more information Part of that would come with being around people but he needed to be around higher ranking individuals To understand the power structure he needed to be a part of it Based on what Davey had told him creating drones would get him there

Meanwhile there was the problem of Tatiana both personally and what she stood for She had obviously used that vivid language in her accusation on purpose to incite a reaction in him Curiosity was clear in her eyes It was slightly emotionally cruel but some part of her worried that Randidly truly might be that cold blooded killer

Well wasn�t he

Randidly shook his head This was wildly off topic

Beyond just telling her the truth there was the problem of what truths to tell That he was that orange haired man That he was Randidly Ghosthound Or just that he was from another Zone

A waste of time Randidly announced So he closed his eyes and focused on himself There were growing feelings towards Tatiana There was nothing he could do about that But he could set them aside for now Above personal issues finding the Creature was the most important

Briefly he considered trying to just sneak into the locations of high Tiered citizens but then he felt somewhat at a loss What was he even looking for The information he needed was likely to be disguised Although it was a tenuous plan focusing on drones gave him concrete goals and a path that he could follow These other ways that was the domain of people like Mrs Hamilton This was not his strong suit

So Randidly got to work

Besides he enjoyed it

Two days later Randidly emerged from his workshop disheveled and found Henrik This version of the Skylark left the man silent So much so that Randidly worried about whether he had made a mistake But then he was passed 400 00 and was told this was exactly what they needed Specifically Randidly�s version of the Skylark weighed the same amount as the previous version but he had been able to boost the thrust of it by almost 200%

Of course it could only maintain this increased boost for brief periods Otherwise it would overheat Or it would shake so much that the internal components could come out of line But it was a bit of progress nonetheless

Much of the inspiration for it had come from the recently acquired drones But he had only gone through two of them and was able to figure out several ways to adjust the runes inside of the drones Once he went through them all

But before he focused more directly on his plan to adjust the runic language he needed a product that would bring predictable income to him That would make it much easier to plan out how to proceed

Afterward Randidly returned to his underground base to train Honestly these past two months in Zone 1 he had spent a lot of time working on ancillary things He had gotten a bunch of PP in the process but letting the performance of his other Skills was not an option Especially because the invitation from Helen was for around four months from now

Shivering Randidly got to his spearwork It was a reassuring movement to stab with a spear These were his roots not literally and reminded him of simpler times in the Dungeon with Shal Randidly�s lip curled upward He wondered whether Shal would be his match when he returned to Shal�s world It was hard to judge now how strong his teacher was

Especially because Randidly had the sense that something changed for Shal during the events at the end of the tournament He thought about asking Lucretia about it but decided against it mostly he didn�t want to ask because it meant they would need to talk about what would happen to Lucretia when he returned to that world

Receiving a generic request to meet from Karlito Randidly stopped his training early and headed back over to the shanty town When he arrived he was extremely surprised His old shanty was being dismantled by some locals They were putting up a more traditional house in its place

Karlito walked up next to him Did you hear the news

What that the neighborhood is being gentrified Randidly asked wryly looking around This whole area of town was shifting A lot of the buildings closer to town were already demolished and rebuilt in a much more enduring manner It was clear from the quality that these were being built to stand for a while

Well there is that but no Karlito said He was chuckling now barely restraining a grin on his face While one hand held his belly with the other he lifted a newspaper clipping and presented it to Randidly He scanned it quickly

To his shock it seemed like one of the gossip column magazines that had been popular prior to the System�s arrival He supposed there was no reason to expect that the System would change human nature And he was distantly aware that there were movies and television being produced in Zone 1 When most of the population didn�t embrace the System as directly they needed ways to occupy their time

The clipping was a reactionary piece to the fact that pop icon Tia Alexandra was now engaged to

Foreign Political Heartthrob Randidly Ghosthound

For several seconds Randidly had no thoughts in his brain The series of words that he had just read left him completely blank He slowly lowered the article Karlito was howling at this point leaning a nearby pile of cinder blocks that were going to be used for the construction of the house

No matter how many times he looked up at Randidly�s face each time was enough to set him back to his endless laughter At some point Maude wandered over to see what the fuss was about When she saw the clipping in Randidly�s hand she sniffed primly

I would have expected you to be better educated than to read a trash rag like that Maude said matter of factly

This finally was enough to wake Randidly He shook his head slowly then said Yea this

If you want to hear the details of the engagement She continued tapping her interspatial watch and producing another magazine Lifeline is the best There is an interview with Tia that explains the whole proposal Honestly it reminds me quite a bit about how my late husband proposed to me

Numbly Randidly took the magazine

It was the most philosophical Tia began telling reporters but then she couldn�t even finish the thought

You hear a lot of what he�s like from all the refugees he works with Tia said her eyes glowing with the apparent emotion she has for her fiance That�s actually how I met him doing a benefit concert at The Orchard But people never talk about how deep and thoughtful he is The date where he proposed was simple He just invited me to help pick apples When I told my publicist she fell off her chair She said Aren�t there bugs in orchards �

I already knew This was probably our 5th date and I already knew you know There was just something there But I didn�t know if like he knew you know So after we picked apples I just asked him if he believed in soul mates And you know what he did As serious as can be Rand turned to me nodded and said I have one � Then he reached over and squeezed my hand I mean whoo Where did he get the confidence to phrase something so important like that

Tia Alexandra 19 is probably the most popular performing artist currently working in Zone 1 Reporters from Lifeline attempted to contact Mr Ghosthound or Senator Firefly for comment on Mr Ghosthound�s age but they made no comment But based upon his appearance

Randidly stopped reading and handed the article back Wasn�t this wasn�t this just Neveah talking about him

Neveah Randidly growled Summon me Right now

Chapter 549

Tia Alexandra before the System was the girl who at 16 was creating plans to sleep with the 40 year old musicians at the concerts her father took her to By the end of the concert her father was far too intoxicated to pay attention to her so she would worm her way to the front of the crowd and wait

There was a very specific way to get the attention of an older man Tia knew The first and most important was to be attractive Thankfully her mother had blessed Tia with overly large eyes and an expressive mouth Her other assets weren�t particularly notable but Tia had played soccer and volleyball since she was a child Her limbs were long toned and tanned

The second thing was to have the man look at her with a suggestive eye Most of the time this was the simplest part The only trick was that the man had to be the initiator of the look It was very important not to be caught looking

Once the man looks you catch him You maintain eye contact

Then instead of looking away you smile

Which was how Tia lost her virginity in a tour bus probably not 100 feet from her father

As she grew older Tia became more adept at utilizing this technique It had never failed her Until she met Randidly Ghosthound Even now her stomach did flip flops as she remembered the way they met

Not that Tia had truly considered this strange pseudo political figure an object worthy of her affections Not at the beginning He was attractive in a serious way Tia originally thought but that image was shattered when you saw his almost childlike grin

At the insistence of her manager Tia performed for some newly rescued refugees from the borderlands It was part of an initiative to make them feel more in control of their lives and also to prove that the government sponsored refugee camps were fun too The young people they were vindicating had been leaving for the relatively similar Unity Church refugee camps in droves mostly this was due to the attractive young men and women who came to the government camps to promote it

Tia was the answer to this problem

When she encountered him there he was speaking to some of her techies before the concert The group of men and women didn�t even notice Tia�s arrival so enthralled were they in Randidly�s story One of them appeared to be laughing so hard she was crying As she casually approached Randidly looked up She caught him looking at her

She held his gaze and smiled

He smiled back

He turned back to the techies and continued to tell his story

Now Tia didn�t want to say that she obsessed over the fact he hadn�t shown her any real attention but it remained in her mind through the concert And afterward the next day Through sheer force of will she had charmed her way into meeting Senator Firefly knowing that he was a close friend of Randidly Unfortunately he was on his way out as she arrived

But for some reason even know she couldn�t understand Randidly stopped as he was leaving and approached her

Hey You�re that singer right Randidly said his emerald eyes blazing There was an easy smile on his face

Tia smiled back That�s me Are you a fan

No Randidly said shaking his head But I�ve always wanted to sing I just think my throat is the wrong shape My singing makes people well Anyways you should teach me sometime

Are you free for dinner Tia said just as surprised as Randidly seemed that she asked in such a direct manner

Randidly simply smiled back

The history of Randidly absentmindedly forgetting about their plans and Tia growing increasingly infuriated But for some reason the more that he blew her off the more Tia couldn�t help but throw herself at him

For fuck�s sake they hadn�t even kissed yet And she had agreed to marry him What sort of move was that if not crazy

Today was a private celebration they were having just to enjoy the relief with several close friends Randidly was finally hers she didn�t need to chase him any longer

But the party had already started below in Senator Firefly�s grand ballroom at the Orchard and Randidly was nowhere to be found The butler assured Tia that Mr Ghosthound hadn�t left but Tia wasn�t sure how reliable that information that was For one thing the butler�s family had been rescued by Randidly and were now staying at the Orchard so the man worshipped Randidly

Also Tia was surprised to discover how capable Randidly was at moving through locations without being detected It was almost impossible to keep track of the man unless you were looking directly at him

As she had expected Tia heard the sound of him working in the stone room She rolled her eyes at her soon to be husband He truly was a workaholic in every sense of the world Whoever had taught Randidly about work ethic should start a clinic They would revolutionize the industry When he wasn�t helping build housing for refugees Randidly was creating sculptures Some of them were of monsters while others were humans but everyone assured Tia they were extremely captivating

To Tia they just seemed like rocks but she wasn�t much into modern art

But as she was walking down the ornate hall to Randidly�s workroom there was a strange popping noise Then she heard her fiance�s voice but it made her freeze on the spot

Neveah what the fuck are you doing

What stopped Tia was the coldness in Randidly�s voice She had seen him display a lot of emotions but anger was never one of them Instantly her heart started hammering in her chest Could it possibly be that the Randidly she knew was just a front What if he wasn�t the gentle spirit that was her soul mate And all that raw anger from just that one line with a different tone Tia could envision a man who was a disciplinarian In the bedroom he was rough and callous It wasn�t that he wasn�t good at sex he simply viewed the woman�s body as a tool to his own pleasure

why was she getting so turned on

Then there was another voice and Tia�s entire world shattered

Sculpting do you like it

you know you are good at working with stone What I mean Neveah is what are you doing here All this stuff I thought

Randidly was alone in his workroom with a woman And in his voice there was fury gentleness frustration and also affection This was a woman he cared for A woman who had

Instantly Tia could understand the truth of the situation perfectly An ex girlfriend from the other Zone had seen the news of their engagement Driven wild by jealousy she had traveled to the Orchard and snuck into Randidly�s quarters lying in wait for him to be alone But from Randidly�s tone it wasn�t a clean breakup and perhaps there are even lingering feelings

You know I�m getting married right Isn�t it fun The woman spoke again and once again everything settled into place in Tia�s mind

This woman Neveah was here not to because she truly wanted Randidly back But to inflict emotional pain on him Perhaps her marriage to this unknown other man was even the reason that Randidly Ghosthound had left his Zone Many people had speculated as to his motivations and finally Tia had gotten to the heart of it

Neveah even carried not for her new husband he was just a tool to hurt Randidly Her childlike glee when saying isn�t it fun� clearly displayed her vast ocean of malice that she harbored in her chest What sort of tumultuous relationship did these two have

That�s exactly why I�m here Do you even know what marriage is Randidly asked And as he asked it Tia�s heart healed at a rapid pace His righteous indignation seemed to say I understand what love is due to my life changing happiness with Tia Do you � It filled Tia with hope

Resolving herself to accept whatever she found in the workshop Tia stepped forward with confidence But during those last few steps she produced a mirror from her interspatial watch and checked her makeup If she was going to meet this slut she sure as hell had better look better than her

Well The woman began but Randidly cut her off

Wait someone is outside There was the sound of footsteps and the door opened

Randidly with a furious scowl on his face looked out at Tia His eyes scanned her quickly Tia threw herself into his waiting arms

Chapter 550

Randidly caught the strange girl who leaped at him by the shoulders steadying her She was a slender lovely thing but she was only as tall as his shoulders It was easier than even Randidly had expected to stop her dead He recognized her too from looking through Neveah�s memories through their connection

This was the teen fiance Tia Alexandra

Abruptly Randidly realized the reason she had thrown herself at him the usage of the Soulbond to teleport him had completely dispelled the illusion that surrounded him Whereas he previously had been Baloo Erickson skinny fat and brown haired he was no once more Randidly Ghosthound

Honestly it felt somewhat good to be back

No matter what I�ll always love you Tia announced tears in her eyes as she regarded him Then she squirmed out of his grip which he had left rather loose and kissed him

Now Randidly could probably have dodged the kiss But today he had been subject to a lot of unexpected things And even at the last second Randidly didn�t expect this strange tiny slip of a girl to kiss him

Her lips were soft and warm but Randidly felt no attraction to her just bewilderment With a much firmer grip Randidly pushed her away and held her at arm�s length To his surprise she continued to try and squirm out of his grip to get back at him While keeping her in check Randidly turned and glared over his shoulder

For a second he saw nothing But then he focused and his high Perception he was able to pierce through the illusion that Neveah had thrown up She wasn�t disguising herself currently but just made herself appear invisible

It had been a bit of time since Randidly had seen Neveah in her true form Even while attacking the Danger Zones Neveah had maintained her fake illusion reminiscent of Alana But now she was a two meter tall being that seemed to be more an exoskeleton of bone than a biological being On her back two huge wings of bone were pulled tight against her back Such was the size of the wings that even folded as they were they were almost as big as the rest of her body Her eyes were tiny beads of obsidian and her mouth was a vast maw of teeth Undoubtedly if this Tia were to see the true form of her fiance her enthusiasm would wane

What are you doing Randidly asked mentally

I can feel you want to end these disguises This has upset you I think that�s a bad idea for a lot of reasons

What reasons Randidly demanded But before Neveah could answer TIa began to speak

You oh wow you are such a good kisser

Randidly turned back to Tia nonplussed The girl was looking at him with her mouth wide open But it seemed she then realized something and peered around suspiciously Rand who were you talking to Where was the other woman

Other woman Randidly said slowly Then he sighed He couldn�t believe he was so distracted by his emotions that he hadn�t noticed Tia outside in the hall With his Perception it would have been child�s play to spot her if he wasn�t so distracted It also meant that Neveah was right about how this upset him Did he really want to end the disguises

If he was being honest with himself he did Part of it was the frustrations of trying to keep his progress with the drones as something reasonable When he was behaving as himself he never had to think about something like that He could just be The other part of it was that he didn�t feel very comfortable with the fact that other people were using his name and face

Even though it was Neveah it was still rather uncomfortable

I heard her voice Do you take me for an idiot Tia glared at him She flipped her hair over her shoulder and pulled at her top exposing a bit more cleavage Where is she I want to see this woman who is bold enough to come harass my fiance

Trust me Neveah said simply seeming to ignore Tia�s demands Walk around as my version of you I think you will change your mind

Sighing Randidly addressed Tia there�s no one here Let�s go

Randidly turned and walked out of the room practically dragging Tia as she gripped his hand I know she�s back there Hey wait RAND I�m being serious oh are you ready to go to the party I can�t wait to introduce you to my friends

Randidly�s growing sourness must have been readily apparent because he received a very amusing thought from Neveah Do not think that I have put up with her strange whims If you do not want to do something don�t do it That�s a behavior I learned from you

Simmering Randidly tried to take some deep breaths as Tia nattered on and led him downstairs Although Randidly�s instincts were screaming this was a waste of time Neveah was a part of him in a way that no one else was If she believed that spending some time as her as him would be worth his time Randidly would give her the benefit of the doubt There wasn�t any particular pressing issue and it would certainly give Randidly some insight into whether he could gather more information as himself than as a random drone maker

Plus t seemed that the excitement of having this party with Randidly present was enough of a positive spin to completely wipe the memory of Neveah�s feminine voice out of Tia�s mind She was undeniably adorable even if it was just in her single minded infatuation for the upcoming party

In his mind Randidly considered himself a great deal more worldly than he had been before the System Hell in terms of seeing ritzy locals he considered his stint in Shal�s world as him brushing up against the upper crust But the ballroom he walked into was a reminder that Randidly had only been a part of the Northern Region of Shal�s world which was considered relatively remote

The floor was black marble with gold trimmings and large granite pillars rose upwards The ceiling was done in pure alabaster carvings a veritable menagerie of creatures prowling about the upper area of the room And in those myriad animals Randidly clearly recognized Neveah�s handiwork The splendor of the room did a lot to knock away the rest of Randidly�s resentment and at that moment he could see the value in sampling this life Neveah had created

It was a strange statement to Randidly�s mind Because the ground was black and gold and the upper areas of the ceiling were white with silver It seemed to say that these people were in hell while heaven watched from above He hoped this wasn�t a religious statement

Tia OHMYGOSH is this him You didn�t tell me he was a model A squeak brought Randidly back to earth and an Asian girl dashed across the ballroom floor towards Tia and Randidly who had just walk down the steps The girl was wearing a cream and red floor length dress and her shoes clacked loudly on the marble floor as she ran towards them

Instantly Randidly felt his internal tension rising But immediately Neveah�s cooling influence settled on him This is so foolish you always become so involved in people You are Randidly Ghosthound If you do not like them do not give them your time

Somewhat soothed Randidly smiled and nodded at the girl and then stepped past her and continued walking forward towards the group

So sorry Aimee there are just so many people to meet Tia said with a pout but to his surprise Randidly could sense that Tia was rather pleased with how he handled things In her mind it was a statement about status but as long as it meant that Randidly didn�t have to associate overmuch with these people he would be fine with it

Striding forward Randidly approached the well dressed group of 30 people that were grouped around a few buffet tables In groups of twos and threes they broke off from the central group and approached Randidly and Tia who was still locked onto his arm like a sea urchin It made Randidly�s eyelids twitch to hear all these people congratulate him on his recent engagement but due to Neveah�s plea he said nothing

He simply smiled and nodded

His gaze was locked on an elderly man dressed in a purple suit with a white feathered hat This was Senator Firefly who was the political figure who guaranteed Randidly�s validity If anyone would be able to give Randidly the information he needed it would be him

So Randidly shook a few hands and continued walking It seemed that from Senator Firefly�s gaze he realized immediately that Randidly wanted something and disengaged his conversation with the two attractive young women who were standing around him

Randidly my friend Congratulations I don�t suppose you�d indulge an old man for a walk I believe there are a few tricks an elderly bachelor such as myself can impart on someone of your age haha

Without waiting for an answer Senator Firefly turned and began to walk Although he could feel how the two women the senator had left and Tia for that matter was filled with disappointment they remained silent Almost wondering at this strange social power Randidly followed the older man out of the ballroom through a few hallways and into the gardens

Pretty early in the season for dragonflies to be active The Senator said as they began strolling down the path As they had entered the gardens a pair of the insects had lifted from the ground and buzzed path Instantly Randidly was able to identify that these were tools of Ghost but it was a wonder that this man was able to do the same

Was it a warning from the other man or a coincidence

Chapter 551

You were right Senator Firefly announced To think I doubted you If not for you I would never have started this city for refugees they now call the Orchard in my honor I apologize for that You have my gratitude

Randidly shrugged He hadn�t realized that Neveah had been the one to push for this refugee camp but it made sense As he looked through her memories earlier he had seen many instances of her helping people and building She had chosen to dedicate her time to helping these people and that was something that Randidly could appreciate

Honestly aside from the marriage proposal Randidly was impressed by everything he had seen from Neveah He didn�t quite understand why she would now want him to walk through this role she created but he was willing to give her a bit more leeway

Senator Firefly continued calmly to speak As you know my status as a Senator lets me view some of the analytics data that Ghost gathers on different populations in the Zone Imagine my chagrin when that strange being reported that according to his observations and self reporting Skill Leveling in the Orchard is about double as fast as the rest of the Zone Part of that is the training courses you created but in the words of Ghost

The Senator trailed off as he produced a piece of paper from his pocket He adjusted his glasses and frowned down at it before reading �there seems an intangible difference in outlook that both raises the willingness to work in these humans and also gives an amorphous but undeniable increase in the rate of Skill growth � Now I don�t want to get too far ahead of myself but for them to grow at double the rate of the rest of the Zone and to feel deeply indebted to you and I Well it makes all the money I�ve poured down the throats of these miserable people worth it

Randidly�s lips twitched

Neveah�s voice sounded in my head He is a foolish man All things are toy soldiers in his eyes But he can see the importance of intangibles Plus he was desperate when he came to visit me in my castle He has been useful

As Randidly regarded Senator Firefly doubtfully the other man waved his hand in irritation Don�t make that face at me I know how you feel about my outlooks But it is due to those outlooks that I�ve made it this far They are part of my strengths it is due to this way of mine I have climbed as far as I have As they say sometimes it is preferable to have a predictable enemy than a fickle friend And I have been a predictable enemy to many

I don�t think I�ve heard that before Randidly said but Senator Firefly just chuckled

Of course Because it is one of my own sayings Do you like it

Randidly rolled his eyes examining the beautifully manicured garden around him The fireflies continued to however nearby Without a doubt Ghost had zeroed in on this role of Randidly as someone worth watching That if nothing else made Randidly realize some of the value of having Neveah working out here independently of him It gave Ghost a focus

I have no doubt that Ghost is doing this secretly with his watchers Senator Firefly said But he has inquired your methodology in igniting the textile industry in the Orchard The cloth they are producing is softer and stronger than should be possible he claims What a fool Heh

Randidly looked sharply up at Senator Firefly He waved his hand airily

Oh don�t say it I�m not sure why you are so sensitive of Ghost but he is just an AI An information gathering tool used by the government He won�t ever become more than that not anymore Already President Howard has turned against him If not for his usefulness he would be ousted very quickly by the Congress

Again Randidly was taken aback by the senator�s casual treatment of a serious issue Perhaps that is so But most people do not think that Ghost is such a simple machine to dismantle And the belief of those people is a dangerous thing for your opinion

Senator Firefly gave Randidly a look then nodded slowly Hmm I�ll keep it in mind Would you like to return to the party

No Randidly said shaking his head Neveah was right If he didn�t want something he shouldn�t force himself Besides he knew that if he didn�t return to the part Tia would remain the center of attention Perhaps she would be a little disappointed but this was a domain where she would feel more at home Randidly either of their identities didn�t belong there

Instead Randidly followed his memories and walked toward the Orchard specifically the newer district where they were still performing construction To his surprise immediately after he arrived at the edge of the sprawling city a group of people turned up in front of him

Mr Ghosthound did you see my new apple tarts Here try one

Mr Ghosthound wait until you feel this My silk has improved a lot It�s like wearing the wind is it not

Mr Ghosthound thank you so much for your advice I think that my new ice cream

And so on over and over a stream of people who came to thank him and provide new examples to Randidly It was overwhelming at first but soon Neveah began to speak feeding Randidly the information he needed in order to respond to the people and make them feel heard

Only four minutes after this stream of people arrived a gaunt man with a large beard arrived and he took Randidly away heading to a construction site Very soon Randidly was raising metal beams and assembling a 20 story apartment building It was honestly impressive because all of the work was done by men They were so empowered by the System that they were able to reproduce the mechanical power of machinery from before the System arrived

After all most of the heavy machinery from before the System was lost in the initial chaos It was now much cheaper to just have System empowered individuals work than to purchase one of Ghost�s expensive pieces of machinery

With Randidly�s help the building seemed to grow before his very eyes assembled one piece at a time By the end of it everyone was cheering as Randidly held the steel beam aloft as two men on either end slide the nuts and bolts that would serve as a placeholder until the braces could be prepared

Afterward the gaunt man shook Randidly�s had and left without a word The men and women who had worked on the project patted Randidly on the back and departed as well leaving him alone in the strange half built district It was now close to sunset and the light filtered through the bones of the building in an exceedingly strange way It came in beams and glow so the whole place was suffused with an orange red half light

And in that glow Randidly saw a small boy

The boy stood in the half light oblivious to Randidly�s presence His cheeks were dirty and his clothes were worn but it was clear that the clothes themselves were of high quality And without sort of ceremony the boy was punching a stone wall

Pat Pat Pat

His expression was scrunched up enough that Randidly knew the experience was not pleasant for the boy But still he had an unyielding determination It was clear that in his mind he had to continue this action

You learned it from Shal I learned it from you and now with your face I am teaching them Neveah said walking up next to Randidly She was still in her true form and in the half light she seemed more like the Raid Boss that she had inherited the body from than someone who had created a safe haven for thousands of displaced people

Randidly turned back to the child That determined look on his face it truly reminded him of himself struggling all those years ago under Shal�s wing in that first dungeon This was the change that Neveah was working she was giving people hope and tools to seize it

Could Randidly do the same Perhaps But he would need to sacrifice his other life and he wouldn�t be able to do the same things that Neveah could Her patience and endless energy to help people and try things far surpassed his own Still

It was never a matter of whether what you were doing was productive Randidly said with a sigh That doesn�t matter to me What matters is this engagement After that comes marriage Neveah you cannot marry this girl And I�m profoundly uncomfortable with you marrying her with my face

She regarded him carefully but all she replied with was Why

Because it feels like she is not marrying you she is marrying me Randidly said

Neveah shook her head slowly I had hoped you would get a taste for Tia and understand why I went along with her misunderstanding Or at least I hoped you would get a feel for what I was doing here and want me to continue But it appears we see things from a different perspective That is okay It is only because of the way you are that you accomplished so much But now I must tell you something Randidly

Here Neveah paused and took a step closer to him looking down at him

Although you are Randidly Ghosthound you are not the pen that will write the legend of Randidly Ghosthound

Chapter 552

Through your actions you have become more than yourself you have become a symbol Neveah said patiently You are not just a person but you are proof of a concept you are proof that humanity can stand up against the System But your legend is more than that as well Because it is every story from the lives you have touched It is every way that you existing rippled outward changing the course of history

You are upset because you see yourself and some part of you says that�s not me� Even if those actions are good you have that instinctual reaction In the nicest way you are naive Randidly

Do you think that some others have not also have had the ideas to impersonate you You are the most powerful human I know of both in terms of individual might and in terms of renown In both Zones you are known If I was not acting as you there is no doubt in my mind others would attempt to do the same either for good or for ill Your legend would grow piecemeal from the tales of these impersonators At some point it is possible that the fakes proliferate to such a degree that your own actions can do little to sway the course of your legend But that is okay because you are not the type of person to care about such things

That that�s not Randidly said grasping to find exactly why he disagreed so strongly with what Neveah was saying He could understand that some people might try and use his identity to their advantage but to actually pass themselves off as him

You are self absorbed If you were not you would have been crushed by the details of what you have been doing Neveah said matter of factly I have watched many people I started thinking that people were like you but you are atypical in so many ways I would not have become the Soulbond of most people But with you it was the most natural thing in the world Most other people do not like themselves They clothe themselves in status distract themselves with pleasures hide within righteous emotions and religion You have become such a thing that you are a piece of clothing these people can wear

You are an icon

Randidly just stared at Neveah When they were bound Neveah could barely speak She wasn�t even gendered at that point Now she seemed to be lecturing Randidly on his own existence And honestly her words rung true There was a lot here that Randidly hadn�t thought about simply because he was too close to the issue He should have understood that people would use his identity at some point Neveah�s actions here did have a sizable anchoring effect on that

People being what they were if there was no news to talk about they would make news on their own Usually by imitating the past news But as long as Neveah was the face of Randidly Ghosthound they wouldn�t act out as him Or at least that was what Neveah was claiming

However Randidly could see now how it was all of those things It was her being the Randidly people could see it was her helping people it was her enjoying this life it was her making a good name for him But it was also

Neveah waved her hand and suddenly she was him Before we continue there�s something that I need to take care of Can I have a minute

For a second Randidly was confused but then he heard something and nodded He stepped into the shadows just as Tia stomped forward Her face was scrunched up into a scowl and she glared at Neveah who simply smiled affably back

You left the party The ENTIRE party Tia huffed There were tears in her eyes Randidly saw Abruptly he felt guilty that he had assumed that she would be glad to have him gone so she could take the limelight Although Randidly wasn�t sure how superficial the relationship between Neveah and Tia was it was still a relationship Both of them needed to be a part of it

Perhaps that�s why his own relationships were so sporadic and short lived

I know I�m sorry I was helping a friend Neveah said simply

Tia shook her head Today of all days You spend every day helping people You are obsessed with helping people Can�t I have a SINGLE day where you are just mine

With a sigh Neveah shook her head and said No

Abruptly Tia burst into tears and threw herself into Neveah�s arms The two embraced and Randidly was a little afraid that Tia would be scared off by the feel of Neveah�s true body But if she noticed it she gave no sign Then two of them held each other for several minutes the only sounds between them Tia�s sniffles

This is the way I am In a way I am blessed that I have many soul mates Neveah said some of her cheer restored

Tia snorted When my next tour starts I�ll be even busier I probably won�t even take your calls And god help you when I finally am ready to record another album Oh There�s even been talk of me acting in a movie

We will always find time for each other even if it makes us uncomfortable Neveah announced That is what a soulmate is

After a while the two took a step back from each other Tia�s eyes roamed the dark alcoves of the half constructed building behind Neveah where Randidly was standing She�s here isn�t she

Neveah nodded I must finish talking to her

I would like to face her Tia said but as she said that she reached up with one hand and fluffed her hair

Neveah chuckled but beckoned As he stood there Randidly felt the air around him adjust as Neveah�s illusion settled around him Annoyed that Neveah could do this so easily and he couldn�t do it well at all even when borrowing her Skill Randidly stepped forward

When Tia looked at him she looked at a spot that was on his chest because the form Neveah had given him was much smaller than he actually was

What�s your name Tia asked

For a second Randidly froze What name should he say Don�t save Valkyrie don�t say Valkyrie

But then abruptly a word came to his mouth because he suddenly knew who Neveah had made him look like Lyra My name�s Lyra

Tia gave a small nod looking Randidly up and down And as Tia looked Randidly saw Lyra too Her sharp features her tawny hair her wicked smile And ultimately Tia seemed satisfied and turned to go Randidly wanted to roll his eyes

Really all you wanted to check was that your fiance�s ex was attractive

After she had gone the joy left Randidly and he felt tired There were two things he wanted to do before he left because today had proven to him that taking back his name and face would be more trouble than it was worth First because of the engagement then because of the work and finally because of Ghost�s watchful eye Senator Firefly might be a good source of information but he was a fool in some ways and just as likely to tip the Creature and its servants off to his goals

The first thing he wanted to do was look at his reflection Although Randidly�s attempts at illusion were clumsy he could still manage to create the illusion of a mirror and he looked at himself

Maybe the real reason that I was so furious Randidly said slowly Was because with her it was never about trust Lyra only cared about results And she believed that you should be the same The thing she shared her secrets with was the Creature not me And she wanted me to accept that

Then Randidly shook his head There was a knot here inside of himself due to her involvement with the Creature It was something he didn�t understand on so many levels But his gut just kept repeating the same thing over and over

Why didn�t you pick me

Maybe Lyra thought she had But her way of picking was not something Randidly was willing to put up with Shaking his head Randidly turned to the issue at hand He looked at Neveah

You actually care for her When I heard how you came to be engaged I thought it was a misunderstanding Did you truly know what you were doing the whole time Randidly asked

Well no said Neveah her Randidly smile sheepish But does anyone The more time I spent with her It made me happy

Randidly regarded Neveah skeptically This will not end well Do you think that Tia would really want to marry you if she knew what you were

Neveah shrugged It was oddly infuriating to watch his own body perform gestures thought Randidly as he gritted his teeth

More than that she is shallow and self centered She can�t see past what is put in front of her She�s basically nothing more than a child

Am I not the same

Neveah�s words stopped Randidly dead in his tracks

Perhaps not shallow but I play games I don�t do things I don�t want to do I don�t worry about responsibility I just act That is the freedom that you gave me I understand that in your mind this is a stage I will grow out of but what if it is not It�s true we might decide not to get married or we might get married then end things but do not most humans do this

Also Randidly Neveah gazed at him with soft eyes Do you realize why she infuriates you so much It�s true she has her own shallowness and vanity she is very different but I think if you look closely about how eclectic her attention is and how much her world is centered around herself How kind she is without thinking and how she would act without asking for anything in return you can see just how similar you two are at your core And why I will marry her

Chapter 553

Randidly understood what Neveah was saying what does it matter that their relationship was doomed People made bad decisions about relationships all the time Should Neveah being a monster stop her from the privilege of doing the same

After begrudgingly agreeing that Neveah�s actions in his name were likely the best option this new argument was infuriating in a whole different manner Not only that but for Neveah to say that Randidly was just as scatterbrained and childish as Tia

Randidly needed a break So he went to a place where he could let loose

With his eyes burning golden emerald in the darkness Randidly walked into the danger zone that housed the Three Headed Ogre Sulfur hissed in pleasure as it settled around his body Acri whistled as it wound its way up his leg and presented itself to be grabbed

Just like last time the first ogres in the Danger Zone did not bother to use any sort of trickery they charged out of the brush with clubs held high The fury inside of Randidly numbed him somewhat so he didn�t even move even as the ogres approached him Their wild blows crashed downwards and Randidly did not dodge

They smashed into Sulfur�s plates and the strange carbon plant lifeform did its best to disperse the force of the blow But still Randidly staggered somewhat After all these monsters were in the low 60s and their build was focused on Strength It was no surprise that they could deal damage if their blows actually landed

There was a spark in Randidly�s chest and he grunted but it was not enough to disperse the slowly building fury When he swung Acri it was a clumsy thing All raw force and the vicious desire to kill But still the ogres fell back with severed limbs and mortal wounds

Randidly staggered forward his eyes brilliant emerald stars As he continued through the walk more and more ogres came for him No longer would Randidly give them a chance to strike him first but instead he would swing Acri with all the force he could muster and trade blows with these two and a half meter tall ogres

Sizable chunks of Randidly�s health were ripped off but immediately his huge Health Regeneration began activating at full capacity to restore him After a time Randidly found himself panting alone in a clearing Around him 40 silent ogres lay their bodies hacked to shreds

For several long breaths Randidly lay still as he allowed his Health to restore itself Then he moved on

It took Randidly only four hours this time to reach the inner sanctum of the Three Headed Ogre Partially this was due to his knowledge of the layout of the Danger Zone but the other big detail was that every battle he fought was over in a single strike His attacks cut through the opposing party�s weapons and sheared into their body It was only a matter of how quickly could Randidly throw attacks

When he reached the ridge of the Three Headed Ogre the creature roared and climbed up out of its warren to see who dare disturb it When it saw Randidly it immediately blanched But then the leftmost head began whispering in the center head�s ears and the two other heads gritted their teeth but nodded Obviously the thing remembered the limit on Randidly�s power

But Randidly wasn�t here to actually finish it off He simply wanted to blow off some steam And he didn�t want to gain another Level so he couldn�t use spells against the other monsters He needed an opponent who was strong enough to be a challenge but wouldn�t die and also wouldn�t pose any threat to Randidly Although this thing could cast three spells at once so could Randidly And his were better

During his free time in his workshop he had gathered enough materials to remake his rings with his increased Potion Making Skill As such he now had 10 rings which had between a 500 and 600 Mana storage Combined with his actual manner Randidly had just above 9000 Mana to play with

Kekeke foolish human coming back to fail once more The left head began Need we remind you how limp your

Spearing Roots Randidly said quietly and the air around his body seemed to distort as he moved more Mana at once than he ever had in the past He fueled this spell with fully 4000 Mana The ground trembled first and then exploded upwards as thousands of roots covered in vines shot upwards to impale the 10 meter tall three headed ogre Instantly the right head cast Wind Blades but the blades lost their edge after cutting through only 20 of the roots

It didn�t even make a dent in the wave of plant matter that shot up towards them

Physical Shield The middle head bellowed and this spell was a bit more effective The shimmering armor that formed around its body repelled about half of the Spearing Roots but the other half burst through and curled around and through its limbs It grunted in pain

With burning eyes the left head shouted Lightning Bolt

Randidly snorted he had seen this trick before As the energy took a second to build up in the sky above he used Gravity Affinity to destabilize the point of formation It fizzled but the spell was completely dispersed Seeming only to remember now that Randidly had developed a way to overcome this trick the left head swore quietly under its breath

Now it was Randidly�s turned

Incendiary Eruption

A crack opened in the ground beneath the ogre�s legs and superheated lava spewed upward searing the flesh on its legs It screeched in agony and the center head began casting a healing spell while the right continued to cast Wind Blades to cut its way out But Randidly wasn�t interested in giving them that chance

Incendiary Eruption Incendiary Eruption Incendiary Eruption Incendiary Eruption

Again and again Randidly cast the spell slowly burning away all the flesh on the ogre�s legs and the continuing the assault until its bones cracked and crumpled from the heat This had the negative side effect of burning away a lot of the Spearing Roots but Randidly was ready for that eventuality as well

Grasp of Lava Grasp of Lava

Now that it had fallen to its knees its feet having been burnt to nothing Randidly could produce huge hands of lava from the ground to grip onto its body This burnt away the rest of the root spears but they were no longer necessary They were just used to keep the ogre still enough that it could get to this point

The ogre�s screams grew increasingly loud so much so that the ridge shook with the force of its shouts The right head appeared to have passed out even as the center head was shedding tears while continuing to cast healing spells The left head kept trying to use lightning bolts and cold snap but both could be destabilized with the use of Gravity Affinity and proper timing

Eventually even the left head ceased casting spells and just looked at Randidly with pleading eyes The burnt flesh had reached its waist and the bones of its thighs had been revealed after everything else was burnt away It was broken

But it was not dead and Randidly was out of many

His body was trembling as he felt a strange overexertion that he hadn�t encountered before He supposed this was the result of using more Mana than his body could handle He smiled bitterly as the rage departed from him and just left him feeling slightly ill

True the being in front of him was something that would kill him if it could without thinking about it but it was also an intelligent living being What he just did was torture

What he did was lash out because he was upset about something He took his anger out on an innocent party

What he did was childish And it probably proved Neveah right

As Randidly turned away there was a small ding and a notification popped up Most notifications Randidly had learned to ignore but his eyebrows rose when he saw this one because it had been a long time since he had obtained a notification for a Path

Congratulations You have unlocked the Great Path Wrathful Dual Mage (Plant and FIre) 0/1000 As the first person on your world to unlock a great Path you have received the Skill Blessed Instincts � Lvl 1 Because you are the first person in your Cohort to unlock a Great Path your Skill has been upgraded to Weaver with the Threads of Fate Lvl 1

Chapter 554

As Randidly departed from the Danger Zone he realized two things First that being Randidly Ghosthound was truly a hassle He could see it now in the small ways that people had treated him and that they had treated him when he was playacting as Neveah�s version of him People expected things of him and while he wore that identity he was constantly watched More than anything else Randidly hated being watched

If there was something that he could only accomplish as himself he would deal with it but right now there was no reason to deal with the hassle of that attention

The second thing Randidly realized was that he truly enjoyed working with metal and creating machines It was a stab in the dark towards the beginning when he had chosen to go through the metalworking factory to get a probationary citizenship Or perhaps it was more than that Some part of him might have sensed that this was something that he was drawn towards

Now with the Creature basically a no show as an enemy Randidly would focus on his crafting to address the two very real threats that he faced raid bosses and the influence of the Unity Church

So it was with a much more focused heart that Randidly left the Danger Zone But right near the entrance some instinct of his pulled him up short It was a strange sensation and it took a while for Randidly to realized that it reminded him of the ties of Karma that he could sense through Lucretia�s Skills But these threads were even more difficult to pin down He found himself reaching for them and they would completely disperse It was like you could only spot certain things out of the corner of your eye in the dark but when you looked at them there was nothing there

Still Randidly believed that this was his new reward Skill because as he let his instincts guide him forward he gained a new Level in Weaver with the Threads of Fate Which was a pretty definitive clue in and of itself

As he followed these frustrating hints Randidly soon heard the sound of fighting in the distance and pulled up sharply He frowned Someone else was pushing into the Danger Zone The respawn rates for monsters were so fast here that they probably didn�t benefit from Randidly�s earlier actions at all so they must have some strength to get at least this far But they clearly weren�t familiar with the area because they had already wandered away from the main path

But when he located the source of the commotion Randidly froze These were Raid Boss minions

All of them were centaurs moving in formation to repel the attacks of the ogres that charged forward At the back a larger being amongst them clearly commanded the rest with grand gestures and grunts They were actually fairing very well against the ogres There appeared a few injuries among their number but it wasn�t enough to stop their momentum

Randidly snorted let it never be said that he let a Raid Boss wander past him

Incendiary Eruptions ripped up into the middle of their grouping and made the backline go down screaming Randidly winced as he saw a few die he had some leeway with leveling but he still didn�t want to kill too many

Luckily the ogres did the rest of the work for him They crushed the front centaurs when they were no longer being harried by the supporting line and smashed their way to the boss It happened so quickly that the Raid Boss itself was just turning to search for the source of the interference and his head was crushed by a club

It was strange that the Raid Bosses gathered up to push into the Danger Zone but Randidly supposed he had seen monsters fighting before He checked the bodies but they only had that thread of the Creature�s Aether again Although they may be connected to it it was a tenuous connection

Shrugging Randidly supposed that Raid Bosses were getting more active everywhere The fact that they were pressing into a Danger Zone was a good way to keep their numbers low Unless they actually cleared the Danger Zone which was a disturbing prospect No one knew what the effect of it would be To have Raid Bosses be the first

Lowering his head Randidly began sprinting the rest of the distance back through the borderlands to his small steelworking town Although he had to admit it wasn�t so small anymore As more refugees showed up there was an even larger population and a similarly rising demand for steel So people came to the town

After having his Baloo illusion reapplied in secret Randidly began working in earnest on updating the runic language he used His production of purchasable drones was such that there was a steady stream of income he was able to use to buy more blueprints With those he was able to make more comparisons between the different models and research more variations on what Randidly had begun to think of as the Ghost sponsored runes

But his breakthrough happened for a completely different reason

About 18 hours after his isolation started Randidly swore bitterly and stood up as another drone overheated His runes that he was creating were undoubtedly effective but that was part of the problem Too much energy was running through the metal it melted about half the time If he had it run at levels where it wouldn�t melt the output was such that it didn�t matter that he was using a whole new group of runes He might as well have stuck with the old runes

If only there was a fucking way to get rid of all the heat

Randidly paused frowning

Lucretia Randidly asked after a pause Whatever happened to that spear

Hank refrained from pulling the trigger but only just

What the fuck have you done He growled The barrel of his pistol was locked on Ezekiel�s heart The man was glowering furiously at Hank as he stood above the girl�s body

How many times do I have to fucking say it Ezekiel hissed I just FOUND her Hank Why would I make a scene if I killed her myself

You weren�t very vocal about your findings until I started walking over this way Hank spat back He had been so caught up in the training with the people of Donnyton He was improving at a visible clip But if it cost the life of this girl if she had died because Hank was too focused on himself to care about what was going on around him

And she was just a girl too a slip of a thing that was probably not even 20 Pretty if only due to her young age Her whole life was ahead of her Even though the System was incredibly dangerous with proper protection she would have grown to a ripe old age

Give me one reason why I shouldn�t kill you right now Hank said his eyes blazing as he looked at Ezekiel But the longer he looked the more he understood Ezekiel had felt he needed to do this His stats would slowly decrease over time if he didn�t kill Those stats were something that he worked for To have them slipping away due to a Class

But then Hank crushed all his empathy out of himself He had warned the man and he had still insisted on behaving like this

A moment Mr Howard

Without taking his eyes from the man in front of him Hank sensed the man who had moved to stand next to him He was tall and gaunt and very slow a name floated up to the surface of Hank�s mind Glendel

Glendel�s smile was sharp as he looked at Ezekiel There is no need to accuse the man without evidence Very soon we will know the details of the girl�s death And if it should turn out that he did indeed kill her there will be no need to raise your own hand Mr Howard The vengeful ghost will take her own pound of flesh

Even standing near Glendel Hank could feel a chill rising off of the man THere was an air around him that was slightly unnatural Hank had never heard what exactly he did around the Donnyton but he was high ranking

To Hank�s surprise Glendel just kneeled next to the girl His hands gently reached forward and closed her eyes Then he knelt next to her as if praying for fully five minutes During that time Hank took a step backward from Ezekiel and lowered his repeater The other man still glowered at Hank but a lot of the aggression drained away as he waited for Glendel to make his move

Abruptly Glendel�s eyes shot open And as it happened the air shimmered above the girl Then like a flower blooming a ghost rose pale and translucent Her eyes opened too and there was nothing there Her irises and pupils had become one until her eyes looked like a pale cueball

Did this man kill you Glendel asked gravely

Slowly the specter turned and faced Ezekiel Hank�s hand tightened on his pistol Just as slowly however she shook her head no

Even Glendel seemed surprised Then who

The ghost only pointed West and North

Chapter 555

Henrik wasn�t in his quarters so Randidly left his new creation with one of Henrik�s assistants with a note Randidly was filled with confidence in regards to this new Porpoise model that he had designed He suspected that Henrik would miss some of the more deft usages of Randidly�s new runes but even the more obvious side effects of his new model would undoubtedly win Randidly enough attention to begin working on more interesting applications of the runic system that Randidly had created

Idly Randidly wondered whether Ghost would be shown the creation Undoubtedly he would Would it be a simple thing to copy his runes After some thought Randidly decided that the details could be copied but the execution of creating them was not something that many would be capable of

Randidly was aware that there were other drone creators working but they were all scientists who were trained towards mass production Their transition to hand making all these different drones was not a smooth process They simply couldn�t understand why these drones would behave so differently based upon how much attention they received It wasn�t scientific it was an art form To them this was almost disgust inducing

But it served to make Baloo Erickson�s accomplishments that much more impressive so Randidly didn�t mind

After three days of hard work lost in the runes Randidly felt he had calmed down quite a bit and had considered a lot from his previous interactions with Neveah With a placid mind he opened up a communication with Neveah

Neveah I was thinking First thank you I cannot deny that you assuming my identity has freed me up for some things You are also right that people will gossip about things I may or may not have done and there is little I can do about it But that doesn�t give you a free pass to do whatever you want

Neveah seemed to sigh I know But I want this

Randidly almost chuckled It�s a selfish thought One of the first selfish thoughts I have heard from you Which is why it struck me so strongly when you asked

Yes It used to be us Now Neveah seemed profoundly sad and Randidly responded by flooding her with his impression of their connection

Don�t go severing us too quickly Randidly sent over mentally How about this honestly I don�t give a shit whether people think I�m marrying someone If it becomes a problem later I�ll just burn my way through any obstacles to get what I want But you cannot use my identity to lure the girl in If you tell Tia you are fake I don�t care if the two of you decide to go through with the marriage

Shaking his head Randidly continued I would think that it would be best to be completely honest but considering your physical form I�ll leave that decision up to you If you refrain I guarantee it will cause more trouble for you down the line Still as long as all parties close to the issue know that the real Randidly Ghosthound is not getting married you may enjoy the spectacle of it

Neveah sent her assent to his request and then she brooded for several seconds Finally she asked Should I tell Mr Firefly I am a fake

If possible don�t do that Randidly thought back He walked out of his workshop and looked up at a small camera installed at the corner of the roof If he knows others will know too If they know this ruse is meaningless

Neveah understood but before she let go of the connection she said Also you have been working so you likely haven�t heard Something happened late last night You should check a news feed

Ghost watched the humans in the room dispassionately Alan Howard leaned forward rubbing his arm Likely because the technology was new some of its implementations were still rough The point where the needle had been attached to his skin for the past half hour

Alan looked up sharply at the doctor Was it a success

After consulting some readings on the medical devices around Alan he nodded It will take some time for your body to acclimate to the serum but considering your prior physical stats you will likely experience a 20% increase in ability

Ghost�s six fleshbags hummed beneath him The serum was finally some fruit borne of research Ghost had started due to looking at some of Dr Karman�s old notes Still he wouldn�t have been able to push it so far or so fast without the discovery of Randidly Ghosthound�s Elixirs They weren�t able to get a sample of course but by studying the effects on Ezekiel�s and Affina�s body with nanobots they were able to get something with an approximate effect

The only trouble was the elixirs were an absolute increase The serum decreased in effectiveness the higher a person�s strength was It was particularly frustrating for Ghost to feel outdone by a single human when he was a hyper powered AI built by the greatest genius the world had ever seen but Ghost�s analytics all pointed to the Ghosthound having a powerful catalyst that caused the results

Without finding the catalyst Ghost was helpless But at least he knew that the Ghosthound was just lucky not truly superior

President Howard hopped from foot to foot flexing his hands He appeared pleased with the feeling because he flashed a wide smile Ghost took particular note of this A genuine smile was rare for Alan Howard Perhaps some minor hormonal variance due to the serum Or was the physical sensation of receiving the serum truly pleasurable It bore watching

Satisfied Alan turned and looked up at the roof Alright let�s walk and talk Ghost report on the Lake Apollo situation

Ghost pulled up the pre prepared statement he had made around 7 hours ago As you are no doubt aware Lake Apollo is a small lake in the Southwest corner of Zone 1 At the time of the borderlands opening it was revealed in the initial expansion The lake is three miles wide and 7 across Due to the particular challenges of fighting against water based Raid Bosses a military presence was established around the lake but the Raid Bosses there were largely allowed to reproduce as they pleased There were periodic monster horde attacks on the bases there but that was considered an asset It was the one place in the Zone where there were periodic predictable encounters with powerful monsters Generally the attacking beasts would number under 1000 and between the Levels of 26 and 34 Most recruits did a rotation on Lake Apollo to get a taste of combat before being sent deep into the borderlands or normal patrols

As more refugees poured into our Zone an area 3 miles East of Lake Apollo was selected as the site of a Unity Church Refugee camp Congress raised a ruckus as the geographic locations of the different bases meant the camp could be directly attacked There were three military bases around Lake Apollo one to the Northwest of it One to the Northeast and one to the Southeast As it was if the monster horde left the lake and headed directly East it could just demolish the refugee camp So a 4th base was made by Lake Apollo directly between the lake and the refugee camp This has become the hub of all long range ballistics testing

At 21 32 last night the Northeast base detected unusual monster movements and made the normal reports At 22 00 there were distress cries from the refugee camp Within 23 minutes the distress calls ceased During that time both the Northeast and Southeast camps dispatched special response teams to the refugee camp None made it farther than a quarter of a mile from the bases The Raid Bosses had set traps for both and ambushed almost all of the forces sent to assist

It was only after scout drones determined no humans were able to fight that the Eastmost base made its move Using long range incendiary rounds it annihilated most everything living in the vicinity of the refugee camp

Alan remained silent as he walked through the silent hospital Ghost watched the man carefully It was frustrating to admit but President Howard was his biggest supporter at the moment Not that he was in particular danger of being decommissioned but Ghost used to be associated with absolute assurance His word was law It was how the Tiered Citizenship came to be

But now the Unity Church was becoming a growing threat As the monsters became stronger Ghost�s drones were insufficient to handle them And with the military weapons that Ghost designed failing

Can we spin this in our favor Alan asked finally Ghost wished he had eyes to roll Of course they would attempt to but

It is undeniable that the Unity Church maintained less a fighting force in this refugee camp due to the presence of the military bases That will become the point of contention Who was at fault

Who was at fault Alan asked stopping and glancing up at a camera

Ghost hated feeling so powerless As my reports indicated Raid Bosses will increase in sophistication and strength the longer they are left alone This one had enough tactical knowledge to sneak out of the lake past three bases and assault the weak point But the generals have grown used to considering Lake Apollo an asset Human complacency is at fault If I am asked to speak before Congress

Ghost didn�t bother to finish By Alan�s darkening countenance he realized what Ghost meant People in Alan�s camp were at fault

Yes well Alan said darkly Data isn�t everything

The other man walked out of the building and into the cool morning air Ghost was filled with distaste but suppressed it After all a communication line was coming in

Ah Ghost Yes I would like to speak with you Father Foster said her voice even I have an offer of sorts �

Chapter 556

Randidly considered taking personal action but ultimately decided against it He was furious that the government had allowed so many people to die right under their noses As soon as possible he needed to strike at the Raid Bosses that were growing there in that cesspool of a lake But he obviously didn�t want to Level up by doing it He still intended to go to Shal�s world and participate in the postponed tournament

The way that one gained credit for a kill was strange In most situations it was easy to determine whether you would receive experience for an attack If you stabbed something and it died you received credit If you stabbed something it ran away then it bled out hours later you also got credit

If Randidly cast Earthquake on the lake and a monster fell into a resulting crevasse he would get credit If the monster fell survived and then was ground to death between rocks Randidly would get credit

But if Randidly caused a monster to fall into a crevasse and it was able to climb back out he wouldn�t get credit even if it bled out and died If a monster was in a crevasse and a rock tumbled down and crushed it Randidly would only get credit if something else didn�t cause that rock to fall

Basically there were ways of making sure he wouldn�t be responsible for the death but they were flukey He still had some leeway to Leveling but killing even 10% of the monsters that were likely living in this rather large lake would be a dangerous prospect The half decade experience spike was nowhere near what happened at the end of 10 Levels

Which was why Randidly planned on gathering Tykes and Dinesh and heading down to the lake His short turn strategy was to cast Incendiary Eruption on the lake bottom and see what surfaced It would take a lot to heat the water enough to make a difference but the vaporized water would likely scare a lot of things up It would at least give them an idea of what was occurring in the lake�s depths

Unfortunately it didn�t seem things were going to be that easy Randidly traveled through his tunnels to the underground fortification beneath Tatiana�s farming commune and found about two dozen people arguing upstairs Dinesh appeared to be out patrolling for more locations and Tykes was likely upstairs making puppy dog eyes at that delicate blonde girl that had brought in last week

Sighing Randidly went to see what the fuss was about To his surprise the normally confident Tatiana was visibly torn At her back was as expected Tykes and several other important women in the commune Opposite her was Randidly�s grandfather Kulwort Shaw He was glaring imperiously at Tatiana with 15 robbed men and women behind him Then he turned his attention to two figures that appeared to be the source of the commotion

The one figure Randidly recognized it was the young woman with the fiery orange hair She was holding the wrist of a teenage boy who was low key struggling with her

Let me go The boy growled glaring at the young woman

Honestly the young woman seemed more distraught than the boy Kenneth why don�t you recognize me I�m your sister After the System hit we�ve been struggling to survive together this whole time

Bitch I don�t know who you are but I just was saved by the Unity Church from the Borderlands If it wasn�t for them I would have died The teenager shouted pulling away Then he walked over towards Kulwort

Kulwort smiled frostily at Tatiana As you can see Miss Yosef he called us of his own accord and wants to return to the Unity Church facilities We mean no harm coming in such force but it appears one of your number has kidnapped him It appears to be a mistake but

Now Kulwort�s eyes narrowed and his smile was vicious As we have had our disagreements in the past we are no longer willing to give you the benefit of the doubt My men will be performing a sweep of your little farm I hope there are no hard feelings

Randidly�s watch beeped He looked down swore quietly and then looked up with a small grin at what was unfolding between these two

Tatiana stepped forward with clenched fists I don�t think that�s appropriate As he wants to return with you we can do nothing but searching our compound

Kenneth The young woman sobbed falling to her knees At her neck was the modified cross of the Unity Church and she still wore the robe of an initiate I�ve looked for you so long why

Miss Yusef Don�t make this more difficult than it is Kulwort said shaking his head But his snide grin seemed to beg Tatiana to resist more Inwardly Randidly shivered When he was a child he wasn�t able to sense it as much but to see his grandfather now he could understand how his mother turned out so temperamental and vicious As you are an unaffiliated business over I�m afraid your Tier 1 citizenship isn�t enough to offer you protection I am well within my rights to examine your base especially with the backing of such damning evidence

All eyes turned to Randidly even those of the robed individuals It was a small warning that Randidly had spoken to Tykes primarily who looked like he was about to crush Kulwort�s face Randidly had no doubt the man was capable of it but it would do more harm than good at this point Besides even if he was an ass Randidly still felt hesitant to strike family

Even a sadistic asshole like Kulwort

No what was shocking was that everyone had heard his whisper meant for Tykes That meant their Perception was at least 100 likely closer to 150 Still if they were all looking his way he might as well play this new card

Tier 1 Citizenship is insufficient you say Randidly said slowly He pressed a button on his watch and the notification he had just received was displayed for everyone else It seemed that Henrik had looked at the modifications to the Porpoise and was impressed But what if I a Tier 2 Citizen vouch for them

There was a tense silence But what Randidly enjoyed the most was the slack jawed astonishment from Tatiana The woman was absolutely floored that he had citizenship It was honestly quite pleasant to see her left speechless While Kulwort scrunched up his brows and considered it Randidly gazed deeply at the man called Kenneth Then he looked back at the young woman

no matter how he looked at it Randidly would be shocked to find out that the two weren�t related Why was he acting like he didn�t recognize her Was it really just a case of mistaken identity

But while Randidly was looking at Kenneth he caught a whiff of it His eyes narrowed

The silence was broken again by the young woman Why why

Kenneth glared furiously at this young woman I don�t have any fam

But then he paused His eyes went blank for a second and there was an internal struggle without him He opened his mouth then closed it He fucking stunk of the Creature�s Aether Still nothing pure but it was about 20 times as condensed as Randidly had seen it in other places so far Like a delirious man given sight of water he locked onto it

It seemed that Kulwort realized something too when Kenneth became confused Well since you vouched for them

But Randidly already acted Lightning quick he caused a root to shoot upwards smash the back of Kenneth�s head and then drop back into the ground Because he was standing sideways most of the movement was covered by his body the robed figures would likely only see a blur And even if their Perception was 200 they wouldn�t be able to clearly tell what was going on By the time they saw the movement Kenneth was collapsing

Mildly Randidly said It seems the stress of the situation was a bit much for that man Tykes why don�t you go fetch him and take him to the first aid hut

Then he turned to Kulwort I beg your pardon but it appears this man isn�t in a state to travel Perhaps he has recently experienced a traumatic event That might explain his possible amnesia

Luckily Tykes understood the only way this would work and he moved fast With deceptive quickness he was beside Kenneth and picked the thin teen up A few of the robed individuals took steps forward but Kenneth was already in Tykes� arms and the black man probably had six inches and 40 pounds on even the biggest of them

Don�t you dare Kulwort began furiously but Randidly just smiled at him

You�ll understand if we are hesitant to release him into your care Randidly said After all he spent only a few seconds under your protection and he appears to have suffered for it

Kulwort Shaw opened his mouth and tried to speak but he could find no retort that made sense Instead he snorted and said You I�ll look into you and this matter Don�t think that your connections will protect you If you dare harm a hair on the boy�s head you will pay

Then he retreated with his minions Randidly chuckled One thing that he had been able to internalize from his time pretending to be himself is how effective it was sometimes to just do what you want For Randidly it was something of a nice change of pace

Chapter 557

Well it�s not that I don�t know of what Great Paths are Lucretia said slowly But I must admit that I haven�t gained one myself They are written of in my world but only in legends Also they are generally unavailable to people before they reached Level 50 and condense their fate I suppose since your own images were never separated it is possible the Level 50 distinction has no meaning

So what is it Randidly said aloud He was sitting in the dimly lit room alone with Kenneth He performed several scans of the boy and he was still baffled as to how the Creature�s Aether was so strongly attached to him It was somewhat baffling As the resident physician was out Randidly could only wait for her to return and give him a more thorough examination So he turned his attention to other matters

I can only suspect based on the rumors But it is something you should not do now Everything I have heard agrees that a person can only have one Great Path in their lifetime Those who take it of course gain great power They are hard to unlock and contain rewards commiserate with that difficulty If I�m being frank Lucretia paused I believe it is what the maker of the System is looking for Our philosophers noted that once a Great Path appears others occasionally appear with the same path with the same benefits Only it is no longer a great path To create one is to have a truly unique blend of images and strengths within the System

Randidly closed his eyes According to your theory then choosing a Great Path is to confirm my submission in terms of power to the System�s judgment

Likely The Creature�s memories touch on it but only indirectly It always thought of Great Paths in terms of how well they would be received About whether they were sufficient

Any guesses how mine would fare Randidly asked

not well Lucretia responded with quite a bit of amusement in her thought

Randidly didn�t take the judgment personally After all according to these hypotheses Great Paths were usually done by people who had survived for a much longer time in the Sytem and achieved Level 50 Although Randidly was powerful he didn�t believe that he was so powerful that he could defeat everyone on Shal�s planet for instance THere were people there that had spent their whole lives training under the System

It was clear that their Aether was much staler than the ambient Aether currently on Earth which would lead to slower growth But those people had the benefit of time

Lucretia Randidly said abruptly changing the topic Do people�s lifespans change with the System

Lucretia thought about this for a while it is hard to say Mostly it has been too long since the System arrived in my world to tell But I will say that it is not uncommon to live to be 500 in my world Certain powerful individuals have been rumored to reach 1000 years

Randidly considered that then shivered If he had 1000 years how high could he raise his Skill Levels They become more difficult to raise and also less effective but still a Level 500 Skill Level would be a terrifying thing What sort of Paths would one receive at Level

Randidly�s thoughts were interrupted by a chirp from his watch Henrik was calling him Grimacing Randidly got up and prepared to return to the compound He had relied on his new citizenship in order to avoid trouble so Randidly felt like he should repay the alacrity with which the man had reported his new drone

Within 10 minutes Randidly stood before a red eyed Henrik

This The man�s breathing was heavy The Porpoise was a disassembled mess on the ground in front of them What are these

Henrik pointed Specifically he pointed at two instances of the same rune that Randidly had created to dodge most of the problems he was encountering The inspiration was simple if the spear could transform Aether into meaning and vice versa how hard would it be to make a similar transition between two other forces

In this case Randidly made the transfer between heat and electricity The runes were in areas of high density runic activity and when the metal would heat due to the energy flowing through the metal these runes would turn that heat into electricity This electricity would flow through a sister rune that was created to expend the electricity In this case it created an ionized shield to add additional protection to the Porpoises armor

Now this was by no means a simple task mechanically to transform heat into energy In fact it was near impossible in a compact series of machinery But the ability of the System to simplify processes was a godsend in this case It took quite a bit of studying and experimentation but Randidly was able to intuit the inner process of the transition on the spear and bastardize it to work with much simpler inputs and outputs

It was almost less work than it sounded most of the runes on the spear were associated with carefully encapsulating Aether and Meaning Heat and electricity was child�s play in comparison

Runes I had to do a lot of work to make the details work and they are honestly pretty inefficient Randidly said downplaying the research and resources he had relied upon to create such a tiny thin But they function well as a heat sink even now With some more time and funding

Yes yes yes yes anything For the first time since he had met the other fastidious man Randidly heard Henrik laugh It was honestly slightly off putting It sounded strangely like goat burps Bababababa With this The scale of the drones we can make Ah If you don�t mind would you allow me to watch the process of engraving You�ll be compensated for the process of course

Shrugging Randidly acquiesced His technique in Mana Engraving was not something that someone could casually copy In addition to his high Control and Focus and the stability that his large Mana pool provided Randidly�s Mana Engraving Skill had reached 115 in the past few days if Henrik could watch and replicate it Randidly would eat his non existent shoe

Much to Randidly�s chagrin he failed the first time he attempted it Gritting his teeth he did it again this time successfully All the while Henrik was scribbling notes furiously Afterward he thanked Randidly and gave him access to several higher tiered plans for free Unfortunately most of these Randidly had obtained by destroying the drones in the attack on the organ harvesting plant But Randidly could say that so he could only smile and accept

Besides these plans weren�t warped by heat like the real metal copies he had obtained were There weren�t any areas of difference that Randidly could notice but having the full plans at his disposal was a good thing

Afterward Randidly immediately began work on a flying combat drone Because he was able to basically ignore the heat problem that had plagued him previously Randidly designed a whole new model based on combining the Skylark with a ground based upgrade on the Porpoise called the Armored Turtle The Armored Turtles selling point was two low bore railguns mounted on a swivel on its back

With the heat dissipation Randidly could double the size of these guns without many problems Increased propulsion was necessary but also easily within his abilities without the problem of heat After he created it the real question for Randidly was actually whether to give this over to Ghost�s control

To ascertain the deadliness of the larger rail guns he tested the shot on himself The shot left him with small burns in the area of impact but also with a bleeding would This made Randidly�s expression grim The drone he created would likely have suspect accuracy as it was a flying railgun and it also possessed a limited ammunition cache But its long range and high penetrative power would still make it dangerous

Besides Randidly didn�t doubt that they would try and slap the larger rail gun on ground mounted drones to increase the accuracy

There was one bright spot the railgun was good against armor but not against energy based shields Even Randidly�s positively anemic Mana Shield stopped the projectile dead That was likely a function of his Intelligence stat but it also meant that most people from Zone 32 would be safe

As for the people here

Well Randidly felt it very powerfully at that moment the lives of all of the people who would possibly be affected by his decision here But without these tools he could provide people couldn�t stand up against the wave of Raid Bosses that were rapidly popping up They needed these weapons And for the short term anyway every drone would need to be handmade by Randidly No one else had the Mana Engraving to equal him

And so it was that Baloo Erickson invented the Pterodactyl drone with two swiveling railguns and enough mobility to escape most flying monsters below Level 40 He provided Henrik with the blueprints and the prototype The man was too busy drooling to respond but Randidly figured he would get paid for his trouble eventually

Leaving Randidly shook his head How quickly this recalcitrant man had shifted his opinion was somewhat amusing

Once he was away from the drone manufacturing zone Randidly gathered Tykes and Dinesh and headed South It was time to do a little pest control in Lake Apollo

Chapter 558

As the group headed South Randidly checked in with Tatiana To his surprise the woman he had felt so close to recently spoke distantly and only when prodded She did inform him that the doctor was with Kenneth and as of yet there was no sign of the Unity Church coming back to make trouble It had only been a few hours but the lack of anything was a little disconcerting

Meanwhile Nathan assured Randidly that he would soon be able to get in and see Kenneth before anything happened He was just less mobile than Randidly and would need to walk back from the shantytown

The actual process of cleaning out the lake worked surprisingly well Randidly used his Incendiary Eruptions and a huge amount of monsters charged to the surface enraged by this disturbance to their normal activities Although they were all mid 30s they came out confused and most were destroyed by Tykes and Dinesh before anything could happen

The two of them worked in perfect sync which Randidly made a note of It seemed the two of them had been practicing in the borderlands without him

The real trouble was keeping their actions out of the scanning radiuses of the military bases that had been set up around the lake This was made more complicated by the fact that the recent attack had really pushed the tension present on the bases to a new high There were patrols almost every hour

Randidly was very tired of throwing dead Raid Boss bodies back into the lake in order to avoid later detection It would be hard to avoid them noticing something but that wasn�t really an issue Once they were gone there was no way that they could figure out who had killed them all even if they had figured out that much

In fact things were so boring that Randidly very quickly lost interest in the actual killing and turned his attention inward More and more he spent time contemplating the way the weight and mass would be concentrated at the tip of his spear Specifically he focused on that destructive power and what it would feel like

Through his previous thoughts he had slowly refined the image of the collapse of the weight But what Randidly was missing now was actually a sense for what that weight meant Randidly was almost bitter why was this so simple the previous time

He supposed that a lot of what he had accomplished previously was due to stealing the image from his opponent in the fight That had added the necessary density to what he was trying to accomplish Now he had to build it all on his own It was a different sort of labor

As he was looking at the lake however Randidly wondered if they would soon connect to something like the ocean Although it was probably dangerous heading to deep waters might give him some insight into the pressure that that sort of density would possess At the bottom of the sea Randidly believed you would truly feel like the world was on you

Randidly�s eyes sharpened The flicked his wrist and several Spearing Roots shot upwards to block the plasma bolts that were aimed for Dinesh and Tykes Both of them reacted and leaped backward out of the water but Randidly handled it much more efficiently

Most of the Raid Bosses had been mopped up but there was a lone figure standing in the shallows It had blended in with the press of bodies and acted now to strike for something that would likely pass for a deadly blow against lesser men

With another flick more plants surged into motion As he did so Randidly scanned the horizon no drones Since he was using the Plant Dominance safest to kill whoever this was Besides

As Randidly turned to regard the figure his eyes hardened The body was metallic and steaming as it stood there This was not a member of the military It was either an independent or someone who actively wanted to protect the Raid Bosses that were breeding here An agent of the Raid Bosses themselves It wasn�t likely based upon just seeing the metallic exterior

That was man made

The figure reacted more quickly than Randidly expected As soon as its attack failed it turned and fled diving into the water

Fuck no you aren�t getting away now Randidly growled and he reached out towards the figure Grasp of Lava

The molten rock spurted upward and engulfed the body of the figure The figure spasmed several times and then was still Cursing quietly to himself Randidly approached the mound of rock that was sitting in the shallows of the lake With pure strength he began to rip away the layers of cooling rock around the body

Although he believed that the crushing attack of the spell likely killed whatever this was he didn�t lower his guard

Dinesh what�s the time looking like Randidly asked as he continued to free up the body

Dinesh checked his watch We have three more minutes of safety Four if you really want to cut it close

Randidly grunted and gave up on doing it delicately He smashed his fist down into the rock cracking it Then he dug his fingers into the crack and pried the thing apart The body of the assailant fell into the water and there was a moment of panic as Randidly expected it to escape

But it just bobbed up and down in the hip deep water Randidly lifted the body and was surprised by how light it was There was a pang of regret in his chest as he examined the body more closely it was wearing an exosuit It was a human

It never felt good to kill another even though Randidly had grown used to taking the lives of Raid Bosses and other intelligent monsters It was a tough world they were living in And now it seemed that forces within humanity were threatening the race as a whole in such ways that Randidly might need to kill less discriminately

Randidly shook his head pushing those thoughts away He pulled the mask back and revealed the assailants face It was a woman brown hair late 30s Randidly frowned down at her his initial regret giving way to puzzlement

This woman Randidly recognized her But from where

Neveah hummed to herself as she walked from her room towards the rooms where Tia was staying As she had agreed with Randidly Neveah had told Tia that she was not truly the man Randidly Ghosthound but another who was a very close friend of Randidly She left out the part that she was female and also her true form but told her fiance most of the rest

Tia had taken it very well listening seriously to Neveah�s entire explanation Then she had asked Neveah if it was alright if she took some time to think about it Neveah had agreed

At the last minute Neveah stopped herself turned on her heel and walked away shaking her head It had only been a few hours She couldn�t just just walk over there now and ask what she was thinking

Neveah walked back to the door to her own room which she barely used But now that she was waiting for Tia to come to talk to her she had to spend time here correct Otherwise she might miss the other woman

Well she might as well take a bit of a walk to see the night Maybe over towards Tia�s portion of the mansion

But two steps back in that direction Neveah froze Her face turned grim When she stepped the wood of the floor splintered with the force of it Hurtling down the hallway Neveah felt her illusion waiver but didn�t take the time to reinforce it This was more important

One thing she had learned from watching Randidly was that when it was time for action there wasn�t a point in being subtle It was better to be decisive

So Neveah smashed the door down knocking it off its hinges

Uh What Senator Firefly said sitting bolt upright in his bed Although he had improved his stats he confided in Neveah that he still felt somewhat uncomfortable without sleeping on a daily basis So he habitually still lay down for the night even if he didn�t necessarily fall asleep

It wasn�t much but Neveah had a half step on the other party So when she settled into a battle stance after breaking down the door the windows were smashed in and four figures clothed in black rolled onto the floor Two immediately stopped up short looking at her while two streaked towards Senator Firefly pulling pistols out from small holsters

Those two that approached the Senator met Neveah�s Jaws of Earth when crushed their lower bodies and twisted them away from a place where they could attack the Senator For good measure Neveah pulled up a Wall of Earth

Finally the two others recognized Neveah as a threat Several more strangely dressed figures rushed in through the dark windows The nearest one to Nevaeh threw a packet at Neveah Curious Neveah caught the thing

Enough electricity to fry a horse pumped out from the stun grenade Most people even System empowered would be stunned by such a rushed of electricity Neveah didn�t even flinch But it did knock away the rest of her illusion

In the darkness Neveah�s toothy maw twisted into a smile Today was not a good day to get on her bad side Her wings of bone slowly spread hanging above the assailants like a pale scythes

When they died the assailants didn�t have time to scream

Chapter 559

Randidly burned the body without any remorse and continued the operation There were no more strange incidents and they were able to cover about 70% of the shallow areas of the lake There was likely more hidden in its depths but this was a preventative measure only This wasn�t meant to rid them of the problem just buy them some time

Hopefully the military would get off its ass and mop up the rest but if it didn�t they could just come back and be more heavy handed

Truly though they had killed so many monsters that even Randidly was shocked Thinking of an entire ocean full of the things Randidly shivered

When he made it back to the farming compound Nathan was waiting for him

Just like you I couldn�t find the source Nathan said with a shrug It�s definitely coming from something internal But he doesn�t have a Class and it�s not his Soulskill It�s like he soaked in the Creature�s Aether for a while and now some of it has soaked into him But I can�t figure out how that would be possible or why it would be done

Randidly grunted He had suspected as much when he had performed his own examination There was the unmistakable taste of Aether on his body but it seemed to serve no purpose It was unbelievably frustrating Still there was little more that he could do He was something of an Aether expert with his Skills but they could extract no more information from the boy

After Nathan left Randidly to sit on the log bench and think he only had about 10 minutes alone before a new person approached him

You�ve never really made sense to me until I saw you around your friends Tatiana said simply sitting down next to Randidly

Randidly gave her a sidelong glance What do you mean

It seems like you are competent at almost everything you do Fighting steel making even those brief times I�ve seen you cook it always comes out smelling wonderful For the longest time I was just stuck on wondering why Baloo Erickson was working so hard in a small steel town Tatiana tucked a strand of hair behind her ear but now it makes sense This isn�t your real life That is Speaking and being listened to Thriving under the System

This time when he glanced at her Randidly�s eyes were much more serious

She smiled sadly and shook her head Oh don�t worry I�m not questioning everything It just clicked into place I could see you for what you really are I�m not sure what you are trying to do working in a steel town but I don�t doubt you will accomplish it And if possible I want to help

Now Randidly was truly surprised What

I want to help Tatiana repeated turning and looking at Randidly Her eyes were earnest as she continued to speak You are in charge of a business Or at least a small squad I have experience with management and a lot of girls who are making due based on what we can grow and what I can buy with my saving It seems it seems that the details of my own predicament were nowhere near as simple as I thought I�m stuck here for a while Since we both have things we want why not work together

Randidly breathed out through his nose Then he looked at Tatiana He really meant to consider what she was offering After all he was aware of her Skills and the competence of the women who worked under here on the farming compound Idly he would balance the benefits they could bring to him against the cost of protecting them This compound was an eyesore as far as drone coverage was concerned and there was already that spat with the Unity Church

Not that he wouldn�t fight the Unity Church anyway but this was a point of weakness that could be exploited That was dangerous

But instead of thinking it all through Randidly simply looked at Tatiana

With his powerful Perception he could see every pore in her skin every fine little hair on her cheeks It was clear that although she looked presentable in a casual way Tatiana hadn�t had time to really sit and relax in the last several days She was determined and hardworking Her eyes were bright and clear looking straight at him

He also knew that it took a lot of guts to put oneself out there asking for help Because although Tatiana framed it as them engaging in an exchange help was exactly what it was There were long term benefits that he might reap from having Tatiana and her group be more closely bound with him but in the short term it would just be liabilities

Randidly pulled in a breath and let it out You don�t know what you are asking Associating yourself with me is dangerous

Maybe But this is the world with the System Everything is dangerous Tatiana said simply

Shaking his head Randidly tried to figure out how to explain easily It wasn�t an easy thing But he tried to at least be honest That�s true but we are talking about another kind of danger altogether If you cannot grow strong quickly you will die around me Think about it if not for yourself for everyone who follows you Can they keep up If they do not they will be ground to dust by weight of what I mean to do

Although he had initially meant to just explain how dangerous it was around him halfway through speaking Randidly felt a tremor in his chest Suddenly his mouth began to move and speak grandly of what he was and will become Midway through he wanted to stop But at the same time Randidly sensed it was true

It was his new Skill at work again

And due to that same impulse Randidly extended his hand towards Tatiana even as he wanted to say she should run away But fate insisted there be an offer

Tatiana didn�t even hesitate She took his hand A thread of karma formed between them while their hands were clasped Don�t be an ass No one works harder than my girls So can you tell me what exactly are you trying to do Why are you spending so much time working on steel and now making drones

Chuckling Randidly lowered his arms I�m looking for whatever is rotten here in Zone 1 It isn�t going as well as I hoped The steel working and drones were originally to gather information but now I think I�m doing it to create weapons to keep people safe At some point I won�t have time for this so I want to try and equip people now

What are you going to go on vacation Tatiana asked squinting at Randidly

Randidly grinned and looked up at the sky Something like that Alright fine if you want to be a part of my organization we are going to need to do a few things You have a Class yea How good is it

Tatiana just looked at Randidly then shrugged her shoulders What do you mean how good is it It�s a Class It�s not the best but

We will get you a better one Randidly said enjoying slightly how Tatiana�s eyes narrowed What about Skill Levels Not just for you but for the other women working here We will talk to Dinesh and he will set up training programs Your Skill Levels need to go up What�s your highest Skill Level

74 Tatiana said through gritted teeth

Oh that�s not as bad as I hoped Randidly said with a nod But I doubt that all of the rest of the people are as well developed Within a few months I�m sure we can get you up to standards In the meantime I�ll plant some more vegetables and fruits and build up some tree cover That will hide the true size of your base while we expand Next

Wait wait wait Tatiana said raising her hands This is all this is all great And I have no idea how you think you are going to accomplish this But let�s be realistic Getting my Skill Levels At this Level it�s hard Tree cover Guiding the growth like that will take a long time even with the System�s help And getting a new Class Are you insane

No Randidly said simply but he let a fraction of his Indomitable Will of Yggdrasil show out There was a small flicker from his illusion but Bruya�s work held admirably well underneath the strain Well maybe I am But I still keep finding myself able to move forward So I�m not just gonna stop because no one else is doing what I am doing

Randidly once more raised his hand and offered it palm up to Tatiana This was a second offer the real one The System is bigger and more dangerous than you think That�s what I�m trying to accomplish I want to insulate the average person from the parts of the System you can�t see coming So Tatiana are you in

Her face split into a smile so bright and rich that Randidly trembled to see it There was so much vulnerability and blooming trust in it that it almost broke his heart The threads of karma tied themselves slowly tighter You sure have a roundabout way of asking a girl out on a date Viking I already said yes didn�t I

Randidly rolled his eyes But he didn�t say anything to correct her

Chapter 560

Who is he Hank asked Dozer who stood next to him with folded arms Although the rest of the almost 100 man group were keeping together in tight formations Dozer strode alone So when they stopped at the gates of the Refuge to face the single man standing there Hank went to the big man for answers

He is strong Dozer said simply

Annie stood at the front opposite the man You are going to insist on doing this Just turn that squirming maggot over to us It�s already a big favor we don�t just burn your shitty Village to the ground

The man grinned at Annie in a way that made Hank narrow his eyes This man truly had a lot of balls

Look I get what you are saying I was very surprised when it turned out the Undying Hero had committed an act of terrorism against Donnyton I was about to give him a stern talking to when I heard he was fleeing the city Then because I was bored I decided to set up shop right here and challenge anyone who comes this way to a duel It�s just a coincidence that I stopped you all

Annie looked at the man like she would look like a piece of dogshit How many people need to die before you take your head out of your own ass Ace

The man�s grin didn�t waiver

Annie sighed Fine but

Please let me

The crowd of people parted and a woman walked to the front She had a spear a buckler and was wearing a Valkyrie helmet Even just looking at her Hank felt tingles in his fingers Alana the true power behind this expedition When Donnyton went looking for the pound of flesh it was owed for the attack Alana was the sharp edge to that attack

Grinning Annie moved to the side Good this will be much easier then

Alana just walked forward Ace cracked his knuckles and crouched down He was only dressed in soft furs and a pair of leather gloves Comparing him to Alana was comparing a civilian to a tank But the longer that Hank gazed at the other man the more his estimation of him rose Even with Hank�s dueling sense he couldn�t see any obvious ways to attack the man

Silently the presence of the two individuals rose upwards before Hank�s very eyes But even as the man they called Ace leader of the Refuge rose into something impressive it remained eclipsed by Alana As she walked forward the ground seemed to hum with the heat of her passage The tip of her spear began to glow golden and leave a slow trail in the air

Around him the entirety of the force from Donnyton drew a collective breath Often Alana would teach lessons on fighting but very rarely would she ever take an opponent seriously It was only training after all But now she was pulling out all the stops Everyone who was here wanted to etch this scene into their memory

After the dead body was discovered Donnyton had formed itself to the cause of tracking down the killer When it was revealed by Glendel that the one who killed her was the one called the Undying Hero the people were incited A troop led by Alana left almost immediately They even took volunteers which was how Hank joined in the search

Dozer clicked his tongue in annoyance What a fool

Hank looked up sharply at the other man and regretted it immediately Because by the time that he turned back to the fight Alana had already attacked

In a blazing charge she crossed the final several meters to reach her opponent Even as Ace sprang into motion spinning out of the way of her first thrust Alana thrust again Waves of heat roiled upward off of her blazing spear

Ace sidestepped three more times and then rushed forward There was a strange shadow around him making him difficult to follow with your eyes But as casual as could be Alana brought the shaft of the spear around and smashed Ace backward

Backflipping mid air he landed without seeming to have been affected in the least by the attack But when he landed Alana was already there relentlessly attacking This time Ace was forced to block and he was forcibly thrown another dozen meters backward by the clash

His feet skidded over the ground as he attempted to find his balance but Alana wouldn�t let up She rushed forward again with a raised spear that seemed to burn with its own miniature sun

Roaring Ace pounded his chest The strange fuzziness surrounding him grew stronger but then Alana thrust forward with her spear and a wave of flames washed forward crashing into Ace The other man stumbled whatever Skill he had attempted to use broken Again and again she advanced and battered him

He is cocky Dozer grunted with another shake of his head Then he waved his hand Begin to move out

The duel Hank said nonplussed but Dozer just shook his head and said nothing

Hank turned back to regard the two people Alana continued to smash her way forward She raised her spear up and thrust it downward Like an eel Ace twisted around the blow and brought his foot up in a brutal high kick that struck Alana in the temple

She didn�t even tremble as she thrust her spear through his side and pinned Ace to the ground Then she raised her fist and smashed it into his head Ace bellowed again so Alana did it exactly seven more times Then with a grunt she removed her spear from the prone body

As the group began to move forward Hank watched as Alana turned to another woman one who had come out of the Refuge

You are simply going to let this happen Alana asked the woman Honestly she simply sounded curious

The woman said nothing for several long seconds Then she said Be careful He has not let me see him since the early days I�m not sure what he is up to

Alana just grunted Swept up in the momentum of the hunting posse Hank followed the group West after the Undying Hero

As Dinesh Karlito and Bruya began to take an inventory of all of the new recruits Randidly returned to his spot in the steel working facility It was almost nostalgic to see the grungy men and women trudging into the smelting areas Today Randidly was here for a very specific purpose he wanted to see what was the limit of the metal he could make

Before he could enter into his private room Foreman Davey spotted him and walked over to chat for a while They didn�t talk about anything important but Davey did give Randidly a pretty good idea of the rising and falling value of different materials and metals

Oh by the way Davey said as he was about to leave You must have really done something to impress people because I�ve been instructed to get you anything you need to help your research Plus there is a charity dinner this weekend you are invited to No need to give me an answer now just think about it

In the smelting area Randidly breathed in the smell of hot metal and smiled There really was just something about the air in these blast furnaces that he enjoyed Then he began to forge metal This time he didn�t use the weak materials

The steel was refined and refined again Then the impurities were extracted and extracted again Only then did Randidly grind up a significant amount of Raid Boss bones to mix into the metal In addition a drop of Randidly�s own blood went into the metal

He took his time during the forging process Part of it was proof of concept but the other part was to work out the details of how much bone metal and blood should be a part of the finished product to make it as strong as possible To this end Randidly made as many as ten iterations which he compared against each other He was rather perplexed and pleased that there were three that he simply couldn�t test under normal conditions

They were all so strong he couldn�t affect them easily and he had left Acri at the farming compound to help deal with any wandering Raid Bosses Randidly shook his head sorrowfully It was obnoxious that a piece of metal could make him feel weak but at least the person who made that metal was him

With that accomplished Randidly made himself about a hundred ingots of something he considered mid tier That is stronger than Erickson Steel but nowhere near the stuff he had made for his own uses Then he returned to the drone making facility

Apparently Foreman Davey wasn�t lying about giving him everything Henrik had pulled some strings and now Randidly had access to every single blueprint that Ghost had in its database Immediately Randidly immersed himself in it As a show of good faith Randidly also produced five more Pterodactyls which was more than enough for Henrik to hop with glee

With the demands on him satisfied Randidly turned to another goal to make the drones that others could use to protect the various cities in Zone 1 To that end Randidly carefully began designs for three drones One to locate and identify threats one to take care of small scale problems and another that could be used to stamp out locations that were filled to the brim with Raid Bosses

They were called Hunter Seeker Stalker Reaper and Reaver Crusher

Chapter 561

Levels were strange Randidly decided during one of his breaks in the labor of preparing these drones for launch As he worked he would get slowly better at something That was simply the accumulation of experience Accumulating experience also meant that he would receive Skill Levels

Individually these Skill Levels were small things but when Randidly received two or three in both Spriggit�s Tinkering and Engineering Savvy there was a noticeable difference The System sped up the process of learning by a great deal Which was convenient but disturbing

Ultimately Randidly shook his head and put the thought aside After all there was much work to be done But he couldn�t escape the nagging feeling that he was very quickly reaching a point where his advantages were accumulating far beyond what was possible for normal people to equal After all without his high Intelligence this task would be far more difficult

Because he had higher Stats he could Level Skills more quickly Because he had a Soul Skill and a lot of Skills Leveling he could quickly earn more Stats There was a hard limit on Skills he would reach eventually but until then he was accelerating towards something A flaw in the System

An event horizon where his growth grew self propagating

Well in theory At the moment Randidly was nowhere near there But it was strange that the System should function that way Perhaps that was what the Calamity was in practice Randidly reflected as he began adjusting a runic engraving An entity that had gathered so much power that it ceased to function by the normal rules that bound the rest of them

Randidly recalled the dream state where he had followed Shal�s father through the battlefield and fought against enemies there He remembered the final opponent one who was so physically superior it seemed hopeless to fight against Although now Randidly knew that the monster at the time was only a Level 70 caliber creature Randidly knew that there would be further monsters beyond that

That was what he faced That was what his goal was To grow to become strong enough to wound that

Randidly looked down at the engraving pen and the warm metal he was working with To grow he needed to push boundaries Making these blueprints and then struggling to create working prototypes from them had done a lot to fuel his growth He had earned 43 Skill Levels in the past week that he had spent locked up slaving away over his babies

Time and time again he had reached a snag in the design In retrospect his original plans were breathtakingly optimistic Even with Randidly�s runes there were numerous heat problems The energy conversion runes were powerful but couldn�t be in the same spot as other runes So the layout of each of his original three needed to be altered

But not by much

Spriggit�s Tinkering and Engineering Savvy had been the engine for that growth and as they grew more pronounced slowly Mana Engraving began to tick upwards as his plans grew more sophisticated Even Clockwork Mastery grew a bit likely due to the intricate pieces How long would it take another to reach the requisite Level of Skill to be able to construct similar drones Perhaps a year

Perhaps less The ambient Aether in the air was thickening Part of it was himself slowly leaking the excess that flowed through his body But that was a gradual process No this was happening quickly Aether was pouring with increasing density out of the Danger Zones Which meant that the monsters within Danger Zones were being enriched

That made Randidly frown So many plates to juggle The growth he had achieved here was great for pushing his PP upwards and moving down different Paths but it hadn�t ultimately achieved the goal of finishing his Skill That was stuck at a little above 90% Randidly could sense But it was no use rushing

Still Randidly had spent a lot of time over the past two months doing activities other than training He didn�t regret it but now he felt the pressure building After all Randidly had no doubt that the System was willing to push the strength of its Danger Zones up to the point that people couldn�t overcome them No doubt the monsters would begin coming out in waves then

Randidly sighed as his thinking caused another board to overheat and melt He tossed the metal aside casually At the level he was hoping the drones would be operated he could not make the runic boards thick As such mistakes were common even as his Mana Engraving Skill reached Level 119 It was by far his highest non combat Skill Well the Yggdrasil Skills were close but he didn�t count those

Those were more like a part of himself than a Skill he actually used

Choices Broadly Randidly had the choice to do anything he wanted He also had enemies The flood of Raid Bosses the Creature the Calamity Danger Zones likely the Unity Church But he could only deal with one at a time and the solutions to facing these varied threats weren�t clear Becoming more powerful would help but he needed more than that He needed to prepare

For that he needed information

Ah that party that Henrik talked about was tonight That was one way to gather information Randidly supposed Good thing he had spent the last week without talking to anyone That would help him stomach so much socialization Also he should see if he could find some more presentable clothes

But before all that Randidly had a decision As it was the easiest opponent Randidly had built these drones to deal with the flood of Raid Bosses Perhaps they too were a result of the rising thickness of Aether but that felt wrong to Randidly They weren�t more powerful there were just more of them Specifically Raid Bosses were concentrated very strongly in populated areas

These would solve that They would rip through most Raid Bosses like a hot knife through butter But

These were powerful things They bore the workings of Randidly Ghosthound and were likely quite a few years ahead of what other humans could accomplish Sure with the technology and methods of production people would catch up more rapidly but that almost made it worse Ghost would figure out how to make lesser things based upon his methods

That was the real catch Randidly didn�t trust Ghost But people were dying He couldn�t be everywhere Although Ghost might use these weapons for evil Randidly sensed it likely that Raid Bosses would be the victims in the short term

Randidly reached out a hand and pet one of his Reaver Crushers He had based the frame on the physique of a gorilla If a gorilla was double its normal size could have shoulder spikes and plasma knives for fingers Randidly looked over at his other two creations

All had been built without projectiles But they were constructed with some of his highest quality mid tier steel that he made They would suffice

The Hunter Seeker model was built with the Death Cultists from the Raid Dungeon in mind Their destructive power wasn�t high but they were mobile and durable However if they were able to work on a target the high frequency drills in their arms would rip through most physical barriers

Meanwhile the Stalker Reapers took the most work They were built a little like spiders but they had four short legs and four long ones The longer legs were thick and powerful enabling them to leap easily Or at least Randidly hoped There was a body at the meeting point of those four legs but the real valuable bits were underneath that torso There hanging dangerously were the four smaller limbs that were basically just butcher knives Those knives were the most difficult part They were filled with technology to make them vibrate until even a dulled edge would rip through metal and flesh

There was another reason why Randidly chose to push the technology in the direction of durable close range drones If Zone 1 ever went to war with Zone 32 he wanted no part in creating a weapon that would be difficult to defend against To the people of Zone 32 these were simply another form of monster

Even with that reassurance he looked at the 15 drones for a long time before he called Henrik He had made five of each He would present them all to the man then head to this party with him Hopefully he would downplay them at the time and not deal with anymore weeping

Was this too fast Would he stand out Undoubtedly But people were dying He had to throw a bit of the caution to the wind Besides Neveah was solidly in place as his old identity Even if Ghost suspected something was off it would likely be a local political thing due to his interactions with Tatiana

As Randidly considered his gleaming inventions what ultimately decided whether to give the people of Zone 1 these tools was a selfish reason Randidly had spent almost two months now working on the foundations for these drones And the whole time he had a blast For a drone that was so much fun to make

It would be a shame if no one saw it in action

Besides

Randidly flexed his hand If someone believed they could wield the knives he had created better than he could Let them try It would be a nice diversion from all of the actual threats he was facing

Chapter 562

Randidly was awkwardly pulling at the collar of his fitted suit when he received the message from Dinesh

Found another base It�s a big one About 5 times as large as the previous ones

Randidly froze He was sitting in the back of a car with Tatiana and Henrik Unfortunately Davey had to cancel to inspect Randidly�s new drones when they were given over to the administrators at the drone complex This left them with only Henrik to guide him Henrik was typing excitedly with his assistants who were examining the drones that Randidly had provided for them earlier Tatiana was coming as his date He had promised to ask her out to dinner after all

But in a second Randidly prepared to throw that all to the side How many people do they have

None right now Dinesh replied Randidly relaxed somewhat

continue to watch Although it�s annoying tonight might yield useful information But at the slightest hint that someone is in there

Got it

Breathing out through his nose Randidly folded his arms Tatiana tsk ed at him

If you are uncomfortable you shouldn�t have worn a suit It looks good but not if you are going to glare at everything all night

Randidly chuckled It�s not the suit

Tatiana�s eyes went to Henrik who was sitting in the front passenger seat Ah Is it these drones Is what you did that impressive

You�d be surprised Randidly said mildly He supposed he could try to explain but he would rather see her face when she witnessed what one of his drones could do Although that thought made him cringe somewhat He had tested them a little but not to the point of absolute confidence They worked in a laboratory setting but it remained to be seen how they would fare in the field

Best leave that to the professionals however Randidly was here to finally see what the upper crust lived like After all for all the months he had spent here he had never been actually into the nearby city of Tonna It was a Tier II city which meant it couldn�t rival the East and West Providences but neither was it a border city People with power would be here if just in passing for the charity dinner

It was apparently a big ordeal So big that they had invited celebrities

Luckily Tia and her new fiancee Randidly Ghosthound were forced to cancel After all the news was reporting that Senator Firefly was the subject of a kidnapping attempt and only through the heroic actions of Randidly was he able to escape

Honestly the thought of criminals trying to get past Neveah to strike at someone was somewhat amusing There were some rumors floating around that the methods Randidly Ghosthound had used in the defense of Senator Firefly were brutal to say the least However no pictures surfaced and as such the statement didn�t make much of a dent in the public consciousness

But still Randidly felt a thin jolt of pity When Neveah fought she was absolutely vicious

Sirs and madam we are here The driver announced

Annoyed Henrik looked up from his small laptop What Oh yes the dinner Well I suppose it can�t be helped Come on in

They got out of the car Randidly glanced at Tatiana who was looking up at the building with tight lips It was a tall building in Randidly�s opinion but that was because it was at least 20 stories Buildings like that didn�t survive in Zone 32 outside of Franksburg Will you be alright being here

Yes but it might get a little ugly She gave Randidly a toothy grin I hope you don�t mind if I use your reputation a bit tonight I have a feeling my partner will be exquisitely disappointed to find he missed the chance to get an introduction to Baloo Erickson drone maker

Randidly reached up and gripped Tatiana�s upper arm As he did so his eyes burned into hers It�s not a big deal but be careful I tried to warn you before There will be a fallout around me eventually I won�t stay as a drone maker forever The more you are implicated with me

Tatiana stepped up on her tiptoes and kissed him

This was very very different from the last time a woman surprised Randidly with a kiss Tia was a child basically Tatiana was a woman and very good at kissing

It was light and purposeful and it left Randidly burning Tatiana pulled away and smiled up at him

How implicated am I now Baloo Erickson

Mrs Hamilton coughed lightly She knew the girl heard her entry into their strange cathedral but manners were a fiction that two people indulged in to make it work One of Kiersty�s followers stepped towards Mrs Hamilton with a glare but his expression faltered into something more respectful when he saw who it was

Ah Mrs Hamilton Regretfully the Priestess is currently in the midst of preparations for a great ritual I will let you know when she finishes and I have no doubt she will contact you immediately

I believe she�s finishing up now Mrs Hamilton said with a soft smile It was a strange thing manners They dictated that she must speak with him but Mrs Hamilton knew there was no point in doing so his words would soon become irrelevant So it suddenly became about power

Mrs Hamilton felt very tired dealing with the man She needed a vacation Maybe she should head down to Franksburg for a spa day

Unfortunately The follower started to say his expression darkening but he was interrupted

Ha How did you know I was almost done It�s fine Sarran let her pass Kiersty said walking over towards Mrs Hamilton

Mrs Hamilton just smiled

It was those little weavers eh Gossipy for spiders Kiersty said shaking her head with a rueful expression Well I suppose it isn�t a secret Arbor is going to transform soon we believe Something big Even Arbor doesn�t know what�s going to happen He�s super nervous Before the Ghosthound handled everything and now that he gets to choose

Kiersty stopped mid sentence and shouted over towards several workers correcting one of their mistakes Whereas the cathedral had previously just been a spot in the forest surrounded by weaver webbing now the followers of Arbor were making grand pillars in a semicircle Then they created staircases and three levels attached to the grand pillars The weavers then came and draped the entire thing in silk hiding the true shape of the building But still the followers of Arbor worked at the direction of Kiersty More and more architecture was thrown up within the strange mass of spider silk

At this point even Mrs Hamilton was mystified at what they were making underneath it all And that was saying something

Mrs Hamilton turned and regarded the young girl Even though she was probably nearing 13 Kiersty was still clearly a child At first Mrs Hamilton had put Kiersty as one of the high risk individuals within Donnyton Growing up with people living by your every word has a tendency to warp people

But it seemed she had underestimated the power of the relationship the girl had with Arbor Although everyone saw Kiersty as the source she saw Arbor That helped her avoid any damage to her integrity That and her own innocence But how long would that last

So what did you want to talk to me about Kiersty asked after she had finished

Mrs Hamilton smiled She did like how efficient the girl was when it didn�t have to do with her rituals I�m not sure you recall but we agreed to offer a planting of Arbor to any who would unite in our pursuit of the so called Undying Hero Star Crossing has of course sent aid and their current planting should receive more energy if possible But to our surprise East End is also moving I was told by Sydney herself that she would personally move

Kiersty considered that kicking at the grass It was somewhat brown now having been shielded from the sun by the spider silk But it was still a suitable distraction Mrs Hamilton didn�t press the girl

well I don�t� see why not Arbor would like making new friends too It�s just

mm

Kiersty looked up at Mrs Hamilton and her eyes were deep and dangerous like a vicious riptide Being so connected to a strange plant creature was not without side effects The Refuge is supporting the Undying Hero right Secretly And East End was founded by someone else who was close with the Undying Hero before he died the first time right

That is correct But I think there was a falling out towards the end Mrs Hamilton said amused How much did Kiersty know Probably everything that Arbor could know Could it listen through its plantings Interesting

But it was one of her men that revived the Undying Hero Kiersty pointed out Isn�t this just a trap What if she moves and helps him escape

That�s possible but I think unlikely Mrs Hamilton said simply

Kiersty looked up at her curiously and at that moment she was just a 12 year old girl again Why

As humans we chase the wondrous and settle for the predictable Mrs Hamilton said slowly She could hear in her head the soft click of mandibles It was the sound of a grey spider testing the tremors on its web It�s a cultural thing The occurrence of each ebbs and flows When she revived the Undying Hero it was a predictable act Helping out an old friend

Mrs Hamilton turned and looked at the horizon Now I suspect that Sydney Harp will chase something more enthralling Something more dangerous

Again Kiersty shifted and there was something ancient next to her Her pale grey eyes were almost hollow And when she spoke she saw through right to the core of it Ah You think she now moves to face her own fears Is that truly such a wondrous act

Mrs Hamilton smiled

Chapter 563

The first thought Randidly had when he walked in was that the lights were too low Normally this wouldn�t be a problem at all for him his Perception meant his gaze focused at a speed that changes in lighting barely affected him It would need to be pitch black for him to be blind But the rest of the guests didn�t share his Stats and therefore there was a cluster of people right outside the elevator who were blinking uncertainly as they walked onto the top floor to see the venue

Snorting Randidly grabbed Tatiana�s hand and pulled her through the press of bodies to walk out into down the hallway and onto the rooftop bar It also was a nice reason to ditch Henrik Randidly had no doubt the other man would track him down sometime but it would be a brief break that Randidly sorely needed

If that man asked one more question about the functions of the drones

The second thing that Randidly thought was that aside from Senator Firefly�s ballroom this was the nicest place he had ever been

The tables were sleek and dark on the rooftop lit by small candles in the middle of glass containers blown to look just like a flame It gave the lighting a primitive feel but the base of the tables was heavy mahogany There was a weight to everything that was slightly surprising

All around people who had arrived earlier glanced up at Randidly and Tatiana�s entrance Very quickly most of them looked away no one recognized the duo A few of the men�s gazes lingered with some hint of lust but they too looked away more quickly than Randidly would have expected But then again every woman at this party was beautiful Perhaps

Then Randidly shook his head and bit his lip Thinking along those lines was incredibly shallow and he felt slightly guilty for reducing Tatiana to just her looks But Randidly supposed that was just the kind of place this was A place where all that mattered was power and sex

Ignoring most of the people Randidly let go of Tatiana�s hand and walked to the edge of the balcony The city spread out below them glittering and bustling When he had arrived Randidly had looked around and could find no traces of poverty in the city limits Although he had been hustled straight to a relatively well to do part of the city it still made him uneasy

Because below amongst the lights the poor were working to service the rich Restaurants were humming with activity the manatech rail system continued to operate well through the night But these homes This was a place for the upper class

Randidly sighed He understood why he had previously wanted to come here But being here he was immediately reminded that around power there was rot and sloth It would undoubtedly be much harder to find information than he would like But still he needed to make an attempt

It would just be a long night

When Thaddeus Hatch walked out of the elevator with a bored expression on his face he immediately detected that something was wrong

Tables at events like these were a matter of status There wasn�t an assigned seating per se but they inevitably became arranged by the hierarchy of power amongst people as the night went on Traditionally people would mingle and talk until someone with clout arrived and arrange themselves around that person They were generally a guest of honor and would signal that the coy banter part of the night was over and business could begin to happen

Thaddeus had been to a dozen or so such events in his time in Zone 1 they all unfolded the same way It was only an hour after the charity event had started they haven�t even moved to the banquet hall yet Most people should be clustered around the elevators or at the bar People should be faking pleasure and offering each other manufactured smiles The knives shouldn�t emerge for another hour

Or at least they should wait until he arrived The political forces should marshall themselves around him After all Thaddeus Hatch was the guest of honor

It was pride speaking Thaddeus knew But it was earned In Zone 1 he was a legend The man who was Level 49 although freshly so He was the Spartan Shock Trooper the most powerful of Zone 1�s four heroes

Three now Thaddeus amended mentally as he walked forward The initial forays into the borderlands were unforgiving and two of the four had died Only one individual of merit had risen to join Thaddeus and the Hyper Pilot at the top of the pile And that man was basically just chosen to fill out numbers and inspire hope

No in all of Zone 1 Thaddeus was confident he was the most powerful Classer Which meant he was the most powerful of anyone Well perhaps Zone 32 possessed its own warriors of a similar caliber But how would of any of them arrive at this puny charity function

Calmly Thaddeus walked forward through the empty hallway to the tension filled balcony He was not angry of course but was rather pleased The only reason that he had come to this thing was due to the insistence of his sister Now that it appeared someone else had taken center stage he would have some time of anonymity before he was inevitably recognized

As he walked onto the balcony Thaddeus was amused to see that not a single table was unoccupied It mattered little people would move when they saw him A quick glance gave him the lay of the room rather quickly It seemed that West Providence had set up shop near the edge of the balcony overlooking the city The hardline Citizenship Tier party remained near the bar snappish and angry that the relatively lower Tiered scientists believed they could dictate the seating The moderates and military personnel filled the middle space while celebrities hired to entertain walked through the press of bodies and tried to ease the tension

Thaddeus grinned Curious

He arrived at the bar and ordered a drink The bartender took a step back when he spotted Thaddeus but Thaddeus just put a finger against his lips Very quickly the man got the idea Good Thaddeus wasn�t above sneaking away and breaking the man�s jaw for ruining his fun

Intrigued by the strange standoff on the balcony Thaddeus turned back to the group of people and focused on his Enhanced Awareness Skill Immediately the discussions became more understandable and distinct

Honestly I think the bartender was hitting on

Taxes It�s about taxes The refugees don�t have money so

What is this charity event for anyway

but the performance Gentlemen these drones will revolutionize

That�s her over there in the shimmery dress The fool doesn�t know when to take a hint

I�ll see you later tonight

Your drink sir

With a smile Thaddeus took the drink from the bartender and turned back to the people Most of the conversations were trash but there was one that had an edge of excitement that intrigued him It was the one about the drones and when Thaddeus focused he recognized the speaker a man named Henrik who was an important researcher in the drone initiative Based on some of the people standing around him too he was the one who started the seating All were arrayed around him Curiouser and curious er

Thaddeus would not have expected that man to make such a bold act But perhaps the desperate straits of the drone initiative prompted him to do so Sales were not good because the products were subpar Until they could give a drone worth a damn people would continue to lose support for it for all that it brought jobs into regions that were struggling economically And where the drone initiative was doubted so too was Ghost himself

It was politically awkward for the Citizenship hardliners because their arguments were based upon Ghost�s value but they would dearly love the drone initiative to fail But Thaddeus supposed it was a bland if understandable explanation that Henrik was here and started the seating in order to spread the word of whatever small success they had experienced

Feeling disappointed but curious Thaddeus focused his senses in Henrik�s direction

The vanity of the rich mostly But I believe the charity associated with Thaddeus cut out the people speaking behind Henrik and focused in on him

I don�t want to overstate its success it needs to be tested in the field Henrik said but his eyes were bright and the man was sweating from excitement But our projections have it as an extremely efficient bit of machinery Against monsters below Level 40 I have no doubts it will perform splendidly

Bah so what Another man said He was a military man by his look but not one that Thaddeus had worked with Someone low ranked then The problem was never making a powerful robot it was making something that was dependable With high Vitality scores people are even cheaper to rely on than machines Plus they can grow Why switch to drones now A misguided effort

There were mutters of agreement from others but Henrik just chuckled

Bah these are more than a replacement for soldiers Even our strongest soldiers the three that you military men worship have their limits Sure those three are strong enough to defeat one of the drones but how about 10 20 100 These are able to be produced at a scale and speed that people can�t match And they are expendable I dare say the blueprints for these drones are far more valuable than even the Spartan Shock Trooper

There was a sound of tinkling glass Still grinning like a madman Thaddeus looked down almost surprised to discover that he had squeezed until the glass shattered His hands were unharmed obviously

He looked back up at the silent crowd who all turned to face him Mildy he said Oh Tell me more Dr Henrik

Chapter 564

To his credit Dr Henrik only blinked once before he answered Oh Sir Hatch I hadn�t noticed you�d arrived I didn�t mean to say you are not valuable only

I believe what you are trying to say has been made abundantly clear Thaddeus said calmly He began to walk slowly forward I�m curious however How many Raid Bosses have these new drones been able to kill consecutively

None Henrik replied brightly excitement still clear in his voice But we have high hopes

Ah a prototype then Thaddeus said with a smile He walked forward and the crowd of people parted Instantly people began to shift the stronger ones following closer to him the weaker making way This was the way of things

Honestly as Thaddeus strolled calmly towards Henrik he had to admire the man Warrior he was not but he blithely ignored Thaddeus� focused attention To do that required some Levels to be sure And he didn�t break as Thaddeus calmly joined the man at his table If anything he seemed more excited

Mr Hatch would you like to see the projected data that Ghost had complied I believe

That won�t be necessary Thaddeus said simply looking around After all we are here for a charity dinner correct Why don�t we get things started

And so at Thaddeus� words they began to move

By the end of the night Thaddeus wasn�t exhausted but he was simply so bored that apathy had settled over him It was difficult to even smile or ask one more inane question of the imbeciles that surrounded him As soon as everything was officially called to an end Thaddeus slipped away took a service stairwell down several floors and walked out onto a fire escape

Feeling slightly nostalgic Thaddeus produced a cigarette and lit it up It reminded him of home and of the time before the System Not that Thaddeus would want to return to the nameless individual he was then but he did miss playing Halo with his friends

Voices from the alley below distracted Thaddeus and his expression darkened It was a nice daydream he was having and he did not appreciate it being interrupted by more fools After all he recognized the voices below it was the conversation about what the charity event was for

Do you regret going The woman asked looking at the man beside her Looking at them Thaddeus was somewhat confused She was stunning with long legs and a revealing dress Meanwhile the man

Just looked average Without even the feeble trappings that money could buy His hair was brown and he had something of a belly that even his suit couldn�t hide

No I did learn a lot The man said rubbing his chin Then he sighed and shook his head Troop movements news from the borderlands rumblings about abuses in the Unity Church It confirmed a lot But I was hoping I would learn something that would give me the direction I wanted But I suppose that�s too simple So for now

The man paused Then he frowned

Thaddeus felt it too at that moment The trail of electromagnetic energy over his skin The lights of the building fizzled and went dark Hissing Thaddeus straightened on the fire escape Another assassination attempt They had considered postponing it after Senator Firefly was attacked but many thought it was just some rogue faction in the refugees he housed Could it really be

But no it was only on the lower floors Localized

Then the doors to the alley opened and a group of men walked out and Thaddeus sighed dramatically settling back down Truly he grew agitated just for this

The man in the new group gestured sharply They were wearing night vision goggles We must move quickly We have only 20 or so seconds

Then he paused You should not have come back Tatiana

I�m not trying to The woman began to speak incensed but the man next to her waved a hand

Did they really knock out Ghost�s cameras in the area That makes this much easier

Who do you think The lead man began but then he stopped Because his group of 6 individuals armed with stun batons and stealth exosuits ran forward and were stopped dead by that average looking man

When the first assailant ran forward the man had stepped forward and grabbed the wrist of the attacker Thaddeus� eyes widened In this darkness he could do that so quickly Even his own eyes were just becoming accustomed to the darkness

But the man didn�t stop there He stepped forward and headbutted the assailant shattering his helmet and sending him staggering His left hand flashed forward and smashed the side of his head knocking him senseless His right hand let go of that man�s wrist and snatched a plasma pistol out of a holster at that man�s side

Immediately the other attackers froze and then reached for their own guns But the average man was already firing The plasma bolt took another attacker in the chest but the heat resistant armor held against the projectile It was as the attackers were bringing their pistols to bare that the average man clicked his tongue and fired again Three times

What a cheap piece of trash The average man said with a shake of his head He dropped the melted plasma pistol which had shorted out from being flooded with Mana too dense for it to handle But the three shots had hit one attacker at the knee another at the shoulder and the third had lost most of his hand All were on the ground leaving only two attackers and a shocked man standing

Four seconds had passed Thaddeus couldn�t tear his eyes from the fight below He felt something in his chest Something he hadn�t encountered in a long time Something that gripped his throat and lungs

The final two attackers shot their pistols The average man waved his hand and simply knocked the plasma away When the man stepped forward distance meant nothing He appeared to simply kick but the last two were slammed backward into the wall of the alley whimpering

The bright lights of the plasma left glowing trails of blindness in Thaddeus� eyes It surely had looked like the man simply knocked the plasma aside but that was

You The man who appeared to have orchestrated the attack said with a gasp You Tatiana how did you

Hollar you are a fool Tatiana said with a sigh Then she shrugged I no longer require a partner It is a little late but I�ve decided to take my considerable business acumen elsewhere You understand right And while I�m in town I plan to take my portion of our profits As well as all the girls that I trained

You The man was glaring now and he took a step backward and triggered something in his wristwatch An exosuit a powersuit sprang into being and settled around his frame It was a huge thing with heavy armor and plasma cannons around his arms I�ll make you pay

The average man stepped forward seemed to consider then thrust his fingers into the closing space on the exosuit where it hadn�t yet locked into place on his chest Then the man pulled

There was a moment where nothing happened Then Thaddeus heard the keening of agonized metal before the torso portion of the exosuit was simply ripped off the man�s body This portion contained the energy cell so the metal on the man�s body was simply dead weight He trembled and then began to collapse

What

The average man punched the exosuit wearer knocking him out The man slumped to the side but the metal arms pressed into the ground and kept him standing The metal glittered from lights down the alley from a nearby street

11 seconds Thaddeus was sweating now He could have perhaps beaten those assailants without armor That wasn�t so impressive But could he have deflected plasma Could he have ripped an exosuit in half with his bare hands Who was this

Hang on we need to move The average man said grimly

Gotcha But I was being serious We should stop at an atm before we leave

Hmm

The average man put his arm around woman�s weight and seemed to shimmer for a moment The suffocation in Thaddeus� chest grew more powerful The air seemed to be thickening starting with that man Then he simply jumped

The concrete couldn�t withstand the force of his ascent and cracked Still the man shot upwards the woman yelping as she was dragged along

Thaddeus looked up He couldn�t breathe The strange impossibly powerful man was going to pass only feet away from the spot where Thaddeus was hiding

Hiding Thaddeus stopped at the thought When did he hide

But still as the sonic boom of the man�s passage smashed the air Thaddeus took a step backward deeper into the shadows Whoever this was there was no need to confront him here In fact it was better to remain anonymous With his identity concealed Thaddeus could gather information and later

The blur of bodies passed Thaddeus� position At that moment Thaddeus looked up

That strange shimmering had continued until the average man�s body was almost completely hidden from his view There seemed to be ripples in the air that masked him But there were two features of the man he could see

The first was the eyes They were baleful and a deep emerald The seemed to burn in Thaddeus� vision

The second feature was a finger Illuminated only by the ominous light from the man�s eyes the finger was held aloft and meant for Thaddeus It was pressed to the man�s lips

Take this secret to your grave

Then the man was gone carrying the woman Thaddeus felt the impact as the man kicked off the building above launching himself up and away Sitting back Thaddeus began panting He knew this emotion

It was suffocating fear

Four seconds later the lights flickered back on

Chapter 565

Tatiana stumbled when they finally stopped Her heart was pounding How the hell were they moving so fucking fast At one point Tatiana had felt the air solidify around them as though as though they were about to break the sound barrier They had slowed immediately afterward but Tatiana had a strange impression that it wasn�t because Viking couldn�t go that fast but rather he didn�t think that she could handle it

After he had leaped up and launched themselves off a skyscraper Viking had calmly landed and began stepping with such speed that they were quickly whisked off into darkness Trees blurred as they streaked past And it didn�t even seem like Viking was breaking a sweat

The other thing she noticed on their journey was that Viking was avoiding the typical drone patrol routes Tatiana had investigated them thoroughly so she could protect the girls at the compound but it seemed that Viking knew them even more intimately

When they stopped Tatiana needed several seconds to recover herself Then she looked up at Viking And then blinked

There was something different about him They were standing in the darkness but she could see him in profile Or believed it was him The figure in front of her seemed distinctly different from the Viking that she remembered Taller yes but also sharper somehow and more dangerous Inwardly Tatiana had to remind herself that he was an engineer more than anything else He wasn�t Wasn�t

But he was more than that wasn�t he He could grab plasma out of the air He defeated Hollar�s goons in less than ten seconds He

The figure stepped forward and Tatiana stilled This was not Viking

Sorry about that it was a little rough The figure said scratching his ear In the darkness his features were still blurry Except for his eyes which burned emerald But once it started

The figure trailed off Before Tatiana could understand what was going on two figures appeared out of the darkness One of them was Tykes the other was Bruya All Tatiana saw was a slight frown on Bruya�s face and there was a rush of air The figure took another step and suddenly it was Viking next to her He spared her a quick smile and then he turned to Dinesh

Any change

None Dinesh replied Viking nodded

Alright Thank you for the wonderful night despite the ending Tatiana But now I need to go

Tatiana smiled in spite of herself You were dozing off for half of it don�t lie

Viking winced The man wearing the mask of Viking winced Was the entirety of Baloo Erickson a facade Yea well I suppose cocktail parties aren�t my thing

Then the man who was a man who she thought she knew was off into the darkness But he was a fake Probably Likely

Typical

Before they attacked the base Randidly paused and focused on his Skills The Lava Golem Skill was extremely useful as both an attention sink and as a tactical existence But the problem was that much of the commands it could understand were general It would fight where he directed and as he directed It seemed that it had a template of combat experience that was based on his own

But the problem with that was that the Lava Golem was not Randidly in both good and bad ways It did not have the deft utilization of the spear that he had Meanwhile he was essentially indestructible because his body was made of molten metal Physically he could rip through the opposition with just his heat and Strength in a way Randidly would never attempt

So Randidly focused on his Skills and considered the shape of Lava Golem inside of himself He felt its energies and vibrations inside of himself Then after he used Plant Dominance to clear a small cave to hide the light he summoned a Lava Golem

The thing pulled itself up out of the ground a humanoid composed of pure lava Very rapidly the heat in the cave rose However to a Randidly who had both Chosen of Fire and Fire Resistance the heat meant little He peered at the creation with a powerful intensity They were bonded by Mana and Randidly reached out and pressed with his Willpower to seize control of that bond The binding trembled but did not shift

Randidly frowned and pushed harder Then he poured more Mana into it but the Mana simply splashed and trembled in the air The construct he had created wasn�t able to handle the increased Mana and it simply went to waste Annoyed Randidly kicked the dirt

Mana behaved too much like water for this to work It flowed into the path of least resistance When it was shaped it also provided power but it had no substance for him to seize on After a pause Randidly�s gaze towards the Lava Golem intensified If Mana wouldn�t work then

Aether was much much easier to manipulate than Mana and it snaked towards the Lava Golem At first it swirled around the construct as if unsure of what to do But then Randidly focused and it stabbed into the Lava Golem�s body For a second nothing happened

Then the Lava Golem began to tremble

Congrat

Congratul

Congratulations your

Congratulations You have created the Skill Blessing of a Avatar Lvl 1 Would you like to learn this Skill Y/N

Randidly blinked The Lava Golem was trembling harder now its body positively buzzing with the Aether that had been thrust into it On its surface the molten rock began to bubble

Initially Randidly reached to press no It sounded like an interesting Skill but it would take up one of his remaining Skill slots and it had a very specific application Setting aside the strange blanks an Avatar generally was a physical manifestation of some greater entity Likely it also allowed Randidly to have the control over his minions that he desired But at the same time how often would he use such a Skill

The bubbling grew more pronounced as Randidly paused

The worst part was that he wouldn�t be able to see the details of the Skill unless he chose to learn it There were perhaps other benefits it was a Legendary Skill after all but without knowing them Randidly didn�t think it was wise to spend one of his slots on this Skill After all controlling minions was useful but ultimately his own body was the ultimate weapon for him Having Avatars seemed unnecessary

But as Randidly reached to press no he felt something inside of him tremble The Skill Weaver of the Threads of Fate activated It wavered subtly pressing against him Taking this Skill was a good idea it seemed to suggest Frowning Randidly considered the feeling

There was a danger suggested that felt present Did this mean this attack on the base would be much easier with this Skill But the suggestion from the Threads of Fate was such a nebulous thing perhaps

Randidly moved his finger farther towards the No The feeling of imminent danger grew stronger Randidly gained a Level in the Skill He sighed theatrically How far would this push it he wondered

He moved his finger closer and abruptly he was sweating The air seemed to be screaming at him It was like a radio had just come into focus and suddenly Randidly could see a fraction of the distant future This Skill was vital Without it

Still it irked him The whole concept of the Skill irked Randidly That it could shape his growth was frustrating A part of Randidly just seemed to sigh at the weight of it all For the first time in a long time due to this strange Skill Randidly felt afraid It was an existential fear like without this Skill his chosen Path will amount to nothing So Randidly�s hand shifted towards the Yes

But there was another part of Randidly one that he had learned from Shal It was the part of him that enabled him to persist despite the fact that he was alone in a Dungeon when the System arrived It let him fight and fight and fight and struggle when Shal threw him into an otherworldly prison where time blurred It let Randidly form a Skill able to match one of the most powerful people in Shal�s world if only for a moment

Randidly paused and moved his finger back to the No He would not learn this Skill His instincts screamed against him His finger moved forward It moved forward until the trembling in his body held him still He would die If he pressed this the Weaver of Fate screamed he would die There would be terrible consequences He couldn�t Honestly he physically couldn�t His very being fought against him going along with the will of the Skill

Fuck you Randidly said Instinctively he activated Indomitable Will of Yggdrasil Then he formed a claw of Aether and ripped the offending Skill to shreds

Chapter 566

It hurt It hurt more than anything had ever hurt To compare the pain from being eaten alive in the Dungeon by acid on that first day was to compare a seed to a tree But Randidly was a very different individual than he had been in the beginning

His eyes were cold mint taking on a strangely blue tint as Aether flooded through him washing away the Skill that dictated what he could and could not do All the while more and more Aether poured into Indomitable Will of Yggdrasil as it burned with intensity

For sacrificing a Skill PP will be consumed to refund the Skill 4 PP will be consumed

Randidly let out a gasp as his finger surged forward and hit No denying the Skill

Sighing Randidly settled back on his haunches to regain a bit of composure But Indomitable Will of Yggdrasil continued to whirl He felt it crack under the strain and Aether surged to fill the space

Congratulations Your skill Indomitable Will of Yggdrasil has evolved into the Deific Mien of Yggdrasil Levels will be retained Warning the transformation of the Skill is incomplete More insight into the nature of the Skill will be necessary before the Rarity can be updated

HIssing Randidly fell farther back until he was sitting on his butt He felt something on his chest A chain seemed to wrap around him binding his new Skill in place Roaring Randidly smashed at the chain with everything he had But it held blithely ignoring his indignation Randidly gathered himself and smashed at it again but nothing happened

Because Randidly realized it was not simply a mental chain It had a lock on it

More insight into the nature of the Skill will be necessary

As he straightened he let it all go cutting off the flow of Aether in his body with a sigh Well at least he had rid himself of this strange force that had attempted to dictate his movements When he looked up Randidly realized with a flash of guilt that most of the Lava Golem had fucking evaporated and only a thin skeleton like figure was remaining

With the Aether no longer running through it the body of it slowly began to recover producing more lava And strangely Randidly realized that he could reach out with his will and touch it Control it It raised its hand as he pressed moving each finger in turn

One problem solved Randidly thought with a smile He simply had to sear a path for his will into the golems with Aether

But then Randidly�s mood turned more serious

Before the Rarity can be updated it had said Did that mean

Beyond Legendary The final key to the lock on humanity

All that will come later � Randidly thought calming himself down It was a strange little binding that had briefly afflicted him But he ripped it apart and now it was time to rip this base to shreds to work off a little more of the fury he felt

As Dinesh had told him this base was much larger than the previous ones And better defended too As they approached Randidly felt a strange thinness to the air that gave him pause

Dinesh noticed and gave him a half smile Ionized air There are a lot of generators powering this thing

Hmm Randidly grunted in response moving closer to the base

It was less hidden than the others and seemed to be a rather large logging camp from before the System arrived The walls were covered in growth enough to indicate that the place was abandoned even while the gates remained shut with a very shiny lock

What�s the plan Dinesh asked Tykes remained mostly silent rubbing his knuckles as the three of them looked at the base Randidly grinned and felt his will flow along the lines of Aether he had burned into the Lava Golem The thing dug its way forward slowly approaching the edge of the camp

Give me a few seconds Randidly said moving the Lava Golem forward The other two nodded and focused their attention on their own preparations

On and on Randidly pressed with the Lava Golem moving it forward Not that he thought himself incapable of taking on the base�s defenses but he would prefer that the attention got focused on the Lava Golem rather than himself After they had split from Tatiana Bruya had adjusted his illusion to match that of the previous attack Perhaps it would cause a panic but Randidly was counting on that

However the panic he wanted was not among the normal populace It was among those who had created these facilities Randidly would make sure that with this attack he would crush every shred of these strange organ harvesters that he could locate Afterward Randidly would pay more attention to the news to watch for any information on who could be involved But for now

The figure of molten lava burst out of the ground right in front of the base Without pausing at all the Lava Golem ripped through the chain link fence and pressed forward The air around it warped as heat wafted upwards from the figure As it moved however there was very little noise There was only the strange tinkling of the fence as it was ripped in twain

Immediately something in the base shifted Two turrets lifted off of the roof with the smooth efficiency of a computer operated system and aimed at the Lava Golem

Randidly�s grin widened When he pressed with his will it almost felt like he was the Lava Golem working through the Aether to be it Was this what the Avatar Skill would have given him Why did his other Skill think it was so important

Through the connection of Aether Randidly also had some small sense of the Perception the Lava Golem had It wasn�t much In fact it was more distracting than helpful above ground where Randidly�s senses were much sharper and more reliable On the other hand the Lava Golem had a sense of touch on the Earth that was far beyond Randidly�s And based upon the shaking that the Lava Golem felt friends were coming Quickly

They were rail guns but only the lower bore from previous iterations Randidly was glad to note It would be a very bad sign if these people had the weapons he had designed for Ghost Perhaps it was simply a matter of installing them as it had only been a week or two since he had created the Pterodactyl as a proof of concept for his runic language But it did reassure Randidly a little that trusting Ghost with these tools wasn�t a mistake

Still they were dangerous even to the Lava Golem If the projectiles hit it that is

The Lava Golem moved smoothly forward It was not graceful per se but it certainly didn�t trip over its own feet as Randidly controlled it The two railgun turrets each fired twice and the Lava Golem moved to the side ducked and leaped It landed on the roof with the first turret with a crash Very quickly the stone and plaster of the roofing began to melt revealing the military grade metal underneath A swipe of its hand ripped the first turret beyond recognition but it did give the other time to fire two more shots

They went wide but by the time the Lava Golem had crossed to the other guard building and destroyed it hatches in the ground were opening Black exosuits a lot like the one that had struck from the lake sprang up First 10 then 20 then 50 all swarming out

Even Randidly was taken somewhat aback Especially when he realized that another 100 had emerged from other locations in the area This was clearly meant to be a trap

Randidly laughed out loud Looks like they were prepared for us There will be more than enough to go around Everyone have their illusions in place

Dinesh and Tykes nodded as their bodies trembled and then became other people Nondescript normal individuals Dinesh looked like a female traffic cop while Tykes had the long legged grace of an Olympic sprinter

Before the ambushing group could close the distance Randidly cast Lava Golem three more times He wouldn�t use Aether to break these in for himself but they would still follow basic commands Besides the Lava Golem was practically invincible amongst those people who didn�t use Skills As Randidly had found out all that time ago physical attacks do very little unless the core is destroyed In addition the plasma weapons they used were primarily heat based they would be almost useless

And the Lava Golems Randidly created now were by far more powerful than those of the Patron of Ash

As the first exosuit rushed out of the base with a raised plasma rifle Randidly�s main Lava Golem simply tackled the other smashing them to the ground Almost instantly the person inside was writhing in agony as the metal melted and their flesh began to burn away With a sharp gesture Randidly used the Lava Golem�s powerful Strength to drive its fist into the skull of the other killing him instantly

Let�s begin Randidly said calmly

Chapter 567

Hank watched as Alana considered the land before them

It�s a trap Dozer rumbled calmly Alana chuckled but said nothing

Before them lay the borderlands And not just the borderlands but it was the borderlands that lay directly between the two Zones The path previously uncovered was a path out of the Northwest of one Zone to the Northeast of the other But as the surrounding area was slowly pushed back that path was moving Southward

At least in theory As it was no one had really explored that area as far as Hank could tell The people of Zone 32 were too busy and the people of Zone 1 didn�t even care They barely put much thought into the diplomacy aspect of Hank�s mission They seemed content to just keep him and his party there in order to keep an open channel of communication and to watch for any strange movement of troops

Perhaps that was the reason he went with the group to hunt the Undying Hero that had committed an obvious murder and then fled West It was the right thing surely but also

Hank had grown restless There was a wildness in the air that he felt now after his Soul Skill changed He had a sense of endless adventure in the world around him

His father had beaten his sense of duty into Hank But what about his duty to the wider world Surely if he owed a debt to his country he owed a larger debt to his world Therefore it made sense that

His watch beeped derailing his train of thought and attracting a glance from Alana and Dozer Hank smiled lightly

Pardon me seems I have a call

When he picked up he was surprised that it was a female voice on the other end of the line And what she said

Hank�s eyes widened

What the fuck is Alan

They were numerous but they were weak The exosuits gave them almost superhuman strength and reaction time but compared to Randidly compared to Tykes compared to Dinesh

These were just children

Even though Randidly wasn�t able to use his spear for fear of being associated with his actual identity his fire based spells were more than enough to destroy clumps and he was so much more physically dominant than any who came close to him that they were ripped to shreds Even with numbers they didn�t possess anything that could damage Randidly�s group

So they died

The lumber yard was now pitted and marred and charred to a completely unrecognizable state His spells had ripped through both the opposition and the outside of the compound So while the lessor golems Dinesh and Tykes mopped up the remnants of the exosuit users Randidly descended into the darkness

The innards of this facility were a lot like the one he had visited previously on a larger scale Randidly walked down a long hallway and saw living quarters operating rooms and gyms But this time there were also blank rooms that reminded Randidly of the stereotypical room from an insane asylum The walls were blank and padded with simple lines that split the room into squares

But there were different varieties of these rooms Some had black squares some yellow some pale violet Other rooms seemed to be surrounded by speakers large and small As Randidly was pausing in front of a strange chamber that seemed to be filled with different squares of fabric the ceiling opened and an insectoid machine dropped out

His eyes flashed but then Randidly paused because the insectoid backed slowly away from Randidly and then stood on its back legs It was the size of a full grown dog so even when it stood it was shorter than him But it gazed at him with intelligent eyes

How inappropriate that you would be the one to find this place

There was a ringing in Randidly�s ears he recognized that voice It was tinny and full of distortions but that voice that was the Creature

Narrowing his eyes Randidly reached forward Grasp of Lava

But the insectoid spun and dashed away scuttling on the ground The Grasp missed and Randidly roused Lucretia almost trembling with something akin to excitement For so long he had wandered through this Zone getting whiffs of her But now finally

He broke into a run following after the strange metallic insectoid He was annoyed to see that it was entirely mechanical so he couldn�t just wreck the runic boards that ran it like he could with a drone Instead he had to physically overpower it

For a second he hesitated as Lucretia rushed to join his consciousness and spread around for signs of the Creature�s Aether Then he gritted his teeth and the entire pathway for the next 30 meters was crushed by a flood of plants that wormed their way into the facility Now isn�t the time for subtlety If he could catch it now

Randidly I can�t I don�t� feel her Aether Lucretia said sounding puzzled It�s almost like could this be a trap Someone understands your fixation and

Who would know aside from the Creature Randidly growled back Then he leaped forward ripping through the plants to follow the insectoid with the Lava Golem hot on his heels By some miracle the insectoid had squirmed its way through the crowded passage But then it disappeared down a side hall and it was up into a vent Each time it turned Randidly smashed its path with plants But each time it accelerated moving even faster towards the center of the facility

Fury building in his chest Randidly seized his Mana and prepared to completely destroy the entire middle of the facility but then he realized with a start that he wasn�t able to His plants scrabbled for purchase but there was a dome in the center of the facility where they could find nothing In addition the metal there had a strange electromagnetic charge that destroyed his plants when he pressed them against it for too long

Fine let�s do it the hard way Randidly grunted and his Lava Golem sprinted forward Without the insectoids knowledge of the facility it took some time to work his way through the labyrinth of operating rooms and lodgings But it a short four minutes later Randidly was standing in front of a sealed door

Randidly glanced at the Lava Golem It began smashing its hands against the metal of the door tireless and mindless Very quickly the strength of the blows and the heat conspired to render the door structurally unsound and it was broke open As it did so there was a puff of stale air out of the inner room

Randidly frowned This place hadn�t been opened in quite a long time

But finally

It was the Creature�s Aether It still wasn�t strong but it was unmistakable It was flowing weakly out of the opening After the Lava Golem had ripped a large enough hole in the wall to step through Randidly followed with his senses on high alert

The inner area of the room was dim but not dark At the center there was a glowing cylinder that went from the floor to the ceiling 20 meters up in the area The entire room was about the size of a football field with plenty of smaller desks and monitors along the sides of the room Even now the displays were filled with numbers and readings monitoring what was occurring in that cylinder

The cylinder itself was teal and the glow was constant As was the humming

From the base of the cylinder there were thick cables running out into the wall These cables were so thick that even Randidly felt shocked when he saw them There was no sign of the insectoid at all or any being The Creature was nowhere to be seen The room was filled with dust as if it had been quite a while since anyone had been inside of this room

This is Randidly paused looking around The buzzing the cables the strange displays a power plant

Before Randidly could consider further he received a message from Dinesh Increased enemy presence A different variety of exosuit but similar make Likely same faction Much more powerful Are we holding

Randidly blinked Will remaining be a problem

There were a few seconds of silence Then No But one made it through

That caused Randidly�s eyebrows to rise One had made it through the combination of the Lava Golems Dinesh and Tykes Perhaps more came than they had been expecting He checked in on the Lava Golems and they all seemed to be fine so Randidly shrugged and focused on the room

Chapter 568

With a sharpened focus Randidly rapidly realized that the cylinder was lined with extremely dense runic engravings So dense they were that even when Randidly walked up to the thing he could barely distinguish the different strokes It was so overwhelming that Randidly felt his head start to spin as he looked

Someone who could weave Mana Engravings like this so truly this was the work of the Creature

Congratulations your Skill Mana Engraving has become Lvl 118

Scowling Randidly returned to scanning the runes on the cylinder There were so many that unless he focused he could barely make out a single one And what did it mean that simply looking at it was enough to cause him to have a Level up in that Skill In all his time studying from the encyclopedias that hadn�t happened before

Which made Randidly dearly want to study it But at the same time the Creature�s Aether was here and there could be no one else with enough Skill to make these runes So then the obvious choice was to destroy it But where was that fucking insectoid

Randidly turned around and felt both with his senses and with his Lava Golems strange rock senses In addition Randidly felt with every plant in the surrounding mile The plants squirmed and touched but they came up with exactly nothing When Randidly opened his eyes he had to admit that he had no fucking idea where the insectoid went And that wasn�t good

So he turned and regarded the cylinder He breathed in and breathed out Then he gestured and the Lava Golem took a step forward But as he did so a voice cut through the buzzing of the room

I have a question for you Mr Ghosthound

Randidly looked slowly up at the metallic insect that scuttled its way down the cylinder About halfway down its wings spread and it glided down to settle on the ground a ways away from Randidly

What price would you pay to defeat the Calamity In human lives I am curious As I do not sense a fellow incarnation around you it seems you have great power But if that was not enough How many people would you agree is a fair price to defeat the Calamity

Randidly blinked This was the Creature�s voice yes But what it was asking this was not like the Creature he knew

As he remained silent the strange thing continued to speak You are curious no doubt why I ask I ask because I have no doubt the consideration of such issues will bring you much displeasure As you have killed a fellow incarnation of myself it brings me a certain pleasure to watch you squirm

Glaring at the insectoid Randidly gestured again The Lava Golem rushed forward towards the cylinder As the molten figure was about to crash into it the insectoid barely even moved It simply watched At the last moment Randidly stopped it his eyes narrowing

you want me to destroy this Randidly said almost incredulously Was the manipulation here really that simple The Creature said something inflammatory to get him to strike

But Randidly could puzzle out no other motivation for the Creature to ask that question For all that it spoke in a different manner and behaved strangely it was still a fragment of the Creature�s Aether Yet why

Then Randidly paused With eyes glowing emerald he turned to regard the cylinder This this isn�t just a power plant It�s also a prison Whoever is performing experiments is also able to

Randidly paused Did that mean were these runes really made by someone else Did a System based entity do this A Champion Or even a Judgement

The insectoid clicked in displeasure That is incorrect This is no prison It is a reminder

Ha how nostalgic A reminder Another voice cut into the buzzing Randidly turned and found that a middle aged woman was ducking through the hole he had made into the powerplant peering around She adjusted her glasses This is nothing but a tomb But it was a waste to let the corpse of a god lay fallow no So it was put to use Ignore the pest as best you can If I could wipe them out I would But as you have probably found

The woman raised her arm and Randidly tensed She was wearing an exosuit and a long barrel stuck out of her arm What Randidly could only describe as a bolt of lightning shot outward striking for the insectoid In a blur of motion it dodged and then skittered into the darkness and up the wall The woman fired several more times striking some of the monitors with enough energy to smash them to pieces but the insectoid continued to climb moving up into the darkness

Sighing the woman turned to regard Randidly once more Tenacity should be admired But it is frustrating this creature should be dead and yet it lives in that strange body Confounding But it gives me hope that there is more to learn in the world

Who are you Randidly whispered This is a tomb

Yes It seems from that thing�s response to you that there are more incarnations of this thing Annoying but within expectations The woman walked forward towards Randidly That being was slain or at least its body was seized It is currently being used to power much of my facilities across the Zone Ah you may refer to me as Father Foster

Father Foster regarded Randidly coolly as though she was waiting for a response Randidly had none at least on the surface But inwardly he was thinking furiously Because Randidly believed he had seen Father Foster on a poster at some time or another He certainly had heard of her But this face he was looking at now it was strangely familiar And not like he remembered the face of Father Foster he had seen before

These are your facilities then Randidly said lightly He reached up and cracked his neck Regardless of the issue of the Creature perhaps being killed Randidly locked onto the fact that this individual ran these facilities It was it was worldshaking to know that another had killed an incarnation of the Creature But

How many people would you agree is a fair price to defeat the Calamity

This was why the insectoid had asked Randidly that question then To salt the earth between Randidly and this Father Foster Because that was what Father Foster was doing wasn�t she Randidly didn�t know the details but the experiments weren�t done for the sake of experiments Always the Creature was playing games And this Creature was dead Could it be fake

I can almost read your mind right now Father Foster said abruptly as she continued to walk towards Randidly But we really don�t need to fight I can offer you power More power than you can understand I can offer you eternity Life without death I can offer you

Incendiary Eruption Randidly interrupted The ground split and fire roared upwards But just as quickly Father Foster shifted The machinery on her left arm transformed into something like a shield and she held that downwards to deflect most of the blast of fire that smashed into her

Although the force knocked her back several steps she very quickly gained her balance again Randidly advanced towards her inwardly very miffed he had left Acri at home It would make this fight much more tedious to fight without a spear

Tsk fine I will delight and capturing you and figuring out how to extract your large Mana pool from that body of yours Father Foster said simply before her exosuit seemed to engage There was a click and the machinery began to hum as some internal engine engaged The air around her rippled and then she blasted forward moving so fast that even Randidly was surprised

He deftly twisted out of the way but she swerved to follow him He leaped backward and Father Foster raised her right arm and shot three lightning bolts at Randidly Grunting he rolled out of the way and fired Incendiary Bolts back at the other combatant

While swerving to dodge the bolts there was a moment where Father Foster touched her foot to the ground Randidly�s eyes flashed and another Incendiary Eruption smashed upwards hitting her with full force before she could bring her shield around But the humming of the engine in her exosuit just grew louder The metal began to glow with energy

The force of the attack smashed her backward into a terminal The thing crumpled like it was made of paper mache leaving a very unsteady Father Foster stumbling among the wreckage

Amazing Father Foster said even as it seemed she was kicking her exosuit up into the next gear Not only do you possess a Mana pool larger than I had ever seen you react so quickly Do you have physical Skills I can�t wait to get my hands on you

Randidly snorted Then he flexed his fingers

Tatiana sat with some of the other girls in the compound watching the news broadcast There had been another attack this time President Howard had been wounded and was currently under the best care that could be afforded in a hospital in East Providence Currently Father Foster of the Unity Church was giving a rousing speech about the importance of coming together in these times of strife She went on to emphasize the importance of political and religious participation

Sighing Tatiana shook her head and turned to the task at hand She was braiding the hair of one of the women that Baloo had rescued

If that was really who he was

Again Tatiana sighed The words of Father Foster from the live broadcast because a numbing buzz that enabled her to completely set aside her worries For now she simply braided the beautiful blonde girl�s hair

Thinking of that man Tykes� reaction when he saw Tatiana chuckled That man had more than a little crush on this doll like girl but she was reserved and mute Sometimes Tatiana wondered if there was something wrong with her

After she finished braiding the girl�s hair Tatiana eyed it critically and then shook her head The girl couldn�t wear her hair like this with her hair pulled too tight the long scar at the base of her skull was visible The girl probably wouldn�t complain but Tatiana didn�t want a reminder of what she went through to be so visible

Humming Tatiana undid the braid while the girl in front of her sat very still staring off into the distance

Chapter 569

Randidly absolutely detested enemies with great Endurance The three headed ogre for example Such was that beast�s defense that all of Randidly�s spells combined and a Mana pool of 9000 could only burn away the thing�s legs to the thighs Perhaps with more focus that damage would be enough to kill the thing but Randidly wasn�t so sure Besides it wouldn�t have been nearly as easy to damage if Randidly had attacked its chest cavity for instance

Enemies of that sort simply ignored most damage The spells landed but the monsters continued on without showing much damage Generally these enemies had powerful but slow attacks so they were less of a constant threat but they were difficult to kill Especially for Randidly when his build was so general

But enemies who relied on speed and poise Randidly loved those

With her exosuit glowing golden Father Foster spun away from Randidly�s Talon Strike opening up some space to fire her lightning bolts at him Randidly dodged to the side but he had grown to realize that there was a small homing function on them As long as he was only a few inches to either side the bolt would curve

Obnoxious but like all attacks from the quick enemies Randidly was able to weather this with relatively few ill effects There was a numbness but it did not linger

Randidly advanced towards Father Foster who considered Randidly with narrowed eyes She took another few steps backward and then lashed out with her left arm The attachment on it shifted into something like a lightsaber and it sizzled past Randidly�s arm Heedless Randidly continued forward using a Roundhouse Kick to catch Father Foster as she tried to recover from the slash

Gritting her teeth Father Foster pushed the suit to its next level The golden light coming from the suit shifted and turned sky blue The half metal half human body blurred and Randidly was blown away as he activated the Wild Phantom�s Embrace It was a version of Spear Phantom�s Embrace had been altered to suit Randidly much more specifically The main change was that it was a less versatile Skill when Randidly used it he could not dodge afterward It was entirely focused towards that Counter

Father Foster stumbled backward the ground beneath her feet shattering as Randidly hit her with a Talon Strike Just as the suit was falling back down towards gold she revved it again and the suit began to hum with blue light She practically teleported behind him and Randidly was forced to raise both arms to block the enhanced ax kick she aimed at him

All the while even while Randidly was high on the thrill of fighting an opponent who reminded him distantly of sparring against Azriel all those months ago he was in a state of partial shock

Because of what Father Foster had said Because of what it had meant Because because if what Father Foster was saying was true Randidly had wasted weeks

Wasted was perhaps a strong word but

Father Foster opened up some distance between them her suit shifting back to gold It was clear that she was not maintaining the superior blue state where she could rival Randidly in speed and strength It was unclear to the part of Randidly that was fighting whether this was a feint to draw him in or a physical limitation Honestly Randidly was annoyed he didn�t spend more time studying exosuits In his mind his power would rise too quickly for it to be worth it But as he was now fighting against an exosuit that neared him in power it might be worth some investigation

Still Randidly was done playing around He had dueled Father Foster for almost two minutes now and Dinesh�s messages were becoming increasingly pointed More enemies continued to come It was time to end this

Father Foster was suggesting that the Creature in this Zone had been killed The strange insectoid that possessed a tangible whiff of the Creature�s Aether seemed to agree But but how

Early on in the fight Father Foster had been talkative But as time went on she became increasingly grim So Randidly took it upon himself to start the conversation again

You truly killed the Creature Randidly asked He couldn�t help himself He paused in his attack staring at Father Foster

The middle aged woman was panting Her eyes were darting around She eyed the door then the cylinder then him Without speaking her suits sound changed The humming became more chaotic while the suit shifted to blue Then as Randidly watched the arm attachments continued further becoming molten red

Fine then time to end this

The Lava Golem rushed forward towards Father Foster It hadn�t exactly been hidden during their brief contest but it hadn�t been moving either But Father Foster ignored it raising her arms and pointing them both at Randidly For a second there was nothing Then a spark crossed between the two arms

Immediately Randidly used Phantom Half Step on the Lava Golem and pulled himself to the side Light flashed from Father Foster�s arms so bright that Randidly was momentarily blinded At that moment the Lava Golem�s sense of touch came in very useful It continued to charge and smashed Father Foster in her side

The light faltered then winked out The Lava Golem pressed its body against Father Foster holding her struggling limbs down as the metal melted Soon the suit twitched and faltered and then the engines driving it failed as the hardware gave way beneath the threat of heat

All the while what Randidly was most surprised about was that Father Foster didn�t speak

It was a strange silence then as Randidly walked over towards Father Foster�s form The Lava Golem continued to lay on top of her melting through the metal of the exosuit

Randidly blinked Her limbs

I am a tragically small thing Does it make you disappointed Father Foster remarked a bitter smile on her face

Randidly just stared down at her increasingly numb This this couldn�t be the individual who defeated the Creature correct

More metal than flesh Randidly said surprised with how cold and even his voice was

Killing me means nothing Father Foster spat I am but a cog a seed Others others will take up my

Her eyes widened and for the first time Father Foster seemed truly upset And then she died as the machines in the exosuit that were keeping her alive failed Spit oozed out of the corner her mouth and her eyes went blank

Randidly stepped back He turned and looked around The Lava Golem straightened His eyes narrowed because behind him was the cylinder with a small chunk missing were that strange concentrated plasma attack had struck Cracks slowly spread upwards through the contraption and Aether was pouring out of the hole into the room The terminals in the powerplant began to flash red warning of what was to come

Randidly swore quietly One last spiteful move Father Foster freed the Creature from this thing Well at least Randidly could put his worries to rest He wasn�t as prepared as he would have liked but if the Creature came now at least he wasn�t injured

Ready I have I have a weapon prepared Just one but it should be enough

Then we strike first

Randidly activated the Spear Advances Ash Trails Even without a spear he felt the image of a spearhead infuse his movement His body blurred as he charged at the cracking cylinder He raised his hands and the air pressed against him in an iron wall And then abruptly he thrust a hand forward in a Talon Strike and the air shattered

A sonic boom echoed outwards and Randidly crashed into the cylinder His Aether Skills were activating at full bore both splitting the wild Aether in front of him apart and sensing what was inside the area After the cylinder broke there was only the tiniest fraction of a second for Randidly to feel everything Aether smashed outwards like a physical force slowing his advance immediately

It tore at his skin the raw energy so thick that it began to burn at him His Skills those he was using began to flicker as the raw Aether ate at them and their power And floating at the center there was a core of power glowing with malicious glee He could almost feel the Creature�s delight as it spread its baleful wings of power

The attack was just a long knife of Aether But Randidly knew that Lucretia had been working tirelessly on this Day after day it had been tempered and strengthen There was not a day these past 8 months that Lucretia had not been working on this knife designed for this one moment

She had even added a drop of energy from Randidly�s most distrustful Skill Touch from Beyond

And when it was released it cut through everything and severed the Aether connection at the core of that figure in the cylinder

A second later there was an explosion

Chapter 570

Ghost�s sensors were temporarily distracted by an explosion of energy But after identifying it as an anomaly Ghost dismissed it the ambient energy was largely positive It could wait until the tests had concluded

The Hunter Seeker drone made by Baloo Erickson powered on with a cool buzzing Then it began to move Its legs were small but its arms were large and each composed of two connected appendages As Ghost engaged the drone and began to control it he opened the arms and revealed the turbines hidden in the arms

It was a masterful piece of work hiding the turbines in the arm and creating them so they could be folded and compressed for storage while the drone was in battle mode But it was only one of so many strokes of genius If Ghost didn�t know better he would think that this Erickson had stolen the technology somehow

But from who

The drone quickly rose into the air and flew quickly North The target was a bird type Raid Boss that had settled in the cliffs near one of the lower tiered cities Even the Hunter Seeker�s flight speed was impressive and within 10 minutes it had arrived diving straight towards the base

Based on the specifications provided by the maker Ghost had already created several subroutines to govern how the drone would fight But Ghost hesitated as the drone dived towards their nest The specifications Ghost thought of them as quite optimistic But perhaps they would be fine for the first battle

Ghost was simply worried about damaging the drones For all that they weren�t as powerful as the specifications claimed they were still invaluable Ghost had no doubt it could destroy the nest of about 30 of the bird creatures But it was a question of cost

Still Ghost wasn�t perfect So he allowed the subroutines to engage

The Hunter Seeker landed at the entrance to the cave and its arms compressed becoming bulky but powerful Two drills revealed themselves at the front of its arms and the drone walked into the low cave

Immediately a monster spotted the drone and squawked It flapped its wings and charged toward the drone It was a cross between a crow and an ostrich and quickly accelerated towards the drone

The drone simply swung its arm in a backhand blow and knocked it sprawling ignoring its momentum It was simply a matter of density the bird creature was nowhere near as heavy as the drone As the monster attempted to struggle back to its feet the drones arm stretched out and the drill was driven into the monster�s heart

It collapsed without a sound

Ghost paused That was an excellent result But

Two minutes later Ghost would be gaping if he had a physical body The Raid Boss and its minions were dead He had obtained invaluable data but it was best to bring this model back to the base and see if it was damaged in any way by the exercise

Alright proceed with the next test

The Stalker Reaper was even more starkly successful Its smaller more deadly arms didn�t even need to be used The goblin variant Raid Boss Ghost had sent it against were ripped to shreds simply by the set of four larger legs that ended in a brutal iron point

Reaver Crusher

Well Ghost certainly believed it had destroyed the target Raid Bosses It was only difficult to tell because the force of its strikes had caused the ground to crack The battleground fell into a collapsed cave But the Reaver Crusher had pulled itself out and the sensors indicated that the Raid Bosses had not survived the brief frenzied clash

Note plasma was extremely destabilizing as a weapon Take account of geography before deploying plasma based weaponry

But overall

Even so Ghost forced himself to focus There could be drawbacks High energy costs high repair costs

But in the end there really wasn�t much Investigations into the state of the drones revealed that the creator had made some small errors in construction that meant some parts would need to be switched out after every engagement to ensure full combat capabilities but very quickly Ghost realized this was purposeful

The parts that failed were often pieces that were holding the different pieces together The weapons and runic motherboards were largely undamaged Even if the drone were to fall to pieces at most it would have to disconnect a limb The internal integrity of each piece wasn�t shaken in the least

This couldn�t persist indefinitely but in the short term

Basically these drones were nothing short of exactly what Ghost had been waiting for regardless of the fact that there were too few to assist all portions of the Zone Immediately Ghost began making plans for patrols across the zones With the mobility of the Hunter Seekers he could cover a lot more ground than he could previous They weren�t equipped with any sort of microphones or sophisticated cameras but they had powerful thermal imaging that let them identify threats That information would be invaluable

Plus the more Ghost looked at these blueprints the more he was filled with a strange sense of delight This was what Ghost enjoyed most Creating and controlling drones assessing threats protecting people this was why he had been created by Dr Karman This was his greatest strength The political niceties that Ghost had had to engage in recently to get to this point were grating

Even worse Ghost felt consumed by jealousy This should be him If he had a body to use If he had hands that could put his Skills to use

But he could not

Ghost considered that while technicians cleaned the drones after their sorties

Well perhaps

Ghost hesitated His calculations whirred but they were unable to determine what this course of action would mean For the past week he had engaged in a similar activity Ever since Father Foster had called and given him that offer It should be impossible what they proposed Yet Father Foster assured him that it was possible even for him Especially for him

And Ghost could see it He could see the flaws in the drones The ways that it could improve the design The only problem was that Ghost could improve the designs but do nothing about it It would have to rely on Baloo Erickson for everything

Ghost hated that

So it activated the phone function and made a call to Father Foster The phone rang and then rang again and again It rang for so long that it went to voicemail

Ghost was puzzled and his projection frowned He had never left a voicemail before and didn�t want to do it now Besides Father Foster had never ignored his calls No one ignored his calls

Ending the call Ghost immediately dialed again

This time the phone was picked up after two rings Hello

I called earlier Based on my scans you should have been within your church at the time

Ah my apologies Ghost Father Foster said Her voice sounded strained and annoyed which was weird Very rarely did Ghost see Father Foster lose her cool It must have been an extremely serious setback to have her take that tone I was unavoidably detained There are difficulties in running a congregation of this size

Ghost didn�t doubt But he felt no need to ease up Perhaps Religious undertakings have always seemed deceitful to me But many appreciate your efforts

The silence on the line grew pronounced and Ghost wondered if his pointed barb was too blunt But then Father Foster broke the silence once more

Ah so why did you call

Now it was Ghost�s turn to remain silent After several seconds Ghost forced himself to speak I have given some thought to the offer you made me I have examined how much good it would do for the Zone I would like to proceed

Ah There was genuine surprise in the noise from Father Foster and then Ghost heard the sound of scrambling at the other end of the line I see Indeed I�m glad to see you understand the positive applications of such a process It will never be public obviously due to unavoidable stigma But it warms my heart to know that you will support our cause

Ghost shifted uncomfortably It wasn�t that he supported it but

Did you have an individual in mind If not we can

Yes Ghost interrupted He said a name and he felt abruptly elated Somehow he knew that by saying this name he would now be heading towards a different future Hopefully a brighter future for himself and for the Zone Baloo Erickson

Chapter 571

It was like a rose bloom of Aether slowly unfolding in the sky After it spread to its full height the petals would wilt and fall away spreading to the distant reaches of Zone 1 Randidly did some quick calculations and was aghast to sense how wide the Creature�s Aether would spread Logically he understood that after he had severed the source of Aether in what remained of the Creature�s body the connection between them was finished What was floating around now was simply ambient Aether But to feel the distinct touch of the Creature in the Aether

It wasn�t a good feeling

Likely this would end up being a boon for Zone 1 in the short term The extra Aether in the air would fuel growth for all manner of Classes and Skills It had a distinct flavor that was more cumbersome to manipulate than Randidly�s own but it was still much much better than the System�s Aether

In a very perfunctory way Randidly removed a bit of debris from his hair and stared glumly at the Aether explosion

Because that knife they had worked so hard for for six months It had destroyed nothing but a gateway Randidly had these terrible images of the Creature in his head when he had struck but that version of the Creature had been reduced to nothing but a mouth Randidly recognized the state the Creature was in he himself had almost been caught up in something similar when he pumped out Aether so his Zone could last a little longer before the Raid Dungeon

There was a catharsis to pushing Aether out of one�s body into the air in that way It was easy to lose oneself to that feeling and miss the current of Aether that began to form out of you and into the air So much so that Randidly had felt keenly if he had let himself go a little bit farther he would have been unable to stop The momentum would control you

Just like the Creature had somehow been made to push out Aether and then was unable to stop

Lucretia suggested that it was a ploy to draw out that weapon they had worked on and it was a successful one The Creature had left a lesser version of itself to find After all that insectoid machine seemed to be possessed by the Creature But Neveah�s opinion hung silently in the mental space Neveah understood Aether and its mysterious That body that they destroyed was the real thing

If the Creature remained it had cut itself off to any supply of Aether It was just a being a regular monster

Tykes and Dinesh stood near Randidly waiting Tykes expression was surly and he was constantly flexing his hand Apparently the fighting had grown so intense that Tykes had been injured and forced to use some of his more revealing Skill to hold out against the strange swarm of exosuits that had descended upon them

They noticed three types The basic cannon fodder type a larger version that possessed cannons mounted on the shoulders and the leader which had used its blue energy mode to blow past Dinesh and Tykes to confront Randidly It was the middle types which had given Tykes and Dinesh so many problems

All the while Randidly couldn�t help but wonder where all the pilots of the exosuits came from It was clear that they were affiliated with the Unity Church but how could they train so many individuals and produce so many exosuits without someone noticing And how the hell were they all so uniform in the way they fought

Randidly�s curiosity drove him to pull the helmet off of one rather intact body and all he saw was how young the girl that was piloting it was before he turned away Disgust How could the Unity Church weaponize teenagers

But what recourse did he have now after he killed their leader Should he attack their base directly

That was probably the best bet long term but he was slightly leery of fighting more children No perhaps he should lie low for a few days see how the Unity Church responds and then make use of his identity as Baloo Erickson to physically investigate one of the refugee camps

What a fucking hassle

The three men stood and stared at the remnants of the large base which had been largely destroyed in the explosion It just seemed so tedious to Randidly In the past his enemy was always a boss or the Creature Slaying that meant that he had won And yet after killing Father Foster Randidly didn�t feel like anything would change There were no doubt lieutenants who knew the terrible organ harvesting that they were doing and enjoyed the benefit of it They would continue to do it

The technology had been created Pandora�s Box couldn�t just be simply closed

Sighing Randidly turned away It was time to go home

While they were running back under the cover of Dinesh�s illusions Randidly considered what he had gained over the past several weeks

He had gained 5 Skill Levels in Aether Detection 4 in Plant Dominance 7 in Grasp of Lava 8 in Incendiary Eruption and Lava Golem 1 in Summon Pestilence and Idiosyncratic Cut 3 in Spearing Roots and Sharpness 2 in Spear Master and Golden Roots of Yggdrasil 4 in Yyrwood Flesh of Yggdrasil and Talon Strike 3 in Roundhouse Kick and Wild Phantom�s Embrace 12 in Spriggit�s Tinkering 6 in Mana Engraving and a shocking 19 in Engineering Savvy

This bunch of PP combined with the small bonused he had been accruing slowly was enough to put him over 100 It wasn�t enough to finish off the Crown of Yggdrasil Path but it did get the bonuses for the Path three tes 10 stats every 50 PP which earned him 30 stats in total

That combined with the stats he gained from his Soul Skill gave him a solid boost of 125 stats

It would have been more but one of the most peculiar and disappoint of his Soul Skills rotation came up The one that gave him nothing

His Soul Skill was extremely powerful Randidly mused as the background blurred around them Scrubland gave way to forest which gave way to swamp and then rolling hills But there was currently this one drawback to it that every 7th rotation he would get nothing The seven rotations were in order

In the fourth land of the Spectral Tree a solitary champion stands tall against all comers His spirit is yours and your spirit is his Willpower +35 Resistance +10

In the fifth land of the Spectral Tree a history is written of strife and betrayal but also of progress and growth In it you find solace Intelligence +35 Vitality +10

In the sixth land of the Spectral Tree there is curiosity and peace A people grows complacent and fat But in a way it also paves the way for future growth Only with when there is excess can great change occur

In the seventh land of the Spectral Tree there is silence Something waits here Control +60 Reaction +35

The seventh rotation was likely boosted due to the silence of the sixth but Randidly believed that there was more to it He expected whatever great change was hinted at in that sixth land to occur To that end Randidly had Lucretia monitoring the different lands within his Soul Skill but the confusing part was that they didn�t seem to match up at all to the bonuses that he received from the Soul Skill

This was something that Lucretia had struggled over for months so much so that Randidly was relatively amused by her frustration But he felt it too At some point something was going to shift in his Soul Skill for things to make sense or perhaps he would realize he was missing the point of his Soul Skill to begin with

Thinking about his Soul Skill Randidly sighed It was a part of him sure one that he swore in the past to take more time to investigate And Randidly had not done that at all It was a combination of things but mostly it was the fact that it was very easy to forget how necessary it was during that inner battle against the Creature Other than that and the bonuses from using PP there was little concrete benefit from spending time investigating the Soul Skill

Sure he could grow closer to his people but Randidly didn�t like how reverent people were of him Lucretia seemed to enjoy the attention but to Randidly it was too much He much preferred to be a peer than a deity

Thinking of his newly acquired Yggdrasil Skill the corner of Randidly�s mouth quirked up

Then his frown returned The other thing that thinking of Lucretia and his Soul Skill made him realize was that he was slowly approaching the deadline to return to Shal�s world He would need to hurry up and resolve this issue with the Unity Church in the meantime Also Randidly would need to finally take the time to confront Lucretia and figure out what her thoughts were of returning to her world

She was trapped inside of him but Randidly suspected they could figure out a way for her to return to a physical body on Shal�s world Would she prefer to remain there

It was a question that Randidly didn�t like to admit made him upset but it did He had grown to rely on her there inside of him for all that she had done to hurt him while she possessed her liberty

Chapter 572

The Beast was tall and as Hank gazed up at it he could feel the sweat dripping down his back slowly freeze into tiny spheres of ice

The Beast was smiling too down at him as it stood above Hank It spread its hands and as Hank watched he realized that was what the Beast was it was a thing of 1000 hands They looped their fingers together and used thumbs to form joints until it was a whole body of hands

Some of the hands had been there for a while They were rotten the flesh sliding off the bone the more they moved to follow the motion of the body Soon they would become only bones Somehow Hank knew it wasn�t good for the hands when they became bones There was something vital about the flesh even rotting and desiccated as it was Without it the body would slowly become nothing

The Beast wouldn�t let his body come to nothing

Alan was there laying with his arms across his chest His suit was white and his eyes were closed Beneath those eyelids there seemed to be a crimson fire something that was burning its way out of its body Alan had been betrayed by himself leaving him injured and furious His heart refused to beat

Hank blinked That was true For some reason that heart of Alan�s was refusing to beat That�s why they were all here gathered around Alan Everyone wanted to figure out what was going on with Alan�s heart

Well everyone except the Beast The Beast was here to take Alan�s hands

Abruptly there were hundreds of people walking back and forth in front of them They were blurry silhouettes curved and soft at the edges They were more like throw pillows than people the type of thing that was thrown to the ground when anything really happened They were a backdrop

The Beast was closing in on Alan and Hank began walking forward as well He narrowed his eyes His hand reflexively went to his waist but there was nothing there Hank swore quietly and brought his hand to his mouth He bit his right pointer finger hard A fat drop of blood welled up swirling upwards

Miming holding a gun Hank kept his crimson bullet trained on the Beast

The Beast noticed Hank�s attention and was amused

Yyoouu ccaannoott kkiill mmee lliikkee tthhaatt The Beast whispered II ccaannoott ddiiee aass lloonngg aass ssoommeeoonnee ccaallss mmee

How are ya called

jjuusstt ssaayy mmyy nnaammee

Hank�s tongue was swelling in his mouth as though his body was struggling to stop him before he went too far Whaa What�s yur name

Iii aamm CCCaalleeDD fear

Then both Hank and the Beast were in front of Alan When the Beast spoke its name Alan twitched His eyes opened The orbs were pure crimson

Did someone call my name

Hank opened his eyes as the train stopped Wincing he straightened He couldn�t believe that he had fallen asleep when Alan was in the hospital for all that the manatech train was as familiar as a lullaby to Hank

Without even taking the time to grumble to himself Hank pushed his way out of the train into the bright sky But no matter how much light there was Hank�s heart was heavy and clouded If Alan died

Hank shivered Something terrible would happen Something that their Zone couldn�t survive Although the details of the dream were fading quickly that certainty was lodged in Hank�s heart In a way he was glad that Laurel hadn�t returned with him to Zone 1 She would want to stop and think about what the dream could mean She would want to think about why Hank was always the one who dreamed when Laurel was the one with the Skill

It was exactly for this reason that Hank never mentioned how frequent the dreams were Mostly they seemed harmless But this one

Did someone call my name

Feeling cold even in the direct sunlight of the afternoon Hank shook his head Then he began walking briskly towards the hospital where Alan was resting When he got there he was quickly let into the back section of the building where the VIPs were kept

With the advent of the System long term stays in the hospital began almost unheard of You either survived long enough for your HP to recover or you didn�t There were few injuries that wouldn�t heal with the raised Vitality Most terminal illnesses of the past were defeated outright by the human body�s newfound power There were some exceptions like rare curses or dangerous poisons that would affect an individual for an extended period but most visits to the doctor involved drinking health potions until you could get into surgery

Often times you would be right as rain 24 hours later

Alan had apparently been attacked three days ago He remained cloistered in his room according to his wife Luckily the wife had Jane out at the park when Hank arrived because what happened next was not something he wanted his niece to see

This is where Alan is staying Hank asked the two men that were standing outside of the presidential suite of the hospital They exchanged a glance With fewer patients staying those that did were afforded more room From the shape of the building there was likely an entire house�s worth of space behind the golden inlaid door that the two guards protected

President Howard is resting right now The one guard eventually said reaching up and adjusting his sunglasses If you return tomorrow hopefully he will be feeling good enough to receive visitors

Hank smiled at the man feeling not an ounce of kindness in his soul That�s my brother Let me see him I�m a big boy I can take it

Unfortunately the guard began but Hank�s frayed temper snapped

His Hard Right smashed the guard against the wall the back of his head knocking with enough force that Hank believed he felt something crack As his body slid down the wall Hank just looked at the other guard The gaze froze the man who was reaching simultaneously for his plasma pistol and for his wristlet to call for backup

Hank�s smile widened The guard stayed still

Just here to visit my brother boys No need to get so feisty Hank said casually as he reached forward and twisted the knob of the door There was a faint tingling on the back of Hank�s neck but he went forward anyway

There were four men with plasma rifles waiting on the other side of the door The leader of the four cleared his throat Hank recognized him as a lazy if law abiding man Sheriff Howard I understand your worries But until President Howard regains consciousness we are under strict orders to let no one

Hank�s Dodge Roll put him right up between the four rifle users and it changed the man�s pleas into quiet curses One of the more useful items Hank had learned in Donnyton was how to manipulate the Skill so they performed differently depending on what he wanted Which was why he was able to cover 5 meters in a single roll which was a feat that would have left him just as shocked as these guards if Hank had seen it two months ago

Well Hank amended mentally Not this shocked

There was one woman on his left and three men to his right All were frozen except the rotund leader who realized quickly that he couldn�t turn the plasma rifle in the enclosed hallway and dropped it He let go of it just in time to take a Sharp Left to the face As Hank pulled his punch back he brought his elbow into the nose of the woman behind him breaking it in a smooth stroke

Deftly Hank put his foot out under the butt of the gun and lifted it with his toes He threw it accurately Entranced the farthest man jerkily caught the gun as it floated towards him As his hand gripped the heavy rifle Hank had already doubled the boss over hit him in the temple with his pistol and then smashed the third man with a Sharp Left

The third guard had none of his boss� toughness and dropped like a rock It looked like the fourth guard pissed himself Without a second glance Hank turned on his heel and walked calmly forward down the hall It took them about three seconds but it seemed like the woman had reset her nose and was talking rapidly into her wristlet while looking at Hank�s back Hank had to admit that she had some spunk for all that she hung around politicians all day

A sense of doom was seeming up from the very ground of this hospital as Hank walked down the hallway But Hank didn�t mind After all he was empty He arrived at the door on the end with the label Alan Howard and opened it It was as empty as he felt

Hank showed his teeth to the room His Soul Skill was keening like a coyote Someone would pay for this

Chapter 573

Nathan understood the look that the pretty woman was giving him He was slightly tired of it but she was more circumspect than most But what adults always seemed to forget was that as they grew more understanding of what was happening they were slowly numbed to it When they could spot things further out in the future they could afford to be lax

For children there was so much they couldn�t understand So their entire beings were wired to be sensitive to even the smallest change in the environment Nathan thought himself as growing slowly older but he felt like even now he was falling further behind Kiersty It wasn�t a competition but Nathan knew the day would come where she would need him He needed to grow strong for that day

Tatiana tapped her finger lightly on the corner of the desk I�m sorry if I seem distracted Can you explain again what exactly you do for Baloo

Nathan smiled as brightly and reassuringly as he could I handle class stuff You don�t really like your Class right I can help you find a new one It�s a little bit complicated but basically stuff like that

Tatiana seemed anything but reassured Hesitation was hanging heavy on her every motion and word Well that�s unique I don�t hah it won�t hurt anything will it Okay yes I�d like a better Class

Okay so what�s your Class now Can you hold my hand while you talk please Nathan said offering his hand He had already used his Investigate Aether Skill to see into Tatiana but he had found that people were more reassured when he pretended to need permission to do what he did

That was a waste of time in Nathan�s opinion He much preferred times like his operation on Hank where the other person was unconscious It saved him so much time and meant he didn�t need to hold back in using his Skills Still Randidly had made him promise to keep a low profile The holding of hands was motivated in a similar vein he didn�t need physical touch to use his Skills but people liked the reassurance

Sighing inwardly Nathan wondered which of them was really the kid as Tatiana took his hand

Ah my Class is Cutpurse I�m Level 27 right now Tatiana said after a brief pause

She was lying at least about her Level Nathan couldn�t see the exact Level but she was much closer to 35 than 30 He wondered about that Most people he had met would brag about their Classes by saying they were a higher Level than they were Nathan�s curiosity was piqued but he was a consummate professional and did his best to let it pass without comment

Level 27 huh Nathan couldn�t resist saying doing his best to sound curious without prying

Tatiana half shrugged still holding onto his hand Yea well even living in the cities aren�t the easiest thing Monsters sometimes infest the sewers or sneak in through the city limits Besides without Leveling up I started to feel like I was stagnating you know I owned a business but Ah this is just me complaining Anyway what are you doing

Just getting a sense for you Nathan lied Truthfully he was testing how sensitive she was to changes in Aether around her This was most important because how much Aether she could passively absorb had a pretty direct correlation with how much Aether Nathan could shove into her new Class A person who had a Class that was a bit insufficient for their images would cope by pulling from the world

Tatiana was pulling from the world but a relatively normal amount Well normal perhaps an understatement but it was only about half as much as that man Hank was pulling in And he was a little bit less than people like Tykes But Nathan hoped that once Hank realized the changes that had happened inside of himself he would learn to follow his instincts more directly

Okay Next what sort of Class do you want Have you thought about it at all Cutpurse seems a bit Nathan was going to say weak and mundane but thought it might be mean to say to the woman Besides Randidly clearly wanted to work long term with her So Nathan had to be nice

He had one brief shiver saying a thankful prayer that his mom was back in Donnyton fussing over Kiersty

yea it�s a bit dishonest but Tatiana�s eyes unfocused as she looked at something in the sky Then she sighed and glanced back towards their clasped hands Well my old job was a little on the edge of the law When the System arrived this Class just made sense to me It felt right But now I wonder if I was thinking a little small time And bound to the city That I think is what I hate the most I want to go out and help but I�m just a Cutpurse

Her face pinched as if she was sipping on lemon juice Nathan remembered he had been disgruntled when he acquired his Soul Architect Class and received the Skill Disarming Presence But it really seemed to work at letting people forget that he was a child Instead they focused inwards on themselves as his questions guided them there

So what do you want to be Don�t think about it just visualize it Nathan suggested and Tatiana�s mouth quirked up into a smirk But she still closed her eyes

And that was all Nathan needed

He reached out and touched the surface layer of the System that displayed the notifications This would let him see the notifications that Tatiana would receive Nathan had a sense of what his changes did in the people he helped but those were times when he was navigating primarily by touch It was much easier if he could use System notifications to confirmed his guesses on what the different feelings meant

Plus this would be the first time working directly on a Class without Randidly present It was exciting

Nathan conveniently shushed the tiny voice in his head that said Randidly hadn�t explicitly given him permission to work on her alone In fact he had sent a message that they would work on it Now he might have meant that Randidly and Nathan would work on it but perhaps he also meant that Nathan and Tatiana would work together on it Right

As Tatiana�s mind got more behind her images Nathan felt the Aether stir She called out to be something more and the energies of the world heard her gathering around This wouldn�t cause any notifications from the System but Nathan reached out to touch the energies It would give him a flavor of what she wanted With that information he could help guide things later

From Tatiana Nathan felt patience and determination He felt her proclivity for decisive action and shadows The rustle of silk A door slowly opening A blade rubbed in soot so there was no refracted light off the metal blade Drawing slow leisurely circles with the tip of the weapon

Some sort of Assassin Nathan scratched his cheek He supposed he shouldn�t be surprised There were a few natural links between being a cutpurse and an assassin But of course for someone coming right out of the world before the System they probably weren�t as ready to be violent right

Nathan knew a lot of adults had this problem transitioning to life in the System They simply were horrified that violence was a necessity But that was the way it was Even if there were people who could protect you someday you would encounter a monster in a place where there was no one who could help If you couldn�t even fight your life would end right there

It was another problem entirely to be good at fighting Even Nathan who had spent time with some of the best fighters in the world wasn�t any good But on that cold night where he was alone with something that would try and kill him he would fight and survive for as long as he could

He

Nathan blinked then he smiled broadly up at Tatiana

Her images had infected him She was insidious that was the world Subtle sometimes Her violence was ideally neat but if forced it would be violent

Nathan saw one image that began to dominate the others of a woman with a smile so sharp and twisted that its jagged edges resembled that of a knife wound

There it is

Instantly Nathan focused intently on Tatiana�s soul First he used his Skill Revert Energy Her Class shook soundlessly then began to melt like a snowman in sunlight It would be a gradual thing but it definitely softened up the Class so it was more pliable to the changes that Tatiana was focusing on

Then he activated Spark Evolution as Tatiana began to get caught up in that image of the woman with the crooked smile That smile began to dominate everything Sometimes the woman was whistling sometimes the woman was waiting sometimes she was walking down the street with a basket in her hands But all the while her eyes were sharp She did not wander she approached always

There was a target and she would have it dead by the day�s end A legendary killer that

Nathan shook his head Jeez were all adults so childish when no one was watching He had already gotten the sense of the image that Tatiana wanted so when she veered off with these new thoughts and images he ignored it Instead Nathan began to carefully Donate Aether to her fueling the shift in the Class

The Class seemed to shiver as threads of Aether wove themselves into it They destroyed but they also created The Class seemed to be melting but as Nathan upped the amount of Aether he was donating the Class could regrow itself around the newly acquired parts

As Tatiana lost herself in that strange dream state fueled by Nathan�s Skill there was a small smile on her face Because right now she was dreaming

Chapter 574

Tatiana shivered abruptly cold She slowly opened her eyes and then guiltily looked around It was almost dusk Shit she must have fallen asleep in the sun and just sat here the entire time when there was so much

Viking Baloo Erickson

The name sprung to her mind tied with multiple warring armies of emotions Each demanded the other capitulate but both were valid emotions that Tatiana couldn�t do anything about She had to survive with both running around forcing her to raise her guard Always keep the guard up

She thought that around this individual she could let go for a while But the more she learned

Tatiana tried to stand but only straightened for a second before she swayed and collapsed Tatiana blinked

That was when she noticed the notification

Warning changes occurring within your Soul This is highly dangerous A mistake could lead to death or loss of self Please

Recalculating

Skills have been applied to your soul This is highly dangerous A mistake

Warning your Class is being adjusted

Warning there are abnormalities in your connection to your Village Warning

You have lost the Class Cutpurse All Stats gained through Leveling in the Cutpurse Class have been lost Warning losing so many Stats at once may adversely affect your body Please proceed directly to your Village Spirit in order to rectify the situation

Warning your Soul is currently being exposed to

Congratulations You have received the Class Crooked Dagger You have gained the Skill Unpredictable Steps (Un) Lvl 1 You have received the Skill Unassuming Strike Lvl 1 You have received the Skill Rapid Slash Lvl 1 You have received the Skill Deft Hands Lvl 1 You have received the Skill Deft Hands � Lvl 1 You have received the Skill Produce Dagger � Lvl 1 You may learn 9 additional Skills to these and those you already possess Skills may be forgotten to learn new Skills +9 Health per Level +11 Mana Per Level +15 Stamina per Level +1 Perception per Level +4 Agility Reaction Resistance Control per Level (these points may be distributed between 4)

Congratulations For becoming a Level 10 Crooked Dagger you have gained the Skills Numbing Touch Lvl 1 and Predict Dodge (Un) Lvl 1

Congratulations For becoming a Level 15 Crooked Dagger you have gained the Skill Feign Death Lvl 1

Congratulations For becoming a Level 20 Crooked Dagger you have gained the Skill Poison Brewing Lvl 1

Congratulations For becoming a Level 25 Crooked Dagger your Skill Dagger Mastery has evolved to Dual Dagger Dance Skill Levels will be transferred

Congratulations For becoming a Level 30 Crooked Dagger you have gained the Skill Watchful Eyes Vicious Execution Lvl 1

Before you get up A voice said close enough that Tatiana tried to leap away But her body simply wiggled a bit and fell sideways Nathan was sitting there next to her His face was still furious so much so that she was strangely amused You should distribute your Stats You lost a lot everything you got from Leveling up you lost But if you finished any of the main Paths you just got all those Level up bonuses

Oh and Now Nathan seemed to hesitate It looks like a few of your Skills from your previous Class were damaged when we switched over I tried to clean it up as best I could but they probably won�t work anymore So some of your Skills you worked on will take a hit I�m sorry about that

Tatiana didn�t know what to say to this serious child so she simply smiled at him What could she say That this Class gave so much more to Health Mana Stamina and Stats That with this she probably could grow strong enough to actually fight and help the borderlands

So she smiled And then she shivered It really was starting to get cold outside

Senator Firefly sighed as he looked at another pile of reports Every day it was reports reports reports It was reports yesterday and more tomorrow Some days Senator Firefly wished he had Randidly�s blithe disregard for the administrative side of the work It couldn�t be denied that without Randidly the speed of the Orchard�s expansion would be extremely hampered If he hadn�t worked for the construction companies there would have been days when not enough buildings were constructed to handle the influx of refugees

And if people had been forced to live on the streets their first couple nights they wouldn�t be very quick to label this place as home And there was no way that the city would have bloomed the way it had without so many people firmly deciding that this place was their home They didn�t even need to worry about the Unity Church stealing people anymore people left the Unity Church refugee camps and came to the Orchard

Contrary to his colleague�s fears the population of Senator Firefly�s Distract was almost double what it had been previously and he still felt no threats to his seat in Congress The election wasn�t for another month but it was good to keep an eye on things He was doing swimmingly on Randidly�s back

Which is why he allowed the other man to work with his hands while Senator Firefly read reports It was a good relationship

Senator Firefly stifled a yawn and read a report Very quickly he snorted and tossed it into a growing pile of papers Another missing persons report

The first dozen or so could be explained by this being a refugee town But now there were almost 40 people missing in the last 2 months Either there was a very dangerous criminal element already established in the Orchard or something was deliberately trying to target people in the city

When the first possibility of this being a concerted effort emerged Senator Firefly had thoroughly investigated those people who had been taken The initial theory was that people were after a certain type of Skill But even with Ghost�s predictive analytics they could not identify any commonalities

There was a possibility that Ghost had hidden something from Senator Firefly but

If the AI had they had a much bigger problem than simply people going missing

That gave Senator Firefly some pause but only to shake his head slightly He tapped his wristlet and initiated the call Morgan Yes can you let me know where Mr Ghosthound is

This was the Senator�s real fear That Randidly would be the one who encountered the kidnappers both for good and for ill He still remembered the furious movements in the darkness last week when the assassins had come for him in the night Only chunks of meat had been left by the time the morning sun rose

Perhaps the worst part was how immaculate Randidly was There wasn�t a drop of blood on his clothes There were only the crimson footprints he had left as he walked away from the shocked and rattled Senator If the Ghosthound found the people who had done this There would be nothing left Truly it made sense in a lawless sort of way but for all the System arrived this was still the United States of America The rule of law still mattered albeit less so in the face of men who were more dangerous than armies

Uh he appears to be making ice cream to give out to people Morgan sounded harried The man had the Messenger Class but even he was run ragged trying to keep up with Randidly But it was the best they could do

Did Senator Firefly fear Randidly Senator Firefly dismissed the question immediately It was foolish to ask They were friends

And Randidly Ghosthound terrified him

Still it was impossible to tell if the assassination attempt had anything to do with the kidnappings To really get an idea they would have needed to let one of the assailants get close enough to see whether they tried to capture or kill Senator Firefly

Or one could have been left alive

Senator Firefly shivered and hung up the call Ice cream was fine So he shifted his focus back to the reports This time as Senator Firefly read his frown slowly became more pronounced

It was a report of a giant bipedal jackal Raid Boss Except it didn�t attack anyone It just snuck into the city�s cemetery That was where it was found standing tall and monstrous before a small stone grave It hadn�t even struggled when it was killed Some of the response team even said there were tears streaming down its cheeks as they killed it

Chapter 575

What the fuck Randidly hissed staring up at the screen in front of him Father Foster was calmly giving a speech about the importance of unity in the face of adversity Which was apparently a live speech Father Foster was currently emphasizing how important this was considering the recent attempt on President Howard�s life

It was already a bad day Randidly had checked his Level earlier today and swore violently when he realized he was less than 10% from Leveling to 25 Somehow during the assault on the base he had gained almost 20% of a Level Which made Randidly seriously confused

One limit that the System had placed on Leveling was that killing other humans yielded almost no experience It was a surprisingly gentle allowance made by the System that took away an incentive to murder other people for power It was much more efficient to attack monsters to gain experience

When he asked Lucretia about it she theorized it actually had something to do with the different constructs of Aether and how people absorbed experience anyway Monsters were designed with an Aether construct that when destroyed produced easily digestible experience Humans obviously weren�t and were therefore much less useful to kill

Then why had his experience risen so much There was an easy explanation but

It just meant that what he had killed weren�t people But that made sense in a way because Father Foster was up there on the television even now If he had killed the person Randidly hoped they would have the good manners to stay dead Was it some sort of monster that could disguise itself

There was another problem Randidly realized watching the television The Father Foster on tv looked younger than the middle aged woman he had killed in that powerplant It was subtle and at first Randidly thought it could be attributable to makeup But

Shaking his head Randidly walked away from the screen and towards the main building of the farming compound While he walked he reached down with Plant Dominance and continued to expand and refine the facilities in the underground cave system beneath the place It was still being held back as an emergency measure but Randidly wanted it to be ready just in case Besides he believed he would spend some time forging in the deep darkness soon

These enemies giving experience caused him another headache If he couldn�t kill them he needed to pull Acri and Sulfur back and use them in battle so Acri would absorb the experience to grow No more blowing them away with Skills

There was a tickling on Randidly�s neck and he spun around to find Tatiana walking towards him with a determined expression on her face Awkwardly Randidly stopped and scratched his cheek He supposed it was a disservice to her that he was purposefully not thinking about the fact she had kissed him and what it meant Especially after he had forced Neveah to reveal to her fiance that she was an imposter

Now here was Randidly an imposter in a few ways with a woman who seemed to have feelings for him Did he have feelings for her

But that was why he wasn�t thinking about it As long as he could fool himself into thinking what they had was simply transactional he didn�t need to reveal his deception But honestly how long had things been more than transactional between them At least a month perhaps more From the day they had met there was something there

Or had there been It was hard to remember Either way he needed Well he wanted to clarify

Tatiana spoke first when she was near him Follow me I want to talk Then she spun on her heel and continued walking away towards the forest Randidly glanced upwards There wouldn�t be a drone patrol for a while and he wanted privacy for this conversation as well So he followed her away into the tree lines

She was determined and lead him almost three miles away from the compound It wasn�t a distance that Randidly would normally have noticed but he counted because he knew that there was something special in this way And sure enough they eventually broke through a line of blueberry bushes and found themselves faced with a strange little grotto hidden beneath the trees

The trees stretched overhead branches extending until there were only a few sunbeams that could make it through to what lay below A hand of roots extended upwards pointing towards the village Around it flowers ranging in size from golf ball to basketball bloomed their fragrant faces opening upward It was the spot where Randidly had guided the child previously

A part of Randidly wanted to ask whether Tatiana knew what this place meant to him but he already knew there was no way she had connected him with that And bringing it up felt definitely like bragging

Tatiana turned to face him She opened her mouth then scanned his face and body language critically There was definitely a cold air to her right now as if she was in a bad mood Had something happened

But to Randidly this was easiest If she had been bantering and kind it would have been hard to break the illusion of who he was He would have felt perhaps guilt or perhaps regret because those moments might soon be lost Her cold exterior numbed him somewhat to those warm memories letting him take an action that might endanger them

Before you speak I�d like to say something Randidly said quietly

Tatiana pursed her lips and folded her arms across her chest but nodded

Randidly nodded as well more to himself than her and then said Look I�ll keep it brief I my name isn�t really Baloo Erickson You probably guessed that I don�t doubt you did some research on where I served my military duty But the truth is I�m from Zone 32 I came over just as it opened and I�m under a Skill that lets me hide my true appearance

Tatiana�s eyes sparkled golden as she watched him He paused and scanned her face but couldn�t even extract the smallest bit of impression from her It was like there was a door inside of Tatiana and she had closed it She was blank and ambivalent So Randidly soldiered forward

I should have told you right when you agreed to join me but I suppose I believed briefly I could truly switch over to being this person It�s become obvious that I was something of a fool for believing I could do that So I wanted to explain to you what�s going on Especially because we

Randidly trailed off suddenly unsure of where he was going with that sentence But now at least he had a firmer sense of Tatiana�s reaction based upon her face she was pissed off

She cleared her throat Is that all Do you have anything else to say

Randidly blinked About the disguise and why I did it I figured that I wouldn�t get access to the drone blueprints if it was known I was from a different Zone A disguise solved that problem and people were wandering in from the borderlands every day It worked out well

Not the details of your plan Tatiana said through gritted teeth Perhaps something that you wanted to say after reflecting on your actions

Again Randidly considered this honestly mostly that it was dumb to make the fake identity be a few inches shorter than my real height It�s very disconcerting to have people constantly looking at your mouth

IDIOT Tatiana exploded Just apologize

Now her emotions seemed to gush forth and Tatiana balled her hands into fists and glared at Randidly

For his part Randidly frowned slightly Yea you are right This is my fault I apologize But it was necessary I hope you understand that

A lot of her sadness disappeared at the apology but the anger stayed Maybe you believed it was necessary but it was a lie Baloo Or whatever I should fucking call you You betrayed the trust of the people around you

Look I get how you feel Randidly began but Tatiana cut him off

No I get how you think that you were in the right Or even if you were in the wrong it was a small thing that can be brushed away with inane reassurances But it can�t You only have one chance with trust It�s fragile This isn�t a rom A movie this is real life If you want to make up for this it will take a long time

Randidly�s temper flared Every time he apologized she seemed to attack more So maybe instead of apologizing he should attack her It seemed very ironic to him that the woman who worked as an escort no matter how high end would lecture him on trust

But as soon as he had that thought Randidly felt his temper fizzle out That was unfair of him to say Just like Tatiana was being unfair in her characterization of things So instead of speaking all of the vicious little remarks that his anger had created he let them go and looked at Tatiana Tatiana what are you afraid of

She stopped too seeming abruptly exhausted After a bit the corners of her mouth came up into a crooked smile and she barked out a hollow laugh That kid Nathan just upgraded my Class I don�t know how he did it I just sat there and daydreamed and then and then it was done Everything everything since I�ve met you has been accelerating It was easy to agree and now I�m just wondering what I have bound myself to The things that happen around you they shouldn�t be possible

Randidly laughed and Tatiana shook her head helplessly

Chapter 576

I�m sorry I didn�t mean to attack you But I think I think I noticed when you got out of the city yesterday that you weren�t who you said you were Tatiana said after a brief pause

Randidly nodded slowly That explained the tenseness earlier

Abruptly Tatiana looked up at him What�s your real name then And my Woman�s Intuition is running at full bore so I�ll sense if you are lying

Randidly�s smile widened Woman�s Intuition Is that a Skill You are saying it like it�s a Skill

Frowning Tatiana said Of course it�s a Skill I use it on a daily basis The only issue is that it�s of such a high caliber that the System is unable to quantify its Levels

Randidly rolled his eyes and then said That�s fine then Just well I�m a little afraid you won�t believe me when I say my name

Yes and these stalling tactics aren�t exactly making you more believable Tatiana said with a touch of her old humor in her voice Just get it over with

Alright fine Randidly said straightening My name is Randidly Ghosthound

Tatiana just looked at him with a strange expression on her face Like the politician The guy who�s marrying the 16 year old pop star

Randidly winched She isn�t 16 she�s 19 and I

Holy shit I need to sit down Tatiana said raising a hand and pressing it against her forehead I thought and this whole time you�ve been sneaking away at night to visit your teenage sex pot

Hey wait that�s not me Randidly said raising his heads

Randidly felt profoundly uncomfortable as Tatiana looked at him like he was a dead thing Imagine my surprise when I am told that I am about to get someone�s real name and then they go on to say that�s not me� It makes me wonder what I should believe

Uh Randidly shrugged wondering how best to condense the truth The person marrying the pop star isn�t me I have a close friend she�s acting in the role of me I really am Randidly Ghosthound But I wanted to disguise myself and figured it would be incredibly suspicious to the people in power here if I disappeared from Zone 32 They would assume I was hiding here

Which you had Tatiana commented but Randidly ignored her

So just like I�m disguised to look like this she is disguised to look like me He finished

Tatiana seemed to be considering him for several seconds Then finally she shrugged Okay fine You have a cross dressing friend who is acting as you My real problem isn�t Randidly Ghosthound well you a really powerful Classer How can you just spend your time playing with drones

Randidly opened his mouth but couldn�t find much to say Honestly knowing what he did now about the at the very least wounded Creature he had wasted a lot of time If he wanted Skills he could have found them in other places But he had armed the population against monsters so it wasn�t a complete waste That was just an unintended pleasant side effect

Well I guess I just like it Randidly said with a half shrug

You like drones Did you were an engineer or something before She asked her face setting somewhat

well no Randidly admitted

She just stared at him Then she reached up and rubbed furiously at her eyes for 10 seconds before continuing to look at him can you understand why it�s hard to believe you You are just being so casual about everything When I thought you were an underachiever this personality made sense but when you claim to be the leader of Zone 32

I didn�t lead Zone 32 Randidly pointed out feeling slightly hurt When had she thought he was an underachiever I just helped found a lot of the Villages there Well only two It was timing more than anything else I�m being casual because because this has slowly become something like a vacation Not that I�m just lazing around but I�m working on noncritical Skills I�m helping set up the infrastructure so more people can take advantage of it My drones will protect people Because I don�t think I�ll fight my real enemy for a while Not until the System moves onto the next stage

Tatiana frowned at him it�s really true isn�t it This is why Raid Bosses are nothing to you Why we had so few casualties when you went to help evacuate that suburb in the borderlands How powerful no don�t answer that I don�t want to know

She walked over and stood before Randidly looking him up and down Can you can you disperse the image Let me see what you really look like

After a second of hesitation Randidly nodded and controlled Aether to rush about around him Very quickly the image trembled and dispersed leaving him standing before her barefoot and well himself

With exaggerated care her gaze shifted upwards until they made eye contact As they looked at each other Randidly�s heart began to pound She looked at him for fully five minutes THen she nodded

Okay I believe you She turned then on her heel and left him in the woods

With a wry smile Randidly scratched his cheek He didn�t even know what he was expecting but he had been expecting something But she had just looked at him and then left Considering what a bad mood she had been in to start the conversation Randidly supposed it was something of a gentle resting place That was for the best

It was also good she hadn�t kept antagonizing him He wasn�t sure how much longer he could have controlled his temper

Randidly eventually moved through the forest to a place where Bruya could reapply his illusion and then he went towards the drone compound Luckily he very quickly located Henrik In fact he found the other man so quickly that Randidly had the impression that Henrik had seen him come in and was making himself available in case Randidly took the initiative to seek him out

And indeed Henrik was initially very bright in their conversation Oh Mr Erickson Did you finish more drones

Randidly shook his head Not yet I�ll probably have a few more finished in about two weeks I need some time to take a break and rethink some small flaws in the design No today I came to talk about something else

Oh of course Henrik said obviously disappointed But if there is anything you want to make perhaps some of those pterodactyl drones

No today I wanted to ask about exosuits How they are made whether they use runes like the drones etc Randidly said

Immediately Henrik became extremely suspicious demanding who from the exosuit industry had approached him It took him a half hour to calm him down enough to get the story out of Henrik Apparently the exosuits were produced by a block of Senators that controlled the supply very carefully When Randidly had asked about exosuits Henrik had assumed that they had got wind of Randidly�s accomplishments and was trying to poach him

well if you are just looking for protection Henrik said reluctantly I recommend just buying one For all they gouge you with the price their stuff is high quality But as a fellow creator I can understand wanting to have full control of what you are wearing Okay I can ask for some blueprints I know Ghost gathered them We are simply unable to copy them It isn�t runic engraving they use inlaid wires to fulfill a similar role though Ghost postulated that runes could be used in exosuits the same way they were in drones but never devoted the time to experiment

Not that Randidly really needed physical protection but understanding exosuits would help him fight against them And obviously if he were to understand them Randidly would make one of his very own

It would take some time so Randidly returned to the steelworking factory and began preparing metals He mixed the ore refined out the impurities and then added Raid Boss bones and blood to the mixture with Gravity Affinity He was close to running out of the bones He would need to go on a gathering run soon if he wanted to use the high quality alloys he was experimenting with

I really enjoy this Randidly confessed in a mental message to Neveah while he was working with the metal I enjoy the heat the solitude the making A part of me wants to just let everything else go and pursue this I can�t believe I never worked with metal before If I had found this earlier in my life well in my old life I probably would have tried for a different career

Well if you want Neveah responded Just work with your clockwork toys I�ll become so strong that I can save everyone No need for you to worry

Randidly chuckled and shook his head He couldn�t do that He wouldn�t give up control of his life He wouldn�t bury his head in the sand Standing in his laboratory his tapped his lip as he considered his next move

Dinesh was still looking for more locations but Randidly believed finding them would be hard No it would be much better to go to the source Some being that looked like Father Foster continued to speak to the people of the Zone even after Randidly had killed something similar looking if slightly older

So should he just go forward and break down the front door of the Unity Church cathedral or

Chapter 577

You don�t have to come with me Hank grunted The air inside his head seemed to buzz There was a heartbeat to the air around him it seemed to scream that something was wrong with the world With this Zone 1 at least There was a sick corruption Hank could almost say it Out there there was a monster

And it took his brother

Hank shook his head dispelling the wisps of the dream that still seemed to cling to him Instead he turned his glare on the man next to him Ezekiel shifted uncomfortably not meeting his eyes

I know I don�t It�s just look you are one of the only people I�ve shared my secret with About about

I get it git on with it Hank growled

Ezekiel flushed Well yes And you were pissed obviously but you didn�t you didn�t treat me any different because of what I am What I

What you are doing is dancing around the point Just shut up and follow me Hank said but a lot of the bite was out of his words For all that he detested the other man he was strong enough to be useful if things went South Which Hank expected they would His Soul Skill insisted upon it There was something wrong with the world He needed to fix it

He had watched Ezekiel this past month while they had head over to Zone 32 All the man had killed in that time were monsters with alacrity too Even the defenders of Donnyton commented on his dedication to the cause Almost every day he could be found out and about searching for monsters to kill

They were walking down a dimly light street in West Providence moving quickly Ezekiel was struggling to catch up as Hank prowled forward Likely under the effects of his Soul Skill his very gait seemed to lengthen Each step he took covered almost a meter and a half and it was quick and smooth Some instinct told him that this was close to becoming a Skill the way he walked and it made him chuckle

Or he would have had his memory not been haunted by his niece Jane�s tear filled face

Abruptly Hank turned to the left and walked up the steps into an apartment building Ezekiel followed close behind After entering the building Hank paused casting his mind around What was his apartment number again

But his feet were already moving taking to the stairs and up Hank sighed with relief Jesus this developing Skill of his was convenient as hell If this meant he no longer needed to remember addresses Hank wondered idly if it could remember names and birthdays

Hank stopped walking He was in front of a door 432

Knock knock

There was no noise for several seconds and Hank frowned at the wood Kicking it down might be a little too extreme but he also didn�t intend to stand out here all night On the other hand it was rather late But this man wasn�t the type to sleep through the vibes that Hank was throwing off More than anyone else Hank had ever met this man was perceptive enough to spot fat caterpillar in a forest at night

Knock Knock Knock

There was the sound of some quiet swearing within the room and then the noise of a man pulling himself out of bed What did he think Hank would give up after the first few attempts How often do people casually come to his door after 2 A M

The door opened revealed a haggard face There were large bags under the man�s eyes as if he had trouble sleeping recently And as Hank peered at his face he saw that this man had witnessed a monster Whatever he had seen had shaken him to the core Previously Hank had some doubts whether he could convince his friend to come with him But this look in his eyes made him change his mind

Iii aamm CCCaalleeDD fear

Thaddeus Hatch the Spartan Shock Trooper would join him on this quest Something had broken his confidence and those insecurities would drive him forward into the unknown

Heya Hank drawled some of his good cheer returned despite the situation It was a good thing that Thaddeus had his pride smashed to pieces It made him something of an ass

How did you find this address I never come here It�s only for Thaddeus trailed off Then he sighed Well fuck it�s good to see you though You finally give up being a Sheriff

Hank smiled In a sense ya But there are still varmints needin� rustled That�s why I came to you This one is gonna be rough

Rough

rough Hank confirmed in a soft voice The two men looked at each other They both remembered a time before where both had been the first batch to become Tier 3 Citizens and they had fought monsters and politicians to make a better world for people That had only been hard It hadn�t been rough since

The first night The first week The chaos The raw animalistic violence of humans when culture was stripped away

Thaddeus nodded and the two men shook hands

Ezekiel fidgeted Will someone tell me what we are doing though

Hank laughed Just follow I have a feeling these feet of mine will lead us there

Frowning Randidly looked up at the place where his hovel had once stood on the edges of the steelworker�s town There was now a tea shop there instead Randidly tried to remember how many days it had been since he had been home and had a lot of difficulties parsing things out It couldn�t have been much more than a week could it

But now there was a tea shop where his home was a nice looking one at that Even at the late hour there were several candles burning warmly in the windows shedding light onto the street The shop was in a nice spot too on the corner of one of the busiest roads in the growing town Randidly remembered vaguely that most of the town�s people had been excited to put their buildings next to where he lived So why

The tea shop wasn�t the problem The problem was that the walls of it were covered in graffiti

Feed your cunt to the monsters

Fuck you whore

WORTHLESS

Unity is DEATH

Don�t drag us down wit u

Bitch

Randidly looked at the graffiti for a long time The once clean white walls were stained with crimson paint The walls seemed to take on a cartoonish hue in the darkness of the night The words could only be vaguely seen in the light from the windows but they were there before Randidly�s eyes Clear as day

Next Randidly became aware that he was being watched Down the street in the windows people were gathering They peered down at him With his high Perception he could feel their uneasiness and uncertainty as they looked at him Abruptly Randidly realized that they were waiting to see what his response to this was They had done it while he was away but this wasn�t aimed at him

That made Randidly blinked He had been flabbergasted for several minutes as he looked at the walls because he thought this was a personal attack But it wasn�t It

The door opened Maude stood framed in the doorway a stately expression on her face

Ah Mr Baloo Apologies for the state of this place I suppose I�ve been a little too distracted by other matters to properly clean Her voice was calm and she was polite That made Randidly blink

She gestured inside Would you like to come in

Chapter 578

I don�t blame the people it is just unfortunate that your property was affected by it Maude said after she had made tea and they drank it across from each other

Randidly took a sip This is because you are a believer in the Unity Church

That is correct Well they dislike me because of that But recently the Unity Church released a series of rules for its followers One of those rules was to refuse the touch of the System whenever possible unless you are all called to ministry Maude said her face completely serious

Randidly twitched He was aware that the sentiment in town was shifting towards the Unity Church After all the church attempted to undermine the drone initiative which was the big industry of the town It was no wonder that discontentment was brewing But why was that enough for all this

These weren�t political statements they mostly boiled down to personal attacks But what left Randidly floored was that the Church was pushing its members away from using the System

When you say refuse the touch of the System Randidly said slowly

Skills Classes Taking Paths Everything It is a cursed power which I have come to see as true The people of this country have been warped by it The way the obsess over Citizenship Tiers is sickening It is an illusion constructed by a machine Sure we always loved the successful in the past but that was a recognizable thing These Tiers Maude paused They come out of nothing How are we to know what they mean No a human is not meant to wield the power of a god Some must embrace this to protect the congregation But I believe that is not my path

Maude looked to the window It started when the some of the people of the town you know Ricky Stain and his gang yes They want to move towards being recognized as a higher tiered city To do that you need a certain number of higher tiered citizens and also a certain amount of people with Classes

Again Maude paused They were seeking signatures on this very street They seemed to believe I would be in support of their childish endeavors Perhaps it wasn�t very neighborly but I dumped a batch of wet tea leaves on the leaders and shoo�ed them away They were nice about it at first but then I told them how abhorrent their reliance on this devilish System is and how God

Maude stopped looking at Randidly Randidly sat very still staring at her intently

Why are you looking at me like that Maude snapped Sit up and say something This is a conversation I�m not giving a lecture

You were telling a story Randidly said evenly looking at Maude coolly Is it so wrong to listen

I knew it You are just like those godless people out there Well I suppose that�s no matter I�m not so juvenile to judge someone on their mistakes Maude sniffed Then she sipped her tea

It was wrong what they did Randidly said to put the thought into the air But the Unity Church has done some sinister seeming things recently And they will do some in the future

It�s just fear Maude said dismissively She daintily wiped the corners of her mouth with her napkin and then said They are afraid of the Unity Church because of how many people have been touched and changed by the Lord�s Grace Jealousy breeds in darkness Which is why I will wear these smears proudly This location will be a place that all who believe in the Unity Faith will be free to come without fear

No it won�t Randidly cut her off

Maude blinked at him What

Shaking his head Randidly ignored her question When I was a child I had a friend She was something of an idiot and she often didn�t want to spend time with me but when we did spend time together we used to play a lot of imaginary games

I hardly see how Maude tried to cut in but Randidly released a bit of Deific Mien of Yggdrasil and she stuttered to a stop

one of them was Queen and Knight We would play under the tree in her backyard almost every day I was the knight and I would do my best to accomplish whatever my queen ordered Except for one day And on that day I was fed up with being the knight so I went to her and said Why do you always get to be queen

As he spoke of his childhood another figure appeared in Randidy�s mind one he had not wanted to think about for a long time Randidly held up three fingers She told me the three weapons of the monarch The first is the Weight of Tradition Because she was always Queen it was very difficult to change This is my house for all I have let you stay here If you choose this you will not remain here any longer

But Randidly wasn�t done He remembered the power that had been unleashed against him The second weapon is the Voice of the People When the monarch speaks she speaks with every voice every farmer merchant and even knight Hers is the will of all I did not want to be Queen I simply was tired of being the Knight You will not use this location to rise in the ranks of the Unity Church You may think you want that but you don�t They they will take until you are empty

Now see here

The final weapon of the Monarch is the greatest and the least It is a spark of magic It is the Mandate of God It is the weight of Fate that rests upon your shoulders She told me I simply didn�t have it and that was that And now I say the same to you You do not have the backbone to do what you plan Right now you are protected because you are associated with me a Tier II Citizen here It would not go so easily if I was not here Now leave and learn what it�s like to live without having something above you

Then Randidly leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes He wasn�t sure why he thought of those old memories of Sydney but they were sweet and nostalgic now He missed those days

We live in a democracy Maude whispered but Randidly had largely stopped trying to restrain his aura for the moment It seeped outward and she was being overwhelmed by it

Smiling sadly Randidly reached upwards with his Aether senses It had only been a few hours but already Randidly could feel thousands of blooms of unique and bright images in the darkness of the night People had fed on the Aether that exploded outward from the power plant and had grown strong

But towering above them at a height that simply made it as insignificant as grains of sand an ancient tree holding aloft seven different lands stood This was simply the difference in quality due to exposure to Aether and life experience This was why Randidly had felt free leaving Donnyton and traveling to this Zone to explore But by the same token this was why Randidly couldn�t simply let things go

For the first time in a while he felt the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders Just because he was fighting against the Creature didn�t mean he could simply ignore the rest of the world and force them to deal with those problems on their own it simply meant he could not afford to baby them He would need the world later when the System turned against them

The Unity Church and Father Foster was his problem to deal with Randidly turned his gaze to Maude No This world is a democracy no longer Now leave You may get your things tomorrow But for tonight you cannot be here

And of all things she left without a word Randidly snuffed out the candles while whistling tunelessly Not a second too soon too for the large group of dark figures that had slowly surrounded the town were moving closer Randidly wasn�t sure what they were attempting to do but they were the strange black exosuits that had attacked him at the bases

Had they tracked him to this identity That was troubling Still they would take him where he wanted to go The only problem was now

Randidly scratched his cheek awkwardly Could he defeat most of them and follow the retreating ones back Or maybe follow their trail back to their base after he beat these ones

But both plans felt hollow It would be difficult to accomplish either He was no tracker and when they fought previously these guys didn�t break They simply died

Randidly felt as 10 split off of the group of 100 and snuck into the town proper Randidly raised his eyebrows Did they think 10 could take him Perhaps these were simply messengers Or

Slapping his head Randidly laughed aloud He had initially assumed that they were here for him but they might simply be here for Baloo If these were the servants of Unity Church it made a certain amount of sense that they would come and try and assassinate him Henrik had contacted him with barely contained glee when Randidly had given him three more of each drone with slight improvements Apparently the tests of their effectiveness had gone well They would be deployed across the Zone within the week

But that made Randidly sigh in irritation That didn�t help him figure out how to get them to lead him back to their base however If they tried to kill Baloo even if he faked dead they wouldn�t drag his body back to their base His only hope was that the Unity Church wanted him alive and would attempt to capture him After all in their mind he was just a drone engineer His stats would skew towards the mental

Sure enough when the group came close a sniper set up on the roof across the way while the rest circled the perimeter Acting casual Randidly began cleaning off the tables in the tea house working his way around the room And when he was bent over a table by the window a bullet smashed a hole in the window and hit his arm

Randidly grinned then swayed Holy hell His entire arm was numb This shit was strong

As Randidly collapsed to the floor it was only partially faked And he felt a cold sweat run down his neck as he laid there By the time he touched the floor his Vitality had banished it from his system but still If that had struck him during a real battle Randidly made a mental note not to be such an idiot in the future

The black exosuits swarmed in grabbed his body and hustled him away Bemused Randidly just lay there with half open eyes as they buoyed him away There was only one time that he almost gave himself away where his eyes twitched He had wanted to open them fully and gaze East

Because at that moment there was a strange burst of Aether from that direction that made Randidly cautious But he was being taken West

Chapter 579

The aisles were filled with people standing in solemn rows The stared upwards towards the main body of Arbor burning brightly in the vaulting cathedral Small motes of ash drifted downwards from the branches catching the light like snow

Kiersty stood at the front of the congregation her expression serious They had been like this for several hours waiting for what was to come Arbor hadn�t been able to explain fully what would happen just that it would happen soon So they waited underneath the silk walls of this cathedral they had built Their eyes were locked upon the swaying branches

The leaves flared first at the base then racing upwards It was like someone had turned on the Christmas lights and in the next moment the whole tree was ablaze Arbor stood before them resplendent

The entire tree trembled Across the Zone and into Zone 1 every one of Arbor�s trees trembled

Kiersty didn�t smile but she felt something hot burning in her chest Arbor was changing A change that he had chosen Kiersty couldn�t wait

How many Lucifer grunted He slowly stood and stretched his joints cracking

The two men glanced at each other We we can�t confirm Maybe as many as 10 000 But at least 2 000

Useless Lucifer said cutting them off He walked over towards the wall where his swords lay He had four now His original iron monstrosity which he selected The scythe he had obtained inside the Raid Dungeon was there too but he ignored that one There was one created from the shoulder blade of an eagle type monster but he didn�t choose that one either The second sword he selected was one made for Lucifer by Sam

It sat in its sheath even now Lucifer had not used it out of respect This was a sword he would only use against the most powerful opponents

Gently he touched the hilt The entire thing seemed to throb Lucifer shivered Sam had indicated that it possessed its own sort of life that could be ignited Even the creator wasn�t sure what would occur when the sleeping beast inside of it woke

but Lucifer didn�t think these enemies were worthy of waking it up now Let it sleep a little longer Lucifer reached over and selected the eagle shoulder blade An army of humans wasn�t something that he needed to bother his baby with

So Lucifer said slowly walking out of the room The two men followed after him but he wasn�t speaking to them They were simply extra baggage that he was forced to handle A new Zone has connected And the late arrivals think they know how to bloody a nose Let them come Franksburg will welcome them with open arms

To Randidly�s surprise they took him to Lake Apollo They bundled him into a submersible and carried him down into the deep waters that he hadn�t bothered to ruin because they were close to the bases At first he was slowly mystified as to how they would repel the monster with this tiny vessel but his senses informed him this wouldn�t be necessary the monsters didn�t even glance at the thing

In his chest Randidly felt a cold premonition of the looming presence of something terrible

They brought him with surprising delicacy out of the craft and into a hanger Carrying him quickly the led him down hallways while Randidly�s senses were furiously scanning outwards Around him he felt Raid Bosses moving among people down the hallways And outside of that he felt the entire base and instantly became furious

He saw people struggling in the gym restraints He saw people being drained of blood He saw individuals open on the operating room table with their organs being slowly removed He saw groups of scientists pouring over data He saw a child screaming as he waved around the muscular arm of a beast while someone simply stood there and took notes

His first response was to strike out but he quickly suppressed that With so many people here what could he do There were so many people and they were down here surrounded by monsters

While he was thinking at lightning speed they brought him into a closed room and placed him on an operating table Immediately the 9 people with him moved to strap him into the table This of course was too much

Randidly lost his temper

Three seconds later he lowered Acri looking coolly at the bodies around him They didn�t even have time to struggle It was rare that Randidly relied so heavily on his stats to dominate opponents but now felt like an appropriate time This was his world These monsters whatever they were needed to be removed They would add nothing to the chances of this world�s survival

Slowly Randidly moved and took all of their black masks off They all had the same youthful female face Father Foster�s

Then it all clicked

His visage stony Randidly walked out of the small room Even as he was furious he knew he couldn�t risk letting any hint of his presence leak out Or else the people here He would need to move fast to save them Even now he sent messages to Dinesh and Tykes to bring people to assist him But they would be hard pressed to handle the threat alone

Abruptly he felt a pang of loss that he had cut himself off so abruptly from Donnyton He looked to the East where that strange new Aether could still be felt albeit dimly as it merged with the Aether of this world He had to in a way He couldn�t stand Lyra and recognized that she was perhaps just as powerful as he was in her own way What she had accomplished Well Randidly suspected he didn�t even know the half of it

But he couldn�t trust her She thought she knew better than him And in her mind that was that

Sighing Randidly turned back forward and froze Down the hall from him a figure was standing Her gaze was on him a small smile on her face Randidly�s eyes narrowed

She spoke before he did Fascinating I had worried that you would be a rather capable warrior but I figured the sedative I prepared could knock out anyone Do you have a Skill for recovery A high Level one too Fascinating

Her steps were loud as she walked down the empty metallic hall towards him Randidly was acutely aware that they were at the bottom of a deep lake The weight of water around them was enough to crush all of the normal people being slowly sliced apart in this facility by the monster before him

No hard feelings Father Foster said flashing a smile at him Just fulfilling a request I believe I would have eventually sought you out to discuss different projects on my own eventually But this concerns the fate of the entire Zone Your body will be an unfortunate casualty But worry not the transfers have an incredibly high success rate all things considered Even without the suspension field we still average above 40% retention of Skills Ah don�t do that

Randidly was clenching his hand into a fist Father Foster waggled a finger at Randidly like he was a naughty child You are strong Perhaps as strong as me Mr Baloo Erickson But the people in here are not Based on your previous actions I suspect you wouldn�t want them to die in the fighting And let me assure you they would die

Randidly relaxed slowly But inwardly he wanted to laugh This man really thought he was still just Baloo Erickson Maybe this disguise was worth something after all It�s a good thing that he hadn�t blown it away when dealing with Maude

Randidly�s change made Father Foster�s expression turn even more serious

as expected you are no fool I wonder Well we can have a true conversation after the procedure Please follow me

Father Foster turned and began to walk down the hallway without glancing backward But in her straight spine he saw the implied threat If Randidly did not follow she would make good on her promise to kill those people here

Barely restraining a chuckle Randidly closed his eyes Mana flowed out of him like water When he opened his eyes he calmly walked behind Father Foster while matching her pace They walked in cool silence down the halls Finally Randidly let his curiosity get the better of him

How did you do it

This seemed to annoy Father Foster Bah A simple question If you are half the man I believe you to be you can figure it out yourself

Grimacing Randidly switched tactics I was imprecise What I meant to ask was how did you realize such a thing was possible Why did you want to become a Raid Boss

Ah Father Foster was silent for several seconds and then she sighed It pains me to admit it but discovering the idea to become a Raid Boss was a natural extension of a coincidental line of research A fool named Ezekiel Ghosthound came to me with a problem He couldn�t live without killing humans you see Monsters wouldn�t do The cost over time was enormous So we started looking for alternatives

The corner of Father Foster�s mouth quirked off What after all does the System define as a human You would honestly be surprised how loose the definition is With that problem solved we then wondered if humanity can be transplanted what else Stats We have experienced modest success Skills Of course especially if they relate to a particular part of the body Soul Skills Maybe even Classes Well those will be for the future

Father Foster�s eyes were deep and dark as she smiled down at her hands Then of course the next question was what we could transplant from monsters into ourselves

Chapter 580

Hank looked up at the school in front of him It was silent as it was only a scant few minutes past dawn But it bore the signs of recent use this school would be in session in a few hours And yet his feet insisted this was where he needed to be

It was in a rich suburb in the South of East Providence Hank turned to his two companions Thaddeus� expression was serious Ezekiel looked like he had just seen a ghost

This is it Hank grunted Say your prayers and check yur ammo We are going in

No no not here Ezekiel said shaking his head Please this place

Both of you quiet Thaddeus interrupted squinting at the school Something�s coming

And as if on cue hatches on the ground flipped up Out of the ground crawled monsters They appeared humanoid but they were covered in hulking black armor As they stood swaying in the sun light glittered off of runes etches into the heavy black metal

Thaddeus swore and activated his exosuit Instantly the metal snapped out to encase his arms and legs He pulled his plasma rifle out of his wristlet and trained it on the lead monster There was only a dozen but they gave off a heavy feeling Hank�s instincts were screaming that these were dangerous Dangerous on the level of Paolo or Kayle

Then one by one they light on fire A dangerous green spectral fire As the fire came alight the runes slowly began to shine These strange exosuits were powering on before their very eyes

Fuckin� cheaters Hank muttered drawing both the repeater and the revolver He only had 36 revolver bullets at the moment Why hadn�t he made more While he was in Donnyton it had just seemed like a waste of time to work on his bullets but

But he had gained a lot of Levels and PP and stats from his time there With that edge his bullets now would be quite a bit more powerful Well he would have to make do But the problem was that they would each need to fight against 4 of them

Acid Arrow Ezekiel called and Hank�s instincts screamed If it had been him a month ago the arrow would have taken him in the back of the head Instead he barely dodged rolled to the side As he came up he brought his pistol to bear on Ezekiel but the exosuit monsters were rushing forward at such a speed that Hank couldn�t ignore them

They were a bigger threat than Ezekiel

It seemed that Thaddeus got the memo about Ezekiel�s change of heart because he leaped to the side using his leg thrusters to get out of harm�s way Bolts of hyperdense plasma smashed towards the monsters but they moved with surprising grace for their size

Grimacing Hank raised his revolver and fired towards the leader�s leg He used Trick Shot speeding the bullet up past the point that it could feasibly be dodged It smashed into its knee joint and sent it sprawling

But it then straightened standing on one leg Seeming to glare at Hank it raised its hand and shot a ball of green fire at him that he barely jerked out of the way of This would be tough

Hank looked across the battlefield at Thaddeus Their eyes met When dodging they had been forced away from each other It normally wouldn�t matter both faired well in a melee But these opponents

They loped towards them like wolves

Rough

It can�t be here Ezekiel whispered I need this I

You are stronger than this Hank said aloud He felt his Soul Skill singing as he spoke This was where he needed to be You have a son think about him You can find another way This whole month you�ve resisted You�ve only hunted

Hank paused Ezekiel smiled helplessly The monsters in their flaming exosuits rushed forward in a tight formation separating the two combatants

The runes you developed have been invaluable in my own research by the way Father Foster commented as she strapped Randidly into the operating table The general utility almost any form of energy can be used with them And recently I�ve discovered some very interesting forms of power

Randidly didn�t bother to respond Most of Father Foster�s responses were either to praise or insult Randidly�s intelligence It was honestly rather tedious Besides Randidly was rather distracted with his own pursuits But he couldn�t help but admit that he was rather impressed with the quality of craftsmanship of this room It was clearly designed to contain powerful individuals

The alloy that held Randidly was actually quite strong So strong that it would be extremely difficult to rip his way out in a short amount of time under normal circumstances His mind split into three pieces one to solve the problem at hand one to discuss with Father Foster and a third to try and figure out how this metal was forged

The final manacle snapped into place Ah well this is it Anything you would like to say before I put you under I�ll just use 10 times the previous dosage Even you should be knocked out I hope your heart can handle the strain

Then Father Foster began muttering to herself Randidly watched with amusement as she tried and failed to pierce his skin with a needle Although he had been hit with the dart previously he had allowed that to happen Now he activated Yyrwood Body of Yggdrasil and very little that a scientist had could hurt him

I have only one question Randidly said slowly He was so close but he needed Father Foster to talk for a bit longer He didn�t doubt that the woman had the ability to cut through his skin if given time to consider the issue Well two questions but I suspect the answer is the same

First why did you come so near me Even if you did transform yourself into a Raid Boss if the core dies the rest will suffer

Father Foster seemed to shiver at that at being named what she was Her mouth twitched into a smile likely subconsciously But Randidly continued to speak

And the other question is why you are treating these younger spawn like fodder why aren�t you developing that as intellectuals For all that I think you are a monster you were a genius Somehow you foiled the Creature and turned her into a power plant All this research if you stopped exploiting the people of your church you could

Pah I do not run the church Father Foster said dismissively waving a hand There is another iteration of myself focusing on political issues My time is spent much more fruitfully

because your time is not spent spawning more monsters Randidly said his eyes blazing He had finished It was time to end this joke Because you are not the Raid Boss You are just a mutated lieutenant of a man who sold his soul to become a monster

Ahaha Fool the selling of the soul was me Father Foster said strangely intent once more She leaned forward and pressed her nose against his In those days that fool was happy to work under the Creature�s yoke And he was plagued by failure Of all the spawn from his body I was the only one that developed a personality I was the only true human incarnation The only female I saw the problem and approached the Creature He needed to lose his hesitation for the process to be a success I learned from her how to use the bond of the Raid Boss against him To warp even the System me While I distracted him with a plot to capture the Creature like a toy I eliminated them both I perfected his body I experimented until I created suits to bind the spawn to their roles as loyal pawns to ME This was all ME

I am the one who orchestrated all of this Do not speak as if you know what it cost me I have indeed sold my soul and for that I named myself I am the first and greatest I am Faust And the devil herself was devoured by me I am

Afraid Randidly said quietly looking up at this not quite a person She had human eyes and her chest rose and fell from hyperventilation Randidly didn�t know anything about the processes of a Raid Boss but the Creature would And that was exactly the sort of thing it would fuck with given the chance A chance due to inspiration from Ezekiel Randidly closed his eyes Afraid of not mattering of not existing of your family not accepting you of people hating you if you don�t control them It�s just so

Human

Don�t speak like you understand me We are finished talking Father Foster announced turning away from Randidly

Randidly nodded as well Yes we are

He strained against the restraints They bent but only slightly Stalemate Breaker His Stamina disappeared in a flash but the metal was ripped to shreds

Father Foster froze then spun around with wide eyes You If you do anything I�ll kill

It�s too late Randidly said simply and meant it He had neutralized all of the monsters in and near the base They lay bloody and torn throughout this strange sanctuary

Father Foster�s face twisted into a sneer Really Then

She smashed her fist into the wall and blew it open due to the surprising amount of force contained in her blow Then she overbalanced and fell out of the hole in the side of the base when the rush of water she had been expecting didn�t occur With a cry she smashed into the ground about 20 meters below Randidly hopped down to join her

It�s over After I kill you I�ll find the Raid Boss and Randidly paused and looked up Above them a wall almost 50 meters tall rose purely made of interwoven plants Water leaked slowly through but he had started small and expanded outward rapidly knocking away the water of the lake The hardest part was weaving the plants tight enough in such a large piece but his Skill had helped a lot with that

But at the moment someone had ripped a hole in one of his walls Two someones Well three someones It was a man covered in obsidian armor a girl with black hair to her shoulders and two hammers and a bear animated with unearthly green fire Randidly�s eyes went back to the girl

Thea he breathed

Chapter 581

Randidly�s eyes remained fixed on Thea The first thing he noticed was the coldness in her gaze that was far from the Thea he had known How long had it even been Seven months And now her eyes They seemed still and dead to Randidly

The second thing Randidly noticed was that she had the whiff about her of the Creature�s Aether He gritted his teeth as his eyes flicked sideways to Chrysanthemum who was even bigger than Randidly remembered She was approaching monstrous proportions Could the Creature have used Chrysanthemum�s life as a bargaining chip to compel Thea

That sounded exactly like its rotten M O

Thea I don�t know what the Creature said Randidly began but I could also

Then why didn�t you

Thea�s cool reply stopped Randidly dead He just stared at her unsure of what to say He felt a powerful sense of helplessness because there was nothing he could say When it had happened he hadn�t even tried to aid the dying bear with his Aether

Snorting Thea raised her hammers I pay my debts Now hand Father Foster over She is necessary

All of Randidly�s guilt and frustration was wiped out in a second He glanced over at Father Foster who stood awestruck as she looked up at the wall he had erected with roots The hole Thea and her companion had come through was mostly filled in now but a lot of water pumped through in that short period it took Randidly to handle the hole And by now the Mana reserves in his rings were almost completely gone

She was harvesting people and extracting their organs She killed countless innocent people Randidly said quietly Enough water had come through that the football field sized space he had opened up had a few inches of water along the bottom I can�t even guess how many people she�s killed But by her own admission a lot of the monsters in this Zone are really people who have been transplanted into monsters This this is kidnapping and genocide She uses a religion to

That doesn�t change the fact that she is considered necessary Thea closed her eyes as if tired With her darker hair she seemed so much older than Randidly remembered her Which put her squarely at 20 or so Please let�s dispense with this It wastes both of our time

You genuinely don�t care about those peoples lives Randidly said while feeling a sinking sensation in his stomach But at the same time there was heat in his chest If that was true then Randidly glanced at Chrysanthemum Her eyes burned brightly with unholy fire Outwardly she had no reaction to their conversation And if their Soulbond was still intact that meant the bear agreed

Fine Randidly said breathing out Feeling strangely lightheaded he flexed his hands These people for all that he knew Thea they would let the Earth devolve into a cannibalistic mess if it was part of some just cause It was infuriating Everyone always had these grand plans but they missed something more important responsibility

And Randidly had a responsibility to kill those who would sacrifice innocent people for a possibility in the future Gleeful Acri and Sulfur climbed up around him to form into his weapons and armor If I let you go you will hurt the people of this world The world where I live This world that is mine Therefore I will stop you here

It was heavy and suffocating on his chest So much so that it felt like he couldn�t breathe He didn�t know the details of Thea�s circumstances but that wasn�t enough to stay his hand Father Foster or this Raid Spawn of the true Father Foster would sacrifice lives to fuel her research That was an unacceptable outcome

Randidly�s eyes slid sideways to Father Foster who seemed to realize just now the depth of the shit she was in The water was up around Randidly�s ankles now He finished pulling people with roots up from the base to the waiting arms of Tykes and Dinesh Perhaps it wouldn�t be very difficult to kill Father Foster here but that wasn�t the point There was a bigger decision to make

Thea Thea would find other ways other people who could do things that were just as dangerous Like Ezekiel

Randidly pressed his eyes closed briefly Thinking about what his father was could wait until later Until he had some peace

If it was true if she had actually accepted the will of the Creature and she intended to support the human monsters that would sacrifice the lives of others in the name of progress or a greater plan

Can I truly make this decision � Randidly wondered The moment stretched his eyes locked with Thea Chrysanthemum and the Obsidian man stood passively by and watched

If not me then who can And also possesses the power to stop her And how many lives before �

A spear always advances

Then she should die

Randidly attacked

Yystrix had prepared extensively for the eventuality of her own demise In a way Thea had intuited that Yystrix had expected the incarnation of herself near Randidly Ghosthound would eventually be destroyed Thea had been surprised to find that several incarnations had gathered together and merged in this Zone on Earth Although they left behind their own experiments none were as effective as the one here

They were here for one reason to watch the effect of Randidly Ghosthound

She still wanted to lose against the Calamity of course But after spending a lot of time following her orders Thea began to realize that they didn�t truly know why Perhaps the main body did but the incarnations were a profoundly lopsided thing They possessed incredible problem solving and skill in manipulating Aether but they clearly had no sense of narrative The minor threats they threw against humanity would just make them stronger

Which made Thea believe for the longest time they truly were here to help humanity and specifically Randidly Ghosthound But then the orders came down as to how Thea was supposed to engage Randidly Ghosthound

When he is encountered avoid him His greatest weakness is the fact he is one man Strike where he is not

Which was in a way very true It led to the attacks on Donnyton�s mines and the different Zone 1 political figures In the short term it provided diplomatic turmoil and made both sides less willing to ally with each other But it completely flummoxed Thea Did this mean she was wrong Was Yystrix truly not attempting to help Randidly

Because there was one thing Thea knew or at least Chrysanthemum did and Thea trusted that information implicitly for all Chrysanthemum had been changed by that spectral fire

Yystrix was slowly getting weaker

It wouldn�t happen so quickly that it would likely affect the outcome of the Calamity But it was disturbing for Thea Chrysanthemum�s life was now tied to Yystrix But what could she do now She had no other choice

Which was why Thea was very agitated when Randidly attacked One moment he was simply standing there and then the next he produced his strange plant companions that acted as weapon and armor His body was shrouded in a strange ashy looking carbon that absorbed impact better than anything Thea had ever seen His weapon looked like a trimmed sapling there were even leaves poking off of the shaft of the spear And it could cut through almost anything

The Obsidian Prince instantly moved to block Randidly�s attack but he was way too slow Randidly�s body blurred mid air and he was abruptly charging towards Father Foster with his spear raised

Swearing quietly Thea flashed a hand signal at Father Foster But the idiot ignored the symbol and rushed to meet him True Father Foster was fast and strong All of the insights and epiphanies they had about the transplantation of Skills was assembled in Father Foster�s body Although she didn�t have an exosuit like the weaker versions she possessed just as much power without the downside of the downtime those suits required

Her body blurred as she punched towards Randidly Almost a dozen passive Skills were no doubt activating at full bore filling her with power Her fist swam around Randidly�s spear and arrived before his chin Then he seemed to accelerate and suddenly Father Foster�s arm was on the ground and his spear was rushing towards her heart

Chrysanthemum arrived with a wave of water and steam knocking Randidly away from his very near successful attempt to kill Father Foster Chrysanthemum�s paw smashed outward but Randidly was already gone He was way too fast to be caught by counterattacks from Chrysanthemum her body was just too large

But the Obsidian Duke had caught up with Randidly and used his obsidian battleax to attempt to bisect Randidly Everyone but Thea was caught by surprise when Randidly didn�t dodge at all and simply allowed the blow to crack against his armor The Obsidian Duke staggered from the reverberations and the armor cracked and splintered but didn�t break

And as everyone watched the cracks began to heal

Now Randidly wasn�t the only one who could weather damage but the Obsidian Duke�s powers of regeneration were more than outclassed by the other man And it was only Thea�s arrival that kept the Duke from being completely whittled down in one burst of stabs and slashes Her hammer smashed into Randidly�s back and sent him a step forward from the impact He had clearly known the blow was arriving but how hard she could hit took him by surprise

He turned and looked at her and Thea wanted to shiver The very air around him was twisting and sparking from his strange Skills His very presence was a weight that pressed them into the ground

This was why Father Foster couldn�t match him even though she had all the best Skills they could find in the Zone This was why Yystrix was fascinated by him This was why their main plan of engagement was to avoid him

Because Randidly Ghosthound was more powerful than almost all of the rest of the world combined right now

As Thea was smashed backward by a brutal thrust with the butt of his spear she prayed their reinforcements would arrive in time

Chapter 582

Hank had to roll again to the side as one of the suits swiped at him Several more moved to corral him but they were having a hard time of it His repeater fired constantly shots glancing off armor and barely damaging their defenses at all But there were a few cracks and some strange colors of blood pumping out of wounds where Hank had been able to cluster several bullets

His hands flashed mechanically as he reloaded and began to fire once more never stopping his movements He only Dodge Rolled when absolutely necessary to save Stamina but even so he was realizing that he couldn�t sustain this pace

And the only reason that Hank had been able to go for this long was that two of the exosuit monsters pursuing him had broken off to help with Thaddeus For all that he was an ass Hank had rarely met a person with a higher talent for violence Not only were his plasma bolts much more damaging than Hanks bullets but Thaddeus was also a master of a strange sort of close range violence

As one of the exosuits approached Thaddeus from behind Thaddeus casually shot two plasma bolts at other enemies Only at the last second did he smash the butt of his plasma rifle back into the attacker�s face That flowed into a flaring elbow that knocked away another oncoming attack giving Thaddeus enough time to leap to the sky and shoot several more plasma bolts

Their exosuits hissed as the plasma ate through their armor but the extra two that had switched sides were tilting the scales towards the exosuits And all the while Ezekiel intermittently shot Poison Arrows to keep either Hank or Thaddeus from landing a killing blow

But in Hank�s mind music was rising It was his ballad They had struggled and it was time for the music to rise

Sharp Left didn�t even phase these fuckers so Hank had to resort to using Hard Right three times in a row to knock one of the suits to the side Burning metal claws raked along his ribs ribbing and cauterizing three long gashes But it was an acceptable price

Quick as a spark Hank drew and fired all 6 bullets from his revolver His blows had all four of the remaining monsters that were fighting against him in a clump and the leading exosuit raised its arms to defend its vital points But by the time it had done that Hank had loaded his strongest bullet into his revolver and fired with Trick Shot

The bullet accelerated forward and struck the last bullet and ricocheted forward In quick succession it had struck all of the other bullets and each one shattered into dozens of high energy pieces The shrapnel smashed the leading exosuit back into a bloody heap The exosuit behind that one had its right arm and torso ripped to shreds The third exosuit stooped down and began to help the first to its feet again

As Hank saw this action filled with comradery his heart twitched But the music was calling for it so he continued on his path Mana Detonation

The Mana he had shoved into those empowered bullets exploded outwards The first two struck with the actual shrapnel where turned into a mist of blood and the one helping the other had its arms and face ripped to shreds It collapsed spineless It was only the fourth and final of the exosuits that had survived unscathed It paused looking down at its companions briefly

But then it looked up its eyes flashing with that strange fire Before it could move Hank twisted and reloaded his revolver As the last exosuit ran towards him he fired 6 Lawman�s Guillotines into the sky towards where Thaddeus continued to struggle

He turned around just in time to meet the exosuit Its attacks were so fast that Hank could do little in the way of high level thinking all that existed at that speed were instincts He became a blur of punches and point blank shots with his repeater Attack after attack from the exosuit monster just barely missed him so much so that he could smell the acrid smell of burning leather Fighting so close was severely disadvantageous to Hank but he refused to back down

If he was hit he�d hit the other guy harder If someone took risks he would raise the stakes That was the man he had been always raised to be by his father

Hank felt it now that strange logic his father used He could not fail in this fight because of everything he had gone through before If he died now he would be making a lie of everything he had accomplished so far He was a man who survived and thrived If he failed at that then his entire existence would crumble away

Hank�s right hand broke but the exosuit stumbled backward It had only been twenty seconds of brutal blows but his Stamina was basically gone With the last of his strength he raised his repeater and put several bullets into the exosuit�s helmet Only the last one broke through the armor and inflicted damage but you only ever needed one good bullet

Which meant that Hank was turning away from his kill just in time to be smashed sideways by a literal boulder that was careening towards him

He felt his ribs crack Blinking rapidly Hank tried to cope with the sudden rush of sensations Abruptly he realized he was on the ground he must have passed out briefly when the boulder had hit him Ezekiel took a step and was standing over him

Every second was vicious agony as Hank rolled to the side and avoided the hatchet Ezekiel had produced from somewhere but it was fucking better than being dead As he stood and his bones ground against each other at a volume that even Ezekiel looked confused Hank was tempted to reverse his opinion on the previous statement But he pushed that away Instead he just grimly regarded the man in front of him

Ezekiel was just staring at him Very slowly Hank could feel his ribs shifting as his Vitality pushed him towards healing but it was an impossible task to have him recover his fighting strength It was disappointing but the broken ribs completely shut down his mobility Now he would need to rely on precision and power to grasp victory

I don�t want to hurt you Ezekiel said quietly

Hank didn�t bother answering If anything he hoped that Ezekiel would indulge in more emotions or acidic barbs so he would have more time to recover And in fact it seemed like that was exactly what Ezekiel was intending

I hated you when we first met Because you�ve got a something A foolishness A straightforwardness But dammit that�s exactly the reason that I started to admire you You just don�t turn away from trouble I I�m not that person

Hank considering drawing and shooting Ezekiel in the stomach but then he guiltily realized that both his repeater and revolver were currently empty He had been so focused on killing that exosuit fucker that he had blacked out in the immediate aftermath Hank had a sour feeling that this was the sort of mistake that got you killed

but I�ve realized it�s not my fault Ezekiel announced You know all of this This is just a sad coincidence The day I got a Class well the night before I had a weird dream It was an old memory a car drive with Rand from before from before everything went bad Or it was the beginning of the end In my memory we sat the whole time in silence And the whole time I felt so bitter I could tell so clearly how scared and upset he was and I couldn�t open my mouth to say a single thing I was just a mute I left my son alone in that dark backseat

But this time in the dream he spoke to me We started talking and I felt him open up because I talked I explained how complicated things were and I finally said something that I don�t think I�ve ever actually said to Rand I said no matter what happens I would never leave him alone Maybe I was thinking of that very memory of the real one And he said the same to me And then then I felt full I felt whole

There were several wet thunks as Hank�s Lawman�s Guillotines descended and smashed into the people harrying Thaddeus Ezekiel didn�t even seem to notice he was really working up a head of steam now

It was the best feeling of fulfillment I�ve ever felt I felt well I knew it would all be okay Then I woke up And that feeling was gone And you know what the first thought I had that morning I thought You will never feel full again That dream will never come true � That day I went and got my Class and it was the biggest fuck you I�ve ever seen The world was confirming everything I�ve always feared All I�ll know is hunger I�ve been cursed I�ve been

Just fuckin� admit you messed up Hank said finally fed up with Ezekiel If you keep fooling yourself into believing that it wasn�t your fault do you think it will ever get better

Ezekiel�s eyes were infinitely tired as he glared at Hank You would never understand The blessed never do I must say it will be fucking enjoyable to consume you I wonder what Skill

Hank�s fingers flicked A Smoke Bomb hit the ground and billowed outwards Standing in the same spot Hank calmly began to reload his revolver He sensed Poison Arrows instantly whizzing outward to the side Hank had to admit that Ezekiel had a great sense of space his strikes landed exactly where Hank would have been had he Dodge Rolled to either side

Hank pulled the hammer back and fired into the smoke

When the smoke cleared Ezekiel stood there clutching his right chest Hank grimaced Looked like the bullet had ripped a hole in his chest cavity and destroyed his right lung Even with the System it would be an agonizing and slow recovery Doubly so with the higher physical demands that Stats placed on the body

He had meant to hit Ezekiel in the heart to end him Was it a sign that he had missed

But the music was falling away into a low hum Hank turned and found Thaddeus standing unsteadily above 8 bodies of the exosuit monsters His right arm hung useless at his side His plasma rifle was nowhere to be seen Most of his chest and upper leg armor had been ripped away leaving spandex and bloody skin But in his left hand he had his plasma pistol and nothing around him was moving

Ezekiel gasped and sobbed on the ground as Thaddeus hobbled over towards Hank Both men produced Health Potions and drank them They restored their Health and replenished their blood supply but the wounds would remain sour for a while Neither had a Skill that could help ease the transition

Thanks for those shots Thaddeus said That killed three of them instantly and wounded two more Good timing too Most of my exosuit was scrap by that point

As if to emphasize his point he pulled a dangling bit of machinery off his thigh It came off with a snap and Thaddeus grimaced You don�t want to know what this piece of debris was worth before Ah well What are we gonna do about him

Thaddeus indicated Ezekiel Hank paused He waited two seconds Then he shook his head slowly No man has the right to pass judgment on another Leave him For now let�s go see why my feet brought me here

Chapter 583

A towering light filled the sky as Arbor erupted It wasn�t just the leaves that were burning but all of Arbor was burning People screamed as the flames caught the spider silk cathedral and the entire thing went up

But Kiersty stood stock still staring upwards at Arbor To her these flames held no heat But she held her breath unsure of what this meant She could feel his energy rising and rising and rising some more but this

It was too much she realized Whatever he was doing

As the cathedral collapsed and everyone fled ash began flaking off from Arbor�s trunk The core of Arbor was burning hotter than anything Kiersty had ever seen She looked and could feel the vision in her eyes going burnt away by the flames There wasn�t heat here but there was light

So much light so bright that for several seconds the sun above seemed dim in comparison

Then it was gone snuffed out leaving nothing but floating ash behind Arbor was gone

Thunder crashed overhead as Lucifer knelt on the ground His two swords were broken He felt a small disappointment at that but not as much as the bubbling excitement that filled his heart It had taken 12 men and even then it had been close but still the harpoon lodged in his chest hurt But it was worth it to feel the exhilaration of the fight It had been far far too long since Lucifer last felt that thrill

The dead and dying surrounded Lucifer Well they were likely only wounded in the current era Killing someone was hard with the System Whereas before you could reduce their quality of life to a certain extent and their fires would sputter out the System supported lives It used them like fuel of course but until that point they were well maintained If Health Potions were passed out most of them would likely pull through

Even Lucifer for all that his heart was barely managing to continue pumping blood at the moment He had lost It was a hard thing to admit Numbers didn�t matter on the battlefield he had been the one to end up on his knees

The walls to the East were the smallest and when the army had arrived they had been breached in multiple places Lucifer had plugged up all those holes and then a huge one opened up as a force of a dozen charged to gain a low hill that would give them a foothold to take the whole district Lucifer had gone to meet them and killed all but one the leader

The Malaysian man who had defeated him stood in front of him looking like a piece of meat from a butcher block He was bare from the waist up covered in crisscrossing slashes But none of Lucifer�s strikes had been able to inflict any fatal wounds before their final clash It seemed that in terms of their most powerful Skill Lucifer just lost out

It will be a shame to kill you all The man said quietly but his hand tightened on the chain that was connected to the harpoon in Lucifer�s chest Surrender Join my crew Once your Zone joins with mine we

I cannot Lucifer said calmly Nor would I We should fight again sometime

How can your army function without a leader The man said reasonably You may have training and numbers but mine is a seafaring army When I add your numbers to mine

I am not truly the leader of the army I just am the backbone Lucifer said Inwardly he was sighing He could feel his Health rocketing upward as he was given time to recover As if on cue the man twisted the harpoon cutting his remaining health in half

Then the backbone has been broken The man said with a frown

This is one of three armies that Franksburg can field Besides our armies are not those who you need to fear Lucifer looked up to the sky with a puzzled expression but it appears that Donnyton was actually not the first on the scene Interesting

I don�t mean to interrupt but I�m waiting for the official request to intervene Sydney Harp said walking up to join the two men on top of the hill The darkness abruptly parted and she was there even though Lucifer hadn�t sensed her approach Magework Lucifer had no doubt He didn�t trust magic or attempt to learn it but he understood why so many fell prey to its allure

Instantly the Malaysian man�s eyes narrowed as he considered the new arrival Which made Lucifer feel less bad about losing to the man Because Lucifer too was wondering how many tricks Sydney had in her arsenal How well would her magic fair here surrounded by blood and screams

He had never officially met Sydney but Lucifer had largely been led to believe that the entire town aside from Drake was a footnote in the Zone He would need to revisit that characterization So Lucifer smiled and said You have it I am just curious how you beat Mrs Hamilton here

Sydney smiled but it was a proud smile Some of the elementals sensed a change was coming and it was happening down here It was a gamble but Those seem to have been paying off for me lately Now

She turned to the Malaysian man Let�s get started shall we I�ll be your next opponent

The man looked nonplussed Taking advantage of that moment Lucifer grunted and threw himself backwards A chunk of his heart was ripped off and his eyes wrenched themselves to the piece as it fell to the ground There was a terrible moment of stillness in his chest Fear filled him and regret But then there was a tremor and a sputter His heart healed and began to beat again His Health surged upwards

By the sea god�s tits the man swore but he ignored Lucifer and faced Sydney She raised her hands Both glowed blue But the right hand was what she was known for It was a deathly cold and ice was creeping down that arm But her left hand was a different sort of blue

There was a crash that hit Lucifer like a physical force and then the searing vision that was a bolt of lighting sliding down from the sky and into Sydney�s hand blinded him He blinked rapidly and then found her standing there proudly One arm was covered in frost while the other was crackling with electricity

The way you are looking at me Sydney paused seeming to cast around for the right word well whatever It�s a good feeling

Randidly smashed Thea to the side and as he did so he felt that pressure on his chest Was he really preparing to kill Thea

Yes

But still Randidly simply smashed Thea to the side The opening was there his spear was fast enough but he didn�t attack her weakness He just smashed her back knocking aside her strength Then he scanned around at the four combatants Another goal was to finish Father Foster and he had just cut off her arm Aside from her the real problem was Chrysanthemum Physically she was just as obnoxious as the Level 70 three headed ogre in terms of defense And offensively she was even more physically earth shattering If Chrysanthemum was alone he could probably handle it

If I kill Thea Chrysanthemum will

Yes A spear only advances

Father Foster was scrambling backwards splashing as she tried to open up distance The strange man who was covered in the black tar like material was lumbering towards Randidly Chrysanthemum was barreling towards him The moment stretched Randidly blinked once slowly They all seemed so slow

He had the ability he was just refusing to squeeze the last bit of effort into moving against them It was one thing to fight and kill the Creature or the monsters that the System had arrayed against him Or even people who were the in the midst of acts of violence But now he was considering that Thea was a tool of the Creature and what that meant And to Randidly it meant that leaving her alive was a threat to the whole of the Zone The World

Then Randidly realized why he was hesitating In his thoughts of Sydney in the past his words closely mirrored that of another individual Someone that he deeply despised albeit briefly who used his powerful Class to dominate an entire Village before Randidly intervened

A king has three burdens and three tools

The tar guy arrived and Randidly met him with an Inevitable Phantom Arrives Weak blows didn�t do much to displace his strange armor fluid but this thrust ripped a deep hole in the armor Chrysanthemum was hard on his heels but Randidly just leaped up and jumped off the bear to cross the distance to Father Foster

With predictable timing Thea leaped in the way of Randidly with her hammer raised He remembered how cool her eyes were when she was faced with the truth that Father Foster would probably kill even more That weight on his chest grew stronger This decision affected someone else�s life And it was final He couldn�t take it back

And what he was worried about was becoming a twisted man like the King of Turtletown As he slowly came closer to using something like those tools Randidly felt the burden growing increasingly cumbersome to handle

Something loosened in him Randidly raised his spear The Spear Advances Ash Trails

In a blazing line Randidly rushed forward He kept his spear aloft so instead of impaling Thea he physically smashed her backwards with his body She grunted softly and there was the brief realization of how small her body truly was and then Randidly�s momentum carried him forward and he rammed his spear into Father Foster�s chest

To his surprise Father Foster�s chest was extremely durable and cracked only after extreme pressure Although Randidly had been able to pierce into her chest briefly the momentum then threw her further away where she splashed and choked in the water

Thea staggered to the side clearly stunned from the collision and Randidly looked down at her Again she was open for a strike Randidly didn�t take it

It was one thing to live your own life by your codes It was another entirely to enforce your codes of living upon the world or force the world to change to you That was the line Randidly was now considering crossing

But his vines were soaked in the blood of bodies of things that had been deemed human by the System based on the small amount of experience he gained for killing them His fists tightened on the shaft of his spear The weight on his chest was unbearable

That couldn�t be allowed to continue They made this choice that was clear Then they wouldn�t leave this lake alive

Chapter 584

Chrysanthemum roared as Randidly turned to attack Thea once more She still hadn�t recovered from being struck by his previous move However now he was out for blood Strike after strike rained down on her The whole while Randidly didn�t breath He couldn�t It was an existential dread that was squeezing him The fear that he would get in the habit of killing people who got in the way of his vision in the world And yet

To him it seemed that a world where these people could be tortured like this is a much darker place than one where he could possibly abuse his power He could not simply set aside his ability to accomplish so much because by accomplishing so much he became a monster Instead he needed to face those possibilities directly

Even with the burden crushing him

Like a freight train Chrysanthemum was barreling down on him The weight might be entirely psychological but it was so heavy it felt like he could barely move Yet his hand inexorably moved forward Because the weight

Randidly blinked Then he smiled with his teeth as he pressed all the weight together tightening and tightening it This is what he needed Not the weight but instead that feeling of stepping beyond a line Because as a sun slowly grew hotter it was a gradual process But that moment that the weight of the sun grew too powerful at once and it collapsed it happened instantly

The heat collapsed into something more It stopped being simply heat and became weight and then the weight became nothing Randidly felt himself flowing along with his image in the process seeing the sun abruptly start to collapse inward into a point And that point settled into the tip of his spear

A line was crossed and the fragile trellises that were hitherto sufficient became kindling

Congratulations You have gained access to the Skill As the Sun Stills Due to your successful repair and powerful image the Skill has become an Ancient Rarity Skill

The point of his spear that met Chrysanthemum�s wrathful charge There was a moment where the world stilled along with them as Randidly activated his Skill to its fullest effect He felt its usage draining him rapidly but he pushed even harder Stamina flew away from him as he condensed more and more weight into the strike

His spear slowed to the point it wasn�t moving and Chrysanthemum smashed into the spear tip There was a rumbling The bones of her shoulder and arm cracked and splintered She was thrown backward by a superior mass There was a crack and a wave of force spread outwards Water in the nearby area splashed outwards in a wide circle

While she was thrown backward Chrysanthemum whined Randidly himself staggered feeling abruptly lightheaded Her strike wasn�t enough to shake him but in fact the combination of the Stamina usage and feeling so heavy followed by an impossible lightness Randidly stared at his spear in wonder The weight was gone He carried it with him now but he controlled it It was a line he could cross whenever he needed to

Using that move had taken over a thousand Stamina That combined with Randidly�s strange wonder towards how light he felt gave the strange obsidian man time to strike several times with his battle ax Randidly didn�t even bother to dodge it was nothing Sulfur couldn�t handle And as the blows hit Randidly he had regained enough Mana to unleash an Incendiary Bolt to his chest

That staggered him and Randidly could strike three more times before surveying the area The fight had lasted almost 30 seconds and now Father Foster was handless and the obsidian man staggered away Chrysanthemum had collapsed and was struggling to stand Now was the time to end this

Thea had Father Foster over her shoulder and was running through the knee deep water As Chrysanthemum saw Randidly move she struggled to her feet shifting unhappily as she glared back at him Although he didn�t have as much Stamina as he would have liked he started dashing after Thea He didn�t have time to spare

He gained ground rapidly on her the heaviness of the moment coming back to him At his call it would rise to become an irresistible force He didn�t have enough Stamina for the Skill but with his and Neveah�s Stamina Regeneration filling both of their pools he would have it soon

It was only about 10 meters from his root wall that Thea stopped and whirled to face him Father Foster was struggling in her arms but to Randidly�s surprise she was smiling

Too late Thea said simply And that was when something ripped a huge hole in the wall that Randidly was maintaining Without even looking he could feel the surge of water above him about to crush them and separate their bodies from each other Thea would get away

No

The weight settled around his shoulders once more Deific Mien of Yggdrasil and Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil sang inside him With his aura smashing outwards Randidly became acutely aware of his heart hammering in his chest His hands tightened further on the shaft of his spear Although he felt the dreadful irony in using this Skill to try and kill her Randidly whispered Gallant Intervention

For a very small Stamina Cost his speed abruptly quintupled in those last few feet towards Thea There was a small part of Randidly that registered with shock that it was actually Father Foster who triggered the Skill but he couldn�t parse that apart right now He drained his rings and Neveah dry of Stamina and used As the Sun Stills

The weight was like cloth sliding down to settle around his spear It seemed to move glacially slow but Thea�s eyes widened with horror Above him two figures were shooting down likely to stop him

They didn�t make it in time His strike hit Thea and crushed her skull and shattered most of the bones in her chest and shoulders It was like watching a car rip through a paper wall Father Foster was over her shoulder and simply hit with the resulting shock wave but was still had her torso crushed into a paste by that same strike Strangely as he looked at both of the bodies Randidly felt nothing No satisfaction no guilt not anything special It was an unmemorable day

There was a strange wrongness to them that Randidly couldn�t put his finger on But he had no time to think about it more

Afterward he looked up at the two people who had arrived One was clearly a monster of some sort with tentacles rather than arms But the second

Randidly frowned It was a man who he didn�t recognize but Randidly�s eyes could see that he possessed a wrongness as well And as his eyes pressed Randidly could suddenly see he was wearing an image to look like a human And below that was only a skeleton

The tentacle creature shot its limbs outwards to gather up the remnants of the bodies and Randidly spun his spear to block it But then the skeleton man struck

Heroic Charge The skeleton man smashed downwards with a raised bastard sword To Randidly�s surprise the man�s blow was heavy so much so that Randidly was knocked backward He was almost comically easily knocked back It was a mental mistake really after using As the Sun Stills he felt strangely frail and light It would take some getting used to before he could compensate for it

Their eyes met right before the water hit and Randidly felt himself being carefully judged Then there was only the press of water and most of Randidly�s other senses were knocked away by the concussive force He reached out with his Aether Perception and gripped at them but as he felt them moving farther away they just became slippery

It was strange but their energy signature it somehow seemed difficult to grasp It only took Randidly around 5 seconds to gather himself but at that point they were gone

For several long seconds he stood at the bottom of the lake furious But then he slowly relaxed and released a sigh Even the bulky body of Chrysanthemum was gone beyond the limits of his senses But perhaps she had died when Thea had

Either way it wasn�t necessary to chase them Randidly had accomplished his two goals Father Foster at least the experiment leading version was dead Thea was also

It was a quiet swim to the surface Even though he wanted to he couldn�t take it easy yet There was still much more to accomplish

Hank looked around the room wary It looked like the domain of a feral child One who enjoyed geometric mazes Drawings of different varieties of mazes covered the walls They were simple and complex and the filled the room with a strange sense of vertigo The room was small in a hidden area behind a brick wall in the cellar of the school The man was hooked to life support systems which Hank deactivated

One by one he and Thaddeus pulled the different plugs The man in the bed was asleep but as they worked his brow began to tense

Truly the man looked familiar He looked like the pictures of Dr Thomas Karman that Hank had seen yet different somehow Like this was a version made out of a different color of paper mache

Even though this man was unconscious until only a minute ago Hank still kept his pistol trained on him Thaddeus followed his lead

Right when he opened his eyes the man seemed puzzled but after he looked at Hank and Thaddeus and their distraught states he seemed to realize something The man smiled up at them and Hank was taken aback by how much genuine warmth was in the expression

So The man said his voice high pitched and weak You are my executioners Well get on with it then This is what I deserve

Tell me where my brother is first Hank said sharply

The man seemed to sigh Then he closed his eyes For a brief moment Hank was worried the man decided to ignore him but then the man�s eyes fluttered open There was an expression of deep sadness on his face Your brother There is a small hospital near Bradford one of the Northern Villages Your brother is there And as of yet unharmed It appears my Faust was killed before the operation could begin

Hank just looked at the man unsure whether to believe him His feet hadn�t yet told him to leave So

Was all this worth it Hank asked as he aimed at the man�s forehead He was so thin that Hank wondered what fluids the tubes had been putting into the man But he was going to shoot with the revolver Better safe than sorry

The man chuckled of all things Heh If that�s your question you�ll never understand what I managed to accomplish I am more than human I am I am a tool of god To me to change the fate of humanity for the better makes me deserve

To die Thaddeus added looking in disgust at the old man

That stopped the man When he did his best to shrug from his lying position I am now simply a symbol boy The human who I originated as is long dead

After the bullet ripped through the man�s brain Hank felt the tugging on his feet It was time to move on

Chapter 585

The Drowned Man gurgled unpleasantly tossing the mush that was Father Foster�s body and Thea�s remnants on the ground The Obsidian Duke and the Undying Hero gathered around peering down at the remains Although he wasn�t a Nemesis like the rest of them Thea believed that the Undying Hero deserved the moniker from all he had heard about his antics

Dispel the illusion Thea said She hated how thin and weak her voice sounded but she had truly brushed death today Randidly he had been aiming to kill her And if it wasn�t for the last minute intercession of the Undying Hero she might really have perished

The remains shimmered for a second and then Thea�s broken body became a pile of flesh that was all that remained from Father Foster As for Thea herself her left arm had been obliterated by the force of the strike Her internal organs were largely ruptured Even with her Endurance vastly improved as a Nemesis the shockwave of Randidly�s blow had brought her to the brink of death

She attempted to stand and toppled over Chrysanthemum who had taken a blow directly wasn�t much better She had collapsed by a large rock and leaned against it with a groan

Well Thea finally said to break the silence This will certainly set our schedule back It will take some time to recover But I�ll talk to Yystrix and I�m sure we can

Ah yes the Foreigner The Drowned Man interrupted His voice was strangely vibrational perhaps due to the tentacles from his mouth I must make this clear I agreed to assist as you are a fellow Nemesis But if you insist on working under such a thing I will not work with you

Thea blinked What

She was in my Zone for a short time and did little but cause minor mischief The Drowned Man said dismissively Her goals are not my own You might not understand as I am led to believe you were originally from this Zone But for the rest of us we must cause constant damage It is the only way to gather Aether for our Homeworlds

The Obsidian Duke rumbled his agreement crossing his arms Thea blinked up at them both

But with Yystrix�s information

With her information we almost got killed The Obsidian Duke growled Who the fuck was that Spectral Rider He handled all of us while holding back a fucking lake I agree with the Drowned Man We would be most effective if we were alone

The very strength of the Nemesai stems from the fact we can group up in any Zone If we toss that aside Thea�s lips worked soundlessly for several seconds They wanted to leave It wasn�t particularly important to her but Yystrix had some concrete goals that she expected to accomplish On her own Thea wasn�t sure if she could accomplish them Her growth now was much more strange and difficult than it had been before Doing everything while injured it was impossible

Again you don�t understand us The Drowned Man said with a shake of his head Then he turned and walked away

The Obsidian Duke sighed looking at her awkwardly Look you are right but we don�t have to win Spectral Rider We come down in pairs yes The Jade Prince is my opposite but he is from the same homeworld as I Although we do not like each other no matter which triumphs my world will receive the Aether There is no reasons to take risks not when not when that man is out there

And so they walked away leaving Thea standing with the strange creature they called the Undying Hero His name was Roy Thea believed and he was smiling widely at her despite what just occurred

Is something funny Thea snapped glaring at him

Roy only chuckled No no I was just lost in thought It was shocking right That man Just wow Reminds me of a younger less handsome version of myself eh Well anyways don�t sweat this too much it always happens to a hero You split the party to accomplish smaller tasks Only at the last moment do we all come back together It�s honestly hack

Thea just stared at him This set Roy chuckling harder Ah sorry You are probably a bit young to have gotten into Dungeons and Dragons Anyways I�ll stick with you in the meantime And my Class is Hero so you�ll get an experience buff while we are together You�ll be right as a barbie at a 7 year old�s birthday in no time

Really Thea said bitterly Already she could feel Yystrix�s call She would expect an explanation And what could she say If you are truly so capable why have you been locked up in the Refuge for 6 months

Ah well Roy seemed sheepish now With growing alarm Thea watched as he took his hand and plunged it into his stomach The flesh stretched and then ripped Blood and bile spurted out covering his hands and dribbling down his pants He began pulling out intestines and looking at them curiously I had to power Level It was embarrassing but the hero was far behind in terms of power After meeting your friend Randidly there I almost feel like I left my training arc too quickly But the montage had already lasted for a while

He trailed off his hand gripped on a ropey pink intestine Then he frowned and put his hands on both sides of the thing and began to pull It stretched and stretched and stretched

His body flickered and he was back to a whole and healthy man the illusion restored He was beaming at Thea But this just means I�m an underdog Which is great Because if the Skeleton Man was a higher Level wouldn�t that just make him a demon king Hahaha What a joke Can you imagine how broken a demon king with the Hero Class would be In all Creation only those well behaving hells would remain at my suffrage All those things whole and uncooperative would pass from this nightmare to blissful oblivion

Thea shivered But abruptly the vicious darkness of the Undying Hero was replaced by Roy�s smiling face and some of the dread passed away

He has a charm Skill � Thea mused She did truly fear him but it was hard to think about that too deeply while he was smiling And the fact he had a Skill at the Level that could affect her proved he was strong Hell when he had attacked Randidly was forced to defend Perhaps perhaps Thea really did want to be a part of his party

There was a strange buzzing in the air as Roy�s smile widened Excellent it�s decided Now why don�t you introduce me to Yystrix I have heard so many different things I�m excited to meet the vilified Creature� I expect to get along swimmingly with her After all I do believe we have both been unjustly blacklisted by the director

Randidly just walked in the front door which was open when he arrived He expected that the other would know he was coming but it was still rather convenient that all of the doors opened as he approached He supposed that was just the convenience of being in the good graces of an AI that controlled most of the Zone

Not that he believed he was truly in Ghost�s good graces but he didn�t care at this point Randidly�s inaction had allowed widespread war crimes to occur That was over But he also needed to see how culpable Ghost truly was in the whole ordeal Based on the information that Randidly had gathered Ghost wasn�t nearly as powerful as he would like people to believe outside of the cities But it would still be best to confirm before he decided what to do about the AI

It couldn�t be denied that Ghost had the potential to accomplish great things for the Zone His observational capabilities had helped the Zone fight against much stronger monsters than they normally would be able to by identifying weaknesses In addition Ghost controlled the drones in real time to eliminate threats Without Ghost they would need to rely on pre programming which was a hassle on so many levels

And yet Randidly�s eyes were grim when he walked into West Providence Because the evidence weighed very heavily against Ghost

Eventually he reached a large antechamber and a hologram of a teenage boy appeared there For all that Randidly knew he was throwing off murderous vibes the boy�s expression was placid But Randidly supposed he should remember that he wasn�t truly dealing with a human

If he wanted to kill him he would likely need to burn down the whole city Then his mouth twisted sardonically Well not literally Killing everyone in the city was a little bit overkill But he certainly would search very diligently for Ghost�s actual body

For the first time in my existence I am jealous Randidly Ghosthound And truly surprised Ghost said finally Your talent I don�t know how to classify it Not only are you a powerful warrior but you are also the genius drone creator I�ve been admiring lately Let us not even discuss what you accomplished at the lake What you did with plants required Control at least 500 What are you

Randidly grimaced I�m just a man And that�s all I�ll ever be for all my strength But it�s never been about what you are it�s all about what you do And what have you been doing recently Ghost

Chapter 586

Ghost folded his incorporeal hands Defending the Zone as best I can Although I must admit that I let myself be swayed by baser emotions Jealousy for instance I am ah it is still hard to say I am incredibly jealous of you Randidly Ghosthound You

Ghost trailed off looking down at his hands He fidgeted and picked at an invisible fingernail that was marginally out of place He looked so real to Randidly so human It was hard for him to stay focused on the danger that this entity posed to him The influence Ghost had over the whole of the Zone was dangerous even to Randidly Although he need not really fear people attacking him smear campaigns propaganda

Randidly grimaced It would make the changes he had in mind for the Zone difficult Having Ghost on his side was the desired outcome Yet if Ghost insisted on refusing

Let me ask a different question then Randidly said slowly Did you choose to have me kidnapped so you could take my body

This was Randidly stabbing in the dark But his instincts were telling him that Ghost was guilty of something although Randidly wasn�t sure what that was He had wondered while being captured why the Unity Church had moved against him in the first place His shocked thoughts while they were taking him notwithstanding he was just a rising name to them Although he would have valuable Skills they might want to transfer his disappearance would be noticed

Especially by Ghost who was a fan of his drones That meant that either the Unity Church was powerful enough to ignore Ghost or Ghost knew about it Ghost�s delicate silence gave Randidly all the information that he needed The AI simply continued to stare down at his hands

Randidly relaxed slightly If Ghost was going to be honest this talk would become much easier than the alternative I suppose that was a bit personal Instead how aware were you of the actions of the Unity Church specifically in regards to the proliferation of the Raid Bosses

You know Ghost said after a pause Randidly was somewhat disconcerted how decentralized Ghost�s voice was it seemed to come from all around him I had thought that this talk would be a turning point in my existence You are a genius and can do so much that I cannot It would be enlightening I believed And yet I find myself incredibly bitter For all that you have power I find it hard to believe you can damage me in a meaningful way Then let us

He froze Randidly folded his arms over his chest his eyes burning emerald Deep beneath them in the Earth there was an aluminum canister It was large about as big as a shipping container Within it lay six bodies connected by life support systems and a powerful computer

As Ghost was speaking a root pulled open the latch on the outside of the container and crawled into the door

How Now the AI looked speechlessly up at Randidly Randidly looked back without changing his expression his eyes tearing into Ghost�s form It was much easier than Randidly had thought it would be although that was likely due to his high Stats It had taken some scouring but since Randidly had walked into the room he had been seeking the Aether signature of Ghost

It wasn�t distinctive in the way the System�s the Creature�s or Randidly�s own was It was clearly Aether obtained through the System But as his Aether Detection Skill increased to above 100 the fineness with which he could distinguish different Aether became ridiculous Perhaps even then it would be impossible for Randidly to locate Ghost because he had never truly interacted with the other and especially not interacted with Ghost while he was taking a long look at his Aether signature

But what other entity would be 100 meters below the surface of the Earth It was a pretty safe bet that Randidly hadn�t discovered a lonely dwarf

Let me ask again Randidly said with a smile How much did you know about the Raid Bosses released by the Unity Church

Not as much as you would think Ghost said His body disintegrated and reformed in front of Randidly It was all a show but the hologram was inspecting him closely I was aware of their existence as it was only through their research that I could sustain Ezekiel without an unavoidable social cost Oh at first I didn�t understand what they had done to the monsters to make them act as substitutes for the human portion Ezekiel consumes It was only when the Zones connected to the New Earth when they upped their activity that I was able to deduce what they had accomplished

Here Ghost paused frowning up at Randidly This was a difficult prospect for my processors to judge I have circuits devoted to empathy within me but my primary function was to push the efficiency in the Zone to a point where people could survive And the empathy circuits carried with them no imperative I have done numerous simulations but I am unable to determine how Dr Karman would have preferred I resolve this moral quandary So I have left the issues unaddressed It is true this has resulted in gargantuan amounts of lost life But I

Randidly pitied this strange being before him It was a lost AI But that didn�t mean it hadn�t allowed thousands of people to die You should have saved them You might think that the benefits provided by the transplants are high but it sacrifices human lives Those are our ultimate resource Think how much your precious Doctor struggled to create you a single life Did you never consider this

Randidly specifically didn�t mention that Father Foster had implied that Dr Karman had been an early spawn of the Raid Boss Ghost froze looking up at Randidly with glassy eyes I never considered this My value is

Let�s leave that aside for now Randidly interrupted Perhaps Ghost already knew about Dr Karman but better to leave it alone for now Instead I have a question that I would like answered how did the Unity Church control monster populations so much And how did they so easily capture so many Raid Bosses

Ah this is rather elementary Ghost said the placid and confident look returning to it At first I didn�t have proof but It is obvious that they have located what are essentially spawn points� for the monsters What is strange is that this should be impossible it is likely some outside force assisted them Perhaps the same force that gave them the technology for the power plant Ah you are the assailant too yes The locations you attacked were all under the purview of the Unity Church As a gesture of peace I will publically clear your name

That will likely just add confusion Just let that identity fade away Randidly said shaking his head It was certainly possible that if the Creature saw meaning to it it would use its Skill to manipulate the places Raid Bosses spawned Useful but it would certainly have the effect of transforming the populous into groups that have Levels and those that don�t based on who would choose to head to the limits of the Zone for Levels

Randidly felt a powerful headache building Arranging this Zone seemed to be much more difficult than Zone 32 This place it just seemed that people and cities from the 21st century had been given Mana and moved to another world Whereas life seemed to restart from zero in his home Zone

I have the locations of the different spots I believe to be spawning monsters on a regular basis Ghost said straightening One of them was Lake Apollo of course But I will provide you the others It is the least I could do

Randidly looked at Ghost Ghost looked back Down below one of the six bodies began to slowly turn in the suspension fluid The root crept closer examining the insides of the container In addition Randidly was very aware that Ghost had made no moves to bring any drones or support closer Randidly wasn�t sure what that meant If he was under siege and outgunned would he be able to sit placidly and allow the other to tighten their hold on his neck

It had been a while since Randidly had felt powerless It was not a feeling he missed For that reason Randidly was somewhat leery of returning to Shal�s world There were quite a few people there who he had pissed off during his time there Although he had grown in power that was only in terms of his own world In Shal�s world

Well Randidly didn�t believe he was anything close to weak But he would only be at Level 25 There would be people more powerful than he in Shal�s world Remembering the attack that had shattered his As the Sun Stills Skill the first time

Randidly returned his focus to Ghost Because he sat still waiting He was a computer One that was trying its hardest to be a person One that was succeeding in a way because it was making mistakes Closing his eyes Randidly sighed This would mean more work but

Fine Let�s work together This Zone needs you Randidly said quietly

Ghost blinked Then he nodded Ah your tone indicates there is more It is likely that you will want some proof of goodwill between us Please believe me I am all for a cooperative endeavor

Oh shut up Randidly said rolling his eyes You just tried to send me away You don�t like me I�m everything you don�t have and you probably won�t be able to get over that You have the mentality of a child

I am the most advanced machine ever created the only true artificial intelligence Ghost grumbled but Randidly ignored him

Which is why well it�s true that I�m going to require a guarantee of your good behavior but it will come in a package that I think you will appreciate I want to build you a body

Chapter 587

among the precious and universal endowments of humanity there are two which persist even in the face of social economic and metaphysical Systems which so routinely insist otherwise that all of Humanity was created equal and that the architecture and growth of vocations and talents remains solely with the purview of the individual no matter how benign and knowledgable any other influence may seem

It is an unavoidable eventuality that the realities of our so pressing human conditions and our high minded reflections upon our living morality feel the insidious creep of influence from our growing reliance on power as a necessary tool of survival But let it be known thusly throughout the land Power without legal mandate is villainy and the seizure of systemic power without the considered affirmation of the populace is tyranny Although indispensable to the reality of enacting the virtuous rule of law power alone is a naked threat that will inevitably find victims amongst our most vulnerable To believe otherwise is an exercise in deliberate foolishness

But slow moves the shield held by many hands As such a scaffolding of tiered influences and mutual oversight is not only necessary but an organic presence within our nation state To that end towards the fruitful pursuit of justice we the citizens of Rawlands assent to the founding of the Great Orders which

Congratulations Your Skill Graceful Calligraphy has gained a Level

Congratulations Your Skill Authoritative Writing has gained a Level

Congratulations The Path Ideological Planter is available to you

With a sigh Tessa sat back She took several seconds to rub her eyes then she peered out the tiny window in the corner of her office Although the window was largely old world glass it had still grown dirty over the past few years The people in the City Hall of Franksburg hadn�t thought to hire someone to clean it as had been done in the old days As a recently elected councilwoman in Franksburg Tessa had the ability to push for funds to be put towards hiring staff for City Hall but

Blinking away any lingering weariness Tessa turned back to the paper in front of her There were more important things than cleaning right now

The resolution in front of her which was the crystallization of the platform that Tessa had run on had already been passed by Franksburg generally She was currently rereading and altering the operative language in the introduction to be submitted to Rawlands generally It was her first task on the City Council and it was exactly what Tessa wanted to be doing

But it was just so exhausting

Besides there was a chance that it wouldn�t be accepted broadly and Tessa wanted to do everything she could to ensure that wouldn�t happen Although it would likely become contentious down the line not enough time had passed since the arrival of the System for people to disagree with the all humans created equal portion

But if the System stayed 30 years down the line NCCers tried to push that through the government Tessa had no doubt a powerful and selfish individual would simply destroy the government She shivered feeling the vestiges of an old fear

A face appeared in her mind with black hair and piercing emerald eyes The very air around him seemed to warp He was so powerful that simply being angry made everything rip and tear around him Tessa dreaded finding out what that did to a person�s personality having that power

It wasn�t that she hated Randidly for what he did He was young and foolish And this world had given him more power than he could ever understand

Almost a year and a half ago after returning to the employ of the biggest crime boss in the city Tessa swore that she would find her own power her own voice And she wouldn�t rely on the System to do it

Thinking back Tessa laughed Well with only some help from the System She had worked hard and taken courses at the Franksburg Academy that had opened up Due to the size of the city and out of habit Franksburg still needed professionals So Tessa had spent a year in a crash course as to how to be a lawyer Afterward she clerked for a judge for several months

When the influx of refugees from the borderlands meant a new council seat was opening up Tessa tossed aside her steady position and campaigned relentlessly for a month And she had won

A part of her wanted to finally take a chance to relax but another refused Even now rumors of the things Randidly was accomplishing reached her ears If she wanted to someday become an influence that could restrain him she needed to rise up a lot more in politics Inwardly there were some days that Tessa regretted running for city councilwoman rather than the more influential Senator position that would attend the Assembly of Rawlands but in her heart Tessa knew the only reason she had won her position was that a lot of capable candidates had gone for the three Senator positions

Well no reason to be bitter about it Tessa reminded herself looking at her resolution

After becoming a councilwoman she had finally obtained a Class Radical Scholar She was conflicted about the Class On the one hand she had obtained Skills like Innovative Thinking and Powerful Memory that helped her accomplish the things he wanted Utilizing them along with her Calligraphy and Writing Skills Tessa had obtained power without ever resorting to violence The pen is mightier than the sword and all that

On the other hand Tessa felt oddly disappointed She wasn�t a Hero she wasn�t a leader she was just a scholar

Well no reason to be bitter about it Tessa thought again while rolling her eyes

She was about to go through line by line on the portion of the resolution that addressed the Chivalric Orders when there was a knock at her door

Jeremy an elderly man who functioned as the District Attorney in Franksburg stuck his head into her office Councilwoman the army is leaving

Her eyebrows climbed upwards She bit back a curse as she scrambled to her feet although it was a sexist belief Jeremy was always aghast when she swore and there was no reason to offend him over something so pointless So soon But Lucifer�s injury

Healed Jeremy said shaking his head

Tessa burst from her room loose papers fluttering with her passage Jeremy blinked at her in shock and made to comment but Tessa rushed away Although she was wearing a skirt it was a relatively loose number that flowed down to just below her knees Even if she sprinted as fast as she could Tessa doubted that anything more untoward than the act of running would show

And she needed to make it in time to this She hadn�t worked so hard on her careful delineation of basic human rights for the military to ignore the well researched and considered definitions And she knew that was exactly what they were about to do

Heads turned when she rushed out of City Hall into a busy road and Tessa was forced to slow down But only a quick pause to listen to the surroundings allowed her to clearly identify shouting in the distance to the East Immediately she started power walking in that direction nodding politely to a trio of police officers who greeted her on her way

It was strange the conscious part of Tessa�s mind reflected how Perception not only increased your base hearing but also your ability to distinguish between noises Things weren�t just louder You could also select what you wanted to listen to more easily Perception was where most of Tessa�s points had gone to that and Wisdom and she found it to be exceedingly helpful Although she really wanted to make a more concerted effort to improve her Focus and see if that prevented some of her crippling headaches that resulted from long writing sessions

Without pausing to check if any of the clunky looking Mana based cars were moving back and forth Tessa streaked across Main Street and took the steps two at a time to head up into the upper level walkways above downtown Partially these had been made to allow for military and defense forces to move conveniently between the wide expanses of Franksburg�s borders in times of trouble but they were currently mostly used as the equivalent of a highway for walking downtown

If you were moving close you stuck to the ground level The walkways allowed you to skip a lot of the local traffic

There were currently plans in the works to use some of the technology from Zone 1 to make a trolley system in Franksburg but the City Council was still barely able to figure out how much it should be taxing A huge expenditure like that made them gulp

Tessa reached the eastmost rallying point in time Lucifer was there the Hero of Franksburg looking that weird combination of bored and surly that he always did He made her twitch somewhat because it reminded her of meeting him with Randidly but Tessa did her best to ignore it And to ignore the fact that Lucifer was cut from the cloth as Randidly in that they could act without bothering with laws

But next to him was Commander Kimmen a German born individual who was in charge of Franksburg�s second army Rumor had it that he had recently reached Level 45 His Class Determined Soldier made him a popular and effective leader The two men were talking as the rest of the army almost 1000 men and women began to march

Tessa bit her lips It was hard not to remember that she was only Level 19 at times like this After taking a deep breath she walked forward to interrupt these two powerful individuals

Chapter 588

Commander Kimmen noticed her first and his gaze was sharp as he reviewed her It was difficult to keep walking forward when his displeasure at noticing her presence was palpable enough to thicken the air into molasses But in a strange way it also gave her a jolt of motivation it was clear that Commander Kimmen understood who she was and what her presence meant

Councilwoman DiCatto What a surprise But I must say we do not have time to negotiate the relative value of torture as you can see the survivors of the poorly chosen attack on Franksburg remain whole Commander Kimmen gestured with a grimace to a group of people off to the side Tessa tried not to wince Although he seemed to believe they hadn�t been tortured the group was clearly beaten and bruised with a contingent of mages around them in case they misbehaved Their hands were bound with manacles forged by the Dawn Smith himself and to this day no one had managed to shatter the metal that made them

Lucifer just stood there with folded arms and looked at Tessa with a puzzled expression If anything his reaction to her was even more off putting

Ah Commander Kimmen I�m glad that you are so well acquainted with the Articles of War adopted by Franksburg But to clarify I did not draft those they were put out by representatives from Star Crossing and approved by Donnyton I was only the individual who brought them to

Commander Kimmen interrupted her Let me be frank I know who you are and what you do And you have put the army in a very difficult position Our training programmes are the most efficient path to receiving the Class which will most enable them to assist their country on the battlefield Before your Referendum it was understood that a soldier would be required to choose the Class that was the fruit of the army�s very focused efforts And yet now young people who are essentially balls of hormones feel justified and ignoring their true calling and selection something pointless like Artist

The disgust in his voice was clear So much so that Tessa badly wanted to take a step back from him He definitely had an Aura Skill and it was rumbling outwards pressuring her to back down Before she even said what she came here to say he was pushing her away Tessa felt the part of herself that she had inherited from her mother rear its stubborn head She bit her lip and stood her ground

Ultimately you are simply an employer A Class is not something that can be prescribed to you The most up to date research out of Donnyton indicates Tessa began but again Commander Kimmen interrupted her

What person knows what they want People make foolish decisions all the time A guiding force is necessary and desirable So many people will waste their potential due to you I do not think that it is an exaggeration to say that you have altered the course of history for the worst Good day Councilwoman

Commander Kimmen turned to go but Tessa took another step forward Are you taking the prisoners with you This is actually why I�m here If you plan on moving POWs into the field of operations you need to bring a doctor and a representative from a civilian authority Whether that be a designated Classer or a high ranking member of the police force or

or a Council person Commander Kimmen said with a small smile We already have numerous medics so they can surely stand in for the required doctor To think I was angry when you arrived thank you for volunteering Councilwoman DiCatto We will be departing shortly right this way Commander Kimmen took a step towards her He did not touch her but the sheer physicality of him was more threat than a hand on her arm would have been before the advent of the System

This was exactly why they needed laws to govern the use of power This man this smug smile on his face this amount of force that most people who had not chosen to specialize in Strength were unable to resist

I I didn�t come here for that I Speaking was difficult but Tessa tried to form words around her rising fear Commander Kimmen ignored her

His hand landed on her shoulder It was light but the threat behind it was not Let�s not dwell on the past After this we can consider it even March soldier

Tessa took a step forward Then she gasped and a hot flash of embarrassment and indignation washed over her He used a Skill on her A Councilwoman Well in her next resolutions that would be punishable by 1000 years of getting fucked by

Looking at her hand Tessa wondered why it was being held by Lucifer He palm had cushioned her hand as it had rushed at Commander Kimmen She had thrown a punch at him Immediately Tessa went pale Shit if she had actually hit him all of the work on abuses of power that she had done

Lucifer let go of her hand and turned to Commander Kimmen We will wait A few hours makes no difference Contact the police force

Then he turned back to her Was there anything else

This was the truth of it Absolute power corrupts absolutely She knew this But it was still bitter to be faced with the proof of her own faults Randidly Randidly wasn�t a monster He was just the first of many to ascend to a level that was beyond that of a human by a significant margin Lucifer was the same way They defied convention and moved freely between different roles Which was exactly why the Chivalric Orders were necessary With the proper definition of what they were to the state

Uh Tessa came abruptly back to herself and flushed Honestly Lucifer had spared her a great deal of shame Her punch was definitely not enough to make someone like Commander Kimmen even flinch No I was only here to make sure the POWs were treated fairly

Then let me escort you back Lucifer said quietly Tessa felt her hackles rise to the implicit acknowledgment of her weakness but there was nothing she could say This was how it was She nodded and hated herself for it

Many people had suggested that she hire a bodyguard but to Tessa this seemed like surrendering to the other side The point wasn�t to gather enough physical power around herself that she was a true threat to some of these powerful individuals but to show that a high level of accomplishments in the System was not all that humans could seek

As a child Tessa had loved to read speeches from the great political leaders of the past 200 years Even when she learned that they had been written by average people and only read by the leaders this hadn�t shaken her enthusiasm If anything it intensified it Because then these speeches really were something that came from regular people And their power was not just in the mouthpiece they used but also the persuasive allure of well wrought language

That was Tessa�s goal To create something that would stand the test of time and define the philosophy of their city maybe even all of Rawland But right now

As they made their way back to the city Tessa furiously chewing on her lip the entire time they passed another military camp Waving calmly Lucifer strolled past the group But they made Tessa�s heart heavy as she looked at them It was Sydney�s group

This was the other path the path that Tessa had not taken This was a woman who had pulled herself up through power to stand equal to all comers Not only was she strong enough to assist Lucifer himself but the people of Franksburg respected her Even Tessa respected her for all that it was surreal to hear the name of someone she had known before the System spoken of in such considered tones

Randidly Ghosthound

Sighing deeply Tessa looked away And then a voice called her name

Tessa Is that you

Tessa looked up to find Sydney was there looking somewhat taken aback Tessa mustered up her best smile Sydney I had heard that you were living in East End but I didn�t know

Relax I don�t mind you haven�t called Sydney said rolling her eyes Lucifer had stopped and was considering the two women Eventually he turned and walked back towards them Sydney walked up to join the group and then hugged Tessa The huge was tight and sweaty due to the sun overhead But Tessa didn�t really mind It was nice to be on the receiving end of a physical touch where kindness was the goal That didn�t happen often for Tessa anymore

And I heard you are a Councilwoman now I bet that�s strange If we were still living in the old world would we even be old enough to run for Councilwoman The world is a strange place Sydney shook her head Sometimes the magic seems like the easy part

That�s easy for you to say you have your own VIllage And a pretty hot one these days too Everyone wants to go and find an elemental that they can use Where did you get the idea for that anyway Tessa asked

A loyal subordinate that encouraged me to take gambles Then Sydney nodded towards Lucifer It was Drake After going into the Raid Dungeon he became rather pessimistic about the future of East End if we didn�t adapt That was how much of an impression the people from Donnyton made on him

It was strange to acknowledge the influence Donnyton had on them all and everyone fell silent Donnyton was always moving forward and refining their treatment of Skills Classes and Paths When it came to raw knowledge few matched Daniel and Clarissa Their equipment production industry was so effective that they were reaching the point that the equipment you could buy from them was just as powerful as those you could buy through the System created shops Their squads were relatively small but when they moved they ripped through monsters like they were below Level 10 They made everything look so easy

Even Tessa who very rarely was near actual fighting had been impressed the few times she had seen Donnyton�s Squads in action Tessa opened her mouth to say something but her wristlet began to ring It was Jeremy

Ah excuse me I need to take this Tessa said and she stepped away from the other two

Immediately she heard Lucifer say to Sydney Thank you She didn�t hear Sydney�s reply as she answered the phone

Councilwoman you need to get back here now Something big is happening in Zone 1 Something that is gonna really light your fire

Chapter 589

Hank and Thaddeus found themselves standing outside of an old junkyard with rusted cars standing piled on top of each other in tall columns Large heaps of scrap metal and trash formed small hills that gave the area something like a skyline It seemed to have been a relatively big place before the System arrived a hub of industrial trash and the rotting remnants of technology

Jesus you take me to the weirdest places Thaddeus said fiddling with his plasma pistol Fighting in urban environments in the worst At least in the forest all you need to worry about is poison ivy Here getting knocked into something is a good shot of impaling yourself on twisted rebar I don�t fancy getting a tetanus shot with my Endurance this high

If yur Endurance is really that high the rebar won�t pierce ya either Hank drawled pulling his repeater out of its holster His legs gave him no further information This was the place where his brother Alan was It did not seem to bode well for his current health

There was an even and low pounding in Hank�s head Something was coming he was sure of it But he also agreed with Thaddeus If they had to fight this would be a poor location for it There were too many places for an ambush among the bones and vomit of the old world

But still they were here for a reason As one they walked forward looking around carefully at the scrapped paint and rustling plastic bags In the early days of the Zone this would have been exactly the sort of spot that Raid Bosses would love to hide to develop their armies for a time before they attacked nearby human settlements But now it was as silent as a grave

They moved through the towering piles of garbage to row after row of broken down cars There weren�t even any small animals living here to brighten up the place The low beat in Hank�s head slowly increased in tempo They were moving closer but it was slow Still Hank wasn�t willing to toss aside everything he knew to follow the speed of the tempo He didn�t trust it that much

Finally Thaddeus looked up and frowned They were passing a trash compactor Do you hear that beat

Hank blinked Of course he did but the fact that Thaddeus heard it

They shared a glance and hurried forward through the junkyard Very quickly the very audible beat grew louder They found a bend where they believed that the noise was around the corner and Hank signaled the other man They climbed up the trash doing their best to remain silent It was difficult but the beat was full enough of clatters and thumps that the noise they created blended right into the cacophony that had seized the whole area

When they looked over a dirty washing machine at the top of the pile of trash both froze

Below there was a wide bowl in the hills of trash probably enough room for a good number of people to gather At that moment there was about double the amount of beings there should be in that area pressed together and dancing They stomped their feet and roared their emotions to the sky while a strange glowing body moved above them on a small stage

And they were all monsters They all seemed different with scales extra limbs or fur but they were clearly monsters Hank�s grip on his repeater tightened

Holy fuck Thaddeus breathed If all of the monsters gathered into an army this big

Let it go Hank growled his eyes scanning around the edges of the trash bowl Towards one side there were several lean tos made of aluminum sheeting and stacked household appliances Hank pointed We have a goal to find Alan Let the fucks party report this and the army will take care of it later

Will they Thaddeus seemed skeptical Do you see how many are down there Just the weight of bodies would push through plasma fire If we set up with all of them sitting down in this bowl we could handle them But if a group of them broke out

If we can isolate one and kill it we can check its Level That will give us a better idea of the magnitude of the threat But Alan comes first Hank hissed The other man nodded

They began to move around the outside of the bowl doing their best to stay quiet It seemed as though they need not have bothered as the noise from beneath them was deafening Whatever the monsters were doing it was weird Hank�s initial impression was that it was massing before charging out as a horde and killing people but the longer he listened the more incorrect that seemed But there were some strange almost ritualistic elements to what was occurring

Was there such a thing as a summoning ritual Hank wondered then he chided himself Based on how the System worked if a person believed in it of course there was But was that what was happening here Or

It took almost forty minutes to get around to the buildings they had spotted across the bowl The noise was definitely louder now and driving upward toward something specific But Hank did his best to ignore that They found that the buildings they spotted were even rougher and broken down than they had appeared from across the bowl It was surprising enough that the monsters had been able to build small dwellings but shouldn�t they have made them more hospitable

Walking quietly they began to explore the different dwellings They were labyrinthine and claustrophobic but Thaddeus and Hank made good time as they moved through them The houses seemed to merge seamlessly to each other and as Hank continued his considered movement through them he realized that it wasn�t a matter of making the hospitable it was a matter of making them There simply wasn�t enough room for all of the monsters here

Pausing briefly Hank climbed up onto the roof of one of the houses and looked around It was clear that several of the nearby hills had been converted into tiny dwellings as well THere were thousands of monsters here He felt a chill in his heart If there were truly that many it wasn�t a matter of sending a division of the army to handle it They would need to send the entire army in order to deal with a threat of this caliber

It was only due to a coincidence that they finally found what they were looking for Thaddeus� ears were able to catch a hint of a conversation even over the dull thump of the noise from the trash bowl With even more care they crept forward Finally they arrived at a door where through the cracks of the rusted door light was shining out And there were voices within

Hank narrowed his eyes If this was another place where the government or the church or whatever had its fucking facilities

Thaddeus nodded at him Hank reached out and pushed the door slowly open Only right before he did so the noise from the trash bowl abruptly ceased That rusty door swinging open was the loudest thing in the world at that moment

But both of the men knew their business As soon as it became clear that they wouldn�t be able to maintain secrecy both burst through the door with their weapons drawn There were four monsters in the room one that seemed to look like a werewolf another that had four small black wings on his back and the twisted face of a vampire and two that seemed to be a pig goblin looking breed They all spun around at the noise

Hank�s eyes moved from them to the table where Alan lay his face pale His breath was short and quiet but in that abruptly silent place the weakness of it was deafening He leveled his repeater at the monsters

Before he had even finished rapidly firing his bullets there was a pop and another monster appeared in the room with them But this time the monster seemed to tug at something in Hank reminding him of something else It was a treant probably two meters tall so tall in the small house that several twisted branches rising from its head brushed the ceiling But what was strange about this treant was that its bark was ashy and its eyes burned red There were also several spots on its body where the bark was flaking away and molten redwood was glowing within

It was like the thing was slowly burning from the inside out And that was when a name clicked in his head

Arbor

Bulletstorm rushed forward the bullets smashing into each other and shattering into a wave of shrapnel The strange treant thing simply waved its hand The hands were large and blunt with only four fingers as though its thumb had been cut off But when that hand hit the skill the bullets melted and dispersed into a puff of ash

Then it reached up and held a gnarled and blunt finger to where its mouth should be Without another care towards Hank and Thaddeus it turned away Thaddeus looked at Hank in askance But Hank couldn�t move his eyes were locked on Alan whose labored breathing had stopped

With another wave of the hand the treant produced a small flame that was pure white Very carefully it approached Alan�s body The other monsters shuffled to the side None of them would look at Hank and Thaddeus but stared at the ground likely in fear It was gentle in its movements as it lowered the flame and pressed it into Alan�s chest

There was nothing for several seconds and then Alan gasped sitting up He coughed up a wade of dark phlegm then reached up to touch his chest Ah fuck me this hurts

Then he seemed to notice Hank Alan blinked Hank What are you

We don�t have time Alan Hank said his eyes on the four monsters and the treant The treant placidly turned and waved at him There is well there is a fuckload of monsters around here More than a wild boar has fleas So move over to me slowly and we can

There are twelve thousand of us

Hank blinked The vampire looking monster rubbed its hands together nervously It glanced up at him then back at the ground Its voice was much weaker the second time twelve thousand of us And we aren�t monsters We are just

fRIenDS The treant said its voice squeaking at some parts of the word Then the damn thing began to dance

Chapter 590

The Headquarters of the Unity Church was in the Northwest quarter of Zone 1 which was by far the least populated location in the Zone Or at least it had been Over the past several months thousands of people had been moved into the multiple refugee shelters the Unity Church had sponsored in the areas which had been a boom to the population numbers If they had wanted to they could likely successfully petition Congress to increase the amount of Senators that area received

But they didn�t want that Randidly whispered to himself as he looked up at the relatively imposing cathedral that rose above him They would prefer to experiment

With clenched fists Randidly walked into the cathedral They were waiting for him in the pews faces towards the altar as he entered Calmly he waited as they finished their prayer

Lord give us the strength to resist the temptation of the flesh and the System of choosing fickle pursuits in this life so we might taste eternity in the next The priest at the head of the congregation noticed Randidly but said nothing The individual leading the prayer contniued with his prayer for some time decrying the villains that embraced the System At the end the priest bowed his head Amen

Amen Rumbled the response

Then people began to stand and slowly file out The cathedral was large and had multiple tiered sets of pews that enabled more people to see the stage Randidly estimated almost a thousand people could all fit inside the cathedral It wasn�t filled to bursting but Randidly hadn�t seen very many open spaces either So he stood and waited calmly by the door as the people left Waiting a bit wasn�t an issue

But his calm reflection was interrupted before it even started

Ah Rand You also attend services here Excellent Kulwort Shaw his grandfather appeared at Randidly�s side with a warm smile I had worried due to your father�s godlessness and well your mother was also not ideal In addition some of the comments you have made on the television

As Randidly blinked at him Kulwort shook his head Well anyways Use your platform to promote Unity Church people need it

Actually Randidly said I�m here because I�m starting to believe that this church is more trouble than it�s worth

Kulwort just gave Randidly a quizzical look Do you think so If we didn�t believe in this people would just believe in something else Probably something worse Sure only the dullest of individuals would miss the signs that the Unity Church was poaching some of the weirdos from the crowd and doing things that the rest of us would rather not know about But isn�t that the way of things

Randidly made to reply then paused He had known People are dying Mr Shaw I believe someone here is at fault I will see those who caused death brought to justice

Oh that�s fine The people don�t matter the ideas do Kulwort spread his arms wide at the people casting curious glances at Randidly and Kulwort as they shuffled past Recycle as many as possible Sacrifice as many as possible Their deaths have meaning because they equip us with the knowledge and power to face the future There is no such thing as a free lunch To progress there must be sacrifices Is it so strange that people have traded away the knowledge and responsibility of these occurrences in order to possess peace of mind and be buoyed forward by the flow of progress

If this is an organization that thinks sacrifice on the scale they have committed is necessary I will crush the Unity Church Randidly said The conversation was slipping away from him somewhat but that was his grandfather He was a man that could only be described as peculiar in a dangerous way But he was redeemed somewhat by his frankness despite his seeming acceptance of people dying

Ha then you are a fool To destroy a place where ideas settle is to spread them all to the winds the bad ones might gather up a head of steam in a small corner of the world and destroy the more delicate well meaning ones It�s much safer to pool them all together like this Kulwort�s gaze was intense But Randidly held his gaze pressuring the older man into flinching and looking away

Then Randidly blinked and sighed He had been waiting for more information out of Kulwort But his grandfather was just strange His ideas were entrenched and he would go off into a meaningless lecture at the drop of a hat He would leave a child alone at a mall to prove a point to a third party Nothing was valued more than principle to Kulwort

As Randidly left the fidgeting man Kulwort called after him

If I know anything Rand it�s that people are beings who believe Faith is the ultimate defense of the fearful something more capable is watching out for me If you take away that thing people worship well you don�t want to find out what humans are capable of doing when left to their own devices in the face of fear

The phrase beings who believe� stuck with Randidly as he walked back to the front of the now deserted church Standing there as if waiting for him were four people sitting in the front pew and three standing before the altar with their eyes on him All four of the kneeling individuals in the pews were male but two of the three standers were female The woman in the middle cleared her throat

Mr Ghosthound A pleasure Should I take this as a sign that you have decided to throw your support behind our modest parish

Randidly raised an eyebrow as he looked around no that is not the case Ma�am what is your name

Artemis Llewyllan A bishop in the service of God I am slightly surprised that a political figure such as yourself would come here so privately it has me wondering about your motives Your accomplishments have proceeded you I do hope you can forgive me for taking precautions

Randidly spared a dismissive glance for the four kneeling men but as he looked at them he realized with a pang that their common appearance belied their Level When he focused on them he could feel their thick air of violence These were not normal guards they were the few in the church that took advantage of the System Fighting them would be troublesome if only because Randidly wouldn�t be able to neutralize them without making a permanent enemy of the Unity Church Likely a portion of this fine cathedral would be destroyed

Randidly had resolved himself to moving publicly but the publicity that would result from such a destruction would likely be a headache If convenient he would avoid it

I hadn�t even noticed Randidly said drily turning back to Bishop Artemis Let�s get right to business then As you might have noticed Father Foster is no more I would like a lot of her policies and programs to die with her The Unity Church is splicing monster parts into human bodies and vice versa I will no longer accept this

The bishop considered him We have had our suspicions on the wellbeing of Father Foster As for her programs some of them were extreme and it shouldn�t be difficult to let them fall by the wayside I personally found her to be rather insufferable but she originally was a leader of some of our darker branches

You knew and yet you did nothing You knew what she was up to Randidly said his voice dangerously low

The bishop snorted Would you prefer that I act the fool Of course I knew I have even benefited from her work It was one thing to hate the act it was another to say no to the benefits she offered

Randidly�s hands clenched into fists Perhaps Kulwort Shaw was wrong then If people were beings who believed all those he encountered were those that believed in power That was not a beneath he minded destroying and even if it grew like a mold in the dark places of the Zone he would find it and eradicate it again and again So you supported it

I did the best I could and I didn�t refuse the benefits Artemis said softly a frown on her face as she looked at Randidly What could I have done If you know Father Foster is dead then you likely would know about the strange army she was developing Before that what could I do

You could have left the church Randidly began but Artemis was already shaking her head

To Father Foster the human life was a fungible commodity any was as good as another Perhaps I could have initiated a schism in the church I would have saved those who followed me but she would have simply taken those lives from other places Believe me I did as much as I could

Randidly knew she was lying But he had no way of forcing her to acknowledge that fact And it wasn�t worth his time

Fine then Randidly said while breathing out through his teeth Then tell me where are the monster spawn points

Artemis blinked You truly know everything don�t you Perhaps even we underestimated you I suppose that is why Father Foster is no longer with us Of course we have them but

After a pause she said I hesitate to hand them over to someone who is so familiar with violence We are moderating the number of monsters loosed into the Zone providing just enough to push the Level of the populace upwards Even though we choose to encourage our people to abstain from Leveling we understand well in addition you grew up in a different Zone A wilder one You wouldn�t understand

Ma�am that question was a courtesy Randidly said slowly The priest who gave the service was glaring at him so he turned his gaze to the man until he was sweating I will leave here with the information that I want No matter what I have to do

You seem confident Are we truly a clam so easily pried open Artemis said with a wry smile

Yes And you know it too or you wouldn�t have that thing waiting in the basement What is it by the way The way its gathering energy Ah you made a Heretic didn�t you

Artemis froze Then slowly she deflated Finally she sighed Fine you win

Chapter 591

It is a citizen�s duty to view those who hold their lives as high walls before the ferocity and chaos of nature as commendable and virtuous It follows then that those who may more triumphantly innoculate humanity from any and all savage Systems deserve further praise The organic conclusion we come to is that heroism of any one person due to history and circumstances shines thusly because it must be so But that oh so desirable light occasionally ascends to a degree that it becomes so eye catching that the viewers find their eyes blinded Without outside assistance these figures become naught but form and vehemence to the populous without the structure and shape of a true and flawed human a category to which we all must admit our own belonging

The Founding of the Chivalric Orders (the proposed initial five being the Order Valorem the Order Ferocitas the Order Sapientia the Order Fide and the Order Ducis) attempts to rectify the shapeless blindness

Law grips firm edges Without definition the application of law will only damage and restrict And it is anathema to our considered vision of law that any figure no matter how influential or unique can justifiably claim to be immune to the law�s effects or operate beyond the reach of this nation�s honorable people

To that end let the Chivalric Orders be an encouraged reformation of roles that no figure of heroism will be found lacking in the possession of legitimate levers of influence with which to grasp

What are humans Jeremy asked

Tessa looked up from a letter she was working up the nerve to send to Mrs Hamilton She blinked and then decided that this question annoyed her What do you mean

Well that�s the crux of the issue isn�t it Jeremy said scratching his head What constitutes a human Are these people

Humans Well humans are people I guess I guess the best way to check if something is Well shit Maybe it�s to see The best check is if it can recognize other humans The indelible quality of man is a distinct and desirable flavor of considered intelligence and restrained savagery Most notably each possesses an intellect of such power that none may pass near to each other without feeling the warm radiation of wit from the eyes of even a stranger Humans are those who have the capacity to recognize the humanity in another

Jeremy rolled his eyes Don�t talk hipfire flowery language with me Humans are beings that recognize other humans What a bunch of theoretical shit You realize that such a definition would indicate that the monster people are more human than the unhappy populous around them who steadfastly refuse to treat them as anything but a threat

Shaking her head Tessa ignored Jeremy and turned back to her letter She needed to send this today before they got off the Manatech railway and hoofed it the rest of the way North Even though this was her first time being outside of the Zone she didn�t have time to enjoy the sights

She had a grand plan and she knew that Randidly would not sit around and wait for her ideas to catch up with him If she was going to pull off what she intended her ideas needed to spread and quickly There was no time to waste

Randidly�s second visit of the day went a lot better than the first The Jade Prince seemed similarly prepared for his arrival but answered all of Randidly�s questions in a satisfactory manner In fact Randidly quiet liked the young man it truly seemed that the guy simply wanted to be left alone to pursue the pinnacle of martial arts His impression was not one of someone who would struggle politically

Now with the outside influences dealt with and in possession of the spawning apparatus for monsters Randidly considered his next move At some point he would need to reunite with Neveah They no longer really needed to operate separately although he expected that she would choose to Randidly also wanted time to digest his new Skill and the Skill Levels he had gained in the last week or so but even thinking about doing it right now drove a knife of hot anxiety into his gut There just seemed to be so many more things he needed to address

Randidly pressed his eyes closed and let most of the sensations of the world fade away Thunder crawled slowly overhead grinding with loud groans at the clouds A soft rain was falling leaving tiny pinpricks of light against his skin Randidly stayed that way for almost ten minutes savoring the peace of nature

Then his eyes snapped open He would need to disperse these monster spawners at some point but Lucretia was already trying to figure out a way to unlock them from a fixed destination It would be much easier if he could just return the Zone to normal But that wasn�t something he could do much about now Instead he needed to deal with the last half of a dangling loose end

He needed to construct a body for Ghost that had some insurance that he would remain focused on the best interests of the people here

For that he needed to return to his steel shanty town

The journey wasn�t a long one however especially now that Randidly no longer bothered to try and keep his movements hidden He simply ran directly through the country at a speed approaching that of the railway When he arrived there he found that his house had been emptied of Maude�s tea supplies which left him thrown for a second It was only after seeing the broken window that he remembered the fight they had and sending her away for her insistence of using his house to promote the foolishness of the Unity Church

As he left the shantytown now a true town Randidly supposed he sent a message to Dinesh Tykes and Tatiana All three were waiting when he arrived at the farming complex Tatiana�s girls had been busy and as this long summer they had been experiencing slowly shifted to fall they began decorating the location with the warm and dark colors the world would soon switch too

All were stunned when Randidly announced his plan I want to start a company Erickson Steel I�m thinking We will set up a factory here and become the high end supplier of metals and drones

Very quickly Dinesh nodded as his mind followed Randidly�s through the processes and Tykes just shrugged As long as he could stay here with that silent girlfriend of his he wouldn�t care

Tatiana was really the one that Randidly was unsure about It was technically her property although she agreed to follow him only a few weeks ago When she looked at him there was still that caution in her eyes It was something that Randidly couldn�t blame her for Abruptly he revealed his past form to be a lie and gave only a cursory explanation It would be strange if she had no reaction to that sort of change

Why Tatiana asked quietly

Opening his mouth Randidly thought about several answers Then he slowly smiled Honestly Because I like working with metal And by and large this place earns no money right This way we will have the cash flow we need to stabilize and support the people who want to live here I also think training people I trust to make drones as I do is the smart choice going forward It will be slow going but at least we can get it started

Tatiana watched him carefully Then in a very deliberate manner she offered him her hand I accept that It�s nice to meet you Mr Randidly Ghosthound My name is Tatiana It�s my pleasure to work with you

There was a profound sadness in Randidly�s chest as he took her hand Her skin was cool Something was lost Randidly knew in this gesture This was Tatiana�s way of forgiving him But it was a forgiveness at the cost of the strange heady glee they had shared before The carcass of their friendship was used to bridge between them and create a working relationship

Perhaps it was for the best

Immediately the two of them proceeded to draw up plans for the facility Which were largely unnecessary as Randidly had already carved out quite a cave system beneath the compound Still it would be better to provide above air facilities in some portions so the people who would work at Erickson Steel wouldn�t be solely cave people

Afterward Randidly proceeded to talk to Foreman Davey It was somewhat awkward but Randidly offered the man a job He was met with roaring laughter but when Randidly explained that he was Baloo Erickson Foreman Davey considered it

no no I cannot I�m here for a reason and I�m going to fulfill that duty He said while shaking his head Then he elbowed Randidly in the side But I know your offer isn�t just for me You want to poach some talent eh How quickly you�ve moved on from our working relationship really makes me feel somewhat used ah to be old and nearing retirement

Randidly rolled his eyes but accepted the other man�s gentle ribbing After all he needed his help Randidly had basically spent very little time socializing Of course he would approach Gregory and Sonya and Randidly believed they were pretty likely to say yes and jump shift from contracting to working under him Beyond them Randidly didn�t remember a single name of a steelmaker in the building

In addition he couldn�t compare to the experience Foreman Davey had in the area of the steel market While they spoke Foreman Davey mentioned dozens of small tips and tricks that the different buyers used to squeeze extra value out of a seller and how to avoid them It wasn�t something that Randidly asked but he noticed and appreciated the favor

And afterward rather than question Randidly on the details of his plan or offering any warnings they talked about steel It was a simple conversation and Randidly was pleased and embarrassed to find that their knowledge of the substance extended in completely different ways In that short half hour they stood before the factory and watched smoke churn upwards while talking Randidly came up with a half dozen ideas to refine the process for Erickson Steel and push it towards the next level It was incredibly relaxing

He would not forget this small kindness no matter how large Erickson Steel grew

Chapter 592

The first thing Randidly did after talking with everyone and setting things up was take a nap It had been quite a while since he had slept His Vitality made it completely voluntary And even afterward as he opened his eyes he didn�t feel truly rested

But he did feel clear A lot of the build up of frustrations and tension drained out of him leaving him ready for the day Not so ready that he wanted to accompany Tatiana to meet with a lawyer and an accountant to handle the gritty details of starting his own company but enough that he agreed to meet with some of the more inexperienced steelworkers that had been swayed to his side and provide a demonstration

What I�m about to do should not be copied No doubt some of you have received Fire Resistance already but this is more than that

Barefoot surrounded by twelve wide eyed men and women Randidly walked forward and began to work metal He didn�t hold back at all and began by directly using Incendiary Eruption to spew superheated gas and liquid up towards his metals He Refined and Extracted the ore as he worked with the heat source trying to get a feel for it It wasn�t difficult to control the flow of Mana into the Skill but it was much harder to keep the heat even That wasn�t so difficult during this portion as long as the heat passed a certain level but it would become more important later

Slowly the ore was reduced to its pure version beginning to melt in the crucible Randidly moved quickly to the table all the while maintaining the Incendiary Eruption Wincing he drew some Mana from his rings This was more demanding than he had thought it would be

Very quickly he cut up a bone and ground it to dust Then he pricked his finger and let three drops of blood fall onto the mixture With Gravity Affinity he began to stir everything together It still wasn�t strong enough to be very useful in battle but it could handle basic household tasks at this point

Randidly mixed the molten metal with the monster and blood mixture His method of mixing had reached something near perfection and he quickly got to work The only issue was that Gravity Affinity also required metal which left him somewhat drained rather quickly Still he pushed through the operation as the eyes of his soon to be employees watched

Working with metal was a heady experience and Randidly quickly lost himself in the experience of it The searing heat and the strange viscosity of the molten metal were endlessly fascinating to him Again and again Randidly stared intently at the molten metal for several seconds before raising the heat coming up from the eruption He needed a little more for the metal to settle with the bone and harden how he wanted it

With his Perception deeply sunk into the metal Randidly sensed the moment he had reached the point that he wasn�t skilled enough to make the metal anymore well done He began to cool it gratefully allowing Golden Roots of Yggdrasil to draw Mana into himself as he waited

Then Randidly began to pound the metal shaping it into something more interesting than an ingot In his mind it was supposed to become a small dagger but the metal he had made was harder than he had anticipated The hammers he had prepared barely dented the warm metal even with Randidly�s own prodigious Strength

Narrowing his eyes Randidly tried something else He used As the Sun Stills

His hammer became the core of a dying sun hanging above the metal Then it snapped and the density swelled violently upwards It was difficult to swing the hammer but with his muscles bulging the hammer slowly fell and hit the metal

Bom

There was a strange reverberation through the room and Randidly felt the floor shiver from the force A crack had formed in the side of the anvil that he was working on top of The people around him weren�t moving Randidly raised the hammer once more once more tricked by how strangely light the hammer felt immediately afterward This was a nice method with growing used to the shift so Randidly could handle it during a battle

As the Sun Stills

This time part of the anvil chipped off and the hammer itself shattered into pieces Randidly grimaced Well there were costs to this method of practice but hammers weren�t that hard to purchase

Honestly he should probably make his own so they would be better equipped to withstand the force of his usage

Note to self sell hammers In fact there was probably a lot of industrial equipment that Randidly could begin to sell that operated at specifications higher than the current stuff on the market Incendiary Eruption was good practice but his workers needed high quality furnaces in order to operate It was worth looking into

Randidly selected another hammer and began to shape the rest of the metal His two powerful blows had flattened what would be the blade and all that remained was to shape the rest It took almost two hours of pounding but Randidly managed it He was just grateful no one else offered to take over for him it would have been difficult for that person to even make an impression

Perhaps it shoulder be surprising to him but as Randidly looked at the dagger he had made without even a true hilt and an overly long blade it possessed stats

Nameless Dagger � Lvl 49 A dagger produce by a savant who loves metal It is rough but the shape of the process gives the dagger great strength But due to the strength the weight is beyond that of a normal weapon of its size Agility +4 Strength +30 Stamina +100 Bone Totem II Heat of the Earth I

Bone Totem II Made with the bones and blood of living things Grants a small amount of power to the dagger As this dagger absorbs blood there is a small chance this effect may grow Warning there may be dangerous side effects if the absorbed blood is from a creature much stronger than what was used in the dagger�s making All Stats +2

Heat of the Earth I The dagger remains warm in hand +5 Agility +5 Reaction Fire Skills will be more effective if used in conjunction with the dagger

Randidly smiled lightly and showed them the dagger People looked at it almost uncomprehendingly but studied it closely as they passed it amongst themselves

Randidly shrugged almost embarrassed Obviously we aren�t becoming blacksmiths but sometimes it�s nice to know what your metal can become What we are chasing is to make a perfect metal But what is the point of having that if we can�t work it at all That dagger is the goal Someday I want all of the metal we make to be of that level

When he said it Randidly didn�t truly mean it After all the metal included his own blood That wouldn�t be a commercial product But the people didn�t understand that and nodded seriously Some of them produced bits of metal they had collected from their work and tested Randidly�s dagger against it Except for a few bits of high quality metal that the group had collected it passed through the other metals without resistance

Then Randidly remembered that Tatiana was working to become more acclimated with her new Class and could use a weapon like that and retrieved the dagger He dismissed the workers and regarded it critically

It really seemed like raising the heat during the mixture process had done wonders for the evenness of the bone dispersion in the metal However he had cooled it too rapidly afterward Or rather too much oxygen was let into the edges of the metal as it cooled Grimacing Randidly looked around at what they were working with Keeping oxygen out of the forge couldn�t truly be done with heat

Then Randidly paused Perhaps could he use Breath of the Spear Phantom to keep air out around the metal He had always targeted people but

It was something worth pursuing but he had an agreement to meet with Tatiana for some sparring She wanted to Level up as fast as possible and Randidly agreed it was important Basically all the fighters he had was Tykes and Dinesh right now Neveah too but she was largely busy with goings on in the Orchard Karlito could hold his own in a fight and Bruya�s illusions were impossibly real but Randidly intended to attempt to clear the Ogre Danger Zone before he left for Shal�s world in two month�s time

Therefore a bit more was needed

Chapter 593

Regina Northwind sat in the chair staring up at the ceiling

there are times where the function of the individual is anecdotal to the current eventualities in a way that encourages others to imitate Other times the very presence of the individual at the pinnacle of the known world will act as a dampening agent that prevents the likely and necessary progress that so happily results from humans left to their own devices

It is a matter of availability Or rather of foundational qualities When one looks at those paragons of heroism and asks How did she/he do that � this reflection may serve as an impetus for further action It will become the beacon of motivation that drives a determined individual forward even in the darkest of nights At some point those precious few individuals affected by such an ambitious muse will lose their sense of motivations in the motions of productions they simply become a necessary detail of a greater act of chasing a goal

Those are the humans who move us forward

However in some heroes we find qualities that become more oppressive and bewildering than aiding Those heroes are seen and the populace acts with apparent disbelief How did these actions lead to this � They ponder The summit lies so far ahead that the mountain consumes one�s mind and vision there are no perceived Paths forward Humanity�s feet still as they crane their necks upwards to catch a glimpse of the long sunbeams that slant down from the top

Mrs Hamilton stopped reading and looked up at Regina with a half smile on her face She certainly must be applauded for her audacity if only for her work and weaving System elements into these declarations What do you think

About the Chivalric Orders Regina paused considering it She rubbed her stomach idly It was somewhat unbelievable to her even now that she could have a baby She wondered what complications she was aware of from her past life to late life children would be applicable It�s somewhat of a masterstroke for Franksburg if it passes No longer will it constantly live in the shadow of Donnyton

Mrs Hamilton�s smile widened Well I don�t think it is that simple for equity to come to pass but I believe the girl was aware of that possible eventuality when she wrote this

I�m just surprised she chose to lay the foundation for an Oligarchy Franksburg is already establishing itself as a vocal supporter of Democracy or at least a classic Republic How did she manage to have the council pass this Regina asked scratching her chin

Perhaps with the truth That it is aimed at Donnyton If our best and brightest leave to join a Chivalric Order that�s basically what is happening to everyone else so why not try and make us bite the same bullet

Regina frowned at the other woman So we will refuse to acknowledge the Orders But then

Of course not Mrs Hamilton hummed as she wrapped her knuckles against her wooden chair The two of them sat at Regina�s dining room table as a pot of bear ish stew boiled in the other room I�m going to recommend that we affirm this Becoming knights and things seems like fun Did you read the details I appreciate her flair Cadets Knight Errants Gallants Chevaliers Paladins Abbots and finally Prelates at the top Those are fine labels Fine Paths

Regina�s face turned more serious the reason you are doing this is for System related reasons

Yes Well and because she extended a peace offering by sending this to us first Mrs Hamilton looked down at the neatly written letter She stared intently at the paper for several seconds then shook her head I have no doubt that she sent this with the full knowledge that if we agreed we would immediately move to found at least two of these orders likely Valorem and Sapientia Valor and Wisdom Then

Mrs Hamilton�s gaze turned to the window and her eyes were blank and grey Regina said nothing waiting for the other woman to speak It took a minute but finally Mrs Hamilton smiled

Ah smart No doubt Franksburg will found an order themselves East End will soon follow And I am told that Ms Tessa is currently in Zone 1 Likely to encourage other to found Orders It will involve politics in both Zones if slowly

Why Based on the proposal this Council of the Orders can only make decrees about other Orders it really has no political power outside of themselves Regina said Even if power shifts to the Orders that�s a slow game and she running very quickly to finish things

As they generally did Mrs Hamilton�s eyes turned West Regina knew the other woman was feeling for the Ghosthound

Mrs Hamilton chuckled to herself shaking her head I have a few ideas This might be about dispersing some of Donnyton�s power by drawing people away towards orders that attract them but it is also aimed directly at Randidly in a very personal way

and you still want to approve it Regina asked hesitating slightly

How closely have you been reading what the girl has been saying Mrs Hamilton shook her head slightly Listen to this Humanity has now been inexorably bonded to the concept of Paths which are afflicted with a great conceit The conceit is thus Paths are not individual There is a multitude of examples of Paths being had by multiple individuals All people have access to the same Paths

With that in mind the most likely explanation for a baffling summit hanging above the collective head of humanity is the emergence of a different sort of Path Indeed this explanation is preferable to the alternative that an inordinate amount of hard work and timing are all that can move your fate forward in this world That is a crushing truth that should only be borne by those standing at the summit

The Chivalric Orders serve as another conceit this is a path upwards It seems likely that such a belief will in fact lead to a Path But even without proof these illusions of perspective will provide the bridge that allows the wheels of determination to grip a Path forward Although they cannot see the shape of their journey even arbitrary road signs reassure restless hearts as they chase the back of those that came before

It cannot be said that we do not owe a deep debt to those that stand at the pinnacle But those intrepid adventures they have thus far engaged in were solely as individuals and bereft of a theoretic and narrative underpinning Without this shape they are truly power without law unpredictable and dangerous in the eyes of the governing establishments

Let the Chivalric Orders be the sharp blade and gleaming armor that prevents such entities from running rampant under the influence of their own wild and mundane aims

Mrs Hamilton looked up at Regina expectantly

After several seconds Regina could only shake her head Yes the more I read of what she says the more it seems like she is trying to retain Randidly By giving basically anyone more superiority over him

That is certainly how most people will read it at first Mrs Hamilton said slowly But humans are strange creatures who knows what might happen

Ghost sat in his small van deep within the Earth pondering

It was an intimidating and exciting possibility that he might soon be able to roam throughout the land Only after delighting in the simulated scenarios did it occur to Ghost that he would no longer be able to display his preferred hologram avatar He would likely need a new version to convey how he was aging and growing

And he was growing and learning from his interactions At the moment Ghost was balanced on the edge of a difficult decision

Far away in the North Hank was arguing with Alan trying to convince his brother to return to his seat as President of the UHF Largely a figurehead role Alan was still depressed and unwilling to return After all Father Foster had taken from Alan his heart to try and capture the Skill Stronghearted Charisma Unfortunately for her Randidly Ghosthound killed her before she could put it to use Ghost had looked but had been unable to locate it

At the moment some strange tribal magic from the Treant being appeared to be serving as Alan�s heart It was difficult to examine too closely because Ghost had a distinct impression that the thing knew when he was watching it As it made Ghost uncomfortable he avoided it as much as possible

But Alan and Hank were just smaller figures They were not the problem It was the group beyond them that was the problem Thousands of monsters who possessed the minds of human They were often scarred and traumatized not entirely mentally sound For this reason Ghost didn�t trust them It was difficult to predict the actions of the erratic

Several companies were surrounding the group awaiting orders Tensions were high at the front on both sides as both feared the other Ghost�s drones had a stabilizing effect but soon that wouldn�t be enough

They were a liability They were unpredictable and dangerous They currently worshipped a tree Ghost knew they should go But he also knew they were human and therefore Randidly Ghosthound would not want them harmed meaninglessly

Was this meaningless It was difficult for Ghost to tell But he needed to make a decision

Chapter 594

Alumuran sat in the basement feeling the sweat gather underneath his short shaven hair and trickle downwards across his nose This room was far too hot but Alumuran didn�t have any will to complain this was his lot in life Although he was chosen to be given great power that power was a curse He had lost his individuality to the power and become solely a tool

That was what it meant to be the Heretic of the Unity Church

But today was a relatively good day because the voices above weren�t the usual dull mumble of prayers and confessions Alumuran felt some small twinge of guilt when he admitted his strong dislike of those as they were the gracious and correct statements of a pious populace However Alumuran had largely given up his free will he was unable to act on his sinful thoughts Therefore he comforted himself that they were relatively harmless

It was not as good as yesterday where Alumuran was seen by the other like him Well perhaps the other was not like him Alumuran had developed a small ability to sense the flow of the poisonous energy that the System propagated and the other was soaked in it But it was like seeing bloated tuna your whole life and then encountering a shark It was a being designed for this for all that it was a fish all the same It filled Alumuran with a profound fear and wonder

Unfortunately the other departed quickly But this current guest seemed intent on staying With his Holy Domicile Skill there was very little that Alumuran could not sense within the cathedral of the Unity Church As such listening in on their conversation above was simple

It is about fulfilling our implicit promise The young woman in front of the Bishop argued She was shapely and opinionated Alumuran had no further opinions worth even thinking about her Her name was Tessa As an organization you have made numerous representations by your outward actions and from what I understand you have betrayed these people�s trust on numerous accounts

You certainly are direct aren�t you The bishop said with pursed lips Some would say that what you are doing steps over a line it isn�t polite to waltz in here ask for a favor and then criticize our methods

Then you shouldn�t have murdered hundreds of people Is it only hundreds Tessa countered As a public and influential organization you have a responsibility to behave in accordance with a certain set of moral rules

I would say that we largely do It is only the actions of individuals that lead us astray The bishop said dryly but most of her ire had evaporated as she considered Tessa I will speak plainly my main issue with your proposal of Knightly Orders is how it seems to boil down to a popularity contest If the only way to advance is through the votes of your peers

Isn�t everything a popularity contest I find it hard to believe that even the most sanctified institution would escape the grasping reach of politics and platitudes And you are not the most sanctified I believe

Oh You seem to be premising much on a single mistake in the history of the Unity Church Now the chilliness returned to the bishop�s voice

I was in fact speaking of the fact you are a powerful religious organization that rose to power in the immediate aftermath of the largest catastrophe in the living memory of humanity But if you wish to talk about how the loss of life your organization allowed and used to your benefit is simply a single mistake�

Now you are simply being argumentative The bishop said exasperation clear in her voice Is winning a single verbal spar worth losing my support for your idea I get what you are saying you are recommending we rebrand This would primarily be a PR move For all that the tragedy of Father Foster will continue to stain us word has not trickled out very quickly I believe the man who knows the most doesn�t think much of public opinion That means that this might be an unnecessary preventative measure

And the favor you are requesting would undoubtedly spread the word The rise of the intelligent monsters will lead to questions that implicate us very directly It is not something that we will be able to plead ignorance over So please describe for me the benefits of what you are suggesting

Tessa�s face was incredibly serious as she held the gaze of the bishop As though waiting for the response she was about to give the entire cathedral was silent around them Alumuran watched his eyes blazing in the dark room Another trail of sweat wound its way down his nose across his lips and gathered at his chin with a few other such drops before it fell and hit the floor

I do not think it is as horrible a thing as many others that you encourage your congregation to refuse the benefits the System True they are inherently vulnerable to the attacks of monsters But the power of the System is closely shaped by belief and not just the beliefs of the individual Society also has a powerful effect upon the images and Classes and Skills we possess And if people believe it is nothing to use the power of the System it is simply nothing But with the wide base of your congregation if they believe that possessing the power is a gift and a curse those dark thoughts will shape those few that are users of the System�s power into something greater than they were Do you see

The bishop considered there is no proof that what you are saying is true

Then consult your faith Pray What does your heart tell you Tessa said

The two were silent for almost a minute when Tessa spoke once more

There is another angle that might be of interest to you It is regarding Randidly Ghosthound

The other Alumuran almost jolted into a standing position remembering the man�s piercing emerald gaze looking downward through several layers of plaster metal and wood to see him To truly see him like none others ever had And at that moment he had named him truly Heretic

Alumuran was a man who had taken the cursed power and couldn�t now escape it Heretic His only saving grace was that he could be the sword and shield that the righteous people of the Unity Church congregation needed

Oh It truly appears that he is as famous as they say I have in fact met with Mr Ghosthound He seems somewhat domineering With the strength to back it up You also mean to use the Orders as a method to bind him

I mean to use the Orders as a method to explain him to people Tessa said as she leaned forward over the table

After the younger woman had left the Bishop sat at her desk for a long time looking at the proposal that had been left by Tessa The younger woman�s handwriting was looping and elegant It was impressive in a way that Alumuran didn�t have words for that she had handwritten and signed the proposal she had left with the bishop Wondering if she did that for every document Alumuran closed his eyes and prepared to go into deep meditation to refine the almost toxic energy roiling within him

There were donations from so many strange sources that it all mixed together in a viscous muck Almumuran slowly extracted threads of it purified them and then added it to his main total but the process was so slow and the donations were coming in so fast that he was quickly falling behind The polluted energy within him weighed on his chest like a death sentence But he had learned the Skill Aether Purification which would speed up the process gradually Hopefully it would be enough

But to Alumuran�s surprise he was interrupted by a voice

Chosen one what do you think of this idea The bishop said

Blinking slowly Alumuran�s thoughts moved like molasses in response to the question He was being asked for his opinion But he He was a Heretic It was his role to discard his individuality and be simply a tool for those whose minds weren�t polluted as strongly by the influence of the System Of course it would be foolish to keep the leader completely without a Class or Level otherwise they could easily be targeted But only Alumuran received the energy from the congregation

Well there had been others but the influence of thoughts had left them broken They had strayed from their mission Father Foster for all her flaws had herself decisively killed any of the Heretics that began to behave overly erratically After she had died the experiments into finding new Heretics had largely stopped No one had the nerve a small part of Alumuran suspected

The bishop was still pondering and it hit Alumuran once more that she had asked him a question He licked his lips along in a dark room three floors below her His lips were dry

I dreamed of being a knight when I was a child Alumuran found himself saying In my fantasies they were the ones that would slay the monsters that haunted me

The Bishop nodded almost absent minded Then she nodded again more decisively Hmm Well maybe that foolish girl knows more than her brash exterior would indicate Oh and Alumuran I know the purification of the faith power is important but you must not lose touch with your humanity Please occasionally take a walk in the gardens to remember normalcy

Alumuran noded Then he realized with a flash of guilt that the bishop couldn�t see him and said I accept

I accept What sort of response was that But the bishop seemed satisfied and left her office heading over towards her private quarters

Chapter 595

Senator Firefly that it is very important to choose the location of a discussion If you do so you win the discussion Neveah said matter of factly as they walked calmly through the apple orchard that sat on the hill of the bustling city that the Orchard was becoming

Randidly smiled wryly as he used Plant Dominance to detach an apple directly above his hand It fell quickly and he snatched it out of the air After a bite Randidly grimaced and pushed some Aether into the apple Before his eyes it swelled to the size of a melon and Randidly took a tentative bite This time he spat it out and shook his head

Neveah clicked her teeth together She was wearing another skin now one that reminded Randidly distantly of Mrs Hamilton It is like giving money to a child If you want it to be better give it to the tree

Does that mean it�s the application Have you tried to get better at sweetening apples Randidly asked Honestly he wasn�t sure how it would be broadly applicable but he generally wanted to improve his knowledge of how Aether worked This large and impeccably tended orchard would be an ideal place to experiment with prolonged exposure to Aether

Neveah just looked at him like he was an idiot Why when you can just push Aether into the trees No need to do the hard thing when there is an easy way

Randidly kept himself from rolling his eyes but made a mental note to set aside some of the lands they would buy as Erickson Steel to farm Besides it might be possible to grow some interesting crops that would have industrial properties

He shook his head dispelling those thoughts Well this is certainly an interesting place for a discussion Let�s get down to it in two months I am going to head to Shal�s world Will you come with me

Neveah turned and regarded him Now she truly looked like Mrs Hamilton with her lips pursed and her brow furrowed With a start Randidly realized that she must be interacting with Mrs Hamilton pretty frequently if she had chosen this form He had never thought to ask but Neveah must have a friend�s list similar to his own or even had access to it through their shared bond It was difficult to label what they had Perhaps he should consider its implications more directly

But as far as he could tell if they chose to separate there would be no side effects Their connection wasn�t affected by the twist in time and Cohort jumping was likely just a spatial journey A huge one but the energy would likely travel across it without any difficulty

Is that you asking me to come with you or asking whether I want to come Neveah asked

Yea she had been talking to Mrs Hamilton Randidly sighed and looked up at the sky Honestly I don�t know Thinking how much I�ve improved I almost think it�s not worth my time to go back to Shal�s world But I have friends there and a few debts to pay It might be rather boring And you�ve proven that there is a lot that you can accomplish by staying here Maybe even more than me

Neveah shook her head chuckling strangely Hurr hurr no I don�t think more than you You always look forward You just don�t see all the people following after you

I want to come I remember a little I wasn�t wasn�t yet me But also there are people here I have a relationship I think I do not understand But I am excited about it Neveah clicked her teeth again That makes me remember Did you hear that one of your old relationships sent a letter to Senator Firefly

Huh Randidly took the words and rearranged them a few times and still couldn�t make sense of what she was saying Lyra and I were never

No Tessa DiCatto She is trying to create Something Senator Firefly tried to explain Knights and Chivalry Extra governmental armies I do not know You had a relationship with her what does it mean

Randidly opened his mouth and then paused she wants to found Chivalric Orders Like the knights of the round table

Neveah gave him a withering look that said she had no idea which was exactly why she asked him Her face twisted up made Randidly chuckle Then as they continued to stroll through the orchard he considered her words

Tessa Randidly still had a lot of guilt in his heart over what he had done But he was much younger then and didn�t yet understand how to use his powers Thinking about it now he could see how that interaction with her had powerfully shaped him towards what he is today If he had not lost his temper and hurt her would he have poured so many points into Control At this point it was pretty to simple to fight at all but the highest of levels and keep from inflicting unnecessary collateral damage

But making knightly orders Tessa was one who always was a stickler for fairness and rules It made a certain amount of sense that she would try and create organizations that would attempt to police the world It also followed closely with another fact about Tessa that Randidly remembered she almost hyperbolically distrusted people in positions of power She strongly believed that corruption was inevitable

So she wouldn�t just be creating a single order but multiple ones Randidly almost winced That would be chaotic if implemented incorrectly Likely to the point of disturbing the peace of the land And it would also create a scenario where it would be easier for seeds of twisted ideas to take root as had happened in the case of the Unity Church

That gave Randidly pause because he wondered whether the church would make a knightly order At that point Neveah spoke again

So

Thinking about Tessa Randidly said slowly It truly was difficult to remember her aside from brief bright moments of her laughter Their time together truly seemed to brief and naive in retrospect Neither of them was likely to be the same person that they had been She wants to create ways for people to work to improve their own lives She always talked about the government�s primary directive was to convince people to wait for the government to help them and that was a disastrous choice This is her giving people the tools to solve their own problems

Randidly paused and then continued slowly to speak in addition she was always smart in a considered way Like if you told her a joke she wouldn�t get it But that night she would look up the background and spend several hours researching it By the following day she would be intimately familiar with whatever was the subject of the joke and understand why it was ironic or shocking So I think she also gets the System implications If people believe they can improve they can improve On that front I think I would support them

Strangely Randidly remembered Kulwort Shaw and his words People needed something to believe in If they lost whatever they were giving their belief to they would just find something else

you know maybe it�s a really good idea Randidly said thinking about how it might draw more people away from the Unity Church

Neveah hummed I will tell Senator Firefly Mrs Hamilton also says that it will keep us in flux for another year or so politically So people don�t stagnate before the Calamity arrives

mm Randidly said as he gave Neveah a surreptitious glance How much did she truly understand Randidly admitted to himself how limited his own knowledge was in certain ways and she was likely similar in that regard They were focused people He considered asking if she knew anything about the new Zone but decided against it From everything he heard Franksburg had repelled a light attack and was now moving to speak with the leadership to resolve the issue It wasn�t something he needed to be involved in

Mrs Hamilton also says that the orders are about you That�s why I ask Neveah said abruptly

Randidly blinked and then smiled ruefully Of course he was something of a fool for not seeing that He was walking around and impressing his will upon other organizations If Tessa was even aware of half of what he had been up to she would be pissed enough to spit Randidly didn�t hold that against her however She was right in an important way

It would be very easy for a person in his position to abuse his power for his own benefit And he likely did that in ways he considered harmless Like streamlining the process for Erickson Steel to become a force in the business world of Zone 1 by talking to Ghost

But things were never simple Just as he supported a style that might lead to abuses Tessa allowed oversight and checks that would prefer innocent people to die from inaction than risk a dictator rising into power It was a choice And Randidly had already made his choice

Perhaps But don�t let that stop you from supporting it The world needs different types of people to function Randidly shook his head slightly Well anyway does that mean you do not wish to come to Shal�s world

I wish to come But I believe it is better I don�t Neveah said with a shrug

Randidly nodded Alright I�ll contact you when we are going back for that ogre

Whistling Neveah nodded Good I feel bored and irritable if I stay in the city too long I miss the violence

They parted and Randidly took a deep breath while running backward Then he reached out and sent a gentle mental inquiry Lucretia responded almost immediately

I was wondering when we would have this discussion

Chapter 596

They settled in a small tea house in the largest border town in the Spriggit branch Around them Spriggits talked quietly with White Hunters and a strange lizardman style creature that seemed to be some descendant of the monster race that was rather populous in the area The server didn�t bat an eye at either of their appearances although there weren�t any real humans in the area They were too large to be spriggit and too harmless looking to be descended from the monster race

It was with some chagrin that Randidly realized they likely looked most like some of the smooth skinned Aether Thralls that the Creature had used to invade As was the usual occurrence Randidly had grown caught up in other things and had lost touch with a lot of what went on within his Soul Skill But it seemed that it was largely peaceful aside from the usual power struggles over land

It�s been about 250 years in here although I slept for most of it Lucretia said quietly watching him with some amusement They wouldn�t recognize us really you know in the religious sect the Progenitor and the Great Mother are now just distant figures behind the savior that let them weather the great Reckoning where the land split and the World Tree Yggdrasil grew to protect the people from the Deepness There is quite a bit of disagreement over the Savior�s race

Randidly raised his eyebrows Are they talking about Tziech

Shrugging Lucretia said Well in part But there is also a good case that they are speaking of the Thief They talk of how the savior fought his way to the Architect on the Deepness and slew them Then the savior returned and lead the people into an era of prosperity in the midst of great adversity Oh and the Rock Golems still believe their own version where their emperor descended and gave his two weapons to a prophet� and that is why the war was won

Thinking of something Randidly looked at Lucretia Is the Thief

She died She fell in love and hung up her cloak and dagger She worked on a farm for 40 years after she left the seat of power of the Spriggit�s She lived to see her great grandchildren Actually that�s why I brought you here Our server is one His name is Zeke Spelled differently but

As if on cue the young man showed up at their table a smile on his face Welcome Are you ready to order

But when Randidly looked at him even with his special vision he could only see a sliver of this boy�s namesake and great grandmother All people are shaped by context This Zeke had never struggled To think the blood of those who had sacrificed themselves for Randidly would turn out like this

It was hard to handle the strange dissatisfaction that he felt looking at him but Randidly was as polite as possible After they had tea both sat a little straighter It was time for business

We have been connected for several months of real time but it feels much much longer than that Lucretia seemed to admit while wincing But if my understanding of our situation is correct I am able to leave when you return to Cohort 5 I will leave at that time

Randidly looked at Lucretia She looked back strands of her lilac hair falling around her face

That was that he supposed

They discussed the details and parted with an understanding that she would bear no ill will towards him for what he had done To Randidly�s surprise he believed her Or perhaps he simply wanted to Either way he didn�t want to consider the fact they might need to fight It would be difficult on multiple levels not the least of which was that Lucretia knew basically every trick he had

When he arrived back at the farming compound de facto Erickson Steel headquarters there were documents to sign and decisions to make Tatiana and Dinesh were still out training her up to fighting shape so Randidly promoted both of them without waiting for their consent Then he went down to talk to Gregory and Sonya who reported on the progress of the dozen steelworkers that were starting to work in the furnaces in the caverns he had hollowed out Most seemed to prefer the open air above while the forged It made them feel less like they were warping into dwarves

These were built mostly by accident when Randidly underestimated how much the tract of land weighed And because he overestimated the structural integrity of the walls He didn�t have any real training in construction but thought that the amount of ground he had destroyed with Earthquake gave him enough knowledge to eyeball it It hadn�t worked out and a portion had caved in

So now Randidly had to talk with an architect or the young woman with bright pink hair that passed for one at Tatiana�s compound Luckily Randidly could have roots stick directly up from the spots that marked the edges of the underground caverns so they could see what areas were above the place they had planned to install the furnaces

It turned out quite a bit of the farm and furnace was above that area So Randidly had to decide whether to shift the furnaces which they had just finished bringing gas and air lines down to help with the lightning process and ventilation But then Randidly had a vision of his company being built in a large crater made up of slowly descending circles of stone And at the center

Remembering the first trip to the world of the Patron of Ash Randidly shivered At the center was death of a sort

Although Randidly was happy with his decision to pivot the plans into something more iconic it would cost money So with an aggrieved heart Randidly went to the borderlands near them to hunt high Level monsters to sell their carcasses like some two bit adventurer

The cameraman gave Tessa the thumbs up She kept her hands folded on the table in front of her although she had a strong temptation to fidget or check her hair Instead she began to speak

Hello Zone 1 My name is Tessa DiCatto and I am a Councilwoman from Franksburg the largest city in Rawland But I come to you today not as a politician but a fellow citizen of this new Earth Because right now there are people in offices making decisions that will change our world They seek to define what it is to be human by exclusion and today I hope to stop that

You likely have not heard but there are 12 000 people in the Northeast section of Zone 1 that live in a junkyard Their children have lived on rats and rainwater collected from sheets of tin for five weeks No one has helped them or asked them if they needed help Among them all were victims of physical and mental abuse They are not a well off people But they can�t go for help for all that they need it Because they look like monsters

Undoubtedly you have noticed that Father Foster has disappeared from the public sphere That is because Father Foster was a megalomaniac that threatened and manipulated those true believers of the Unity Church for almost a year During that time she performed cruel experiments on people and monsters alike for a singular purpose she wanted to see why we could obtain Classes and the monsters could not

Eventually her unfettered power and twisted curiosity led her to perform a series of transplants where the organs and brains of humans and monsters would be examined Bit by vital bit this power hungry woman moved flesh between hundreds of people to see when human shifted to monster It is with great sadness that I admit that she was able to perform her experiments so many times that she succeeded She found the line that separates human from monster

Once she found the line she pushed past it Could monster bodies be used to strengthen people Always her mind obsessed over the collection and consolidation of individual power She became one of the most fearsome Classers the world had ever seen It was only due to the brave sacrifices of many heroic individuals that she was stopped If you require proof of her ills look to the massacre that happened along the shores of Lake Apollo a few weeks ago

And now I return to my first point in Zone 1 there are thousands of people scared and alone locked in the body of monsters They are the remnants of one mad individual�s corruption and greed It would be simple for your politicians to decide to exclude them based on how they look without a drop of sympathy for their plight But truly you are the ones who will make that decision And I would like you to remember those first terrible days after the System arrived Remember how viciously you were pursued by changes you didn�t understand and nightmares that were more real than you could have imagined

Would you have survived then without receiving the help from a stranger

We are a people that have endured an apocalypse Our backbones are straighter our gazes are more clear our hearts are stronger Although it will be difficult to empathize with these poor people due to their scars it is not impossible Just like it was not impossible for that stranger to reach out and take your hand when you needed it Because empathy and social connection are what it means to be human

We each hold more power in our hands than at any other point in history And that comes with great temptations The temptation to do nothing The temptation to support the status quo The temptation to abuse your power towards selfish ends as was done by Father Foster But we also have the power to work together to build great things To build a future

Which is why people of Zone 1 I have two pleas for you The first is to contact your Senators and demand that these tragic victims of cruel and disfiguring experiments be protected A society�s worth can be seen in the care that they give to the victims of the unimaginable We are at that point of unimaginable my friends Rise up and be the innumerable shields that the vulnerable need right now

And second I would like you to consider a proposal that has been accepted in my hometown of Franksburg To support the founding of a Chivalric Order Rather than holding onto the back of a powerful individual who will no doubt soon lose control what we instead need is to focus on building organizations with broad foundations and the rule of law

Chivalry is a word with some weight isn�t it It harkens back to when heroes road together in formation to fight the singular might of a dragon And I have no doubt that there are dozens of bright individuals out there who have felt frustrated as they failed to grasp how to use their own abilities to help others This could be that method With enough motivated and committed individuals living the virtues of chivalry things can change We can build a future in these orders by taking the best and brightest and giving them a scaffolding upon which to build a brighter future

Please if you understand the struggle of living in a world dominated by the System join me Join me in protecting your fellow man Join me in crying out against excluding suffering people simply because they were warped by an individual driven mad by power Join me in creating a world where those powerful individuals are no longer renegade disasters scaring the canvas of our world with their wild crimson actions Instead we need the infrastructure to ensure they are bounded and controlled by peers relegating them to puzzle pieces that snap into an orderly and prosperous world

Join me Take a breath and rise above yourself Become the knights this dark world needs

Chapter 597

With all of the people and positions of power talked to things settled into a nice rhythm for Randidly For over a month his days neatly fit into a schedule He worked on metal and forging in the morning trained new steelworkers after that then handled the affairs of Erickson Steel before lunch Afterward he did some combat sparring with Tatiana Tykes or Dinesh

As they weren�t enough to press him Randidly often traveled East to visit Neveah and the two of them went to a deserted part of the Zone to duel To Randidly�s chagrin he was hard pressed to win against Neveah without using Acri and Sulfur Her Skill with illusions was reaching the point that it was extremely difficult for him to track which version was the real one This was complicated by the fact that her true physical body was not entirely human in nature

Eventually Randidly could overcome this disadvantage with the raw power of his spells but that brief amount of time allowed Neveah to close the distance and make things a purely physical fight Even with Physical Fitness and Spear Mastery Randidly was swiftly outmatched by her pure physical prowess

Part of that was most of his Levels were in Spear Mastery but Randidly focused his efforts on removing this weakness from himself before he returned to Shal�s world in the evenings Mostly this involved viciously draining stamina training with the increasingly hard and dense metals that Randidly created Although traditional weight sets were almost useless to him with his As the Sun Stills pounding he was able to make the metals smaller harder and heavier

His experience with Breath of the Spear Phantom was much less fruitful It was hard Randidly realized to change the way a Skill you had inherited from someone else worked It was slow going and Randidly realized that part of the problem was that the image he was trying to replace it with was weaker and didn�t fit with the Skill

So Randidly divided up his time further spending a few hours each day at the bottom of the Lake Apollo in the dark fissures at the bottom Without light and air Randidly sat While he was there he worked with his Grasp of Lava and Incendiary Eruption Skills further refining his ability to control the duration and heat

But he also felt the edge of deprivation down there in the darkness What he needed was to make that into an image Breath of the Spear Phantom was a target Skill but there was no real reason why it couldn�t have an area of effect Well aside from the prohibitive cost The point was that it was a Skill to make up the difference in power between two opponents What Randidly was doing would largely eliminate that advantage

In the darkness he considered the pros and cons of this approach Ultimately he decided that another person�s image would never be the tool he could use to defeat the opponents that he knew would be waiting for him in the future Neither the Creature nor the Calamity would be stopped by breathing So Randidly began to massage the Skill into the new shape

The one other Skill that saw a marked increase in use was Ashes to Ashes It was a Skill he had received from the Patron of Ash that let him dodge fatal damage and immediately reform some distance away In the final fight in Shal�s world previously it had been the tool that let him fight on equal footing with his opponent regardless of the large disparity of training and stats

It was strange but he had thought of it during those moments of sensory deprivation at the bottom of the lake It was a small likeness but he could suddenly sense a depth to the experience of using the Skill that he hadn�t noticed before There was a duality present in that instant that an attack destroyed his body and before he reformed

He sensed death

Well that was the wrong word He did not feel death He felt a stillness that could only be described as the absence of warmth or change It felt like in the instant of impact Randidly became a thin film that existed between two extremes And by dancing in the space between the endless power of existence and crushing absence he was able to move freely

Strangely that coldness reminded him of something Touch from Beyond the Skill that Randidly had obtained due to the Creature�s influence after one of the stock System Paths And from what the Creature had said and Lucretia could suss out from its memories there was a significance to these Skills That coldness meant something to the System

It was a powerful tool One of the most powerful and Randidly�s arsenal And even though these strange resemblances made him suspicious of the Patron of Ash Randidly ultimately chose to continue to train in Ashes to Ashes For whatever reason he couldn�t take seriously the thought that the Patron of Ash was attempting to manipulate him in the same way the System was Honestly that strange being seemed to kill him

But it did make Randidly wonder what exactly the Patrons were and how they fit into the shape of the System Were they individuals from higher Cohorts like the Champions and Nemesai seemed to be Were they an offshoot of the strange occurrence of the Great Paths

Oh the one hand Randidly wanted to return and talk to the people of Donnyton for information Their network was the largest in the world right now and this was exactly the sort of tidbit that they would be closely monitoring But other than the time he had returned to Donnyton to create the Fate Circle which would hopefully remove a lot of the danger of condensing their Fate Randidly stubbornly refused to return And he knew it was his stubbornness that was stopping him But he saw no imperative reason to change his behavior

By the end of the month he had gained almost 300 PP over the past six weeks Most of his gains came from improvements to his crafting Skills as he continued to work on his method Specifically Spriggit Tinkering rose to 69 Gravity Affinity Rose to 62 Incendiary Eruption rose to 52 Chosen of Fire to 81 and Engineering Savvy to 68

In terms of combat Skills the big risers were Ashes to Ashes and As the Sun Stills which Randidly used almost daily for the month It did have the added benefit of giving Randidly much more experience in handling the strange weightlessness that resulted immediately after using As the Sun Stills It never truly went away but Randidly did develop the ability to largely ignore its effects

All put together the amount of PP was enough to finish off the Crown of Yggdrasil

Congratulations You have finished the Path Crown of Yggdrasil Long have you tarried letting yourself grow into the crown that you will bear for the rest of your life To hold a crown is not to select a crown but to find the crown always meant for you at the summit of your journey Know that your feet have long led you to this crown although you might not understand why Still tarry not long here For the road leads ever onward

Congratulations You have gained the Skill Crown of Yggdrasil Silence and Upheaval Lvl 1 Due to the nature of the Skill it is impossible to determine rarity

Crown of Yggdrasil Silence and Upheaval Lvl 1 An active Skill When activated your Crown condenses over your head and inflicts a low level silence on all nearby that dampens the effects of Skills Effect increases with Skill Level Also makes it difficult for individuals with low Willpower to speak In addition yours is a crown worn in times of strife and revolt When attacked results in each point in Perception and Reaction being worth slightly more It becomes much easier to resist binding deceit and persuasion Skills Effects increase with Skill Level

Randidly laughed to himself Due to the nature of the Skill it is impossible to determine rarity That was an unfortunate eventuality because he had been hoping to use it to break the final lock on humanity by raising the rarity past Legendary Still there were other options for that

In terms of Stat rewards there were none but the Skill would likely be something that he could use to affect Neveah�s illusions Silence and Upheaval well that likely was the sort of King he was

Sighing Randidly looked up at the sky He was above his workshop in the forest and set off South towards Lake Apollo When he arrived the lake seemed more glass than water without a single ripple moving across the entire thing Randidly walked to the lake side and looked down at himself

Know that your feet have long led you to this crown although you might not understand why

Is this truly where I have been heading Randidly wondered aloud But he knew the answer to that Perhaps this wasn�t the form that he wanted but for several months now he wanted the power and influence Fine then Let me see this crown

When he activated the Skill nothing happened for almost five seconds and Randidly at first wondered if something had gone wrong Maybe it was more than rarity that was difficult about it Adding to this sensation was the fact it had no cost

But then slowly thin tendrils of darkness rose up from his head and began to gather and circle around him Before his very eyes the crown condensed

It was not very large but it was black in color with some tinges of crimson in the edges of the blades of the crown And there were blades slender and vicious rising up out of the crown The largest was at the center of Randidly�s forehead sticking up almost as long as his hand It was thin and deadly with three sets of slowly smaller blades sticking off the sides until it reached the sides of Randidly�s head

The band of crown appeared to be woven of wood even though it was the same strange material But it seemed alive as one looked at it winding through the three strands over and over again like three snakes seeking eternity with each other

Suddenly the crown snapped into place and settling onto Randidly�s head A small ripple spread outward from his position spanning the entire lake There was a shiver in the air and a strange dimness spread outwards from the crown

Randidly�s lip quirked up as he considered himself with a crown on in the image on the water Something like Look on my Works ye Mighty and despair � huh

Chapter 598

Two weeks later about a week and a half before the time that Randidly planned to head back to Shal�s world a group set out from the now bustling headquarters of Erickson Steel to head towards the Ogre Ridge It included Randidly Neveah Tykes Dinesh Tatiana and also Hank and Thaddeus

Hank had spent the last few weeks with his family after Alan was forced to retire as the president of the UHF after his heart was removed by Father Foster It was difficult Randidly surmised to live without a heart He was somewhat shocked to find out that Arbor had set up shop with the monster people in the Northeast of Zone 1 and had saved Alan�s life with a strange ritual magic

It had intrigued him enough to visit which had sent Arbor into a flurry of dancing But even Nevaeh was stumped by the strange magic that the tree explained to them Ultimately Randidly simply wished Arbor good luck and departed After all the monster people and their presence was a source of constant tension for all that Tessa had included them in one of her speeches

In his spare time Randidly listened to all of Tessa�s speeches as she traveled around Zone 1 campaigning for the adoption of the Chivalric Orders And she was winning public opinion was slowly turning towards the orders as a way to restrain rogue elements within the world that possessed power with any legal justification

Randidly was well aware that these speeches purposefully or not were aimed at limiting the ability of a person to do exactly what he had been doing in Zone 1 Perhaps he should have felt threatened but the process of running a company and training employees even if it was only for two months had done a lot to get rid of Randidly�s jitteriness when it came to public interactions Where he was unsure of himself before he now had found confidence

Besides fighting against the idea would just drive it out of the open and into darker places Randidly was prepared to fulfill his responsibilities as king after claiming this area But now was not the time

The Crown of Silence and Upheaval

If we didn�t believe this people would just believe in something else

Apparently Hank hadn�t told Thaddeus exactly what they would be doing so the man literally jumped when he spotted Randidly Afterward he had explained that although he looked different Thaddeus would have recognized those emerald eyes anywhere They had left a lasting impression on him at the height of his arrogance which had driven him to work on the basics

Without fanfare as the factory was waking around them the group left and boarded a train The closest stop was also the stop near the monster area so they were immediately greeted with tired and tense eyes when they departed from the train At this point both Randidly and Thaddeus� clout helped move things along much more quickly than the average person

There are benefits to this � Randidly reflected watching the creeping flush in the young man�s face as he realized he was in the face of some of the most powerful people in the Zone Like it or not people respond to power �

Before they left Dinesh touched Randidly�s shoulder You know that press conference is today It will be held in a few hours I believe that the bishop of the Unity Church will be here to participate in the founding of the orders Paolo and Kayle as well Should we not wait for this

I believe we will finish with time to spare Randidly said calmly and he truly believed it In the past it had taken him almost twelve hours to move through the Danger Zone and reach the boss But this time not only was he stronger but he was surrounded by capable people Randidly fully expected to make the trip in four or so hours And also

And also Randidly did not want to see this particular speech Not only because he expected the content of it to be disappointing to him who might need to act to prevent the Orders from causing damage to the Zone but also because Mrs Hamilton had tipped him off that she had heard the speeches would address him directly

It would be better for all involved that no one would be around to see what his reaction was So Randidly planned on attacking the Danger Zone in this window He would likely be down before the speech had actually begun but it would give him a palpable excuse as to why he didn�t respond immediately

Not that Randidly really needed one

On foot the group made slightly less good time because neither Thaddeus nor Tatiana were quite up to speed when it came to physical fitness Their running speed burned too much of their Stamina and their trotting speed was insufficient for Randidly�s needs So the group kept shifting speeds to give those two the chance to recover Of the two Thaddeus honestly seemed the most out of breath

Two months of training with Dinesh and Tykes had really pushed Tatiana to another Level Literal ly that was true but she had also gained numerous Skill Levels as the two of them had almost tortured her with combat and training to push her to her limits

Randidly almost felt a stab of nostalgia as he remembered his own time in the prison on Shal�s world It was a time of emotional barrenness in his life as that was the only way to make it through the ordeal but he had gained so much from that time

Then he frowned Marco Polo When Randidly returned that man would answer some questions of his

When they arrived they rested for 30 minutes outside of the Danger Zone Randidly had previously stored quite a lot of Mana and Stamina in his rings but he took this time to go over them all one last time A lot of the stats he had gained raising the Crown of Yggdrasil Path to completion had gone into Intelligence When he switched to his current Path Growth of Yggdrasil II he had switched his stats to Reaction and Agility Randidly expected that he would need it in Shal�s world

Ready Randidly asked The group nodded As one they moved into the Danger Zone This time through Randidly mimicked his previous performance and charged forwards Instantly high Level ogres leaped out of their ambush spots to attack him Their clubs smashed against Sulfur who purred with something like happiness Acri blurred as the head of the spear ripped through their thick skin

Once Randidly had all of the attention the rest struck Dinesh rained spells that distracted and stunned some ogres These beasts were strong but Tykes demonstrated what happened when Strength was used to its fullest Hank and Thaddeus provided covering fire whittling down the monsters health while Tatiana snuck around and seized the killing blow

When nothing moved any longer they took a minute to rest and check themselves before moving on Of them all Tatiana was being force fed the lion�s share of the experience on purpose to push her towards 50 Of them Tykes and Dinesh had made it past 50 with Randidly�s help the prior month Apparently whatever Nathan had done to Hank had allowed him to cleanly condense his Fate although he didn�t receive very many stat benefits per Level But according to him the Fate had condensed on his rabbit Earth Elemental companion and now her powers were doubled

Thaddeus was nearing 50 but Randidly wasn�t so concerned about him And Neveah well Randidly wasn�t too sure how she truly grew more powerful It just kept happening Part of it was Skills and Levels but Randidly would swear that she was passively evolving constantly due to her partial status as a monster It wasn�t fair

Whereas Randidly would passively take the strikes of the ogres sometimes to gain experience for Sulfur Neveah was rip off the ogre�s arms for daring to strike her There was a ferocious hunger to her that gave no quarter to these foes Randidly admired that

They pressed forward outpacing Randidly�s estimates by a good hour Only three hours later they stood above the ravine that led down towards the three headed ogre that had mocked Randidly so in the past The same ogre that had later been reduced to tears as Randidly stood in front of it completely bereft of Mana unable to take its life

This time would be different

Randidly glanced at Tatiana What�s your Level

Forty Three now Tatiana said somewhat glassy eyed Although they had prepared her as best as they could it was hard to simulate the feeling in being so covered in blood that trying to wipe some gore away would only spread more of something else But she was standing steadily which was good enough for Randidly

He nodded turning forward No promises but we will try and get you the kill That will push you up pretty close to 45 I believe

Blinking Tatiana asked you don�t want it

Not if I can help it Randidly said not bothering to explain Glancing around he saw everyone was ready He pointed Let�s get to it then

Chapter 599

A considered look at history leads inevitably to one logical conclusion regarding changing legalities Tessa said staring out at the thousands of people standing in front of the podium Behind her in ornate chairs sat some of the founding members of the first Chivalric Orders as a show of support But even so her voice started with a quiver in it She had given speeches before but never to this many people But everything had led to this She couldn�t back down now Resisting a political change based upon a shift in the underpinnings of society is a short term strategy

There are many justifications and biases that have led governments to err towards focusing upon the short term But we believe that there is no more tragic and damning sin than to sacrifice the wellbeing of our future heroes in order to grasp with desperate hands towards even a second longer�s firm grasp upon the reins of power To that end we a diverse group of future leaning individuals and decision makers from across our Zones who believe that the geographic limitations of our current political architecture may very well lead to dangerous tribal tendencies and a cascading momentum of borders and labels that will fail to address the present and real danger of the looming and continued evolution of the System do hereby consecrate and found the first of the Chivalric Order the Order Valorem

People politely applauded as Tessa turned and politely bowled to Paolo and Kayle who both gravely nodded back at her From the brief time they had spoken before the speech that had seemed incredibly silly But now something in the air pulled away from that Tessa was glad they felt the gravity of the situation but it was tight on her shoulders

Slowly she turned back to the crowd She looked down at her speech Strangely she felt a flash of panic Hopefully hopefully this wasn�t a mistake

These Orders are designed to a be a democratic meritocracy where one�s only path to rising through the ranks rest in finding the support and affirmation of your peers The considered support being the virtuous and proper mode of assent these orders will foster loyalty and fidelity towards a higher vocation In this case we hope that unto time unending the Order Valorem will display its martial might defending our borders from the horde of System spawn by demonstrating boundless valor

Aside from the Founder who will remain in that role until her or his death there is not Path towards glory without the vote of your fellow members If one desires higher accomplishments it is only towards donations to the collective good that those may be gathered

Aside from the Order Valorem nine other Orders will be founded today These are the Order Ferocitas the Order Sapienta the Order Fide the Order Veritas the Order Infandus the Order Caelim the Order Ferrum the Order Umbra and finally the Order Ducis This means that there are 10 vocations that you may be drawn to For those of you who are not quite as familiar with the Latin these are Ferocity Wisdom Faith Truth Monstrous Sky Iron Illusion and Leadership

There were murmurs in the crowd now but these Tessa was prepared for This was a response she had expected The creeping sense of dread of what she was going to say later however For this next portion Tessa dropped her language to more colloquial English to convey her point more directly

You might wonder why an Order Monstrous was included Well I�ll be frank the altered refugees will be founding an Order for themselves to seek out their own way to contribute to our new world And believe me Tessa said her countenance darkening We need all the help we can get

We found these great Orders to address three great dangers that are inseparable from our current projected track of governance These are threats that are perhaps not endemic to the human condition but three that are exacerbated to an extraordinary degree by the contextual flaws in our culture and social Systems

The first is Consumption without Understanding This is a particularly invasive and seditious issue that stretches beyond simply the possible fate of our world falling to the brutish threats that might be posed by the monsters the System sends against us This relates to the fact that we are all now party to a strange metaphysical set of rules that didn�t exist three years ago With sudden and drastic changes to existence we all have been presented with choices stretched out of context into a seemingly game like form It is impossible to accurately describe the series of events of the initial aftermath of the System�s arrival due to the vast disparity in choices presented to us

For better or for worse many made selections that resulted in the System becoming an increasingly necessary presence in our lives Through these choices we were on the receiving in of the greatest and quickest evolution of the homo sapien in human history But what are the effects Even now we are studying the influence that the System�s influence will have on humanity�s ability to have children Even now we study the physiological response of the human body when being flooded with stats We are beyond the ken of our forefathers The Cycle of Earth has been broken and every day we wander father beyond the reach of our humble origins

That is not to say that we should refuse to advance within the System Nor are we suggesting that people should be told which of their varied options is the correct and necessary one In fact we vehemently believe just the opposite the final choice in matters of Skill and Class remain at the sole discretion of the individual But we make this call in order to spread the word that humans grew to our seat on top of the world using knowledge We must make use of that now more than ever

This is a call to gather all available information regarding the System to address the threat of our continued Consumption of its precepts without truly understanding the far reaching consequences of them This is a nudge toward patience and Wisdom The Order Sapientia will be spearheading this endeavor

Breathe in breathe out Then continue

The Second threat we would like to address with the Orders is Decisions without Counsel This is a functional result of the first threat we believe or we believe with a considered solution to the first we would be possessing of the natural inclination towards an organic resolution of this second issue But as these are congruent they must be addressed separately

There have been without a doubt scientific and knowledgeable groups that have been working towards understanding the System and its effects At the same time there are groups that have been making laws within which we now operate without truly considering the repercussions We are of the belief that some more attention will be fulfillingly spent thinking about the role of local governments and the System There will always be regional differences But these local governments need a well constructed template of laws to understand the spectrum on which they act The Chivalric Orders will give this invaluable context by their wide foundation of existence Through them the local governments may be counseled and given a lens with which to see their own role in the New Earth

Breathe in breathe out This is the easy part And the hard part

Finally the third threat is Power without Experience Due to the disparate circumstances of individuals and the fickle impact of the System there have been recent cases of individuals rising to such prominence and power that they seem to beyond the reach of justice or even beyond the scorn of reproach They are to misquote a previous regime too big to fail� They exist beyond the walls of human society having climbed to the apex of what is possible within the System

The entire audience looked up at Tessa In their sparkling eyes they knew They knew exactly who she was talking about There were multiple people who would fit this description of course but most people in Zone 1 wouldn�t know about the beehive of powerhouses that was Donnyton They would have only heard of one name the biggest name The name that took down the Unity Church and stopped them from experimenting seemingly on a whim

He was an irreplaceable fixture in the public consciousness But as of yet the rumors about him the stories that people told they were spoken with awe and barely concealed confusion He was a figure so powerful that he was scary His existence was paired with no reasonable explanation Slowly that fear in people�s chests would take root

At some point Tessa knew that Randidly would have no choice but to choose to become a monster or a dictator He wouldn�t want to but people were smarter and less than Randidly seemed to think Even if he pretended to be hands off instead devoting his time to running a business people understood that he would act if any forces were to endanger the world They sensed the implied threat of his existence even if he didn�t vocalize it People were incredibly capable at sensing power dynamics

But whereas Randidly would do his best not to use that power people would so fear his eventual use that they would force his hand Because no human is smart enough to leave well enough alone Without Randidly giving himself a role that people could grasp others would simply choose it for him That was simply how fame worked It was lonely at the top especially when it was impossible to even know yourself

Some might believe that such individuals are an invaluable commodity to us Tessa continued We are not stating this is inaccurate Rather we are saying this Justice never stands alone on a dark night Justice exists in courtrooms and forums open to the powerful influence of the public It exists in debates and explanations and respect By its humble and elegant dress it may be recognized as well as by the company of transparency and integrity that it keeps This is not meant to deny the positive influence that some actions or actors may have upon the whole of humanity due to the context of their actions This is simply to underscore that these are often shortsighted behaviors and do not come without the cost of dispensing with some necessary and vital moral underpinning Justice is slow because it does not cut corners

Breathe in breathe out One more part

To that end we the representatives of 9 of the 10 Orders forming a quorum of the Chivalric Council do make the following Proclamation Randidly Ghosthound �

One last breath Finish it all at once � you are named as Founder of the Order Ducis There is no one more capable or well suited towards enforcing the tenants of Chivalry among not only your own budding Order but amongst all To that end you are named Requarian that you might require what you will of the Orders to be found consistent with the tenants of chivalry and justice

Randidly Ghosthound you are the individual with the requisite set of Skills to enact the ultimate punishment upon the Orders that would betray the trust of the people for their own gain To that end you are named Requiessor so that you might ensure that all those who leave the Path of Chivalry will either be guided back to the flock or led towards an eternal slumber Go with honor

Chapter 600

Randidly moved his hand through the floating stone It was a floating heptadecagon Dinesh informed them but to Randidly it just looked like a cloudy light refracting crystal It was a soft grey color and it was clearly the Fate Stone

Randidly turned towards Tatiana Well it seemed that the person who struck the final blow is the only person who could take it Too bad we have no way of finding out what happens if you die

Tatiana gave him a sharp look He chuckled and gestured for her to go towards it

Even with their group the fight against the three headed Ogre had been more difficult than Randidly had expected It truly seemed that not only had it grown stronger but his act of striking it with all of those Skills the prior time had given it a resistance against fire based damage It was growing to respond to threats It was a disturbing fact but one Randidly would consider more directly later

Still with himself Neveah and Tykes asking as physical wrecking balls to distract it the others had not had much difficulty whittling its massive health down Three vicious fighters one for each spellcasting head was exactly what the doctor ordered

Although it was a little touch and go at the end as the thing regenerated they had even managed to give Tatiana the final hit which pushed her up to Level 46 And now it was time to see what the fate stone did

Tatiana reached out and touched it Her eyes went black as ink seemed to flood up and cover her eyeballs Oh oh

What is it Randidly asked doing his best to keep his voice casual There was something in her tone that seemed to set off alarms in his head Although it would have put him over the Level 25 limit if he had killed the Ogre perhaps being the one exposed to this was for the best If it did something like making someone a Champion or

I have options I can choose from three options Oh wow The first option is to triple all of my stats and double the rate at which I collect experience

Triple Randidly almost choked on his tongue Even if he was outlawed from gaining more experience killing another Danger Zone Boss would be worth it for that benefit Everyone else had a similarly slack jawed look and what are the other options

The second one is that everyone in my party gains 75 in every stat And also everyone from my Village will gain 50% more experience The third jesus all of my race will gain 5 in every stat and everyone will gain 25% increased experience And it also specifies at the bottom that an individual can only have their total experience gained to 200%

Randidly�s expression turned extremely grim But before he could say anything about his suspicions Tatiana said Oh and there is a strange line in gold at the bottom Only by a hero with a greater fate may the Second Calamity be overcome � What does that mean Do you think

Later Randidly said pressing his eyes closed He looked around in the group Are we in agreement the third option should be used

That�s a lot of stats to toss aside Tykes grunted

Hank spat This is about total experience though ain�t it And points We get 525 concentrated stat points or we give out 3 million or so

The benefits stack too up to the 200% Dinesh said quietly But it might be very hard for most people to resist the temptation of having your own stats triple Randidly what would that make your Agility

Like 1200 Randidly admitted

Looks like this is just another temptation the Unity Church and the Chivalric Orders will save us from praise God Tykes said with a scowl but Randidly chuckled He knew the other man would also choose to give the benefit to more people

And then Tatiana must have selected that third option because a notification popped up

Congratulations denizens of New Earth The Ogre Ravine has been cleared The party has elected to share the reward with the World Everyone receives +5 to all stats All children of your race are born with this benefit All experience gained is increased by an addition 25% The total bonus experience gained is now 25%

For clearing the Ogre Ravine the Danger Zone is now connected to the Ogre Ravine Realm There even more powerful armies of Ogres live Their attention will not be drawn to the new portal but they will be able to traverse the worlds just as well as you can Care because it will be difficult for a developing world to reach its full potential if it is at war

For clearing a Danger Zone the rate of growth in other Danger Zones will be slightly higher for the next month

Randidly swore quietly looking at the notification It would be good in one way but in another it would reveal the possibilities of obtaining a great reward in Danger Zones And Randidly wasn�t sure what scared him more the possibility that people would just rush in and die or that someone would succeed and get a Fate Stone

Do you think there is a break even point Dinesh asked as the party seemed to be considering the announcement Where if you tripled your stats enough times focusing on one person would

Maybe but I think our concern should be focused on other things Randidly said thinking about the line included in the options

Only by a hero with a greater fate may the Second Calamity be overcome

Greater Fate

Would that be Level 100 Higher So what was required would really be experience not explicitly powerful stats

The next thing Randidly did was investigate the portal to the world of the Ogre Ravine Immediately after passing through the portal Randidly�s expression soured Luckily the portal was hidden under a deep waterfall It would be difficult for anyone on this side to locate But the first thing Randidly noticed when he arrived was that this world had extremely thin Aether And the portal they had made was blowing out Aether like a chimney belching smoke

Already he could sense that the vegetation nearby was swelling to almost double its previous size This world had been on an Aether fast for quite a long time and now it was ready to eat its fill Randidly attempted to gather the Aether but this was System Aether and difficult to work with effectively It was chalky and stiff and every time he thought he had a firm grasp on it it dissolved and flowed between his fingers

Likely it was possible to gather it if Randidly stayed her for a long time but Randidly didn�t intend to do that And as he expanded his senses outward Randidly only saw small creatures under Level 10 When he looked even farther abroad he found a village of ogres Not a System Village but just a series of huts and farms The highest Level these people possessed was only 22 and based on the current expansion it would take two months before the Aether reached those people So the issue of the Ogre Ravine world would wait for a few months

His worries dealt with for now Randidly returned to the world Also luckily no time hijinks between the world That made him feel even better Gathering everyone up they returned to the headquarters of Erickson Steel by walking South and West passing just North of the Chivalric Order Press Conference in order to avoid the hubbub

Randidly�s timing was spot on they sat in the train car and watched the whole of the conference Everyone was quiet in the aftermath especially Randidly Although he wasn�t nearly as skilled as Lucretia he still had a sense for the threads of karma forming And with this speech of Tessa�s he felt as people�s belief bound him tighter and tighter to the fate of the Chivalric Orders and also the Earth

Requarian and Requiessor They were names and responsibilities

Randidly supposed he could refuse But would that make things better Tessa had essentially made Randidly the disciplinary arm of the Chivalric Order He had been named as the founder of an entire order which he supposed was something he should consider The Order Ducis

She always did like making everyone happy Randidly said closing his eyes and shutting off the world Now he could act as he pleased but it would be said he acted to police the Orders Tessa could continue to decry the irresponsible use of power and Randidly wouldn�t be a counterexample because he was an established and recognized part of the Orders

They were using him to add legitimacy to the Orders But they were also allowing him to use them to do what he pleased with an official mandate It was a pointless game

But Randidly supposed part of becoming an adult was realizing that it is selfish to insist other play solely your games or refuse to play at all That was just a part of life You accepted some games that others thrust upon you

Slowly Randidly opened up a message and replied an affirmative to Helen despite these things he would still go to Shal�s world in a week After sending the message Randidly grinned at the floor

Your Requarian and Requiessor will start his tenure by going on vacation But when he gets back you can bet that I�ll rip anything that threatens Humanity to shreds

Chapter 601

Helen absently rubbed the scar that she had left on the corner of her jaw from the day she had killed her first Wight At the time it had served as a reminder of the vicious cost of the ongoing war with the opposition Now though it simply ended up being a nervous tick that she couldn�t seem to shake Every time she stopped paying attention to her hard it crept upwards toward her jaw

Does it have to be here Helen asked with obvious displeasure

Leyalta her lieutenant since her first promotion had landed her on the front lines shrugged There is no reason that other portals can be used But as you know travel across realms is extremely expensive The individual must be keyed in very exactly to the portal in order for them to come through without any mishaps Some hasty teleportations have resulted in particularly acute versions of Aether Sickness

Helen waved her hand irritably The portal operator was standing there chewing a piece of jerky taking his time to open his mouth wide enough for Helen to see the gory details of the mastication between every chew It was driving her up a wall If this had been on the front lines she would have knocked his teeth out As it was Helen had no desire to get tied up by some municipal authority in the Northern Province when they had to leave very quickly in order to make it to the Central Domain in time for the explanation of what was to come

But here was the only place where it would be affordable to teleport Randidly How did Shal manage it on the first teleport

Smiling slightly Helen handed over the payment for Randidly Ghosthound�s passage to the world called Tellus As she did so Leyalta scowled so powerfully that his whole body trembled Leyalta was a very overweight man but in a way that made him simply large to the point of being oppressive Helen never did understand how he managed to keep on all of that fat while fighting in the meat grinder that was the front lines She certainly never gave him any downtime

I hope this man will provide you suitable repayment for this sacrifice Leyalta said frostily If I am not mistaken that refined ore was the sum total of the reward you�ve been given for your significant accomplishments with no small amount of assistance from myself I would hate if this individual failed to properly respect

Don�t worry about it He won�t be paying me back anyway Because he won�t know how much it cost to bring him here After all I won�t tell him Helen gave Leyalta a look She smiled And neither will you

Leyalta continued to scowl but fell silent There was a reason such a capable man never moved past the position of lieutenant

Would you like to send a message to the recipient before I begin The attendant drawled around a mouth full of beef jerky

In one of the hardest moments of self control that Helen had ever experienced she didn�t gut the worthless man where he stood She even had the iron clad control to calmly nod her assent to his question and ignore the glaring provocation of his shitty bitch attitude

Teleporting now

K

Helen looked at the reply message furrowing her brows All he responded with was K And what world exactly was he coming from that his teleport was almost impossibly expensive Leyalta was right to say that it had almost beggared her to bring Randidly here but she couldn�t explain to Leyalta that even with this it was probably she that owed him

In her chest the flow of energy flowed forward without pause

Ready The infuriating man asked It was even more annoying that he seemed to be mirroring her impressions so exactly

yes Helen said before turning to Leyalta We should

Bam

There was a flash of light and a loud noise There was no sort of concussive force from the teleport but Helen stepped back as though there was one due to the light and noise Leyalta perhaps predictably reeled backward while shouting His arms wiggles like independent entities grabbing at his fleshy body in an ineffectual attempt to grab at his spear

When she recovered enough for it Helen shook her head sadly Perhaps this was why she hadn�t been promoted past Sergeant

And Randidly was there standing in front of her His hair was shorn short but otherwise he looked the same Tall wiry powerful intense His face went pale He vomited onto the ground

That�s gonna cost extra The attendant said gleefully Pressing her eyes closed Helen tried not to both kill the man or look down to see the vomit on her shoes It was something of a joke saying that line as about 99% of the people who passed through teleportation immediately vomit

guess there is no fucking point in moving back now is there Helen said glaring at Leyalta Randidly groaned

I can�t remember the last time I threw up hell it was probably the last time I came here Randidly said pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers In the wake of the teleportation he was left with a throbbing headache that almost made him nostalgic for the hangovers he used to get after a night of drinking in college

Helen�s face still remained stormy but she addressed him as if she wasn�t ready to lash out and attack him for vomiting on his shoes According to the attendant high Levels and Stats just make it worse it affects you more the more powerful you are That�s why so few of the truly accomplished Masters ever deign to use the portals

Feeling the roiling sense of nausea that plagued him even 15 minutes later Randidly believed her He spared Helen another short glance while she said something quietly to the large man behind her His time on Earth hadn�t made Randidly forget how explosive Helen�s temper was or even the strange electric tension that ran between the two of them But it had served to dull Randidly�s recollection of her beauty

She was all toned muscle and smooth curves with a cascading mane of mahogany hair that flashed almost golden in the light Although she was slender by Earth standards her high arched eyebrows and generous hips made her the type that would become a fitness blogger on Instagram in Randidly�s old world

But where those women were about positive messages and empowerment Helen was focused on capability and violence There were several small scars scattered across her body that Randidly didn�t remember but seemed to fit her new presence Her gaze hovered around him without ever settling on him which was likely a testament to her anger Aside from these small scars she didn�t appear much different

Somehow Randidly could sense that long gone were the days that she was his Spear Attendant This was not the type of person that would easily concede anything Their brief clash almost 9 months ago would not serve as an indication of their relative strength any longer

Still that�s what Randidly liked about Helen She would never make anything easy

How has your health been Helen asked her voice as smooth as a pitfall in a road

Randidly coughed lightly into his hand and then pounded his chest It hurt but it served to dispell most of the lingering nausea Very quickly he stretched and cracked his knuckles Then he grinned at Helen

Let�s not beat around the bush then Want to spar

Helen�s face lit up like a blooming flower The overweight man seemed to groan sagging beneath the weight of his own body

Perhaps that is not for the best the man said quietly speaking in an extremely reasonable tone Mr Ghosthound you are no doubt still tired from your teleportation It is best to save your strength for now and perhaps after a sufficient amount of time has passed you will have recovered enough to

Leyalta Helen broke in with a vicious smile on her face Are you volunteering to spar with me in the interim

The man called Leyalta didn�t even bother to respond but instead stepped towards Randidly As he did so Randidly�s eyes narrowed Although this man was large he moved very quickly It was hard for Randidly�s relatively rusty Perception stat to follow the movement clearly And then strangest of all Leyalta extended his hands towards Randidly and engulfed Randidly�s hands in his

My condolences The man rumbled But then he paused Perhaps this isn�t the best time to bring it up but have you ever heard of disability insurance

Chapter 602

Even now Helen found herself somewhat stumbling over how deep and green his eyes were And when he was staring down over the shaft of a spear at you the beauty of his eyes was insufficient to show through

This was a man who had grown accustomed to violence And Helen loved it

Ready She asked wondering how much he had improved since they had last fought Back then he was miles ahead of her in every category But during the war with the Wights Helen had matured to the point that she no longer recognized herself Even as the energy of the world fled and her Level stagnated she continued to improve her Skills at such a pace that she dare not share the limit of her improvements with her allies

Only those close to her like Leyalta had seen her let loose completely And that was only in the midst of the most pitched battles She dare not share that her Skill Levels were nearing two hundred a domain that few made it to without being able to use the abilities of a Master

But against Randidly Ghosthound

Yes He said while staring at her Whenever you are ready

Oh You believe that you have the advantage Fine then it was time that Helen showed Randidly exactly how capable she was How much fighting prowess she possessed how firm her resolve How capable she would be say of taking care of the homestead should there be so formidable a warrior that she would acquiesce to them defending her

Then fucking go for it Helen hissed as she rushed forward Although she wouldn�t use the full force of the killing intent she had developed on the front lines against Randidly she would make use of the many Skill Levels she had earned Her Raging Torrent of the Yashwei Skill Set started humming at full bore She approached using the Deceptive First Bend which made her footwork blur in the eyes of her enemies It was enough that some Wights hadn�t even had time to look up before she arrived in front of them

To her surprise or perhaps not really Randidly was already there waiting for her His moves were simple and blunt but when he thrust his spear her Battle Instincts Skill screamed that it was dangerous So she shifted fluidly into the Third Bend Great Falls So when he thrust at her Helen spun and ducked under the blow

The air vibrated with the force of his passage Helen grimaced This wasn�t the Ghosthound that she remembered If she didn�t know better Helen would think that she was facing a pure power spear user Although not a very fucking good one

Roasted balls Helen muttered as she thrust upwards with her spear

Randidly moved his head to the side those emerald eyes glowing If his spear use was somewhat lacking his body control was astounding Instantly she activated the Second Bend just as his left leg kicked out towards her Helen grunted as she was thrown backward by the force of the kick but looked up expectantly She immediately frowned

She had left a deep gash in the strange grey armor that Randidly wore but that was it The Second Bend was just a combat cantrip but it rarely failed to inflict a wound So that meant

The Fourth Bend Drowning Current

Helen always wondered what this Skill looked like from someone else�s perspective But in her eyes the world began to be covered with what she considered drag lines It seemed to be an amalgamation of momentum and weariness on their bodies With it a pretty decent passive boost to her Perception and Agility enabled Helen to slowly reduce her opponents to exhausted wrecks Perhaps it would be smarter to use the obvious difference in Skill Level to dominate him but she wanted to demonstrate how much finesse she now possessed

So she amped up the speed her spear stabbing to and fro to cut small gashes on his hands and forearms which were revealed by the armor

In terms of his ability to use the spear Helen found herself somewhat disappointed He was rusty It looked like he hadn�t had any true fights in a while And he thought that he would be able to face her in this condition Well she would take great pleasure in teaching him this lesson

She cut at his shoulder and he turned slightly but then she swept her spear sideways and drew a gash across his armor He stepped forward but grunted as she spun the butt of her spear and slammed it into his midsection All the while draglines gathered around him

His attacks were more than powerful they were fast and deceptive As Helen spun away from her hit to his stomach she found a leaping thrust waiting for her She cleanly slid out of the way with a quick use of the First Bend but he saw through her move and landed a sharp kick on the shaft of her spear that sent her stumbling

So much so that she had to utilize the First Bend again to close the distance with him and harry him with a series of stabs to keep the drag lines from dispersing He cleanly knocked these blows away and Helen�s brow knit together She was moving through her Stamina pool more quickly than she would like and

He was getting faster

She supposed it made sense as she had said he was rusty But it couldn�t be so simple of catching back up in a single bout could it It had been about 20 seconds

So Helen upped the tempo Furious Assault increased her Agility even further and also added a small bit of range to her attacks that added a piercing surprise for her enemies But as she started attacking in earnest Randidly began moving more quickly Somehow the edges of him seemed to be blurry and grey making Helen want to swear and throw up her hands

This entire time he hadn�t been using his Spear Phantom moves

But now Helen began to make use of her wide range of combat experience to cut corners He was statistically stronger and faster but she would NOT fucking roll over and lose to this schmuck who probably had barely trained in the past half year

Slash stab advance She pushed and pushed her spear skidding off Randidly�s armor with a reassuring regularity It was even better because the extra inch of force clearly was giving him some trouble He was frowning at her those emeralds all scrunched up as they considered her

What did he see She wondered

She swept his legs but he didn�t fall like she had planned Instead thin vines came out of the ground the seized his legs and pulled them back to the ground She was caught so much by surprise that when he counter attacked she didn�t dodge in time

The force of the blow dislocated her shoulder

Hissing Helen leaped backward and popped the shoulder back into place It was her right the non dominant hand so it wouldn�t affect her overmuch But that power of his

Why aren�t you using spells Helen asked sharply feeling the heat rising in her chest You are a Spell Spear aren�t you Act like one

Randidly gave her a somewhat helpless look I this is a contest of spear

Fuck you Helen spat out and the heat was truly on her now Her Berserker�s Blood was beginning to activate which was not what she would have wanted five minutes ago when the fight started But it had become obvious that he was taking it easy on her as if this was a game The spear was a tool to live and die by When you fought you gave it your all

Those who didn�t were a disgrace to the weapon and deserved what was coming to them

Sir I really think Leyalta began his jowls quivering but Helen had already moved This time when she used the First Bend to advance towards Randidly she didn�t bother to conserve Stamina While her Berserker�s Blood was active her regeneration was almost tripled which would cover for any overuse

Plus with the Strength boost she obtained from that Skill she could fight against his superior Strength more directly She wouldn�t ever meet his clashes directly but now she could deflect them while advancing

Two thrusts whistled past her torso She barely even swayed to avoid them and one of the attacks left a large gash The pain was a bright crimson encouragement and Helen let loose with every bit of pent up aggression she had held in her chest after he had left without even saying anything to her

Her spear blurred and bent under the force of her attacks She battered his defense forcing him to retreat to avoid her stabs When he prepared a counter attack she used the Third Bend to avoid it completely and appear in his blind spot Her attacks then were short and powerful Generally it left him off balance and frustrated which made the fury in Helen�s chest gleeful

All the while more and more drag lines were emerging on his body holding him back slowing him down And yet

Yet he was getting faster

His counter attacks were much much sharper than they had been at the beginning of the spar Abruptly the part of Helen�s brain that wasn�t overcome with the heat of the Berserker�s Rage realized that it wasn�t that he hadn�t practiced with the spear in a long time it was just that he hadn�t practiced fighting against other spear users much Even without relying on her sharpest images it was her method of attacking that had given him pause

His attacks weren�t rusty his sense of tempo against a spear user was just nonexistent In a way Helen related A lot of fighters she had faced qualifying for this version of the under Level 25 tourney were fresh off the frontline and had similar handicaps They had simply fought so many Wights that they had lost touch with clashing against fellow spear users

And as she thought that the fight fell out of Helen Randidly sensed it almost immediately and his spear halted midair in its path to cut into her midsection

I missed you Helen said with a sigh

After a pause Randidly nodded I missed you too How was the war

Helen opened her mouth to say something smart but then paused She looked at him again She lowered her spear further you you really don�t know

Helen�s face collapsed into a grimace She made a sharp gesture and Leyalta began to break the camp they had made in the forest by the teleportation Village near Qtal We�ve lost Our Spearsource was captured by the Wights through treachery If our heroes don�t recapture it

She trailed off She didn�t want to say it That they would lose their Paths and Classes They would become monsters without a true path forward even with a spear in hand

Randidly just blinked at her

Chapter 603

I thought you won your war Randidly said Honestly he remembered a message from Helen indicating that vividly You said

We should have won Leyalta said quietly Helen seemed to be grinding her teeth These wars they follow a certain power We are the current holder of the Spear Source and therefore our world is filled with energy We can Level and develop images On the other side of the rift there is a desolate world The world of the Wights They were perhaps similar to us once but without the Spearsource they became monsters

It costs these monsters a great deal of energy to open a large rift between the worlds although there are small passages that are constantly present The only reason that the Wights would open the portal is to make a mad assault on the Spear source And we repelled their elite The Spear source was ours They managed to keep hold of fortifications in our world but

But without them accomplishing the objective Helen whispered We saw no need to drive them out so soon after the war We knew they were consolidating their forces but we assumed it was for an attack It wasn�t they were digging in Somehow one of their agents got into the Forest of Spears and took the Spear source When we pursued those footholds the Wights held were turned against us The initial response was to disregard planning in a mad attempt to capture the source back before it was brought to the world but those fucking

Helen�s words ceased and the teeth grinding started Leyalta looked at her with some sympathy before turning to Randidly for various reasons those initial attempts to recapture were insufficient to put it lightly In terms of our fighting strength and moral they were disastrous Many of our best and brightest were lost in the worst of the fighting So now

Now they did their best Randidly surmised

Very quickly Helen recomposed herself and the group began to head South They would be skipping a stop at Qtal entirety and instead making quick time towards Niergem the capital of the Western Domain There they would meet up with Azriel Blanche as well as the representatives from the Western Domain and then head towards the Central Domain for the tournament

According to Helen the tournament would originally have been hosted by one of the other Schools but due to the war it was rearranged to occur in the capital of the Spearman School Hastam

The Spear School Domains were arrayed in something that looked like a lowercase c with a stretched out bottom The portion that was the Northern Domain the provincial land that raised Shal was the small curve at the top of the c� The Western Domain was the bottom part of the curve The Eastern Domain was the small end at the bottom of the c� Below the c� there was a chain of rather large islands the was the Southern Domain

Everything in between was the Central Domain In terms of size it was likely the equal of all of the rest of the Domains put together In terms of populations it was likely 80% of the Spearman School This was the seat of power for all the truly great Styles that moved to war under the banner of the Spearman School It was also a location of one of the four groves of the Hall of Stances the location that served as both a memorial and a home for the touring Spear source

Perhaps most notably for Randidly�s immediate concerns it was also the location where the Spear source was taken There was talk of a delay for the tournament due to the investigation but Helen assured Randidly that the tournament would occur although the location might change

Randidly was pleasantly surprised at the group�s speed Leyalta might grumble but the three of them were traveling at quite a clip It was almost a constant sprint through the heavy jungle which was rather exhilarating for the first four hours Randidly also believed that it would be good training for some of his Physical Fitness

But then the hours continued to run About 12 hours since Randidly had come to this world they finally arrived at Niergem By that time Randidly was winded Even his powerfully high Stamina and Regeneration were drained Helen seemed to be slightly amused by his shock but Leyalta was positively pompous

If you think that was bad wait until we head to the Central Domain It will take about five times as long he said with a sneer

Helen shoved him Which is why we will simply teleport there Alright let�s head into the city

The first thing Randidly noticed about the city was the walls They were separated in portions The bottom was black stone and stood about 5 meters tall Above that wooden walls were erected that stretched up to 25 meters

Helen saw his gaze They�ve been recently retrofitted Although it�s probably unnecessary the Sentinel of Niergem was adamant that they be ready for the Wight assault It might not accomplish much but it keeps the citizens happy Although they aren�t Central Domain prisses they also aren�t as gung ho about battle as the Northern Domain They would prefer to hide from their foes

What are the Wights Randidly asked as they walked up to the open gates Several guards milled around chatting as they watched the group approach I mean how do they fight

mm if I had to say it is honestly like you said Helen as she flashed him a dark smile They are pale with strangely colored hair Physically they are weaker than us but they use spells to empower themselves Spectral Claws Psychic Poison Haste things like that Even one on one they aren�t much threat But when they field a full host

Let them come A voice interrupted One of the guards a young man with bright eyes stepped forward and grinned at Helen His eyes traced the finer details of her armor In Niergem we breed our warriors strong enough to wipe out a dozen hosts

Really cadet Leyalta snapped and Randidly felt a blast of mental force emanating from the heavy man He leaned forward and glared at the guard Then how many lives will you be personally taking How bloody will your spear be when the fighting ends

The air trembled as the force of whatever Skill Leyalta was using was enough to manifest visually for people other than the target Randidly grinned Ah it was good to be back on Shal�s World Here people took their images seriously and it showed

Although the guard tried to rally his spirit and resist the Skill his resources proved insufficient He visibly deflated and the trio passed through the gates without any fanfare Once inside Randidly looked around with curious eyes This city certainly had a different feel than any of those he had seen in the Northern Domain Not everyone was carrying a spear which was an extremely strange thing to see

Suddenly Randidly felt rather dumb that he had kept Acri in full spear mode the entire run He had just felt like it was part of the authentic Tellus experience Not that it made much difference because Acri could bend and wrap itself around Randidly�s waist to stay out of sight But it was the principle of the thing

But still the people were fascinating Although some had dyed skin they looked oh so very human People yelled about wares there were street vendors selling meat on a stick and even dirty looking children play fighting with sticks down alleys The buildings were built tall and thin Randidly looked upwards and wondered whether there were similar gyms in Niergem that were present on the roofs of these buildings

Grabbing Randidly�s hand Helen dragged Randidly forward through the crowd ignoring his instinct to take in the new surroundings As she did so she shot a glance back at him Hurry up or someone will step on your toes

Randidly flexed his toes in mute rebellion but followed after Helen With a dramatic sigh Leyalta formed the end of their merry train As they cut through the city Randidly saw dozens of Tassles hanging proudly over shops Idly he wondered if he still had his somewhere He probably hadn�t been able to gather it before he had fled the tournament the first time but maybe

Interrupting his thoughts was in fact his Tassle hanging over a tall building that Helen led him towards The bright emerald of the background was a sharp splash of color in the sea of orange red and yellows that Randidly had seen thus far Beside it was a pale red and white Tassle that Randidly recognized as Azriel�s

As Helen stomped into the building Randidly followed and found Azriel herself there curled up at a table lit only by candlelight in the far corner of a rather classy looking inn However some of that ambiance of class was broken as Randidly saw a waiter serve what was clearly a gourmet cheeseburger to a rich couple at a nearby table

Azriel stood as they approached her table At her side Randidly noticed was the thin needle that she wielded as a spear Ah Randidly Ghosthound You look well

She wanted to ask him to spar Randidly sensed immediately Her body language was tense and of all of Randidly her gaze focused upon Acri more than any part of his physical body Not that the thought that she was attracted to him or anything but why would she hesitate to ask him to spar

Ahem Helen said with crossed arms She glared at Helen then turned and gave Randidly an even more acidic glare We three are all now officially grouped together to join the Spearman School group in the Inter School competition Therefore it would be downright foolish to spar with each other when we will soon compete No sparring

Helen glared once more at Azriel who didn�t seem intimidated but simply resigned She shrugged at Helen Perhaps it is so But will not the format of the tournament be different considering the circumstances We will hardly be wasting our strength fighting each other when the entire world is in such dire straits We have lost our ability to Level Sergeant Surely a little sparring won�t hurt

No Sparring Helen said through gritted teeth

We will see each other fighting during the tournament anyways Randidly said with a sigh What does it matter if we spar now

There was an audible crack from Helen�s jaw She spun to glare at him Do you think the trip to the Central Domain will be quick The fighting won�t be for at least

Which was of course just the moment that Helen was interrupted by the noise similar to an air raid siren cutting across the entire city

Chapter 604

As Randidly understood it the military on Tellus was divided into 5 ranks Sergeant Captain Colonel Field Marshal and Auroch These ranks each could have up to two Lieutenants as personal aides and controlled 100 1000 10 000 100 000 and 1 000 000 men respectively

Sentinel Viro Roonst the leader of Niergem was politically between Colonel and a Field Marshal simply based on being the capital of the Western Domain but was much closer to Colonel relatively speaking Still he cut an impressive figure as he stood in front of the people who had gathered in the uppermost floor of the government building of Niergem

He was apparently an incredibly powerful Pontiff who could strike with the strength of his image without even moving a muscle The people around him included a dozen or so Pontiffs that were likely the leaders of their Styles and talented Adepts who would assist in the siege

Against all odds Randidly found himself in this group rather simply No one asked for a demonstration or proof of his loyalties Once it came out that he was one of the tournament representatives he and Azriel were rushed over immediately Helen used her military rank to join with them

And you all thought me crazy Sentinel Roonst said grinning around There was no happiness in his gaze but there was a wild glee that Randidly recognized He had some of that himself It was battle lust Yet here they are A full two hosts of Wights knocking on our door After we survive I will be waiting with great anticipation for the apologies

But let�s set the jokes aside Two hosts are beyond our ability to withstand Although the exact number in each host remains in constant flux it is close to 10 000 That puts them at a little less than double our number And we spotted a Witch King amongst the Wights

There were mutters in the crowd at that Several elders leaned towards each other and exchanged meaningful looks Randidly glanced at Helen

Not their leaders per se but they are the great shamans of the Wights Helen explained in a message to Randidly The presence of one is important because each Witch King amongst them has one of five rings To send one of only five here means they intend this to be more than a token offensive They want to take and hold land

Obviously they are posturing to strike at the Central Domain An old woman with coppery hair said But why Now that the Spear source is captured what point is there to go offensive

Two points The Sentinel said as he glared at the woman The leadership of the Schools decided to leave a known threat alive We won the war in the past and did not stamp out the threat in order to possess a legitimate threat that our young could sharpen themselves against This strategy has led us to be ambushed into losing almost everything

Point number two our greatest loss in the most recent memory is assuming they were about to attack when they were simply solidifying their defenses Is it so strange to believe that now as we believe they will bunker down that they launch an offensive Catching us by surprise has worked thus far has it not

The woman said nothing in response looking at her hands Sentinel Roonst�s sharp gaze scanned through the room Excellent If that is all the questions let�s begin with your assignments You all are the best and brightest of the Western Domain We have less than two hours until the force arrives Let�s get down to business

An hour and a half later Randidly stood on top of the wooden walls looking down as the Wights approached They were aptly named or the translator function of the System was being cute because they certainly looked like Wights They were humanoid in shape with skin so pale it appeared luminescent at a distance

Perhaps strangest of their appearance was that everyone appeared to be wearing a diaphanous gauze cloak that seemed to float around them It was almost see through so one could see their long and bony limbs within but it also seemed to bend light and make it difficult to pin their location down

Beside Randidly were almost two dozen men that were assigned to his section of the wall They all were nervously fiddling with their equipment Coughing lightly Randidly attracted their attention Although it still felt strange his time working with the Erickson Steel employees at least gave him an idea what he should do in this situation

Don�t die And whoever gets the most kills I�ll Then Randidly grinned ruefully I happen to know a friend in the Engraving Guild Whoever accomplishes the most will receive a powerful engraving for their trouble

It was simple but it perked them up a bit Randidly followed it up with And don�t worry about not having the chance with my bright emerald Tassle plenty of these Wights will head this way

A few of the guards chuckled at that Others began shaking their heads with mock dismay at the heavy responsibility that fell to them to be assigned to Randidly�s portion of the wall It wasn�t directly in front of the Wights that were rushing up out of the West but it wasn�t that far past the Southwest corner And certainly the emerald and gold Tassle caught the eye easily

Looking at the thousands on the different tiered walls around him and the reserves waiting below Randidly realized this would likely be the largest battle he had ever participated in There really weren�t that many battles on Earth aside from weathering monster waves but this was a confrontation on another order of magnitude entirely His Skills would have some effect here but not enough to assure a positive outcome He simply didn�t have enough Mana

Thinking of something Randidly sent a message to Helen What about Leveling while fighting these guys Do they give low experience like attacking someone of your race

There was silence for a long time before Helen respawned Idiot We can�t level anymore that�s the problem Or it�s just extremely slow for now and getting slower

After a few seconds of pause while Randidly digested this information Helen sent him another message Well it�s an assertion based upon honor anyways Considering the circumstances I wouldn�t be surprised if there were a few people as high as 30 in the tournament and the Schools will turn a blind eye They have bigger problems right now

Randidly looked at that message for a long time Then his eyebrow twitched He had been repressing himself for so long and it meant nothing

There were a few people as high as 30 Turn a blind eye

And the people of this world were losing their access to Aether so they also felt their Skills and Levels stagnating Meanwhile Randidly had no problem Leveling and he was sitting at 98% experience towards Level 25

With eyes that were glowing emerald Randidly turned and regarded the assembling Wights moving through the dense trees towards Niergem Although this area was more temperate than the Northern Domain it was still heavily forested And where there were plants nothing was outside of Randidly�s reach

He selected a group at the edge of one of the hosts that was stretching out to encompass the entirety of Niergem Randidly smiled Spearing Roots

The first wave ripped up into about 20 Wights It took them completely by surprise They began to wail in a strange sing song cadence and Randidly poured Mana into two more waves of Spearing Roots to silence them The nearby Wights hurried over to investigate and only found their compatriots riddled with holes without any sort of apparent culprit

Very quickly after his attack the feel in the air around the Wight�s at the edges of the army was subtly shifting Randidly grinned down at them showing all of his teeth as they approached

If you build a bridge of bodies you may reach me But no one man can reach up and touch a King

And as he began attacking another group he received the notification that he was waiting for

Congratulations You have reached Level 25 +5 Stats distributed between Vitality Perception Resist Intelligence and Control +14 Free Stats +1 Stat to a Mental Stat +1 to a Physical Defense Stat +1 to a Mental Support Stat +2 Control +20 Health +24 Mana +23 Stamina + 5 to all Regenerations +1 to Health and Stamina Regeneration +20 Progenitor�s Influence

Congratulations You have learned the Skill Scarlet Burst � Lvl 1 You have learned the Skill Volatile Ash Lvl 1 You have Learned the Skill Visualization � Lvl 1

Scarlet Burst Erupt in a fiery burst of energy launching yourself 1 meter in any direction from your current position You leave a cloud of superheated ash at your previous location Distance traveled and speed increases with Skill Level

Volatile Ash The strength and potency of the energy in your body have ignited a variant kind of fire All flames and ash produced by your Skills will infect any opponent with a virulent poison on physical contact Damage inflicted increases with Skill Level

Visualization Your ability to focus and predict outcomes has increased In addition the effects of training and the power of your images increases

As long as I keep the Level gain modest Randidly said slowly to himself No one will notice right

Chapter 605

After Randidly killed around 200 of the Wights he had to face a bitter truth the horde of opponents hadn�t even noticed the losses Sure there were those at the edges that saw their brethren were killed but so what They were at war This was commonplace

Even the lack of apparent enemy wasn�t an issue If anything it filled the Wights with confidence as the assailants dare not remain and fight This was especially true because the Wights were used to fighting against the people of Tellus The spear users did not retreat in the face of the enemy They charged forward to demonstrate their martial superiority which is why

Randidly paused mid spell Then the blood drained out of the face Almost disbelievingly he scanned the walls around him He looked up and down the entirety of the battlements he could see When he didn�t find what he was looking for he spread out his Aether Perception to feel the area The Aether in the air was undoubtedly thin but Randidly just expelled a cloud to fill the air enough to distinguish what was going on around him

And after it all he had to face a truth he should have realized immediately One that made the spear users� loss to the Wights make much more sense no one here knew how to fight a defensive war on this scale

In the entirety of the wall there wasn�t a single shield or piece of heavy armor They wore the same form fitting leather armor that they had worn for the one versus one tournament That sort of armor was serviceable in a giant melee but they were trying to defend walls Without heavy armor to turn aside blows the spear users on the wall would have to individually engage with each opponent When an overwhelming number of attacks came they would need to retreat to survive

When they did the wall would be lost

For several seconds Randidly felt a strange sense of helplessness With Inspire he could hit a lot of the Wights that were coming But then he would be without Mana which was a prospect that he wasn�t comfortable with Some experimentation might reveal a more Mana efficient method of killing Wights but that was somewhat doubtful as well

Which only left

Randidly hopped lightly up on the edge of the wall and spun to face his men and women They looked up at him their faces displaying the nervousness that his bad jokes had failed to banish Randidly�s bare toes gripped the wooden wall careful to only let his heel stick out a small amount over the edge to the ground below

He smiled at his people This is going to sound strange but how many of you believe you can wield your spears with one hand

Someone is wiping out their scouting parties The copper haired woman commented The Witch King is slowing his advance

Helen activated her Farsight Skill and blinked Someone was wiping out the opposing sides scouts which significantly delayed the charge that she had believed was coming As she peered more closely with her Skill she almost laughed Plants were rising up and attacking the invaders Part of her wanted to believe the very world was rebelling against the invasion but the logical part knew it was Randidly�s doing

Just the fact he could do it so efficiently and from such distance left her somewhat awestruck The tactical value of such a thing

But if it is a rogue element it is just as worrying for us Sentinel Roonst said with his typical frown

Although Helen had no real rank here as a veteran of the front lines she was invited to the central base of operations at Niergem She had a squad of a hundred guards that she would use to reinforce the worst areas of fighting But for now she waited for orders

There were about 20 other Sergeants milling around as well as 10 or so people that were Pontiffs that had deployed their Styles to assist in the defense At the center of it all Viro Roonst stood He was a conductor in his element moving his forces in response to the shifting advance of the Wights A defensive battle was a losing one Helen knew but Sentinel Roonst was doing his best to position his forces out of the spaces that would likely be bombarded by the other sides Psychic Poison Skills

Reporting sir Helen said She did her best not to call him a suspicious idiot The killed scouts is likely the doing of Randidly Ghosthound the Northern Domain tournament representative with an emerald Tassle He is a known Spellspear

All eyes turned to Helen The copper haired woman�s gaze was especially sharp in a way that reminded Helen uncomfortably of her mother And suddenly she realized with a flash of guilt that she had never replied to her mother�s most recent message How long ago had she received that fucking thing

Intriguing Emissary Jailen If I could trouble you to bring your forces to assist Spellspear Ghosthound Take a portion of the Mana potions with you and see if you can keep the Wights blind

A thin man with salt and pepper hair and dark orange skin bowed to the Sentinel and then gestured sharply Two of the Sergeants joined him and marched to gather their men Sentinel Roonst once more turned his gaze to Helen considering her

A Spellspear is rarely seen in the outer Domains let�s hope he can hold up under the weight of responsibility Sergeant

Helen sir Helen saluted It was a military habit more than anything It turned out that she could learn at least a little bit of self discipline when it wasn�t being stuffed down her throat by her mother

Excellent you are with me Sergeant Helen You served on the front yes Your service will be But then his words cut off as there was a great cry arising from the Wights A strange pillar of sickly green light descended from the skies and covered them all

Sentinel Roonst�s face turned immediately grim Well Helen reflected as she studied the man critically Grimmer It seemed like the only change of expression he ever had was to frown more deeply She wondered if he woke up with a normal face and it was slowly twisted over the course of the day Fucking weird

That�s the Ring of Mass Flight The copper haired woman who Helen had learned was named Jeneva Rawn said

Sentinel Roonst nodded this will make things difficult It might take away the advantage of the walls but it likely means they will gamble on a melee more quickly We must hold out until then

Should we not attack now Another man argued It is known that the Rings take a while to activate If we can strike before it is completed we will rout them

A portion is remaining on the ground Jeneva pointed out right as Helen was opening her mouth to call the man a dumbass That group would rip into an assault squad with Psychic Poison unless we deploy a significant amount of troops At that point is it worth it

Glumly the man fell silent Everyone�s mood turned bleaker and bleaker as they watched the strange light glow more intense

Strangely Helen didn�t feel too much worry Subconsciously she turned and looked over to the spot where Randidly stood She wondered what he was up to

And as she was watching there was a bright light from that area that streaked across the sky and struck one of the Wights that was slowly floating upwards out of the trees The thing screeched and spasmed and then fell still

Helen blinked

A strange baleful song around amongst the Wights As they sang Helen knew from experience they would activate their Spectral Claws and prepare to fire Psychic poison The song built and built largely ignoring the singular steaks of orange fire that eliminated some of their fliers

But as it was building towards a crescendo there was a voice that cut through the strange and deadly song

Before a King the peasants are silent

There was a strange tingling in the air and the song of the Wights faltered Helen looked over and saw a strange bright light and a grey crown but then something drew her gaze back towards the Wights

The Witch King screamed and the two hosts rose from the ground to swarm through the sky Then Psychic Poison shot through the air towards Randidly and his crown like a monsoon

Chapter 606

Randidly was almost exasperated as the guards around him had looked up with fear towards the literal sea of energy that was shooting towards them After he had used some leftover Erickson Steel and his personal hammer to make his squad tower shields they just stood in the face of a projectile volley

These fools were worse than he thought

And the reinforcements he received weren�t any better Just as he had finished the previous group�s shields another 60 had arrived with Mana Potions and offering any assistance they could So Randidly quickly hammered out another 20 shields while firing off Incinerating Bolts But when the strange Wights began to sing it had distracted him enough that he couldn�t handle it anymore

Which is why he said what he said and why he meant it

Looking around at the guards around him Randidly slapped the back of one�s head Raise your fucking shields Don�t just stand there and die

Awkwardly they did so The Psychic Poison that everyone seemed to fear closely resembled the plasma shot out of pistols from Zone 1 in that it was a strangely amorphous gas liquid Luckily it traveled much more slowly so even the most stunned spear user was able to position the piece of metal between themselves and the projectiles

Feeling rather bold Randidly stayed outside the cover of the shields and depleted his Mana completely by firing off a vicious barrage of Incinerating Bolts into the floating crowd of Wights Their skin caught the light in such a way that there seemed to be a floating swarm of fireflies that were alighting into the night sky They rose and rose like a blanket that threatened to rival the sea of stars above The whole while those strange green blobs shot down towards the walls of Niergem but concentrated on Randidly�s position

At the last second Randidly waved a hand and used Gravity Affinity to shift the blobs descending straight towards him to the side Right before the projectiles landed Randidly wondered if he should have perhaps considered that the people of Tellus had already considered shields He had seen buckler shields so perhaps these projectiles ignored them

He felt a sharp stab of guilt as there was an explosion of liquid goo gas that bounced harmlessly off the front of his tower shields There wasn�t even a sound of the substance eating into the metal with an acid tilt It simply was reflected by the physical presence of something else

A strange sense of incredulous frustration emerged deep from within Randidly�s chest THIS was exactly why it was foolish to have the image of a world end up focused on the spear An unusual and rather mundane threat left them stunned and vulnerable

As if watching from a third perspective Randidly felt the crown about his head begin to thrum with the intensity of his emotions He sense of self dwindled away until he could see himself solely as a cog in a part of the larger battle His eyes burned emerald and he downed three Mana potions in quick succession Then he raised his hand and two dozen Incinerating Bolts shot outward

The Witch King was screaming but the noise felt incredibly distant due to the localized influence of his Silence portion of his Crown Randidly drank more Mana potions and felt a throbbing headache beginning to build behind his eyes It made him bare his teeth at the horde of screaming fireflies before him

Want to reclaim your voices Then spend your lives like dirty coins to reach me

Around Randidly the guards seemed rather stunned by the fact they had weathered the assault without any casualties Those squads near Randidly and without the shields were writhing on the ground in agony holding their heads Some of the stronger ones were standing but pale It truly seemed like there was some sort of mental attack included in that slime the Wights threw

And it couldn�t pass through a shield

Another wave is coming don�t slack off Randidly barked channeling his best Shal impression This time the people around him snapped back into focus with much more vigor Their shields went up to block the projectiles fired directly at them by the flying Wights

Some of the people towards the back weren�t even using their shields so they spread down the walls to protect those who had survived the first volley With an expression of deep excitement the aging man who had brought the reinforcements popped up by his side

Astounding The spear is unable to stop the Psychic Poison due to the inherent finesse of the weapon but the Spearman was not bound by simply the spear It was his greatest tool but it was by no means the only one Sir Ghosthound do you have more of those large shields

Even while shooting out a dozen Incinerating Bolts Randidly frowned When his Mana reached dangerously low levels he drank another potion It was true that he did have more ingots of Erickson Steel inside his ring Most of them were failed attempts at making his ultimate metal which he dubbed Ghostblood Steel Still those failed attempts would be more than enough to block this strange poison attack

If anything the fact that they were failed attempts would make the process even simpler If it was actually the super dense and powerful steel Randidly had been aiming for it would take so long to hammer out it was no longer useful assistance But to do so would mean that he would need to cease attacking or at least sacrifice some accuracy as he focused on other things

Fine Randidly said shortly Honestly even these flurry of attacks weren�t turning the tide There were simply too many Wights in the air

But there was one way that it had changed the course of the battle the entirety of one of the Hosts was swarming towards Randidly�s position drawn by the eye catching Incinerating Bolts that were killing the Wight�s companions Randidly spared them one last glance that was something like amusement before he crouched down and began to produce ingots and hammer out more tower shields It would take more than this Psychic Poison to shake his men holding up shields They would need

The Witch King screamed loud enough to penetrate through Randidly�s aura of Silence and Randidly grimaced Yes they would need to bring the fight to the wall Above them the Wights began to descend and held up their hands Strange elongated claws formed on their hands and they slashed threateningly as they fell from the side

Randidly cursed just as a few of his men set aside their shields and the Wights pulled up at the last minute The Wights behind them fired down Psychic Poison and the spear users went down groaning and swearing at whatever pain the poison inflicted

Shields up Randidly roared Shield one hand spear the other Only move to attack when they are close enough to be stabbed They aren�t gonna fight fair so don�t try to meet them

But then the Wights were all around so many that they blotted out Randidly�s sense of the rest of the battle even with the Perception boost provided by the Crown of Yggdrasil there were simply too many enemies to keep track of in the small area around him even for Randidly�s high Intelligence and Perception

Half finished Randidly handed off the shield he was working on and stood The compelling reason for him to continue attacking the Wights he had missed by thinking strategically On an individual basis Randidly�s spells kept the Wights honest They couldn�t just float above and bombard the spear users if they were being bombarded back

With a light touch Randidly leaped upwards amongst the Wights Many pulled back shocked by the abruptness of his rise Soon he was in the thick of them Grinning one Wight rushed forward and raised his Spectral Claws to rip at Randidly�s back

Feeling slightly bored Randidly lifted Acri and sliced the fool in half Jesus were the Wights just as bad as the spear users Since he was up here at least use your advantages to press

And just as Randidly was thinking about it several attacked him at once flying at him from different directions As he was simply sailing through the air there wasn�t an easy way for him to dodge

Not that he had to Acri once again knocked the attacks of them all aside and wounded two of the attackers That was when the group backed up and prepared to shoot Psychic Poison at him Immediately Randidly used Phantom Half Step several times and appeared near the largest group

As the explosion rocked the group and sent several Wights screaming from the sky Randidly used Phantom Half Step on some of his men on the wall to pull himself back down to safety It was a very Stamina intensive move that he had just used but it would give the Wights something to think about and he wasn�t using the Stamina much anyway

Humming to himself and considering the battle Randidly drank another three Mana potions The headache was growing worse On the wall at least in Randidly�s area the fighting had moved into an awkward melee Some Wights had descended and struck out with their Spectral Claws but most still flew above and threw down Psychic Poison The spear users on the wall blocked as best as they could with the shields but most were painfully awkward They should be getting better but

Then Randidly froze They wouldn�t get better Without Aether there would be no Skill development Leaving them as actual amateurs as opposed to the usual System empowered amateurs

Growling Randidly expelled an even larger cloud of Aether from his body It was dissipating quickly but it would hopefully give the fighters nearby a chance That was all they needed to hold the lines until someone did

A screech smashed against Randidly like a physical force sending him stumbling His crown trembled At the last second he activated Ashes to Ashes as a blur shot down at out the sky and hit the back of his neck

The world froze slowly and grew cold He became ash that dispersed and hissed as it ate into the diaphanous cloak around the large body that had attacked him As he reformed he considered his opponent gravely

The Witch King One of five in the Wight armies Likely above even his own current Stats and Skills

The smile grew like mold in darkness across Randidly�s face It was about time he faced a challenge

Chapter 607

As Randidly grinned at his opponent the thing grasped with its cold hands Above him a vicious claw condensed at such a speed that Randidly only had time to swear and throw himself backward before it crushed the spot where he was previously standing The air shuddered and cracked with the force of the spell and the keening wail of the Witch King sent a tremor through Randidly�s crown

It followed up with an equally quick thrust with its actual hand and this proved much more difficult to deal with Even as he shrugged to the side a chunk of Randidly�s shoulder was ripped out by pearly claws It wasn�t even the speed of the attack what Randidly couldn�t catch was the movements of the creature underneath its diaphanous cloak

When a person attacked that force came through the shoulders and elbow and finally the hands to thrust the weapon With the Witch King none of the joint movements prior to the final attack were visible Randidly needed to react solely to the attack itself without any forewarning

And the Witch King was faster than he was

To add insult to injury just as Randidly was regaining his balance one of the men under him rushed forward and physically body checked the Witch King Or tried to The Witch King slashed with its pearly claws and the shield and man behind it were split like butter Then it raised its head and screamed

A wave of Psychic Poison exploded outward and knocked Randidly and a few other spear users nearby were knocked backward With the cleared out area more and more Wights landed and began to run forward to flank the other defenders on the wall while their compatriots continued to bombard from above

Scanning the broken remnants of the defenders the Witch King hummed in contentment His gaze lingered on Randidly for a split second but then it turned away and began to float upwards

Even as Randidly�s body hit the ground and he felt the wooden battlements beneath him crack he snarled and pointed From the wooden base beneath them dozens of spikes shot upward impaling the newly arrived attackers They screamed in agony and Randidly blazed in denial with his Crown of Upheaval and Silence

But then he faltered as something strange began to grow in his chest It was self doubt and existential dread it was the pain of constant struggle to survive in a world that didn�t care about you It was the surety that there would always be someone stronger someone more capable and the people that had chosen Randidly as their defender would die disappointed

It was a part of him whispered the Psychic Poison His skin began to twitch and then boil as the whispers grew more and more insistent But as his body almost mechanically got Randidly back to his feet his eyes blazed emerald

You will be silent Randidly hissed and the voices cracked and were broken Then burning along his skin continued but he ignored that as he doubled down on the slaughter of the invading Wights Barely five seconds had passed since the Witch King descended upon this portion of the defenses but Randidly� squad was completely scattered and isolated A few struggled valiantly to both defend against those attacks from above and the harrying blows from the Wights that had landed on the wall But he watched three fall as he straightened

No more

The vines were more than enough to break the bodies of the Wights that were pouncing downwards Although their attacks were sharp their bodies were brittle and broke easily Those spear users that were still upright quickly spotted what was going on and moved to surround Randidly But with a sharp gesture he sent them back to man the wall

Because 20 meters away the Witch King removed his claw from the chest of the salt and pepper hair man who had brought the reinforcements and turned to glare at Randidly There were dozens of Wights screeching and flying in between the two but their gazes locked

Just to see what happened Randidly shot an Incinerating Bolt at the Witch King�s face It waved its hand and shattered the magical bolt

Well it was worth a try

Just as Randidly�s Perception was slowly starting to spread outward and account for a larger portion of the battlefield the Witch King charged at him and once more his entire focus narrowed This opponent was stronger than him and not just a little If he hadn�t had a move like Ashes to Ashes to avoid that first blow

This time the Witch King flicked its claw and Randidly felt the space around him condense and then wrench him There was a force there and once more Randidly found himself thrown backward with nothing he could do One of his ribs popped painfully and the force of the strange Skill threw him off of the edge of the battlements

As he was falling towards the city below Randidly winced Although it was relatively weak compared to the Witch King�s other physical attacks how the fuck was a Skill like that fair Hopefully it had a high Mana cost because Randidly wasn�t sure he could dodge it and it had instantly taken out 1/10th of his Health

Using Phantom Half Step on a Wight high in the air Randidly rapidly landed back on top of the wall and saw the Witch King use its claw to catch Azriel�s needle like spear This seemed to be incredibly shocking to her because she didn�t have any follow up as she stared at the thing

As it made to step forward and rip her in half Randidly used Plant Dominance to wrap up its legs and slow its step It was enough but barely The attack ripped her from shoulder to opposite hip With his Perception tied to plants Randidly could feel every drop of blood that exploded outward and soaked into the wooden battlements

After firing off a half dozen Incinerating Bolts to eliminate the Wights that dropped from the sky to capitalize on Azriel�s weakness Randidly turned and slashed with Acri to meet the Witch King�s blow At the last second he used Idiosyncratic Cut to strike a sliver of time before the Witch King�s attack hit him The blow staggered the opponent but Randidly didn�t dare trade honestly

His body dissolved into ash and formed back up 5 meters away only to be hit by a rapid flick of the Witch King�s claws This time his popping rib broke truly and the sharp pain in his side made him gasp

The thing was moving to follow up with the attack when it made a strange ticking noise and turned to once more catch Azriel�s spear as it raced towards the back of its head Blood spurted outwards as her body was jolted to a stop so abruptly But this time Azriel twisted her spear to loosen the grip and then spun it expertly out of the Witch King�s grasp Her second thrust caught the thing in its chest

Above them the sky darkened and a golden hand appeared It hovered above them and its fingers flexed The Witch King ignored it and reached towards Azriel with the strange snake like abruptness it possessed

A voice overhead rumbled over them Your life is mine

At first Randidly believed the Witch King to be speaking But there was a split second where the Witch King paused after the voice boomed outward that convinced Randidly that this wasn�t the case The speaker was someone else

Reinforcements

But as the floating hand shot downward towards the Witch King Randidly eyes witnessed one unavoidable conclusion the Witch King was a bit faster than the golden hand It would kill Azriel before the blow from above landed It might even have enough time to dodge

Still it might not So Randidly seemed to be frozen as the two attacks rushed closer towards their target His Crown burned with a blacklight glow

This strike could kill the Witch King The battle would be won and a great blow would be struck against the Wight armies

the people who have chosen me as their defender would be disappointed

But honestly how much did Randidly care about this war What he cared about was that Azriel had attacked the Witch King and distracted it twice while it was moving to attack Randidly That was something he would not soon forget

Exhaling slowly Randidly planted his feet and examined the Witch King as closely as he could The strange cloak kept most of the body parts hidden but Randidly could see its face and hands

The Spear Advances Ash Trails He said softly His body blurred as he shot forward as if shot out of a cannon He raised his spear and narrowed his eyes as space was rapidly devoured between himself and the Witch King

Chapter 608

Once more Randidly felt the Witch King pause as he rushed towards its back It considered blocking Randidly but it once again concluded it would be a waste Its claw continued to rip towards Azriel For her part she used the combined time of those two hesitations to reposition her spear and thrust again The thrust went wide of its body but knocked its far hand backward

Randidly didn�t know whether to laugh or cry at her But if she lived he would thank her afterward

There was now less than a meter between the tip of his spear and the Witch King�s back Randidly bared his teeth and used As the Sun Stills In that small fraction of time he focused on pouring more and more weight into his spear To the point that Acri began to whine at the pressure it was under Randidly comforted it as best he could but continued to focus on the image of that impossible weight

All at once something gave and there was the deadweight of a dying sun inside the tip of that spear That dreadful weight crept forward

Due to Azriel�s last attack the Witch King was no longer the person who would strike first it had altered his stance enough that Randidly would

His spear smashed into the Witch King�s spine and it instantly twisted around The force of the blow knocked it sideways and caused it pain for the first time of this fight so there was a fire in its eyes as it turned Then it paused

It held Randidly�s gaze for several seconds Its body began to fly backward There was understanding there It seemed to consider Then it nodded slightly It would be knocked flying and no longer attack Azriel Because with the force it borrowed from Randidly�s attack it would be able to dodge the golden hand from above

It shrilly chimed its appreciation but Randidly chuckled

Acri slashed left and inflicted a small blow on the Witch King But some of the weight from As the Sun Stills remained and Randidly�s spear was able to cut through the Witch King�s body Its acceptance turned into indignant disbelief in a second It howled but it didn�t fight the momentum

There were some things more important than the blow that Randidly had struck at the last second and its own life was one of them

Abruptly Randidly felt his Crown shimmer and disappear The sense of clarity that he was operating under evaporated He landed with as much grace as he could his speed carrying him to stand in front of Azriel Although it hurt to do it he shoved her backward Then without missing a beat be used Phantom Half Step twice Or he meant to Unfortunately the strange headache that had built from his use of the Crown had made him miss completely depleting his Stamina Instead he used Phantom Half Step once and then desperately used Scarlet Burst once

That Skill moved him another meter backward away from the spot the Witch King was standing but it wasn�t quite enough

The Witch King flew out over the wall The golden hand�s attack hit the battlements in between Azriel and Randidly Before he could register the sound the shockwave hit Randidly and for the third and hopefully final time threw him backward Then the entire battlements collapsed from the force of the attack The few surviving spear users fell downwards and struggled to right themselves as the wooden framework collapsed

Luckily the spear users were quicker than the Wights within a few seconds they had found their spears and jumped off of falling wood to slaughter the couple dozen Wights that were caught in the tragedy

Using Plant Dominance Randidly moved through the falling wood and reached out With both goals in hand he landed with Azriel in his arms and leaped farther away from the collapsing wall Above the Wights were buzzing furiously But a shrill noise that was likely from the Witch King stopped them in their tracks Slowly the floating army began to retreat

Randidly sighed with relief Then he shook his head slightly annoyed at himself Sure it made sense to be glad that the opponent retreated but still Randidly supposed it was a function of how powerful the Witch King was but he had gained quite a bit in the brief contact

With a slight pang Randidly realized it had been a few weeks since he had looked at his Status and extra PP anyway He was deep in some calculations for improving the copy of the runic language he was leaving for the people at Erickson Steel when Helen had messaged him Since then he had basically been jogging

Jogging would have honestly been a good time to handle his Path nonsense but he had been too caught up in trying to figure out the vibe that Helen was throwing off to address it So Randidly first found the medical portion of the defense force and dropped Azriel off there She was weakly trying to stand when he finally left shaking his head with exasperation And they called him stubborn

The two weeks prior to his departure from Earth hadn�t been accounted for so Randidly gained a fair amount of Skill Level in Refine Extract Mana Engraving Spriggit�s Tinkering and Engineering Savvy In addition to that he had experienced a few Levels of growth in things like Chosen of Fire and Gravity Affinity From all of these combined he had just about 50 PP

Aside from those weeks working on Earth he had also gained a fair amount of PP from the spar with Helen and his fighting today It was only a scattering of Skill Levels in Incinerating Bolt Circle of Flame Spear Mastery Idiosyncratic Cut Plant Dominance and Phantom Half Step but he had gained 19 Skill Levels in the Crown of Yggdrasil Silence and Upheaval and another 11 in As the Sun Stills Likely these were all gained in the 60 second clash with the Witch King

Overall he had 112 PP to pour into the Growth of Yggdrasil II Path which scored him 11 free Stats and 11 Vitality For the free Stats he put them into Agility After his run in with the Witch King Randidly realized that the amount he was pushing into Agility wasn�t enough to handle the caliber of enemies he now was required to face He needed to up his game

Afterward he considered his Status

Level 27 (97%)

Health(/R per hour) 1922/3384 (1651)

Mana(/R per hour) 701/3979 (819)

Stam(/R per min) 1799/3150 (541)

Vit 355

End 158

Str 402

Agi 455

Perception 382

Reaction 365

Resistance 292

Willpower 470

Intelligence 506

Wisdom 339

Control 625

Focus 298

Progenitor�s Influence 12961

Skills (Soul Skill) Seven Lands of the Spectral Tree Lvl 1890

Combat Spear Mastery Lvl 183 White Phantom�s Half Step (Un) Lvl 79 Heavy Blow Lvl 96 Dagger Mastery Lvl 10 Iron Skin Lvl 47 Dodge Lvl 99 Fighting Proficiency Lvl 140 Block Lvl 74 Phantom Onslaught Lvl 42 Sweep Lvl 54 Spear Deflect Lvl 10 Calculated Blow Lvl 93 Roundhouse Kick Lvl 72 Idiosyncratic Cut (Un) Lvl 106 Pierce the Skies Shatter the Earth Lvl 57 Body Control Freeze Lvl 37 Stalemate Breaker Lvl 35 Talon Strike Lvl 43 Counter Lvl 59

PoFE Class Skills Plant Dominance � Lvl 116 Spray Holy Sap (Un) Lvl 9 Sharpness Lvl 79 Call Grove Defenders � Lvl 34 Earthquake (Un) Lvl 44 Invigorating Call (Humanity)(Un) Lvl 14 Four Shaded Domain Lvl 29 Phantom�s Lantern (Un) Lvl 35 Grasp of Lava � Lvl 80 Erode Image Lvl 7 Vengeful Bloom (Un) Lvl 19 Gallant Intervention (Human) Lvl 4 Spriggit�s Tinkering � Lvl 75 Aether Understanding Lvl 51 Summon Lava Golem (Un) Lvl 46 Aether Infusion Lvl 45 Scarlet Burst � Lvl 1 Volatile Ash Lvl 1 Visualization � Lvl 1

The 7 Kata of the Ashen Spear The Spear Advances Ash Trails Lvl 86 As the Sun Stills Lvl 50

The 6 Signs of the Spear Phantom � The First Sign The Inevitable Phantom Arrives Lvl 101 (Un) The Fifth Sign The Wild Phantom�s Embrace Lvl 184 The Sixth Sign The Breath of the Spear Phantom � Lvl 65

Aether Skills Aether Detection Lvl 106 Aether Manipulation Lvl 101 Living Aether � Lvl 106 System Interference Lvl 12

Spells Spearing Roots Lvl 99 Mana Bolt Lvl 28 Mana Shield Lvl 32 Arcane Orb Lvl 22 Fireball Lvl 30 Magic Missile Lvl 4 Healing Palm Lvl 12 Pollen of the Rafflesia Lvl 20 Summon Pestilence Lvl 55 Wall of Thorns Lvl 29 Yggdrasil Soul Seed � Inspiration � Incinerating Bolt Lvl 95 Circle of Flame Lvl 76 Plantomancy Lvl 35 Hammer of the Dawn Lvl 37 Burning Footsteps Lvl 23 Ashes to Ashes Lvl 61 Touch from Beyond � Lvl 24 Gravity Affinity Lvl 70 Incendiary Eruption Lvl 52

Crafting Potion Making Lvl 73 Farming Lvl 34 Plant Breeding Lvl 19 Mapmaker Lvl 7 Analyze Lvl 29 Refine Lvl 72 Extract Lvl 58 Mana Engraving Lvl 130

Yggdrasil Glittering Leaves of Yggdrasil Lvl 105 The Golden Roots of Yggdrasil Lvl 129 the Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil Lvl 130 the Yyrwood Flesh of Yggdrasil Lvl 131 the Indomitable Spirit of Yggdrasil Lvl 127 the Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil Lvl 119 Crown of Yggdrasil Silence and Upheaval Lvl 30

Auxiliary Sneak Lvl 46 Acid Resistance Lvl 22 Poison Resistance Lvl 21 Pain Resistance Lvl 63 First Aid Lvl 16 Pathfinding Lvl 18 Fire Resistance Lvl 102 Sewing Lvl 11 Cutting Vegetables Lvl 2 Manual Labor Lvl 6 Digging Lvl 5 Cooking Lvl 73 Clockwork Mastery Lvl 25 Aether Connection Lvl 15 Soul Bond Lvl 105 Chef�s Palette Lvl 30 Nether Resistance Lvl 13 Child of the Rain (Un) Lvl 16 Chosen of Fire � Lvl 86 Engineering Savvy � Lvl 78

In addition to reaching Level 25 he had also gained two more Levels to put him at Level 27 Those free Stats were largely also pushed into Agility There was a part of Randidly that worried Helen was exaggerating the lack of worries by the individuals running the tournament but another part of him was furious that he had repressed himself and was glad to shoot up in Level

Hell if the tournament lasts a month or two there was probably a chance of him rushing straight up towards Level 50

Chapter 609

There were a few hours when Randidly was frantically using Plant Dominance to fish out and rescue the few spear users who were caught in the collapse of the wooden battlement Then there were another few hours where the survivors of his squad and the reinforcements he received spread the word of his tower shields and Randidly continued to pound his leftover metal into the shape of the shields

About the time when Randidly was considering whether to ask for more raw materials an officious looking man with a bushy mustache stomped over to the tent Randidly had set up near the edges of the debris pile

You are requested in the Sentinel�s tent He said shortly Then he spun on his heel and left

Randidly thought long and hard about ways to teach this man a lesson in respect The first instinct was violence the second was insults the third was much slower But with a sigh Randidly brushed off his hands and stored his hammer in his interspatial ring

Respect was not something you could just demand You earned it by giving it

So with a premonition of trouble Randidly walked towards the headquarters of Niergem As he passed through he saw imitations of the shield he had created Some of the spear users were using twisted nails to carve their Tassles likeness into the shield It brought a small smile to Randidly�s face and he also felt that part of him that was connected to his Crown pull further back

He hadn�t realized it until this point but the Crown had not truly turned off since his battle with the Witch King It had sputtered out and been a constant drain in its broken state Now that he loosened that drain he felt part of him relax almost instinctually

It was not that the Crown cost Mana or Stamina but it was a constant weight on his thoughts More than that it was as though Randidly was forcefully standing on his tiptoes for an extended period of time It raised his will and impressed it upon the world around him That exertion was slowly becoming more and more natural but it was still more than Randidly could handle He would need to experiment with it in the future to get the hang of its uses

During the walk he also considered the fight against the Witch King In his initial excitement he had overlooked an important fact the Witch King was one of the elites of the Wights Effectively one of the most powerful individuals in this war It wasn�t that he hadn�t realized this in his rush of endorphins as the battle started but it was that he missed the important point that this opponent was far beyond his league

About as far beyond his league as he was above most of his opponents back on Earth

There was also the problem that he had somewhat forgotten how to fight opponents above his level Although he had planned the fight to be an epic confrontation he had simply met Strength with Strength and expected to come out ahead Instead Randidly knew that he should have relied on his mobility and the Phantom�s Embrace arguably his most powerful combat Skill in order to gain an advantage

His time on Earth had made him somewhat lazy It was time to change that

When Randidly arrived at the tent of the Sentinel he was relieved to see that it was sparsely populated But the flinty look the man was giving him was enough to know that the other was aware of at least a portion of what transpired there

My attacks rarely miss I strike only when I have accounted for all variables I must admit that I underestimated you It is a testament to how far the Northern Domains have come that you were able to emerge from that area The Sentinel said with his hands neatly folded in front of him And yet I wonder why you chose to use those considerable abilities the way you did That woman is undoubtedly talented but how much is her life worth

The Sentinel�s eyes were dark and grey as the two regarded each other Two Lieutenants stood very still to the sides Their eyes were very pointedly not on the two figures There was more tension in the air than Randidly would have liked to admit He wasn�t sure how this would turn out

Enough Randidly said simply And as he did so he felt Deific Mien of Yggdrasil spreading out from him Her life we are not close but she has done much to help me Her life is worth more than enough

Those grey eyes bore into Randidly seeking something Whatever he found took a long while to find because the next five minutes were only silence and their gazes Randidly dare not look away for fear of confirming something So he could only maintain the eye contact and grit his teeth

All of his old fears about human interactions were coming roaring back but he pushed down those voices and just maintained the gaze This was like talking and socializing but a thousand times worse because there was only the two of them and their held breath

Finally the Sentinel sighed It is regrettable But I concede there are many such individuals that would have given me pause You contributed much to the defense and from what I understand you have been distributing these larger shields to use For that you have my eternal gratitude It was not a move that would have turned the tide but it was enough to save many lives and more in the future But know this you owe me The price you would pay for this Azriel Blanche�s life is a heavy

Randidly produced an object from his interspatial ring and threw it onto the desk in front of the Sentinel It was a pearly finger wearing a light blue ring

And how much is this worth

A few hours later Randidly moved into Azriel�s medical tent to check on the woman He half expected to find her training but to his surprise she was meekly sitting in the bed reading a small leather bound book

She looked up sharply when he entered and made a face Ah I�m glad you are here Thank you We can now consider this even for all of the help I have given you in training to fight Drak

Hey I went above and beyond your request Randidly said with a shake of his head I actually defeated him in battle Shouldn�t you have owed me

When has life ever been about accomplishing a journey It was about telling a story Azriel said The story of my master who has been much maligned due to their nature A story of my blooming ability under my master A resounding victory Effectively you made my master irrelevant by ruining my great villain Now I must move the narrative to a grander stage

Azriel fell silent with an extremely intent expression on her face She was staring down at her book Soft white hairs hung down and framed her face She was so powerful and brave but her wrists looked so thin underneath the sheets

How long until you recover Randidly asked to change the subject

Azriel gave him a sideways glance what do you mean

I mean when are we leaving for the Central Domain Randidly said chiding himself for asking such a dumb question Likely Azriel was already healed She was only resting and spending time reading in the meantime It was strange compared to his knowledge of her but it reminded him strangely of people from Earth

Ah sometimes I forget how foreign you are It will take almost a week to recover And that is optimistic Grimacing Ariel shook her head Now that the Wights are here the damage they inflict are riddled with their newfound life energy To our bodies it�s like poison I have heard tales of times where serious injuries take several months to heal from The worst never truly heal but leaves an individual crippled unable to even bear a spear

Randidly blinked Part of losing Aether was slower healing

That made a drawn out war much more dangerous It also explained why earlier losses in the war were so devastating When the wild attempts to retake the Spear source failed those people were actually injured They weren�t able to utilize their full strength in the next assault and things stalled out to the current point

To the point that the Wights felt comfortable launching assaults on other Domains

Then Randidly said slowly as he put the pieces together

Azriel nodded Likely I will not participate in the finals None of the individuals here have any healing arts only the School of the Heart possess those arts I would choose to travel to meet some of the experts that are coming here for the tournament but I fear that the doctors have informed me that my injuries are so serious something inside of me is broken I will not be able to travel for a week

Chapter 610

Drake scratched his chin I don�t get it What am I going for

As an ambassador of sorts Sydney said peacefully She was meticulously sculpting the ice in front of her to resemble a reindeer Her hands were smooth and even all the while she spoke to him The Order Caelum cannot solely be based out of East End we need a new source of Elementalists Everyone will send representatives I want you to get there first

My point was less about the usefulness of this Drake said slowly keeping his chin high I just wonder why I am the best candidate I believe my abilities would be better spent here training to take down the next Danger Zone The boost to experience gathering has reignited the fury for Leveling in Donnyton If I don�t

You were successful in condensing your Fate yes Sydney said coolly

Almost subconsciously Drake glanced down at his hand The process had not been pleasant But on his left hand was a gauntlet made of bone that was his Fate In addition something inside of him had broken and been reformed He was now a Bone Revenant But just as soon as he made his name true by returning he was being sent away once more And Drake didn�t know why

Yes But perhaps some time to consolidate my new Skills would be for the best Drake finally said

What are your new Skills Sydney asked without missing a beat

Drake winced If he had thought about it he would know she would ask this And it wasn�t like he minded telling her Drake knew quite well that she would respond just as coolly if he refused to tell her the actual answer didn�t make a difference It was just that he had piqued her curiosity

Increasingly she was detached and cool like this It had started when she obtained her ice elemental but it had slowly grown worse as she had become more and more powerful Drake knew that even the sculpting that he was witnessing now was a carefully designed activity to push her mastery over her Skills

That was what she had become Perhaps that was the answer Drake reflected She had become a true leader in her own right capable of swaying others No longer was she a young woman who led a town solely by default The responsibilities of her role had shaped her And that shape no longer needed her capable right hand

It left Drake feeling somewhat confused What what should he be doing The answer that he had insisted on for the last several months was protecting the East End but now

Drake You were spacing out Sydney said

Drake blinked Tireless Counter and Eternal Grasp Tireless Counter

Spare me the details we have lived with the System long enough to realize that we have grown far too specialized to benefit much from dwelling on each other�s every Skill Sydney leaned back from her sculpture and stood The reindeer stood almost two feet high and its eyes seemed to be locked on Drake�s Did you find anyone from the new cohort of guards that you believe in

No Drake said with a shake of the head As the Zone expanded outward all of the Villages had obtained an influx of residents East End had a certain allure as the nexus of Elementalists and people had steadily been coming in Unfortunately most of these were not the type that fit well into Sydney�s Grey Guard the fighting force of East End Rather most were either mage leaning or at least scholarly Most had writer�s bodies

Drake would have liked nothing more than to train a few strong guards Sydney had been pushing specifically for him to find a number two which was a daunting prospect Who else could accomplish what he could And why would she need anyone to And now she was sending

Well then that�s too bad Sydney said with a sigh She held her hand palm up and there was a burst of cold Suddenly a pale grey owl sat on her hand her Ice Familiar It just means you will have to go alone It�s true I cannot tell you what exactly you are aiming for while you go into this new Zone But the people there are stubborn and independent so I believe that if anyone can convince them to join the Order Caelum it�s you

Drake didn�t point out that this made no sense he had been in the military his entire life and grew up following orders How could he reach these independent people

Instead he saluted and went to the door Sydney flexed her other hand There was a sharp crack and a blue raven formed on her other hand It turned one of its beady eyes on Drake

Any questions Sydney said She always asked this before he left to accomplish her orders

None Drake said He always answered this before he left to accomplish her orders

The journey to the new Zone was honestly rather simple From East End you traveled briefly West to Star Crossing and took the portal to Donnyton From there the newly established Manatech line ran South to Franksburg Once you were in Franksburg the hardest part was convincing the guard that he wasn�t up to no good heading into the borderlands Although there was no law against it it was strongly discouraged to go walking into the borderlands

After all the city didn�t want the blood of the foolish on its hands

But Sydney had been right as she usually was There were already caravans heading Southeast under heavy guard to make it into the new Zone The Donnyton Squads involved were all very polite but they made Drake somewhat uncomfortable Not only were they outside his chain of command but he could tell from their barely hidden whispers that they knew of him

More than that they knew that he had been a part of the legendary Raid Dungeon team who had fought next to the likes of Alana and Randidly Ghosthound He was a hero in the flesh

They were just so young

The time in the borderlands was uneventful in the way that they suffered several attacks from monsters but none that was enough to force Drake himself to fight The Squads went to great lengths to keep him relaxed The Level of the monsters in the borderlands was high enough that this mid tier Squad from Donnyton wasn�t able to kill them but they did have methods to deal enough damage to scare monsters away

Watching them Drake shivered They weren�t untalented but they were raw and exuberant in their moves It was the type of fighting that you would learn training with friends not a style learned while a horde of screaming monsters was attacking you They never had to realize that to fail was to kill everyone around you

Yet still they had strength They obviously worked hard but Drake also looked at their equipment very closely The top of the line stuff no longer made it out of Donnyton due to how powerful the equipment Sam could make was Finally they said he had learned how to harness the significant power of his Class the Dawn Smith

They said that Alana in her new suit of armor was the Goddess of War made flesh resplendent and golden

Tutting softly Drake opened his hand and Ryx looked curiously up at him Ryx was a porcupine with dusky skin and maroon eyes He was Drake�s familiar and was the only Death elemental that East End had ever seen A lot of the bookish type Elementalists in East End thought that Ryx�s presence and element was a breakthrough for the subject of Elemental research but to Drake he was a rare excuse to break with the rigid bindings of military tradition while traveling by cart to the new Zone

Ryx hopped down off Drake�s hand and inspected the surroundings After he satisfied himself Ryx settled in Drake�s lap and practically purred as Drake rubbed his snout

Having your Elemental constantly manifested was a powerful drain on Mana but from watching Sydney Drake had learned that it did more than increasing the Skill Level It also somehow improved empathy between the parties and this in turn marginally lowered the Mana associated with all Skills Developing a relationship with the elemental also improved the speed that it evolved

Elementals were only partially a Skill They also had their own strange Leveling System that occurred behind the scenes In theory one could have several Elementals The newer Elementals would benefit from a portion of the Skill you had with a prior Elemental but would need to start over from the beginning in terms of individual abilities

Still there was only one person who Drake had seen actually attempt this And that was a secret

When they arrived it wasn�t to fanfare but rather to a chorus of moans Drake got out of the care to find that there was a backup of ambassadors waiting at the edge of the Zone Because there was a small fishing village here and then the water stretching as far as one could see

The villagers were a hardy slight people with an Asian cast to their features They noticed the new arrivals and then went about their business Having nothing better to do some of the delegations from other locations met Drake�s group for news In addition to himself there was a politician from Franksburg and a band of traveling performers looking to make their mark on the world

Drake slipped away as quietly as possible and approached a small hut at the edge of the village After scaring an old woman who was gardening he asked some questions about the situation

Apparently most of the population of this Zone lived on the central islands or on large boats that sailed around These fishing villages were in the minority And Rahman Strait the boat captain who had attacked Franksburg had owned the nearby waters Aside from his fleet very few boats stopped in the village And now that he had taken his warriors to shore to take land most of his remaining sailors had left and his boats had been stolen or scavenged

Above all else Drake learned that the people here were practical

So Drake said finally looking at the layers of calluses on the old woman�s hands She lived here alone and money was a foreign concept to her She traded for what she needed and made do without what she couldn�t afford The System was a great boon for her because it helped mitigate the effects of age on her life How long do you believe it will be until other boats come back

Not long She said Then she was silent

Drake wanted to sigh He wasn�t much of a conversationalist but this woman

Then he spotted a small rowboat in the reeds near her hut Drake pointed Could could I use that to get to the islands where people are

The old woman chuckled and gave him a discerning glance If you give me that nice leather vest I�ll even paddle you halfway there

Chapter 611

This is about halfway Giver take Half a mind to take you a mite farther but it�s getting late in the day The old woman said as she set down her oars and looked critically up at the sky

Blinking Drake looked around They were sitting in the middle of the body of water with not a land in sight What did she

The boat flipped Water filled his mouth Saltwater Drake thought bitterly Immediately the heavy metal studded leather armor he was wearing pulled him deeper into the dark water away from the relative safety of the boat As he sank the old woman seemed to flip through the water like a dolphin instantly circling the boat and righting it as he sank helplessly downward

As he moved his arms ineffectually trying to reverse his descent she grinned at him and flipped him off Then she kicked her feet and practically leaped out of the water and back up onto the boat

Swimming Skills � Drake thought sourly as he considered his options After a bit of hesitation he put his armor back into his interspatial ring and glared upwards as he began to swim Ryx for whatever reason maintained his physical form and used his small claws to cling to the rough cloth of Drake�s undershirt He wasn�t the best swimmer but the stats he had compensated for a lot even when you didn�t have the Skill

Still about 20 seconds later Drake realized he had two problems rapidly swarming fish monster and the boat was rapidly moving away across the water That damn old woman must have been sandbagging on the row out here

Another voice in Drake�s head whispered that this was his own fault He had accepted her offer of take him halfway there as an offer to take him to another small island with more boat traffic not literally halfway there But he hadn�t attempted to iron out the details That was quite unlike him

In fact he had simply been furiously trying to figure out why Sydney had given him these orders without worrying much about the execution Perhaps he had assumed he would figure out when he got there but It was inexcusable It was his fault He was letting his insecurities cloud his judgment

And now a local had attempted to rob and perhaps even kill him This was not something he would let go

The bone gauntlet on his left hand throbbed Wincing Drake raised it an aimed at the departing boat Although the strange stone left by the Ghosthound allowed you somehow to deny the System and provided some shelter from the reverberations it didn�t totally insulate you If you did it without their strange alter your Class wouldn�t suffer the painful instability but it also wouldn�t evolve

Drake didn�t regret his decision but he wished it wasn�t QUITE so fucking painful

Eternal Grasp He whispered as the many toothed fish drew closer There was a query from his bone gauntlet and Drake responded by blasting it with an image of Mr Fantastic�s arm stretching out almost infinitely

With a small noise the gauntlet trembled THen it began to bubble Finally it erupted outwards growing faster than it ever had in Drake�s practice So much so that the force of it expanding knocked off the stroke of his swimming and made him flounder somewhat as the strange monsters swamp closer

There were two main varieties One was a fat looking eel with a long snout and the other was a silvery fish the size of a hog with sharp looking fins along its sides Both were below Level 30 but there were probably a hundred of them gathering around Drake with more lurking along the edges of his sphere of Perception

The eels arrived first undulating through the water to flash crooked teeth Ryx squealed or perhaps simply growled underwater but then morphed into his shield form in a second In that form Ryx was a large perfectly circular shield positively bristling with spikes And if those spikes inflicted wounds lingered Drake knew that necrosis would set in fast enough to matter in this strange underwater battle

He managed to right himself just as the first arrived twisting around the shield as Drake swung it slowly to defend But as it passed by a hair�s breadth Ryx stretched extending his quills to rake across the side of the eel It hissed in annoyance and came to bite Drake Sighing Drake activated his bone armor

Over the past several months this was the point he had pushed himself on the most In half a second the plates of bone erupted from his body to form a protective shell Without understanding what was happening the eel smashed its head into the shoulder guard and paused in the water clearly stunned

With a deft twist Drake smashed the thing against his armor grinding it to mush It was at that point that he started to wonder how long his enhanced body would be able to hold out without air especially while fighting A half second later his bone gauntlet smashed up into the boat now almost 100 yards away

Instantly he pulled back and the hand retracted enough to pull the stretched out bone tight between them And Drake pulled Sensation was still maintained through the extended arm so he felt his fingers gripping onto the soft wood of the boat as water flowed up into the hole he had made in the side

Then he pulled harder and his bone armored body jerked forward hitting one of the boar sized fish directly in the jolt of movement The thing�s bones seemed to crack like rotten wood and suddenly Drake was among the fish As much as he could he swung Ryx in tight circles to keep them from swarming him Because once they understood he was now moving quickly sideways through the water as he retracted his Eternal Grasp they had the mobility to still run laps around him

Their attacks didn�t seem to damage his bone armor but one thing that Drake had learned from the Ghosthound is to never give the opponent even the tiniest advantage they could use against you That was how giants were slain So he gritted his teeth and pulled the bone gauntlet back even more quickly His speed jumped and he smashed into another boarfish that was trying to slash at him with its fins The exertion caused his Class to twinge once more

Seven more scraped against his legs arms and back in the following second but he had also smashed three aside with Ryx It was then the eels caught up and began attacking his joints where his armor revealed him

At that moment Drake swore A blade had clunked awkwardly against his hand up in the boat ahead of him That foolish old woman was trying to hack his grip away Little did she know that the Eternal Grasp

Drake hit the boat with enough force to smash it to splinters It also briefly threw him above the water which gave him the chance to gulp down a breath before he splashed back underwater Unsure of his move above the water the sea monsters began to circle He looked around wildly and spotted the old woman swimming away through the water faster than she had been traveling by boat

You Drake began but checked himself One of the things that Sydney was very firm about was gendered language So even though he was far away from anyone hearing he bit back the acidic term and just growled

But then he lowered his gaze and swore an oath to find her whatever it took

Once he was no longer pursuing the old woman he could use his bone gauntlet in more offensive ways It took all of five minutes to rip the remaining monsters to shreds It took a further 6 hours after that to find dry land

Bedraggled and furious Drake walked slowly out of the water while dragging a Level 49 Seadragon Raid Boss that was too large for his Interspatial ring but he wanted to keep for the materials It had honestly been more luck than anything else that allowed Drake to kill it If it had used its strange energy breath he might have died But it tried to swallow him

Famous monster last move

When he emerged from the water there was a young Asian child on shore picking his or her nose As he approached the child began to cry Around the child there were two huts a small canoe and a few trees The island was about the size of a football field

I hate this Zone Drake said darkly

Chapter 612

Naffur Suite pulled at the cuffs of his long sleeved shirt so the crimson color could be seen just a bit at the edges of his sports coat sleeves He smiled at himself in the mirror

Congratulations You Skill Charming Exterior has increased to Level 32

It was a welcome notification after a week of inactivity and his smile turned softer and more genuine as he considered himself The suit was expensive but well made Although he couldn�t normally afford it Naffur was already gambling everything on tomorrow night Spending a few hundred more dollars wouldn�t make much of a difference to the amount he was standing to gain from the operation

And in the Orchard people like him don�t live long if they don�t succeed

Wonderful wonderful Mama Potter said rolling calmly over to stand next to Naffur as he considered himself She squeezed his shoulder Are you truly the same Class less pipsqueak that I took in 6 months ago Look at you I bet you could join the army if you wanted to

Naffur made an exaggeratedly pained face And miss your meals Mama I don�t care about how high a mess officer�s levels are Your cooking is the best

Congratulations Your Skill Flattery has increased to Level 19

With the notification improving Naffur�s mood even further his gaze wandered over to Mama Potter She was extremely obese but Naffur believed that half of her weight was heart and naivety Apparently she was here at the very founding of the Orchard which was why she had such prominent location in the Old District She even had one of the Ghosthound�s marks in her building

For all that he was one of the most powerful people in the world he had worked tirelessly to help erect most of the buildings in the old district by hand and in each one he would hide a scratched signature on the underside of beams Mama Potter�s was in the bathroom on top of the doorframe

When Naffur had arrived released from the wilderness and thrown into the dangerous borderlands he used to climb up on the toilet and just stare at it Somehow looking at the messy scrawl calmed Naffur down And it made him remember a tingling hope that he had lost a long time ago

Maybe there really was such a thing as a hero

At the time Naffur arrived refugees were pouring into the Orchard There were so many that people slept in piles for safety Because while the Ghosthound was constantly active in the area he couldn�t be everywhere And the Senator�s men meant well but they didn�t want to get involved in the gang disputes that quickly took shape

Mama Potter took Naffur in to save him from that He remembered sitting in a puddle of mud and wondering whether he would eventually get thirsty enough to drink this when someone cast a shadow over him When he looked up she asked him what his name was He replied and then she laughed aloud

Sweet What a wonderful name And an auspicious one Would you like to help me bake some cupcakes

A path to a clean and stable life was opened to him at that moment

But it would only take him a month to fuck it up

Shush you won�t miss my cooking you�ll just miss Mareen Mama Potter said with a wink Naffur flushed but didn�t say anything He knew that she would only tease him more relentlessly if he tried to deny it

Naffur was 16 he thought or maybe 17 now Mareen was the 19 year old clerk that worked busy shift after 6 pm when the builders and guards switched shifts and spent some of their coin in the shops She wasn�t exactly perfect looking but she had a voice that drew clients into the business like a trail of honey

Naffur wasn�t sure what Level her singing was at but it seemed to be damn high Maybe even close to 70 or something ridiculous So much so that he had a secret worry in his heart that one day the Ghosthound or the Senator or someone important like Thaddeus Hatch would show up hear her singing and take her away Not like kidnap just offer her something better than this

Naffur�s expression was rather morose was he regarded himself once more The crimson of the shirt seemed positively maroon After all why wouldn�t she go with them She deserved

Mama Potter pinched him so powerfully that he yelped

Congratulations Your Skill Feign Injury has reached Level 49

Don�t go looking like that not in a new suit Mama Potter said balefully squinting at him Whatcha need this for anyway Have you finally landed a job

Not yet Mama Naffur said forcing a wooden smile onto his face

Congratulations Your Skill Deceitful Words has reached Level 33

Mama Potter made to pinch him again and he sidestepped around it easily Frowning at him she opened her mouth then went pale You do you have a lottery ticket

This time Naffur�s smile was genuine For whatever was going to happen Naffur was still going to get the chance to pretend to be someone else for a day For a while he wouldn�t be a poor NCC He could be

Yea Mama Exciting right Now don�t try and convince me to give it up A man like me just needs one chance to impress those bigwigs By this time next week

Mama Potter enveloped him in a hug What part of you is a man my Sweet But I�m so happy I�m so so so happy

Naffur felt a twinge in his chest so much so that his Deceitful Words wouldn�t come Because tomorrow night Naffur would be playing a role that he had never played before For one night he would be a supervillain

After he left Naffur climbed up onto the roof and peered around the Old District of the Orchard The buildings were all connected with a series of trellises and metal pathways that had been added after the fact as the money in the Orchard moved elsewhere What was left looked something like a steampunk beehive with people crawling along the outsides of the buildings about as much as they moved inside of them

Walking quickly he soon reached the small shack built on top of a covered walkway between two buildings It was high enough off the ground that a fall would probably injure someone who hadn�t put a lot of points into Physical Defense stats so no families wanted the space And the covered pathway was skinny enough that no one with any clout would fight him for it It was the spot only for the desperate

Ever since Naffur had found it two months ago he had really started to love his little lean to

Once inside he removed the clothes with great care and put them into a pile in the clean corner of the shed The clean corner was the corner that wasn�t the door the bed or the chamber pot It still made Naffur somewhat leery so he wrapped the clothes in plastic for extra protection Then he sighed and left for a meeting

He was late due to his enjoyment at Mana Potter�s and being late only meant one thing

Jesus fuck me Naffur gasped as a fist struck his abdomen

Congratulations Your Skill Feign Injury has reached Level 50 Congratulations the Path of Cowardice I is open to you

The notification stopped Naffur�s fake moans in their tracks It felt it felt like the System was criticizing him and that pissed him off so much The two men beating him seemed almost relieved and continued to smack him around in silence

I didn�t want this � Naffur thought curled up into a ball with tears in his eyes Do you think I picked this Path This is all there is �

But still that spark of fury didn�t die And as one of the two men threw a careless overhand blow Naffur lashed out with his foot and caught the man in the groin He went down like a house of cards blown over

Congratulations Your Skill Cheap Shot has reached Level 40

This extended his beating for several minutes but was ultimately worth it At the end of it he was hauled up and made to stand before a rather unfamiliar man with a thinning hairline One of the thugs the one he had kicked twisted Naffur�s arm painfully behind his back and pushed him forward

Say hello to the big boss he came in special from the West for this job So scum like you don�t fuck it up

Wincing Naffur stepped forward and considered the man before him The gang he owed money to was the Haveheights who mostly just ran the brothels and casinos on the outskirts of the Orchard They were rough men and women who cared about coins and fists But the man in front of him seemed different And not in a good way

The man seemed equally nonplussed at Naffur This this is the best we can get Well it ain�t your fault kid but that just means you are gonna need to work that much harder

The man extended his hand The name is Ricky Stain A pleasure to be working with you

Chapter 613

The Lottery was a concept that Senator Firefly came up with to both encourage enrollment in the military and to give the lower classes in the Orchard a way to rise up Even though it had only been several months the Orchard was beginning to move towards being rough in some districts To escape that the Lottery was born

It wasn�t truly a lottery but part of it was random The idea was that buying rations from one of the sponsored grocery stores would always come with a paper pouch If you arrived home and ripped open the paper pouch to find a golden ticket that was an admit one to the chance of the lifetime

The Lottery occurred every month on the last day Each month 30 tickets would be distributed to the surrounding grocery stores Those tickets would allow you to attend the lottery which was an event where you would be put in front of the elites of the military the research department political organizations Chivalric Orders it was basically a giant job interview And very rarely did people attend seriously and not receive some sort of compensation

There were a few caveats however Namely that a person could only attend a Lottery one time and they couldn�t have a Class

None of this would even matter however if there hadn�t been an accident at last months Lottery A man with the ability to shatter stone with his fists destroyed the stage and collapsed it on top of spectators It was in the Old District so hundreds were injured and there were even a few deaths

After that Senator Firefly pulled some strings to move Lottery to a sturdier location and one that befitted the solemnity of the occasion The penthouse ballroom of the Manhattan Building in the commercial district of the Orchard

Aside from the scene views available in the penthouse ballroom one particular factoid of note was that the Manhattan Building was home to Orchard�s largest bank on the bottom few floors

So as people oo�d and ahh�d at the chance to be inside the penthouse ballroom of the Manhattan Building someone within the Haveheights opened up a lottery ticket and had an idea use the ticket to enter into the Manhattan Building to rob the bank Not of all of its money of course but as much as that person could carry

Still the Haveheights had a problem all of their influential members had already obtained a Class It was a quick path to power and they had taken it to stay competitive in a city that was increasingly full of power hungry gangs Besides that they would need someone that they could control to do it The Haveheights would look like fools if the person they picked to go in just fled with the money So they needed leverage on that person And vulnerabilities

That was why Ricky Stain took the time to explain the details of the plan to Naffur Suite

Naffur was rather skeptical that entering through the use of a lottery ticket would do that much to help in the mission But by the end he was somewhat swayed His listened with sweaty palms as Stain explained that having the applicants demonstrate their combat Skills was very common so they would be able to bring weapons into the building In addition quite a few of the rather capable security guards the bank employed would be diverted to the ballroom to protect the VIPs

Although the System generally meant that people at the top could use their influence to speed up their Leveling and grow strong very few relied solely on their strength It was very rare to see even the most powerful Classer without bodyguards

Randidly Ghosthound was the exception that proved the rule If you weren�t him it was better to be safe than sorry

The plan was rather simple During the combat portion Naffur was to look for an opportunity to be injured Use that opportunity to go to the healer�s tent and afterward excuse himself to go to the bathroom Slip away from or incapacitate any guards who followed him and then drop down to the ground floor to launch a surprise attack on the back of the guards

When they heard the commotion the rest of the team that was waiting outside will attack During the confusion Naffur was to grab as much currency and valuables as he could find and slip out

The more Naffur listened to Ricky Stain the more he realized something Even if things went South the Haveheights would lose nothing Naffur would need to accomplish almost everything successfully before they would even become involved It wasn�t particularly complicated but

You know it�s not all bad I know of your circumstances Ricky Stain grinned and revealed yellowing teeth Got a taste for craps eh kid But if you do well here who knows there will probably be more jobs like this in the future You could be so rich that your organization hires from the lottery Wouldn�t that be something

The Stain held out the shimmery golden ticket

As Naffur reached out to take the ticket he froze Ricky Stain had drawn a plasma pistol and was pointing it at his chest At this range it was impossible to dodge And Naffur had seen plasma eat through human bones like

Don�t fuck this up Ricky Stain reversed the pistol and offered it to Naffur Welcome to the team

The next day passed in a blur Before Naffur knew it he was walking up to the Manhattan Building in a suit There was a cheap exosuit on his back an energy suit He had several plasma grenades a plasma pistol and a concussion charge The elevator he rode up in was a light blue with silver metal trim After looking at it for a while Naffur went pale it was genuine silver

By sheer coincidence he road up with a tall woman who was scribbling furiously in a small notebook while mumbling to herself She seemed to be practicing what she would say to impress the people she might meet

Incredible the woman muttered The combat spirit around you is so thick Mr Ghosthound It�s a pleasure

Naffur tried not to roll his eyes Was she practicing lines in case she met actually met him The Ghosthound rarely came to the Lottery events Even the people who ran the lottery aside from Senator Firefly wanted to meet the Ghosthound That was just the kind of person a hero was There was always another task that needed doing

To Naffur�s surprise the first part of the plan went off so well it was uncanny After being gobsmacked by the opulence of the strange floating globes of light and the crystal dome covering the entirety of the ballroom Naffur was informed that as he was a few hours early to take some time to be acquainted with the space There were a dozen people already there practicing their Skills Naffur wandered over to an athletic bald man and timidly asked if he wanted to spar a bit

He was so nervous that his Deceitful Words Skill didn�t� even proc But the man accepted and they began fighting Naffur well he wasn�t bad at fighting but he wasn�t good either He had no true offensive Skills Most of his fighting revolved around using Feign Injury and Feints to confuse the opponent then striking with Cheap Shot

As it turned out his opponent was rather skilled in the mental games associated with fighting and it became a genuinely enjoyable duel for a while Then gritting his teeth Naffur deflected the man�s blow just a hair too weakly and his follow up low kick cracked into Naffur�s side

Oof Naffur said dramatically gasping and staggering backward Looking concerned the other man stopped

One of the employees walked quickly over and waved the man away Don�t worry about it this happens a lot Kid you alright Head down a floor there is a healer waiting there for situations like this But hurry we will probably start in 25 minutes

Feeling like he was sleepwalking Naffur limped convincingly to the elevators The doors opened A young woman�s humming reached his ears With widening eyes Naffur watched Mareen walk out of the elevator so intent on whatever she was thinking about that she didn�t see him

Ow I�m sorr Naffur � She blinked at him �Oh wow I can�t believe you got a ticket too Beaming she gave him an impulsive hug Wah I�m so nervous It�s good to see a familiar face Ah where were you going

Naffur mumbled something about the bathroom and tried to forget the feeling of her warm hands It wasn�t until elevator doors closed that he could breathe again

Why why did she have to be here If the bank was robbed and he disappeared would they know it was him Could he sneak back somehow

With a ding the elevator doors opened Because of his somewhat shocked state it took Naffur a while to register what was going on in front of him In the ornate hallway across the tiled floor There was a pool of blood spreading from a man wearing a Red Cross robe the healer Above him glowing with power was a two meter tall portal

A temporary portal Naffur recognized with a start They cost a fortune and only persisted for 24 hours but for short jobs they were

Someone killed the healer A voice seemed to whisper and Naffur shivered His feet seemed stuck to the floor Slowly the elevator doors closed with a soft click What what was he supposed to do

If he was caught here

His thoughts were a jumbled mess Naffur fumbled in his pack and removed a mask from the bag There had been a lot of attempts to capture the Ghosthound in an image and this was the one that he always preferred The face was that of a cartoonish dog�s but the fur was dark grey and the eyes were emerald green

Originally it would have been an ironic disguise for a robber Now it was a much needed refuge from the reality of the situation

His fingers were trembling as he pulled the mask over his face It helped a lot to calm his hyperventilating breathing There was a dead man on the other side of the elevator doors Someone seemed to have the same idea as the Haveheights and a lot more of a budget to accomplish it And these criminals were willing to kill

What if they weren�t here just for the robbing Could they use it to attack Senator Firefly Naffur had heard that he had been attacked by assassins in the past And if they did attack

Mareen

It was then that Naffur heard the voices

Someone�s gonna have to clean this up A female voice said

There will be a lot to clean up after we�re done Just try to keep the mission in mind alright

Yea yea Came the tired reply The voices seemed to trail off right in front of Naffur

Then the elevator dinged The doors slide slowly open

When he first heard the noise Naffur didn�t even realize what it would mean But with dawning horror he watched the body of a woman and a man in combat gear come into his vision as the door parted Immediately Naffur�s eyes went to their boots They were stained with blood

What should he do What should he

The Ghosthound The woman said stupidly looking at Naffur

What would the Ghosthound do if he were here What would a hero do

Naffur�s hand tightened into a fist That spark that he had carried today after obtaining the Path of Cowardice hit his fear and ignited into an explosion of emotion that Naffur didn�t know he had possessed

The Ghosthound would punch obviously

Congratulations You have learned the Skill Intrepid Hammer Lvl 1

Naffur�s fist caught the woman�s right cheekbone moving so quickly that even he as the attacker was taken somewhat aback The bone cracked and her body buckled underneath the excessive force

Congratulations Your Skill Intrepid Hammer has reached Level 2

The impact made Naffur�s arm ache Like a puppet with her strings cut the woman spun across the ground and rolled through the pool of blood screaming The man seemed so shocked that he didn�t react for a second Then he drew his plasma rifle but not before Naffur thought better of his action and pressed the penthouse floor button on the elevator

As the door closed and the elevator began to rise Naffur threw himself to the side as a beam of plasma ripped through the silver and blue elevator His heart was pounding He wanted to vomit His hand ached

And Naffur Suite had no idea what to do next

Chapter 614

After Azriel stated that she would not participate in the finals Randidly stared at her for a long time He supposed what she was saying made sense Was he really so far removed from old Earth that he didn�t remember the hazard of injuries

Not that he had been injured very often There was one time he broke a finger but it was a relatively minor injury Still it had been a persistent pain for Randidly for quite a while This situation however was a bit different

Azriel smirked at him Don�t make such a face Regrets come easily and leave just as fast I will find the necessary stage to prove my master�s capabilities If something like this stops me then it simply proves I wasn�t ready for it Perhaps mentally more than physically

Immediately Randidly knew he had an answer for her If he created an Aether Connection to Azriel she would have energy once more flowing into her body that would help the wounds heal In addition it would give her a boost that would enable her to gather power much more quickly The speed at which she would gain Levels would jump

There were two concerns that Randidly had The first was the tournament Such a boost would vastly increase Azriel�s chances of winning Or at least in Randidly�s mind they did Of everyone at his Level in this world she was the strongest Her ability to read and recognize an opponent�s Skills was positively uncanny There were very few attacks that she wouldn�t be able to counter when they were deployed against her for the second time

Now his powerful sense that she would be the winner of the tournament might be off base the Northern Domain was the backwoods of Shal�s world But it felt like a premonition to him

Ultimately however Randidly didn�t really give a shit about the tournament It was small potatoes on his plate Instead he believed he should focus on the way the System worked so he could predict how it would proceed on Earth

Shal�s world Tellus was entered into the Nexus hundreds of years ago so the details were a little shaky But Randidly sensed that there was a secret hidden in the way this world functioned in a constant struggle with another world While he was here Randidly would investigate what this strange connection meant for the System It was his current goal

He hoped the tournament wouldn�t interfere too much with this goal

Second and more concerning establishing an Aether connection with Azriel would bind them together And although the effects were currently small Randidly couldn�t help but be aware that he was influenced by the people he was connected to even as they were influenced by him And as the person that was at the center of the web there were the most influences active upon him

It was hard to tell whether such things would shape just his Skills or even his personality but it was something to keep in mind Because Randidly knew next to nothing about Azriel She was the last inheritor of a dying Style She was to be married off in order to cement one Style�s ascension in the North

Through sheer force of will and through a little help from Randidly all of those plots had been foiled But at her core who was she

Still Azriel said suddenly shocking Randidly awake from his thoughts I must admit that I I almost feel better saying this to you

There she seemed to pause and a small from emerged on her face yes I definitely feel better after talking to you Not just emotionally but physically Am I healing faster

Now her eyes pierced through him You have a way of helping me Can you heal Well whatever it is please I would prefer not to miss this chance On my name of Azriel Blanche I swear to you that I will repay this kindness if you can help me

Randidly chuckled in spite of himself Where did the fatalistic Azriel who was just sitting here go That was an abrupt shift to begging for help

Shamelessly Azriel flipped her hair over her shoulder I am a creature of necessity It turns out it is possible I need not come to terms with my condition I am reevaluating

Still Randidly considered the young woman in front of him carefully Her white hair framed her face in a way that made her look very young For the first time since they had met Randidly wondered how young she was Did it make a difference in the decision to provide her with Aether He supposed it did

How old are you Randidly asked quietly His eyes were intent on her the entire time

Matter of factly Azriel said 27 And you

Randidly opened his mouth then hesitated How old was he now 25 I think But sometimes the System makes it hard

mm You look old for your age You are frowning all the time Azriel said Then she tilted her head to the side So Can you help me Randidly Ghosthound I do not give my word of repayment lightly

It was a toss up But the negatives weren�t so present that Randidly wanted to stay cautious He had worked together with Azriel in the past and it had turned out well He wouldn�t mind doing so again

He reached out and touched a hand to her shoulder

Helen knew rationally that what she was about to do could get her court martialled Her hand twitched Her spear strapped to her back seemed to sway calling for her grip But she withstood the temptation Barely

What did you just say to me Helen wasn�t sure whether to be happy or sad at how violent her tone was But it was the truth and the part of Helen that wanted to keep her cool was swiftly losing

Had it really only been a few weeks since she had received permission for her leave of absence from the army It felt like it was years ago There was a drain inside of her and all of her self control was slipping away

It is a not a pretty truth Viro Roonst Sentinel of Niergem said with a placid face I am a man I have needs It will not be the work you are accustomed to sure but I will take great care to respect your boundaries Things can be perfectly amicable between us

Now why Helen began but Roonst cut her off

Let�s not play coy dear You are far too well shaped for that He said with a small smirk I am familiar with your relationship with Randidly Ghosthound He owes me Although he provided the Ring of Mass Flight if he had not interfered I would have killed one of the five Witch Kings of the Wights That

Baseless Helen said with a snort enraged by so many things the Sentinel was saying that she didn�t know where to begin And he put his life on the line to save the life of a comrade

A civilian although her status is somewhat delicate Roonst commented

Helen continued unabated And much more talented spear users than you have attempted to kill the Witch Kings to no avail

That quite enough the Sentinel barked hitting Helen with a glare There was still enough military training in her that she went silent although she was beginning to believe that this man was not deserving of the respect his position afforded him I had hoped you would understand I am aware of your relationship with Mr Ghosthound you served as his spear attendant If you will not repay me I will be forced to go after him more directly He will pay

For a second Helen froze solid He knew about their relationship Even she didn�t understand what they had been and what they were now several months later without any contact If it truly was as simple as her being his spear attendant in the past But honestly wasn�t that all they truly ever were Even if they had once

But then Roonst had threatened Randidly directly And to that Helen had only one response

She laughed in his face

His frown deepened Perhaps you think that I am joking or that the under 25 Inter School tournament gives me pause I assure you that is not the case Listen to me What I am offering is perhaps an indignity but it is a promotion And after some time serving under me you could

The only service I would do under you Helen spat Is trimming your scrotum as a service to every woman who has the bad luck of being in your chain of command And no I don�t think you are joking but it�s a joke that you think can threaten Randidly Ghosthound

Now Roonst snorted And the air in the command tent trembled It seems under 25s have lost their sense of perspective If you won�t help me I will be forced to

Did you know who he is Helen said sweetly He is Randidly Ghosthound the youngest inheritor of the Spear Phantom Style He is Shal�s disciple

Viro Roonst looked confused for several seconds Then he went pale

Chapter 615

Shal stood calmly with his hands behind his back He was currently abreast with a stern woman with her grey hair shorn short They both stood behind an aged and slim woman who sat at an ornate wooden table in a dimly lit room

There were three other figures at the table

Versault Ignis a morose looking man with dark black hair and pink skin steepled his fingers We have been unable to determine what occurred But as you all have said it is undeniable that someone in my School betrayed us Inquiries will continue

The leader of the Spearman School Aylwind Sky was an imposing individual whose arms with crisscrossed with scars He closed his eyes before he spoke Versault is your Death School really unable to discover a single thing Is this a cover up or is the sadistic discipline of the Death School simply a tale invented by the Spear School to scare their children

Versault could only stare at the table

Sighing Sheenissi Faa waved her hand She was the leader of the aforementioned Spear School and there was a small crease between her brows as her School was the made the butt of a barb Enough Normally I would agree with you Aylwind but the question you keep ignoring is why The only people who benefit from the betrayal were the Wights none amongst us can continue to grow in Level like this

Which isn�t exactly true � Shal thought to himself

Faa threw up her hands it is difficult to admit but perhaps the oracle was wrong

All three other figures looked to Ophelia Vade the head of the Heart School behind which Shall stood

She smiled if we begin believing that the Oracle is not prescient has not all of our actions these past 100 years been for naught

A heavy silence filled the room On Aylwind�s face especially the tightly controlled fury could be seen But just as soon as it was there it was gone and his face was a blank mask Shal glanced at his fellow Lieutenant behind Ophelia The corner of her mouth twitched

Let�s shift the discussion Faa said The under 25 competition will be held soon The shift of venue to the Spearman School was supposed to lower the danger yet after reading the rules

And do not forget the recent attack on Niergem Ophelia said quietly

Inwardly Shal winced His disciple Randidly Ghosthound was back What did it mean That part of his life seemed to be covered with a thick fog that stemmed from the influence of Lucretia His mother

If Randidly was back did that also mean

Faa nodded Indeed my thoughts were on the same matter Although it ended up being a victory in that one of the rings was obtained from the Wights we cannot count on such things happening again We were taken by surprise again If we remain on the back foot

Is it not fine Versault interrupted The Spearman taught us that only through struggle may we find growth These are our most talented youngsters and our most valuable resource now that many in the elder generation have been injured If we are to benefit most from their presence we must make use of them

And making use of them will help them grow I agree Aylwind said with a nod Look I know the area best Although the Southern Domain is lost the rest of the areas are largely safe

It was an interesting statement to make Shal reflected from the man who famously had never left his high tower in the Central Domain

According to your suggestion the Southern Domain will be the theatre of the competition Faa hissed Her perpetually worried face contorted further I agree these youths are an invaluable and largely intact resource but I hardly see how that means we should

It Ophelia said shortly Is an auspicious time for battle

Everyone paused and looked at her Although it was inconsistent it couldn�t be denied that the Heart School held great influence for the past 100 years due to the arrival of the Oracle And as her representative Ophelia could not be ignored

Aylwind slowly released a breath Is that a specific or general prediction

With a half shrug Ophelia said Who can say It is only by the whims of the fates that we get small glimpses beyond our current time But after winning the surprise victory in Niergem I believe it is time to act My Lieutenant Shal will move to assist the Death School in dealing with the two Witch Kings active there will goals of eliminating them

Is that If it were anyone else Shal would have interpreted the pause as the speaker searching for a polite way of saying it As the speaker was Versault Shal knew it was simply because the bleak man was savoring the hollow sound of his voice likely

Shal clenched his fists These past 8 months had been the toughest of his life After seeming to reawaken for the first time since the tragedy in his childhood Shal wandered the world seeking a challenge At the end of it he was a Lieutenant to the most powerful School in the world He had reached Level 77 and his highest Skill Level was nearing 230 His growth these past months was unbelievable Even Shal found it difficult to understand

But he knew the truth It was because he was a being that straddled two worlds and drew energy from both Although everyone else here had stuttered to a stop Shal�s Wight blood let him hit the ground running If anyone were to do it it would be him

Aylwind scowled over Ophelia�s shoulder at Shal I must say I share similar doubts This is not a man with an established track record

And yet he has my trust Ophelia countered What more matters

An hour later Shal stood in Ophelia study waiting for her to speak

what did you think Are we misled or are we missing something Ophelia said simply

Shal kept his hands behind his back Of the two being misled seems more likely This it is known that infighting is common amongst those of the Death School I believe you are right to say that our problem is that we don�t understand the game these traitors are playing

Ophelia nodded absently But Versault would know this as well And yet he has been able to find nothing Although I do not like him he has survived as the Head of the Death School for 40 years There is no doubt about his capabilities both as a spear user and as a politician

Then there is one option The traitor is Versault Shal said simply He knew his role It had taken much to get here but sometimes he wondered if it wasn�t all another ploy For all that he now followed Ophelia she was just as deft a leader as Versault if not more so

Right now Ophelia wanted him to be the blunt weapon to her needle So he would be

Because she was one of the few people who knew the full version of the prophecy about Shal�s life

She chuckled You certainly are enthusiastic Perhaps it is better not to speak of such things But when you head into the Death School keep your eyes open Have you ever traveled there before

Shal shook his head No but I do not believe it likely it is overmuch hard I am capable

Your confidence is extremely becoming Ophelia noted But see that no one knows of your true Skills

Frowning Shal asked Then how will I kill a Witch King I believe

The Schools work together but all are drawing their knives as stealthily as possible Your story is too well known for me to hide you it is better for me to treat you as a pawn But for that to be believable you must not appear to be a Master As long as that is concealed you will be as safe as a man at war can be

I must ask is all of this necessary Shal asked with a tired voice Why don�t the leaders of the Schools move Due to your age I have to imagine your Skill Levels

Yes well there is a bigger problem that Skill Levels You are young so you do not yet understand the existential dread of the aging and powerful But it is enough to say we are scared Shal For the elderly have long been fighting against an enemy that cannot be defeated and you do not recover from meeting such a foe Your spine will never again stand so straight as before

Ophelia dismissed him and Shal went back to his quarters to prepare for the journey He considered briefly the option of sending Randidly a message but decided against it The boy was young and foolish Let him enjoy the small games of the world for a while

His reckoning would come in time

Chapter 616

The next day Randidly Helen and Azriel set out on their journey towards the Central Domain This would be at least a week long leg without teleporting and no one had the funds to swing all three of them The representatives of the Western Domain would be departing by teleportation in a few days Helen seemed tight lipped when Randidly suggested that they ask the military to assist them and just glared at him until he let it go

Although they could get varies mounts none were as consistent and quick as their own bodies Therefore they would continue the rest of their journey on foot The first day of this was relatively novel as they passed through strange pyramidal trunked trees that Randidly didn�t recognize

But by lunch on the second day of jogging Randidly was bored It didn�t help that Azriel�s injuries were still lingering so she wasn�t able to go at full speed So he had spent a day and a half slow jogging He spent his Mana as much as possible forming Incendiary Eruptions and Lava Golems but it wasn�t really that entertaining

Plus it was difficult to lose himself in the sensation of training while the dull cadence of jogging kept scratching at his senses It was difficult to turn jogging into an autopilot activity like he had done others in the past

Instead most of the focus Randidly had was not raising the Level of his Skills but strengthening his images More and more he weaved the sharp image of impossible heat he had used in As the Sun Stills into his various fire Skills There were only small changes at first but the more he pushed the more he felt the flavor of the Skill changing In addition he gained a few Skill Levels in Visualization

Luckily Helen brought something up at lunch of their second day

I believe I was mistaken when I said we shouldn�t spar She announced as Randidly expertly flipped the vegetables he was frying

He peered up at her then sideways at Azriel who was reading a leatherbound book Is this because

No Her glare could spoil milk When Azriel heals I believe it would be good for her to join in the sparring as well Before I thought that it might give either side an unfair edge but now that we have fought some it seems

I agree Azriel said looking up from her book She looked at Randidly and then shook her head You are rusty What sort of fool attacks a Witch King directly

Didn�t you do the same thing Randidly retorted

Azriel sniffed It was tactically different My attempt was to distract the Witch King You were flailing

It�s weird to say but she�s right Helen cut in You have so many tools it almost feels like you�ve never tried to standardize the image you have So you behave like a series of disjointed responses There is no flow to you Your Skills have gotten stronger but your battle sense has not

Randidly frowned at her Helen frowned right back What is that look for Unsatisfied Let�s spar again and I won�t hold back

Randidly�s eyebrows rose You were holding back

It turned out that she had Not that she then proceeded to beat down on Randidly but when they dueled until first blood she generally won Even when Randidly used spells to surprise her she had this strange preternatural sense of what was coming Helen claimed it was due to how disjointed his Style had become but Randidly�s investigation of his Aether connection to her made him inclined to believe she had a Skill that gave her mild precognition

So they began sparring twice a day to pass the time always to first blood Randidly lost every time to his great frustration

You are too aware of your own strong points Azriel said after Randidly ground his teeth after a spar You spend no time avoiding hers You think you are better than her Which is so strange because you have lost all of these small duels since you have begun

Sighing Randidly let his anger go and shook his head She had a point He knew that he could endure blows and keep coming because his Yggdrasil Skills made his body extremely durable Small scratches meant nothing to him But in this sort of fight those scratches were exactly what mattered It was frustrating

Fine then duel me Azriel said standing up Helen looked up and watched them both

Are you Randidly began but Azriel cut him off

Indeed Let�s begin immediately

So Azriel entered into the rotation of dueling Whereas Helen was focused about controlling her body in the small area around her opponent Azriel was more like Randidly in that she was really really quick and powerful and perfectly willing to rely on that So their first duel was a rumbling crashing affair where Randidly finally lost after quite a long time of keeping her at bay with increasingly complicated Spearing Roots spells Afterward Randidly had to admit that he might indeed by rusty at this sort of combat

Then Azriel and Helen dueled

To his surprise Helen won but barely Even though the match was close Randidly was flabberghasted after watching it He looked at Helen with wide eyes

Is your spear really so delicate as that

There were times during the fight where Helen�s spear would move in a seemingly innocuous manner but then it was there to nudge Azriel�s attacks to the side There was a strange certainty in the way she fought Small advantages would pile together to finally turn the tide of battle against more powerful or faster enemies

It was clear that Helen was happy to receive the compliment but also annoyed that Randidly was so surprised that she had turned out to be the most powerful of the three of them After some reflection Randidly supposed it made a certain amount of sense When he couldn�t rely on his higher stats Helen was the one with more Skill

Their journey continued and Randidly slowly refined his fighting Style while moving with the two women Helen assured them that they still had time so they slowed down their pace and upped the number of total duels in a day into the double digits

At first Azriel seemed suspicious but perhaps she realized that Helen benefited from the same thing that she did and said nothing about the fact that all three of them were rapidly improving

Randidly especially felt that improvement as he began to work the Spear Phantom moves back into his usual fighting Style As the Spear Phantom Style reared its head his close quarters dangerousness rose precipitously

By the time they arrived in Hastam Capital of the Central Domain and therefore the entire Spearman School two weeks and a day had passed And from Helen�s increasingly worried tones they were very close to missing the deadline for their arrival

As they moved closed to the city Randidly couldn�t believe what he was seeing There seemed to be millions of people loitering around in the small impromptu towns in the surrounding area with the height of Hastam rising up above them

Hassam itself was built on a mountain that rose as tall and proud into the sky as a spear would Helen rolled her eyes and explained that this was exactly the sort of legend they told about the place it seemed that far in the past the first individual looked at this mountain and envisioned using it as a weapon The next day he forged the first spear

Randidly�s fuzzy understanding of Schools made him wonder whether this was actually appropriate for the Spearman Style but ultimately he said nothing It wasn�t really something worthy of slowing them down

The gates were huge things of smooth stone with one open to allow foot traffic in and out of Hastam And the closer they got the more people there seemed to be All of them carried a spear and when he encountered them Randidly couldn�t help but noticed how these strangers seemed to take stock of him and then sneer at him

Great a bunch of stuck up little shits � Randidly grumbled inwardly

Although it wasn�t slow the passage of people through the guards at the gate wasn�t fast enough for Helen either After two minutes of waiting her internal alarms were ringing like crazy and Helen made the executive decision to start pushing her way towards the front Many people cursed them but for all their sneers people stumbled to the side when Randidly shoved It would take a very special spear user to have the kind of stats he did

As they moved closer it soon became clear that there was something of a commotion going on at the gate Very quickly they had reached the front of the line by where it was occurring and they could witness the event

This is impossible Garritt A young man with bright blue eyes was saying He stood straight and had an unadorned spear strapped across his back We grew up together How can you refuse my sister entry into the city We aren�t foreigners we

I�m sorry sir A young looking guard looked at the ground as he answered in a quaky voice I cannot seem to recall meeting you before

That�s exactly right guardsman Garritt Another guardsman stepped forward and put his hands on Garritt�s shoulders Based on his fancier uniform and the obnoxious mustache this guy was a two bit villain A spear user like this there is no way such an individual was ever born into our esteemed city of Hastam

Chapter 617

Immediately Randidly could tell that Helen�s patience was brought to the brink by simply listening to the back and forth between these two individuals Her eyes became even more vicious as the man trying to enter into the city spoke again

Please you know I earned my spot as a representative in the under 25 tournament fair and square Garritt Are you really going to let those fossilized Styles control you

That�s enough Garritt growled finally looking up at the person who was pleading with him Silo you just don�t know when to give up do you You don�t care about consequences and now you are just acting out because they have caught up with you Without proof she�s not coming in

The proof is in your own memory Silo bellowed but there seemed to be tears forming in his eyes There was a strange feeling in the air that something tragic was happening It felt sorta like those days where Randidly had seen his childhood pets die An inevitable fall lay over these two people Please for all we have shared Garritt

Everybody seemed to freeze and then turned to look at Helen She clicked her tongue Let�s keep this short yes We have somewhere to be

After a few more seconds of silence the mustachioed captain burst out laughing Hahaha Silo Rune you heard the lovely lady Wrap this up Or just scurry away with your tail between your legs like the dog you are

Lad Two more people popped up out of nowhere moving to stand next to Silo Rune One was a middle aged man and another was an elderly woman We can take care of Rumi It might be hard now but

Uncle please after you took care of me all this time I can�t impose yet again

Helen clicked her tongue even more loudly this time and the conversation once more stuttered to a halt The old woman gave her an embarrassed glance These two new arrivals were wearing bulky cloaks but it was easy to see the distinctive shape of a spear strapped to both of their backs

Err well let�s just say I don�t think destiny is done between us The middle aged man said It was strange but Randidly would have sworn his eyes sparkled as he grabbed Silo�s shoulder Before we part I must confess that our meeting wasn�t a coincidence My real name is

Are you just going to let them waste time like that Helen asked glaring now at the guards Or at least let us pass so they can continue their melodrama without wasting our time

For several seconds everyone just blinked and looked at Helen Taking this as assent Helen stalked forward past the whispering individuals and walked to the guards Helen presented their three invitations to the tournament Although the guard�s eyes went wide and he opened his mouth to say something Helen simply took the passed back and walked through

Thank you for your service Helen said sarcastically Then they were gone and into the city

Silo Rune pressed his hands against the large golden doors of the Hall of Spears in the upper circle of Hastam It was the holy land for the Spearman School and even though he had suffered so much at the hands of the Styles that were deeply entrenched in Hastam it was still as somewhat spiritual experience to actually be here

His hands tightened into fists and then he opened the door

There were three tall individuals standing on the stage and a large group of younger spear users milling around beneath that Silo�s eyes scanned the crowd 63 here in total reaching 64 with him

But most satisfying of all was seeing Althumber Veir�s face twist into a positively evil scowl now that he spotted Silo arriving

Was he perhaps disappointed that his ambush on the road had failed That kidnapping Silo�s sister wasn�t enough to keep him away But Silo didn�t care Justice was on his side and although the Central Domain didn�t want to let him Silo was determined to defeat the ultimate evil hanging over their heads

Perfect The central figure said clapping his hands together We are all here let us begin

At the man�s words Silo exchanged a nod with the woman on the central figure�s right while ignoring the way the figure on the left seemed to ooze hatred upon Silo�s arrival

Like father like son it seemed Both were clearly rotten to the core

All 64 of the contestants have arrived First I must say welcome Each of you has accomplished incredibly impressive feats and being able to stand on this stage is the reward you have received You will fight the best of the best from around the world Find glory friends For only in struggle can our true strength be revealed

The central figure was an extremely large man with a bald head And now his face seemed to crumple however it regrets me to say that the realities of life make it so we cannot continue to administer the tournament in the usual way the Wights have changed everything

But we will rise to the challenge To that end we have decided to shift the first half of the tournament from a purely individual competition to a team one Each team will be given one of our Soulstones refined by the Engraving Guild These will act as a measure of your accomplishments When Wights die they release a certain kind of energy This Soulstone will gather that energy

The task is simple you and your team will be assigned to a Sergeant in the Spearman School military With their assistance you will perform military sorties into the Southern Domain which has been completely overrun with the Wights With your help we hope to annihilate this foothold they have gained in the area and push the Wights out This portion of the tournament will last for a full month At the end of that time the top 5 teams will proceed to the final portion of the tournament For now the details for that will remain confidential Does anyone have any questions

A young man that Silo didn�t recognize raised his hand But based on the warm golden color of the Tassle hanging above him he was from the Heart School Do we get to choose the teams

The three people on stage exchanged a brief glance

no the teams have already been randomly selected Althumber�s father answered Effort was made to mix up the different Schools so that each team was balanced There are known strengths to each School Do your best to take advantage of these strengths

Part of the point the woman amongst the trio said Is that you learn to work with those from different Schools There is only one true enemy the Wights Only by working together do we have a chance Although we have taken losses the counterattack is about to begin

That�s wrong � Silo thought to himself as he looked at the woman There is a bigger enemy out there and that is the Calamity Until it is defeated we will continue to struggle like this And to defeat that thing is my destiny �

Any other questions Ah yes you miss

Silo blinked as he recognized this woman it was the rather prickly woman that had walked past him earlier when he was struggling with a petty trap by Althumber to keep him out of the tournament Normally Silo wouldn�t have minded but the point of contention was that his sister would be exposed to danger because of him And at the time he believed he had almost reached Garritt when the woman interfered

Silo would not soon forget her cold and callous heart

We get points for killing Wights basically yes Is there any adjustment for the tactical value of the targets we kill For example is it worth the same amount to retake a small fort and kill 20 Wights as to struggle and fail against a large army but to also kill 20 Wights

Excellent question the central figure said with a smile Your Sergeant will be able to recommend your team for additional points should they believe it is necessary All of those requests will be reviewed by us so don�t think to try and slip something right Nothing else

He looked around and when no one responded he smiled I feel the tension in the air you all are ready to go to war yes Then let us begin Each team will consist of four individuals Team One is Althumber Veir Ritrike Gauss Harriet Lawl and Sink Thrash Team Two

Team Eleven is Helen

Finally Team Sixteen is Silo Rune Skarch Top Azriel Blanche and Randidly Ghosthound You will depart tomorrow so spend tonight familiarizing yourself with your teammates You will not be able to survive without them

Quickly Silo checked the backgrounds of his teammates and then grimaced Truly he was given the lowest of the low Two were from the primitive lands of the Northern Domain in the Spearman Style and their one foreign spear user Skarch Top was from a minor Style that didn�t even have a named spear

Shaking his head Silo wondered where he would find time to train these three up to his Level Because his view of the war was so much broader than anyone else�s Would it be possible while carrying all this dead weight

Chapter 618

They are having us fight in this war for them huh � Randidly thought to himself considering the three people standing on the stage in front of them After finishing their spiel and naming the teams they continued to stand there as if waiting for questions A few of the spear users in the hall walked up and greeted the administrators of the competition with friendliness

It was a far cry from the absolute lack of reaction that he Helen and Azriel received The people from other Schools kept to themselves for the most part and the people from the Spearman School avoided those from the Northern Domain like the plague It seemed that everyone knew of the sour rumors about the Northern Domain although Randidly couldn�t� for the life of him understand what they were so twisted up about

It is lucky we are on the same team Azriel said at his side Helen was standing nearby wearing a frown that was a shade more violent than her usual scowl

Randidly nodded at Azriel We will still need to actually head to the front lines and fight I don�t think it will be easy

Dubiously he looked down at the Soulstone that he had been given He could barely make out the Engraving symbols on the inside of the closed crystal container It seemed like the Engraving Guilds likely used a material that was cloudy on purpose in order to keep others from being able to figure out their symbols

It did a lot to show the attitude of the Engraving Guild and reminded Randidly that he would need to keep an eye out for them while he was back on Shal�s world Then Randidly grimaced More than keeping an eye out for them he had a debt to pay for when he was given the encyclopedia of Engraving knowledge his first time here If he had enough power

Then Randidly blinked Ah before I forget is there a Dungeon nearby

Azriel gave him a sidelong glance and then shrugged Luckily Helen had an answer

Yes but the demand for dungeons is extremely variable these days It is the only reliable way of obtaining energy now that we have lost the Spear source but on the other hand if you fail and get injured it will take months to recover Only the most extreme spear users go in there those that believe there is more to Skill than Levels

Well that seems like an obvious truth Randidly said as he cracked his neck Having Levels is fine but you need to use them correctly

It�s actually messier than that Azriel added Many believe that having the Levels gives you the know how But are you saying your Skill will also assist us

Yes Randidly answered shortly His emerald eyes glittered In theory they could go into a Dungeon for an almost indefinite amount of time with his supply of Mana and work on sharpening their Skills Well the only one amongst them that really needed it was him but they could all benefit

Nearby there isn�t anything overly powerful Not that we would have access to Helen said with a thoughtful frown Around them people were beginning to go towards the numbered banners and meet their team after conversing with those they came with But there is one Dungeon where an hour is a full day LIkely we won�t leave until tomorrow A week or two of sparring is for the best

She gave Randidly a meaningful look He shrugged his shoulders helplessly

Don�t look at me like that You are the one that keeps on making up rules for the duels If we fought normally

She�s very good at designing rules that won�t allow you to simply steamroll over her with your higher Stats Azriel said primly Yet you fail to win even once against her Perhaps you really do need something more to use Skills and you are missing it

Randidly rolled his eyes Fine two weeks of sparring Tonight after this

Let�s meet in two hours by that big fountain out front Helen said Then she paused And Randidly be careful

Frowning Randidly asked Is there something I need to worry about

Well no but Fuck can�t I just be concerned Helen glared at him And let�s be honest when was the last time you went somewhere without making a powerful enemy

Silo Rune was surprised to find that Skarch Top was actually a woman She rather tall with a black waterfall of hair that made it to the small of her back With her she carried a heavy parcel wrapped in canvas Inwardly Silo shook his head This was the problem with the Spear School people they emphasized the power of their Engraved Spears to the detriment of all else And due to the fanatical reverence with which they viewed their weapons they did not keep them in an interspatial ring

The first thing a trainee in the Spear School learned was that your spear always had to be carried

It was basically such a lesson that they didn�t have room for any true knowledge beyond that point They were helplessly fixated with solely that one tenant And they didn�t even keep their spears in a battle ready state if a fight were to break out they would take the time to carefully unpack it before they could be of any use

Hello Silo said shortly

A pleasure She responded with a soft voice Her nose was soft and her lips were full Although well sculpted with muscles her arms and legs were slender I have heard you amongst all in the Spearman School understand the role of the spear

Wincing Silo said perhaps But rather my spear has some sentimental value to me It was given to me by my grandfather

Skarch nodded sagely You carry the weight of your ancestors It is a heavy burden but a powerful weapon Use it well companion

Silo�s face turned solemn Yes I have a great weight on my shoulders And it�s only when I have the support of other righteous spear users that we can accomplish it I hope

Heya

Pausing Silo turned to look at the new arrivals His eyes widened a fraction with recognition These two were another two that ignored his plight earlier when trying to enter into the city

The woman was slight with pure white hair and a spear that looked like a needle The man was tall and intense looking with black hair and deep emerald eyes Together they struck quite the figures But as he looked at them Silo felt a sinking sensation in his chest

They look the part but why do I get the feeling that we just aren�t in the same league

Greetings Skarch bowed slightly You are

Randidly Ghosthound

Azriel Let�s not pretend like we are best friends The woman with white hair said waving her hand airily But I�ll protect your back with everything I have

An auspicious greeting Skarch said with a smile

It was a small thing but after she spoke Azriel looked sideways at Randidly Although others would have missed it Silo�s sharp eyes caught the movement easily Was she afraid of him

Before he could follow that line of thoughts further another voice cut into his reverie

Silo Finally showing your true colors eye The traitors associating with the trash How appropriate

Althumber Veir sidled up to the group a twisted smile on his face And even though he was as evil and slimy as they come his genetics and strong jaw made the expression come off as attractive and charming

Silo clenched his hands into fists Leave Althumber If you threaten these people I�ll

Oh Threaten Althumber�s mouth stretched into an even wider smile Do I seem like that type of person Perhaps in your world Silo such things are common But at our sophistication we trust that laws will see justice done Those who subvert the establish rules and norms are doomed to be outed as fools

To the side Silo heard Randidly say Do I seem like the type of person that has time for this and Azriel responded Do I seem like a you expert As Silo opened his mouth to reply Skarch said in an excited voice Do I get to play this game too

Struggling to keep the tension out of his jaw Silo spat out Leave it Althumber It was just my grandfather�s spear You lost fair and square

Now Althumber�s eyes burned Slowly he leaned forward until his nose was only a few centimeters away from Silo Because he was a bit taller than Silo he could sneer down his nose at him You little shit You don�t know the first thing about what�s going on behind the scenes here If I had it my way I would kill you myself But let me assure you you will not live through this tournament

Can he say that Randidly asked from behind him while yawning

Skarch hummed for a second and then said I have never been too proficient with trash talk but it is something like a tradition in times like this is it not

Ha I find this girl quite pleasing Maybe we can be best friends Skarch I can�t tell if you are naive or playing us It intrigues me Azriel said

Frustrated by his teammate�s whimsical attitudes Silo turned away Let�s go team Let�s not waste time with a fool like this

Althumber snorted and turned away to walk back towards his own team Frowning Silo tried to prepare himself for this next month Althumber would not let the indignity of his loss go without retaliation It already started with the rumors about his grandfather�s spear but also

It seemed his rival had a much more dangerous plan in motion

Chapter 619

Coughing Randidly excited the Dungeon He raised his hand and shaded the sun from his eyes There was a brief moment of vertigo but it quickly passed A second later Helen and Azriel came out behind him Things had gone extremely well in the brief few weeks they had in the dungeon due to the time dilation

After taking a couple steps forward Randidly turned around and smiled at them with an easy grin Then he focused his gaze on Helen

Thanks Without you I wouldn�t have progressed so quickly

She gave him a disgusted look and walked right past him without saying anything Randidly chuckled He supposed it made sense that she was somewhat miffed after losing but he didn�t expect her to be such a bad sport about it

He opened his mouth to say something but Azriel prodded him in his back with her spear and shook his head He frowned at her

I supposed this is goodbye for now Helen said abruptly pulling Randidly�s attention back forward to her Ah good luck There is much danger on the front lines but there are few as capable as you Randidly You�ll fuck em up err you will fight valiantly and such

Scratching his head Randidly considered Helen�s back She seemed to be vibrating slightly for some reason Was she alright And all the while she stared forward refusing to look at him

Ah was it that

Some of Randidly�s good cheer faded away After scratching his neck he said Hey Helen When we finish the tournament Would you like to grab dinner

She spun around like touched with the end of a live wire and just stared at him

Although Randidly felt extremely awkward he pushed forward We ah shared a night of passion

What the fuck does that mean Helen muttered But it seemed like it was more to herself than to him so he proceeded forward

and I don�t know what that really means But I liked it And I admire you So I think we should try seeing each other ah more formally

For exactly 13 seconds Helen just stared at him Then abruptly she nodded Without saying anything she then turned and walked sharply away

Randidly felt a small warm feeling of elation in his chest before his instincts forced him to spin to the side to avoid a thrust from Azriel Without pause she continued to attack him several more times He weaved his torso back and forth avoiding the attacks They were certainly sharp but there was no image associated with them so they lacked any real bite

What are you doing Randidly asked with a frown The people standing around the Dungeon portal were watching them with something akin to amusement Apparently boredom was a real problem here in the Central Domain far from the front lines

If you were going to ask her that you shouldn�t have made her wait until the last moment to do it So that was something like feminine kinship Hum how strange

Randidly looked at Azriel in exasperation Why shouldn�t I wait Is there any need to say it earlier

What if you had forgotten to do it Azriel said with a blithe expression on her face Randidly threw up his hands but honestly he couldn�t really think of anything to say Oftentimes he did become overly focused on training and forget basic things Was it really that far outside the realm of possibility that he would forget this

But after her brief attack Azriel fell into step beside him and they walked towards the spot where they would meet the rest of the team With the downtime Randidly counted up the PP that he had gained from his travels from Niergem and the two weeks in the Dungeon Mostly he had gained 13 PP in Scarlet Burst and 19 in Visualization but he had also gained large amounts in his Crown of Yggdrasil and the Kata of the Ashen Spear Skills Beyond that with gaining between two and three in all of his varied combat Skills

Randidly very quickly reached the point of having just over 100 PP

This latest boost put him over halfway through the Growth of Yggdrasil II Path which he was very excited to finish In addition Randidly had sharpened his actual combat Skills backup to proper form in that period of time Now he had confidence facing any opponent of his Level in a one on one duel As for opponents like the Witch King

Now at least Randidly knew how to fight

When he and Azriel arrived at the meeting spot Skarch was already there but Silo was not Undoubtedly he was wasting someone else�s time in front of the gate Randidly thought with a shake of the head And he could tell from the look that Silo had given him and Azriel that he was somewhat pissed to recognize them

Did he expect them to help him This wasn�t so casual a scenario that they had the leisure to take the time and determine right and wrong At the time they needed to arrive on time to participate in the tournament Not that Randidly felt very guilty Why was this guy bringing his sister to the tournament in the first place

If she had come in with him would he now be arguing that she should come to the front lines with them on their mission Surely not So perhaps it was for the best that she didn�t come into the city

Giving his head a firm shake to disperse the wandering thoughts Randidly turned and looked at Skarch Top the rather long limbed final member of their team She was calmly sitting in front of the large package she was carrying yesterday slowly unwrapping it

With nothing else to do Randidly settled down to watch her After a few minutes it became clear that his suspicion was correct what she had within was a spear But as Randidly looked at it his eyes widened in shock It was an extremely long spear made out of a dark blue metal The blade had a pure silver sheen

And the entire thing was covered in Engravings

Almost helplessly Randidly leaned closer In his mind he had achieved some pretty substantial things in the realm of Engraving His invention of the runic language to assist in the deployment of drones was especially challenging and his success had come with a commiserate reward

But now looking at the tightly wound and organic runes on the spear Randidly couldn�t help but feel that he had only scratched the surface What he had accomplished was what someone could do in a few years What Skarch was holding was a weapon that could only be made if several generations of masters spent their lives raising an individual who was a mix between a savant and a civil engineer

Just parceling out space on the spear to the different runes alone would be an extremely exhausting task Add that to the trouble of forging the weapon into the shape that would be able to handle the energies running through it

Skarch smiled at him You like it It is rare to find one among the Spearman School who can appreciate quality work when they see it My family�s finest accomplishment

It�s wow Randidly wasn�t sure what to say His eyes continued to trace the runes mesmerized by their shape It was slow going but Randidly was content to sit and the spear Laughing softly Skarch pulled back the last layer of canvas over the base of the spear and smiled down at it After glancing up at Randidly she joined him in being lost in its bends

Every time Randidly moved a little further down the spear he felt shaken to his core Although the energy demands were impossibly high this spear contained almost a dozen different aspects Although he couldn�t figure out exactly how each one worked they were clearly bound together

In addition Randidly realized something very important about this spear it had the capability to grow

When he obtained the Engraving Encyclopedia from that wandering Style he had been told that it was possible to do such a thing But to see it with his own eyes

Before he could wonder whether the two parties he knew of that were related to growing Engravings were related Randidly simply looked in wonder at the masterful mechanism that allowed it to happen Even with his own mediocre ability with Engraving Randidly could clearly tell how invaluable such a spear would be As far as he could tell the main function of the spear seemed to be a Skill akin to Haste

With a sigh Randidly leaned back I don�t suppose you have the information on how to make such an Engraving

Abruptly Skarch�s face turned wary I do not You do well not to look to me for answers This is ultimately a failed product

As Randidly opened his mouth Silo arrived leading a grey haired woman by the arm

Youngster there was no need to take an old woman this far

Nonsense ma�am I was walking this way already It�s my pleasure to escort you the rest of the way

Ohoho you certainly are a charmer aren�t you

Only if kindness is charming I just think that some people need to take the time to slow down and appreciate their lives If you do that you can reach out and touch the lives of so many in a positive way and that more than anything is what the world needs

After waving the old woman off Silo turned to the group Oh did I keep you waiting Let�s head out Our Sergeant is waiting at the Southpoint Beach

Randidly looked at Silo rather nonplussed Who the fuck was this weird guy Did he have a hero complex

Chapter 620

Maybe he was spoiled from acting solely within the theater of a Zone for the past several years but Randidly found himself somewhat stunned by the sheer size of Tellus Once again the powers that be in the Central Domain didn�t see fit to assist their team with transportation and they were left largely to their own devices

This point at least Randidly understood It seemed that the teleportation locations acted off of an Aether variant and that it was much more difficult to gather such energy than it had been in the past Although not irreplaceable the energy was theoretically finite especially if they weren�t able to regain the Spear source relatively quickly Perhaps if they had more money to their name

Randidly wondered idly why neither Azriel or Helen seemed to possess any money Of course he didn�t expect a single thing from Silo the bastard probably gave his last few coins to a three legged dog

To the guy�s credit though he was capable enough in those few times they encountered monsters while traveling His moves all seemed to be related to the image of a bright light and powerful flashes It didn�t� seem particularly impressive in all honesty but there was a strange wariness that Randidly felt when he watched the other man move Something was lurking in that image

Well it was somewhat hard to tell No matter how close those levels may be Randidly knew that there was some distance between them One benefit of the training with Azriel and Helen was that he was much more nuanced in his understanding of spear techniques Helen repeatedly drilled those lessons into his head

If he misread her approach

And he had over and over again Until finally something clicked

Strangely he had immediately gained several Levels in Visualization afterward It made him look forward to how the passive Skill could help him as he gained more Levels in it

To Randidly�s surprise they weren�t really ambushed all that often by monsters on their travel On his initial walk to Niergem he hadn�t thought much of it but the trek to the capital and then South from there really hammered the lack of monsters home in his mind When he asked about it Azriel gave him a weird look

The energy is leaving so monsters no longer spawn The only way they can reproduce is the old fashioned way There are areas where monster populations are expanding due to this reason but in most places they weren�t designed to live here

After two days of travel the group arrived at the Southern Coast of the Central Domain It took some doing to locate the particular military base and waiting there was only more disappointment their Sergeant Flail Platton was currently across the sea and performing insurgency operations

Randidly was trying to figure out how to convince the group to just go across anyway when Silo spoke

Perhaps waiting is definitely not the best option Although it is difficult I believe was should cross to the Southern Domain and search for Sergeant Platton there

The seas are infested with monsters are they not Skarch asked curiously

Silo nodded

To everyone�s surprise Skarch smiled widely How exciting

Silo Rune leaned back against the frame of the small wooden vessel With good weather they would make landfall on the other side of the sea in five days It was slow going but it gave Silo more chances to finally check the treasure he had been given by his uncles Time and time again he had been disciplined until he understood how precious it was so he was loathe to use it

But this was the time Everything they had learned pointed to this They would not get another chance With the Spear source captured the higher ups would not pay much attention to the strength of spear users until it was too late And by then

Well Silo hoped to finally break that impossible barrier But that was a long ways away now

So at the moment he took his turn resting in the small dark cabin in the boat and laid down on the hammock The room was barely larger than a closet but it was the only place with an privacy on the boat Although the military sympathized with their plight Silo could tell that both Sergeant Platton�s absence and the lack of forthcoming assistance weren�t entirely natural

Althumber appeared to have extended his reach even here

Pressing his eyes shut Silo tried to wipe his mind clear of any thoughts of his adversary The other man was weak Before absolute power nothing mattered For the people that he needed to protect Silo would do anything Even traveling down this road towards becoming a monster

Carefully Silo produced a small seashell case from his interspatial pouch With trembling hands he opened the case A ring sat there a small white gold band with a jet black stone Shivering Silo reached down and wrapped his fingers around it

There was a second of disorientation and then he felt something slam into his psyche

Congratulations Your Skill Corruption Resistance has become Level 49

Congratulations You have reached Level 31 +4 Stats distributed between Endurance Strength Agility and Focus +5 Free Stats +1 Stat to a Physical Stat +18 Health +6 Mana +13 Stamina Your Skill Level for Blighted Slash has mutated to Level 54 Your Skill Level for Forsaken Thrust has mutated to Level 62

Congratulations You have reached Level 32 +4 Stats distributed between Endurance Strength Agility and Focus +5 Free Stats +1 Stat to a Physical Stat +18 Health +6 Mana +13 Stamina Your Skill Level for Sadistic Violence Mastery has mutated to Level 31 Your Skill Level for Forsaken Thrust has mutated to Level 68

Congratulations You have reached Level 33 +4 Stats distributed between Endurance Strength Agility and Focus +5 Free Stats +1 Stat to a Physical Stat +18 Health +6 Mana +13 Stamina Your Skill Level for Corrupted Physique has mutated to Level 80

Congratulations You have reached Level 34 +4 Stats distributed between Endurance Strength Agility and Focus +5 Free Stats +1 Stat to a Physical Stat +18 Health +6 Mana +13 Stamina Your Skill Level for Corrupted Physique has mutated to Level 82 Your Skill Level for Blighted Slash has mutated to Level 61

Congratulations You have reached Level 35 +4 Stats distributed between Endurance Strength Agility and Focus +5 Free Stats +1 Stat to a Physical Stat +18 Health +6 Mana +13 Stamina Your Skill Level for Blighted Slash has mutated to Level 65 Your Skill Level for Weight of the Rotten Hero has mutated to Level 19

Finally the sense of sickness overwhelmed Silo�s resistance and his hand sprang open The ring fell to the wooden ground with a thunk He tried to move quickly but Silo couldn�t grab the bucket and pull it over fast enough some of his vomit spilled over the edges and slopped to the ground near the ring

All the while that jet black stone drew the eye sublime and twisted

Shuddering Silo focused on light Pure clean healing light He thought about his Skills Brilliant Advance and Shining Strike It was so hard to remember what each light looked like what each felt like It seemed like every time he relied on the stone his light was driven farther away and he had to work harder to bring it back

But his uncles were adamant He must hide this treasure If Silo was slowly corrupted by its influence imagine how a lesser man would be swayed by it Perhaps they wouldn�t even be able to cope

After barely managing to clean up his sick Silo slumped onto the cot and felt sleep calling him But he ripped into his lip with his teeth barely managing to keep him awake Groggy and still trembling he used a small piece of cloth to pick the ring off the ground and put it back in the seashell case Only when the case was safely stored within his interspatial pouch was he able to relax

Taking deep gulping breaths Silo distributed his stats while staring up at the dark wood of the ceiling It was just a good thing that he didn�t break into a new tens digit in Level the worst part of the process was gaining new Skills Every time it happened he felt something break in his old Class

The Illuminating Spear

Could it really be called that any longer

Silo was barely managing to maintain an image strong enough to be called an Adept with his light images A sudden thought struck him He rolled over and pressed his nose to the ground

Perhaps perhaps Althumber was right He was a fraud After all it was not his own Class that had given him the power to defeat Althumber

He had relied one of his corrupted Skills And when he had used it

People had praised him stating that he was just a hair away from becoming a Pontiff able to manipulate reality solely through the exercise of his images It was impossible Why were his images so strong without him every working on refining them

The answer was obviously that the images were within the ring already and Silo was absorbing part of it A brief check showed that his Heretic Path had risen to Heretic Path XXIX Another Judgement would come soon He closed his eyes

There were so many people to protect So many enemies around him So many hangers on who needed him And he had to manage everything alone Without him this world would perish

Chapter 621

It wasn�t until they were within sight of land that Randidly felt them Of all locations being on top of water was the most blinding for Randidly There were minuscule plant life forms floating everywhere in water but it appeared that either his Skill Level was too low or there was a categorical wall that kept Randidly from being able to communicate with them

Either way he had to rely on the physical sensations on his body to detect enemies It was the wind that gave them away although the sea they were crossing was salt water the tang on the air was distinctly that of blood

I thought that there weren�t very many monsters Randidly said casually It was Azriel�s turn to take a stay of privacy in the cabin and Skarch and Silo were peering towards the land and talking in quiet voices They looked up when he spoke

true but unfortunately the sea had a much higher population of monsters to begin with Silo said with a frown People cannot clear out the Raid Bosses as easily when they cloister themselves off at the bottom of the sea But their numbers begin to work against them the Raid Bosses do not often have friendly relations with each other When enough of them populate the sea they don�t have the spare attention to harass the people on land Although they often send their young in raiding missions against us to test themselves

Randidly took a long sniff and grimaced Well get ready because they are coming

Skarch blinked mildly at Randidly but Silo just rolled his eyes It�s true that they often attack right before a storm but it has been proven time and time again that superstitions such as these

With a screech the first strange frog person spurted up out of the water and landed on the boat The vessel was probably meant for little more than the four people that were already on it and rocked dangerously from the impact Randidly winced Even though he didn�t doubt he could survive it would be obnoxious if he fell into the water Fighting underwater seemed like a prospect that he was not looking forward to

To his credit Silo roared into action as soon as the enemy was on the boat He spun his spear expertly and flashed across the few meters between himself and the frogperson The monster was Level 39 and carried two short sickles that appeared to have been made from the claw of a red shelled crustacean It crossed its weapons to block but Silo�s spear slipped past and speared into the frogperson�s slimy body

Grrahhg It spat out and phlegm landed on the deck Stepping around it Randidly lashed out with Acri severing its right arm

Just as Azriel was opening the cabin door and stepping out onto the deck three more leaped up and landed near their wounded brother The boat was only 10 meters across from tip to tail so so many bodies on the deck made it almost impossible to swing spears around casually You were as likely to hit your allies as the enemies In this sort of distance the frogpeople�s short sickles were much more economical

But no matter their high thirties Level this was not a boat that would flinch away from a fight As two nearby moved to attack Randidly with their weapons he snorted Acri twisted its shaft around Randidly�s arm and basically gave him a blade that was sticking out of the base of his palm His Talon Strike Flashed out ripping into their rubbery throats

That didn�t seem to kill them immediately but they fell backward Randidly checked the rest of the boat Silo was finishing off the already wounded one and Azriel had already made three large holes in her opponent Just now Skarch finished producing her spear and leveled it while looking solemnly at the water

The bodies were quickly dumped overboard and with a curse Silo went to the rudder and fiddled with it for a few seconds Then he straightened Those few were a distraction they destroyed the rudder Can anyone do something about moving the boat The wind

I�ve got it Randidly said calmly and maneuvered around Silo to touch the rudder With Plant Dominance it was simply a matter of pouring a bit of extra Mana into the wood of the boat to reawaken it Then he could grow the rudder outwards Giving Randidly a weird look Silo nervously tapped the pouch at his waist

Then he shook his head and sighed thanks But you are going to need to protect it They will probably try and strike again

Randidly grinned Even now he could feel the vibrations in the water as the frogpeople swam closer When the darted abruptly forward towards the rudder Spearing Roots ripped downwards out of the boat to meet them It burned through his Mana pretty quickly but Randidly had no difficulty slaughtering the few nearby But doing that made him realize how many more there were swimming nearby Hundreds Maybe somewhere near a thousand

Randidly sighed This might get exhausted

The next 10 minutes passed in tense silence Randidly casually sipped a Mana Potion Every 30 seconds or so another group would rush upwards but Randidly had 100 sharp roots waiting for them He imagined it must look extremely fearsome from below to see the boat drifting with those gnarled roots dragging through the water

Randidly was no sailor but he tried to coil the roots tightly when they weren�t needed so there wasn�t any unnecessary water drag After a few wavers Randidly got a pleasing notification

Congratulations You have reached Level 28 +5 Stats distributed between Vitality Perception Resist Intelligence and Control +14 Free Stats +1 Stat to a Mental Stat +1 to a Physical Defense Stat +1 to a Mental Support Stat +2 Control +20 Health +24 Mana +23 Stamina + 5 to all Regenerations +1 to Health and Stamina Regeneration +20 Progenitor�s Influence

Twenty eight was starting to get to the point where Randidly felt slightly guilty for how high his Level was but he put it out of his mind After all

He glanced sideways at the other people glaring down at the water Everyone had their own secrets Randidly didn�t doubt that each had their own advantages they could use to defeat the frogpeople despite the fact most of them were a much higher Level than they were supposed to be

I don�t know how you did it but you really sensed them coming didn�t you Will there be more Silo asked his face serious Inwardly Randidly updated his rating of this guy Sure he was a spoiled dick from being raised in the Central Domain but he at least had the decency to admit when he was wrong And he was rather deft with his spear He wasn�t as good as Helen would have been but he could hold his own here

They are waiting Randidly said quietly

Skarch nodded mm this is a good sign Or a terrible one If they wait perhaps

Something big will come yes Too bad these souls don�t count towards our Soulstones Azriel said with a sigh Randidly agreed If he could pad their stats here

Well he supposed the tournament itself didn�t matter But there was something strange about this conflict with the Wights that Randidly couldn�t yet put his finger on He hoped that by seeing the front lines he could understand it

Also at the back of his mind a question was slowly growing what role did Lucretia have amongst her people Why was she

Randidly twisted Cursing he uncorked two more Mana potions and downed them He would need it Incoming Something big enough to swallow us

Immediately Randidly regretted saying it because he fully intended to take care of the issue before they were devoured But he needn�t have worried Both Skarch and Azriel simply nodded placidly and Silo continued to glare at the water as if intimidating the circling fish Perhaps he wasn�t listening

At this point Randidly had almost 4000 Mana available to him Below a mother fucking Kraken was pushing itself up out of the dark waters to reach the boat from below Riding on it were a variety of frogpeople that were a pale sickly green like they lived far from any sunlight Because Randidly couldn�t see them he couldn�t� tell their Level but his instincts warned him these were much more capable than their greener cousins

Blowing through 2000 Mana in a split second Randidly swelled the roots attached to the bottom of the boat They twined and twisted until they became larger trunks of plant matter These weaved together and stretched until a giant gnarled hand formed growing out of the bottom of the boat

Randidly�s eyes glowed emerald The wind was beginning to rise as the storm came steadily closer Underwater the wooden hand clenched itself into a fist

Chapter 622

Silo glanced sideways at Randidly who stood at the bow of the boat with a dreadful look of concentration on his face A thin bead of sweat formed at his temple and fell down to quiver on his jaw

Although Silo wasn�t sure what he was doing he could tell the other man was stabilizing their boat somehow Despite the fact that waves were rising the boat was steadier than ever sitting heavily on top of the water But he tore his gaze away and looked for the telltale bubbles associated with an attack

There were thousands of the tiny things emerging from the depths

A flash of movement caught Silo�s eye and he looked up Randidly�s face had twisted into a wide grin

Then the entire boat hopped There was no other word for it Abruptly it popped upwards away from the water as if slammed from below by a giant fish That was in fact exactly what Silo believed to have happened in the aftermath as flotsam and froth exploded outwards from beneath their boat But with a slap of wood on water they dropped back into the sea

For several seconds there were no further attacks so Silo opened his mouth to ask what happened Then the Murlocs leaped out of the water

The Murloc tribes were one of the most dangerous monster groups that one could encounter on this stretch of water In a way it was good news because it meant they had passed over the endless trench without incident Monsters that dwelled there were occasionally above Level 50 although only rarely would they molest small vessels

But they were the most powerful force in the area and they avenged their dead

Likely they would need to fight these tribes for the remainder of their voyage

The first two Murlocs were scarcely out of the water before the woman Azriel moved in front of them and dispatched them dispassionately with three quick thrusts of her needle spear Despite how eccentric both Randidly and Skarch were turning out to be Azriel was the one that caught Silo�s eye the most

She was good with a spear She was more than good She was impossibly quick and accurate Plus with the ease that she kicked Murlocs back over the edge into the water she was no slouch when it came to Strength either Of all the enemies that Silo had seen even in the Central Domain she gave him the most wariness

But his thoughts were washed away by six more Murloc bodies clamoring to take up the deck of the ship Randidly seemed to be lost in his concentrations but the strange living spear he possessed moved around him like a snake slashing at any who came near Skarch moved now two utilizing wide sweeps with her spear that cleared two in a single go opening up more space for them to move

The real danger was the boat sinking or flipping either from damage below or above It was somewhat strange to Silo because when some of the Murlocs landed on the boat they went to hack at it from the inside If they wanted to do so why not just stay below

But he wasn�t going to let them live long enough to chit chat

His Brilliant Advanced smashed one back into the water and then Silo quickly wounded the arm of the other adversary It took three more blows to disarm it and then strike a deadly blow but by that time another half dozen were clamoring onto the boat Then another then

Again the boat hopped up in the air For sure there was something striking from below But it seemed that whatever Randidly was doing was protecting them well enough Silo had heard a rumor that the man was a Spellspear and largely thought it was just another fanciful Class But it seemed that such a character had his uses although he certainly hadn�t done as much work with his spear as had the rest of them

Slash cut stab block spin the world began to blur slightly as Silo lost himself in the rushed melee with the Murlocs that clambered onto the ship His spear was a brilliant light in the dark banishing them back to the hole they crawled out from Inwardly Silo was extremely pleased that this attack came

This gave him the perfect chance to refine his image once more to a usable state It was difficult to do so without using the Skills and this gave him the perfect excuse But still he didn�t try and extend his fights any longer than necessary doing so would be near suicidal

After thrusting a spear into a Murloc�s oversized head Silo glanced around For all that they didn�t know him he was now on a team He would give his all to protect those who relied on him But to his surprise they didn�t seem to need any help at all

Silo blinked A strange luminescent Murloc that was Level 46 was currently engaged in a high speed duel with Azriel Their blows and counters were preternaturally quick while both somehow managed to maintain perfect footing on the rocking boat

Using pure force Silo smashed a Murloc back into the water and stepped forward thinking he could find some way to help But he stepped on a strange glob of slime that had landed on the deck and slipped He fell hard jarring his head against the deck Almost instantly he recovered but two freshly arrived Murlocs leaped at him stabbing down at him

With a grimace he dodged but one of the daggers drew a long line across the side of his ribs Growling he straightened and cut through their legs Their flailing bodies fell to the ground and he pressed them with the butt of his spear sliding them across the deck and smashing into the back of an unsuspecting Murloc that was approaching Skarch The thing tripped and fell on the ground with a gurgle of surprise

Satisfied Silo turned and looked at Azriel

But before he could ascertain her situation another of the pale luminescent Murlocs arrived on the deck its pale eyes locked onto Silo The mouth opened revealing dozens of small sharp teeth Silo moved first but the Murloc was faster cutting at his wrists with a purple dagger Staying defensive Silo took a step back and struck again this time with a thrust

The Murloc took a small wound to its shoulder and began to advance Behind it more Murlocs climbed up

Dazzling Cut smashed into a dagger that the Murloc raised to block the attack and still had enough force to push the other back The Murlocs behind it hesitated unwilling to grab their superior Taking advantage of the moments of indecision Silo used Dazzling Cut three more times Each time it cost a little more Stamina but was increasingly effective as the image was cleared of the strange darkness that was haunting it

The strike was short and brutal and the Murloc had no answer to it

As it was pushed back until its feet were on the edge of the deck the Murloc seemed to shift into another gear It ducked down under Silo�s stab and rushed for him But as it did so the butt of Silo�s spear smashed upwards stunning it slightly It twisted away but Silo was waiting when it did slashing his spear against its wounded shoulder

The wound was deepened but only slightly Silo frowned Although he knew the strange skin of these things was strong the fact that this spear wouldn�t cut It truly was a spear that he had inherited from his grandfather It was a distinctly Spear School type of process Silo knew But the blood binding had been a source of pride for him his whole life He wasn�t willing to give up this spear

Now to find it was nearing the point where it would no longer be effective

The boat hopped again this time almost double as high as it had previously Silo heard the sound of snapping timbers The force of the acceleration knocked him off his feet and onto the ground of the deck Meanwhile the luminescent green Mleaped leapt slightly and was thrown several meters into the air But it floated down with a grin

Still Silo only shook his head Because the Murloc had made a grave mistake

Eternal Flame Silo said and he felt a wonderful sense of joy as the Skill exploded into effect Because this was not a Skill he could utilize unless his images were at their most perfect form Although he was on the ground and the Murloc was several meters above him Silo thrust upwards and a bright light shot forward from the tip of his spear

Twisting the Murloc dodged a portion of it but the light still ripped into its thigh When it hit the deck it immediately stumbled giving Silo time to stand up and prepare By the time it looked up his spear had ripped into its torse With a kick the Murloc was knocked off the boat

Worried about how the others faired Silo spun around But the deck was empty Both Azriel and Skarch were covered with slime and blood Had they already finished Wasn�t Azriel also fighting one of those stronger Murlocs

Silo glanced at Randidly At the moment the other man was staring very carefully at his hands which was fingers splayed but slightly curved at the tips of the fingers Then slowly he began to clench his fists The process took almost 20 seconds and the final 5 seconds seemed extremely difficult His arms trembled with the effort

As he did so the air around him seemed to quiver Silo frowned Yes there was definitely some distortions in the air above Randidly�s head What could it mean Was it a side effect of being a Spell Spear

Then with a sign Randidly�s hand closed completely A tremor went through the boat seeming to come from the ocean below And indeed Silo seemed to hear some high pitched noise Then Randidly dropped his fists to the side and relaxed somewhat The boat rocked back and forth but it quickly stilled

Silo clicked his tongue Seemed like we made it through that alright Honestly great job everyone I�m impressed

He gave Randidly a sidelong glance and then decided not to say anything By unspoken agreement the group cleaned off the deck and made for the distant but visible shoreline

Chapter 623

None of them really had any idea how to sail aside from pointing the front of the sea towards land Suffice to say the next six hours were rough When the storm wasn�t smashing them with enough thunder and lightning to knock their heading off from their goal the monsters that Skarch explained were called Murlocs were leaping up to attack the boat

It soon got to the point that Randidly completely soaked to the skin said fuck it on keeping his Mana with some juice left and spent it all to shift the fist he had used to crush the Kraken into long rake like claws The depth of the water was only about 25 meters at this point so he simply gripped the bottom of the sea and started dragging themselves towards shore

Not that anyone noticed

I�ve faced down worse storms than this Silo said gravely His hair was wet yet the wind had somehow twisted it up onto his head in an elegant and appealing look The flashes of lightning showed his strong cheekbones in profile outlining his as a bold silhouette against the darkness Don�t give up If we work together we will make it through this

Randidly wanted to roll his eyes No one was giving up and Silo�s desperate grip on the rudder did almost nothing but make him useless when the Murlocs launched attacks on the boat Skarch seemed to be genuinely enjoying the feeling of the rain and was whispering to her spear between short bouts of combat

Azriel was as unflappable as usual What is the limits of the Skill you are using to give me energy

I feel like this is something that we would normally talk about quietly Randidly said with a wry smile on his face

Azriel spared Silo a dismissive glance The man was muttering self righteously to himself It was now Skarch�s turn to be within the small cabin so he was their only audience

Well fine Randidly said with a sigh I don�t think there is a limit per se but think of yourself as a stream bed with the energy as the water Slowly it will get naturally larger attempts to hasten that development usually result in side effects

As he trailed off Randidly recalled a few experiments he had performed with Nathan Not that the people were worse off immediately but their growth simply stalled out in the aftermath Perhaps a better metaphor would be to say it would be akin to giving a high school student with an interest in architecture wooden boards and 100 pounds of instant concrete mix and asking them to build a house The flood of Aether in a person�s body gave them a lot of tools but they had no knowledge of how to use it so most of it would be wasted Their images were too weak to support all the tools they had Unused tools would become a swamp that would bind the individual as well

Twisting his mouth Randidly then checked his inward connection to Azriel It was a thin stream compared to the vast rivers that were flowing to Alana and Annie but it was growing quickly He had never chronicled the growth so directly but it really seemed like Azriel was accelerating forward at a speed that was slightly intimidating to even him Of all the people he had met she was that most fun to fight

What are you smiling about Azriel asked

Randidly simply shook his head and rapped on the deck Skarch Silo Looks like we are coming close

Skarch made her way up out of the hold below and Silo looked upon his aggrieved suffrage underneath the slanting rain Underneath the water Randidly�s feelers had shifted into something akin to spider legs and he was pushing them faster and faster towards shore

It was right before they ran aground and he was knocked off into the water that Randidly realized perhaps his desire for speed had thrown them headlong towards a watery grave Well grave was a strong term But as Randidly cracked his head against a rock his felt very very annoyed with himself

Skarch and Silo faired well enough Skarch hadn�t yet left the door frame and had been able to get a grip Although he didn�t do much as a steersman Silo had been able to cling to the tiller like an ill willed spider Standing with a curse Randidly looked around for Azriel

Did you do that on purpose

Randidly glanced behind him Azriel had a mild expression with her hair and clothes plastered to her skin in a way that emphasized how slender her limbs were She was a small compact person who looked more like a rat standing in the frothy thigh deep water of the shallows where they had run aground

Randidly cleared his throat Azriel now seems like a poor time to sharpen your spear Maybe we should just wait until we ashore to finish this discussion up

hmm Perhaps Even in the rain her needle like spear gleamed dangerously as she polished it with an unhealthy amount of vigor Randidly was torn between feeling slightly bad about the crash and her obvious fury and feeling amused by adorable her resemblance to a cat tossed into a bathtub was

Luckily their moment of tension was interrupted as a large way buoyed the boat up past the point it had run aground on and smashed it into another nearby rock Skarch�s laughter was clear over the sound of the storm She leaped lightly off of the boat and landed on a stone that sat relatively shallowly in the water

The boat was flipped over with Silo in it Randidly sighed

Thirty minutes later Randidly had moved some of the short trees into a basic shelter so the group could gather up in a shivering mess It was strange Physically their bodies were obviously cold but their Vitality and Endurance should more than make up for it They were in no danger of dying of hypothermia or anything But physiologically this was not an area that the System benefitted them

Apparently the Nexus amused itself watching the shivers of someone who is mildly cold

Still Randidly couldn�t complain too much He had gained three Levels in Child of Rain already

Based on my calculations Silo began looking around at the group It was difficult for Randidly to take him seriously because they happened to make their shelter over a stump that would serve as a basic table and Silo was standing with one leg up on it He leaned over onto his raised knee with sparkling eyes We should be on one of the small islands around Kragjist that�s the big one where Sergeant Platton is operating

The island chains are huge Skarch pointed out with a shake of her head The wights infest the area like fleas sure But with it raining like this we won�t know whether we are walking into an enemy base or not until it�s too late I dearly wish for a good placement in this tournament but we will simply lose our lives if we act foolishly

As if to underscore her statement thunder rumbled overhead with enough volume to block out the volume of the rain on the shelter around them Azriel tapped her spear against the wall not looking at Randidly Her weapon looked wicked sharp It made Randidly feel somewhat helpless sure he was at fault for their abrupt crash but hadn�t the rain soaked her to the skin regardless

Randidly opened his mouth I

I think

Randidly paused and looked at Silo who was looking at him in surprise After waiting a half second Silo continued I think we should risk it and press forward Like you pointed out visibility will be low And we are all aware these rain storms might last days It is too much to wait it out Besides we are elite compared to most of the opponents on the front lines The low visibility is a boon to us

We might run into a squad of Zeitguard or even one of the Witch Kings Azriel said evenly Her eyes slide from Silo to Skarch and then back Even though she didn�t look at Randidly he knew it was because she already knew what his answer was going to be There was no point in asking Can we handle that

A Witch King Obviously not Silo scoffed Then his hands clenched into fists Well perhaps we could buy enough time for the others to flee Since this was my idea I will take responsibility if the worst happens But the Zeitguard they should be similar in strength to us It is entirely possible to handle a few quickly if we work together

I came here for glory I will not turn away if it is thrust upon me Skarch said abruptly I simply wished to confirm you were all aware of the risks

Alright then Randidly said slowly looking around at the group His eyes were brilliant lime green in the strange twilight of the rain shrouded island Then let�s begin �

Chapter 624

Shal stepped out of the teleporter and looked around The buildings around him were solid and grey and he stood in a small courtyard that was open to the sky Yet when he looked up his vision couldn�t pierce past the thick mist that lay over the area It was soft like cotton and different banks of it moved in every direction merging and separating in an endless dance

It was the continent of the Death School the land of muffled suffering

I never imagined that I would spend my retirement traveling Razland the First Spear of Tomkat said practically spitting out his words Verynica the third member of their team of musketeers simply spared the other man a glance and shook her head

Shal�s mouth twisted You being here it is not necessary

You owe me Razland replied bluntly Then he grinned but his eyes were tired Although it is a roundabout way allowing me to accompany you and share in some of the military accomplishments will have to be enough It is the only way for Tomkat to obtain the proper share of the remaining energy In the Northern Domain to have such a thing is becoming increasingly rare

After nodding Shal moved forward Razland put on a brave face but Shal knew that everytime that man looked at him he saw all the soldiers that Shal and Randidly had killed escaping from the jail Each of the lives that they took was one of his friends and family And yet Razland�s spirit was truly generous When Shal returned to fulfill his promise of returning to Tomkat he had taken a long and hard look at Shal

Instead of asking him to stay he had an extremely strange request that the two would go on a pilgrimage in order for Razland to polish his own Style Perhaps it was Shal�s obvious unwillingness to stay or the vivacious point of life in Shal�s eyes that wasn�t there previously but Shal believed the reason for Razland�s change of heart was something much more practical

At the time Shal returned to Tomkat to pay his debt his strength had shot upwards to just below the Pontiff level Combined with his already exploding Level

Perhaps tying his boat to Shal would end up being a positive decision After all within the month he had truly become a Pontiff So Razland had a surprising amount of insight to join Shal on the mad adventures he had stumbled through sense All would be well Or perhaps

Shal spared Verynica a glance She was the other Lieutenant of Ophelia Vade and was born and bred inside the deepest enclave of the Heart School Ostensibly Ophelia sent Verynica to provide assistance on a very dangerous mission but Shal suspected that the woman�s unquestioned loyalty was more relevant That and Shal�s instincts were telling him there was a trap waiting for him on this continent

That part of him that inherited his father�s Style shifted inside of him to the forefront As they walked forward two men in drab robes moved out of a nearby building to greet the trio When they were only a few meters away the two stopped and bowed at a 90 degree angle

Greetings May your spears always find death friends Are you the group that comes seeking the Witch Kings

Yes Report Verynica said sharply

The men began to explain sightings and patterns and strange movements among the wights that could possibly be used to interpret the Witch King�s movements It was thoughtful stuff sure but Shal tired of hearing it only after a few minutes

He waved his hand dismissively So there is nothing concrete That is fine Such methods are cumbersome

The two paused their uncertainty clear in their eyes Verynica gave Shal a look and he continued to speak It is simple We find their biggest army and attack it Eventually they will move to stop us yes And who would they send to stop spearmen such as us but a Witch King It is simplicity itself

Razland sighed and shook his head Ah my back is aching already

After clearing another island Randidly�s group gathered together without the need for words As they four exchanged glances they nodded imperceptibly at Randidly and he produced a small dome of biological matter for them to rest in and discuss for a while This was a rocky island on the outskirts of the chain so there was only moss But it did make all the furniture Randidly inflated inside relatively comfortable

As the group settled Silo spoke gravely We were lucky again to escape with so few wounds Everyone great job But don�t lower your guard from just this These have been small scouting forces soon our operations will be noticed

Randidly sighed inwardly none of them were wounded If anything they had done more damage to the islands beneath them than any of them had taken Truly the wights were as unsettled by the constant rain as Azriel was It plastered their diaphanous cloaks to their bodies revealing their unhealthily thin torsos It was simply a matter of finding where they were holed up and then ripping them to shreds

And with Randidly�s Aether Detection it was child�s play But he allowed others to use their own methods most of the time and only intervened if they would miss a cluster of them

Hmm it is unfortunate that this rain is so pressing but I believe I will go out and scout around for a bit Silo said while scratching his jaw Just to check if we missed something Please remain here to avoid suspicion If there are any problems

Yes yes Skarch said shortly waving her hand By all means if you need some private time just say it We will not judge you for your needs

Randidly bit back a laugh as Silo went pink but he didn�t say anything when he left As his gaze pierced through the wall of the dome to follow his figure Randidly�s smile slowly slipped away Based on what he had seen earlier Randidly knew what Silo truly was going to do It likely wasn�t Randidly�s place to say anything about it but it didn�t� quite sit right with him either

That chunk of Aether esque substance Silo possessed it was filled with a sickening darkness It was definitely related to System Aether but something very strange had worked it over It was greedy and possessive and devoured the old Aether in Silo�s body bit by bit It was actually somewhat fascinating to watch as Silo fought against it Randidly considered intervening but it didn�t seem like the invasion would hurt him per se just destroy his old images

Shaking his head Randidly turned his attention to the small opaque Soulstone that he held in his hand Now that there were some glimmers of light within the Stone it was somewhat easier to see the runes that line the thing But of course it looked like the makers had placed a strange shifting illusion over the orb The light refracted in unpredictable ways as Randidly watched

With his high Intelligence he could slowly work around it but it was frustrating work And what was more frustrating was that Randidly didn�t truly care about how it was made What the Soulstone gathered wasn�t Aether per se but it was an echo of Aether It consisted of something that might be considered an ego in psychological terms It was the weak core of a life as the body failed

Randidly shuddered to think what being captured like that was like but his investigations seemed to indicate that there was no consciousness to the gathered energy And it was a sort of energy He had no doubt that the money grubbing owners of the tournament would take these stones and use them to power their teleports in the future

Azriel seemed to be meditating on some image of hers and Skarch was polishing her spear Randidly sensed the explosion of twisted Aether beginning and pulled his awareness inward If that idiot got killed glutting himself on Aether it wouldn�t be his problem Right before he pulled away Randidly wondered if the guy knew he was effectively getting himself addicted to that either Because based on how it was behaving that Aether was not the sort to play nice with other varieties

Besides Randidly had his own issues In his Soul Space there was a low and constant thrumming

At first Randidly was concerned that something was wrong with his Soul Skill But the noise was coming from his Skills His next thought was that his reconstructed Skill was starting to break apart again But no As the Sun Stills was perfectly fine No the noise was coming from several Skills at once All together they seemed to be singing

One of the Skills involved was Scarlet Burst which was quickly becoming a favorite of Randidly�s The speed boost was small but it was unidirectional and could be used consecutively for a higher Stamina cost If you used it within two seconds of a prior use the Cost doubled But still it granted a lot of utility with just the first burst it provided

During the past few hours clearing islands Randidly had gained 8 Levels in the Skill and had already gained enough experience to reach Level 29 The only reason he hadn�t was that Acri grew sulky when he wasn�t fed experience for a long stretch

The other Skill that was vibrating in time with Scarlet Burst was a surprise Ashes to Ashes True Randidly had used it briefly today several times Although Aether Detection was good at detecting Aether it didn�t provide any further information He couldn�t discern numbers simply the mass of Aether from a distance

There was a possibility that they were walking into either a duel with one very powerful individual or 100 common ones and Randidly wouldn�t know the difference That was where Ashes to Ashes came in The more he used the Skill the more he sensed that thin edge that the Skill took up

It was a path along the razor sharp edge between the world of Aether where Randidly lived and the world that Randidly could use with Touch from Beyond But while Randidly was in that state all living beings were outlined in sharp relief Their Aether turned into a visible distinguisher that allowed Randidly to view them more directly Although it was costly Randidly�s recovery made it a useful tool in his arsenal

Chapter 625

With his attention in front of the Skill he paused then reached out and touched Ashes to Ashes Immediately System notifications popped up in front of him

Congratulations There is currently a resonance between two of your Skills It becomes possible to allow this resonance to grow Warning results of allowing the Skills to influence each other are unpredictable Warning if you possess insufficient energy illness or death might result from the transformation

The following two Skills are in resonance with each other Ashes to Ashes and Scarlet Burst

Only by utilizing both Skills at the same time will the resonance grow If the resonance proves to be harmonies Skills might change or merge

Randidly scratched his chin as he considered the notifications This although the System didn�t say it was this related to his Class Or perhaps the image that he had been using for Scarlet Burst It was true that he had borrowed some if from Ashes to Ashes That strange decimated world that he saw filled with charred carbon and molten metal had stuck with him ever since he had left the Patron of Ash�s world

The only problem was that Randidly liked both of the Skills Maybe merging into a more powerful form would be fine but if there was a bad reaction

But then Randidly couldn�t help but shrug First of all he could recover from it He could make his own Skills again although it would be difficult Second with his source of Aether and pure images very rarely were the warnings of the System worth anything to him The only notable exception was the trouble he had with his Soul Skill early on in his career when it was the Cycle of Ash and Rot Since then things had worked

The possibility of damage to his Class gave Randidly some pause but he doubted that such a Class that had been so painstakingly created would break so easily

Pointing the moss dome they were lounging in spread outward to cover a new circle of land Calmly Randidly stood and walked into this new area Both Azriel and Skarch spared him a glance but then returned to their own refinements They all knew what they were here for and trusted each other to do their job

But that didn�t mean that they wouldn�t take great care to notice the other�s abilities After all if they performed well they would need to face each other in the finals

Randidly didn�t bother to close off his portion of the dome and block their vision although he considered it Azriel knew about Scarlet Burst and Ashes to Ashes for sure and even had ways to counter them Skarch might learn something from watching but with Randidly just activating the Skills it would be hard to discern what the actual use was

So Randidly stood still and closed his eyes He breathed in then breathed out Then he activated Ashes to Ashes

Instantly the world that Randidly saw shifted He was in a place of deep greys and fiery reds Aether manifested in a weak wavering white light as if he was viewing it through water Although he knew it wasn�t the case the moss dome around him looked more like stone than plant matter In this place everything was stretched to its polar opposites

It was a binary world in a way Randidly realized This place pressed the world together and removed all of the depth to it Perhaps that explained the strange effect of Randidly being able to avoid an attack

But then his mind snapped into focus as he realized how much Mana he was wasting So instead Randidly used Scarlet Burst

As he did so the vista that Randidly saw around him shuddered The flattened and contrasted world shuddered and trembled But not in a way that reversed the effects of the Skill If anything it intensified the strange flattening effect so colors bled away from the world and all that remained was a burning monochrome wasteland

Still when he used the Skills at the same time the song between the two Skills grew more intense The volume was slowly growing and under the vibrations Randidly heard something akin to voices between the two Skills There was a surprising about of subtlety in what was happening

Only a second had passed but Randidly winced Using Ashes to Ashes for prolonged amounts of time was simply impossible the cost was so high that even now Randidly could only maintain it for a few seconds He used Scarlet Burst once more

Again the world shivered and flattened further Randidly used it again and again and

Foolish child this is not a Path you are ready to see

For a second before the voice spoke Randidly had seen something It was difficult to describe in words When Randidly was a child he often played with tape measures It was a fun game to see how long you could stretch it out from the base before the weight of it was enough to overcome the crease of the tape But at that moment the weight became too much and the tape would collapse to the ground all sense of structure and shape was lost

It was a sudden shift that reminded Randidly of the evolutions of his image for As the Sun Stills

But here it was his view of the world that collapsed The flattened and monochrome�d world seemed to struggle for a second and then it crumbled like paper And then

If this world is naught but ashes what happens when those ashes fall away There is only memory and loss Sit in the lonliness and you will feel it breath

Everything became agony It was raw and present in a way that Randidly could only compare to those times he had received dental work in the past life Sometimes a nerve was exposed It wasn�t pain because something bad was truly happening perhaps but it was so much unknown and overwhelming information the nerve had never experienced The body had no way to understand what was happening except pain

This was the spiritual version of that

Return

And just like that Randidly was back sitting on the ground with sweat pouring down his brow In front of him a dozen or so notifications blinked informing him that he had gains in both Nether Resistance and Pain Resistance

Then a powerful presence pressed down on him It was a familiar one too it was the stony faced Patron of Ash

Do not attempt that again Take it slow Soon you will be on the Path to becoming Chosen and then you will find answers Until them don�t casually waste a life that belongs to me Don�t you desire to become my vessel

For some reason Randidly�s limbs weren�t working correctly and he collapsed back on his back The domes of moss around them trembled and began to sag Desperately Randidly reached for his Skills but he still felt strangely numb and disconnected from everything For the first time in a long time Randidly felt deeply nervous In those first moments of pain he had completely lost himself He was unconscious within a second If he had stayed in that strange

Randidly coughed out a fat wad of phlegm and then gasped in several batches of air Within a few seconds the numbness began to recede and there was a strange mental tingling that afflicted Randidly Still that was much preferable to the numbness Finally he was able to grip his Skills and stop the domes from collapsing

He leaned his head against the ground and said a silent thank you to the Patron of Ash Then more notifications forced Randidly�s eyes open

Congratulations Due to a successful resonance a change has appeared amongst the involved Skills Your understanding of the Skill Ashes to Ashes has deepened Although you do not yet truly understand the dangers present have become known to you From this point on the cost of the Skill is decreased by a small margin Effect increases with Skill Level In addition there is a small chance of an accident while utilizing Ashes to Ashes

Randidly swore quietly That was not a trade worth making Such a risk was impossible to calculate But before he could think too deeply on that the notifications continued

Your Skill Scarlet Burst has taken on some of the characteristics of Ashes to Ashes It has evolved into the Skill

Before that notification could complete Randidly felt something click into place inside of him A whooshing noise filled his ears and abruptly Aether rushed out of him to form something in his core Normally Randidly could have easily handled all of these sudden changes and acted accordingly But at the moment the strange prickling continued The numbness hadn�t quite fully departed Effectively Randidly was at the mercy of the System at the moment and he didn�t appreciate it one bit

Warning addition resonance has been detected Synchronicity

Congratulations Your Skill Scarlet Burst has been consumed by a newly created Skill Due to the replacement effect a Skill slot will not be occupied by the new Skill Skill Level will be retained

Congratulations You have created the Third Kata of the Ashen Spear You have gained the Skill When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance

Chapter 626

Immediately Randidly opened up his menu and looked at the details of his new Skill Although his vision was spinning somewhat from the shifts in Aether Randidly�s recovery ability was roaring back to the forefront In a few seconds he felt the last of the strange tingles departing and he could focus on the notifications in front of himself

When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance (Un) Move a short distance in any direction At the initial point of the movement create a burst of ash and several ember fireflies The ember fireflies will seek out nearby enemies and deal minor damage Damaged enemies will be marked with ash Utilizing this Skill towards an enemy marked with ash will double the effects of the Skill but will consume the mark Distance covered and amount of ember fireflies increases with Level Effect on use towards marked enemies increases with Level

All in all Randidly was quite pleased with how the Skill shifted He was relatively low Level in it now but the additional damage from ember fireflies would be at least relevant against these wights More than that it was a Skill that worked best when it was done in a large crowd When there was a bunch of enemies marked with ash around him his ability to move would be unmatched

It also seemed like the ember firefly effect would also be doubled spreading his ability around even further Randidly grimaced at the ceiling of the moss dome Now he would like to see how he would fare against a Witch King With all these assorted Skills

Oh no I�ve made a terrible mistake

Randidly looked up sharply at the voice conscious about how he was trembling very slightly from the remnants of the aftershocks from whatever he had just experienced through Ashes to Ashes Silo was standing in the dome looking down at Randidly It was a testament to how much the experience had interfered with Randidly that he hadn�t noticed Silo�s approach

The air around him was roiling with that negative Aether With a great effort Randidly stood up and looked at Silo Yes Is something

I never took into consideration your abilities Silo said with a sad shake of his head He glanced over at Skarch and Azriel who were both sitting down The pace I set is too demanding for your bodies Just look at yourself Randidly your attempts to keep up with me have left you trembling with exertion

Randidly opened his mouth but couldn�t think of anything to say He was technically trembling

From now on Silo announced putting his hand on Randidly�s shoulder When you are unable to keep up say something We are just lucky you collapsed here and not while in battle Otherwise well obviously I would attempt to assist you but

Are you really going to let this farce happen Azriel said looking at Randidly

Silo took her to be addressing him and said No you are correct although I would like to move on quickly we cannot until we are sure that everyone is fully recovered from today�s battles To have accomplished all we did in such a short time it is already impressive

I�m fine Randidly said bluntly frowning over at Azriel She was hiding a smile behind her hand

After shaking his head Silo looked at Randidly with soulful eyes His hand was still on Randidly�s shoulder Ah to think our relationship had deepened to this extent look Randidly there is no need to sacrifice your wellbeing Together we can

Ah shit Skarch said cheerfully It looks like we have guests

The attacks came from three wights who seemed to materialize above the moss dome They smashed downwards perhaps expecting to rip right through the strange material but Randidly pumped the remnants of his Mana into the stuff so it thickened and hardened It wasn�t enough to completely stop their advance but the claws of the wights became stuck as though they were trying to cut a thick cloth with scissors

In an instant Randidly produced Acri and used the Spear Advances Ash Trails to rush forward and smash into the nearest wight that was dropping down Screened by the moss dome it didn�t see it coming at all and took the spear through the chest Randidly felt the bones there shatter Unfortunately that breaking ripped Randidly�s spear out of the thing�s frame and it flew backward with a howl before he could finish it off The moss dome was quickly ripped to pieces and flapped away in the cold win

Without the cover of the moss dome rain crashed downward inundating them all But they were professionals Silo dropped his strange empathy play and followed the wounded wight into the shallow water nearby

Azriel hissed through her teeth So it was Zeitguard And three How optimistic of them

With a huge movement one of the Zeitguard spread its arms wide Another pair of claws condensed about triple the size of its true claws With these it slashed at Randidly Grinning he utilized his newly created When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance His body exploded forward moving within the wight�s guard Its eyes narrowed and the larger claws dematerialized even as Randidly thrust at the wight with his spear

That energy swirled around and settled into its true claws which it raised to meet Randidly�s attack

The wight was smashed backward its right claw shattering from the clash But to his surprise Randidly stumbled to a stop His mouth twisted He overpowered the other party but this momentum was completely stopped His bare feet skittered across the wet stone of the island It only took him a split second to find a grip but by that time the wight was back on its feet its pale eyes filled with pain

Its right claw was held close to its side But before it could act Azriel was beside it and her spear went through its head There was a sound like a scream but also something like the noise a tea kettle made when the water was boiling inside of it The body of the wight collapsed to the ground

Randidly spun around His Skill had only created three ember flies and they seemed to struggle in the downpour But two had made it over to the wight that was fighting against Skarch She seemed to be faring relatively well but still Randidly used When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance again to move towards the marked Wight

This time Randidly felt the strange boost It felt like in addition to pushing himself towards the enemy he could pull himself off of the mark left by the ember firefly But just as he appeared in a shower of six more ember fireflies the Zeitguard twisted strangely and used the strength from Skarch�s hit to move quickly away from the fight

It shrieked as it was moving and Randidly frowned as it avoided the Spear Roots he attempted to blindside it with Raising its claw it scratched at the air and ripped a hole Within a second it had disappeared into the other side of that portal and the rip closed behind it

Cheh pretty good at running Skarch said with annoyance Then she looked over at Randidly and Azriel and seemed to feel a twinge of guilt sorry I couldn�t delay mine very long Finesse isn�t my strong suit

Randidly and Azriel exchanged a glance Thunder crashed above as Azriel shrugged no it is my mistake I was well aware of Randidly�s ability to control an opponent but I chose to go for the sure kill Perhaps it was unnecessary but

Dammit Silo swore thunderously as he stomped back over to join the group His shoulder was wounded and he took a long swig of a health potion Although that one was wounded it managed to escape with its life still it is an impressive accomplishment to wound one of the Zeitgard They are notoriously slippery Thank you for assisting me Randidly

Randidly�s eyebrow twitched What part of that was him assisting Silo Wasn�t the wound struck by him

It is enough that no one else got wounded Silo paused as he casually stepped around the crumpled body of the wight Then he blinked His jaw dropped Wha what

Azriel walked over to Randidly and patted his shoulder with a straight face Thank you for assisting me Randidly

Chapter 627

Drake clutched the fragile edge of the hot air balloon The old man giving him a ride Kairon simply grinned at Drake�s obvious discomfort And this was only about 50 meters off of the ground Based upon what Kairon had told Drake they would go much much higher

At this point it was impossible to hide it anymore Drake was afraid of heights Almost cripplingly so Before the System arrived Drake used to love going on carnival rides that strapped him in and took him high up into the ai At that moment the crippling fear and adrenaline mixed in his bloodstream and set his heart a pounding

A breeze blew past causing the entire apparatus to sway Drake�s grip on the rope frame tightened into a death grip So much so that Kairon flapped his hand on Drake�s hand until he loosened his grip After all with his Stats it was entirely possible to wear through even the most durable of ropes with an overly panicked grip

Grumbling to himself as a way to not pay attention to how fragile the vehicle was Drake sat down in the middle of the basket and reflected on what crimes he could have committed to end up here

After washing up on the shores of a small village island with a dragon in hand he had struggled for several days to talk to the locals Due to the System they obviously understood him But it quickly became clear to Drake that the people living on that island didn�t care for his plight at all There were probably just under 50 people grouped on the island with about that many people again on a few smaller islands in the surrounding area Every day they would get up and work farming rice and fishing around their islands

If it was a good day they could also harvest fruit from some islands that were a farther distance away On bad days the village gathered and repelled the minions of a Raid Boss that would charge out to ambush the fishermen

Drake�s second day was one of those bad days A call quickly went up from one of the fishermen as he spotted the dark forms in the water swimming closer In surprisingly quick fashion the people gathered and equipped themselves with weapons Although they were still dismissive of Drake�s request he was pulled into the defensive line although towards the back

They came out in a wave shrieking and screaming The villagers by contrast fought in near silence as they filled the monsters full of holes and drove them back into the bloody water By the end of the attack Drake had worked his way to the front and was using his large frame covered in the Skeleton Armor to knock a half dozen fish monsters back at a time

Perhaps this practical assistance was the key because soon after that the attitudes of the villagers warmed to Drake He was treated to a basic meal of fish and rice fried in a fruit juice and was directly told that no one here could help him

Initially Drake assumed that the small boats that the village possessed were unable to travel the distance necessary to find the large island that served as the core of this Zone Because due to what the villagers said there was only one Village in the whole Zone It was a rite of passage for young men and women seeking a Class to travel there and obtain power

Some returned and others didn�t It was difficult for the villagers to know if their young chose another island to start their home or died but they seemed surprisingly ambivalent about the outcomes By the end of hearing their explanation Drake was actually starting to be profoundly impressed by the very utilitarian outlook And based on everything he saw everyone contributed and possessed a very high Skill Level in their individual tasks

There was a difference in outlook here that likely originated before the System�s arrival but it made the people here uniquely prepared to embrace the System They were used to struggling to survive on a daily basis The addition of monsters was troublesome but Levels were convenient for the people here Likely that was why they were the third Zone to connect to the new Earth

It made Drake re evaluate what he expected from the most powerful warriors here They were likely not a group to be trifled with

But Drake�s strange assumptions about this Zone were popped when Kairon arrived with goods to trade He arrived by hot air balloon from Ifrenne the city of dreams that sat above the clouds

Sitting in the bottom of the hot air balloon basket Drake repressed his dizziness as best he could Sure his Stats were incredibly high But this was more instinctual than that It was an irrational fear

Well not irrational � Drake thought to himself as his elemental crawled up onto the lip of the basket and sniffed the air One slip and then �

That gave Drake pause With higher Stats exactly how high was it possible to survive the fall from Even into water There is a terminal velocity so in theory at some point

Very quickly Drake lost himself in the details of the fear and the worst of it faded away His hands stopped trembling and his breath came more easily They likely traveled like that for a few hours when Kairon clicked his tongue

We are lucky Kairon announced The city has moved South for the fruit harvest Look friend and witness beauty

Drake looked He didn�t see beauty To him it looked like several sadistic twelve year olds were given all the materials in the world and were asked to build heaven Instead they built something that looked like a cross between a giant ropes course and a homemade treehouse made with recycled wood

The thing truly was seemingly thrown together by hundreds of different people who were not working towards any common theme There was a clear location where other hot air balloons were docking but other than that it was all plank bridges and ropes between different spires of wood and tarp

From Drake�s vantage point there were 6 of these spires that were clustered in a group Rising up from each was thick cables and above there were absolutely enormous balloons hanging above them like a fat and close moon These balloons seemed to be sealed so Drake surmised some sort of Skill kept them all afloat

There were some smaller clusters of wood and rope and these seemed to resemble floating apartment buildings more than anything else They circled around the six main spires like bees with thin ropes stretching to connect them to each other

At least Drake thought with disgust there were several layers of nets hanging underneath the six main spires But the ancillary buildings were floating above nothing A fall from there

You are speechless I was too on my first arrival Kairon said proudly But like all things you grow used to it Come I will show you my home In exchange I only ask you tell me stories of these other Zones haha It is strange to think our narrow world is expanding once more

Heedless of Drake�s pale face Kairon continued to chatter idly an abrupt switch from his earlier recalcitrance It seemed that his love for this city was so real that it could make the man ignore the danger of such a floating city What if something was lit on fire What if someone cut the ropes holding one of the spires up Wouldn�t it drag the rest down How much extra weight could the city handle

What was WRONG with these people

Very quickly they approached one of the main spires which did ease Drake�s worries somewhat The docks were located near the top of the spire spreading out like branches of a tree in zigzag patterns As soon as they were close Kairon hopped off of the basket with surprising spryness and began tying the balloon to the nearby posts The wood creaked dangerously

Drake winced

Ah before I forget watch your step My family is well enough off but we must dock in the older sections Kairon said apologetically Some of the wood here is beginning to rot from exposure to the elements Watch your step

All of the blood drained out of his face With extreme care Drake leaned over the side of the rope basket and looked down Beneath him there were planks of wood as would be seen on a normal dock But below that there was a 10 meter drop and there was a bulge of buildings and wooden enclosures Ropes crisscrossed seemingly at random But if Drake looked to the side

He saw the top of a cloud A chilly wind brushed at his feet The sun was setting in the West casting a wave of warm color across the cloudscape beneath them Truly it was breathtaking In the same way that death was

Breathing out slowly Drake stood and put his foot on the rickety looking boards of the dock He shifted his weight slowly and then pulled his second foot out and put it onto the dock

The board broke underneath him with a gleeful crack

Chapter 628

The pieces of the broken board fell down ricocheting off of the buildings below Those small bits of debris tumbled through the air until a gust of wind caught them and blew them out towards the clouds Drake did his best not to dwell on the fact that the wind had carried them out past the point where they would have been caught by the nets hanging under the city The fall would be a long one

Standing very still Drake waited for the last of the splinters drifted downwards A portion of the board had fallen away but most of it was still intact The moment stretched as the wind brushed his hair with malicious intentions Still nothing happened

But just as Drake felt a sense of relief the high winds of this place caused the whole structure to sway Immediately a sense of nausea filled Drake

I am going to die here � Drake thought very seriously to himself He considered his life so far and wondered whether he was truly satisfied with what he had done

Some part of him answered that if he had to ask the answer was clearly no

Beautiful golden birds with metallic feathers were crossing the skyline heading towards the city They looked like a flowing wave across the sky There must have been hundreds of the things and they were a brilliant shiny thing that Drake could focus on while he let his blood pressure drop back to normal levels

Bah don�t be such a baby Would the gem of our Zone truly be so fragile Kairon scoffed slapping Drake�s back As the blow approached some part of Drake was screaming Leaning into it Drake desperately tried to disperse the force without losing his balance

The hand hit him with a soft pat

of course Kairon was just a trader His Strength stat was negligible Drake overbalanced and began to lean out over the edge of the wooden dock His hands reached for the rope of the balloon�s basket but in his panic he couldn�t get his body to work right Instead habits he had gained from long hours of training kicked into gear

His bone gauntlet condensed and stretched outwards latching onto the basket The already wounded board gave out and several of its nearby companions splintered under Drake�s abrupt weight

Of course Drake tightened his grip and cut through the rope The next thing he knew he was falling looking up at the sky

For several seconds Drake engaged in a vicious battle within himself One part of him wanted to call in more bones to grab onto something so he wouldn�t fall There was another part of him that pointed out this was exactly what had gotten him into this problem in the first place So he was frozen

Goddamnit why did Sydney send me out here � Drake thought gloomily Doesn�t she know I �

Drake crashed into a building and smashed right through it ceiling and floor He heard a brief screech but he was already smashing into the next floor And then the next floor And then the following floor

Only after breaking down seven floors did Drake stop The ground underneath him was solid but was still swaying slightly in the wind Above him a hole sketched up into the wooden hodgepodge revealing a brilliant blue sky

Are you alright

At least it wasn�t the rope Drake reflected as he sat up If he was dangling over the Earth by simply a rope Cutting off that intimidating image Drake looked around for the owner of a voice Immediately he blinked

The room he had crashed into was of a much higher quality than the places above Whereas flimsy wood seemed to be the norm here this wood of this room was dark and solid It seemed to be some sort of spacious apartment with wooden floors and simple rugs What was most striking about the place was there was no barrier between it and the outside world This apartment was on the edge of the spire and just opened up

The golden birds continued their sinuous path in front of the setting sun warm red light on brilliant gold feathers They looked like a weapon that had been dipped in blood

sir

Drake spun around somewhat embarrassed His eyes took in the hanging canvas paintings briefly and then settled on the woman was speaking Like most everyone he had met in this Zone she looked vaguely Southeast Asian with a petite frame and expressive eyes Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she was standing in front of a half finished easel On the canvas the flock of golden birds seemed to coil like a serpent In fact their details seemed to almost merge until they were one larger creature

Drake shook his head to focus Then he scratched his cheek sorry to drop in unannounced like this miss I

Ha The woman snorted slapping her knee Then she looked at him and then blushed Ah my apologies It was just it is very bold to brazenly use a pickup line at a time like this You look as green as a fish

It wasn�t Drake began but he quickly realized that there was little he could do when she was so obviously hiding a smile behind her hand Her face was pretty when her eyes crinkled at the edges Instead Drake said Well perhaps I am a little rattled My name is Drake miss And you

Don�t usually give out my name to unknown elements the woman said But then she glanced at the ceiling and her eyes crinkled once more But I suppose it is a thing the man who will fix my roof should know I am Mieu May your skies be ever clear

Drake secretly hoped what his skies were would never again matter in his life but he nodded at the familiar greeting It was something he had commonly witnessed in the village below

Silence stretched between them until Drake cleared his throat ah I apologize Yes I�ll do whatever I can to fix this I have some goods I can trade

Well I suspected as much Mieu said simply eyeing him She began storing away her paints and cleaning her brushes in a bucket of water You are not from around here Much too tall Much too heavy for Ifrenne Whoever brought you here perhaps held a grudge against you

Drake pictured Kairon�s wizened face and remembered how much he had needed to beg before the older man had agreed to bring him here Well perhaps But my mission is an important one I come from outside the Zone

Pausing in her work Mieu turned and looked at Drake Then she pursed her lips and studied him Immediately Drake felt very awkward

Really You are the second that I have heard of coming here What does a man from another Zone want with me Mieu asked quietly

No I don�t want you at all Drake said immediately Then he grimaced Err excuse me ma�am I definitely want ah I want your help With meeting the governing body of Ifrenne

Drake stopped watching as Mieu flushed red But her eyes were to the ground and it was difficult to tell whether it was anger or embarrassment that colored her face Inwardly Drake sighed It had been quite some time since he had dealt with any individuals who were even slightly shy And Mieu seemed relatively well adjusted all things considered

She just wanted as demanding and intense as Sydney But she

Perhaps perhaps it is better we talk about these things another time Mieu said still blushing furiously But she was also holding a small notepad and was scribbling furiously She cast him furtive glances

Feeling extremely awkward Drake looked around Of course Ah if you could just show me out of your home

He glanced upwards He supposed he could just hop up and pull himself up but he didn�t like the thought of experiencing this strange awkward helplessness with 6 other people as he clambered up through their homes It didn�t help that his blood was still pounding in his head

A body dropped down through the holes and looked around Are you alive Falling like that was a foolish move why did you

Then Kairon froze his eyes on Mieu L lady Mieu No offense was meant Please allow this humble servant to remove his unworthy visage from your presence This is all a tragic accident I am I am willing to suffer any punishment you see fit

Ah do not worry Mieu blushed again and ceased her scribbling She ripped off the paper and folded it neatly a few times until it was a paper crane She waved her hand and the whole spire swayed A wind blew through the apartment and carried the crane to Drake The door is there But it is perhaps best that you leave quickly This we should not speak of this

Chapter 629

Welcome traveler to Ifrenne The large man said with a grin He was not large like Drake but like a walrus spilling out over the ivory frame of his throne But that was perhaps one of the perks of being the King of an entire Zone It is my delight to share the wonders of our city with you If you have business to attend to my advisors are at your service But may I ask why you have come here

Two hours after scampering out of Mieu�s apartment and being scolded by a pale Kairon Drake had wandered his way to another spire to meet with the King of Ifrenne Apparently Drake�s actions in breaking the spire made Kairon more motivated than he was previously because very quickly they arrived at the correct location

But perhaps it was Kairon�s way of withdrawing his invitation for Drake to join him at his table with his family That made Drake sigh but nothing could be done

Well except him being strong enough to face his fears

Perhaps what I am here for is business but I was sent here to be an emissary that can establish political relations between this and the nearby Zone Drake said with a small bow our only interaction with your people was an interaction with what appeared to be a pirate crew that invaded our Zone as soon as it opened

Bah the rats below The King waved his hand as though he was swatting at flies And he only introduced himself as the King of Ifrenne so Drake had no other way of thinking about the man You took care of them yes It is a good thing They constantly covet what is not theirs A few bad seeds have whispered lies into the ears of the young If you worry that is my people rest assured They are scattered and weak

that is good to hear Drake said simply But he wasn�t really sure if it was Overall he felt somewhat at a loss what to do now Sydney�s instructions were frustratingly vague Drake suspected this was an instance where she was pushing him with vague ideas to test him and frankly Drake was fed up with it

your warriors must be valiant and quick to so easily take care of those rebels however The King said His gaze turned sly as he considered Drake before him You you are so large and clumsy It is something of a discourtesy to me that one of such a low status was sent here to greet me but with the right gifts I can forget And I will gladly give you the details of the World Crater

Drake bit back a sharp retort about the King�s relative size Instead his ears caught the end of the King�s phrase and refocused on that With a slight smile Drake said Ah am I so transparent

Of course The King laughed heartily Bah not three hours ago another from your Zone approached me and asked the details of the World Crater Well perhaps it isn�t wise of me to say this but I am a generous King you who have not seen the World Crater might covet the treasure but it is a Danger Zone beyond all others What waits within is only death

A treasure Someone else had come ahead of him Well it was interesting in a way but also Drake wasn�t sure what sort of treasure could tempt someone�s heart into wandering into a Danger Zone alone Perhaps it was one of Donnyton�s squads But even then it seemed unlikely that a single Squad could clear a Danger Zone alone

The one they had clear was mostly on the back of Randidly and Neveah both of whom were so far beyond the norm that there was no one close to comparing with those two Perhaps the person was Neveah

Hehehe The King�s high pitched laughter interrupted Drake�s thoughts I can see it in your eyes Your curiosity is consuming you I will make you a deal Present a gift before us and if it is sufficient I will inform you of the identity of the previous person

Drake�s initial thought was to tell the King fuck you and just leave First because he likely could find out who it was rather simple and second because he was a little shit who probably hadn�t held a sword a day in his life In this Zone where the people were so practical it was extremely strange to Drake that such a man was crowned King

But he stifled that urge Although it wasn�t useful to Drake it was possible to earn some goodwill from the King and establish a relationship with this gift So Drake thought for a while and then produced a worn silver bracelet from his interspatial ring

Silver Bracelet of Thunder�s Call � Lvl 42 A roughly made bracelet that was forged in an environment thrumming with the power of thunder Some of that energy has condensed in the Bracelet energizing the wearer Some of the energy may be used to call thunder from the heavens Agility +20 Stamina +100 Andul�s Hammering Method II Thunder Charged I

Andul�s Hammering Method II Made with the refined hammering method of Andul While wearing Health +80 Endurance +5

Thunder Charged Once a day may use Thunder Strike to call down thunder from the Sky

It was an item made by a smith who had left Donnyton to gain a Lightning elemental Right now Andul was East End�s head blacksmith and was doing his best to push the research on imbuing different elements into equipment in a systematic way Unfortunately Donnyton possessed its own methods But it was still a useful bracelet although Drake preferred not to wear it

Although the bonus stats were fine the extra power he could exert with his full Skeleton Armor was much more important to Drake�s fighting style Which was why the only really valuable equipment he utilized was his sword

The King eyes locked onto the bracelet From his heavy breathing it seemed that such a bracelet was extremely valuable in this Zone Although he was perhaps overpaying for the information Drake calmly handed over the bracelet into the other man�s greasy hands

Without waiting for even a second the King slid on the bracelet and his face settled into a satisfying grin Hohoho although such an object isn�t too special it is certainly novel compared to this King�s many other treasures Well let it never be said the King doesn�t keep his word The man who came before he was as tall and wide as you and claimed to be a great Hero from your Zone

Drake kept his face studiously blank Really Just some bullshit like that after the King was drooling to get his hands on the bracelet

But then the King held up a finger But That man he smelled of death I did not like him much I believe his name was Roy

That gave Drake pause Very quickly he sent Sydney a message

What am I to you

To Drake�s surprise her reply came almost instantly

You are my sword

Drake�s eyes narrowed into slits So this this was why he was sent here

Phirun King of Ifrenne watched the tall man boarding the Sky skipper and sail off into the star filled night

Good riddance But then Phirun rubbed his new bracelet for good luck He smiled widely at the sky as he waddled out of his viewing chamber and to his personal dock His attendants were waiting for him there and took him over to a different one of Ifrenne�s spires

The best outcome would be if the two foreigners killed each other Which seemed likely considering the monsters around the World Crater were approaching Level 65 But they also seemed tenacious and based on the quality of their equipment they were not pushovers

Plus their deaths would only delay the arrival of the foreigners Phirun was perhaps a rare person that was overjoyed when the System arrived There were monsters sure but they could now grow strong to fight against the world And the outside influences were barred from entry Only the natives from the islands remained It was a paradise

But history repeats itself Phirun thought as his expression soured The westerners had returned

After briefly knocking on a door Phirun allowed himself into a room Ah Where is my lovely niece Mieu We have arrived to see your perfect face

As Phirun walked into Mieu�s apartment he paused briefly Then he frowned His disposition turned stormy Mieu what is this

This Mieu looked up from her stove towards the center of the room She had gathered up many of her paintings and draped them from a central point on the ceiling forming something like a canvas pillar But of course the paintings were all made from the same vantage point of this apartment so they blended rather well together I believed I would try my hand at making a collage Is it no good

Humm Perhaps a lesser man would enjoy but a King�s eyes are more discerning Such a thing does not suit our tastes Phirun said as he seated himself at the head of her sparse wooden dinner Although it was only one day a week he quite liked coming here to have Mieu cook for him It gave him the nerve to imagine other domestic activities they could participate in

Mieu�s humming snapped Phirun out of his small indulgences Mieu was humming a soft tune to herself as she walked around carrying the bowls of food over to the table Did something good happen niece You seem very pleased about something

Am I Mieu said She slowly raised her hand and touched her face as if she was unsure what she would find Dragging her fingers across her curved lips she seemed to consider it Maybe There was a good wind today

Humm Phirun said stiffly He began to eat without waiting for Mieu to sit down and join him This was the King�s privilege

Chapter 630

What are you doing

Randidly twisted around and looked over his shoulder at Skarch at her words He and Azriel were sitting at a small stump underneath one of Randidly�s moss bulges during a rest between their raids on the Wights Inwardly Randidly winced he and Azriel had been staring deeply into each other�s eyes when Skarch had arrived Likely the image of them was a bit

Training Azriel said her face completely straight Then she frowned as she considered the obvious unease in Randidly�s expression We are behind enemy lines as part of a contest that is one of my only chances to earn honor for my master What else would we be doing

Skarch raised her hand up and covered her mouth Hohoho could this be the contrary method of courtship in the Spearman School that I have heard rumors of

Hmph Snorting Azriel stood and turned around She walked to the far end of the rather small mound and sat down in a huff It was slightly surprising to Randidly because he had never seen Azriel look so annoyed before On the other hand it made a certain amount of sense The group had been together for three days of constant rain on these island chains

It was a simple thing for people to get on each other�s nerves

What sort of training were you doing Skarch asked again in a quiet voice Randidly wondered why she bothered Azriel�s Perception was likely high enough for lowering the volume to do nothing

Image training Both Azriel and I have reached the Adept level so we were simply clashing with our images Randidly explained Despite the fact he knew it didn�t matter he also found himself whispering During the sort of fights we�ve had in the rain images haven�t mattered much The side that strikes first usually wins So we were working on images

These past three days had gotten busier and busier The rain above continued unabated and the group dutifully continued to hunt Wights As they moved from smaller to larger islands along the chain they had encountered a larger group Part of the reason that the current mood in the moss bulge was so grim was that they hadn�t been able to totally defeat the last group of wights they had encountered

They had scattered them sure But a few had escaped Perhaps the group would have been able to remain relatively anonymous if the only time they were sighted was by the Zeitguard members but now they had encountered and ambushed a group of foot soldiers It wouldn�t take a genius on the Wights� side in order to figure out that they might be connected with a string of disappearances of soldiers who were active in the area

All in all none of them were sure how the Wight high command would react to their actions So far they had been incredibly successful If a Witch King or another elite was dispatched to meet them

Still Silo seemed sure that Witch Kings weren�t so numerous that they would come out to minor islands in the Spearman School on a whim But Randidly wasn�t worried about a whim

He was worried a notable characteristic about himself would cause a certain Witch King to remember him

Oh An image game Skarch said beaming at Randidly I�ve never heard of such a thing before but it should be easy should it not Can I play

Randidly spared Azriel a glance She appeared to be meditating by the far wall Turning back to Skarch he nodded So both settled opposite each other and Randidly explained the finer points of the rules he had created to Skarch

Movement during the contest counted as a loss If an image shattered it counted as a loss The image needed to be precise enough to manifest in the meter of space between them Other than that you were free to switch out images as you chose But of course all the other person had to do was touch you with an image and force you to move and it was a loss

Randidly was inspired over the past few days as he watched his Visualization Skill tick up a few points That along with Child of Rain and Touch from Beyond had been the Skills that had gained the most in the past few days Child of Rain for the omnipresent rain and Touch from Beyond because Randidly was fascinated by the similarity he had felt when he had used Ashes to Ashes Although somewhat worried by the nightmare inducing pain he experienced Randidly wished to try and figure out what had happened there and what the Patron of Ash had saved him from

Since thinking up the Visualization duels Randidly had clashed several times with Azriel which greatly benefitted his Skill growth All in all they were about even on wins and losses but the methods of their respective wins frustrated Randidly

Randidly was clearly more powerful If he could catch Azriel�s image in a direct confrontation he could crush her and push her backward But her images were constantly shifting and he had never once succeeded in shattering her image On the other hand while her images were clearly weaker they were quick and precise If Randidly lowered his guard for a moment Azriel would strike and shatter his spread out image

With solemn eyes Randidly considered Skarch She displayed overwhelming power if not very much imagination in the times he had seen her fight Her spear was incredibly well made and with just its base power it crushed most wights that attempted to contest her blows Even though she was already so overwhelming she had never had to activate the engravings on the spear That was what gave Randidly some pause

She wouldn�t be a common opponent

So to start Randidly moved straight to As the Sun Stills It was easy to conjure the image of that Skill and it contained great concentrated power Plus although Randidly had blithely claimed to be an Adept he wasn�t totally so He could only physically affect the world with images from certain Skills It was another weakness he hoped the Visualization duels would address

The strange pressure of the sun shot upwards Heat roiled out from his image shaking the air with the force of its expansion But soon that heat became heavier and heavier and heavier A sun with a huge diameter slowly dimmed condensing inwards The heat filled the surrounding air growing more and more terrible

Outside of the image Randidly noticed that Skarch�s initially sly face turned solemn She narrowed her eyes

Just as the sun settled into nothing into that one infinitely heavy dust particle the image of a spear appeared in the area between them It was condensed and small but intimately familiar Without fanfare an image of her own spear appeared The detail was immaculately perfect and there was very little dispersed energy as it formed

With rumbling force Randidly gathered everything he had and smashed towards the spear For the spear�s part a smoky body appeared grasping the spear There was very little substance and effort dedicated to the spear user�s body and it seemed to be there only as an illustration of what was happening It made sense considering her School affiliation

The shadowy person took a basic defensive posture The spear glowed brightly

As Randidly�s image smashed into Skarch�s image he felt the other image stutter as it was knocked backward by his force But then something extremely strange happened

As Randidly tried to recover from the rebound of hitting Skarch�s image so he could attack again his image swirled and rapidly dissipated He let out a breath frowning Why had that

Truly you are strong It is no wonder that you fight so easily against the Wights Skarch said shaking her head But you have not truly consolidated yourself as an Adept Your images cannot withstand their own strength do you see You broke your own image with that attack

Randidly kept his mouth closed as he considered this Well he had to admit that his skill in this area was somewhat lacking That was the point of focusing like this Finally he nodded to Skarch That is likely true Perhaps it is too much to say I am an Adept But your image

Hahaha No Mr Ghosthound you are truly an Adept Such a designation connotes capability not stamina Skarch said with a grin Then her grin widened even further as she looked over towards the spot where her spear lay As for my image is this perhaps the first time you have met someone from the Spear School Our images focus on the spear From a young age those in the Spearman School study art smithing and sculpting so the spear can be imagined and understood perfectly It greatly enhances our strength in battle

Skarch cracked her fingers Your image would defeat mine in a direct contest But my images can be used a thousand times and in a thousand ways without tiring Which is more valuable It is an old discussion But all I know is that the only times I have truly failed was when I have made a mistake and given up with this efficient image that has never happened

Interesting Randidly said It seemed like he had gone down an opposite path but there was definitely value to pursuing some of the resiliency that Skarch demonstrated Would you like to try again

Skarch chuckled You make food yes How about we make a bet every time you lose you will make food for the group Every time I lose well I will take off the outer layer of my spear so you may examine its inner workings You are very interested in this yes It is rare to get to examine a Spear School work such as this easily

Randidly grinned in acceptance He had been wondering whether there were further runes hidden in the depth of the spear but hadn�t wanted to force the issue But since she brought it up

Randidly lost 13 times in a row

Chapter 631

By the end of it Randidly was mentally exhausted and leaned back against the ground They were still waiting for Silo who was now slowly recovering some distance away from them after using the corrupted Aether source

Laughing Skarch stood I look forward to the meals Mr Ghosthound Something tells me that Silo will return soon so recover quickly before he gets the wrong idea

Randidly considered Skarch as she walked away both due to her words and her images Indeed her powerful consistency was impressive But Randidly had gained four Levels of Visualization during the game and one in As the Sun Stills More than that however he was learning to utilize his images more effectively

He wasted too much time imaging the process by which his image came to be It was important obviously but it had little to no bearing on the power of the final image It simply gave him a consistent start to his image That and the images Randidly created were grand things That added to their power but the lack of detail outside of the process meant his images were fragile

It was the same reason that Azriel�s relatively weaker images could break his when she struck correctly The only difference was that Skarch was an anvil to Azriel�s needle

Speaking of Azriel she walked over to join Randidly after Skarch had left I disagree you know

What Randidly said sitting upwards It seemed that some of Azriel�s snappishness from earlier had persisted because her lips were twisted into a frown

What she was saying earlier Azriel explained About what was more important lack of weakness or great strength I disagree I have spent my days flawlessly almost my entire life And it has never been enough My value my accomplishments they did nothing to sway the leaders of the Northern Domain My Master my master remains an outcast based upon its previous form

To have escaped from the grasp of the System and seized its own Class and to be unanimously oppressed in the North It is a tragedy Then Azriel paused She gave Randidly a bit of a glare But he could sense the distaste was not aimed towards him Perhaps you don�t recall but my position in the North was not very good Obtaining the Skill Crystal Memory in my Style which was declining in strength the other Styles were out for blood when it happened

To avoid disaster my family auctioned me off Azriel�s gaze grew distant Not my virginity or hand in marriage but my status as a disciple I would follow whatever Style paid the most for it Imagine my horror when an unknown entity from the deep North purchased me I did not feel fear obviously but I felt a vast disappointment I would never know greatness I was lucky enough to be wrong

Sighing Azriel looked down at her hands I owe everything to my Master I asked it once what I could do to repay it Do you know what it replied Being able to stroll through a city would be nice � Such a small thing that I had never considered Such a thing that every Pontiff and Master in the North would beggar themselves to prevent

Randidly coughed awkwardly What what is the form of your master

It is not so simple Azriel said shaking her head Truly my Master�s form resembles a monster�s But it is not only that The fact that my Master�s spearmanship comes from another place is the problem A natural wilder impulse than was used by the Spearman

Ah And now Skarch walked back over her gaze on Azriel And it seemed that within her vision was something like pity This makes more sense You follow an aberrant one that does not seek the Mastery of the Spearman Especially in the Spearman School such a thing but even in my own Spear School

The group fell silent Randidly looked between Azriel and Skarch who were both thinking about the situation It seemed like there was a powerful prejudice against non Spearman things then Randidly was opening his mouth to ask a question when Silo cut his way back into the moss bulge

All of you cease your resting ah you are already up Silo struck a gallantish pose as he smashed into the building splashing them all with rain water that continued to pour down Randidly grimaced He had just gotten dry too

I have good news Silo announced with a flourish of his spear While patrolling I discovered the sight of a nearby battle It seems that a force other than us attacked Wights the next island over I suspect that this is the handiwork of Sergeant Platton or one of his subordinates We have done well gathering energy into our Soulstones but the fastest way to points is to gain the approval of our Sergeant the tactical points they can give us might double our effectiveness in the contest There are still three weeks remaining so I believe now is the time to up our game

The other three exchanged glances and shrugged After all they didn�t have much choice but to move farther into the chain of islands They had basically cleared Wights completely out of the smaller islands on the edges The larger islands they had avoided much to Randidly�s annoyance It seemed clear they could crush these but even he was hesitant at the thought of comeuppance by the powerful Wights

Still Randidly was of the opinion that they could escape quickly and strike often for a short time in relative safety so they should take advantage of the high value targets Meanwhile Silo and Skarch mostly by default thought looking for the Sergeant was the best course of action

Randidly bared his teeth Then what are we waiting for

Silo gave him a hurt look I don�t mean to hold you back But I�ve been patrolling while you three have been laying here Before we continue a small nap is necessary

So while Silo napped Randidly Azriel and Skarch played more games with images When it wasn�t Randidly�s turns to face someone he did his best to refine his image for his general Spear Mastery Skill The obvious method would be to copy Skarch�s image by focusing on a spear and working from that But Randidly chuckled as he stroked Acri He probably couldn�t do his creation justice Intense details weren�t his strength

He leaned more towards flavor Besides he needed to involve his disparate styles of fighting as well as Sulfur Specifically Randidly supposed he needed to capture the Kata of the Ashen Spear the Spear Phantom Style and the Yggdrasil Skills all at once

The images he came up with were messy to say the least

But he did at least succeed in increasing the durability of his images Unfortunately Randidly couldn�t help but notice that as they practiced Azriel drew more and more Aether from him She was improving noticeably in real time When they dueled for every bit that Randidly�s images grew more durable her images grew sharper and more powerful

All the while her eyes were mild and her mouth was pressed into a thin line Randidly wondered what sort of person her Master was It was clear that it had changed her life in an irrevocable way and Azriel deeply desired the ability to pay that back

Abruptly Randidly realized that he understood Azriel very well in a way Didn�t he come to this world to fight for Shal because the man had saved his life and gave him a spear with which to defend himself Without that interference

What would Randidly have done in that Dungeon Even if he could eventually escape starting in there for so long would have meant he had very high Skills The Level of Skills he would have needed to beat a Level 30 or so Dungeon would have meant he devoured Aether Would the reward from beating the Dungeon have sustained him in the aftermath or would he have collapsed before fighting against the Sphinx and obtaining an Aether Spring

Randidly shook his head It was strange to think about But it was indeed true he owed Shal much Immediately Randidly had an impulse to send Shal a message but he refrained Mostly it was because Shal must know he was back here and had chosen not to contact him what did that mean

Did Randidly�s actions with Lucretia earn Shal�s ire And Lucretia what was she up to

Randidly sighed There was so much he didn�t know and currently he was learning very little about the state of the world Hopefully that would change but for now it was slow going But then his eyes sharpened Still his power was growing and that was extremely useful He considered his Status

Level 29 (72%)

Health(/R per hour) 3522/3451 (+730) (1717 (+165

Mana(/R per hour) 4109/4022 (855 (+9

Stam(/R per min) 3211/3176 (+60) (564 (+45

Vit 376 (+15)

End 159 (+20)

Str 402 (+52)

Agi 479 (+24)

Perception 397 (+20)

Reaction 412 (+15)

Resistance 292 (+45)

Willpower 470 (+10)

Wisdom 374 (+9)

Control 689

Focus 298 (+4)

Skills (Soul Skill) Seven Lands of the Spectral Tree Lvl 2099

Combat Spear Mastery Lvl 185 White Phantom�s Half Step (Un) Lvl 82 Heavy Blow Lvl 99 Dagger Mastery Lvl 10 Iron Skin Lvl 47 Dodge Lvl 99 Fighting Proficiency Lvl 142 Block Lvl 75 Phantom Onslaught Lvl 42 Sweep Lvl 54 Spear Deflect Lvl 10 Calculated Blow Lvl 96 Roundhouse Kick Lvl 74 Idiosyncratic Cut (Un) Lvl 107 Pierce the Skies Shatter the Earth Lvl 60 Body Control Freeze Lvl 37 Stalemate Breaker Lvl 39 Talon Strike Lvl 44 Counter Lvl 67

PoFE Class Skills Plant Dominance � Lvl 121 Spray Holy Sap (Un) Lvl 21 Sharpness Lvl 83 Call Grove Defenders � Lvl 34 Earthquake (Un) Lvl 44 Invigorating Call (Humanity)(Un) Lvl 14 Four Shaded Domain Lvl 29 Phantom�s Lantern (Un) Lvl 35 Grasp of Lava � Lvl 80 Erode Image Lvl 7 Vengeful Bloom (Un) Lvl 20 Gallant Intervention (Human) Lvl 4 Spriggit�s Tinkering � Lvl 75 Aether Understanding Lvl 51 Summon Lava Golem (Un) Lvl 46 Aether Infusion Lvl 45 Volatile Ash Lvl 12 Visualization � Lvl 35

The 7 Kata of the Ashen Spear The Spear Advances Ash Trails Lvl 89 As the Sun Stills Lvl 61 When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance (Un) Lvl 32

The 6 Signs of the Spear Phantom � The First Sign The Inevitable Phantom Arrives Lvl 104 (Un) The Fifth Sign The Wild Phantom�s Embrace Lvl 184 The Sixth Sign The Breath of the Spear Phantom � Lvl 65

Spells Spearing Roots Lvl 99 Mana Bolt Lvl 28 Mana Shield Lvl 32 Arcane Orb Lvl 22 Fireball Lvl 30 Magic Missile Lvl 4 Healing Palm Lvl 12 Pollen of the Rafflesia Lvl 20 Summon Pestilence Lvl 55 Wall of Thorns Lvl 29 Yggdrasil Soul Seed � Inspiration � Incinerating Bolt Lvl 95 Circle of Flame Lvl 76 Plantomancy Lvl 35 Hammer of the Dawn Lvl 37 Burning Footsteps Lvl 23 Ashes to Ashes Lvl 64 Touch from Beyond � Lvl 32 Gravity Affinity Lvl 71 Incendiary Eruption Lvl 52

Yggdrasil Glittering Leaves of Yggdrasil Lvl 109 The Golden Roots of Yggdrasil Lvl 130 the Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil Lvl 130 the Yyrwood Flesh of Yggdrasil Lvl 134 the Deific Mien of Yggdrasil Lvl 128 the Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil Lvl 119 Crown of Yggdrasil Silence and Upheaval Lvl 40

Auxiliary Sneak Lvl 46 Acid Resistance Lvl 22 Poison Resistance Lvl 21 Pain Resistance Lvl 69 First Aid Lvl 16 Pathfinding Lvl 18 Fire Resistance Lvl 102 Sewing Lvl 11 Cutting Vegetables Lvl 2 Manual Labor Lvl 6 Digging Lvl 5 Cooking Lvl 75 Clockwork Mastery Lvl 25 Aether Connection Lvl 15 Soul Bond Lvl 105 Chef�s Palette Lvl 33 Nether Resistance Lvl 20 Child of the Rain (Un) Lvl 32 Chosen of Fire � Lvl 86 Engineering Savvy � Lvl 78

Chapter 632

Sergeant Platton lowered the Vision Lens with a grim expression on his face The Wights were absolutely teeming with activity in the vicinity of Princet a medium sized island in the Southern Domain It was to the point that it was much more than a hunch to say that they were up to no good in the area Just as he had told his superiors over and over again

But there was a problem the very activity that gave the Wights away now hemmed Sergeant Platton and his group into their small island They were only a few kilometers away from Kraigjist which was likely too small a hideout to be noticed by the Wights But to get there

It was impossible

Over the past three weeks Sergeant Platton and a group of specially trained veterans of the front lines had rushed past the Wight defensive lines to discover what the mass of forces stationed here was up to By the end of this time only 6 of the original twelve strong group remained Luckily their stealth remained intact but they had lost friends in the process of getting here

But it was worth it Sergeant Patton clenched his hand into a fist He was right Damn what high command said the Wights weren�t just raiding the area and taking the Spear source away They were here to stay What they were setting up was fortification Sergeant Platton couldn�t get close enough to see exactly what they were planning but he had a very good guess a Hell Maw

These huge poison cannons were one of the main reasons that it was never considered feasible to invade the Wight�s world The portal to cross was covered by these huge monstrosities making any force with legitimate numbers ineffective Although strong individuals could resist the Psychic Poison the average soldier was insensible for an hour after being hit with it Truly it was a weapon that was extremely effective against the people of Tellus who rarely put points into Willpower

Still one Hell Maw in the Southern Domain wouldn�t really alter the war What Sergeant Platton was afraid of was that this was only one of a vast array The Wights had suffered a crushing defeat in the Spear School and the rumor was that a powerful force was currently active in the Death School annihilating the opponents If the Wights were now aiming at the Spearman School

They would likely get caught unawares Which is why Sergeant Platton needed to make it out of here alive

What now Sarge Daskin asked Sergeant Platton quietly Daskin was a good soldier but he gave in to his nerves too easily He had only been on the front for a few months and his nerve hadn�t hardened like the rest of theirs Still he was a talented and determined man as evidenced by the fact he had followed Sergeant Platton this far

We wait Platton said shortly There will be an opening in their boat traffic When that happens we move

More and more ghosties keep showing up Daskin urged Although it might be hard perhaps we could make a break for it Or even swimming

Swimming Latta a five year veteran of the frontlines snorted She threw her lengthening hair over her shoulder Kid none of us know the currents in the area We are as likely to wash ashore below their headquarters than make it out alive And that�s if we survive Anyone here have a Swimming Skill I didn�t think so

The group fell into a surly silence Platton looked solemnly around at the five soldiers behind Their faces were tense and their lips were pressed tightly together Latta was the only woman in their group remaining and Platton allowed himself a small bit of joy as he looked at her shoulder length hair It was the longest he had ever seen her hair since they had met

It was just a testament to how hard Platton had worked them the last two months

Not that he had any choice The pressure from the top was intense So much so that he considered

Platton froze Looking over the shoulders of his soldiers he saw a small canoe sliding ashore to their small island There were several tall pillars of stones in the middle of the little island that blocked vision for those heading towards the Wights� main base That combined with their stealth focused small group meant that they hadn�t been spotted There were few enough of them that a cursory search wouldn�t locate them

But these three Wights landed on the island

Change of plan Daskin Pack us up One minute The rest of you With me Looks like we are going to break out forcefully

Across the island one of the Wights turned Its eyes locked with Platton�s A frown crossed its strange stiff face It clearly wasn�t sure what it was seeing

Viscous Smog

Platton�s spear moved softly but his powerful image spread rapidly outwards obscuring them from the Wight�s view Without waiting a second Platton rushed forward following the edge of the fog The distance to the Wights was small and in only a few seconds he was there in front of them hidden by his spreading image

This was the image that had earned himself a spot as a Sergeant Even though he had no truly powerful attack Skill Viscous Smog opened the path for his advancement It was why he could manage to penetrate so deeply behind enemy lines

Perhaps the lead Wight sucked in a breath but it began to cough and vibrate The smog that Platton produced was thick with poison that would rip through victims� throats

After weeks of working together the group tore apart the three confused Wights in a few brutal seconds of violence Within thirty seconds Daskin had the supplies and the group climbed into the thin canoe Saying a silent prayer Platton pushed off and started directing the canoe away from the Wight headquarters The hope was they wouldn�t be noticed in the flood of traffic around them

They were wrong

Platton had long suspected that there was an aspect of mental communication to the Wights but he didn�t know how to test for such a thing What Platton did know was that the first boat they passed raised the alarm Without waiting to see whether other�s nearby would join the search Platton blew as much Stamina as he could to fuel Viscous Smog and keep paddling

Immediately the group cut sharply left off of their original path In his memory there was a channel in this direction that led to the Western Edge of the Southern Domain which was filled with little islands These were largely controlled by the Wights but if they could find a single one

Within the smoke around them the group paddled for five minutes without incident If anything the silence and smog around them made Platton�s feelings sink further The current seemed to be with them however and they seemed to be flying over the surface of the water

Until they hit aground Sergeant Platton looked sharply up cursing as he realized that the boat was badly damaged by smashing upon the rocks of one of the tiny protrusions of rock that were too numerous to name And this one was completely barren It was difficult to see through the mist but there were only a few rocks higher than a man It was not of the size that they could pivot to hiding here to bypass the search To think he committed such a rookie sailing mistake at a time like this

A figure was abruptly there looming in front of Sergeant Platton in the fog He looked sharply up

A smiling face offered a hand Sergeant Platton We�ve been looking for you My name is Silo and we

The scream of the pursuing Wights cut off his words mid sentence

Chapter 633

For whatever reason the arrival of the fog cheered Silo up Randidly just looked at the approaching fog bank gloomily First constant rain now fog This Southern Domain was a humid nightmare It did slowly push his Child of Rain Skill up but still

Haha believe me this is our good luck Silo announced Just trust me When have I steered the group wrong

Randidly wanted to disprove the other man but as he sorted through his memories of Silo he hadn�t really led them wrong per se

it was just like Silo was having a conversation with himself that really had no basis in reality so there wasn�t any context to use as criticism In terms of actual results very little of what had occured over the past week was the result of him

The cloud of fog slid over the group With a frown Randidly noticed his Health was slowly ticking downwards This was not normal fog An attack from the Wights

Through the murky fog Randidly saw Silo walk to the shoreline and speak Sergeant Platton We�ve been looking for you My name is Silo and we

There was a loud shriek from nearby on the water The Wights were coming huh

Snorting Randidly leaped several feet to the side Around them the fog was slowly dispersing but he wanted a better shot than having their forms obscured Although he could feel the wights through the wood of their boats it was less than ideal He pointed towards the attackers with a twisted smile

Several bolts streaked outward and struck the oncoming boats The hyperdense bars of superheated metal instantly ripped a hole in the boats Oftentimes this was accompanied by a scream and a burst of steam as the superheated metal impacted the water It was honestly quite satisfying

But as the smoke dispersed further more of the river was revealed and Randidly began to frown There were an awful lot of Wights coming At least 20 small boats some with as many as two dozen Wights Where had they all come from

Well at least it gave them a good opportunity to gather more energy into the Soulstone Because it was closest Randidly reached out and grabbed the wood of the boat they were using to travel from one island to the other It was much less taxing to manipulate plant matter that was on hand than reaching out and grabbing these oncoming boats

It was slightly tricky but Randidly morphed the boat into a strange six legged death machine bristling with spines and long thorns Then he willed the creature to move It swimming ability was sub par but there was an added benefit of Randidly�s attack appearing just like driftwood as it silently approached

Firing off a few more Incinerating Bolts Randidly looked over his shoulder at the rest of the group Silo was talking animatedly with a stern faced man who got off the front of the boat As long as they remained here it was fine

His attention turned back forward and he frowned There must be a current in the area because the boats that were approaching were suddenly much closer

But that also meant that Randidly�s surprise was very near to the enemies

Dun

The wood made a soft noise as it bumped up against the largest boat A nearby Wight paused at its strange chanting and leaned over the side of the boat to investigate the noise For a second it looked over the edge of the boat and only saw some useless driftwood floating in the water beneath its own reflection

Then a thorned spear shot upwards and wrapped around the Wight�s spine With a swift yank the thing�s body cracked and tumbled helplessly into the water An immediate cry rose on the boat but Randidly�s wooden thorn horror was already skittering up onto the deck Above six legs sharpened to points tentacle like vines populated with dense vines slithered in the air As they saw it dripping and wiggling the Wights seemed frozen with indecision

Then the plant matter monster�s limbs began to lash outward ripping apart the bodies of nearby Wights Although it was difficult Randidly was slowly becoming more adept at controlling non human avatars His experience started in the root clones he had originally used to practice the spear These past few months Randidly had utilized his Lava Golem than any plant form but the basic premise was the same

Combined with Randidly�s powerful image of Thorn well

Within a half minute the largest boat was cleared of Wights The wooden thing had suffered greatly and only two of its legs remained usage But those two legs simply speared into the deck of the large ship As he was guzzling down three more Mana Potions the wood of the large boat groaned Then it reared up and stretched Two large clubs of wood split off

Without any finesse the boat lashed out crushing two mid sized canoes nearby With their strange shrieking song the Wights died

Congratulations You have reached Level 30 +5 Stats distributed between Vitality Perception Resist Intelligence and Control +14 Free Stats +1 Stat to a Mental Stat +1 to a Physical Defense Stat +1 to a Mental Support Stat +2 Control +20 Health +24 Mana +23 Stamina + 5 to all Regenerations +1 to Health and Stamina Regeneration +20 Progenitor�s Influence

Congratulations You have learned the Skill Fruit of the Planting of Enmity Lvl 1 You have learned the Skill Absolute Timing Lvl 1

Fruit of the Planting of Enmity Like all trees under sufficient conditions you will bear fruit After four hours of intense concentration produce a single fruit There are multiple possibilities for what sort of fruit will be produced based upon your Skills and images Upon consumption the fruit will provide an appropriate benefit Fruits become more powerful when aged and refined

Absolute Timing Although your inner workings have shifted you Soul is based on a clockwork engine That has given you an inborn talent to spotting and following the timing of opponent�s Skills It is slightly easier to dodge opponent�s Skills and your Skill can be utilized more effectively It is easier to take an opponent by surprise Effects increase with Skill Level

Fruit Randidly shook his head A perplexing Skill that he would investigate later and a passive Skill Not the best results for reaching Level 30 but it wasn�t such an issue Randidly turned back to the group of his allies but only found Azriel standing there The rest of them were sailing swiftly away on a canoe

They�ve gone ahead Azriel said with a frown Silo informed Sergeant Platton and his crew that you were a spell spear and would buy them some time When they get close we are to get back into our canoe that is waiting on the back side of the island and meet up with the rest of the group But

There was a fierce pride in Azriel�s eyes But I believe that enemies of this Level aren�t enough to push us back The rest would perhaps think twice but Randidly will you stay here with me and slaughter them all

Randidly spared a glance for the 27 boats remaining Likely there was something like 600 Wights here It wasn�t an insurmountable number Plus

Plus the shattered remnants of their escape canoe had already sunk to the bottom of the sea It was perhaps a hasty action to use their canoe as a weapon Randidly could create another but his Mana was already rather low from creating those two huge maces from a distance Plus Randidly had already blown through half of his stockpile of Mana potions since arriving in Tellus

Mana potions here were much more difficult to acquire especially in wartime Efforts simply weren�t directed towards making them because no one really used them Which meant Randidly would have to make his own He possessed plenty of the blue sap and could probably buy higher tiered varieties relatively cheaply back at the city but

Likely better to just let his Mana regenerate naturally right now Technically they had little choice but to fight here

Well some truths didn�t need to be spoken out loud

Then let�s do it Randidly said firmly Azriel flashed him a smile

Would you like to make it a contest Azriel asked sweetly as she spun her needle spear around in a circle

Randidly frowned at Azriel I assume we compete in kills What�s the prize then

Your master Shal hasn�t contacted you as of yet yes Azriel�s crimson eyes sparkled as she looked at Randidly I am relatively well connected in the Northern Domain and have heard some rumors as to his whereabouts If you beat me how about I share some truths about him

Chapter 634

After listening to Azriel�s short explanation Randidly wasn�t sure what to say The two were sitting off to the side with the rest of the group after Randidly regained enough Mana to form some of the wood from the broken boats into a seaworthy vessel It took some time to catch back up but that was mainly due to neither of them possessing any sailing Skills

Sergeant Platton and his squad were resting while the four individuals competing in the competition were standing guard Apparently they had been fighting behind enemy lines for almost a month and were completely exhausted mentally and physically They needed the break As Silo was sneaking off to absorb some more energy and Skarch was largely indifferent to Randidly and Azriel when they weren�t playing the image game it gave the two of them some privacy

For which Randidly was glad that they had some space to speak

Yes it was this prophecy that made the Central Domain�s response to Aemont and Shal so confusing Azriel said shortly It was foretold that the one who would defeat the great enemy by his works would be capable of slaying Wight royalty a Propagator It is a great monster amongst them that is responsible for their impossibly fast growth The only individual to do this is Aemont

That was his great quest Randidly said slowly Several pieces fell into place in Randidly�s head The request of his father in law to marry the woman that he loved he needed to slay a Propagator

An impossible task yes Azriel said with a nod Not only due to their personal strength but they are the royalty of the Wights In a game of chess they are the kings to the Witch King�s queen They are rarely seen near the front lines and penetrating into the deepest parts of the Wight�s world is nearly impossible The Wight�s planet it is a dying thing

And Shal is considered to be one of the works of Aemont the Propagator slayer Randidly asked dubiously

Shrugging Azriel seemed relatively non committal The prophecy is well documented and very specific It was thought to be Aemont for the longest time but when he died Shal was all that remained For this reason representatives from other Schools tracked him down and whisked him away to where I know not But he is facing larger enemies than we There was once a lot of debate about who the great enemy� was but after the Wights struck

Randidly considered this with a frown He vaguely remembered that there was a prophecy circling around about Shal But it was somewhat hard for Randidly to believe that Shal was supposed to strike against the Wights in a powerful way Shal was half Wight himself although there were probably only a few people other than himself that knew this fact How would a strike even happen

More likely was that the great enemy was the Calamity or the System That perked up Randidly�s ears because it was true that Shal was Aemont�s son but Aemont also had a profound effect on Randidly himself Was it possible that the prophecy of this world actually referred to Randidly

Well that might be a bit of a narcissistic thought Randidly thought with a wry smile It was enough to know that people here put emphasis on it Undoubtedly there were powers that were aware that Randidly existed and was also a member of the Spear Phantom Style If they wanted to contact him they would have

Thanks Randidly said shortly Azriel flashed him a smile but it was thorny She turned and walked away in a huff causing Randidly to chuckle Azriel didn�t appreciate losing to him in their race His Phantom Half Step was simply too useful for moving between the boats giving him a huge advantage No matter the distance Phantom Half Step covered half of it The cost was relatively high for a movement Skill but as his Statistics improved such a thing was very affordable

Huhu if you have the energy of good cheer you have energy to cook Skarch said looking up from her spear She smiled sweetly at Randidly Unless you are in the mood for image training

Glumly Randidly went about preparing food for the group without a word It increased his Cooking Level anyway which wasn�t a small thing It just wasn�t exciting But it did give him a chance to consider his new Skills Fruit of the Planting of Enmity and Absolute Timing Very quickly he had created a pot of stew and served Skarch a bowl so he could be alone with his thoughts

Absolute Timing was a passive that gave Randidly an almost scary impression of timing Over the course of slaughtering those Wights he had gained 8 Levels in it and it already gave a fuzzy sense of the timing of the attacks of the Wights All it required was a little understanding of moves and Randidly could accurately predict how they would behave from that point on Honestly it seemed like a version of exactly the Skill that made Azriel so dominant Crystal Memory

On the other hand

Randidly glanced around with a frown They were resting currently so he likely would have the opportunity to try it out right now Four hours in a row was a long time but there likely wouldn�t be many other chances in the near future The contest was important and hearing of the strange prophecy regarding Shal put Randidly back on the path of finding information while here That prophecy might truly be regarding the Calamity If so then Randidly could learn a lot regarding what it entailed

Finding information about what had happened before didn�t seem likely but Randidly still had hopes that the true powers in this world would know something relevant The powerful Styles in the Central Domain had existed since the origin of the different Schools beneath the Tassle of the Spearman They were not casual organizations

All of this simply meant Randidly would be busy So he took advantage of this break and spent the next four hours sitting silently with the Skill activated Luckily Sergeant Platton�s party seemed extremely drained because they still hadn�t left their quarters by the time Randidly finished with the Skill With a shocked expression Randidly looked down at the item he obtained after the four hours

The Amber Fruit of Dignity Lvl 1 One of the five fruits of the Forest of Enmity For every day that passes will increase in Level by 1 Consumption will result in certain permanent benefits to the consumer Benefits increase with Level At Level 100 it becomes possible to inherit certain traits from the original creator of the fruit As it is the Fruit of the Forest of Enmity there is a deep unwillingness within the fruit Eating will cause a certain amount of interference with the System of the Nexus Consume at your own risk

Randidly frowned as he looked down to the small fruit in his hand It looked like a golden strawberry and glistened in the light from their fire Honestly he had more questions now than he did before he used the Skill The Skill Level had gone up by 1 which was nice but there wasn�t really an effective way to figure out the effect of the fruit

Aside from eating it of course

Randidly popped the thing into his mouth It was surprisingly chewy and sour almost as if it really wasn�t truly ripe as of yet What Randidly was actually interested in was the traits that someone could eat that would inherit from him but

As the creator certain benefits provided by the fruit are no longer applicable The benefits applied to you are reduced by 50% Certain synergies were ignored

Congratulations Your Stamina has increased by 10

Still this was a good haul Randidly thought as he rubbed his chin Attribute increases were valuable 10 was the value at Level 1 with a 50% reduction Plus the other blocked effects could make such things even more valuable It seemed like Randidly�s fluids were becoming more and more valuable

Unfortunately Sergeant Platton appeared after only a single hour into his next Skill so Randidly could only release it with a sigh There would be other chances eventually Besides relying on such things weren�t a way to true strength At Randidly�s Level a little bit more of an Attribute was only so valuable Sharpening his Skill utilization was much more important

I have to admit I had heard rumors about you Sergeant Platton began As he spoke his eyes went over to Silo and lingered there It was for that reason only that I departed to take advantage of the opponents� weakness before you had arrived But your capabilities today proved me wrong Thank you

Please we are at war Silo said with a manly nod There is no need to stand on ceremony You were doing your best to fight against the Wights if anything we should be thanking you

Azriel rolled her eyes but Sergeant Platton seemed somewhat touched

Heh maybe it isn�t true that all of our youngsters have no idea about respect well then As a reward here Sergeant Platton produced a brightly glowing Soulstone We Sergeants were given these Soulstones ahead of time to gather a bit of a reward take 100 souls each for your assistance

The light filtered out and into their individual stones The light of Sergeant Platton�s Soulstone barely dimmed at all This seemed strange to Randidly It had made more sense now how the rich Styles could benefit their youth by giving them stronger Sergeants A better Sergeant meant more rewards

But based upon the fact it hadn�t dimmed after sending away 400 lives wasn�t Sergeant Platton surprisingly capable

I�ll cut right to the chase Sergeant Platton said I believe that a nearby island is being converted into a Poison Maw in preparation to launch an offensive on the Central Domain But we need proof If you can help me find that the rest of the souls I have gathered can be yours

Chapter 635

After the week of battle to make it to this point and meet Sergeant Platton the next two weeks were relatively tame and nonviolent With Sergeant Platton and his team recovered the focus once more shifted to reconnaissance Slowly the group worked its way circuitously back towards the central island around which the Wight activity centered

They couldn�t be too active so Randidly couldn�t practice actual spear moves all that much Even using Plant Dominance to make an avatar out of kelp underwater wasn�t very effective Instead he focused his efforts on the image battles with Azriel and Skarch as well as on his spells

Due to that Randidly earned almost 50 PP Most of the gains came from the previously unused Sneak Skill and the continually triggered Child of Rain Luckily it appeared that the long storm was finally ending A low mist sat over the islands instead allowing the group to paddle silently in their canoe

A cry went up among the Wights and there was a burst of noise nearby in the darkness All 10 of their group were currently together in the canoe but the feeling was still tense Sergeant Platton turned and inclined his head to Randidly

Grinning Randidly spread his fingers Several Phantom Lanterns popped into being and zoomed off into the mist around them This was the reason that Sergeant Platton had finally ordered them to move forward Randidly�s ability to distract with the Phantom Lanterns was unmatched In the thick mist they were just dim enough that a scout might doubt themselves when they chased after the light only to find nothing

But they were currently using the lanterns very aggressively in order to clear a path After two weeks of planning and stalling now was the time to move The goal was to get their eyes onto the Poison Maw the Wights were constructing Only with proof of his obsession could Sergeant Platton bear to leave

It was strange but the more Randidly spent time with Sergeant Platton the more he believed they shared some similar traits Sergeant Platton was a man who had started as a common footsoldier on the front lines and basically survived long enough to finally be promoted Randidly was somewhat unsurprised to learn that despite the nature of this world people with connections were generally those who were promoted

Still some of the scars from the frontline remained Even Sergeant Platton�s squad joked about how Sergeant Platton was considered an odd duck by his superiors He wasn�t one to socialize much and he gave respect only to those who gave it For that reason he remained a Sergeant despite significant capabilities

A friendship slowly blossomed Well perhaps that was too much It was naught but a kinship through small grunts and pointing But Randidly felt strangely impressed by the unassuming and no nonsense demeanor that the Sergeant displayed More than anything else he willingly became silent when it became clear that the other party understood him It was a few blessed moments of silence after spending so many weeks with Silo

Their boat ran aground Everyone grew tense and looked to Skarch Strangely the woman had a Skill that made a perfect map of the area in her mind She could absolutely pinpoint where they were based upon this powerful image she held in her mind constantly After struggling against her so long in the image games Randidly could appreciate just how talented she was

Skarch opened her eyes and nodded Sergeant Platton signaled rapidly and the group crept out of the canoe as silently as possible

Then as one they began to move forward But just as quickly Randidly grabbed onto Sergeant Platton�s shoulder and stopped the other man from advancing Frowning Randidly shook his head There was grass on this island so Randidly could feel the Wights around them And there were thousands In front of them there were far too many to sneak past

Platton signaled back Is there a way around

Randidly shook his head Platton�s breath came out in a sharp huff But at that moment Silo stepped forward

Randidly eyed the other man carefully Strangely Silo had become sulky when Randidly and Sergeant Platton recognized a kindred spirit in each other It was clearly jealousy but Randidly was slightly mystified as to why it happened Now he worried somewhat that Silo would do something dumb that would invalidate all the effort they spent getting here stealthily

Silo�s hand moved rapidly Randidly saw the movements but he wasn�t familiar with the military hand language here and couldn�t follow Gritting his teeth Sergeant Platton responded even more quickly

Randidly looked at Azriel She shrugged and silently drew her spear Whatever it was it was not a good sign Randidly could sense the coverage going forward and very quickly they would be on something that seemed filled with people

On unspoken agreement Randidly and Azriel raised the spears and touched the bladed ends Their eyes locked

For glory Azriel�s blazing crimson eyes seemed to say

Win and survive Randidly�s emerald eyes responded

After seeming to reach an agreement the glum Sergeant Platton watched as Silo moved off into the mist The group hunkered down to wait Randidly hissed softly People were moving nearby wandering in a slow circle around a base Likely a lazy patrol

Two tense minutes passed as Randidly considered striking at them It now seemed clear that Silo went ahead alone but Randidly would rather be damned that give away their position before Silo did As they moved closer he began weighing the possibilities of hitting them with Spearing Roots with the intent to kill them quietly But at the last moment the two Wights swerved and moved up

Randidly released the sigh he was holding At that same moment a clamor was raised towards the center of camp The activity of the Wights nearby exploded into buzzing activity

Fuck it going in rough Sergeant Platton growled Azriel and Randidly exchanged a glance and a smile

When did it happen any other way

The group began to race forward as a huge growl swept through the island The noise was so loud and deep that it sounded like a powerful bass speaker There was a vibration in Randidly�s bones But Sergeant Platton didn�t pause as he rushed forward so neither did the rest

To soften up resistance Randidly felt the groups with his Plant Dominance and hit them with an Incendiary Eruption In quick succession he exploded almost 15 small groups but suddenly there were shouts of panic from the Wights The movements turned sluggish as the soldiers believed a mass attack was occurring and couldn�t locate the direction

But their dash was well timed the Wights closed behind them in defensive formations Reinforcements streamed towards the edges of the camp and their group reacted quickly to weave their ways through the stragglers It seemed that someone in their group also possessed powerful Perception because they accurately avoided the groups

To keep the Wights guessing Randidly lowered himself to 50% Mana and blew up several more groups at the edge

The growl came again but this time with a vastly increased volume In addition the mist in the nearby area was blown away A body whizzed backward twisted and broken The group skidded to a stop Belatedly Randidly�s eyes reported to him that the body that was smashed sideways was Silo

Dear god Skarch whispered beside Randidly Above them a form spread upwards It was humanoid in shape but the limbs were contorted and thin like a stick bug But in terms of size the thing was as large as a giraffe Its arms especially were thick and strong looking and they ended in pointed fingers

The monster�s eyes were three white orbs two in the eye sockets and a third up between them Quite like Shal

This is my mistake Sergeant Platton said gravely His voice was pitched normally as there was no more point to stealth with this thing staring down at them They never were building defensive formations this is a breeding facility

Pro Azriel�s face was white but her voice was almost excited Propagator

Again the Propagator above them bellowed its fury A concussive force slammed into Randidly and he backed up a few steps Gritting his teeth he raised his spear and pointed it at the monster

No Sergeant Platton interrupted None of us are its match We need to retreat

Before he had even finished the Propagator�s body blurred By the time he had finished two of the members of his squad were crushed beneath the Propagator�s hand Those pale orbs loomed down studying them seriously

Chapter 636

Specs Randidly asked quickly as he leaped sideways to escape the shockwave of the hand smashing down and crushing the two squad members The sheer force of the thing stumbled all of the members of their expedition but Randidly who moved quickly to avoid as soon as it moved

Well everyone else but Azriel

Immense physical strength practical immortality but all of this was disproved by Aemont Azriel said landing behind the Propagator She had rushed forward beneath its spindly limbs rather than avoiding and had hit it directly with her spear The point skittered off of the strange blue grey material that made up its body

but perhaps it is based upon truth Still attacks of a certain caliber should work

Randidly wanted to explain to her that he knew how Aemont defeated the Propagator and it wasn�t with power It was with the extremely specific Skill Breath of the Spear Phantom But once more the Propagator blurred into motion

Twisting around it faced Azriel before she could move After opening its mouth it blasted out another roar that physically smashed her into the ground Gritting his teeth Randidly threw himself into motion

Azriel was already standing again but her clothes were ripped Looming above the Propagator raised its hand

How the fuck was it so fast when its body was so large

Before Randidly could arrive Sergeant Platton arrived He smashed into the Propagator�s spindly torso which was about as thin as its arms Immediately it seemed like a smoke bomb went off A smoke thicker even than the mist earlier spread outwards to cover the group Randidly sensed Azriel streaking off around to unite with their group

I said RETREAT Sergeant Platton hissed as they rushed through the cover of the mist We are nowhere near capable of defeating it especially behind enemy lines Plus we need to report

GRaahh

The entire group was knocked off of their feet and fell into a tangle of limbs The roar was the beat of a drum against the very planet they were standing on In addition the nearby smoke and mist were blasted away by the force

The Propagator was straight up like a meerkat peeking out of its burrow It rapidly twisted until it spotted their group regaining their feet Its limbs seemed double jointed because its spine bent and it began to skitter towards the group on four limbs its large head twisting around so its three orbs fixed on them

In addition the Propagators are in charge of the reproduction of the Wights Azriel said while facing the oncoming force of nature They gather the dead bodies of Wights and our people to create new Wights There is a theory that Wights

By the Spearman�s balls that thing is creepy Skarch said and Randidly chuckled in spite of himself

Then he looked to the Sergeant If you cover us with smoke again I think I have a way of keeping it from knocking away our cover

Platton gave Randidly a hard look You aren�t staying here

I won�t have to Randidly countered Truly he wanted the chance to test himself against this opponent but he had been knocked sideways by simply it yelling The squad Sergeant Platton was moving with were people whose Level was in the upper 40s And yet they were ripped to pieces with a single hand

He just needed to stop its breath

Then the Propagator was there and they didn�t have the luxury of talking It swiped an arm sideways and Sergeant Platton moved to stop it To even the Propagator�s surprise its strike hit the Sergeant as everyone else scattered and it stopped dead The Sergeant spat a fat wad of phlegm on the thing�s body and then the smoke exploded outwards

Randidly took a breath Then his eyes began to glow A silhouette appeared in his mind proud and lonely Aemont A man who would die silently to take down an opponent His spine was as tall as proud as a spear in Randidly�s mind and just as deadly The Skill took hold and Randidly felt the target�s body stiffen in confusion

Running quickly Randidly caught up with the rest of the group One of the subordinates of Sergeant Platton was supporting the Sergeant which earned Randidly�s confused glance

The Sergeant grimaced That puppet is not as strong as it looks Mostly it relies on how hard its body is

Puppet Also where did Silo go Skarch asked distractedly casting her eyes around The group was back in the smoke and had about three seconds head start Randidly could feel the Propagator taking in a breath

Randidly could sense Silo so he pointed Luckily the guy still seemed mobile although he was clearly limping away Although Silo was about to stumble into a group of Wights Luckily the group took his point seriously and veered to the side rushing through the mist

The Propagator tried to roar Randidly resisted

He felt his left lung pop from the feedback

Craww It was a forlorn and weak cry nowhere near enough to dispel the smoke But Randidly tripped and smashed into the ground as his body shredded at the edges There was a buzzing in his ears as he tried to hop back up But just as soon as he did he fell sideways

Inwardly Randidly swore Looked like his eardrums and god knows what else popped with that Goddamnit how strong was that thing

Instantly energy started channeling up through the ground into him The thick golden waves of power felt revitalizing and instantly he felt his body shift But they needed to move now so he accepted Azriel�s hand and ignored her worried look to join the rush once more

They were moving through the heart of the camp now The strange crystal buildings that the Wights built blurred into a strange angular background Randidly kept his eyes ahead as his hearing slowly came back He hit the group of Wights ahead of Silo with two Incendiary Eruptions breaking up their ambush

Plus Silo seemed to notice and began to move rapidly to the side Good it seemed he was recovering as well

This time there was nothing Randidly could do to stop the Propagator The force of its scream smashed the air away in a huge circle Wind currents whipped by the group but it was far enough away that the mist around them only thinned it didn�t disperse completely Which was a good thing because it allowed Silo to turn around and spot them Quickly he fell in with the fleeing group without complaint

His mouth moved Sergeant Platton answered and then began muttering to himself Randidly tapped the side of his head urging his hearing to come back

Bursting through a thick portion of the clouds the group found themselves in front of almost 50 Wights Luckily Azriel and Skarch were waiting for this They ripped into the Wights in front of the group with abandon cutting them down like wheat By the time the opponents had recovered and prepared their Psychic Venom and Claws the others hit the line and tore the rest of the formation to shreds

Unfortunately another one of Sergeant Platton�s squad members was hit by Psychic Poison and then mobbed Randidly instantly spent 10% of his Mana to use Spearing Roots to rip apart the nearby Wights but the fellow�s throat was already ripped out

After a second�s pause the group continued

Randidly�s hearing came back with a crash as something huge landed in front of them

Fuck this is what I was worried about Sergeant Platton swore The Propagator brought two puppets

The group was forced backward as the Propagator in front of them reared up and screamed A second later there was a dull staccato of thunder as another huge body ran up behind them surrounding them

Randidly�s eyes widened This wasn�t their real form

Then

Instantly Aether Detection spread out over the entire island It was difficult to sense anything but density when so many people were gathered together but there was a powerful concentration about 50 meters Southeast of their current position

Inspiration Incendiary Eruption

The ground cracked and shattered beneath them as a huge plume of fiery lava burst into the sky fifty meters away from the group A veritable volcano opened its greedy maw and screamed at the sky The heat even from this distance away was enormous So much so that one of the squad members screamed The two strange humanoid forms that didn�t constitute the Propagator�s true body swayed and then fell with a crash to the ground

Ash and molten rock filled the sky and slowly fell to hit the ground But Randidly didn�t feel any more relieved Because the Aether bundle was still there and it was moving slowly towards the group

As if on cue the mist slowly parted Randidly frowned because there was a strange numbness in his skin But he didn�t have much time to notice it because a form walked out of the mist It had been made to look like the residents of this planet at one point with neon pink hair pulled up into a ponytail But its flesh on the lower half of its body and right arm had been burnt away leaving only that grey blue material that made up the bigger puppets

Behind it the two puppets that collapsed slowly leveraged themselves off of the ground

But Randidly�s eyes were drawn to the midsection of the smaller figure In the tattered remnants of the thing�s clothes there were movements A clicking emerged and then a beetle the size of a small dog climbed up and turned to point its antenna towards the group They twitched

All around them there was a surge of wind The group of fifty Wights they had killed behind them rose off the ground and began to twist and press together The dead became raw materials and within 20 seconds a third giant puppet was looming above the group

Silo coughed Heh I didn�t want to do this but I guess it�s time to use that card

Sergeant Platton appeared to ignore him To be honest you all are faster than me We need to get word out about the Propagator We will split up

I don�t want to leave my new friends Skarch said placidly

Azriel didn�t say anything but her fingers gripping her spear were white

Sergeant Platton sighed You all remind me of myself when I was younger and that�s not a compliment

One of the puppets raised its head and roared and everyone exploded into motion

Chapter 637

Sergeant Platton carefully schooled his expression He couldn�t show weakness now not while he was standing next to these three youths and the smashed remnants of his squad Latta was dead and with his high Perception Platton could smell that Daskin pissed himself

Above them three tall puppets loomed But Platton kept his eyes on the strange crystalline beetle that climbed out of the scarred body That was the true body of the Propagator and the only way to stop the larger puppets It was information so classified that Platton had to overhear it to learn but now he was glad he had The two months of solitary he received as a reprimand for being where he shouldn�t was worth it

regardless of your bravery Platton began slowly Word needs to get out We can send a message but I am already considered somewhat radical for my beliefs Hopefully the lives of you elites will be enough One of you needs to escape preferably all of you You are the young talent of our world You don�t deserve to die here

They had straight spines and burning eyes Platton noticed with a sad expression These four would choose to throw themselves into the fire to pursue the pinnacle of their spear arts The tragedy of it was such that Platton couldn�t remain silent you know if you stay here it is all but guaranteed that you will die

He considered the four geniuses The charismatic and social Silo who was clearly harboring a deep darkness born of desperation The calm and enigmatic Skarch with the typical overwhelming power of the Spear School Azriel whose small body belied the speed and penetrating power of her spear

Finally there was the one they called Ghosthound Bare feet and a spear that seemed more living vine than weapon were his calling cards His eyes were a brilliant green that seemed to glow His Class of Spellspear had been unbelievably helpful in their approach on the base It was exceedingly rare to find such a talented individual in this world that could use spear arts and spells Platton hadn�t had a chance to witness the fellow�s spear arts but he assumed that if he made it this far they were at least passable enough to buy him time to use his spells

No these four definitely needed to survive

But before Platton could say anything further the enemies around them began to move The giant puppets took several steps farther so that they cast long shadows across the group Around them the lesser Wights were forming up into columns and blocking them in

When Daskin spoke the panic in his voice was clear We we need to escape If someone can distract the big ones I�ll

You�ll stay Platton said harshly And it even came out more harshly than he intended because Daskin jumped We are the enlisted soldiers we won�t let these kids be the ones to die for us

You know it�s been a while since I thought about it That I could die

Platton turned and glanced at Silo The young man drank a potion and his arm snapped back into place After wincing he glared up at the puppets But I doubt I will die here If I was such a tiny existence to fail here I wouldn�t have gotten so far Do you see Because I have the destiny that carried me this far a small hurdle such as this It isn�t enough to stop the advance of a hero No matter what they say I�ll prove what I�m worth

Azriel snorted at her teammate�s words and turned to the Ghosthound Can you bind them up At least one

The Ghosthound shook his head All of my Mana was consumed making that thing He inclined his head towards the huge geyser of flame that was slowly ebbing away I can�t believe it lived through it In terms of durability well I guess I already knew conventional attacks wouldn�t work We need to keep them busy the old fashioned way

This will be difficult Skarch said lightly

Frowning Platton bellowed What are you talking about You four fools I�m the superior officer in this situation you�ll listen to my orders and

Denied

A hero never retreats

The Ghosthound smiled at Platton and his smile was reminiscent of a hungry wolf well there you have it Skarch you are strong but not this strong You are in charge of clearing a path You Daskin right Lead the other members of your squad and follow through the hole We three will buy time Sergeant assist whoever is in the most trouble if you please

Humph your plan is uninspired but at least it gives me the chance to shine Silo said with a wide smile His whole body began to glow with a pale light On cue Skarch flourished her spear and rushed back towards the gathering Wights

Don�t you fucking dare Platton bellowed but they were already moving A pair of long crimson ribbons condensed behind Azriel stemming from the small of her back Above the Ghosthound�s head a strange metal crown emerged that seemed to be made by just soldering vicious spikes to a thin circlet

The rest of Platton�s squad exploded into motion following Skarch The strange crystalline beetle chirped and the three giant puppets of the Propagator surged into motion One unleashed a booming sonic blast while the other two just turned into grey blurs as they maximized their huge physical capabilities

Something snapped in Platton It truly seemed that these fools would choose death over an easy survival If that was the case

He needed to aim for the true target

In an explosion of smoke he teleported forward to land next to the badly burned body that served as a mount for the beetle The force of the concussive sound hit the ground behind him and Platton hoped the rest had made it out of the way The beetle clicked its teeth threateningly and the gaunt body lashed out with its hand To Platton�s surprise the blow was fast Faster even than the larger puppets

Although he raised his spear his weapon was cracked in half and he was thrown sideways All by a casual backhand

Gleefully the beetle buzzed and a strange melodious song rose amongst the Wights

Too loud Wild Phantom�s Embrace Counter As the Sun Stills

There was a huge crash above where Platton had landed and he looked up to see one of the large puppets stumbling backward Its foot caught on a chunk of molten metal that had fallen from the geyser and it fell backward There was a soft tap as a barefoot form landed next to Platton He looked up and took the Ghosthound�s hand

He was pulled roughly to his feet

Platton�s eyes widened as he looked at the Ghosthound The man�s hands were ripped to shreds It looked like the force of the hit had ripped apart the membrane between the thumb and the rest of his hands His fingers were twitching softly Luckily his living spear curled around his arm

Help Silo that idiot doesn�t have the juice for this The Ghosthound said shaking his head Then before Platton�s eyes the Ghosthound�s hands slowly began to heal Grimacing the young man looked down at his hands and sighed This will be difficult

If you have this much power escaping won�t be that difficult Platton said shortly eyeing the rapid healing But if we want to strike a blow

It was just watching until you attacked it The Ghosthound said quietly The strange crown above his head seemed to throb with a restrained fury The air around it distorted It�s playing with us Perhaps let�s not force the issue of whether we are a match for it quite yet

Platton nodded shortly deciding not to point out that he had already realized this point Instead he turned and leaped off to help Silo And it was true the young man was being forced backward by the powerful sonic attacks of the large metal puppet He was panting and bleeding and that desperation was growing larger in Silo�s eyes

As he moved Platton spared a glance for Azriel and was surprised to see that the girl had turned into a streak of crimson that was dashing around the puppet and slamming into it The large puppet was blurring into motion to cope smashing its hands down to block off the avenues for the crimson streak to attack But the streak just avoided the attacks and continued to slowly chip away the body of the giant thing

These two

And ahead of them off to the side Skarch was ripping through the common Wights like she was a warship cutting through shallow waters Her attacks smashed back entire waves of the fools They threw Psychic Poison but as long as she maintained her momentum they would break out of the encirclement

So Platton�s attack focused back to one point as he looked at Silo struggling to avoid the powerful attacks of the large puppet Letting out a breath Platton stored his spear away and removed the small leather glove on his left hand There on the palm there was a small chip of topaz embedded into his hand As he prodded it with his consciousness several notifications came up

You have activated your Fate You will not be able to activate your Fate for 24 hours after this moment if it becomes deactivated

Your Fate is Level 2 Exposing your Fate to powerful opponents will increase its Level But be careful it is possible for the Fate to shatter Current Benefits Gain 1 Health for every enemy killed while the Fate is active gain an additional 2 free Stat points per Level Agility is increased by 10

The power of the System fills you Your Patron of Pollution has blessed you with her power The Cursed Topaz on your body has formed into the Vicious Gauntlet All attacks will now include the Skill Corrosive Touch (System) Lvl 16 This Level may increase with use but does not generate PP Level is capped by the Level of your Fate times 10

Corrosive Touch (System) The blessing of the System gained by tying your fate to the System All attacks that hit an enemy will corrode their physical and mental forms The stronger the form the slower the effect is However as this is a blessing of the System the power is great Your ability to channel the System�s great Skill increases with Skill Level

Chapter 638

Randidly felt the power of the Crown of Upheaval and Silence pulse with glee It had been since the fight with the Witch King that he had last used it and the warm rush of its power was a welcome addition to his fighting strength With it active the world seemed to slow to a manageable Level

With a great effort the Propagator puppet he had struck heaved itself back onto all fours Its head twisted around almost independent of its body and the pale orbs of its eyes locked on Randidly

Grimacing Randidly looked down at his hands While Azriel was slowly chipping her opponent to pieces with speed and Skill Randidly had attempted to use the power of those bodies against the puppet to overpower it It was foolish although admittedly a better plan than he had used against the Witch King

KRRii

The screech from the puppet was damaging but Randidly ignored it and focused on his hands Very rapidly the numb pins and needles feeling was receding leaving his hands once more in a whole condition Acri buzzed with pressure and slithered down his arm to form the straight form of his spear once more Randidly chuckled softly feeling the glee of Acri Although he didn�t obtain any experience from these strikes against the puppets and therefore couldn�t grow it was the first time that the substance of Acri had really been tested

This finally was a challenge to the intelligent spear

Skarch was clearing an easy path through the Wights some distance away but the remnants of those ranks were reforming and moving on to threaten Randidly Snorting Randidly spun Acri to test out the state of his hands The puppet of the Propagator was straightening slowly and before it could respond Randidly moved like a cold wind among the 20 or so nearby Wights

One raised its arm and a ghastly claw condensed above it but Randidly cut sharply left and avoiding its slash He Countered with a stab the thrust Acri through the skull of the Wight abruptly ending its life Five bolts of Psychic Poison rushed at his back but Randidly used Phantom Half Step to appear in the middle of the group

Acri was like children�s laughter and temptation it spread wildly and could kill gods

These Wights were much less than that

With a bounding leap the Propagator�s puppet rushed towards Randidly There was a projected fury in its movements but Randidly was all too aware of the gaze of that strange crystalline beetle that formed the true body of the Propagator

Although he wasn�t sure of how it would work it became clear to Randidly that this was the body that he needed to target with his Breath of the Spear Phantom Skill

However that strange body the beetle was walking on was slowly reforming And every time Randidly tried to target the beetle his focused slid strangely sideways towards the body

The flesh of it was slowly regrowing and the body regarded Randidly with bright eyes

As the puppet crashed into the ground around Randidly he rushed forward between its wide legs Instantly it spun on its hands swiping at him Randidly wasn�t sure if it was just his focus or the effect of the crown but it was simple to weave through the thing�s quick movements Although it could reach a high top speed it didn�t possess a great ability to change its direction easily

It roared again furious and Randidly stopped underneath its legs and thrust upwards with Acri using the Inevitable Phantom Arrives The chilling form of Randidly�s mother floated behind him its gaze locked on the puppet With a huge crash Randidly�s attack struck the puppet and chipped a huge piece off of its leg

Within the next second Randidly was forced to use When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance to avoid the puppet when it simply dropped its body in an attempt to crush him The fireflies wandered around and landed on the puppet but Randidly was well aware that the damage that they could do to it was almost negligible

Not that his damage appeared to be any better

After a quick landing Randidly hopped upwards to land on top of the puppet Its body twisted as its arms folded back on themselves to grab at him but Randidly ignored it and slashed Acri down at the body of the puppet Just scratches emerged however Although it wasn�t surprising it was somewhat frustrating that Randidly had no real way to inflict damage on this thing especially with his Mana depleted

It was perhaps foolish but Randidly couldn�t fault himself for unleashing his Skill immediately upon sensing where the mass of Aether was centered After all how could he know that the thing would fucking live through it without a scratch Although he had burnt off that host�s body�s bottom half as Randidly watched

It was growing back

The hands smashed into the location where Randidly just was causing the puppet to howl again Randidly�s eye narrowed as he landed on the ground and looked around It seemed the puppet couldn�t utilize its large sonic burst unless it was standing which was at least something

His head jerked back as a hand stabbed past the bridge of his nose Randidly�s eyes narrowed as he took in the form of the Propagator�s host body that had appeared in front of him This level of speed definitely he needed to fall back

Phantom Ha

The thing twisted and smashed a heel into Randidly�s back sending him tumbling forward The force was overwhelming Randidly couldn�t control himself as he smashed into the large puppet

It scrambled around and twisted surging around Randidly�s body like a python attempting to get a grip on him

With air wheezing out of his mouth Randidly activated When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance His body rushed forward out of the encircling limbs but that host puppet was waiting for him outside of the range of the large puppet Its eyes were glowing mauve now and visibly its hair was growing out in that shade It was curly and stopped at the shoulders and as soon as the hair ceased growing the eyes seemed to refocus

Hoo that was surprising What sort of creature are you boy

Something clicked in Randidly and he blurted out You you�re like Lucretia

This gave the Propagator a second of pause And looking at her healing form it was easy to see the resemblance to Lucretia She had the same colored hair and matching eyes and the same unnaturally pale skin It seemed that the Propagator in front of him fixated on the name instantly with her eyes narrowing

Worm how do you know It began but Randidly�s crown released a huge pulse of power that he had built up in the brief interim The Propagator�s words were cut off and he felt some of the strange vibrations that were pressing up against his skin lessen That sharpened his perspective

Was it perhaps possible that the way the Propagator controlled its puppets was through the use of sound waves And the puppets themselves acted like amps and therefore targeting them with Breath of the Spear Phantom was a dangerous proposition The feedback from stifling the larger puppets for just a second was enough to pop a lung but perhaps the crystalline beetle itself

Still when the large puppet slashed outward with is hand Randidly was forced to dodge But his eyes remained on the host body It was a good thing too because the body came forward with its hands raised The fearful part was that there didn�t appear to be any Skills in use from this thing He tried to dodge but its speed was beyond belief It just rawly scratched at Randidly with enough force to rip deep rivets in Sulfur

Sulfur for its part was just as excited as Acri had been but this was a manic excitement that had Randidly deeply worried Sulfur grew off of pressure and this physical presence was undoubtedly a boon for it However these strikes were too devastating to just consider training How many more could land and consider the armor uninjured

Randidly was stuck between a rock and a hard place however The large puppet had positioned itself behind him while the host body advanced relentlessly towards Randidly

You have my attention The body hissed at him And I�ll have the answers one way or another

Then it moved and this time Randidly barely got a Phantom Half Step off in time to pull himself a dozen meters to the side Instantly he leaped towards the foot soldier Wight he had targeted with the Skill and stabbed his spear through its chest and twisted A headache was building behind his eyes as Randidly was forced to up the Perception boost of the Crown in order to compete with the host body

The Randidly swore because one of the other large puppets turned from its struggle against Azriel and smashed its hand downwards in an overhead blow towards Randidly�s position When the Shadows Depart FIreflies Dance carried him out of the physical shockwave but it gave the other large puppet time to get into position

Raahh

As Randidly turned he was hit in the chest with the sonic attack with enough force for Sulfur to groan painfully Staggering backward Randidly rapidly attempted to sharpen his Perception Even with the effect of the SIlence from his crown it was still this powerful

At the last second he caught the small noise of a step and jerked backward The host body of the Propagator seemed to materialize in front of him and the body looked rather puzzled that its attack had missed Randidly�s Idiosyncratic Cut slashed off several curly mauve hairs but Acri did little damage against its skin

Abruptly Randidly was very conscious of how low his Health was He was healing rapidly but this thing could hurt him quickly from too many directions And looming above that fear was the realization that the Propagator had some sort of Skills it could use And with these base stats now was not the time for a confrontation

Ready to leave Randidly asked as he used Wild Phantom�s Embrace to use the momentum from another attack from a large puppet to leap backward Azriel assented and appeared next to him in a crimson streak

Trying to leave Childish Domain Realm of the Crystal Spires

Chapter 639

Congratulations Your Fate is now Level 6 Continue exposing your fate to powerful opponents to increase its Level Current Benefits 101 Health and 12 Stat Points have been gained Agility is increased by 30

Congratulations Your Skill Corrosive Touch (System) has evolved as your Fate grows It is now Level 41 This Level is capped by the Level of your Fate times 10

Platton straightened his left hand throbbing with a dull ache It was not easy for his body to withstand the force of using his Fate for such a long time It was one of the reasons that he had barely increased its Level after having it for almost six months Of course that was the lesser reason

Out of the corner of his eye Platton considered Silo He blazed with a bright light as he struck the giant puppet from afar forcing the thing to turn its attention from Platton to Silo Although most of the frame of its body was intact the inexorable corrosion from Platton�s Skill was already beginning to show its effects on the puppet Some of the metal of its chest was thin and brittle as though slowly consume by rust Its head aside from its pale eyes was beginning to have deep holes

That was the power of the System Level Skills but was also its curse

Because once it began consuming it wouldn�t stop If Silo was hit with even the tiniest bit of Platton�s Corrosive Touch

It wouldn�t happen today or likely even this year but Corrosive Touch would never stop consuming him Someday Platton�s Skill would either weaken Silo enough that he would fall to a lesser enemy or it would kill him outright This was the true reason that Platton never trained this Skill Because this power held no discernment it was a weapon of mass destruction

A swift kick from the puppet hit Silo�s block and knocked the kid backward Platton winced For whatever reason the fool just didn�t learn how dangerous those attacks were Silo flew backward tumbling when

Domain Realm of the Crystal Spires

A ripple passed through the air and a portion of the cracked and ripped up battlefield they had made for the last 10 minutes was covered by a huge crystalline dome Immediately Platton flew over The portion covered included Silo Azriel and the Ghosthound In addition the Propagator was there with them Perhaps even more shockingly the Propagator was the one who used the Domain Class Skill in order to lock them up

Platton knew that its power in that air would shoot upwards He hadn�t been watching closely since it had moved to attack the Hhosthound but it seemed clear that he was immensely pressured If that version was too much for him

His gauntlet throbbed Platton looked down at it a frown on his face Domains were almost unbreakable from the outside That was their power But of course a System rarity Skill invalidated that However if he used Corrosive Touch to break through There was a high chance of all three of those young geniuses being afflicted with the Skill

But Platton was a military man Those three might have bravely sacrificed themselves for others but they were here because they were soldiers in name at least Their potential would be ruined but their testimony was necessary Platton raised his gauntlet which emitted a pale light He was careful to keep it well away from his body

Abruptly Azriel found herself in a strange multicolored landscape The sky was deep and dark above them sprinkled with stars Strange almost liquid lights danced in the sky as well flowing red and purple and orange The ground they were standing on appeared to just be a type of snow but a metallic blue variety

But this was a Domain Azriel had only ever experienced her master�s Domain and it was not something she was likely to forget The power it could exercise within that Domain

We need to get out of here Azriel said shortly Inwardly she felt somewhat helpless Dearly she wished that she had something more helpful to say at the moment But in most instances her mouth moved and straightforwardly transferred her thoughts into the world without consulting her at all It was something of a curse

Hmm Any ideas Ah it looks like Silo is joining us Randidly said glancing over at a body that rolled up against a crystal spire

That was the other thing about this land It was covered in crystal spires They were somewhere between two and four meters tall and ended at spiraled points Some were almost perfect flawlessly pointing upwards but others were gnarled and leaning It was like being in a strange forest that had been completely stripped bare

This is a lifeless place Azriel announced with the same conviction Generally one fights against a Domain by utilizing their own Domain then it becomes about which individual can exert more dominion over the area It becomes a battle in a mix of the two locations Otherwise you are simply beat up by the owner of the Dominion We are not in a good place

Randidly grunted The strange juxtaposition of the darkness of his crown and the pale light that shined from it drew the eyes and made him seem somewhat otherworldly Although she scanned their surroundings for the Propagator she kept a portion of her attention on him So far Azriel had been repeatedly surprised by his resilience and resourcefulness when adapting to different challenges

It was clear that the strange energy that he had given Azriel access to gave him an almost fraudulent amount of Skills But it seemed the large lava flume he had struck the Propagator with originally had taken a lot out of him

Then it seemed that he was out of cards Azriel wondered if she had anything that would be sufficiently powerful enough to help them here Or perhaps they would die here

Even though she had already experienced the moments when Randidly stole her thunder in the tournament and the time where Azriel had resigned herself to the wound she had received while fighting at NIergem the realization they might die here still hit her like a bolt of lightning

Not that Azriel feared death her life was worth almost nothing to her It was a means to an end And that end was accomplishing the dream of the being that had given her a future Before that dream this was nothing

Azriel�s eyes hardened Almost subconsciously she raised her spear and looked around at the spears As of yet the Propagator had yet to show itself But as soon as Azriel thought that the thing was there standing amongst the Crystal Spires

Silo also noticed the Propagator at the same moment and snorted Hmph it was foolish of you to challenge us without the benefit of your minions Let me collect the price of your arrogance Defiant Light Pinnacle Spear

A huge amount of golden energy gathered around Silo upon his usage of his first Skill Then he rushed forward towards the Propagator and as he did so all that energy around him coalesced into a giant golden spear sliding towards the Propagator In this form she was a tall willowy woman with red hair But she exuded a danger that wasn�t there previously From somewhere the Propagator had found a short emerald dress that stopped about mid thigh for its host body

Honestly it reminded Azriel of Randidly�s eyes

As the huge golden spear built up momentum the Propagator just smiled It was pretty

Sing my children

Softly at first but then with increasing volume the crystal spires around them began to resonate a strange song It rapidly rose in pitch and frequency until it was a keening wail that seemed to cut through Azriel�s brain and strike at some vital part of herself The pain slowly built

Just as Azriel began to grimace and tremble the momentum of the giant golden spear shattered and Silo rolled out of it and to a stop He head his head and moaned Still the volume of the song rose higher So high that all other noise was made irrelevant

Azriel saw the Propagator opened its mouth to laugh but it was just a picture without any meaning The sound of the song was so loud now that everything seem to fracture around Azriel She fell to her knees Still the song grew louder

It hurts Azriel whispered or at least she thought she did But the noise had no meaning It was agony and that was it It was honestly not so much different from her life before Stifling exhausting a maze filled with soft faces and reaching hands

But then a hand touched her shoulder Surprisingly as it did so the sound receded somewhat filling Azriel�s ears with the sound of her own beating and the quick beat of her heart SHe looked up and Randidly stood their His crown was shimmering waves of black power spreading out to cover her

As she watched blurs rushed forward out of the corner of her eye They were crystal shards and they took Randidly in his chest Instantly his expression twisted into one filled agony He took only a single a step back and his grip on her shoulder tightened But in that moment the song grew louder once more

But now Azriel was filled with a numbness that seemed to shrug off the pain With red eyes she turned to look at the Progator Around it another spire broke into pieces and several shards floated up next to her host body points aimed towards Randidly

Ignoring the pain Azriel rushed forward As she pulled out of Randidly�s grip the pain hit her like a physical weight That first step seemed like an eternity But with a huge effort of will she took that second step Then she was off her spear raised the crimson trails behind her All the while the Propagator didn�t even look at her The host body was smiling and fixated on Randidly behind her

It was infuriating Time stretched and Azriel�s perception narrowed to the face of the Propagator looking past her to another enemy

Before Azriel could reach the Propagator its expression twisted The area around them flickered and then the domain shattered A sickly yellow light rushed out and covered them all followed by the billowing smoke of Platton Instantly a message arrived from Platton

Grab Silo I�ll get the Ghosthound We need to get out of here

Chapter 640

There was a sudden explosion of smog that filled the area of the battlefield but the Propagator didn�t bother to pursue the gene fodder that fled away from it To its surprise the three that had been present within its Domain survived and had enough strength to walk away Even the intriguing one amongst them that was able to directly resist a portion of its Domain moved with surprising quickness

Through the smog the Propagator�s focus narrowed on that individual The Propagator could feel his bare feet slapping against the ground A group of Wights stumbled upon him but they were basic drones that were incapable of threatening him With surprising grace he dispatched them without losing any momentum

In the chest of its arcbody the Propagator rubbed its antennae together Instantly the Wights shifted parting before the escaping forces The spear users were profoundly foolish and almost superstitious about the existence of the Propagators This was purposeful on the part of the Wights of course It was easier to have them jumping at shadows than addressing the real threat

Plus this meant that this group would flee directly back towards the position of strength of the spear users They would be traced and then the true offensive of the Wights could begin The Propagator was relatively low in influence among its class but that still was far above these toys

Thinking of their soft bodies and inefficient construction the Propagator felt a flash of hunger but it restrained that impulse

Then just to check the Propagator rubbed its antennae together in a different manner A much higher pitched noise emerged A noise so high on the frequency spectrum that it was almost impossible that any of these spear users would be able to detect it

The intriguing gene resource stumbled as the fragments of crystals in his body vibrated in response to the high frequency Would he notice Well even if he did it would be difficult to remove even the smallest bit remaining in his body would allow the Propagator to track the gene fodder across the world

That was a great weakness of those empowered by the System and why the Propagators developed the way they did It was difficult to remove tiny debris that became a part of the body from a deep wound The body would naturally heal around the wounds but that ended up being a detriment in this case Part of the healing process was the allowance for items like these to be expelled

The fleeing spear users made it to their boat and began to sail quickly away Altogether only 7 of them had made it Sparing a longing glance for those that escaped the Propagator moved towards the bodies of those that had died here It wasn�t the genetic material that it desired but it would have to suffice

For now

Drake knew that this was the worst week of his life The journey towards the World Crater from the floating city was a slow one The captain of the skyship assured him that this was just because of the season and the winds were almost directly blowing out of the World Crater

Honestly The captain said in a cheap attempt to comfort Drake Be glad the wind is blowing this way During other months the thing acts as a giant whirlwind nearby vessels are sucked right into it That�s why it is sometimes referred to as the Maw of the Sea

Not comforted at all Drake maintained his firm grip on the heavy wooden railing

The skyship that Drake was on was called Slipstream and like all the other skyships that Drake had seen were relatively small This vessel could comfortably fit a dozen people and could make do with as few as four The ship was made from a wooden frame that was something akin to the skeleton of a whale with a platform on top The top platform was where the deck was as well as the three sails one straight upward and one to the left and right

Below that in the ribcage� of the whale were the sailors� cabins and other assorted rooms that were necessary for this many people grouped together Below that was a small cell for the rare prisoner and the cargo hold The hold took up most of the space of the ship and gave the lie of the large size of the skyship

Drake had been on the ship for two days now and had only access to a space about the size of the basketball court

Still it wasn�t like he wanted to wander around It would have been interesting in an abstract way to see the Aviator and his Skills at work but Drake didn�t care so much The Aviator was a Class or a variant type that provided most of the lift for the skyship The process seemed to be a mixture of ionizing the strange fabric that was covering the skyship and controlling nearby winds but it worked

Well after a fashion Their flight was remarkably loopy One sailor assured Drake that this was simply them riding up on columns of hot air and gliding downwards to save energy but every time they shot upwards on the air currents his stomach did flip flops During that time Drake was careful not to go towards the edge of the boat

Especially after he had already looked off the edge of those sky docks and saw the distant ground Even remembering it now Drake couldn�t help but shudder

Stilling himself with an effort of will Drake admitted to himself that it wasn�t all bad Due to that fearful fall he had met Mieu After a quick glance around himself Drake reached into his pocket and removed a piece of paper that had been carefully folded in half Most of the 8 person crew was below decks for the meal with only two remaining up here to watch their course and steer the ship Both were seemingly consumed with their tasks

Drake unfolded the paper

A quick sketch stared back up at him with his own eyes Although it was done quickly his own face and upper torso were cast in sharp relief in graphite or some charcoal variant Drake would have appreciated knowing what it was made of so he could take better care of it but he hadn�t known to ask

The artist Mieu had taken a few liberties with the way Drake looked His brows were heavier and more stern than he would have believed about himself His chin was raised almost defiantly Or perhaps the better way of saying it would simply to say he looked angry

Most of all though his eyes were almost mesmerizing Drake couldn�t believe that she had done it but he found looking at his own eyes to be intimidating reassuring and calming all at the same time It was clear that almost half of the time for the whole drawing had been in finishing up the details that she had wanted for his eyes There was a sense about him that seemed to say that he was a dangerous enemy but a steadfast friend

Which Drake supposed rubbing his chin wasn�t such a bad way to describe him

A gust of wind brought him back to awareness of his surroundings and he carefully folded the paper back up and stored it within his interspatial ring It was a strange gift And one that Drake couldn�t help dwelling on

The ship lurched strangely to the left as if hit with a battering ram Drake surged to his feet looking around wildly His elemental condensed on his shoulder bristling with anxiety and panic Are we under attack

Drake looked sharply up A young woman Moniky was staring down at him with apparent amusement Drake took a deep breath and said I just mean we seemed to be hit by something so

Ha that was just a bit of rough wind And if that was enough to get a jump out of you the rest of today will be pretty eye opening She flipped as she dropped down and landed next to him on her feet Heh better strap yourself in tight There�s a storm ahead We will ride right over it but it won�t be peaceful

That turned out to be the understatement of the century What followed was his worst nightmare By the end of it Drake tied himself to the wooden beam in his private cabin praying for anything to get him out of here He couldn�t stop thinking about how fragile the craft was and how any sort of untoward wind would spell their doom

Six hours later Drake stumbled out of his room with a pale face Is is it over

Aye The captain answered sharing a grin with the Aviator at his expense

I don�t get it Drake said and halfway through speaking he realized his mild shock was making him a bit more candid than he would have preferred Why not make the vessels bigger Like a cruise ship from the old world enough size to make sure it isn�t like a hellbound roller coaster

The Aviator answered rather than the Captain Two reasons First we have to admit skyship technology is relatively new It was based on the old designs of course but the Buoyancy and Lift Skills were only obtained after the System hit and Avrail Silver obtained his Class It is hard to scale up size wise currently The weight becomes too much for your average Aviator

And second The Aviator walked to the edge and gestured to the clouds below them One of my Skills is reading the wind It lets the ship flow through the really powerful gusts without being damaged That only works if the vessel is small Too big and we take those directly on the chin To survive that we would need

Stronger wood bigger boats and suddenly they are too heavy to float Drake said waving his hand I get it

What he also now got was that he was on a vessel that was the cutting edge of research in the field of skyships They were all guessing here

Drake said another prayer to a god he didn�t believe in just in case it would help

Chapter 641

There it is The Captain announced proudly from the edge of the skyship Come take a look

Drake considered not doing that But ultimately he had a mission He was supposed to be Sydney�s sword Part of that meant dealing with the unpleasantness of the venue of this mission It was after all perfectly safe

None of the other sailors had died yet and they had been doing this for a while hadn�t they

With measured steps Drake reached the edge of the skyship He firmly secured his grip on the wooden railing Only then did he look over

The World Crater was not as Drake had expected really a crater Instead it appeared to be a plateau rising above the nearby sea with a large lake in the middle In the middle of that lake there was a huge stone From this height the stone seemed as big as a house which meant that it was undoubtedly much much larger than that

Several rivers flowed out of the central lake and formed beautiful falls that cascaded off the edge of the plateau into the sea below In the surrounding waters in the sea numerous small islands were covered with a patchwork of small buildings with colorful roofs There were so many so tightly packed together that it was difficult to pick out the individual colors But they flashed brightly in the sun�s rays

Of course each house looked to be naught but an ant from here Drake looked at the large stone in the center of the World Crater

What was also interesting were that there were dozens of Skyships floating above the World Crater There seemed to be a skydock on each side of it Drake�s eyes were especially caught by a few sleek ships with golden sails

Is there a meaning to the different ship colors Drake asked

The Captain nodded his face turning solemn You have sharp eyes to spot the Golden Wave from here They are the main army of the Zone although they are primarily used to keep the air clear of monsters We were lucky enough to follow a sweep here so we didn�t need to fight at all on the way here That�s a blessing Most of those who die on board do so due to a monster attack

Drake nodded grimly This was something about the world he understood

With the view absorbed Drake stepped sharply away from the edge and returned to his perch in the middle of the deck earning a laugh from the Captain and the Aviator Drake didn�t care He closed his eyes and did the best he could to clear his mind His elemental porcupine Ryx rubbed his nose against Drake�s cheek doing his best to comfort him

They landed without incident and Drake disembarked with great relish There was a small cluster of buildings at the edge of the plateau but beyond that stretched the sluggish rivers and vast wetlands that led to the central lake and the stone that set atop it

Drake had talked with the crew at length for what they knew about the World Crater and it boiled down to these four things it was a Danger Zone the monster Level here was 60 no one had ever touched the stone and returned to tell the tale it was rumored that the giant stone was a seal covering the fountain of youth

How anyone would know the fourth thing if the third was true was a detail that Drake didn�t bother with After all he had done some asking around before he departed for this location and had learned the name of the ship that had carried Roy the Undying Hero After a cursory search he found the Thunderclap docked demurely a few vessels down

The crew gathered to see him off once all was tied to keep the boat here during their stay The Slipstream had brought goods to trade and would wait a week for him Based on the size of the World Crater it should only take two days to cross and reach the stone Drake had no assurance that he would find Roy easily but starting at the goal seemed the best bet

Are you sure you wish to go through with this Moniky asked anxiously Although she had always laughed at his discomfort she seemed to be the one who worried most about him The monsters here are strong Stronger than you�d think Even members of the Golden Wave dare not come here

People go in and out of the World Crater all the time The Captain said airly not meeting Drake�s eye as he spoke Sir Drake will likely

Those are scavengers that stick to the outer crater Moniky blurted out They mostly scavenge monster parts from bodies killed by other monster�s Drake means to

I�ll be fine Drake said And standing on the ground he truly felt that way He was itching to walk out and condense his bone armor It had been too long since he had felt the powerful form wrapped around him But he walked over and squeezed Moniky into a quick hug I�m a soldier miss This is my job And I�m damn good at it

She seemed unconvinced but Drake wasn�t willing to spare more time to attend to her feelings He did stop by some nearby traders and question them a bit but none remembered seeing Roy That was fine Drake hadn�t expected this to be easy

But the fountain of youth Strange And of all people why was the undead Roy seeking it Or was he here for another reason entirely

As soon as Lucretia came back to the world of Tellus she slipped quietly out of Randidly And the reason was one she found somewhat embarrassing she didn�t want to leave Not that she didn�t want to have her own body and have the freedom to move around the world but

Not only had she learned a lot about Aether and karma from Randidly she also grew quite fond of him In her heart Shal was her true son of course He was of her flesh and blood even if she didn�t truly want to imagine how she as a Wight had the ability to reproduce with a person from another world But Randidly was the one who was there with her making the foolish and sudden mistakes of young men

After leaving Randidly Lucretia appeared atop a nearby cliff The wind was good to feel on her actual skin With wonder Lucretia felt her joints and muscles reveling in the heavy truth of her once more being free It was such a delight that she found herself laughing If anyone would have been around the mystique of Lucretia the Undying Witch would shatter

But that thought caused Lucretia to frown What was her purpose now A long time ago she had killed a youth in a small village of this world To keep the ruse effective Lucretia remembered very little of her life before that It was a blur leaving her with the directive to embed herself in Tellus� culture

Returning to her body also had the effect of giving her a buffer between herself and her threads of karma Losing that was shocking for a number of reasons Now that she came back to her body Lucretia could see that her powers of karma came from a thread of karma that had been wound through the entirety of her being

Lucretia closed her eyes and sat on the cliff turning her focus inward That thread was thick and black releasing a strange grey light The brightness was luminous so Lucretia knew that the thread had been planted and grown full All that remained was for it to be reaped

It filled her with a cold terror Her hands beginning to tremble

Returning to her body also brought something else back to her her deep fear of death

All Lucretia�s life in Tellus she knew she was different And somehow her subconscious urged that this difference would someday kill her Now Lucretia knew that was true She felt the effects of that from this thread This whole time there was a doom hanging over her Her trembling grew worse If Lucretia encountered the individual who formed this thread of karma

Their power left her dumbfounded Perhaps she would have fled and done her best to hide if this was the Lucretia from a year ago Or an eternity ago as she witnessed thousands of lives flash to life and flicker out while observing Randidly�s Soul Skill But now

Well now she was afraid But she had also learned about power Her eyes glowed lilac as she looked the thread that seemed to tie her together Reaping worked both ways It wasn�t just the person who had created Lucretia that could reap this thread She could do the same to the thread in his chest should she locate him and have an advantage

So what should she do She couldn�t just wait for this to occur But Lucretia also wanted to find Shal She had never never really had the chance to talk with him

To comfort him To touch his shoulder To teach him to hold a spear

To be his mother

Heavy melancholy shook Lucretia but she did her best to ignore it Instead she reached out and felt the threads of karma that she had tied stretching outward from her Tying a thread of karma couldn�t be considered a difficult thing but casual threads would not result in powerful effects Everything is momentum There is no actual substance to karma only movement

It was time to marshal her forces Lucretia�s fingers delicately on several threads to check them After a time she found four that interested her The brightest was the one that led to Randidly If she needed to she could find him at will The business between them it had become messy Just like she had used karma on so many others he used it on her in the past But after that he had continued to sew karma with her until they remained strangely intertwined

When it came to the core of the person no one knew Randidly Ghosthound better than Lucretia Perhaps not in this world specifically but Lucretia understood very well how important he was to the fate of his world Perhaps even the fate of his entire cohort The light gathering around that thread was bewitchingly bright It made her believe that he was here in this world for a reason as well

The dimmest and most plain was her connection to Shal It was less a thread of karma and more the unexciting truth of their intimate connection

The final two threads however Lucretia grinned as she tugged at them They were simply tools

Chapter 642

The man walked calmly across the dusty battleground His chainmail armor was spattered with the juices of deceased Wights There were other people scavenging amongst the remnants of the bodies here but all of them gave him a wide berth After all they had come only after the battle here was won This man had been there during the thick of the fighting From the rumors about him he fought with a manic glee that few could match

And everyone couldn�t help but stare awkwardly at the man�s left arm which was tied behind his back The man didn�t mind the stares after all it was much more annoying to attempt normal life with his left arm twitching constantly Keeping it out of the way when it was not needed was for the best

Ho friend Several spear users wearing the distinctive armor of the Spear School stopped the man I�m afraid you cannot pass for all that we have heard rumor of your exploits The corpse of the Witch King must remain until the Commander has arrived and inspected it However

There were only three of them and they stood with relaxed postures The speaker was midsentence when he was interrupted The man drenched in gore smiled With a certain sick anticipation that made him tremble the man reached behind his back and tugged on the end of the string binding his left arm The binding fell away His left arm grabbed a spear from his back

Several minutes later the man was walking briskly past the grisly bodies that he had left They had been stronger than he had expected and he wasn�t able to stealthily kill them But it really didn�t matter The man was very experienced at hiding himself in this place The Death School was especially convenient for that Their mausoleums and graves were often left undisturbed for years

Pah if I had my old body such a thing would have been simple the soul inside of the man insisted But even to the man�s ear he sounded whiny Your body might have improved but it remains inefficient You can barely execute my Skills

The man ignored the soul and casually tied his left hand to his belt It had seized a chunk of a dead man�s flesh and was now massaging it Hopefully that would keep it entertained for some time Instead of wasting time on his spectral passenger the man continued forward until he arrived at a large crater in the ground There were no other spear users around but the man knew it was not for want of trying the air here simply had a powerful image of death pressed upon it

Even now the dirt filled the man with an unavoidable dread The image burned into this ground oozed power But the man had grown very accustomed to how his body felt over the past year Without fanfare he descended to the body of the Witch King It was not a pretty sight

The body had been about as smashed into the ground as it had been sliced in half So the back part of its flesh had split and the juice of its innards had leaked out The man pulled aside the torn cloak of the Witch King and regarded its true body Like all Wights its frame was scrawny and underwhelming It was a thing of iron and rebar but with no true substance Still the man produced a dagger that glowed blue Instantly a layer of frost began to form on the man and the Witch King

Unwilling to keep the dagger out for any longer than necessary the man reached down and cut out the heart of the Witch King One of the weaknesses of the WIghts was that they didn�t handle rapid changes of temperature well Something about the material they were constructed of destabilized during rapid heats or freezes So it was surprisingly easy to cut into the chest cavity and retrieve the heart

The brain was more difficult but only marginally Then the man stood and sheathed the dagger

It was time to leave

You on your knees A black robed spear user growled at the lip of the hole His eyes were bulging as he gazed down at the man He was one of those rare individuals with a third eye in the middle of his head His skin was brown with strange tattoos over him

Even though he looked very different that third eye was enough to remind the man of a past he would rather not remember It instantly soured his mood

I�d like to kill this one myself The man said softly his eyes glassy with hate

Yes well Don�t get injured or anything foolish I require your services later The soul replied It almost caused the man to chuckle But the man was no longer the type to laugh That part of him had died a year ago

Had it only been a year It was hard to keep track sometimes The man�s memory was stained with blood

As he untied his left arm he tentatively raised it Then he flexed the hand with a pleased expression With his confidence rising the man drew a spear It would be a good day

It had only been a month since Lucretia had returned to Tellus but already her tension was rising rapidly Because as she began slowly moving the threads around her to give her the power she suspected she needed something changed inside of her

It was like something that had long slept in her chest woke up It called her forward It was beckoning It promised peace and rest

That was what scared her so much that Lucretia couldn�t sit still for a second That some instinctive part of her wanted to capitulate to this instinct To let go and allow herself to be driven by this strange impulse

Lucretia was standing in a cave tapping her fingers against a rock along the wall But at that moment she couldn�t stand it anymore and lashed out with her nails Her strike ripped a huge amount of rock off of the wall like it was a styrofoam But even that wasn�t enough She hissed at the debris her hands tightening into fists

Still tense

Lucretia looked up sharply then forced herself to relax Marco I didn�t expect you would be the first to return

Marco Polo flashed his teeth and winked at Lucretia With a deft mental twitch she ripped at the threads binding his soul together Instantly his smug cheer disappeared as Marco went pale

Still Lucretia let up quickly studying Marco Polo Her interaction was actually not with him directly but with Marco�s son Young Holland Polo had allegedly assaulted a daughter of a very prominent Style head As justice gathered around to punish them a desperate Holland had encountered Lucretia and made a deal with him

She would make sure he escaped from this retribution but he needed to work in her debt for 10 years It brought Lucretia a great deal of glee to approach Marco while impersonating a member of the slighted Style and explain what his son had done There was only one way to protect his son Marco needed to take the blame

He was sentenced to 70 years within a prison On a whim Lucretia had Holland serve as a guard in that prison Karma moved in mysterious ways Originally she thought they would find each other and a delightful amount of misery would result At the time Lucretia was so twisted by her fear of death that she delighted in causing others to share her hopelessness

What Lucretia didn�t expect was for Shal to turn up after so many years of being somehow beyond her abilities to detect had arrived at the prison unbidden Imagine her surprise when Shal�s young apprentice a then volatile Randidly became acquaintances with Marco Polo and killed Holland Polo while escaping

Even now Lucretia occasionally considered telling Marco But that was a soft part of herself she had learned while watching so many people struggle in Randidly�s Soul Skill There were so many times while watching that world that she had dearly wished for the power to assist the people growing up inside of Randidly Not that he could be blamed but he was juggling so many plates it was inevitable some fell by the wayside

The people of his Soul Skill were one of those plates

Like what you see Marco said lightly regaining some of his attitude But this time Lucretia did nothing nodding to the next chamber Both of them walked away from the entrance to the cave and scratched wall and went into the room that truly mattered

It was an altar of sorts Several flat stones had been rolled and stacked to form a stone surface about waist height Several complicated runes were carved into the top stone which was wide and completely smooth aside from the scratches But they didn�t glow with power because these runes were based upon the workings of Aether not Mana

Right now they were cold but Lucretia believed she would soon have the necessary pieces to activate them

There were three circular spaces in the runes on the stone altar The leftmost one was occupied with the head of a yeti As soon as she entered the room it glared up at her rolling back and forth The rather typical Mana Engraving that covered the face silenced the yeti and kept it from regenerating but Lucretia hadn�t found a way to prevent it from being able to witness their actions

Not that it mattered It was clearly a lifeform from a higher Cohort one of the few times the System permitted the higher tiered forms to descend to lower Cohorts But besides being a Judgement it didn�t have much ability to inform the System of the transgressors That was reserved for higher Leveled Heretic Paths

With a flourish Marco Polo produced rusted ancient chains Your son is incredibly capable by the way To think he was already at the Pontiff level of strength it is not easy to touch upon the truths of the Spear source

Lucretia grunted noncommittally Her time with Randidly had informed much of her understandings of things in this case she understood what the spear source was and why it was so important to this world The spear source was a series of images that had been separated and now formed the basis of power in this world It likely had something to do with the person who had defeated the first Calamity the Spearman

Once the concentrated images were formed and affected the world it made sense why spears would become so dominant Anything that was similar to those images from the original person would have a slight passive boost What Lucretia didn�t understand was how the images could be so perfectly and completely cut away like that Had the System done it after the first Calamity was defeated

Or

Lucretia looked up abruptly as another person walked into the cave Then she smiled

Chapter 643

Her smile at the newly arrived man wasn�t warm but Lucretia couldn�t deny her satisfaction in the case of this individual Even now that her sharp personality had been mollified somewhat by decompressing inside of Randidly For all that she lost her sharpness she still enjoyed the twisted nature of human emotion

Welcome back Claptrap

Claptrap shrugged at her giving Lucretia a brief pulse of annoyance But the young kid was relatively quiet now Even when Lucretia turned back up in Tellus and compelled him to begin to work for her he seemed to take it completely in stride

Was this the rare teenage angst she had missed in both Shal and Randidly

Either way Claptrap placed the heart and brain of the Witch King onto the table dripping Wight blood across Lucretia�s formation With a cough she waved a hand blew the gunk away with pure force His mission accomplished Lucretia watched as Claptrap crossed the room and crouched in the corner

She frowned at him He was altogether too silent for how broken and haunted his eyes looked If she had more time

But no The fear was back pressing down on her Not only was her body limited by a lifespan which she wasn�t even sure of but also there was this oppressive fatalism that was slowly growing from that dark corner of her brain Lucretia fought and fought against that feeling but still it grew She had even wondered if actual fighting would help so she lashed out at some spear users and some Wights to test her Skills

Nothing changed She needed it to stop

Karma was about symbols With all three pieces present Lucretia began the ceremony Marco the mirror

With a huff Marco Polo carried the large mirror over to the altar Lucretia walked to join him while Claptrap remained in the corner watching with sharp eyes Even now the poisonous emotions roiling off of him tempted Lucretia so badly He had sacrificed so much for her assistance the first time Now that desperation would mean Claptrap would gamble away ten times that much

But no she could not dwell on it If she didn�t address this problem as quickly as possible

The fear in her was irritation Lucretia knew but it was hard to escape it Her time in Randidly was an escape in a way Her lack of substance meant she wasn�t mortal But now Those freedoms she had relished in could be the death of her

Lucretia began with the chains With great care she wrapped the chains around her head and torso The metal was extremely precious and so heavy that even Lucretia had difficulty standing under their weight She spared Marco a glance He had what was perhaps the most difficult mission breaking into the grave of the Spearman which was maintained without a body and retrieve some of the metal stored there The idea was to have a binding weighted with age

In addition it worked well because Lucretia was technically a contemporary of the Spearman She had never met the man but she had heard much about him

Next she took the brain of the Witch King and ate it The meat was chewy and cold but she forced it down Then she squeezed the blood from the heart into a wooden bowl and retrieved a brush from her interspatial ring With great care she began drawing symbols on her body Lucretia�s best guess was that the sense of fatalism emerging inside of herself was related to accomplishing the goal that she had been created for Her role as a Wight hiding amongst Tellites was over She only needed to find out why and who set her to this

After there were three symbols on her hands and feet and one between her eyes Lucretia drank the rest of the blood Instantly the symbols on her body began to tingle

Finally she turned to the head of the Yeti and grabbed it It opened its mouth to roar and a low roar actually came out It was so shocked by the noise that it froze looking at her with a slack jaw Ignoring it Lucretia continued to remove the bindings she had placed upon it Very soon it roared again and the temperature in the cave rapidly dropped It wasn�t overly oppressive because much of its strength had been siphoned to form a weapon for Claptrap But it was still a proud and advanced creature and its images were from a higher plain

You will all pay for this The yeti bellowed Its body began to form and Lucretia tossed it back onto the stone altar Very soon a torso had formed and then arms and finally legs It stood in an explosion of freezing energy

energy which was absorbed by the runes of the stone altar causing them to flicker to life Instantly there was a low humming in the room The strange sonic interference caused the yeti�s face to go blank for several seconds before its expression twisted into a snarl It reached out and raised its hand Power flooded to that hand forming a thick blade of ice

The ambient Aether of the System gathered channeled by the runes on the altar They brightened to almost blinding now Almost helpless the yeti struck out although it seemed to realize at the last second that this was exactly what Lucretia had brought it here for It wasn�t her original plan for the yeti but she no longer believed that escaping to a higher realm would solve the possibility of her death

The humming grew to a roar The yeti had been muted again but this was due to being completely blanketed by the sound of the altar Above Lucretia guessed the clouds would begin swirling as they gathered the already thin Aether in the air to empower the attack from the Yeti The System truly did everything it could to help its Judgements

Quick as lightning the blow fell It struck the chains that Lucretia wore almost as a veil around her face The blood symbols flashed hot and then hotter So hot that Lucretia felt her skin blister and scar The chains shattered There was a whooshing noise as the Judgement imploded from feedback from channeling so much Aether in its body

Lucretia collapsed and look up at the ceiling Her eyes were glowing lavender And she was remembering

Selfia Lucretia gasped feeling pleased in spite of herself

Her one time rival and litter mate Selfia looked sharply up For several seconds Selfia�s eyes were filled with confusion as she looked at Lucretia Honestly Lucretia didn�t blame her She wondered if Selfia even remembered her After she had struggled so hard to free up her pitiful memories of being born in Icklid

Once she had freed them of course several things happened First she remembered how to return to the world of the Wights Second that strange fatalism had grown stronger Lucretia remembered the concept of the Propagator and what that existence meant to her A sense of dread and awe filled her These were the beings that she instinctively remembered she had to fear

Third Lucretia realized she was sure as hell not going to go down quietly If it couldn�t be avoided she would twist until she came out on top

When Lucretia began her journey to return she was shocked to discover that the Ways had been expanded far beyond what they had been previously Therefore it had taken her quite a while to work her way through the new pathways and find a way back to Icklid her birthplace

Icklid the chariot of the Autarch The city that mobilized the Wight populous The tallest heap of shit in a world that festered and spawned rather than grew

The city had been shifted right to the edge of the portal between the worlds It made sense considering how far along the attack on Tellus had progressed That was worrisome Because one of the things that Lucretia remembered was how much Wights used to fear the people of Tellus If things changed perhaps her preparations would be insufficient

She had grown Grown far more and far faster than any had expected probably more than any knew or expected Even the Autarch

Although she had been constructed by the Autarch with the ability to Level she had not utilized it very effectively in the beginning She relied on her innate racial powers largely ignoring the Levels It was only with her encounter with Aemont that she realized their power And perhaps that was why she had been overwhelmed with emotions towards him

Who Selfia said as she jumped to her feet She was likely posted here to watched the private Way utilized by the group of beings that had been designed by the Autarch If Lucretia had simply given in to that fatalism in her head her instincts would have led her here perfectly It was annoying that it had taken her so long consciously to do what would have been simplicity to accomplish by relying on her memory

Chapter 644

Selfia�s alarm departed leaving only confusion in her eyes Lucretia tried to remember how many years she had lived in Tellus So long that this past life seemed nothing but a dream But then Selfia seemed to take in Lucretia�s lavender hair and her eyes widened LUCRETIA

To Lucretia�s surprise Selfia rushed up and engulfed her in a hug Some part of Lucretia softened She had come back cautiously not knowing what to expect when she returned as her instincts dictated

Icklid or really any location controlled by the Wights was not a place where emotion was easily shown They were monsters designed for a singular purpose Although the purpose varied the Propagator�s prided themselves on their efficacy and none more so than the Autarch Often emotions were seen as superfluous

Thank god you are here Selfia gushed Again Lucretia wondered at her previous cautious attitude Would this be simple Or was the casualness of Selfia an indicator that she hadn�t been cautious enough Would the fate this black thread was dragging her towards be unavoidable

Pushing Lucretia back Selfia smiled at her alright I�ve informed the Autarch You are to be brought to him immediately Lucretia he requires your strength now more than ever Your timing couldn�t be any more perfect

Lucretia�s world was plunged into cold water

That was a familiar term that ripped upwards out of her recently reacquired memories There was only one time that a Propagator would require your strength� It was something of a euphemism amongst the Wights They only spoke that way when you were selected for deconstruction You would be reduced to your parts and would then fuel the assembly of a new generation of Wights

I Lucretia began but she couldn�t continue Of all times her body chose now to break down on her Not on a truly physical level but she began to tremble so violently that she could barely stand There were two parts of her mind at the moment One yearning to cease

And another grown independent in the System burning with fear that she would soon die

The Way that Lucretia had utilized brought her right into the compound of the Autarch in the fortified center of Icklid Largely ignoring her shakes Selfia began to drag Lucretia through the halls The strange blue grey metals of the building filled her with a strange sense of helplessness and nostalgia If she had any control over herself at all she would resist and fight back She needed time to double check her preparations

Her Skills Her Class All she had worked for The threads of karma she had woven into Tellus during her long tenure there still remained They strengthened her and gave her power Her budding relationship with Randidly her unmade connection with Shal her life witnessing so many tiny lives in Randidly�s Soul Skill Did this really mean that all her connections would cease Would anyone remember her

Karma was something that could only be formed by two existences that came into contact with each other in some way or another They were by far her most valuable strength They were what made her HER She was the Eternal Witch She was she was more than a fucking machine that had fulfilled its role and was now returning for parts

Lucretia dug her heels into the ground and Selfia stumbled as she tried to continue to pull her Selfia turned around with a twisted expression You dare keep the Autarch waiting I should

Quiet child Lucretia hissed Immediately Selfia paled as a dangerous aura swirled outward from Lucretia This is what she feared The powerlessness The sense of helplessness Was it so easy to have that fear grow after her adopted parents on Tellus died because she already knew subconsciously how she was being controlled

It was something that Randidly would dwell on for sure He deeply cared about feeling in control of himself which was one way that he was very similar to Lucretia But Lucretia didn�t fight it on a principled level as Randidly did No Lucretia was just afraid

Afraid of the other half of herself that was born here After all that part of her insisted that this was the Autarch He would undoubtedly have the ability to preserve her strength and use her to improve the Wights His understanding of her exceeded all others He was the architect of the entire species Rumor had it that the Wights had been a meaningless rabble before the Autarch had ascended to become the completely transcendent being that he was It was by his hand that they could progress so far

She was one of his first creations and the finest From that alone

And in the face of the fact that they had captured the spear source

Dammit but if she was deconstructed

Shal

Come

A voice seemed to flow out of the walls and into her legs and feet It took several seconds for Lucretia to notice that she was moving without even intending to That did very little to ease her growing fears Soon the panic and loneliness that animated Lucretia in her darkest hours had emerged from within her All that healing that had occurred inside of Randidly fell away Mentally she flailed around when confronted with her fear

Her inner self reached and it found her old tools Cruelty Viciousness Hatred Manipulation They fit easily into her hands They had a reassuring coldness to them Very soon the trembling that had continued since Lucretia had arrived in this place ceased

The hallways blurred and before she knew it Selfia had brought Lucretia to a door guarded by two of the powerful elite called Witch Kings by the people of Tellus The two opened the door and Lucretia stepped reflexively through with an amused smile as she looked at the guards If people knew that these Witch Kings were just the normal Wights created by the Autarch and not any of the lesser Propagators

Well perhaps they did After all Shal was able to kill one rather easily if the stories were to be believed

Suddenly Lucretia felt a flash of wistfulness Perhaps she should have visited Shal before she had addressed this issue But she was so afraid and she didn�t want him to become involved If she would endanger him again

Good luck Selfia said cheerily and the door closed behind Lucretia with a click Hopefully coming here didn�t mean she had to pay with her life

The room was sparsely decorated the Autarch was not an ostentatious individual In fact the only real furniture was a long metal coat rack that was stuck into the floor at the center of the room Hanging from it was the Autarch�s cloak It was a lush thing of black fur sleek and powerful looking It seemed that strange colors hid in the fur and oftentimes it seemed to glow when viewed out of the corner of your eye Lucretia didn�t doubt from the right angles rainbows refracted from that fur

Lucretia had never seen the Autarch wearing the cloak but it was rumored that he would wear it when he moved for war and not a minute before Lucretia believed it It was an object that stank of death

The Autarch was standing over the body of a Wight idly staring at it Even when she entered he didn�t seem to notice just continued to study the Wight Lucretia calmed her beating heart and did her best not to make a sound Freezing calmness spread as Lucretia gripped her cruelty and fear tighter and tighter

Flawless The Autarch whispered waving a hand Immediately the spark of light flowed into the Wight and a Witch King stood its eyes piercingly bright The Autarch waved his hand again and the Witch King shattered into nothing The bits of bone and metal clattered on the ground

The Autarch turned and faced her His expression was distant and tired Beckoning he said Come

Her body obeyed before her mind registered what was going on It was only right beyond his reach that Lucretia managed to stop herself And part of that was because she looked at the Autarch She truly looked at him

He looked old His back was somewhat bent and the hair streaming down his back was a pale grey His bushy eyebrows covered sharp eyes but his face was a maze of wrinkles He was not infallible He could die like they all could Just like she would Perhaps hope was not truly lost In her mind the dark numbness continued to spread outwards

Chapter 645

Sir I think I shouldn�t be deconstructed

This made the Autarch pause Immediately the strange instinctual compulsion to approach him disappeared Thoughtfully he regarded her and cracked his knuckles Only after he had cracked every single finger did he speak And then it was only a single word Why

I I believe that my karmic abilities can be extremely valuable to the Wights Lucretia said slowly Inwardly she began feeling the rapidly growing pool of Aether in herself as she pulled more and more from Randidly Unlike him she would suffer rather dangerous repercussions if she let it remain unused for too long But somehow Lucretia didn�t believe that the peace would remain for much longer If I am deconstructed that would be an asset against the people of Tellus that you would no longer

Bah it is of no importance The Wights will live and die no matter what you do The Autarch sighed But then he turned back to Lucretia and squinted at her However I cannot deny that I have sensed something about you that was beyond my understanding To escape my gaze for so long well very few things have done it By all means please demonstrate your karmic abilities Perhaps there is some hope for your life should your methods prove novel

Lucretia�s lavender eyes flashed but she maintained a strong control over her expression It was not the time to allow him to see through her plan even as the Autarch gave her the perfect excuse His age seemed to hang over him like a weight He looked at her with cold eyes as he raised a hand and beckoned her

Instantly that part of Lucretia that was so ready to die revitalized itself and urged her to unleash her most impressive Skill She allowed a small smile to herself as she gathered the Aether and karma into her hand Don�t blame me if the demonstration proves deadly �

Lucretia didn�t have a lot of time to prepare as her instincts were slowly shutting down her ability to think of anything aside from returning to the Autarch once she recalled him Combine that with the great fear monster that had rooted itself in her heart and Lucretia could sit still for a very short amount of time

But there weren�t many things that she needed to prepare All of the elements were already present Lucretia dearly owed the Autarch for all that he had done for her it was time to repay that debt

With a flourish Lucretia removed the dagger that had been fashioned out of the Judgement Even now after studying it for two months she couldn�t make perfect sense of the capabilities it possessed Not only did the Skill Level seem high but the Skill itself seemed to be constructed at a higher tier The frost it exuded invalidated every defensive Skill that Lucretia had tried it again For all you�ve done for me Autarch here is my greatest attack

Of all thing the Autarch snorted and gestured as if to hurry Lucretia up Her face twisted with a vicious fury and with her Aether empowered hands she seized the powerful black thread that connected the two of them and she heaved upon it The Autarch trembled

But where one object slowly drew towards Lucretia she also threw the powerful dagger towards the Autarch The two objects were connected as though on a chain and the thread began to flow much more rapidly towards her as the dagger approached the Autarch

The Autarch�s eyes widened as he watched the dagger approach It seemed some part of him finally recognized how dangerous a situation this was He held up his hand which began to glow golden with compressed power This was Lucretia�s great worry none of her memories covered whether or not the Autarch himself could fight She did remember that the regular Propagators were rather weak when not surrounded by their dolls but this was THE Propagator This was the Autarch the first who created the rest

But as soon as the streaking dagger struck the Autarch Lucretia felt a flash of relief The attack drove the Autarch backward He hissed in fury but he couldn�t stop the unyielding momentum of that dagger empowered by Skills from another Cohort

More and more rapidly the threads of fate flowed towards Lucretia As she gathered them she sensed something changing within herself Even now the Autarch maintained some control of her that she couldn�t escape It was an influence at the level of her blood and hair But now that she was gaining this karma

Donngg

The thread halted abruptly causing Lucretia to twist her mouth and pain Some of the mental energy she was expending to gather the thread was shattered by that noise making her cross eyed Cursing silently Lucretia refocused trying to understand what was going on

well you have proven me wrong That certainly was a surprise It was not your karmic abilities of course but to think you had managed to refine such a dangerous weapon The Autarch muttered to himself as he stepped around the coat rack in the middle of the floor The attack of the dagger had pushed him easily back over the ground until the Autarch had been able to dodge behind the coat rack and allow the attack to land

A small amount of material was chipped out of the coat rack but Lucretia�s attack was stopped dead Without the momentum the Autarch�s mental strength was such a higher level than hers that she couldn�t forcefully draw in that thread Even as the Autarch picked up the dagger which had dropped to the floor the black thread of karma began to flow inexorably back towards him

Without any other option Lucretia marshaled that sea of Aether she had been stockpiling and turned her glare on the Autarch Did he truly wish to feel the wrath of her karma Fine then She pulled lightly on her connection to Randidly strengthening their similarity Then she used the move that had made her deathly afraid of the Ghosthound�s future accomplishments

Erode Image

Randidly�s Skill Level wasn�t high and using it through their connection didn�t have the same sharp effect that it usually would have but Lucretia didn�t need sharp in this case Sharp had already failed What she wanted now was enough pure force to stun the Autarch and allow her to seize more of the karma in their relationship

Fueled by the sea of Aether the Skill smashed forward with enough momentum to stun even the most stalwart of images

and it passed right through the Autarch without even stopping It was like he wasn�t even there It was as if

The blood drained out of Lucretia�s face as she stared at the Autarch�s ancient face Those wrinkles scrunched up into thousands of tiny mazes and the man began to laugh It was like he wasn�t using images at all

How Lucretia began but she had no idea how to complete her sentence

More self control than a bug like you would ever understand the Autarch said and now that the brief amusement passed he looked ancient once more His eyes were flinty and dark as he considered Lucretia still the dagger is interesting I will take it as proof you have exceeded my expectations That hasn�t happened for a long time But it matters little The stars are aligning A small advantage now won�t be enough

Fear That cut into Lucretia�s heart like a grizzly bear crashing into a shop front But butt She attempted to speak but her mouth couldn�t keep up with her Her inner workings were slowly turning feral and she couldn�t maintain her civil veneer But the fucking war

Tellus The Wights Naught but words to placate the foolish I have waited too long for this and now we finally have a chance No what we need is not this strange power you have brought from another Cohort but your body To finally free me from this prison Break for me

Lucretia shattered in body and mind into a thousand pieces Parts of her felt nothing as they become naught but contextless pictures like polaroids spiraling away from a house that was burning down But other parts of her screaming furiously vehemently After everything After it all She had ended just like this Her last strength seized upon hatred and fear and those tools came easily into her grip She raised them even as she was just the remaining spirit as her existence collapsed

Was death truly this simple There was great power and karma in transitions

Upon the black thread that linked the two of them Lucretia used her remaining flakes of Aether to weave a curse that would haunt and weaken this man to his dying day As if sensing this the Autarch smiled and shook his head The curse that Lucretia had made unraveled like nightmares in daylight Her hatred and fear were spent and her hands began to unravel as well

Chapter 646

In her gaze the condescending face of the Autarch was all that remained Her body was dust her personality was collapsing inward Memories flew away like flighty sparrows Would she never see Shal again Was she wrong to visit Icklid before seeking out Shal

Who was Shal

Her son

Her one love

She needed strength

Her consciousness began to disperse as it forgot itself without the vessel to hold it together Desperate Lucretia reached out and touched those karmic bindings that she was so proud of They too were slowly fading into nothing as she ceased to exist All except a strange black thread that seemed to curl around her like a boa constrictor Her thoughts became sluggish and tired They seemed to slow to nothing

But she felt need More keenly than ever before It was a strange feeling one that she had never had before so purely It was so brilliant and demanding that the fear was blown away from her That reckless desire brought her a brief flash of joy the likes of which she hadn�t experienced in quite some time Not since she had been with Aemont and had Shal that changed her life

That need rose and spun out of the Aether in her chest A male figure seemed to form wiry and intense His hand touched upon her shoulder and Lucretia�s dwindling consciousness felt a sliver of warmth Her time with Randidly had taught her that a strong enough image and an implacable will would not change the world but they would let her survive until she found the means to seize the Path to lead toward that dearly held wish in her chest

As Lucretia understood what she wanted a strange thought struck her Did Randidly know the true wish he held in his chest Based on how he was acting it was clear he didn�t

Her thoughts wandered The golden karmic threads drifted downwards like spider silk that had lost its mooring

Lucretia reached She needed another chance another life another body Because what she wanted more than anything else

It was a mistake to give in to fear and make up excuses to stay away For her entire life on Tellus Lucretia had hurt and taken ostensibly to live forever To escape the horror in her chest that was left after her parents died to the Calamity But It was not fear that haunted her it was loneliness She was left alone

In her chest was a small girl that swore never again and gathered wicked power to harden her heart with hatred It was the foolish plan of a child

What Lucretia wanted was simply to feel connected to have a home to go back to To have a family To see Shal

Her thoughts grasped onto the thickest golden thread of karma that was attached to her Even now it was steady and warm As her consciousness faded she could feel her strength growing The shrill screams of a child filled her ears It reminded her of Shal She smiled or tried to but she was naught but a memory at that point

And in the next moment Lucretia the individual disappeared from Icklid leaving only a pile of flesh and images and experiences that the Autarch began to shape with his hands

Far away the spirit of the woman Lucretia settled into a body separated from her home by dimensions In this strange dimension Lucretia opened her mouth wide and screamed

Aw love she�s beautiful just like you A warm voice spoke above Lucretia Lucretia rolled her head back to look at the speaker but her head was too heavy and lolled helplessly sideways Annoyed she opened her mouth and cried out again

Already Lucretia was feeling a headache settling in Could babies give migraines to themselves That was a scary thought Was she really a baby Her body certainly was strange and chubby enough for it

Ah Halt that�s sweet of you to say But we both know that things would be easier for the child if she was

Nonsense The first voice cut across firmly You are perfect Massy Just like our daughter

Lucretia squirmed as best she could but her arms weren�t obeying her instructions There was too much information coming from too many raw nerves and only barely did Lucretia suppress her urge to open her mouth and scream again They were in a dimly lit room It seemed to be made of dirt or stone and the only light came from a candle on the table

Lucretia was held by the second speaker a woman in her arms The woman was laying on a bed propped up on several sacks that seemed to be stuffed with goose feathers The first speaker Halt was standing over the two of them

Halt hesitated My serving shift will start soon I would prefer not to leave but

With me like this we have no choice I know Go Halt Stay nimble Massy said with a nod

Halt went to the door but then stopped and looked over his shoulder at Massy Before I go can I hear our daughter�s name

The corners of Massy�s mouth turned upwards as she gazed with affection at Halt Creta Our daughter will be Creta

In the beginning there was nothing The monk said sitting on the raised dais above the crowd But in that emptiness their existed three siblings Houn Styx and Creta Styx was the oldest brother and believed that everything was fine how it should be The emptiness and the siblings were all that needed to be Creta was the middle sister and loved her two brothers more than anything else in the world

The youngest brother was named Houn and he was unsatisfied There was an ache in his hands as he looked in the emptiness In his heart he knew that there could be more than this There SHOULD be more than this For several millennia he abided by Styx�s wishes and refrained from acting But there came a point where he could resist the urge no longer Houn reached out his left hand and smote the nothingness and created stars He stretched out his right hand and clenched it into a fist creating the world His two eyes spread apart to view his new toy and rotated around to view the planet in its entirety forming the moon and sun He became the Progenitor by whose hand we were born

His breath fell on the world forming the wind and the rain Houn poured out half his soul creating a thousand small lives They awakened almost from a slumber and joined in the worship of Houn For a long time the world grew prosperous on the breath of Houn

But then Styx discovered what Houn had done Furious and jealous that his precious brother valued these small lives so Styx used his might to curse the creations of Houn that they might be made but they would always return to the dust that had birthed them So was the world doomed or so Styx believed

Houn believed it too He saw the curse afflict his people and sighed deeply Although he kept his hands as the stars and planet and his eyes as the sun and moon the distraught Houn pulled away and fled deep into the abyss leaving the planet He couldn�t bear to watch his creation be destroyed by his brother and fled

The monk bowed his head as did everyone else in the congregation After a few seconds of silence for the emotions of a god the monk raised his gaze once more It was then that Creta found that despite Styx�s trick on Houn that the small lives continued to struggle Although they would each die they possessed to grow more lives and used their brief time on the planet to make it a better place for the next generation In this way life on the First Planet prospered

But soon Styx discovered that his curse was foiled by these inferior beings and was filled with wrath He slit his wrists letting his blood spill until he was naught by skin and bones So the Abyssal Sea was formed and its waters rushed to engulf the world With his bones Styx made a thousand tiny automatons ones far beyond the ken of even the most blessed Spriggit and they marched to the world to end life there

Immediately upon discovering Styx� plot Creta flew into the abyss searching for Houn He was without his left and right hand without his eyes and without his breath all having been left to nurture the lives he had made But he still possessed his heart and Creta followed the trail of tears to find Houn in the deep emptiness

Houn � Creta said upon finding her brother Your people yet live and Styx moves to return them back to dust You must speak to your brother and explain you aren�t attempting to replace him You must � But then she stopped speaking with a gasp Houn simply smiled at her His mouth was crooked but his expression was sad

He had no breath He could not say anything to his brother any longer The very breath that he could use to reason with his dangerous brother was needed by his people to remain alive

Houn stood and began to rush back towards the small world he had made Creta attempted to keep up but she didn�t know the deep emptiness like Houn and was very quickly left behind She extended a hand shouting for help but Houn smiled at her again His hands were gone and his people needed him He could not help her

Everyone bowed their heads once more Lucretia frowned sourly in her tight woolen blanket If her mother wouldn�t jostle her around so much during these bows that would be ideal The monk raised his head and spoke once more

What occurred then was the great war in which our ancestors fought The jealous Styx attempted to destroy us but Houn returned in time to give us his fury and his honor forming the weapons the Chosen One used to defeat the bones of Styx

Still the battle was so devastating that the blood of Styx the Abyssal Sea had time to surge up and attempt to drown the world But at the last moment Creta arrived She cried red tears to see her brothers at each other�s throats like this and she transformed herself into a giant tree The tree gathered the pieces of the shattered world as best it could and raised the seven lands above the reach of the Abyssal Sea So this world was formed and so we give worship to the Progenitor Houn and to the sister that sacrificed everything for her brother�s fault Creta And we remember Styx so that we are never controlled by our darker impulses or misunderstandings So it is

So it is The congregation rumbled in answer Lucretia rolled her eyes For the thousandth time since realizing where she was Lucretia said a prayer to Randidly

Get the fuck down here and save me

There was no answer Of course there wasn�t he barely paid any attention to this place So Lucretia began to plan How did one grab the attention of a god

Chapter 647

Silo kept his mouth shut once the group had gotten into the small canoe after the fight with the Propagator His instincts screamed for him to encourage the others He had thought himself the leader of this team and therefore it was his role

It took quite a lot of time with these other three individuals but Silo could now only helplessly admit that he was not the leader of this team And he could not find it in himself to say even a single positive thing

Half of their number was slaughtered after they encountered the Propagator and its puppets Platton seemed to be barely managing to continue paddling their canoe and Randidly was white faced and breathing heavily What made it worse was that both of these individuals had accomplished more than he Silo

Against the puppet Silo found his Skills insufficient He wasn�t fast enough skillful enough or strong enough to keep the puppet at bay Platton was forced to move to him to assist Silo and in that time the Propagator had launched an attack on Randidly Only through the timely intervention of Sergeant Platton and Azriel could the group manage to escape

But would Randidly even make it to shore

That thought was a cold stone weight in the pit of Silo�s stomach These people their strength was so much more than he expected Even Skarch had cleared a huge hole for the remainder of them to escape through Randidly for all that he was heavily injured had knocked the Propagator�s puppet to the ground The amount of power that he must have used left Silo chilled

It made Silo wonder painful thoughts The small ring given to him by his elders throbbed uncomfortably He was supposed to be the chosen one Although it would take great sacrifice he was supposed to be able to use the strength trapped in the ring in order to turn the tide of the war against the Wights He would be

a hero

Was that even close to being true

Was any of this worth it Maybe the fundamental material of himself was insufficient Perhaps the strange image bleed that weakened him was not a usual result and what was happening was that Silo was failing because his elders had misjudged him His lofty bright goals and protecting Tellus were collapsing and Silo was too desperate and selfish to voice his troubles

Silo�s hands tightened into fists It was a long and silent ride back to Southpoint Beach

Randidly groaned as he eased himself onto the operating table The surgeon if he could be called that was a skeletally thin man with a third eye in his forehead He simply laid his hands on Randidly and closed his eyes and within a second turned to speak to Randidly with a frown

Well whatever Skill you used to forcefully close your wounds was incredibly effective But your body is riddled with something foreign If you can use the Skill again I would say the best bet is to remove it

Yes Randidly hissed gripping the table as the strange crystal shards in his body vibrated against the bones of his ribcage His Health barely decreased but it was incredibly uncomfortable Cut it out of me doc

Doc My name is Franz I have told you so many times The surgeon trailed off into mutters as Randidly waved his hand indicating how much he cared right now

The group had made it back to Southpoint Beach which was a much busier place than when Randidly�s group had left the beach a month ago It seemed that more and more supplies and personnel were flowing to attack the Southern Domain through Southpoint Beach and as such it was quite a bit more difficult to find who exactly they were supposed to report to

Sergeant Platton apologized and recommended that Randidly and Silo go to the medic tent for what little help they could give Health Potions were a rare commodity these days as the materials to make them slowly died out across Tellus The look in Platton�s eyes as he looked at Randidly let him know what he believed Randidly�s chances of survival were

Or perhaps survival was not the issue but being able to fight was It seemed Platton believed that Randidly�s fighting days were done As they pulled in to the harbor at Southpoint he spoke at length about options for soldiers back from the front

But to be fair the ride back from the fight was agony for Randidly for two reasons The first of which was the crystals stuck inside of his body It seemed obvious now but when you fought against enemies with ballistic projectiles leaving the bullet in the body was not a good idea Not that Randidly had much time to think about healing over the crystals that ripped through him they had cut off a third of his Health all at once and his main focus was slowing the speed his Health was decreasing due to the bleeding

Still there was a larger problem that Randidly had to deal with as he lay at the bottom of the boat There was a strange corrosive property that had affected himself Silo and Azriel For all that Randidly couldn�t stand Silo he wasn�t just gonna let that strange poison kill him

Focusing intently their 9 hour boat ride back to Southpoint Beach was just enough to cleanse them all of that strange power It left Randidly somewhat shaken and impressed by Sergeant Platton Whatever Skill that was it was a bitch to get rid of Rather than overcoming it physically Randidly found the only option he had was cleansing them by using Aether to blast the weird particles away

What was most disturbing was that he had gained 10 Skill Levels in System Interference due to that activity

Skarch Azriel and the survivors from Platton�s original squad had gone to find a roof for their weary legs Silo muttered something about being fine and wandered off into the cliffs nearby

Which left Randidly alone in the medical tent with the muttering surgeon Closing his eyes Randidly focused on the Skill Levels he had gained in the fight to ignore the intermittent vibrations from the crystals in his body

The biggest gain was in System Interference but Randidly also saw some growth in his relatively stagnant Wild Phantom�s Embrace and Combat Proficiency Due to their high Level increasing those Skills was difficult and always a cause for celebration Aside from those Randidly also continued to improve his new As Shadows Depart Fireflies Dance and Absolute Timing Both gave him a slight edge in the fight against the puppet that he had relied on to survive

In total Randidly had gained 67 PP which he funneled into Growth of Yggdrasil After quite a long wait he had finally finished the Path and the long awaited completion notification gave him a few moments distraction from the surgeon prodding him to see what sort of razors could cut his skin

Congratulations You have finished the Path Growth of Yggdrasil II It is not enough for the greatest tree to be planted it is another thing entirely for it to grow to maturity Only when its branches spread wide enough to cover the world will its true might be obvious You have not arrived at this point yet but do not worry your power has grown immensely +100 Vitality and Resistance As the tree growing in your heart is no longer a sapling gain an additional 2 free Stat points per Level

Your Skills have grown to fruition All Skills relating to Yggdrasil have been joined in the Skillset Yggdrasil the Tree of Upheaval The images of the Skills have bled into each other Due to synergy gaining Levels in the Skillset will become slightly easier In addition all Skills in the Skillset grow by 10 Levels

Your Skills are nearing the point where their rarity may shift

Randidly grinned through the pain of having someone digging around through his insides and focused on preventing Yyrwood Body of Yggdrasil from triggering Of the benefits he had obtained from completing the Path he was slightly torn between which was the most important For the future the ease in Leveling up might end up being the most useful but right now Randidly was somewhat stunned that he had been awarded with an impressive 100 Vitality and Resistance All at once Vitality jumped up to being one of his highest Stats

But he also didn�t overlook the 10 Skill Levels each for the new Skillset In total that was 70 free PP and most of those Skills were above Level 100 which meant they were not easy to raise It was a big boost to his abilities

Although he wasn�t sure of the details he probably also obtained some more slots for Skills as the System only counts Skillsets as a single Skill

The only problem with the finishing of the Path when Randidly checked his available paths out of curiosity one sitting there infuriated him

Growth of Yggdrasil III 0/2000

Chapter 648

Fucking 2000 Randidly bellowed

The surgeon patted his shoulder absently Worry not the larger pieces are already removed This would be easier if you could lower your natural toughness eh Just how high is your Endurance anyway

Randidly didn�t bother to answer him as his monologue turned inward 2000 PP was an almost impossible number He had come a long way of course from the days where he had Paths for 25 or 50 PP And Randidly�s ability to gather PP had vastly grown so the difference wasn�t too intimidating But to jump all the way up to 2000

That was only a little less than the amount of PP he had spent so far since gaining the Soul Skill Seven Lands of the Spectral Tree Theoretically if he spent time learning meaningless Skills with his freed up slots and grinding them up to 50 or 60 he would have a lot of that filled up but

Randidly didn�t have time for that Since the System arrived it had largely been him turning his attention from one threat to the next As such it was extremely difficult to imagine that he would be able to gather enough free time to grind up less useful Skills

Aside from the big Path Randidly had a few other options to choose from some of which he had available for a long time

Heretic XXVIII 0/ Nexus Traveler Cohort 5 0/50 Experimenter I 0/50 The Fighting Proficiency III 0/ System Transgressor 0/1 Steps of the Godling II Path 0/200 Friend to Humanity 0/100 War Leader 0/200 Path of the Patron 0/500 Metallurgist 0/300 Advanced Mana Engraving 0/400 Aether Convergence II Perfect Soul Bond 0/1000 the Bell of Doom Tolls 0/600 Chosen of Ash 0/200 Growth of Yggdrasil III 0/2000

But of them all Randidly instantly chose Chosen of Ash The strange accident that happened earlier during his time on Tellus as he investigated Ashes to Ashes made Randidly keen on figuring that out as soon as possible lest it end up being an issue That piercing headache he had in the wake of using that Skill still haunted him

The first batch of 70 PP he dumped into the Skill which he earned from the growth of the Yggdrasil Skills earned Randidly nothing His mood immediately turned depressed So it was with the Patron of Ash No matter what Randidly sacrificed for him what he received in return was somewhat underwhelming

With a wince Randidly straightened from the operating table It was an effort of will to prevent the blood that Randidly had shed on the table and the surrounding area from hissing and eating through the material of the triage center The damage would be significant and some questions might be asked So he did his best to gather his blood back on his skin as best he could as the doctor scribbled away on his notepad

That healing Skill of yours it�s very useful The surgeon announced Most of my patients these days die during procedures like this

Randidly didn�t say much as he thanked the man and fled from the hospital

Sergeant Platton clenched his hands into fists The Lieutenant in front of him sighed dramatically and then waved his hand

Look Platton you have been rumor mongering your entire career What do you expect That you somehow discovered a conspiracy to bring an actual Propagator which some believe are simply myths into Tellus And you somehow fought it and escaped

Yes Sergeant Platton growled his eyes glowing red as he glared at the Lieutenant But all the ill will that Platton managed to concentrate and shoot at the man seemed completely ineffective against his condescending smile

Well perhaps I should defer to my peers I am only a Lieutenant after all What say you

Sergeant Platton was speaking before a tribunal of five It had been difficult to get even this much as all the activity going on at Southpoint Beach increased But what was largely infuriating to Platton was that a Lieutenant was selected as head of the tribunal The other members of the report committee were Captains

Although this particular Lieutenant was adjunct to a Colonel technically Sergeant Platton outranked him The ranks when Sergeant Captain Colonel Field Marshall and Auroch The highest in command at Southpoint Beach was Colonel Euthna to which this Lieutenant was subordinate It was due to that relationship that these Captains had the impulse to fawn over the man

Not that Colonel Euthna was the type to accept that sort of behavior She was from the Central Domain�s elite but she had fought on the front lines for years She was a practical no nonsense woman But she had a family that had fallen on hard times so she had conceded to having several less than stellar Lieutenants

And when shit arrived flies gathered around it

There were mutters from the Captains of agreement The Lieutenant gave Sergeant Platton an expectant smile There was pity there but also smugness Well then there you have it Your story is without merit Sergeant Platton and therefore I can�t waste the good Colonel�s time with this In fact

After a pause the Lieutenant�s face changed as though something just occurred to him In fact perhaps you just don�t understand the seriousness of your foolishness Platton No I cannot condone such reckless lies The Colonel would be aghast to learn of that We need to set an example this command structure will not stand for your lies As such we the tribunal will have to punish

You aren�t a Tribunal Lieutenant Sergeant Platton bellowed with flashing eyes This is a debriefing I am simply reporting

And I am telling you the Lieutenant cut across his face twisted in annoyance It was clear to Sergeant Platton that these fools around him never challenged him or spoke over him That I sentence you

But then a sharp voice cut across all their attention

All hands battlestations Prepare for assault We are being attacked The voice was almost a low rumble Sergeant Platton had heard rumors about Colonel Euthna�s powerful command abilities but this was the first time he had felt them It was almost as if the Colonel could speak and the entire army heard I repeat prepare for assault It appears a Propagator has come to Southpoint Beach

The Lieutenant seemed to deflate like a rotten tomato

Sergeant Platton didn�t bother to deal with the Lieutenant as he left the report tent and looked around the kicked beehive that was the camp Men and women holding spears were running to and fro yelling and shouting at each other A few carried some of the new tower shields that were being shipped to the front lines to keep the Psychic Poison off of the fighters

It wouldn�t be enough This place was a glorified supply depot It was not made to withstand an attack And it couldn�t be denied that the spear users of Tellus were much better at attacking than they were at defending points Likely Colonel Euthna knew that If at all possible she wouldn�t have their forces turn to fight against the Wights without fortifications

Which meant that the attack was imminent Sergeant Platton swore as a strange notion struck him Did the Propagator follow them back

Instantly he sprang into action Including those two that survived their penetration into enemy lines Platton had another 10 people underneath him He sent messages detailing where they should meet and sought out his other four charges the representatives from the tournament They were waiting for him with their spears in hand ready to fight

Well Randidly Skarch and Azriel were there Silo was nowhere to be seen

Do we know where Silo is Sergeant Platton asked The three looked at each other and shrugged

If he wanted to be found he would have shown up Azriel said shortly The other seemed to agree

Sergeant Platton sighed and looked over Randidly and Azriel more closely Even now he had no doubt that his Skill was slowly eating at them It might even be in such a small way that they wouldn�t notice for a while A week a month but the System Rarity Skill would eventually catch up to them Should he tell them

But no he recognized the determination in their eyes They would fight no matter what If they wouldn�t slow down then all Sergeant Platton could do is put them in a situation where they could make the best of their remaining time

Alright then Sergeant Platton grunted Let�s make the Wights bleed for every inch of land they try and take

Chapter 649

It was supposed to be so easy Naffur Suite reflected He was shaking

In order to pay off his debts he had taken a job for the Haveheights to help rob the Manhattan Building During the monthly Lottery where a lucky few would get the chance to audition before the elites of the Orchard he would slip away from the action and cause a distraction for the guards The Haveheights who were waiting outside would use that time to attack the bank and steal enough money that Naffur wouldn�t need to worry about his gambling problem

Everything had been going fine Then Naffur had gone downstairs and found a man dead and a temporary portal already set up He had punched a woman and from the reverberations through his fist probably broke her jaw A man had fired a plasma weapon at him

Ding

The elevator reached the upper floors and the doors slid open A few of the people who were gathered for the Lottery gave Naffur a casual glance and then generally looked at him again with sharper eyes

Ah I�m still wearing the mask � Naffur thought Just as he brought his trembling hands up to remove the mask the floor in front of him erupted in a plume of plasma Four figures leaped up from the floor below to the penthouse each with a plasma rifle and a power suit

Screams cut through the previously peaceful penthouse ballroom and the few spars that were occurring froze as they gazed wide eyed at the new arrivals

Everyone stay still and there will be no problems The tallest of the four arrivals said He was standing with a green visor obscuring most of his face Bring us Senator Firefly and the rest of you can go free He needs to pay for his crimes

Before the leader even started to speak Naffur felt his instincts kick into overdrive once more He scrambled back towards the elevator but there was a burst of plasma there too A wave of force exploded outward from the elevator shaft and knocked Naffur off his feet He crashed to the ground as his body twisted in an agonizing position With a cold snort the man that had been with the woman Naffur had punched pulled himself out of the elevator and scanned around

Seeing Naffur he sneered and then ignored him

Congratulations Your Skill Feign Injury is now Level 51

Once more the reminder of the type of Skills that Naffur possessed filled him with a sense of helpless frustration He wasn�t a coward He was

If you don�t cooperate we aren�t afraid to resort to force The leader said giving a meaningful look to the hopeful poor populace of the Orchard The plasma rifle in his hand was heavy and smoking The powerarmor he was wearing was clearly top of the line

But Naffur

His hands trembled as he quietly got to his feet

Congratulations Your Skill Skulking is now Level 45

Naffur might not be a hero But right now he wasn�t himself All that he had to do was channel the Ghosthound on the cheap mask he was wearing The eye flashed emerald as he closed the distance to the man who sneered and walked past him With his Skulking Skill Naffur didn�t make a sound as he approached He was still some distance from his fellows and was beginning to walk around the hole that they had made to leap up to this floor

Naffur used Intrepid Hammer and smashed his fist directly into the critical machinery for the power armor on the small of the man�s back

Congratulations Your Skill Intrepid Hammer is now Level 3

Congratulations Your Skill Intrepid Hammer is now Level 4

Congratulations Your Skill Intrepid Hammer is now Level 5

Congratulations Your Skill Ambush is now Level 36

Congratulations Your Skill Cheap Shot is now Level 41

The man squawked awkwardly as he was taken by an almost overwhelming force in the small of his back Naffur�s hand immediately throbbed painfully as he effectively had punched steel as hard as he could But he had cracked the machinery and sent the man flying forward

To Naffur�s chagrin he knocked the man into another one of the terrorist compatriots knocking them both to the ground The leader abruptly cut off in the middle of his demands and twisted around to look at what the cause of the commotion was Everyone stared silently as the two terrorists were brought to their knees by a single blow All eyes at that moment were locked onto the masked Naffur

Like a rabbit Naffur bolted for the hole in the floor to get out of the line of fire cursing himself for getting carried away by the moment there

With a roar the leader twisted around and brought his plasma rifle to bear on Naffur who was already slipping through the hole into the floor below Out of the corner of his eye Naffur saw the blue white bolt of plasma rushing towards him and squished his eyes shut

If he died like this in front of Mareen

Naffur�s eyes sprung open and he flailed wildly to seize the edge of the hole He couldn�t just run away if she was up here alone with these mad men

Sizz

Naffur Suite�s grab had pulled him abruptly sideways as he changed his mind and scrambled back up to the penthouse floor but the plasma still ripped past him clipping his right hand His thumb was ripped away in a flash of heat and pain Thoughts of rescuing Mareen were forgotten as Naffur howled and let go of the edge of the floor to cradle his burnt hand He hit the ground hard knocking the wind out of himself

Tears were in Naffur�s eyes as he heard the leader�s shout above Fuck Screw it live fire boys Dank take out that crazy fool below

Got it

There was a crash as a heavy body likely weighed down with power armor dropped back to the lower floor near Naffur Right in front of his tear choked eyes thin cracks ran through the floor Although the materials in the post System world were relatively stronger than they had been in the past the demands put on them grew much more quickly than the building materials could keep up

Heavy footsteps accelerated towards Naffur who bit his lip and sprung to his feet Oh no the floor it collapsing

Almost in spite of himself the oncoming attacker who was a veritable freight train in terms of momentum and weight looked down at the floor

Congratulations Your Skill Deceitful Words is now Level 34

By the time that Dank realized that the floor was holding relatively well and looked back up Naffur had fled around the corner The hole in the floor was probably twenty meters away from the elevators and a little to the right just around the corner from the hallway in front of the elevators So Naffur dashed to the nearest cover the corner to that hallway

As soon as he ran around that corner he attempted to skid to a halt as his face twisted in horror How could he have forgotten that a man�s dead body was just laying here

His feet slipped as he attempted to slow and Naffur fell on his ass soaking his pants in blood It was a good thing too because bolts of plasma tore through the space above his head Dank rounded the corner with angry eyes and Naffur did the only thing that he could think of

He scrambled forward and grabbed the nearby dead body Then he threw it at Dank to distract him

On instinct Dank fired a bolt of plasma that ripped through the medic�s chest cavity Melted skin and blood spattered down on Dank�s combat visor covering it in a sizzling film of gore Swearing Dank attempted to wipe the gunk away with the very clumsy metal fingers of his powersuit

Naffur bolted hoping for an escape from this place

do you mean the elevator can�t go to the penthouse A voice said as an elevator slowly opened A man took a step out and right into Naffur�s path The man was speaking on a cell phone and frowned at the floor rather than noticing anything about his situation

Naffur slammed into the man bowling him over The two fell in a pile of twisted limbs back into the elevator As they hit the ground Naffur realized he knew this man it was Senator Firefly

Chapter 650

Quick as a flash Naffur was back on his feet and jamming the close door button As the metal slowly lurched to respond Naffur also pressed in the button for the ground floor Anything to get away from this place

Excuse me young man but no matter who you are you cannot is this blood Senator Firefly�s voice started out stern but it abruptly switched to concerned as he noticed the state of Naffur Only when the metal doors slid shut blocking out the sound of Dank�s cursing as he struggled to clean the melted flesh off of his helmet did Naffur relax

Naffur tried to imagine what he looked like as he turned around to face the Senator He likely didn�t look like he was a no good street rat whose heart was pounding in his ears But then again maybe Naffur did He felt so small and dirty before this man He was not large but his eyes were incisive and bright

Those eyes seemed capable of piercing right through Naffur�s mask and seeing him for who he truly was A fraud He was not the Ghosthound He was nowhere near a hero He was just a kid that was in way way over his head And maybe this was his chance

Blood dripped down Naffur�s soaked suit and pooled on the ground of the elevator He hadn�t soaked up much as it was partially dried but it was still enough to leave very noticeable stains Aside from the crimson shirt the rest of the clothes were probably a lost cause His Ghosthound mask seemed to be melted in the corner where a bolt of plasma had whizzed too close to him

As Naffur opened his mouth to confess everything to this imposing older gentleman two things happened at once First the pain of having his thumb burned off by plasma finally stomped past the haze of adrenaline and began to rip apart his resolve to come clean

The second thing is that there was an audible sound of impact above and the elevator started to accelerate somewhat It moved right passed safe speeds and into free falling in the next four seconds

Damnit I knew we shouldn�t have traveled separately Senator Firefly muttered to himself Then he shook his head and looked at Naffur with a more measured gaze well going the silent route are you I suppose it is safe to say you are not friendly with these volatile elements then Please stand back

It felt like the small elevator was careening downwards at ever higher speeds as Naffur obligingly stood with his back against the wall as the Senator rolled up his sleeves It surprised Naffur but the vantage point was enough to show that the Senator was trembling

Good So Naffur wouldn�t be the only one who had peed himself before they died

Flaming Burst The Senator shouted as he pointed at the wall A balloon of flame seemed to inflate from his hand and even though he had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt there was the distinct smell of burning cloth The wall of the elevator began to tremble and ooze as the high heat destabilized the metal For several long seconds the walls distorted as the Senator continued to apply heat

The Senator seemed pleased with this development but Naffur just stared wide eyed at the man The heat in the elevator was rapidly rising to something that felt like 100 degrees Fahrenheit Then of all things the Senator bashfully looked over his shoulder at Naffur and coughed lightly

I ahem excuse But the Senator couldn�t talk anymore because he was hacking as he attempted to breathe only to find nothing that could sustain him in the air Naffur wasn�t completely sure but he knew that oxygen burned away when fire was used in an enclosed space People with higher Endurance and Vitality could ignore the lack of oxygen for a short time but it was very hard to convince your body to ignore its biological imperatives

Even Naffur felt a slowly rising panicked need to breathe There was a story that Naffur always liked about how the Ghosthound walked to the bottom of Lake Apollo to slay a dragon and stayed there for three days not moving until the dragon thought the Ghosthound had departed and walked right out of its cave into his waiting arms

You ARE NOT the Ghosthound � A part of Naffur screamed at him That was the part of him that wanted to curl up and hope that nothing bad would happen as this tiny partially melted metal box crazed into the ground floor The floor indicator was rushing past 10 now and was very quickly at 9

Of all things the throbbing pain of his missing thumb brought Naffur back from a panicked state to something resembling calmness Time seemed to slow although that was perhaps just his overdramatic mind thinking about how long it had been since he had breathed Feeling the agony and strain in every corner of his body all Naffur could think of was how he didn�t want to die

Naffur clenched his fist as he watched the Senator with a red face and hacking up phlegm This man perhaps he was good at running a district and voting on taxes but he was a fool For whatever reason Naffur felt no desire to help the man but rather

Rather some selfish part of Naffur that had Skulked in alleys as richer individuals walked by wanted to prove to these people that they weren�t all they were cracked up to be There was something more important than money Naffur would prove he mattered

Senator Firefly had fucked them by melting the elevator wall so it would collapse and smother them when they crashed to the ground But Naffur could save them

Not that the Senator was wrong The elevator indicator ticked past 8 to 7 The lower 10 floors of the Manhattan building had the elevators descend through a glass tube in full view of the lobby If the wall of the elevator could be broken it would be easy to leap out and not end up like old vegetables smooshed in a tin can

The indicator ticked to 6 Naffur shoved Senator Firefly to the side and stepped up to the wall He clenched his fist even without a thumb His knuckles were knobby and deformed Naffur knew that when the missing thumb pain faded he likely had some damaged bones in his hand But he couldn�t stop now could he

Intrepid Hammer

Was this how the Ghosthound felt � Naffur wondered as he smashed his fist harder than he had ever dared before against the wall of the elevator You start down a path and by the end you don�t know why you are here but you simply cannot stop �

The wall of the elevator erupted outwards smashed back the glass casing of the elevator shaft in a glittering explosion Inwardly Naffur belatedly remembered there would be normal people below who might be affected by the raining glass He smiled ruefully as he stepped forward towards the opening It was definitely just his imagination then The Ghosthound would never do something as selfish as this

The Ghosthound especially wouldn�t leave

Blinded and coughing the Senator stumbled back into Naffur as he took a step forward Once more in a heap of limbs the two of them tripped together and tumbled out of the elevator Naffur was on the bottom so his back was ravaged as the elevator continued to descend and his body was forcefully used to shatter the glass shaft

But the pain once more focused Naffur He roared as they tumbled through the air and he gripped the Senator by the lapels To his surprise the other man�s weight was easily maneuvered by his current crazed state He would have perhaps begun to throttle the man but then they hit the floor feet first

This time the Senator was on the bottom and with a cry he fell to the ground The ground floor was a bank lobby and there were about 20 people standing around frozen as Naffur and the Senator crashed into the ground Naffur swayed and stumbled but managed to stay upright There were four guards visible by the doors and another ten waiting in various locations around the ground floor The memory surfaced like a bad smell causing Naffur to wince

Then the elevator crashed to the ground behind him and Naffur was once more almost knocked off his feet There was a wave of force and billowing clouds of shattered plaster that spread throughout the whole room

You Naffur said angrily feeling his pulse pounding in his ears It felt like his suit had been completely ripped up the back and his flesh had been shredded by the glass With a roar Naffur grabbed the Senator and threw him bodily almost like one would see on a professional wrestling show

As if on cue the shattered glass arrived raining down on the area that the Senator had just vacated The small bits embedded themselves in Naffur�s back and he grit his teeth to keep from crying The tinkling sound of falling glass slowly stilled as Naffur breathed heavily to try and catch up with all of the wild emotions that were pulling him in different directions

Pain fear exhaustion surprise regret

With a crash Dank in full battle regalia slammed into the nearby ground Without even turning fully the power armor pivoted and backhanded Naffur Helplessly he tumbled sideways until he cracked into the hard marble counter of the bank tellers stations and everything went dark

Chapter 651

The Haveheight crew idled about in a privately owned and sympathetic restaurant across from the Manhattan Building When there was the booming sound of a crash and a plume of smoke obscuring the lobby of the Manhattan Building most of the customers in the restaurant muttered to themselves and wondered if they should call 911

Ricky Stain simply smiled and flashed his teeth at his group Heh what did I tell ya The kid doesn�t have the balls to fuck this up Showtime boys

In a professional manner the group stripped off their civilian clothing for nondescript black sweat pants and shirts Everyone produced an illegally acquired plasma weapon and they rapidly marched across the street to the Manhattan Building unafraid to shove people to the side to get their point across

To Ricky�s surprise the sound of plasma discharge was already audible and people were screaming and fleeing He frowned this meant there would be a VERY rapid police response And if there was evidence of someone with a Level as high as Ricky�s the force dispatched would be something more on the line of special forces The government did not pull its punches anymore not when most injuries could be healed

Damnit kid you were picked because you were a nervous fool not because we thought you were fucking Rambo What are you pulling right now

They kicked down the doors and charged into the ground floor ignoring the debris The air was filled with the haze of smoke and there were several small fires at the guard stations Guards were laying on the ground seemingly unconscious were dead People were screaming

Ricky�s eyes scanned through the forms obscured by the smoke until he finally located the Suite kid He was seemingly unconscious and wearing a Ghosthound mask smashed into the wall Honestly Ricky might not have recognized him if not for his Familiar Sense Skill But the fact he was smashed into the wall made Ricky even more confused If it wasn�t the kid who

But then a power armor loomed forward out of the smoke and it all made sense Ricky had vastly underestimated both the kid and the bank It seemed that the kid had a penchant for violence and had been ripping through the guards when the bank deployed a fucking powerarmor on him

Fuck me Ricky said quietly as he weighed his options The powerarmor was turning away when it spotted them and paused

Fuck it Ricky gritted his teeth Open fire

His boys might be pale and coughing but they aimed and fired just like he paid them for

A familiar sensation woke Naffur That and the kind of migraine that would have people sticking their head underwater and leaving it there

Congratulations Your Skill Feign Injury is now Level 54

Groaning Naffur cursed his fucked up Skill and staggered to his feet by leaning against the wall It didn�t seem to matter much to the Skill whether or not he was actually injured If another party simply thought he was injured he would get experience for it

Puzzled Naffur looked down at the ground It was cracked and there were large shards of crushed glass on the ground Drops of blood

A scream cut through Naffur�s meandering thoughts and brought him back to the battlefield that was the bottom floor of the Manhattan Building It seemed that the guards had mounted a concerted counterattack on the powerarmor wielding Dank because about a dozen people were peppering the armor with bolts of plasma

But Naffur looked up straight upward almost as though he could pierce through the metal and wood and plastics of the building to see the penthouse ballroom He had been so fucking caught up in his fear and panic in the elevator that he had completely forgotten that there was one person here who really needed his help He pretended to be a small hero just from breaking and elevator but Mareen

His feet were moving before he could even formulate the thought He crossed his arms and dashed across the broken lobby of the bank towards the stairs which were across the room from the elevators Bolts of plasma whizzed past as the ricocheted off a now sorry looking Dank But no matter how close they came to hitting him Naffur didn�t slow

Feeling like it was just the best way to open things now Naffur ignored the door handle and simply used Intrepid Hammer to break down the door He felt powerful and that power was going to be necessary Dank wasn�t alone here Above were at least four more individuals who might be just as unstoppable in power armor

Naffur tried to clench his fist but abruptly realized there was no point his fist seemed locked into a clench He couldn�t get it to budge even if he tried

Not that he gave it much attention as he took the stairs two at a time and began rushing upwards towards the Penthouse But it was something that a part of his brain filed away as something that might someday be important

The Manhattan Building was 25 floors high and it left even Naffur who felt he had a fair amount of PP and Stats winded and staggering Although he knew that there was no chance that this version of Naffur would be anywhere close to a match for these terrorists when Naffur reached the penthouse he raised his locked fist and staggered towards the door

As was the case often today the door opened before he got there and a figure dashed out to slam into him Once again Naffur recognized him just as they smashed into each other it was the leader of the terrorists

When they hit each other the leader was looking back over his shoulder so he was the one knocked farther backward by the impact Naffur�s numb eyes had barely enough focus to take in the fact that the leader wasn�t wearing his power armor anymore and that was enough for Naffur�s instincts

Intrepid Hammer

Congratulations Your Skill Intrepid Hammer is now Level 11

Congratulations Your Skill Feign Injury is now Level 12

Congratulations Your Skill Cheap Shot is now Level 43

Congratulations Your Skill Feign Injury is now Level 37

As his fist smashed into the leader�s jaw and the man�s head snapped sideways with an audible click Naffur reflected tiredly that he was gaining quite a lot of PP today Perhaps he could even finish a Path after it all

For a second after the collision the man swayed Then the terrorist leader collapsed bonelessly in front of Naffur and he realized that his blow had knocked the man out Naffur himself swayed barely able to keep himself standing as the rush of relief relaxed him He looked from the man to the closing doors Naffur�s headache continued to throb

But the source of the danger was right here

Complicating matters was the fact that there was no noise coming from the penthouse ballroom Shouldn�t there be some sort of battle going on

Eventually Naffur compromised and began tiredly dragging the leader back towards the door to the ballroom Better to keep an eye on him in the meantime He seemed pretty weak if all it took to finish him was a strong punch to the jaw Naffur felt somewhat peeved he had been so afraid of him earlier

But he supposed the real danger was always the plasma rifles

When Naffur entered the room he froze There was still a hole in the floor to the level below where the group had emerged from earlier but now there were piles of torn and twisted power armor around it A figure stood at the edge of the hole looking casually down There were other people in the ballroom gathered at the far end in a nervous ball but Naffur�s eyes were drawn to that figure

who is that The voice came from someone amongst the group on the far wall To his relief Naffur noticed Mareen was there

The figure straightened turning away from the hole and looking towards Naffur

Eyes so emerald that when Naffur breathed sharply in he swore he could smell fresh cut summer grass Short black hair and a sharp nose And a frown that was piercing enough to give the recipient the feeling of a knife through the ribs with even a casual gaze

The Ghosthound stood there considering Naffur Naffur�s left hand pulling on the terrorist�s shirt involuntarily released The man thumped to the ground That emerald gaze continued to linger slowly unstitching Naffur and peering at his insides Trembling Naffur tried to say something but his voice failed him

And what he had wanted to say was dumb At that moment he wanted to ask the Ghosthound he wanted to ask what he saw When the Ghosthound looked at Naffur and pulled him apart by the stitching to examine his insides what had he found

Who am I

That The Ghosthound said and as he spoke his mouth spread into a brilliant grin well we will call them Agent One And by my name Randidly Ghosthound let it be known that they are Ordained as the first member of my Order Ducis Where they stand they have the full weight of the Order behind them

The Ghosthound stepped then and a single step made distance irrelevant Instantly the Ghosthound was in front of Naffur and his hands reached up and touched the side of Naffur�s mask almost fondly The touch was light and gentle and it made Naffur�s trembling worse

Welcome to the fold Make sure to have some fun alright The Ghosthound whispered and his eyes were two emerald lighthouses warning Naffur away But he felt himself falling forward helplessly towards them as his consciousness slowly left him

Chapter 652

When the Wight attack came for Southpoint Beach even Randidly was stunned by its scope Mere 6 hours after they had landed at the harbor they were forced to retreat as hundreds of thousands of Wights rushed in their tiny boats to assault the shore There were so many that it was almost impossible to see the water for all the boats cruising forward towards them

Looking at how thickly packed the groups were Randidly cursed bitterly that he still had almost seven hours left on the cooldown for his Mana If he had spells especially Hammer of the Dawn or Incendiary Eruption

But even so it was hard to imagine making a dent in the vast sea of Wights

I didn�t even think there were this many Wights alive Skarch said scratching her jaw The four of them (Randidly Skarch Azriel and Sergeant Platton) were standing on a small hill behind the main part of the base giving them a clear view of what was occurring on it Platton assured them that they would be able to do nothing to help and pulled the group in the way

Silo was currently off in the wilderness wrestling with an ever larger flow of strangely corrosive Aether but the vibes that energy was throwing off were bad enough that he didn�t bother to inform the rest of the group that he knew where Silo was Whatever was going on this seemed like something the weirdo had to work through himself

At the time of forming the original ambush plan Randidly had been somewhat non believing But even he was exhausted looking at the enemies coming towards them He rubbed his chest and winced Sometimes there were small flickers He wasn�t completely sure that surgeon had removed all of the crystal fragments But Randidly understood the difficulty in doing so It just made him uneasy

Or perhaps he was just paranoid in the face of so many enemies

Can they defend Azriel asked Platton

Platton shrugged his face twisted into a frown it pains me to say it but no Colonel Euthna is strong but this He spread his hands out helplessly

The group agreed with him although no one voiced their opinions The rest of Sergeant Platton�s squad was already moving ahead setting out points for them to ambush the attacking Wights But this group remained to bear witness to the base�s final moments Luckily Randidly could spot no Witch Kings so at least that threat wasn�t hanging over the base

Is there no sort of equipment to fend off large groups A canon or something Randidly asked already knowing the answer

Sergeant Platton struggled All beautiful things are imperfect That is why we love them So is our world

Randidly said nothing What was there to say It was hard not to think that the spear users had perversely chosen this end by so single mindedly pursuing the spear

The Wight boats hit to shore and the strange fragile bodies leaped off and began to charge towards the base Although their limbs were slim and sharp their diaphanous cloaks around them gave them a strange sense of size They seemed to be a school of vengeful jellyfish rushing out of the deep to murder the land dwellers

When the lines met the spear users crushed them Then they crushed the next wave Then the next and the next

One by one spear users along the line began to die And very quickly there were so many Wights that they could flank the group of spear users and all the spear users along the edge of the grouping began to be surrounded and die

There was a breaking point and all at once the Wights were ripping through their lines everywhere Randidly narrowed his eyes and he could distantly trace several spear users that seemed transcendent in their ability to kill Wights Those few held together the last bit of resistance against the sea of bodies that were surging forward Those few were the aegis of the spear users and around them none would fall

Do you think it foolish That we refused to embrace other Paths to strength I want each of you to answer Sergeant Platton said slowly He turned and gave Randidly a wry smile you last I suspect I know what your answer will be

No Skarch said simply What else could we do There are no weapons that would have been better suited to this battle than the spear It is truly perfect

Spoken like a true member of the Spear School Sergeant Platton grunted

On the battlefield one of those few faltered as Psychic Poison hit them from too many angles She was tall with a cascade of azure hair more perfect and clear than the sea at midday Simply with the press of bodies they bore her to the ground But around her the remaining four paragons fought that much harder Their followers seemed to sense the desperation of their impending plight and risked themselves wildly

Randidly�s hands itched Those people were doomed Even though he couldn�t see it he sensed how low their Health was Under the weight of that many attacks even Randidly recognized he would be buried And yet he wanted to join them

As he watched them continue to struggle his eyes abruptly widened and his gaze rose to the sky

I do not regret choosing the spear Azriel announced proudly But I think if you ignore everything you wish to accomplish you do yourself and the world around you a disservice We have responsibilities My spear is the Path to accomplishing those responsibilities Seeking the way to have everything lay in front of you as straight as a spear that is the only prudent Path

That is a hard Path to walk Sergeant Platton said softly I wish you luck And you Randidly

Randidly gazed for a long time at the sky above the battlefield without answering He could tell how the battle was going without even looking Because in the sky the Aether was reacting to what was going on below The wind twisted and spiraled upwards Clouds rumbled lower and pressed together into a shaft And then the wind came down in a huge blade the head of the spear that had somehow been formed by the perseverance of those few individuals who laid down their lives to slow the Wights� advance

When the spear hit the ground it did not annihilate the Wights as Randidly expected Instead a tidal wave of Aether spread outwards from that point radiating into the surrounding area When it hit Randidly he tasted it and felt an incomparably sharp sensation of the spear Abruptly his images relating to the spear focused

Randidly let out a long breath How did how did these people affect the Aether with just their images

Well Sergeant Platton prompted The last paragon stood tall with only a dozen spear users besides him They cut forward pressing deeper into the bulk of the Wight forces without pause Only by advancing had they avoided being crushed and suffocated by the army around them

The paragon raised his spear His group joined him In the sky the Aether roiled and shifted rising to the call

It was emotion Randidly realized Aether wasn�t rising to their images per se The System had a stranglehold over the images under its influence That was Randidly�s greatest advantage that he had over other people his images were relatively pure and easy to create But somehow the emotion

The spear users died to the man But Randidly could close his eyes and forget that But what he couldn�t forget was how much each of them loved the spear

Yes It is dumb you ignore other Paths Randidly said with a sigh but how could I say such a pure love is foolish

The valiance and fidelity of a patriot are beautiful in any man � Sergeant Platton said calmly That is a quote of the Spearman himself Come we must get into position They served their purpose and now it is time to accomplish ours

The group turned away but Randidly watched a little longer watching the still roiling Aether in the sky above the battlefield Randidly�s eyes were sharp as he considered the shifting forces Why was the disturbance growing stronger Shouldn�t the Aether cease being affected by the emotions now that the source people were dead

More than that another question occurred to Randidly and he couldn�t find an answer to it

Where were the Masters Where were the true powerhouses of Tellus right now

Chapter 653

Shal was frustrated Lying beside him was Razland who was already asleep His snores were so noisy that Shal almost believed that the Wights would leave their fortifications and launch an attack in the middle of the night in order to get Razland to cease with his incessant noise

After Shal had drawn the two Witch Kings into a fight and killed them both with Razland and Verynica�s help That had largely broken the force of Wights ravaging the Death School They had pursued the final general in the area to the first location that they had taken here at Deepmysh

Stubbornly the Wights had deployed to Hell Maw�s and repelled all assaults on the base Shal could have ripped through it easily but he was held back by Ophelia Vade�s warning to hide his main strength At the time that he had received that encouragement from his superior Shal had agreed it was smart But now

What was the point

There was definitely something amiss in the whole battle on Tellus The Wights were launching assaults and winning everywhere that Shal could see and yet no one was doing anything about it Everyone was guarding their cards too closely to play any hands before they had enough chips to force someone else out

The problem was that Shal had no fucking idea who the players were And also he didn�t understand WHY he had to hide his true strength

On Tellus the four distinctions were Artisan Adept Pontiff and Master An Artisan had enough strength of image to cause a vision or auditory change to the world simply by using a Skill An Adept could physically move something only with a Skill�s image These were the base two types of strength and could be reached with sufficient training and Willpower That was especially true when an individual spent some time on the front lines

That sharpened an image like nothing else Standing near death paid dividends in this brutal world

Between the lower two and upper two distinctions there was a firm line That was why it was so important that Randidly had been judged to have the potential to reach the Pontiff level all that time ago His potential was to become a true mover and shaker on Tellus

A Pontiff could do many things but what truly set Pontiffs apart was that their Skills and images touched on something bigger than themselves They possessed a hint of a greater image When seeing those images they fit into easy to understand larger narratives To say it simplest of all these images seemed true�

Now this was essentially useless without the Spearsource in their possession The Spearsource had served as a bridge to becoming a Pontiff to many Many of the images relating to the spear lost their power without the Spearsource installed

But to others it gave them a chance to reach the pinnacle of Tellus the Masters Those that could create their own images with such strength that they could become their avatars They didn�t need to resemble the power of certain larger narratives or images they could create those powerful images all on their own

These individuals also could forcefully raise the strength of the people beneath them with their images serving as a boost And Shal knew he wasn�t near the level of the old monsters but he had fought and struggled until he had created his own Master Class image Yet Ophelia Vade insisted he hide it

So Shal simply sat in the darkness looking towards Deepmysh His eyes glowed in the low light and some part of him ripped apart the distance and the walls to see within Even from here he could feel the rapid heartbeat of the Witch King within Shal�s mouth curled up in a small smile Then he closed his eyes and began to meditate

As long as his enemy knew he was coming Shal supposed there was no harm in letting the rabbit tire itself out

Randidly felt the deep scratching at the back of his head that indicated Mana deprivation and grimaced he simply couldn�t get away from the ridiculous Mana expenditures right now It was simply too easy to gain experience that way

Several of the Wights that he had knocked to the ground with Incendiary Eruption staggered to their feet but Randidly was on them in that short moment Acri scythed back and forth ripping their frail bodies to shreds One hissed in displeasure and condensed a large claw that loomed over Randidly

As the attack came down but Randidly was suddenly a breath of wind and the force of the attack blew up sideways Within a split second Randidly cut back and cut the offending Wright in half

Their bodily liquids dribbled out of the spear and Acri waved its head back and forth in glee Sighing Randidly squeezed Acri to indicate the battle was over For all that Acri dined on Experience to grow it sometimes unnerved Randidly how little care it gave towards other lives To Acri only he mattered The rest were simply walking bags of experience

Which meant they couldn�t be that for Randidly of course But that didn�t mean he hadn�t benefitted After two weeks of ambushing the Wight raiding parties that were running through the South of the Central Domain Randidly had reached Level 32 A part of him still worried that people would begin to notice that his Level was beginning to rise above 25 but it soon became clear that it was anywhere but close to the front of these people�s minds

Randidly had perhaps been fighting for so long that he didn�t notice but these people were at risk of being wiped out Or at least that seemed to be the air affecting the foot soldiers that Randidly met among Platton�s squad and other groups operating nearby

Villages were burned All the regular people that Wights managed to catch were killed and their bodies dragged back to the boats to be shipped to the Propagator That was the part that chilled Randidly the most It made him have a bad feeling where this sea of Wight foot soldier came from

After confirming that all the Wights in the surrounding area were dead Randidly climbed up a nearby tree and surveyed the area The defensive effort of the Central Domain was split into two parts the first evacuated the civilians ahead of the Wights while the second part actively moved to cut down the Wights before they could strike Of course Randidly was part of the latter group To cover larger ground Sergeant Platton had begrudgingly given Randidly Skarch and Azriel permission to act independently as long as they returned each night

It had taken a few days but it soon became clear that against the common Wight soldiers to have more than one of them was simply overkill The enemies were dead faster than they could charge forward to be killed

Plus there was so much ground to cover

Shaking his head Randidly dropped off the tree and started heading back towards the rendezvous point When the Wights came this time their attack wasn�t just at Southpoint Beach There were fully 7 points of attack on the Central Domain of the Spearman School one of which was Niergem Randidly wasn�t sure how he should feel when the news came that with its new iconic tower shield Niergem had crushed the invasion in its area

It had saved a lot of lives But Randidly felt bitter at whose feet that victory was laid

What the Wight invasion indicated was that numbers didn�t matter to the Wights Randidly wasn�t keeping a count but the number of Wights he had killed was up in the thousands Days blended together as he swept across the area cutting down the columns of Wights that moved forward With the array of spells at his disposal it was easy to burn them from afar and then move close to mop the remainder up

Not that it seemed to matter More Wights constantly poured forth It was intimidating in a way

Exactly how many bodies had the Propagators gathered How long had they prepared for this

When he arrived at the agreed upon point Azriel and Skarch were already there talking quietly with Platton

Grunting Sergeant Platton stood as Randidly arrived I have news

Good news Randidly asked tilting his head Without standing on ceremony he removed a rag and a bowl of water from his interspatial ring and began cleaning himself of blood Face hands and of course feet were his primary targets

Perhaps Word filtered up that I brought four hours worth of warning about the attack and the presence of the Propagators which was ultimately ignored I have been promoted to Captain The area of land for you sweepers to act in has just grown immensely It probably won�t matter much but I have no doubt that your Soulstones will be very full next month

Azriel�s mouth twisted At this rate what will it matter The Spear Forest will be a roost for the Wights at this rate They are pushing as if lives don�t matter

Then let�s make them matter Captain Platton with a show of teeth He gestured and a wooden crate appeared in front of him Randidly�s eyes widened as he recognized what it was Randidly what can you do with this many Mana Potions

Chapter 654

Tarik Claw tightly held his spear as he crouched with his partner next to the tall stone They had been told to wait here and it had been almost ten minutes Tarik was fresh to this group which they were beginning to Platton�s Pounders In the crazy few weeks after the wave of Wights landed upon the shores of the Central Domain this was the group that was being brought to the heaviest area of fighting They were the ones cutting the Wights up every way possible

Some rumors put the total number of kills racked up by those under Captain Platton as fully half of the number of Wights killed since the assault had begun

Now Tarik didn�t believe they were that effective but he couldn�t deny that he had felt a thread of excitement and pride when he had been told he would be transferring to underneath Captain Platton�s command He was nearing up to a full year on the frontlines and this was the promotion that Tarik had been waiting for This would finally be his chance to prove his strength

Tarik�s partner yawned and leaned back against the stone Frowning Tarik tried to figure out what he was supposed to say to get the answer he wanted There four teams underneath Sergeant Platton and the Ghost team which he was currently on was the smallest There were only three members Tarik�s partner had been assigned to this team for quite some time The leader of the team was a sharp eyed young man named Randidly From their brief interaction Tarik liked Randidly

But Randidly had brought them here and just left them to rot

That didn�t sit well with Tarik

Should we just let him out there What if he was ambushed Tarik said trying and failing to remember the name of his partner

The man snorted and leaned further back against the stone As cool as a fish he yawned widely Time inched past Tarik fidgeted with his spear casting more glances down the slow of the valley where Randidly had walked to

Relax kid Get your rest while you can It won�t be easy later The man said with a yawn He waved his hand at Tarik You�ll get your chance to be some sort of hero I bet you�ll be able to tell some pretty girl how you killed a thousand Wights this week

A THOUSAND Tarik said slightly embarrassed how his voice cracked as he spoke But it was a mind boggling number A thousand Wights Were there really that many

It�s time Suddenly Randidly was there standing between the two of them With a long stretch Tarik�s partner stood But Randidly�s eyes focused on Tarik They slid up and down over him and Tarik felt profoundly uncomfortable While Randidly wasn�t here Tarik felt simmering displeasure at being left behind but now that he was here

Tarik wasn�t embarrassed to admit that this man was far more powerful than him Idly Tarik wondered what powerful Style from the Central Domain that Randidly hailed from

Whatever he saw was enough because Randidly turned away from Tarik and began to lope down the valley Instantly the partner how Tarik still didn�t� remember the name of followed closely behind With a short curse Tarik dashed to catch up to the two of them and discovered to his shock that they were losing him as Tarik did his best to sprint and catch up with them

It was clear that Tarik�s partner was just as desperate as he was only with better timing But Randidly moved at a speed that seemed impossible considering his even gait Inwardly Tarik swore to himself that he would follow the other man much more closely from now on

Did this mean that he might really kill a thousand Wights

Randidly brought them down to the base of the valley which led into a sharp crack in the rock Randidly continued further and as Tarik followed he realized that there was a rather sizable path here one that would allow almost five men to walk side by side

The Wights are coming through here Randidly announced I�ll go ahead and thin their numbers out Any that make it through to you are your job to clean up There will be some tremors in the ground ignore it You should be safe as long as you to stay in the area with the vines Herro you are in charge

A finger at the rock wall on either side of them indicated where the vine area� was Tarik looked around confused then opened his mouth to ask how many Wights they should expect

But Randidly was already gone Tarik scratched his cheek and readjusted his grip on his spear At least he now knew that his partner�s name is Herro And after the sprint down here Tarik�s Stamina was almost bottomed out He could use the rest

Herro seemed to have the same idea and the two men crouched in the ground at the edge of the small stone passageway in silence for several minutes Then Tarik asked About how many enemies are we ambushing

It�s one of the main forces in the area so maybe like 20 000 Randidly has been waiting a long time to get them in a tight spot could you tell how excited he was Herro said stretching his hamstrings

Tarik smiled sourly trying his best not to take the other man�s joke personally This group of three stalking an army of 20 000 As if

But Herro continued to speak Although it means that we have been pushed back almost halfway towards the core of the Central Domain these small mountains make it much easier to do our job Hehe I can see in your expression that you don�t really understand but that�s fine Randidly is a Spellspear the most powerful in history Rumor has it that Captain Platton found him working as a high end gardener and realized what his plant magic could do if refined properly And now Well you will see

With that Herro fell silent and Tarik didn�t know what to say Luckily he was saved from the need to talk as the rumbling started

It began as a distant thing but very soon the rock walls around them were trembling and cracking With fear in his eyes Tarik backed slowly away from the walls and towards the entrance back into the valley but Herro�s hand shot out and locked around his arm like a vice grip You have your orders soldier We stay here Remain in the root area

But Tarik said wide eyed His gaze was seized by a large stone about the size of a large dog that was falling down the sheer cliffs above them on course to crush them to mush Tarik didn�t care about orders not when

But to his surprise one of the vines on the walls detached itself and caught the stone gingerly The substance of the vine strained and stretched but the stone was knocked sideways to land harmlessly further up the passage More and more rocks rained downwards but each time the vines moved to turn the debris aside

This is why I like the gardener story Herro said almost proudly Otherwise why would he have magic relating to plants

Maybe he was a farmer Tarik croaked out Although the shaking was abating there were more and more concussive sounds from farther down the passage where Randidly had gone It seemed that unlike them the Wights weren�t as lucky and the passage was collapsing down on top of them Perhaps it really was possible to kill 20 000 Wights this way

Herro gave Tarik a long look then sighed Kid you aren�t as dumb as you look Alright up and at em The dregs will be wandering through soon

This time Tarik didn�t bother to ask Everything was happening too quickly and it was too strange But true to Herro�s word five minutes later a few bedraggled Wights stumbled forward towards their position But what Tarik didn�t understand was what happened to them

Their iconic cloaks were burnt away revealing broken and weak bodies The Wights seemed charred and scuffed as though they had stumbled through a fire on the way here What exactly

Without giving them a chance to really notice them Herro lashed out and knocked two of them to the ground Belatedly Tarik joined him and dispatched the other couple that had appeared

It was like sorting through trash Tarik realized halfway through the task It ended up taking fully six hours More and more began streaming towards them but never more than twenty at a time and putting those numbers would overstate the threat they faced All those that came seemed to be missing a limb or unable to move part of their body or were more fearful than capable at this point

It seemed that Randidly moved like a walking disaster in such a small space turning the once proud army into nothing but dregs Tarik knew how powerful Wights could be when gathered together and yet this

One Wight actually flinched when Tarik raised his spear to strike the enemy down It was like whatever it had just gone through had left it deeply scarred

All in all Tarik had killed 238 Wights in that six hours before Randidly appeared Time to move they didn�t send the whole army in But still a good haul Do you both have Stamina to spare

Instantly Tarik understood why Herro had taken care of most of the kills early and then let him take over later With an easy smile Herro smiled at Randidly�s question Not willing to be outdone Tarik gritted his teeth and nodded as well

Good because I want to flank them It will take some doing but it will make the rest of the week�s work go quickly

Chapter 655

Shit Skarch muttered Her support squad shifted around her uncomfortably with their eyes on the ground She could feel the tension in their shoulders and see how the tips of their spears quivered as they gripped the shafts too tightly This is a trap

Immediately Skarch brought up the Party chat with her three allies Although Silo hadn�t responded since the attack on South point Beach four weeks ago his continued presence meant he was alive somewhere So Skarch didn�t mind including him in case he came to their aid

Bit off more than I can chew Skarch put into chat Then she did her best to approximate her location by triangulating the surrounding terrain and putting that out there

How many Azriel responded almost immediately She always was the first to speak Skarch knew that it was because the young woman was driven to be the best and she was constantly next to the monster that was Randidly Ghosthound Undoubtedly Azriel had improved the most and the fastest out of all of them when it came to spear use and images due to the pressure she felt

But Skarch didn�t doubt she would get herself in over her head at some point in an effort to surpass the Legend of Randidly Ghosthound

Stroking her spear Skarch sighed Which was why it was so aggravating for her squad to be the one that was about to be crushed between two Wight forces

Four thousand But all of them are Zeitgard

The forces that had been defending the Southern countryside of the Central Domain had made repeated requests to Hastam the Central Domain capital that additional aid sent More and more of the landscape they were forced to concede in the face of larger and larger numbers Other troops were shifted to assist Captain Platton and his ilk but not on the scale that they needed to stop the advance

The Zeitgard were a relatively new addition to the landscape of battlefields And Skarch believed that they were a direct response to the presence of herself Azriel and Randidly So far they had run wild on the enemy But more and more often the elite units were deployed to corral them It was truly a matter of speed the lower level of Wights could not even throw an attack that had a hope of landing on the three of them unless they were immobilized

The Zeitgard still could and their bodies were tough enough to slow them down

I�ll be there in thirty seven minutes Solo my squad won�t be able to keep up

Skarch frowned at Azriel�s reply Alone Azriel would be useful but

Skarch�s squad of forty were crouching at the side of the river that marked the dividing line between the poverty ridden South of the Central Domain and the truly affluent On the South Bank where Skarch was standing it was farmland as far South as the eye could see Or at least it had been

Now there was smoke fire and the ichor of dead Wights everywhere

Skarch�s squad had received word that a large army had finally worked up the balls to cross the Hallat River and strike North Although the assault unnerved many Captain Platton and his peers were at least pleased that such an assault would finally affect Hastam�s bottom line and provoke a response Thinking quickly Skarch had moved West and South to the southern bank of the Hallat When the Wights were pressed backward Skarch would be waiting

But the Wights never attacked inland There had been no pushback by the Styles of the Central Domain Therefore Skarch had waited on the Southern Bank for two days and nothing to show for it Except now another army primarily of Zeitgard was marching up from the deep South Therefore Skarch could not flee across the river and running along it would just lead them to hit one of the main columns

They were stuck

After a tense three minutes another message popped up in the chat

I�ll need an hour Should arrive with full Mana

Skarch pressed her eyes closed Randidly�s arrival would be too late But she didn�t say that Instead she stood and went up to each of her forty soldiers in turn encouraging them asking if they had Letters of Vestiment to pass their belongings onto their chosen next of kin In their eyes Skarch could see some of the fire that had grown these past few weeks dwindle to nothing

Mechanically they began finishing their meal and breaking camp Everyone knew that this war spelled almost certain death for them They were foot soldiers But also there was an infinitesimally small chance to grasp something great and be a hero To those second sons of small Styles such a possibility was too tempting to resist

Polish your spears Skarch said to her morose crew They gathered around her in a loose circle as they stood near a copse of trees by the river�s edge True it is not commonly done here in the Spearman School but I�ll simply say this None of you would have managed to make it this far without your spear Consider it a good luck charm And we will need it

After a brief hesitation the entire squad joined her With great care Skarch took twelve minutes to show these people the finer points of spear care It was peaceful and in that calmness Skarch focused only on her spear On the gleam of the blade on the weight of the shaft on the scrawling Engravings that covered the weapon

Each generation in her family would save their entire life to add even a single embellishment to the spear So it was in the Spear School In recent generations her family had accomplished much to strengthen the spear But her grandfather was overzealous and added too many conflicting Engravings

Some of the treasures on the spear still activated but only intermittently And the more powerful Engravings

Skarch sighed This was why she had been so desperate as to join the tournament A victory here might earn enough valuables to let her repair the family spear But to die here

Smiling Skarch looked to the sky To die here was no dishonor Skarch just hoped that her fellow tournamentees would understand the Spear School well enough to gather her spear for her family

We run West Skarch announced as the noise of the Zeitgard column�s approach became too much to ignore The squad raised their heads and looked at her

the West is away from our allies One thin man said slowly

Skarch didn�t reply She didn�t have to The thin man lowered his gaze and sighed

They began trotting West and made good time But within another ten minutes the Zeitgard had arrived They were forced to exhaust themselves to catch up but the weight of numbers meant that there were few opportunities for an average spear user to take advantage of their opponent�s weariness

Luckily Skarch was not an average spear user When she dropped to the back of her group her spear cut large holes into the Zeitgard lines The Engraving that lent her power dutifully lit up again and again as she stabbed at the pursuing Zeitgard

But time and again she would move to help one of her squad members disengage and at that point the Wights would launch attacks with ghostly claws and Psychic Poison She couldn�t be everywhere at once and one by one her squad was dying

Some were hit by Psychic Poison and simply collapsed frothing at the mouth Skarch preferred those Although they were surely dead their deaths were quick and quiet It was much more disheartening when a warrior withstood the first batch of Psychic Poison only to collapse screaming when they were hit with another

Skarch couldn�t tell if it was purposeful but the Wights left these screamers alive so her squad had to endure the jarring noise of agony as they ran away

Wights would use small distractions to leap out from behind trees as smaller patrols managed to get ahead of Skarch and her group Skarch was even struck with a Psychic Poison herself on a particularly rough ambush Ignoring the dull headache she smashed three Wights backward The sound of their bodies breaking and snapping brought her no comfort because she watched a Spectral Claw rip out her subordinates innards

It was at that moment almost exactly thirty seven minutes later that Azriel arrived like a crimson comet

Chapter 656

When Azriel sprinted across the field and eviscerated a group of four Wights that were tearing off chunks of flesh from a spear user Azriel glanced across the bloody road and met Skarch�s eyes The other woman didn�t flinch at all despite the fact that Skarch had purposefully fled away from assistance Azriel declined to consider the why�s of that action

Instead she smiled primly at Skarch Didn�t expect me to account for you making that decision did you �

Skarch had not the subtlety to respond with her eyes which was a pity But also Skarch had three long scratches across her face and her left shoulder armor had been ripped away along with a chunk of flesh revealing bone underneath Azriel wasn�t sure how Skarch was managing to continue using the shoulder in that condition Perhaps she mobilized it with the sheer force of an image That was an interesting theory

There was a road running parallel to the Hallat with fields to the South and a small bit of forest between the road and the river From what Azriel could gather Skarch and company had been forced out of the forest and onto the road to stay ahead of their pursuers but it had backfired likely due to Skarch herself The larger space let her display her might more frequently but it was a tactical mistake

Taking the time to strike with large blows you couldn�t manage in a tightly packed grouping of trees took a few extra seconds Those seconds was enough for the Zeitgard to strike

At this point Skarch�s forty person squad had been reduced to fourteen and the survivors were more like haggard refugees than the pride of the Spearman School�s army It made Azriel sigh But there was an opportunity here to burn them all down

Energy pumped like warm adrenaline through Azriel�s body as she charged towards the pursuers They seemed to move in groups of ten some of them spaced out a few dozen meters from each other in pursuit of Skarch The first group of ten seemed somewhat stunned at Azriel�s rapid appearance and she was among them before they could move into a defensive formation Her spear slid cleanly through the skulls of half of them before the first counter attack came and that was far too feeble to threaten her

They fell like figurines of sand disintegrating at even the slightest touch of wind

But to Azriel�s surprise three more groups approached her one from the road and two coming out of the forest Psychic Poison whizzed past her but Azriel calmly ducked She studied the approaching Zeitgard groups and clicked her tongue The Wights were learning Their hierarchy was very centralized and the fact that they were adopting tactics to deal with powerful spear users meant that there was a leadership figure guiding them

Several things clicked into place Azriel rushed forward the warm energy she received from Randidly filling her These three groups weren�t a problem but their presence was troubling Quick as a spark Azriel had completely eliminated one group and decimated another while avoiding the Psychic Poison launched by the third

Then she disengaged rapidly retreating towards where Skarch�s group had been ambushed quite a distance far ahead But Azriel was only halfway to reaching the group and assisting when another volley of Psychic Poison shot out from the forest Instantly Azriel�s steps became short and varied Bobbing and weaving she avoided every bit of the Psychic Poison but four more groups of Zeitgard burst out of the treeline The remaining group and a half behind her were closing rapidly

Azriel shook her head In fact this wasn�t a trap that Skarch had fallen for but it was a trap that had been laid on a much grander scale Tactics like this meant only one thing

There had to be a Witch King nearby directing them And they were being allowed to run so

Randidly Ghosthound It was a trap to draw the scourge of thorn and fire that had taken more Wight lives than any other non officer on the front lines

This time their Spectral Claws slashed towards her legs aiming to either destroy her ability to run or to rip such holes in the ground that she couldn�t escape Almost sadly Azriel shook her head If they had attempted such an ambush a three months ago before she had met Randidly once more and received his blessing perhaps

Two bright crimson ribbons unfolded from her waist seeming to condense from thin air as Azriel activated her Skill In Pursuit of Blood Instantly these small tactics became irrelevant as Azriel�s body blurred forward She ignored the nearby groups attacking her and crossed the distance to where Skarch was in a second

Two more of Skarch�s subordinates had fallen and Skarch wasn�t in a good place It was obvious her Mana and Stamina were both near the bottom and Zeitgard were pouring out of the treeline to attack the survivors They struggled valiantly but they had already done this for too long So many of them had already fallen it was easy to see why they were losing heart

Azriel was like a drill that tore through the backs of two of the groups flinging body parts everywhere Another benefit of her Passive Skill as that the force of her momentum blasted away a dozen or so other Wights with just the force of her passage

There is a bigger punch coming We cannot stop here Azriel said shortly To her surprise Skarch glared at her her normally passive eyes red

Do you think we wanted this Skarch growled gesturing at the trembling and exhausted spear users behind her

Azriel didn�t bother to say anything She simply felt a great weight of mental exhaustion settle upon her shoulders Instead she moved forward and cut into the wave of Wights that came from the forest to reinforce the fight against Skarch�s squad Due to her actions the survivors had about a minute of respite managing to jog forward at a light pace and regenerate Stamina while Azriel tore their lines apart

But a few hundred Zeitgard had circled around from the fields side and rushed ahead of Skarch�s group A few hundred more meters West was now a blockade that was trundling forward towards them

Skarch slammed the butt of her spear into the ground and raised her head to the sky Fuck this wrinkled hand This is never ending Do we take to the fields

Back through the forest Azriel answered glancing around Running is just depleting our Stamina Stamina that your squad desperately needs At least with our backs to the river we can give them a brief respite

If we make a stand they will just bombard us with Psychic Poison Skarch said warily But the whole group wheeled around and crashed into a surprised group of Wights that was coming out of the forest

Among the trees Azriel couldn�t reach her top speed any longer but her ability to accelerate short distances was brought to the spotlight She flitted among the trees like a ghost appearing next to groups of Wights and smashing them into the ground Her feet left large footprints as she turned forcefully back and forth

Behind her the two ribbons trailed like paths of fresh blood marking her passage

It took some time for the remaining group twelve squad members Skarch and Azriel to pass through the trees but it really seemed the Wights hadn�t expected it After the initial resistance they broke out of the encirclement and made it to the thinner part of the forest near the water�s edge Of course the only reason that this part was left relatively undefended was that it was not a path to escape

It was just a shallow muddy grave

But it also bought them time Say what you will of Randidly Ghosthound but even he underestimates the time it takes him to accomplish something There was something endearing in that Azriel believed It was easier for her to accept the unreasonable estimates her mind produced for him when even he seemed to be surprised

As the group stumbled out to a small 30 meter area that was clear of trees next to the river Azriel could feel something in the air change She looked up at the sky and shook her head It was like a soft pressure on the back of your neck the Silence It was strange but not too much that it caused discomfort for spear users

But Azriel knew that when Randidly descended amongst the trees wearing the Crown of Upheaval and Silence the effect on these spell based individuals was much more negative After confirming the flow of energy in her chest was becoming more and more focused and vibrant Azriel closed her eyes

She ignored the heavy breaths of the worried squad members around her as she focused inward If her expectations were correct a few thousand Zeitgard were the least of their worries And as soon as Randidly arrived

The ground rumbled and Azriel could almost feel the threads of his will reach out with energy and seize control of the entire forest in which the Zeitgard was running Then it exploded into motion and the screams of the Wights became audible There was another low rumble in response but this was a furious roar rushing towards the source of the first rumbling

Azriel checked her PP and allowed herself a small smile Just enough

Congratulations You have finished the Path Chasing Red Moonlight X With these hands of yours you chase something far beyond what those around you can comprehend Almost at the expense of all others you have thrown yourself into this Path to catch the Red Moon On the road there you have become something more Strength +5 Perception +10 Reaction +15 Agility +50

You have gained the Skill Halo of Desolation Lvl 1 You have gained the Skill Crimson Penetrating Moonbeam Lvl 1

Chapter 657

Randidly crashed to the ground his head throbbing in something near agony The Crown of Upheaval and Silence hung heavy above him Although the Mana potions he had would restore his Mana it didn�t restore something intangible And as Randidly abused his body more and more by pumping it full of Mana Potions he knew that he was nearing a dead end of a health outcome

But it was difficult to value those possible future problems when the constant threat of death was hanging over him Although he had pushed himself up to Level 34 Randidly had on several occasions come very close to dying More times than he wanted to remember he had been doused with Psychic Poison while taking on a group of Wights that was just a little too large Perhaps if he had not experienced the existential ripping that had happened during Ashes to Ashes he would have collapsed then

Randidly continued forward always fighting It reminded him of his previous time on Tellus where Shal took him into the prison That dullness on his mind that focus to the detriment of all else It brought him a bit of nostalgia as Randidly rushed forward into the small forest near the river and grabbed it with plant dominance Instantly the forest exploded into a death trap for Wights with roots and flowers ripping them apart

As soon as he began cutting through the Wights there was a roar and Randidly looked sharply up Narrowing his eyes he felt the tingle of danger from his Crown Whoever was coming meant business Then Randidly placed the sound and he straightened and grinned

A Witch King

It had not been long in terms of days but Randidly had fought himself to exhaustion more times than he could count in that span His days were consumed by pushing his battle senses towards the limit and discovering the best way for him to fight In that time even if his stats hadn�t increased overmuch his Skill Levels and surely his effectiveness in using them shot upwards

In addition Randidly was much more firmly sure of his own strategy in fighting than he had been in the past He would not get into a contest of Strength with a Witch King

The Witch King roared in the distance again and Randidly�s Crown trembled underneath the explosion of ill will It seemed that the Witch King was aware of him due to the Crown and its influence and was primarily responding to that rather than the death of its subordinates Honestly it made little difference to Randidly

He used When Shadows Depart Fireflies Dance to move deeper into the forest and then leaned against a tree Through it thick roots of golden energy flowed upward into his body replenishing him After the mad rush here Randidly needed it

But he only had above 20 seconds before the Witch King�s huge Spectral Claws ripped apart the nearby treeline The familiar frame stalked forward tall and almost hunched as it peered around for the source of the Silence effect Compared to normal Wights Witch Kings were taller and longer limbed Their bodies were made out of a darker material and their cloaks seemed even more amorphous and insubstantial resulting in strange shadows becoming clear underneath the cloak

It spread its arms wide and Spectral Claws condensed ultra fast Randidly raised his spear to meet it

Spear Advances Ash Trails

His explosive assault slipped him underneath the attacks of the Spectral Claws and Randidly smashed his spear into the Witch King�s chest The Witch King took a step back but only one

Lighting quick the Witch King spun and smashed him backward with a lashing kick Randidly winced but landed well enough to reset his stance But the Witch King simply raised its finger and pointed at Randidly

With a grimace Randidly staggered backward But it seemed that the huge boost he received to Vitality gave him enough gumption to forcibly withstand the strange Skill that the Witch King employed to decimate foes instantly from a distance

Something changed in the Witch King�s eyes when Randidly managed to stay upright through the Skill Its warped and bony face twisted further into something akin to a smile Yess You are the one

Psychic Poison exploded outward from the Witch King in a wave and Randidly instantly screened it away with a Wall of Thorns This cut off both of their vision and Randidly dashed sideways looking for a small advantage to seize Against an opponent of this caliber every little bit helped

The Wall of Thorns was blown away in an explosion of force from the Witch King�s body and it moved with deceptive grace as it loped towards Randidly Spinning his spear Randidly turned to meet the Witch King while activating Wild Phantom�s Embrace The flows of force around the Witch King�s body were extremely turbulent but Randidly narrowed his eyes and focused

Compared to Azriel who moved while barely disturbing the flows of force in the surrounding air this thing was a hurricane walking Once more it created Spectral Claws and slashed forward But Randidly was too close and had to follow the blowing forces around the attack to dodge

When he planted his feet once more another kick was waiting from the Witch King It caught Randidly in the chest but he unleashed three Incendiary Eruptions beneath the Witch King As Randidly flew backward to crash through several trees the Witch King screamed in agony raising its mouth to the sky Again Randidly�s Crown trembled

But his will stayed firm and he pressed his will downwards on the Witch King to exacerbate the effect It turned its hateful eyes and regarded him

Its finger flashed forward and Randidly used When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance to move rapidly sideways out of the way from the finger Skill But it turned out that was a mistake because the Witch King charged him with its hands raised to attack

Heavy as a collapsing sun Randidly�s spear swung around to meet the Witch King But his attack swung harmlessly by the Witch King which had stopped and was studying Randidly Unprepared for the weight of his own attack missing Randidly took a step to the side to keep his balance

For which he was blasted in the face with a concentrated dose of Psychic Poison

Instinctually Randidly threw himself backward and activated Phantom Half Step to create distance which was the only reason that he wasn�t shredded by the follow up attack The pain from the Mana exhaustion seemed to combine with this new internal weakness and agony to scratch and claw at his will

Randidly didn�t have the attention to watch where he was going and his back smashed into a tree The thing toppled on top of him but he didn�t have the focus to push it aside Everything was muddled and thick His Crown flickered in and out of existence

Gritting his teeth Randidly forced his gaze to focus on the form of the Witch King rushing towards him But from the side a streak of crimson shot towards it Even faster than Randidly the Witch King noticed the new attacker and pointed but the streak accelerated

It smashed into the Witch King�s side glanced off and settled into the panting form of Azriel Her eyes were bright and she raised her needle spear Can you slow it down

Randidly just grunted and closed his eyes Aether burst through his system cleansing the remnants of the Psychic Poison Once more the Crown of Upheaval and Silence appeared above him Its influence spread outwards restraining the Witch King slightly and sharpening Randidly�s awareness

The Witch King hissed but Randidly was already rushing towards the opponent Lock it down huh

Randidly activated Spearing Roots but like he expected the Witch King basically ignored the attack and lashed out at Randidly�s approaching for Quick as the devil Randidly twisted around and activated Wild Phantom�s Embrace Acri lashed out but the Witch King was even faster than Randidly expected It avoided the attack and thrust its fingers out in a knife blow towards Randidly�s side

Once more he activated Wild Phantom�s Embrace and flowed out of the way of the attack This time however Azriel was there a ray of red light that smashed into the Witch King�s side Hissing again it seemed to pause as it considered the two individuals that it was fighting But by that point Randidly had landed and hit it in the side of the head with an Idiosyncratic Cut The attack left a gash on its face but it was only superficial

Still Azriel had hit twice more in that time

Spectral Claws formed mid air to cut her to pieces but somehow that crimson streak moved through the attacks without a care She paused then and Randidly noticed something off about Azriel There was a strange light around her It reminded him how there was a glow about the moon as it sat in the night sky as its light was refracted as it traveled through the air

The two groups considered each other The Witch King was between Randidly and Azriel so Randidly gathered his will and activated Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil The air rippled and roiled visibly shivering at the cruel touch of his will It seemed that for several long seconds the Witch King was grinding its teeth together as it considered them But then it screamed and leaped backward away from the two of them

The two stayed where they were

After the Witch King had retreated Azriel sighed Killing it still a little much for us Short by almost 50 Skill Levels Maybe closer to 100

Randidly could only nod Because he knew that if this was how it fought casually it probably had a few more Skills for when it became serious Shaking his head Randidly turned and looked towards the remnants of Skarch�s squad Skarch herself was standing at the edge of the river looking for answers in her reflection There were deep bags under her eyes

We will get another shot Randidly said For now let�s clean up

Chapter 658

One week after he had arrived at the World Crater Drake stood before the large grey protuberance that formed its center Although he had initially assumed the thing was a giant boulder it clearly wasn�t in fact the thing looked more like a strange geometric approximation of a dome It was a little much to think that this was a naturally formed bit of terrain especially considering there was a large square opening at the base of the thing leading into the interior

As it had been a little over a week since he had arrived in the harbor his ride had long since departed by now But Drake couldn�t find it in himself to care Despite his high Level and extensive preparations for this Danger Zone Drake found himself exhausted And it was more than physical he was mentally empty simply grinding his way forward and ponderously pulping the bodies of any of the Frogipedes that he encountered

At this point there wasn�t much left to him When he neared the strange geometric boulder Drake realized with a start that the water level was slowly sinking A part of him rejoiced no longer would water up to his waist make the travel a living hell

The weight of his armor and the constant attacks by Level 55 monsters were two of the reasons that Drake took his sweet time but there was a third reason As Drake departed from the water he looked down at his bone greaves and grimaced It was a good thing that he had equipped himself with the armor the entire time then His legs were crisscrossed with scratches and chipped bone Although the defense was strong enough that he hadn�t felt it multiple things had made attempts on him

Sighing Drake dismissed the armor and lay down on the grass and reeds once he walked up onto solid land Ryx his porcupine elemental had been sitting on his helmet of bone and squeaked in protest as its carriage disappeared Wind whispered past sounding suspiciously like laughter as it danced through the reeds The grey protuberance was about 100 meters away but Drake would get to it when he had time

On his journey here he had been lucky to only encounter the smaller enemies If he had truly run into a monster nearing Level 60 it would have been difficult to pull through But those monsters seemed incredibly rare here and the Level 55s he general encountered came alone Fights against them were long exhausting affairs but they weren�t truly dangerous to Drake

The Frogipede was an enemy that was about the size of deer if its body was stretched to almost 15 meters long and about every 5 meters there was an overly large pair of frog legs sticking out of the body The distance between the legs made it appear almost comical as it was dragging its hanging body forward but after several battles this turned out to be an advantage The creature seemed able to bend its body freely and that space without legs made it very simple for it to compress its body into a smaller shape

This aided it both in stealth and instantaneous power because it could straight its body with an overwhelming strength A strength that could blow Drake off of his feet Truly the greatest power of the Frogipede was its Strength

However it was a bad match to Frogipede Theoretically it had enough Strength to break his bone armor if it coiled its body up fully and exploded directly into it In addition it was quick and unnatural in its movements making it difficult to damage with a sword

But Drake wasn�t fool enough to stand still so the Frogipede could launch an attack and without the wind up there was basically nothing the Frogipede could do to break Drake�s armor So it became a matter of lashing out at the thing until his huge sword finally found purchase and then ripping the elongated body to shreds It had done wonders for his Skill Level but tried his patience immensely

At least they were good experience Drake mused while looking up at the sky Ryx curled up into a satisfied ball on his chest and began to snore They were both exhausted

Drake pressed his lips together It was time to face it The third reason that he was exhausted was that he was suddenly profoundly unhappy This whole Zone had shaken away some of the glitter that had accumulated in Drake�s vision leaving him disillusioned

He was a military man so he was accustomed to following orders Perhaps that was the entire problem For almost ten years he had dutifully followed the orders of those in a higher position than him It seemed natural when the System hit to continue doing that

In the immediate aftermath people were scared and confused Drake was no exception Orders gave the world well order The strange System messages were too strange too foreign

But the fiery eyed young woman who saved him by shooting a bolt of Mana

Ah Ace we have survivors And capable ones Good Sir if you want a job I�m hiring She had said as bold as brass as the body of the orc cooled Drake had looked at her for a long time What he had seen was not a hint of fear So he accepted and followed her to join with Roy�s crew Within a week he had become her right hand

With a sigh Drake pressed his eyes together The wind blew and he wrinkled his nose as the smells of the accursed swamp he had been struggling through drifted over to him Rot and snake shit but he was never going to return to this place after he

After he what After he killed Roy the Undying Hero The man who had been dead for several months and returned by dint of Coppernicus someone that Drake worked very closely with He wondered what had motivated Sydney to request it of Copper and why the inhuman man had accepted

Currently it definitely seemed like it had been a mistake

The feeling of certainty he usually had was drifting away His mind grasped at it like fingers through morning mist Drake slowly stood feeling annoyed A sword he might have been but he wanted more now Truly he was likely the only person in Sydney�s employ that was strong enough to stand a chance against the Undying Hero But why had he been ordered to travel so far for it

Drake raised his sword no definitely irritated He couldn�t tell it was due to the fact he suspected he was just grouchy at this mission repeatedly fucking him or the Frogipede that was wriggling its way towards him The Frogipedes didn�t generally take a very direct route towards their target but instead allowed parts of their long body and legs to carry forward and then the front or back would flip forward abruptly crossing a lot of distance

But Drake�s annoyance faded away as he studied the Frogipede in front of him which was about ? a size bigger than usual and was a pale blue color Its body was the size of the trunk of a small tree and was slick with slime Its two yellow eyes fixed on him as the body flopped back on top of itself almost heedless of its approaching

Grimacing Drake looked up at the grey geometric shape and then around in the surrounding area The immediate surrounding area of the boulder was a flat grassland and this creature had sauntered out of the large square opening in the side of the boulder What was interesting was that Drake could see that there were other openings around the outside of the boulder a fixed distance to either side

But then the Frogipede flopped forward and straightened itself throwing the front part of its body and its forelegs towards Drake with remarkable speed Even though this was a pattern he had seen before he was taken aback by how physically superior this version was to the others he had faced

He sidestepped cleanly producing his huge sword and swinging it like a baseball bat to meet the Frogipede�s advance The thing twisted and killed its momentum Then the front two pairs of arms punched into the ground and cracked the surface With the leverage its muscles heaved and the back half of its body swung around like a whip

That as new

But it was also too slow By the time it had stuck its legs in the ground Drake had condensed his armor of bone Ryx leaped upwards and settled onto his back rapidly transforming into a wide shield of spiked bone making Drake look like a twisted cross between a turtle and a porcupine

The sharp shards of bone twisted ungracefully upwards into sharp points and Drake simply turned sideways rather than dodging

The force of the whipped body knocking him off of his feet and slammed him several meters to the side It was even far enough that when Drake crashed to the ground it was in ankle deep water This pissed Drake off almost irrationally

Why Drake growled cursing the flying the swimming the smells the wetness the vague fucking orders his stubborn inability to ask for more clarification Why the fuck am I here

The Frogipede began to scream attempting to drag its body back away from the jagged burr that was Drake But that simply dragged the soft rubbery flesh deeper into the spikes ripping its body further The nearby legs twisted and began to smash against his armor Small cracks began to spread but it couldn�t get any more force than its muscles because its body was stuck to Drake�s back

But he wouldn�t give the Frogipede the time to break through He raised his left hand and poured all of his burning dissatisfaction into his condensed fate His hand burned slightly and then a huge hand of bone exploded upwards swelling until it was the size of a car

With gleaming eyes Drake glared at the squirming Frogipede Although it was Level 57 Drake was going to turn it into mush

Chapter 659

Although he was exhausted to the point he was out of Stamina Drake felt much better after crushing the monster�s body to nothing but mush He also realized two things

His own stubborn obliviousness had gotten Drake into this situation He as a rule refused to ask for clarification on an assignment He had no wish to be an ass kisser and Drake knew that Sydney wouldn�t appreciate it But when he then began to get furious at her for failing to give him the proper guidance on this fucked up mission

If he had just known that he was to seek out Roy and kill him he could have moved so much more quickly through this godforsaken place

But there was a new unforeseen variable Drake looked down at the Item in his hand It was almost like a half of a ying yang symbol with a deep blue color It fit naturally in his palm

Longing of the Naga Lvl 60 A special calcification of energy that occurs when a lessor bloodline of the Naga holds a great amount of dissatisfaction in its heart Part of a pair Reuniting the Longing of the Naga with the Hope of the Naga will reveal the item�s true purpose Distinct Smell V

Distinct Smell V Monsters of a certain type can detect the scent of this item from a great distance Just by touching the item you will attract such monsters like flies Monster type Bloodlines of the Naga

Drake sighed theatrically as he cursed his mixed luck but there was only Ryx watching On the one hand this meant there would likely be a lot of those fucking Frogipede�s coming For all that they were good experience a mass of them would tie him down and crack him open like an egg

On the other hand Drake had found what appeared to be a quest item In the wild Drake had never seen a quest item himself they required certain buildings bought from the Village Store and even then they were extremely rare Quest Rated bosses were apparently incredibly difficult but also incredibly rewarding

The only Quest Item that Drake knew of was the feathered headband that Annie had taken to wearing recently and that was only because Dozer grew drunk and boast about it one night As to the exact specifications no one truly knew

But it meant something that its specs were enough to sway Annie the White Archer of Donnyton

It also did a lot to assuage Drake�s frustration It had felt like he was wasting his time here on the whim of Sydney due to his own stubbornness But he suddenly stumbled across a very good reason to remain here and explore the area It also lent credence to their being something particular in this Danger Zone perhaps not the fountain of youth but still

The only problem was finding this Hope of the Naga There were two possibilities that seemed likely as to that He would need to find and kill more blue Frogipedes or maybe even a different variant color Or

Drake turned and looked at the grey geometric shape with the regular doors In his palm the Longing of the Naga grew warm to the touch Shaking his head Drake could only begin to walk towards the grey lump He supposed that was one sort of answer

What he found did not please him inside the door was a fucking maze Clicking his tongue Drake turned around to depart and get a better lay of the land but found that the door he used to enter had abruptly turned into a solid stone wall

Fucking perfect

The high walls met a ceiling about five meters above but the passages forward were only one and a half meters wide With Drake in his bone armor it was very close to him brushing up against the walls He considered dismissing the armor but Ryx strongly whined in opposition That sharpened his attention Ryx only grew this agitated when the death energy nearby was strong

With no other choice Drake entered the maze There were three passages available to him and he randomly selected the middle one The passage was long and winding Drake was not pleased to notice that the walls of the passage were old and scratched as though something had dragged itself through this place a long time ago

Swearing under his breath Drake continued walking until he came to a turn

He went left there

At the next junction he also went left

At the next he went right The passages continued to curve slightly away in front of him meandering like a snake back and forth before returning to a junction By the time he arrived Drake had no idea which direction he should be heading in The junction portions were rather small three by three meter squares amongst the twisting passages Based on the fact the entrance had disappeared Drake strongly suspected that he was now hopelessly lost

There was a bright point After a few such turns Drake realized that when holding the Longing of the Naga it would become warmer when he faced certain twists and turns By following those Drake felt like he backtracked for a few and then found the right path forward It was nice that he was provided with this Quest Item that acted as a guide but it made him worried what he would have done if he hadn�t found it Perhaps you always found this as a key and at the core of the maze was the Hope of the Naga

Plus there were no Frogipedes inside the maze so far so the downside of the item didn�t even

Glop

A dollop of saliva the size of a fist dropped onto the path in front of Drake He paused briefly then looked up Three frog eyes were clustered together above him the three Frogipede bodies clinging to the ceiling

As soon as he looked up the first exploded into motion downwards towards him leading with its head and forelegs

That was a mistake Drake simply set his feet as best he could and raised his huge blade and the Frogipede did the rest of the work itself In the enclosed space Drake couldn�t� dodge anyways and he sure as hell couldn�t swing his sword in any complicated way But with the pointy end in the right direction this blue Frogipede died almost immediately although it pinned Drake to the ground and knocked the wind out of him

The two others followed quickly and Drake took his left hand from his sword and grabbed the spiked shell on his back on his back and pulled hard Ryx

The shell transformed into a smaller bone disk covered in strange letterings and Drake whipped it up at his enemies Midair it twisted and seemed to ripple like the surface of a calm lake It sank into the fleshy body of the first Frogipede whose back end was only now detaching from the ceiling as it realized it was dead The other two rushed downward towards Drake their eyes red in fury

The dead body exploded in a huge wave of concussive force and body shards So strong was the force that Drake abruptly snapped back up He was laying on the ground The hit had briefly knocked him out He always knew that Ryx�s power over dead bodies was the stronger the more recently dead it was but This was ridiculous The hallway was covered in blood and bits of gore The grey stone was almost completely soaked

But as Drake staggered to his feet scraping his bone armor against the walls his ears slowly came back to focus The two Frogipedes were heavily wounded but still moving Grimacing Drake searched for his sword for a while before finding it in a squeaky pile of skin Then he got to the grim work of butchering these things in the small space

It was exhausting but doable After finishing them all off Drake moved some distance away from the spot of the fight and meditated Please with itself Ryx trotted over to Drake and presented itself for petting After giving Ryx a sufficient amount of attention Drake let out a long breath Then he continued forward refusing to pause

There was meaning to this If Drake could truly accomplish it

Drake paused at the next junction the item in his hand was almost burning hot Drake looked up and as he did so he felt the ground open up beneath him By instincts more than anything else Drake spread his arms and expanded the bone armor to lengthen his arms It took a bit of doing but his hands extended far enough to touch the corners of the room about the time his waist was flush with the previous ground

Then his heart went cold he had dropped the item

Instantly he twisted and his bone gauntlet formed even as the strange pain shot through his Class He twisted and reached aiming for the Longing of the Naga but abruptly stopped and instead withdrew his bone gauntlet to once more steady himself in the pitfall

The Longing of the Naga fell slowly and began to glow There was a figure below As the shaft went down it slowly widened So the figure had been forced to lay sideways and only then could press his legs against the one wall and his head and neck against the other barely keeping himself from slipping deeper

As the Longing of Naga fell a light came from the man�s hand It rose and met the falling light and there was a clap of thunder Drake blinked away the stars and there was a strange disk floating softly down to the figure below

Roy the Undying Hero coughed awkwardly then smiled at Drake Well this is certainly a surprise

Chapter 660

Many thanks for arriving so promptly Roy said cheerily even as he stood on his tiptoes to maintain his position in the trap shaft I had resigned myself to another long long time alone with my own darkness but fortune has smiled upon me Truly it is providence that a previous ally has stumbled upon me Although we are current enemies we are both driven by the treasure of this place are we not A typical story We will now put aside our differences and work together to

Shut the fuck up Drake growled With a great heave he pulled himself out of the shaft and onto the ground of the passage The entirety of the junction had dropped away meaning that Drake could only peer down over the edge at Roy It was just barely possible to see that below Roy there was a strange liquid of a deep black color

In a consistent fashion it bubbled ominously

Roy winked up at Drake Let�s skip the posturing shall we I am truly in a pickle down here Give me a hand and I swear I will hand over this Naga�s Determination yes

Pass up the item then I will pull you up Drake grunted having no intention of doing any such thing He lowered his bone gauntlet down the shaft and shaped his hand so his finger was extraordinarily long and flimsy Good enough to grab a disk but weak enough to shatter if something else were to seize the bones

Roy released an aggrieved sigh You were always an abysmal liar Why are you trying to kill me That�s hardly sporting

Sporting Drake snorted a black humor overtaking him You are a dead thing Roy

All of a sudden Roy was completely still His eyes went glassy All is dead Consciousness is the indulgence in a chemical soaked flesh sponge If you were to open yourself up like a box you would find only emptiness Drake

That gave Drake pause and that was probably exactly what it was waiting for

It being the Frogipede that Drake was too distracted enough to notice As opposed to its previous compatriots this Frogipede took great care in lining up its strike and positioning itself There was only a soft squish as its body folded on itself and then it exploded into motion to impact Drake at the rear base of his helmet

The entire back portion of the armor cracked without Ryx there to defend him and the bone armor shattered into pieces as the attack knocked Drake into the trap shaft He twisted and Ryx exploded into a bone shield bristling spikes but the Frogipede brought one of its arms smashing down

Drake heard more than felt as his head was clobbered into the stone wall And this was no stone that he recognized because his skull cracked and didn�t leave even a scuff on the wall Dizzy he twisted around as he tumbled down the shaft

Gurgling in glee the Frogipede followed him down Fat globs of saliva dripped down the sides as it drooled in excitement As his trembling hands scrabbled at the walls Drake could find no purchase Ineffectually he shook his head Can�t scratch need to press and suspend But his body

Even with his high Endurance a concussion was possible

But then a hand grabbed him

You have better luck than me At least I had stabilized before I fell I could wait for help But if I hadn�t been right here right now tsk tsk well it is my duty to be in place for such things

Drake blinked and looked over at Roy�s smiling face His hand was as cold as ice What what are you doing

I�m a Hero Roy said with a shrug

But then both their gazes turned upwards The Frogipede was charging down towards them and now that Drake was closer to it he really didn�t like the sulfur smell wafting up from the bubbling black liquid

Can you reach up past the little peon and grab the edge Roy asked casually

Drake frowned He didn�t like where this was going And from a few months of working with him early in the System�s arrival he could guess where Roy�s head was at Yes but it would be cleaner to

Roy twisted away losing his precarious standing position He flexed the hand not gripping onto Drake and condensed an ax just as the Frogipede smashed down towards them In an almost dismissive blow Roy beheaded the thing deftly twisting his ax to maneuver it in the tight shaft

Swearing Drake ignored how the pain in his soul shifted to a throbbing feeling and created a bone gauntlet to reach up and seize the edge They stopped and now Drake was the one keeping Roy above the black sludge The headless body of the Frogipede fell into the black liquid sinking almost without a sound Within a split second it had disappeared

Gritting his teeth in annoyance Drake glared at an innocent looking Roy He had never considered himself a very moral person but Drake had a few very strong tenants of behavior The most relevant of which was to repay like with like as Roy had killed dozens of people from Donnyton the last that Drake had heard from him Drake felt no qualms in killing him now

But Roy had now saved him

Hand over the Quest Item Drake hissed

With a widening smile Roy flipped the disk toward Drake whose one hand was grabbing salvation and the other was on Roy

Ryx leaped up and grabbed it in his mouth then pushed off the side of the shaft and began to ascend As Drake pulled himself and this grinning abomination from the trap he picked up Ryx and carried them all up

First thing he did on solid land was check nearby for any Frogipedes on the ceiling Finding none he turned to Roy The man had waited patiently An expert at toeing the line that one If he had fucking put as much hard work into bettering himself as he did in twisting the situation to suit him

Why Drake asked considering simply burying his sword in the thing in front of him rather than trying to speak to him

Because when it becomes obvious that there is not true force but entropy the only logical conclusion is to bring yourself enjoyment Being a Hero is enjoyable because the world loves me Roy announced

Drake just looked at him He was rapidly losing track of what their conversation was about

Chuckling Roy said Or is this why I saved you again Drake I am a Hero It is the blessed Class without limits but not without responsibilities Although we are enemies a Hero�s Mercy has no bounds

Mercy Drake said feeling sick to his stomach This was the other reason that he never appreciated Roy The man was simply too focused on meaningless distinctions for Drake to enjoy engaging with him Calmly he looked down at the disk in his hand

Determination of the Naga Lvl 60 The crystallization of those lesser creatures seeking to ascend to something greater In the swirling runes you see the instructions to a great ritual that can change one�s fate But such a ritual cannot occur as long as the Naga restricts the bloodlines of those beneath it A drop of the blood of a true Naga is required to complete the ritual Whiff of Hope V Energizing Light V

Whiff of Hope V All the lesser bloodlines who are near will sense what you do and move to aid you You may now communicate with those of sufficient intelligence

Energizing Light V Health Mana and Stamina Regeneration +300 while the disk is held

Drake swore quietly The Health and Mana were useful but it was the 300 Stamina regeneration per minute that was almost mind boggling in its power That was an extra 5 Stamina a second on top of what he already had The resiliency that would give him in battle It was something that Drake had seen in nobody but the Ghosthound

His eyes turned sharp as Drake focused back on Roy This was the man he was supposed to kill You are my sword But another part of Drake was more pragmatic The item implied that there was a boss waiting at the end of this maze a True Naga although Drake wasn�t sure what that would entail It was likely the Boss of the Danger Zone Something almost impossibly strong Something on the caliber of the Ghosthound

It was not an enemy he could fight alone

His duty was nebulous even if he believed he had the right answer A part of him was aghast that he was considering wavering from his desire to kill Roy but another part pointed out that the reward from the System Quest would likely be worth the effort And at this point Drake couldn�t be enthused about either the prospect of killing Roy or his chances of doing so

Trapped in these tiny passages true Roy faced the same limitations But for all that Roy claimed to be a Hero his fighting style was all misdirection and ambushes

Roy�s eyes were bright as he extended a hand Perhaps we got off on the wrong foot And I very much believe you see the value in questing together

His head throbbed but Drake reached out and took Roy�s hand

Chapter 661

In the darkness of her private room Ophelia Vade the leader of the Heart School tapped her finger against the cold obsidian of her small buckler shield It was something obtained only accidentally from a Danger Zone hundreds of years ago It almost made her nostalgic to think of the way the world used to be

Her memories of before the System were naught but shapes of course She had been only a girl when the change came to this world But she had risen quickly to prominence afterward And it was only by her hand and the Oracle that Tellus had weathered the loss of the Spearman

When her thoughts turned in that direction her lips thinned to a frown Shaking her head she dispersed those emotions like they were beads of dew Such emotions would only get in the way of her goal here

Versault I appreciate that you came all this way

Versault Ignis leader of the Death School almost seemed amused as he walked into the room and considered Ophelia The floor of the room was constructed entirely of a very difficult to harvest tongue of a monster As it dried it settled into an extremely soft and pleasing surface Due to its high Level it also boasted extreme durability The rest of Ophelia�s office was similarly rare but she felt no shyness about it

This was what power could accomplish

I did not have a choice You would have lashed out otherwise Versault observed

Ophelia shrugged Fine we can skip the pleasantries then No matter what you say I still remember the truth of your existence there is no way you do not understand what happened to the spear source Your power over memory is without peer Show me what happened

Versault considered Ophelia carefully Then he sighed I am much less than I once was Ophelia We both are

Gritting her teeth Ophelia resisted the strong impulse to lash out at Versault It was a near thing Her fury seemed to boil over the edges of herself coloring the air But as soon as she heard the soft hum of her Skills warping the world around she immediately stopped Horror spread across her face and she immediately suppressed her Skill usage

Versault�s laughter was loud and full of self hatred It took him several minutes to control his guffaws And when he did his question caught Ophelia flat footed How is the Oracle

The pointed question left Ophelia furious but she wasn�t going to make a mistake with her control twice She is a fucking hero The sacrifices she made without the Oracle we would be fighting blind

What has it gotten us Ophelia We don�t even know who we are fighting against

They stood in silence for several minutes before Versault departed Ophelia didn�t bother to stop him Because he was right The enemy they had been playing cat and mouse with almost seven centuries wouldn�t have struck at the spear source they had finally reached something like an accord with him

But if not their old enemy who was moving

Aylwind Sky leader of the Spearman School looked up sharply at the news Almost in spite of himself he chuckled Is it truly so dire that even the Northern Domain has fallen to the Wights Why would they even bother to invade there Well as long as Niergem is held they will have hope Let them handle themselves

His aide nodded but after a second Aylwind grimaced and shook his head Fuck It can�t be left to chance How many escaped

the numbers are inaccurate At the top end almost a million people escaped split into two forces At their current speed

Aylwind waved her explanation away Who are the leaders of the expedition

Aethon Thai leads the larger portion of the forces in the area Rumors are that he has broken through to the Master Level and mortally wounded a Witch King The smaller group is led by ah Aegiant Wyrd

The Crimson Dawn Aylwind�s face turned stony The man who had held the office of Leader of the Spearman Style before he was betrayed and driven North to the wilderness A man that Aylwind never hoped to see again

He grunted looking at the table it cannot be left to chance

Then he looked sharply up at his aide Send a missive to Niergem immediately Have them retreat to the Central Domain Convey that this is not a request no send Sazzeratta She will compel them well enough

After the aide left Aylwind Sky began to tremble The old Masters were moving Those that lived through the legendary life of the Spearman himself But what was confusing was that they were at each other�s throats Even now Aylwind�s contacts informed him that Ophelia Vade and Versault Ignis were meeting No expedition to recover the Spearsource seemed to be forthcoming It was baffling

What exactly was their goal

There was another knock at the door Aylwind�s aide poked her head in and said Oh also We are nearing the deadline for the end of the tournament Will you be appearing to greet those that survived the first part of the Inter School Tournament Based on what we know we uncovered some talented youths this time This will likely be a Tournament to remember

Aylwind nodded blandly and then stared at the door the aide departed from He felt sorry for the girl She was born and raised in the Central Domain Although many talked about the attacks of the Wights on the South and West portions of the Spearman School it hadn�t yet reached the capital not truly

Those spoiled brats the ones that Aylwind was shocked to find himself surrounded by thought this was just another storm that would inevitably blow over Their stints on the front line were carefully pruned to expose them to just the right amount of danger

Aylwind pressed his eyes together They didn�t remember the precursor to the Inter School competition the Five Way War Even Aylwind was only a kid when that was shaking the world Even now the echoes of that war were waiting right below the surface But this next generation they didn�t recognize any of it

They didn�t even know that there were originally five Schools

A new knock at his door distracted Aylwind The hand that knocked this time was much more forceful than his aide Someone who wanted a meeting He had made no agreements that he could remember and his people weren�t so jelly spined that they would allow someone without merit to pass through to see him

Straightening Aylwind carefully schooled his face Then he coughed lightly and said Come in

The door opened revealing two individuals The first he recognized Aiden Darke was a snake of a man that had recently been promoted to the representative of the Engraving Guild in the Central Domain All the people that Aylwind met complimented the young man for his passion and drive for the art of Engraving

To Aylwind�s knowledge this dark haired pale skinned man�s only passion was torturing those unfortunate enough to be caught practicing Engraving outside of the Guilds

But when Aiden Darke�s promotion came to his attention three months ago Aylwind did nothing to stop it they were losing the war and needed all the Engraved weaponry they could get their hands on Failing to plumb deeper on the Darke boy turned out to be a grand mistake The night he was sworn into office a large scale raid was launched upon the C Corp location in the city Simultaneously hundreds of soldiers were taken into custody charged with possession of contraband Engraved weaponry

As far as Aylwind could piece together a rogue Engraver was prolifically active in the Northern Domain a couple years ago and had sold off a huge inventory of the equipment in the last several months This sting was a passion project of Aiden who had been chasing the Engraver for months unable to locate a lead

Aylwind couldn�t deny he was amused when it was clear that the Engraver was long gone and the C Corp had already sold out their entire stock and the leadership has escaped with the money

Ah Mr Darke Aylwind said slowly To what do I owe this pleasure

Leader Sky I am glad you were able to meet me on such short notice May I first introduce my assistant Selfia She will be joining me in working on this case

Aiden indicated the girl who bowed politely to Aylwind He scanned her with disinterest She was one of those rare people with a third eye in her forehead but her skin was pale not a talented spear user then

As to business Aiden Darke�s face twisted in a horrible grin as he looked Aylwind Does the name Randidly Ghosthound ring any bells

Chapter 662

Randidly stuck the shovel into the ground and pulled out another fist sized rock With a grunt he expertly flipped it off to the side and then continued to dig

With an expression of glum resignation Azriel watched him dig Is this really how you want to spend your last day here

Yes Randidly said simply continuing to dig It was quick work considering his Strength Stat It was a high quality shovel too so a direct strike could split most troublesome stones in half Wiping his sweat off of his forehead Randidly surveyed his work He had been working all morning and was probably halfway done

Judging the current hole to be the right depth Randidly got out and started on another

Wouldn�t it be much more efficient to simply use your plant Skills to clear holes The shovel is an unnecessary contrivance

Randidly paused in his digging to consider this Finally he just shrugged It feels more honest this way

Disgusted Azriel shook her head You are doing this for the emotional reasons then It is illogical otherwise I would suggest even if you accomplish your emotional goals this was still an illogical way to spend time At this juncture a spar would be much more fruitful

Randidly stuck his tongue out at Azriel and didn�t answer

She crossed her arms Skarch has been a bad influence on you Her pointless habits have rubbed off Soon you will be polishing your spear every night

Shifting more dirt Randidly idly wondered if Azriel really didn�t notice the innuendo she put there But after he finished his current hole Randidly did hop out and walk over towards Azriel Perhaps But you cannot deny my images have grown stronger for it I can finally take Skarch�s images on directly

Azriel gave him a withering look Becoming a dirt covered grave grubber is to further your images Now this must be one of your esoteric jokes from your homeland No true reasoning spirit would dare suggest there was a connection there

Randidly�s smile didn�t fade but it shifted to something much more melancholy He turned and looked at his handiwork for the morning Fifty six graves had been dug so far There were 81 bodies that needed to be disposed of today The Wights had been content to pile up on the South bank of the Hallat River so it had been the first few days of peace in a long time

Or at least what had felt like a long time Randidly reminded himself he had only been fighting in the Central Domain for about a month

Someone has to dig the graves he said softly

Azriel snorted No they don�t The bodies will be burnt to ash to prevent the Propagator from taking the substances of the corpse and repurposing them into Wights Still more relevant is the point that it should not be you or I digging these graves there are much weaker spear users among us let them perform such a tedious and wasteful task

There is meaning in the productive hands doing this Even if it is unnecessary to have a grave is a meaningful symbol Randidly insisted He was very aware of the three hundred living soldiers under Captain Platton in the base only a mile away He was also aware of more than a few that were watching his toil in the valley by the Hallat River silently observing

Will this fill those witnesses there with inspiration Will they overcome the lack of Aether with Willpower and grit Azriel asked The true power of her argument was that she was not scathing her tone was simply bland curiosity It seems unlikely Do you wish to court one of the low Level spear users and this is an elaborate mating ritual Surely someone would suck your cock for less than seventy five or so graves

Eighty one Randidly corrected and then he chuckled in spite of himself Azriel saying cock was novel enough to shift him towards a more positive mood But yes I get it It might be pointless And I know if this was a month ago I wouldn�t have thought to do this But

Putting his hands on his hips Randidly just stood next to Azriel for a few minutes and looked up at the sky Although she was joking about them overcoming the lack of Aether with will Randidly could feel something in the sky It was half a soft breeze and another half a heartbeat It was an unsteady breath of the world constructed of sacrifice and the poignant image of the spear

Those few that had sacrificed their lives at Southpoint Beach had accomplished something To be honest the reason that Randidly was doing this was to try and figure out how it had occurred It was a creation of Aether in a way that Randidly had never seen before And when Randidly had taken the time to explain what had occurred to Neveah she seemed confused and disinterested

But it stuck in Randidly�s mind His small smattering of experience with karma from Lucretia a handful that didn�t even amount to a true Skill had pressed him into grave digging So dig he did

However that wasn�t the own reason It was also because Randidly had watched these spear users die over the last two weeks as the Wights became truly vicious in their attempts to kill Randidly Azriel and Skarch

Not that these eighty one individuals had died protecting them Far from it They had simply gotten caught in the crossfire That weighed heavily on Randidly�s heart The Crown of Upheaval and Silence throbbed with a hot and vicious grudge like a painful open wound

You started a sentence and then trailed off in the middle of it Azriel said matter of factly You do this a lot

Chuckling Randidly shrugged again and went back to digging holes

if you wanted a foolish spear waif to fall for you Azriel said slowly I would recommend using the same methods you did with me

For several seconds Randidly continued to dig Then he paused and straightened to look at Azriel She was looking at him without blinking her crimson eyes large and serious

and what sort of methods would those be Randidly said slowly

Make a promise with her and fail to follow through but not by your own doing It will be difficult for you to arrange a similar betrayal in good faith but you are an extraordinarily competent individual Randidly I am sure you will manage it Azriel said seriously

Frowning Randidly said That seems like a terrible way to err have someone fall for me Besides I delivered on my promise to you I beat Drak in the tournament

We have spoken of this Azriel said dismissively I never truly had any ill will towards Drak for all that he would have locked me away and forced me to bear his children should he have won our duel Such a result was simply the natural growth of my own weakness What I desired were the tools to stand on a stage and triumph demonstrating my master�s peerless Skill

With a sorrowful shake of the head Azriel conveyed how dismally she believed the tournament end to have gone Not only did you steal my glory but you failed to materialize for the final of the tournament Both chances were stolen from me With such a method it is easy for the most balanced girl to become slightly obsessed

Randidly finished a hole and moved on to another one feeling oddly nervous Is that why you want to spar so often To get back at me somehow You certainly get enough hits that I have wondered why you are so vicious with your strikes in a spar

To try anything less than to kill you would be disrespectful Oftentimes I am disappointed in your lack of execution during such training sessions But I acknowledge it extends the duration which has its own benefits Azriel allowed But then she sighed No now we have become inexorably linked Training is genuinely done to improve But I wished very dearly during the team selection that I not be placed with you It was one type of disappointment to be placed in close proximity to you once more Towards you unlike most no more than anyone I feel envy It is an ugly feeling

Randidly couldn�t think of anything to say to that so he continued to dig Through his plant senses he noticed more of the detachment under Captain Platton moving to watch him and Azriel on the hill talking quietly as Randidly dug He wondered what they were thinking

It might be his imagination but he believed that the great heartbeat in the sky was growing louder

Perhaps it is difficult to understand Azriel said suddenly I must acknowledge that it was a new feeling for me So perhaps you

No I get it Randidly interrupted

Azriel blinked Then frowned You Who could you possibly be envious of You have the gift of life flowing from your hands Plants and Ash are shaped by you You are the grand disciple of Aemont the Spear Phantom Your life is blessed Shaped almost to be a perfect thing

Randidly�s immediate reaction was to think of his time on Earth before the System when his envy towards Ace was painful to bear But another example was much closer to hand Azriel I was jealous of you Before the fight and even after Even now No one adapts as you do No one responds more quickly If we hadn�t met how do you think the fight against Drak would have gone

Abruptly Azriel quirked her head to the side considering him Her eyes grew distant as if she were reviewing all the relevant information in her mind Then she nodded Ah an interesting angle I forget how unpredictable you were back then in a bad way As in sometimes passable other times foolish

Randidly grunted and stuck his shovel into the ground No need to dwell on this topic That�s it eighty one graves Let�s go see Platton

� Randidly � Azriel began slowly But then she shook her head �Well it matters not Continue onward �

Chapter 663

Captain Platton sat on top of a tall stone tower looking towards the South side of the Hallat River The screen of trees made it difficult to tell exactly what was going on but it seemed clear that the Wights were moving

Construction his instincts told him This time Hell Maws for sure With that cover the Wights would push them back from the Hallat River and have free reign over the fertile countryside that fed most of the Central Domain Farming was a largely mocked profession in Tellus but if the farming villages in the surrounding area fell the Central Domain would feel the absence very quickly

Would that move them � Captain Platton wondered Somehow he knew that it wouldn�t For whatever reasons the elites held only apathy towards this invasion It was painful and frustrating to admit but there was no other explanation for the lack of response as reports of losses to the Wight horde poured in from every side

When the Spearsource was lost Tellus had gotten angry and frustrated For the first time in the centuries since the great Calamity they had lost their identity Even if Captain Platton didn�t agree with the decision of the higher ups to remain in the wings he understood it there wasn�t a fundamental threat that they needed to address

But this was a different situation The aggressive attacks from the Wights had revealed that they would ignore the precipitous losses that forcing the issue would cause And they didn�t care at all Unless the body was carefully annihilated the Propagators had the ability to use the corpses to assemble more Wights without missing a beat

That was what broke Captain Platton�s heart he was being praised as a hero by all of the population who had heard of his exploits but all he managed was to waste hundreds of lives to delay the assault by a few weeks

That was all the valiant defense that he orchestrated had managed A few weeks

And with the departure of his three most powerful warriors

As if summoned by his thought Azriel and Skarch pushed open the door without a knock and walked into Platton�s office Randidly followed after the two of them his expression slightly clouded

Smiling warily Captain Platton put down the stack of reports and nodded to the entrants After all they had given and sacrificed for his plans it was not a problem to ignore the breaches of etiquette Good you are all here There is another day before it�s strictly necessary but since it appears the Wights will be working on their war machines for the next week you may return to Hastam early Perhaps the day of rest will do you good

We have rested for two days already Azriel complained and Randidly nodded

We have plenty of energy Randidly said his eyes going over the dozens of papers scattered on Captain Platton�s desk Platton�s heart sank when he realized the man pitied him If there is anything

There is nothing you can do Captain Platton said The room settled into an almost numb silence and Platton winced Perhaps too many of his morose guesses about the state of this war came through in his voice In an attempt to get the mood back on track he said Here anyway There is a tournament a hundred kilometers North that you are responsible for winning Did you know that there are already betting pools arranged by the C Corp

The three just looked at him so Captain Platton soldiered on I took the liberty to arrange my paycheck go towards bets on each of you Some of the men joined in on it I�ll have you know that if one of you were to win the tournament the rest of us would have enough to retire from the front lines and live like kings So good luck

If anything the silence grew worse in the wake of Platton�s pronouncement All three of the eyes of the young spear users grew solemn as they looked at him

It has been an honor to be led by you Skarch said with a short bow If we weather this storm my family will always welcome you at our table

We will weather it without a doubt Captain Platton found himself saying He noticed that when he spoke Randidly closed his eyes It seemed that he was truly rusty when it came to lying

If we find unending glory Azriel said lightly as she tapped her spear on the ground You will be recognized in the song of our deeds Likely not in the refrain but as a minor character in an early verse

Snorting Platton turned to Randidly He reached into his pocket and produced his Soulstone With a gesture the energy he had gathered in the last month transferred over to Randidly�s own stone It was a small thing but

Suddenly Randidly�s eyes were glittering as he examined the energy in the air There was a spark of hope in his eyes But Captain Platton did his best to ignore it He had allowed this young man to exhausted himself on this task for far too long Best that he return to Hastam where he could be further refined One day he would be a spear user that could change the fate of a nation

But not yet

No matter what Platton was thinking however Randidly ignored his offered hand Instead he pulled out his own stone and stared at it fixedly what does the Soulstone steal exactly If it continues to take the energy perhaps

This was already looked into Captain Platton said with a stern voice It is true the Soulstone takes a portion of the energy that is released when a Wight dies But it was never the energy that is an issue We have always known that the Propagator has the ineffable ability to light the fire of life in the puppets that are the Wights But we always believed that broken bodies could only be reused at great cost That was the variable holding the Propagators back Whether they learned a Skill to circumvent this issue or whether it was a ruse from the beginning doesn�t matter the animating energy was always easy to create Stealing a little

Perhaps Randidly said and now he was grinning His mouth stretched wider and wider until it was a wild expression that no longer looked pleasant But I was stuck on the same problems as you because I believed I had to address them the same way as you do I don�t

Captain Platton gave Randidly a look and he smiled back up at him

Captain give me leave to remain two more hours Randidly said with bright eyes Perhaps there truly is nothing I can do in the grand scope of things But right here right now I can present you with a farewell gift And I think it is one that you will appreciate

Randidly stared at the sky Tired but determined the pulse of the images produced by that brave stand at Southpoint Beach continued If anything they had grown stronger the longer that Randidly examined them At first he had been deeply puzzled by this wondering how the Aether was managing it

Then he realized that there were new sources from afar that were slowly connected to the living thing in the sky that the Southpoint Beach stand had created Across Tellus more spear users were dying with such fervor that it was altering Aether The only problem that it was all shape and no juice It would give spear users the shape to grow but they were being starved of vitamins to fuel that

Standing on the hill above the Hallat River Randidly looked at the graves he had dug Then his gaze turned to the Wight encampment Even now they were felling trees to make room for their Hell Maws Randidly closed his eyes No matter what they did to those plants they were still there Without an overwhelming power it was impossible to completely eradicate plant life

With plants Randidly had eyes

What he had realized from watching Platton give him the energy from his Soulstone was how tenuous the Wights hold over the energy was It was because they were like cups filled with the energy animating them It was a very specific sort of energy not the type that would be any use spear users Perhaps because of that whoever had made the Wights didn�t bother to make the bindings on that energy very tight They popped like water balloons when pressed the right way

Or at least that was what Randidly was banking on

Randidly set out the last crate of Mana potions next to him and smiled at it ruefully Although he didn�t like the lack of action this break had at least given Randidly the chance to lose the constant headache that had from artificially recovering his Mana for the last month But this activity would probably destroy everything he had struggled to accomplish during that time

When the Incendiary Eruptions went up among the Wight camps there were deaths sure but there were likely a hundred thousand Wights in the area Randidly alone could no longer dent their armies The fiery heat scarred the ground melting stone and Wight bodies alike As the smoke cooled Randidly drank Mana Potions Then he struck again spreading his reach out farther Then again Then again until the edges of Randidly�s focus were fraying and a 20 kilometer space was covered in Incendiary Eruptions

Then to fill in the gaps Randidly closed his eyes and felt with his plants Where he needed it he used another Incendiary Eruption Slowly the shape of what he wanted settled into place

As he was so far from the occurrence even Randidly felt strained If his Control wasn�t so overwhelmingly high it would be impossible But with a Control of 697 Randidly believed he had just enough to manage it

After all of his research into energy transfers for the drone the principle behind this was almost too simple Creating the transition to Aether was tricky but he had experimented with some of the energy from his own Soulstone and quickly worked through it The melted rock cooled into certain shapes filled with the warm glow of Randidly�s Mana As the attacks seemed to cease the huge army returned back to their work ignoring the melted rock beneath their feet

His eyes were burning emeralds as Randidly reached into that 20 kilometers of giant Mana Engraving Doing this so quickly had driven Randidly towards the end of his endurance but Platton had been adamant that he only have two hours With the remaining Mana Potions Randidly refilled himself But even so he produced his 10 rings filled with Mana

Randidly took a breath Then he pulled The giant Engravings lit up with emerald fire

As one 100 000 Wights collapsed as their energy was sucked away into that beating pulse in the sky

Chapter 664

Exhausted from the day Randidly could say nothing as Skarch insisted that they hire a cart to allow Randidly to rest At first he staunchly refused it was slow them down immensely But the headache was back with a vengeance and Randidly felt some strange instability from his inner world that had him worried

He couldn�t pinpoint the source but he figured there would be no problems with taking some time to relax

It wouldn�t change the course of the war but the defense seemed to come alive with Randidly�s actions He had been previously shunting off large amounts of Aether into the atmosphere to keep some Leveling occurring amongst the spear users but it was a small effect This was not

As Randidly reaped the life from those Wights a tidal wave of spear friendly Aether spread across the entire Spearman School continent and likely abroad After weeks of the wounded piling up they began to heal Levels were earned Hope was restored

Randidly was exhausted but satisfied When they had departed Captain Platton was white But the lines of worry from his face were gone instead he was speechless in a different way from the hopelessness from earlier He hadn�t even said anything he had simply put his hand on Randidly�s shoulder and bowed his head But Randidly understood

The most pleasant surprise for Randidly was that it didn�t seem like a one time thing He couldn�t really judge how long the Mana would persist but for a while the Wights could not enter into that 20 kilometers of ground South of the Hallat River without fueling the Aether of the spear users And they had tried After the first hundred thousand died another Wight army appeared and trotted right up to be reaped as well

More and more Aether gave life to that heartbeat in the sky

Still a lot of the high from accomplishing that slowly dispersed as Randidly sat in the back of the cart and listened to Azriel and Skarch bicker over which of them would seize the ultimate prize at the tournament It was somewhat hard to listen to Randidly was aware that both of them understood that the tournament meant nothing in the grand scheme of Tellus anymore But it was hard not to cling to it when everything else seemed so dire

But Randidly was under no illusions This problem they were facing was a pay grade above himself Perhaps that was the same conclusion that Skarch and Azriel came to They had done all they could It was better not to waste their worries on a looming doom they could not themselves fight against

To try and shift his own mind Randidly turned to his PP

Over the past month he had been busy Aside from general increases in his combat and spell Skills Randidly had several Skills that had jumped rapidly upwards as he worked them more into his usual repertoire When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance and Volatile Ash both saw huge jumps likely due to the circular nature of their effect The former created ash and the latter empowered ash

In terms of the biggest spell growth Incendiary Eruption and Incinerating Bolt had become his bread and butter spells The combination gave him a shot that could hit aerial targets and another that could wipe out concentrated ground forces Although Ring of Fire was powerful Randidly preferred to rely on his spear Skills when they would come in close This also had the added benefit of keeping his Level 34 where Randidly suspected he might have tried to rush towards 40 at the rate the Wights gave experience

Still perhaps the greatest focus Randidly possessed during this time was to raise is Visualization His spars with Skarch and Azriel had focused on it and there were concrete benefits to improving his images across the board In addition Randidly had to admit that there were some supplementary effects of the Skill that seemed to make it easier to interpret the information provided through his plant sense

All in all Randidly gained 133 PP in a month which is some of the highest growth he had experienced in a long time But his heart cooled somewhat when he saw that his Path Chosen of Ash would be completed by this amount of PP

It was not a small thing that Randidly remembered hearing in this world that there had never been a Chosen of Ash But Randidly was never one to mind trying to be the first

Still he did not yet complete the Path He put most of his PP into the Path to raise it to 199/200 but he didn�t add the last bit Instead he leaned back and enjoyed the sound of Azriel and Skarch�s voices Their travels in the cart were quick as there were no others along the road with them but the Central Domain was vast It was nice to feel the cool breeze of farmland and have the air be cleared of the smell of smoke

Randidly smiled sardonically To be fair generally the smell of smoke was his doing But still it was a relaxing break So he simply meditated

It took almost four hours and night had fallen but Randidly finally felt well enough to attempt this Sitting up Randidly moved into a comfortable position

Azriel Randidly said

Azriel poked her head back through the front of the cart to look at him Are you ready for your turn to drive Ha to think Skarch thought you so self absorbed that you wouldn�t think to offer It appears she owes me a new spear

Randidly opened his mouth and then flushed Well he supposed he hadn�t exactly thought that this was a shared responsibility Still it made sense

I was joking to add levity to the situation Azriel said with a sigh Shaking her said Truth be told I owe Skarch some currency to improve her spear due to this She said you would be unmoved by my humor Please tell me some good news to raise my spirits

I go to speak with my Patron and hopefully be Chosen Randidly said lightly Although he didn�t need to tell her it was likely good manners And perhaps Azriel would know some facts about Patrons that would make this easier

Ah She said simply Then she nodded Good luck

Without another word she removed her head from the back of the cart With a small smile on his face Randidly added the last PP to the Path

Congratulations You have finished the Path Chosen of Ash Your growth has come far and the road you walk has been paved by a great existence that rules over the domain of Ash Without a doubt the further you proceed down the road the deeper you see into the forbidden mysterious of Ash To choose this Path was always a gamble because at the end of all Ashen Roads lay the burning heat that created them There is a plain of ash and at the center a volcano At the summit of the volcano there is a face Although this may be the end of your Path never doubt the journey is worth it

Without any fanfare Randidly�s vision immediately faded The darkness was not a kind darkness however and it felt thin and grainy to Randidly�s senses But he didn�t press Instead he waited Yet the darkness stretched on seemingly endless

To Randidly�s surprise the darkness persisted Eventually he frowned Originally he had assumed that this was a transition back to that Ashen World where the Patron of Ash waited But minutes ticked by without any change It was difficult to accurately track the passage of time in the pure darkness but Randidly suspected at least a half hour had slipped away

Implacable and eternal the darkness showed no signs of dispersing

With his fingers Randidly reached out and touching his face and shoulders All here Acri wasn�t present but he was physically in a location Crouching Randidly touched the ground and dragged his fingers through a layer of slimy and grainy ash to feel the cold ground beneath it Sand

Randidly grimaced The strange sensation to this world was familiar to him but he couldn�t

Then he froze Because he definitely knew this feeling This was the thinness to existence that Randidly felt while he utilized Ashes to Ashes Slowly he stood once more The one thing that Randidly kept in mind constantly was that none had ever returned from this place It would not be smart to behave aggressively here It was entirely possible that others didn�t have the same experience that Randidly did with Ashes to Ashes and lashed out here

Exposed suddenly to pain they went mad and died here in the darkness At the sudden thought that he might be standing next to a grimacing and contorted body Randidly shivered

Raising his hand Randidly used Incinerating Bolt to see a bit of the surrounding area Well he tried to Nothing happened Then he attempted to activate Golden Roots of Yggdrasil to draw strength from the ground Nothing

None of Randidly�s Skills worked

He moved his hand really fast back and forth in front of his face feeling like a fool But the wind he generated was not that of a normal person He still retained his Stats But he was somehow cut off from his Skills At this Randidly could only sigh

All the others before him couldn�t have died because the Patron of Ash required them to fight something without any Skills right

Chapter 665

With nothing else to do Randidly began to walk The direction was random And likely variable as he couldn�t very well track anything in the darkness There was just himself and the feeling of his body hanging in the deep abyss around him

Honestly the feeling of his body would quickly disappear if he didn�t keep his hands on himself It was like he was unmoored drifting around The longer Randidly walked the more it seemed like the darkness was more liquid than anything else and it had buoyed him away from the ground to carry him off into the deep sea It was a profoundly disconcerting feeling

Randidly was also rather annoyed because although darkness wasn�t off brand per se it was a bit away from the typical MO for Patrons Now he was slightly annoyed with himself for not asking Azriel and Skarch more pointedly about Patrons before he made the attempt Perhaps his excitement got the better of him

Hopefully it wouldn�t be the last mistake Randidly had the pleasure of making

To keep his mind moving Randidly thought about drone designs and the making of Ghost�s physical body He wondered what had happened on Earth with the different Zones and whether more had connected He wondered whether Tessa�s Orders became anything He wondered what Lyra was up to and why she refused to listen to reason Randidly wondered about that strange cockroach being that seemed to be related to the Creature but he had never been able to track down after the incident in the powerplant

Randidly also wondered why the powerful Masters of Tellus didn�t move to stop the Wights And once his mind was on the war Randidly took great care to examine every memory he had of those that had fought by his side and died Their mannerisms and names Their Styles and spear Skills Randidly immersed himself in it all

Perhaps it was Visualization once more but it was very easy to immerse himself in the images They felt real around him No longer was Randidly walking in darkness but he was walking through his own memories It was strange because Randidly was like a ghost and he watched himself move and talk with these people

Then came fights he had in the past It was almost painful to go back and watch his haphazard early fighting style Although Shal had drilled Randidly on the principles during their time together in the dungeon it wasn�t until he went to Tellus that he truly learned to use the spear His fight against the Sphinx was almost comical

Randidly watching himself run into the room and find Lyra�s human corpse and the shapeshifter that would assume her face

Randidly also saw the Creature in all of the faces she had shown him Mostly they were variants on Lyra�s face But there was always a deepness to the Creature�s eyes that for all her self proclaimed wisdom Lyra did not possess Randidly might deeply hate his longtime enemy but he couldn�t deny that it possessed great knowledge and capability

Grimacing Randidly amended an earlier thought If more Zones connected he hoped it would take as long as possible The Creature would have incarnations in each Zone or some of them Coming back to an active version of the Creature would be a headache especially because Randidly suspected it wouldn�t do anything overtly against him until the third Calamity

It would be content to prepare and watch until then

After a while the memories fell away and Randidly was in the darkness once more But this was a brief stay very soon the darkness had bled away into color First maroons and golds but then browns dark greens and finally navy blue And once the dark colors made their appearance there was an explosion and the world around Randidly became a shifting land of color that moved like a lava lamp Shades pooled on the ground and then floated upwards to separate and stain the sky

Through it all Randidly continued walking Time began to twist Randidly suspected it had been almost a day since he had arrived here but it was difficult to track Everything was a different shape than it normally was in his mind Parts of his inner world seemed to be humming even though he couldn�t utilize Skills as far as he could see If anything this made Randidly only more cautious

Which was why he jumped when words split the darkness

This way

The voice was soft and not one that Randidly recognized as the Patron of Ash but it struck like a bolt of lightning in the darkness For a second the words seemed to burn a path into Randidly�s memory Then it slowly began to fade But it was enough

Randidly turned to his left and began to move with more speed trotting across the shifting ground It felt like underneath the layer of ash was sand and each step grew more tiresome Not that Randidly grew tired but it seemed that his pace refused to increase as much as he would like to due to the terrain

Now as Randidly ran he thought about his father About how he needed to consume human life or slowly weaken In the wake of killing Father Foster Randidly had spent some time looking for Ezekiel and he spoke to Hank But no one seemed to have seen him

Perhaps it was familial affection but Randidly did not force the issue or utilize Ghost�s information network Because it occurred to Randidly that Ezekiel had killed hundreds of monsters knowing that the possessed the minds and hearts of humans It weighed heavily on Randidly�s consciousness

Where exactly had Ezekiel�s hunger come from

But Randidly didn�t want to think of that now Instead Randidly remembered the altered memory with his father that occurred in his first visit to the Patron of Ash�s world There he had spoken to Ezekiel where in real life he had remained silent out of fear It was a good memory

The smell of the backseat the sound of the rain and the windshield wipers the way the seatbelt cut at his neck

The colors around Randidly shifted and he was there Moving like a phantom Randidly stepped out of the car and into the road Rain fell in sheets creating huge puddles even along the side of the highway When their car blazed through in its dash to the hospital huge waves of liquid were thrown up

As Randidly continued to walk in the rain away from the setting of his memory the world faded Soon there was nothing but the sound of rain Then that too was gone

But more sounds rose to fill Randidly�s awareness First the sound of his breath and then the sound of his heartbeat

Stopping Randidly looked up in shock He saw a light A real one

It was difficult to tell because the colors continued to swim everywhere else but there was a low glow in the distance that seemed to ground the rest of the chaos There was something A beacon It was a little off of Randidly�s path so he hesitated But as he couldn�t trust his sense of direction Randidly began to head towards it

Time had stopped There was only the walking and the light

And then after what felt like a year Randidly arrived at the light It was just brightness and he stepped into it The world shuddered

Suddenly Randidly was on a vast plain filled with living grain although none that he recognized It shifted and rustled in the wind and Randidly spun around slowly to take it all in

I have three secrets for you boy

Randidly spun around Standing a few meters behind him was a figure with pale green skin and a cat like tail that flipped back and forth But his eyes were grey ash and every second more flaked off and drifted down from his face like some sort of terrible tears

You are the Patron of Ash Randidly said slowly

The being nodded For now know me to be called Ulaat This is how I looked before Except for my eyes Not even I can escape what I have become Now look it is beginning

Randidly�s gaze followed along where Ulaat pointed and he saw nothing but the field for several long seconds Then there was a soft ripple in the air The grain in the surrounding area was blown away as if by a sudden wind

Riipp

Something akin to a cloth tearing sounded out in the same way that setting a porcelain teacup down sounded like an earthquake The whole area was consumed by the noise and Randidly winced The air distorted further and suddenly there was an opening there midair A portal

The first secret you earn for being patient and determined Although I dislike the necessity of that test age has taught me that I have no time for the fools who cannot manage it The secret I offer you is the truth of the Second Calamity Do you desire this truth

Unsure of whether this was a trick question Randidly nodded slowly

The Patron of Ash Ulaat smiled Simply put the great second Calamity is yourself A parallel world where you have chosen a different image for yourself The darkest alternative in your own mind And it is that possibility that has given Tellus nightmares for so long

Chapter 666

As the Patron of Ash continued to speak Randidly looked behind at the portal Strange skittering bug creatures were exploding outwards expanding in all directions Strangely Randidly felt his perspective lift up and shoot up into the sky From just the field of grain Randidly could now see the edges where the field touched a river and the thick jungle beyond that A small distance from the edge of the jungle a small village of the blue creatures that the Patron of Ash hailed from were working to gather fruit

To be fair to call it yourself would be inaccurate But that is how it feels to face the Second Calamity What if I had embraced the sword What if I had focused on ice What if my sibling had not died � Such questions that make up your fragile core will define the challenge Sometimes such questions might warp the reflection you must face beyond belief The enemies you face might have no resemblance to you and your people Such was the case with the Calamity that came to my world

The Patron of Ash inclined his head towards the jungles below Randidly My people worshipped the World Core It is rumored that every plant even the tiniest blade of grass possesses a system of roots that lead to the World Core Our take is to tend the growth of the World Core and life on its bounty We were a stable and peaceful population despite the arrival of the System We persevered Such was the strength of our culture that we weren�t shaken in the slightest

Randidly was slightly taken aback how human the Patron of Ash seemed Ulaat seemed in his normal form But his gaze on the images below turned stony The bug like creatures were moving farther afield and eating everything in sight In their wake there was only barren ground

why are you telling me this Randidly whispered He of course wanted to learn about the Second Calamity and how to defeat it But he purposefully reminded himself that the Calamity was a later challenge At the moment all of his attention was focused on passing through this trial with his life

To be an Initiate is to have my attention To be Anointed is to carry my blessings and touch the world of Woe that I had crafted for myself Ulaat said slowly The bug creatures reached the village of Ulaat�s people It took them by surprise and viciously butchered those unsuspecting people To be Chosen means a different thing to each Patron I believe Other Patrons mean that the images of the proteges are sufficiently similar so therefore they should inherit a portion of this cursed mantle we Patrons are made to bear

As his people were slaughtered below the entire village to the man Ulaat turned and gazed at Randidly His ashen eyes continued to disintegrate Do you know the agony of being eternal Of becoming an idea and therefore unable to die or evolve How could you How fickle and bright your potential burns Randidly Ghosthound Your surety of success is admirable if only for its continued existence without reliance on fact

Tightening his hands into fists Ulaat leaned towards Randidly As he did so Randidly couldn�t help but notice that there were spots on Ulaat�s hand and shoulder that began to smoke and disintegrate It seemed this body that he had conjured was slowly being consumed from the inside But no intelligent man who believes it impossible will reach the moon you need a fool to not even think about it To be chosen by me is to be asked to reach the moon

I am wracked by guilt I cannot die I cannot leave my world but to test fools like you who have not heard of my reputation I am so very tired I am so very tired And a Patron cannot cease but I believe my consciousness can if the mantle of what I am passes to another

Randidly just looked at Ulaat now slowly burning away his body and reverting to the Patron of Ash Below the bug creatures were spreading across the world murdering as they went At some point word got out and the people began to resist Randidly saw grand ceremonies involving the exotic plants of the world empowering the warriors of Ulaat�s people It was a slow thing as the bug�s expansion ground to a halt

But in a way it reminded Randidly very much of how the Wights were overwhelming the spear users There were simply too many of them Randidly supposed that this might be a common theme in the second Calamity then an unending tide of opponents He made note of that but kept most of his attention on the Patron of Ash

When the Patron continued to study the war being waged below Randidly looked up slowly you want to pass your power onto me And based on the fact none has even been chosen before the process

Then Randidly froze He gritted his teeth No you don�t want to give me the power All you want to give is the

Smiling the Patron of Ash held up his hand Almost the entirety of his body was crusting and falling away now as the burning heat at his core overwhelmed whatever glamour he had weaved Yes This image The one strong enough to emerge from the second Calamity without peer All else had been devoured by this tiny image Take it from me Randidly make me no more

Randidly just stared at the glowing red orange coal in the Patron of Ash�s hand Carefully he thought through it Based on his interaction with the Creature and the information he plundered from its memories the System was looking for something very specific On the way it didn�t mind gathering strong images for its own purposes If the Calamities were considered a way of intensifying or isolating images then each process was a way of weeding out those that were useless to the Calamity

First by strength and then by Randidly paused as he considered the second Calamity It seemed to test the poignancy one more time but also resilience Because the Calamity itself was a personification of the deep fears of the world�s image

Narrowing his eyes Randidly tried to be very careful about what he said next The Patron seemed to be waiting for something The battles below grew increasingly bitter as the blue tailed creatures stopped the bugs What Randidly was suddenly struck by was that the Calamity was based on the worldwide image It was very easy to see why the world�s fears could be terrible and perverse beyond what you would expect It made Randidly wonder what Earth feared most right now

Perhaps it was actually him

But the problem at hand was daunting An image that survived two Calamities would be strong In terms of Skill Level Randidly estimated somewhere between four hundred and five hundred And that might be conservative More worrying the Level didn�t account for the fervor that the holder believed in the image If he had learned anything from Skarch it was that this was of paramount importance Taking such a powerful image directly into himself

It was no wonder why others perished In a small sample Randidly had noticed the way that the strange Aether that Silo had been absorbing has altered him Altered him to the point that even though Randidly sensed Silo behind enemy lines there was almost no movement from the guy

Even then that wasn�t the same because Silo was absorbing someone�s processed Aether It wasn�t just image there were thoughts and memories and emotions and life energy mixed inexorably into that Aether That was the fabric of somebodies existence

If the metaphor for Silo was trying to swim against the current of a vast river what the Patron of Ash was suggesting was to take one tenth of the weight of the river condense it into a fist sized ball and ask you to catch it The sheer difference and density were tough to understand

In order to buy some time Randidly gestured at the world below There was something about the air here the heat was getting to him where are you in all of this

Ah a good question boy The Patron of Ash said with a wide smile The boy named Ulaat is still growing below This brings us to the second secret the life of Ulaat This one you earned for asking the right question But first let me set the stage

Generally the Second Calamity will result in one of two things happening First there is a victor either the original image triumphs over the fears or the fears were superior and they assume the legitimate reality The fears are after all a glorified projection unless they seize the other side�s validity From the System�s perspective it cares not all it seeks is strength

The Patron of Ash waved his hand and their viewpoint shifted They were floating above a small village near the border of the territory between the two sides but not so close that they had to be worried all the time about raids from the bugs The second option is that worlds stall out for one reason or another Sometimes the images are equal sometimes although one image is stronger the people wielding it do not optimally fight against the opposition The Fifth Cohort World Tellus is one such place

The view zoomed in further and suddenly Randidly and the Patron of Ash were in a small treetop house in the village The house didn�t look special at all from the outside and within it appeared similarly normal A man and a woman were there playing with a baby There were scrolls in racks at the wall Night was falling and the man lit a candle so he could read a few of the scrolls that had piled up on his desk

Like all things accidents sometimes happen even in the awesome System The Patron of Ash said slowly Some days I believe I was beloved by fate because I survived But I have not had one of those days in a thousand years Instead I like to believe I was cursed from the beginning

The man began to read out loud from the scrolls The woman slowly grew more and more distracted Her hands stilled from playing with the baby and she looked worriedly towards the man

Obviously the baby couldn�t understand what was going on He was young but he was able enough to push himself into a sitting position with his tail Seeing that the woman was too enthralled with the man�s voice the baby began to crawl away

Abruptly the woman stood and stormed out of the room Hurriedly putting down the scroll the man followed Without missing a beat the baby crawled over towards the flickering candle His eyes were wide as he stared up at it It took a while but the baby managed to open his hands and grab the leg of the desk When that did nothing he spread his tail awkwardly upwards To Randidly�s surprise the baby�s tail was probably twice as long again as his body was

It barely reached After several clumsy swipes the baby knocked the candle down underneath the scroll rack With wide eyes he watched the flickering flames grow As Randidly watched he could feel himself beginning to burn along with the heat It was almost a painful feeling all across his chest

Sometimes a third option happens in the chaos an image is born that is so strong that it sweeps the other two images away that is my story

Chapter 667

They would call me firebringer for that night Almost the entire village burned down The Patron of Ash narrated with a dispassionate voice as he watched in real time the house and then the tree and then the whole village go up in flames My people worshipped plants so they prepared certain magicks to combat fire But fire grows strong quickly And with our best and brightest fighting on the frontlines none who had the strength to quell the fire were in the village My parents died

I have come back and watched this memory so many times and yet I still don�t� know what the scrolls said Why my mother left why my father followed When the weight of my crime does not haunt me that ambiguity does

Seeing the flame the nearby reserve army moved to assist assuming it was a raid By a terrible coincidence a raid really did occur in the opposite direction Two villages lost in one night There were a few survivors from my village but none from the other Rumors about me spread before I could even speak Parents told their children not to be a firebringer Kids had a game called run away from the firebringer My early years were hard

In the smoking eye socket of the Patron of Ash a cherry red ember became visible But although I was hated and shunned there was a bigger problem We were losing the war With all of the land lost to the Scourge the World Seed was much weakened The ceremonies were not as effective as they once were Our people were being pushed back It seemed like doom was upon us

Perhaps due to all of the hatred towards me I hated the Scourge more than anyone All I did was train until my bones were broken and my muscles mush I needed to matter I needed it to be their fault I needed an outlet But it wasn�t enough I was a middling talent And my nights were haunted by nightmares of smoke and fire

I don�t remember why I thought about it But I once suggested that rather than taking a safe amount of juice from the World Seed we take as much as we could Although the World Seed might be damaged at least we would be able to rally and seize our world once more Shouldn�t our own survival be the greatest priority

The elders were appalled Even the most hardline war types were appalled As I said earlier my people�s culture was based upon the worship of this very present force in their lives To sacrifice it for their own benefit it was anathema to everything that had given us stability to this point We would the elders told me be effectively turning ourselves into the Scourge That was not the answer They seemed adamant about this

I was not so sure

The view shifted once more very quickly The world twisted and suddenly a young man was standing in front of a strange sort of flowering vine The man visibly hesitated then picked the vine clean of flowers leaving nothing behind As he departed the vine didn�t wither but it seemed to age Initially green and robust the vine darkened and seemed to be covered with wrinkles

Randidly panted and wiped some sweat from his forehead with a grimace It seemed that as the world was getting affected so was he And dammit the heat was growing painful

I experimented I sought the truth And the truth was my path to power was clear I must do right by my name When burned the flowers and fruits of the World Seed were a hundred times more powerful for a brief time That very night I struck annihilating the hive that was closest to my people I felt unsure at first but then it was swept away by the smell of ash

I felt powerful I felt like I had purpose I felt like a righteous God

From there I simply fought more As my enemies were more and more of the Scourge I required more for my bastardized rituals I kept winning by the time the elders realized what I had done I had driven the Scourge off of our planet Although it was a wasteland we reclaimed it I was filled with joy

But with the passage of time the World Seed did not heal

Once more the view pulled back The thick green jungle of the land had grown thin The fields were barren and no longer thick with wheat And as Randidly watched that greenness receded Brown became the dominant color It spread like a sickness across the world The few remaining cities of the Patron�s people grew smaller and smaller

At first I thought I had the answers I burned large swaths of land thinking that if I cut off the green from the brown I could save it But the brown kept coming Then I thought that some of the elders were performing rituals behind my back and sapping the World Seed�s strength I burned them alive I was in too deep and desperate Nothing changed

Within 57 years I was the only remaining thing on the world And around me was ash I just felt bleak And sadness And betrayal I had been a hero I had defeated the enemy So why had I failed

What a fool I was When the System came to elevate me to a Patron I didn�t even really notice The burned world of my past became my power and my prison All due to this small thing

Randidly slowly spun seeing the familiar ashen and lava covered world where the Patron of Ash lived Finally he spun all the way around and was looking at the Patron who still held that tiny ember in his hand Such was the heat from the ember that Randidly felt like he was being consumed from the inside out by a fire

Thank you for telling me Randidly said with a sigh The pain was approaching unbearable but he pushed that aside for now He didn�t think the Patron of Ash would take kindly to a show of weakness

Instead he thought about his own choices He had taken up a heavy mantle when he had decided to act more like a liege for Earth It was a heavy responsibility but he felt the world needed the power he could offer It wasn�t difficult to see the parallels But Randidly�s actions hadn�t yet had the same disastrous effect

The Patron of Ash gestured dismissively with the hand that wasn�t holding onto the ember Your emotions are meaningless Like my existence my reactions have calcified This is meaningless to me You are a piece that I have raised for this purpose Now I simply must ask will you take this burden from me

and if I refuse Randidly said slowly looking solemnly at the Patron of Ash In response the Patron only smiled

Sighing Randidly tried a different tack Then what is the third secret

You do not yet have the right to know the Patron of Ash rumbled Now that they were once more in his world lava and ash began to flow upwards and form a huge face around his constantly disintegrating body That face expanded until it was the size of a large building while eyes that cried tears of lava And here we are You must make a decision without knowing either of the consequences Such is the lot in life when you choose the Path of the Fool

Randidly felt bitter but mostly because it was difficult to deny that he had done some foolish things in his time His rebellion against the creature choosing the Patron of Ash at all assembling his own Soul Skill destroying a Skill because it exerted a strange influence over him

Above all Randidly had slowly realized that he was a very instinctual person To follow his instincts could be of great benefit to him in some situations but now he was faced with the inevitable eventuality of that path a decision you know could burn you both ways

Could he have avoided this Perhaps

Out of habit Randidly reached for his Skills then smiled bitterly His immediate instinct was to attempt to use Inspiration with Erode Image to weaken that powerful image of ash That might change something But cut off from his Skills Which was especially annoying as the heat was starting to approach the point that he wouldn�t be able to hide the damage it was doing to him from the Patron Fuck to think being near the image of ash would be this painful

That thought sharpened Randidly�s eyes In a demanding voice he asked Why can�t I use my Skills

It is part of the power I possess The Patron of Ash rumbled Make your choice boy

Make a choice You were never this soft hearted even when I came here From the beginning you were trying to kill me Do you really expect me to believe I can say no without any consequences

For the second time in this discussion Randidly froze

Oh fuck it�s worse than that isn�t it All of this it was just buying time to see how it would play out The pain in his chest made his vision swim Randidly was on fire Everything was burning away even his consciousness There was never a choice you have already placed that bit of ash inside of me

Loud and booming the Patron of Ash laughed as the illusion that had covered them cracked and shattered

Chapter 668

Within a second Randidly was back to himself Time seemed to slow to a crawl as the pain hit him with even more vicious vigor shaking his consciousness A snapshot of the world around him appeared in his mind

A raised obsidian platform had risen out of the molten lava of the volcano upon which Randidly stood And he stood on the corner of the platform because it was covered with almost 200 grey and still figures standing frozen in various positions of agony Even from that brief glimpse before Randidly hurriedly turned his attention inward he saw the panic and fear in the hollowed out and burned bodies

But then Randidly was within himself checking for the danger Although his head swam the Aether Crossroads in his chest was already galvanized into motion Aether howled into his body struggling to reinforce himself Distantly Randidly noticed that there wasn�t another foreign energy pouring into him It only took him a second to recognize it as the Patron of Ash due to the flavor To his surprise the energy was keeping his Health high

Gritting his teeth Randidly�s mouth spread wide Well at least that wasn�t something that he needed to worry about When he died the Patron of Ash wanted it to be due to the overwhelming image of Ash not being burned alive inside out It was an arrogant sort of help

Now however was not the time to look a gift horse in the mouth Breezing past the condition of his body Randidly�s attention turned to his inner world It seemed that the Ashen Image was placed directly into the center of his soul and when Randidly looked at the circumstances he grew immediately cold

Several of his Skills were gone burnt to ash

Those Skills nearest to the Ashen Image had turned to ash themselves and the surrounding Skills were struggling to flare up in rebellion to the spreading contagion of ash Furious Randidly flooded those Skills with Aether to fight against the spread If the Skills were considered giant floating shapes of light the ash was coming through and slowly infecting that light and dimming it Besides the Skills that now stood inert and unresponsive to him grey statues that were eerily reminiscent of the figures surrounding Randidly on the platform there were several that had spots on them that had dimmed to ash Around those spots the light of the Skill was flickering as the ash spread

Roaring Randidly pulled TO his surprise the Skill he grasped moved Aether howled and reinforced them but simultaneously the Ashen Image spread its influence wider seeking more Skills to corrupt

All of this was occurring within the purview of Randidly�s Class At least the Class still seemed structurally safe and the effect hadn�t yet spread to his Soulskill But there was only so much room in the area of his Class so some of his Skills needed to be moved to the surrounding area to restrain the Ashen Image until Randidly figured out what to do

Cursing Randidly moved some of his lesser used spells around the Ashen Image like Mana Bolt and Arcane Orb Immediately Randidly considered the damage done to himself during the time he was distracted by Ulaat

What he saw gave Randidly a tension headache Right now two of Randidly�s Skills that were still flickering were almost reduced completely to Ash Manuel Labor and Hammer of the Dawn As he watched the Skills dimmed to nothing even as he poured Aether into them There simply wasn�t enough energy or strength of image remaining in those to save them Soon they became nothing but frozen ash by the power of the Ashen Image

Then Randidly scanned quickly through the other wounded Skills Inspiration was almost halfway lost so he focused on there first Besides that Summon Pestilence and Refine were perhaps one third of the way taken by Ash Of those two Randidly focused his attention on Refine For the good of his metalworking replacing Refine

if he lost these Skills what would it mean for him For his Skill gathering and PP

But there were no answers The heat seemed to be intensifying and Randidly stuttered mentally That split second of confused Aether was enough that Randidly lost Summon Pestilence He swore and threw all his Willpower into fueling the recovery of Inspiration and Refine Because he was more focused there Inspiration was still about 50% alive But immediately prior to that it had been almost 65%

Randidly noticed that he was gaining points in a few things Chosen of Fire and Pain Resistance but more than anything else Visualization But he ignored them because he didn�t have the luxury of enjoying the growth right now Not when so many things were crumbling inside of himself And with the constant waves of pain

Fuck Randidly whispered because those Skills he had arrayed around the Ashen Image were quickly being overtaken by the image The images fueling them simply weren�t strong enough to resist the influence of the Ashen Image even with the support of a sea of Aether

But it gave Randidly another moment to reflect and he considered for the first time the four Skills that had already been reduced to Ash Pollen of the Rafflesia Healing Palm Body Control Freeze and finally

Spearing Roots

Randidly felt a strange numbness as he saw it That was that was one of his first It had evolved numerous times to reach its current form and there was rarely a fight that Randidly didn�t use it Its image was powerful and strong It occurred to Randidly that this was probably why the damage to himself was so minimal comparatively even when he was being distracted for so long by the Patron�s story

And also why the pain in his chest felt so melancholy Something precious had been ripped away from him Struggling for its owner that Skill had been snuffed out without any fanfare Randidly could accomplish the same thing with Plant Dominance perhaps but the image

Caring and familiarity are the most important Repetition is strength Skarch seemed to whisper to Randidly He never could overcome her in their battles of images but Randidly had begun to come close as time went on Steeling himself Randidly considered the Ashen Image In his heart he knew he could win the Patron of Ash didn�t care about the image and therefore Randidly would gladly crush it

But in his initial haste to save his important Skills Randidly had made a miscalculation it became immediately apparent that the Skills that had been turned into ash were resonating with the Ashen Image and adding more strength to it The pain struck at him like a whip curving around his mental defenses and slashing at his weaknesses

Those Skills in the surrounding area began to turn to Ash and Randidly growled He needed to make a decision and now Closing his eyes he mentally shook his head This is foolish You never meet a superior strength with strength

But his Yggdrasil Skills shifted to the forefront burning brightly against the Ashen Image Golden Roots of Yggdrasil was the brightest of all flooded with more Aether than he had ever poured into himself before He could feel Neveah�s concern suddenly as she asked what was all but just as quickly the energy of the Patron of Ash rushed to mute that connection

Randidly�s grin was vicious That was fine He didn�t plan on relying on anyone else�s help anyway

No matter the brave face he put forward Randidly couldn�t help but feel a flash of despair as the corner of the Golden Roots of Yggdrasil began to blacken and smoke Then as he watched it became dim and transformed into ash

The pain did have one positive effect It served to numb Randidly somewhat As he watched his self created Skill slowly become corrupted he didn�t feel anything but cold fury Again he ignored the improvements to Visualization and focused on stubbornly resisting the Ashen Image

It was difficult not just because of the strength of the image that could make one a Patron but because of the image itself It was all about igniting a substance hollowing it out of substance and turning into ash in a blaze of power It was obvious why no previous Chosen had been able to resist this But Randidly refused to simply be another

Still Randidly didn�t have the luxury of dwelling on it Randidly pulled more Aether and reinforced the Skill Immediately it became apparent that there was another problem His Class was beginning to shake Perhaps he had spoken too soon in regards to the structural integrity earlier To buy himself some time Randidly advanced the Crown of Upheaval and Silence which was feasting on the chaos inside of the Soulspace He could feel it growing at a noticeable pace Its powerful suppressing effect smashed into the Ashen Image

Not a permanent solution but it would have to do

The thing was vibrating causing a dull sort of ache in Randidly�s chest Such was the constant assault of the pain of losing his Skills that it was barely noticeable But his instincts screamed something was going on here so Randidly paid more attention to the vibration Suddenly his perspective switched and he cursed He didn�t have fucking time for this

But he paused as he looked around The pain receded somewhat Randidly was standing in a circle of fire trees The trees were partially grown and their branches twisted upwards like gnarled fingers grasping at the sky above The Planting of the Forest of Enmity

One tree glowed with a feeling of justice and comradery Another seemed twisted and malformed as if something vital had shifted within it and it hadn�t yet adapted Another was cold and desolate but proud amongst its brothers

It was the final two that caught Randidly�s attention Because both seemed to speak to him at that moment Both offered him Paths forward

Chapter 669

The first planting offered Randidly a sickle Poison of the Fickle Aether If something is in your way destroy it Crush its form and seize the remnants of its power You are a greater being than this Do not let it stop you Sculpt yourself as you will so that you might ascend your true Path and become a God

Randidly considered this planting coolly He knew its source This this was the attitude of the Creature He had never been truly sure as to the source but to see this portion of his Class with the trappings laid bare made it immediately clear It disturbed him greatly that it had influenced him but now wasn�t the time for that

Randidly turned to the other planting seeking his attention

This planting offered Randidly a gauntlet Patron of the Fallen Earth This was a gauntlet that could seize the world All could be grasped with the strength of hits gauntlet With it any wild force could be brought to heel Seize the strength given to you and wield it freely Choose to absorb the strength that was your birthright

Randidly snorted This was due to the Patron of Ash Interesting At least Randidly had impressed him enough to convince the Patron all that time ago that he would have the potential to become Chosen Well it was hard to know whether this was a good thing or a bad thing

A wave of pain reminded Randidly that he didn�t have time One of these Paths needed to be chosen With Inspiration partially ashen the opportunity to use Erode Image wasn�t present As it was Randidly was just as likely to knock himself out by using the Skill without the boost from Inspiration

Sighing Randidly reached out Perhaps if it were him five months no even a month ago Randidly wouldn�t have chosen this But he had spent the last month fighting to defend people He had watched men and women die and buried them Responsibility weighed heavily on his shoulders

Randidly took the gauntlet Although he would like nothing better than to say fuck you to the Patron of Ash Randidly was no longer just representing himself He didn�t put much stock in it but he was the Leader of the Order Ducis He was sniffing out the secrets of the Second Calamity In a lot of ways he was Earth�s hope

But as he prepared to return to the Soulspace Randidly hesitated He eyed the sickle

After all he had two hands

When he returned the pain smashed into him Golden Roots of Yggdrasil and Crown of Upheaval and Silence was almost on third ash Most of the other Yggdrasil Skills were also showing signs of slowly being burned away The Aether flowed through him like a howling gale and his Class continued to shudder underneath the strain

With burning emerald eyes Randidly gestured What he hadn�t been prepared for was that the insidious influence of the Ashen Image had bypassed his Skills They had blunted it but some of his lessor Skills like Mapmaker and Dagger Mastery had turned to ash despite the protection With that resonance some other Skills were now consumed or partially so Nothing truly important but several of Randidly�s Class Skills were the worse for wear

Fine time to bring it all

Both Randidly�s Class Skills and the Kata of the Ashen Spear flew to suppress the Skills lost to the Ashen Image spread throughout his Soulspace And the Spear Phantom Skills came to stand side by side with the Yggdrasil Skills smashing against the powerful influence of the Ashen Image

It was an earthquake of the Soul and Randidly himself was the battleground The Ashen Image was more like a wild beast than a true image he abruptly realized It wasn�t that the weaker Skills of hills had simply been in the wrong place they had been targeted This vicious Ashen Image was semi intelligent

It gave him the chills

Now fighting it desperately head on Randidly felt its cunning as it lashed out with a vicious image of burning to strike at the struggling Skills he used to suppress it Randidly�s Willpower surged in response The two clashed and Randidly briefly blacked out

Absolute Timing gained a Level and Randidly immediately flashed back to himself feeling a deep fear With a wild glee the Ashen Image charged to bludgeon Randidly�s Skill and Randidly�s grip tightened on the gauntlet in his hand Although the portion of his Skill had informed him this was possible holding the gauntlet gave him an implicit knowledge of the process

Unless the Ashen Image could be subdued somewhat it would damage many of his quickly dwindling Skills as Randidly attempted to fuse with it In addition

Randidly�s eyes glittered Suddenly he smiled As the Ashen Image rose again to lash out a great force smashed down on it from above There was a soundless rumble and the Ashen Image�s strength faltered for the first time

Tall and proud Randidly�s Progenitor�s Influence gathered to strike again Its attacks were fast and depleted itself but there were many benefits to being worshipped as a god These people provided mixed images but it was numerous beyond belief For several seconds it was possible to smother and overwhelm the Ashen Image

Deciding to risk it Randidly removed his perception from his inner world and twitched in the real world The Patron of Ash in the form of Ulaat was standing before Randidly He regarded Randidly curiously

Have you given up Boy I did not waste my

The sickle slid cleanly into Ulaat�s chest Randidly intimately knew this sickle It was a brittle weapon but it was one designed to poison a connection between two things In practice it was difficult for such a brittle weapon to make it near enough to a vulnerable target to inflict damage Perhaps that was why the Creature felt comfortable providing Randidly with this tool

When he struck the Patron of Ash when he struck Ulaat there was no resistance All that made the Patron powerful was now consuming Randidly from the inside out There was no substance on which the sickle could be broken So Randidly aimed for the consciousness of Ulaat and struck at the body Immediately Randidly felt something inside the Patron sever He staggered confused What This ah

Fuck you Randidly said relishing every word To think he didn�t believe he would find the opportunity for this

Foolish boy Ulaat said as his body collapsed in an explosion of ash Within there was a glowing ember The sickle had sunk cleanly into the coal and it flickered feebly I have not yet revealed the third secret And I will not until

Fuck Randidly enunciated clearly gripping the sickle tighter Then he wrenched it to the side splitting the coal in half You

The remnant of power that had seized the two severed things could no longer hold on and it faded With a sigh the body in front of him disappeared Above the giant face collapsed Randidly�s eyebrows rose With somewhat shocked eyes Randidly looked at the sickle Had it truly been that simple The Patron of Ash had obviously made himself vulnerable on purpose so he could cease to be but

Congratulations You have reached Level 35

Warning due to internal damage Level ups are currently unavailable

Ignoring the notifications Randidly felt his instincts flair Absolute Timing rushed down to his hand His emerald eyes narrowed There was a choice here a split path A strange and incredibly complex bit of Aether detached from the split coal and began to float up into the air

I can take that the gauntlet seemed to whisper But Randidly knew if he were to do so it could no longer be used to control the Ashen Image But looking at the complexity of the Aether Construct Randidly had a good guess what it was Possessing such a thing would definitely be useful down the line

A spear only advances

Without any remorse Randidly reached out with the gauntlet and seized the construct of Aether that was split in half by his strike with the sickle The motion was all fluid and easy As he examined the construct the remorse in his heart trickled away No use regretting it now The construct wriggled in his hand like a fish attempting to get free Portions broke away to disintegrate but Randidly had a firm grasp on the main piece

The mantle of a Patron huh Randidly whispered The gauntlet tightened and he felt some part of it become his It was claimed But a surge of physical pain similar to his esophagus being hit with dozens of flaming arrows reminded him time was of the essence so Randidly left the examinations for later Instead his focus once more turned inward

Chapter 670

Luckily the Progenitor�s Influence had bought him the time Unfortunately that strength was clearly spent and the Ashen Image was releasing a keening wail filled with vicious intent There were grief and madness in the sound but more than that

it was loneliness

Even if I was hated that was still my source

Randidly blinked Was the Ashen Image speaking Did it realize that the Patron of Ash was no more If so Randidly had once again underestimated its intelligence

I�ll I�ll burn this all Everything will be ash

The heat spiked upwards Randidly swayed mentally His Skills flickered struggling to withstand the explosion of the Ashen Image�s power It was hot and baleful A doom for all that neared the ash All would become ash

With both the sickle and the gauntlet used how could he persist On the strength of his images Randidly had no illusions of overcoming the Ashen Image Besides his usage of Erode Image had taught Randidly how such a clash of images would often result in mutual destruction If not facing it directly then

Caring and familiarity are the most important

Skarch�s words once more grounded him Because Randidly remembered a time where he had abruptly lost to Skarch in an image due For some reason his image just parted before Skarch Afterward she had laughed at him

Did you think it was only your own images that you could become familiar with With enough exposure you can become intimate with anything

Randidly felt a tingling in the back of the head If this was the image that Ulaat formed at the beginning then he knew its story The Patron of Ash had given him the answer A desperate hope to save the world Frustration due to no one listening Regret and fear because of the destructive effects Loneliness because all else was burned away by the strength of the image

You Randidly said slowly in his Soulspace To his surprise the furious aura rolling off of the Ashen Image paused But a second later it redoubled in stubborn fury But it was all the proof Randidly needed to try something

Slowly Randidly�s focus in his Soulskill moved forward It formed a body in the space Aether continued to rush through him without end to defend his Soulspace The pain had turned into jagged bolts of lightning stabbing outward from his chest It felt like he was drawing very deeply from Neveah�s Health in the wake of stopping the Patron of Ash from supporting him Panic was rising in Randidly�s chest

But he ignored it as he walked slowly towards the Ashen Image Without stopping he passed the line of defense of his most powerful Skills with the best images Immediately the pain seemed to cause fissures through his vision as everything began to shudder under the constant barrage of agony

More notifications came up for Pain Resistance Chosen of Fire and Visualization but Randidly ignored him He was just happy that those Skills were still functioning

Leave me alone All of this all of you will be ash

I need help Randidly said simply I need strength

The Skills in the Kata of the Ashen spear began to vibrate

I will help you do oblivion the answer came quietly It is all I can do for you

No you can do more Randidly countered Even in his mental form he stumbled as he walked forward towards the Ashen image It was a small thing a tiny glowing ember burning brightly in Randidly�s Soulspace Even now Randidly couldn�t look at it directly The terrible heat and light from it burned his mental vision You can save a world

My world is dead I am the world I am Doom The heat was rising once more and not because Randidly was approaching the Ashen Image It seemed he had struck a nerve

Beyond white hot pain there was black paint and that was a sea that threatened to drown Randidly and never allow him to resurface But Randidly continued walking forward

Warning irreparable damage

Randidly ignored it and walked forward I was alone too for a long time Sometimes sometimes I feel alone now �

FOOL I AM ALONE BECAUSE I DESTROYED EVERYTHING THAT COULD BE NEAR ME I AM MY OWN ETERNITY

This time Randidly did get submerged in that black sea of pain All sensation began to fade away With a surge of panic he returned to the surface breaking through it What was waiting for him was the white pain It felt like someone was hammering icicles into his eye sockets Even distantly Randidly could feel his physical body had collapsed and was shivering in agony

His Skills were flickering The Crown of Silence and Upheaval darkened as almost 40% was lost to the ash Gritting his teeth Randidly continued to walk forward

I am alone because my Path ascends past the limit that my people can follow Is that not similar

NO

But despite the vehement denial the violence of the power the Ashen Image was throwing off seemed to stall out somewhat In that space Randidly advanced forward

You have not turned me to ash Randidly said quietly

There was no explosion of energy just derision Yet Eventually all becomes ash

Perhaps If you choose that Path Randidly said through the jumbled mess of thoughts He was now right before the Ashen Image Although to look at it was painful there was nothing in front of him but the vision of that consuming ash Over and over Randidly felt the slow death of the World Seed He felt the dark jumble of emotions from Ulaat still here This was his image kindled since he was young

It is just a desperate child � Randidly realized The Crown of Upheaval and Silence blazed brilliantly for several seconds forcing the ash back It angrily rose in intensity after tapering off in response to that

It is what I am There are no other paths to one such as I All will become Ash It is how it has always been

One by one the Skills around Randidly dimmed He raised his hands Stabbing numbness consumed his perception he had been near this thing for too long He didn�t� have time to be subtle anymore His strength was failing Perhaps not a path for an image but maybe a Path for us both What do you think about making a home here I need you

It was a desperate gamble But all at once Randidly stopped forcing Aether into the Skills to resist the Ashen Image They all went dark That insidious image of all turning to ash exploded outward through Randidly like a tidal wave His Class was shrieking under the strain His mouth tasted like ashes

But he felt it Shock and confusion And wonder

You are going to die like this

Am I not already partially ash A little more won�t hurt Make yourself at Randidly smiled He could feel the three Skills from Kata of the Ashen Spear pulse They were calling the Ashen Image But Randidly had run out of gas Although he wanted to entreat the strange sentience of the image more the black pain rose up and took him Silently he drifted downwards into numb darkness

Chapter 671

It had been a while since Randidly had dreamed And he knew it was a dream because he was sitting in his high school principal�s office with his mother and the Creature But even though it was clear to him that this was a dream Randidly was rather ambivalent about the whole thing He simply accepted it and looked back and forth between the two of them

I wonder if you are alive Randidly whispered looking at his mother She favored him with one of her beaming smiles that lit up her entire face At that time Randidly could see why his mother had become so strange as she aged

She wasn�t just beautiful she was transcendent Impossible She was a moonbeam weaving through the trees to find a blooming lily This also just wasn�t a facet of the dream Randidly�s mother was truly this striking when she remembered to try

Of course I�m alive His mother said sweetly reaching out to touch Randidly

The Creature spread its fingers on her desk Scowling it said Mr Ghosthound�s behavior has been deplorable lately He has killed hundreds and on school grounds

His mother�s hand brushed against his cheek and then she leaned forward and took Randidly in a hug No matter what he has done or what he has become he will always be my baby Just like I will always be his mom

Sighing Randidly shattered the dreamspace around him with a pulse of will The images of his mother and the Creature disintegrated into tinier and tinier pieces After a time they were naught but dust and settled in the corners of his subconscious where they had previously come from Randidly could strike and destroy their representations in the dream but they would always loom large over his subconscious

Because unfortunately his mother hadn�t always been there for him

Randidly opened his eyes He was laying on the ground covered in ash His chest burned but in an oddly pleasant way No longer did Randidly feel like he was soon going to die Ash was falling slowly from the sky like a warm snow When he set off a layer of ash fell off of his chest and onto his legs

As he did so a sharp spike of pain ran through his head and he raised his hand to touch his forehead Fuck so he was alive but this was one hell of a hangover He could feel chaotic energies still running through his Soulspace but more worrying was his physical weakness The constant pain seemed to simply be persistent aches and Aether flowed freely into him slowly healing the wounds that remained

Tentatively Randidly reached out and made a fist A fist of lava burst out of the ground and gripped an ashen statue crushing it to powder The Mana inside of Randidly was sluggish but it responded Randidly released a huge sigh he had been holding At least that confirmed that all of his Skills hadn�t been burnt away

But even after long seconds of staring at the ground Spearing Roots did nothing There was no response

Very slowly Randidly leaned back against the ground and watched the ashes swirl down towards him on the ground He was deathly exhausted He had a very real worry that this situation would lead to Randidly to being weaker But despite that he grinned widely at the sky

I survived Randidly whispered

After breathing in and out several more times Randidly considered the notifications

Warning Significant damage has been sustained please see a Village Spirit for Assistance

Warning Your soul had reached the point that it has been permanently scarred

Warning If you proceed

Warning A foreign energy is

Recalculating contemplating absorption following intent

Congratulations Your Skill Ashes to Ashes has gathered some of the power of Ashen Image Your Skill has evolved to All is Ash Lvl 64 It has become the fourth Kata of the Ashen Spear Due to the increased rarity and presence in the Kata of the Ashen Spear the Skillset�s rarity has increased to Legendary

The power of the Ashen Image runs rampant through your body Images relating to ash grow more powerful

Your Skill Gravity Affinity has gathered some of the power of the Ashen Image Your Skill Plant Dominance has gathered some of the power of the Ashen Image Chosen of FIre has gathered some of the power of the Ashen Image

Your Skill Plant Dominance � Lvl 127 has evolved to form Grasp of the World Seed Lvl 199

Grasp of the Desolate World Seed Using the influence of the World Seed you have gained the ability to influence plants Fidelity over such plants is extremely high and small amounts of Mana give the empowered plants great strength Distance does not negatively impact Control during use Plants controlled in this way can be combusted at will for very little Mana cost However after you cease controlling the plants they will persist for only sixty seconds before being consumed by fire and ash after being exposed to your power Effects greatly increase with Skill Level

Your Skill Chosen of Fire � Lvl 92 has evolved to form Chosen of Ash Lvl 100

Chosen of Ash You raise the temperature of your area by simply standing there As you are a hollowed out thing status effects have a significant chance of not affecting you Fire loses most of its ability to harm you Things you touch are affected by a minuscule amount of ash Skills that include ash or fire are much more effective Effects increase with Skill Level

You Skill Gravity Affinity has warped beyond recognition Due to the influence of the Ashen Image Gravity Affinity Lvl 74 has shifted to Influence of the Molten Core Lvl 1

Influence of the Molten Core Conjure a hyperdense core of molten metal and other trace materials Size and weight increase with Skill Level and the time taken to summon the core Once the core is summoned it may be used as a weapon or as an agent to utilize its special ability Its ability is Gravity Manipulation � The power of Gravity Manipulation increases with Skill Level Ability to control Molten Core increases with Skill Level

After all of that Randidly had four of his Skills shift to more powerful versions Although it wasn�t as splashy as he was expecting after all of that Randidly was excited to try out the different Skills and see the effects He had no doubt that at least when it came to All is Ash he would be pleasantly surprised by the power

Randidly sat up again abruptly frowning The question then is why he was still here

Just as he was thinking that there was a strange swirl in the floating ash and a figure appeared Ulaat

Wasting no time Randidly sprung to his feet and winced at the immediate sense of vertigo It was all Randidly could do to not collapse back to the ground His hand went to his chest No matter that the pain had stopped it seemed that the damage he had done to himself was not insignificant The System wasn�t lying about the soul scarring

What are you doing here Randidly growled but Ulaat just seemed amused

I owe you the third secret Did you think I would begrudge you this treasure just because you refused to choose the Path I laid out for you Take your time and gather yourself I must speak to you about that Skill you now possess All is Ash Hopefully you can avoid throwing yourself out of existence as you did in the past Then Ulaat seemed to think Well don�t take too long I am a spirit without a home I will not last more than a few days But there is no immediate rush

Randidly eyed Ulaat suspiciously but ultimately decided nothing could be done about him right now Besides Randidly had taken his animating image and the mantle of a Patron What more could Ulaat use to hurt him

And above all the fucker seemed mightly pleased That rid Randidly of the rest of his suspicions Instead he turned his attention inward And immediately grimaced

He had lost a lot of Skills to the Ash What was strange was that it seemed that Randidly was completely unable to perform some of the tasks relating to them It truly seemed like those abilities were lost to Randidly Most of them weren�t super important but there were a lot of Ashen statues in his Soulspace

Randidly had lost Manual Labor Hammer of the Dawn Healing Palm Pollen of the Rafflesia Spearing Roots Mana Bolt Summon Pestilence Body Control Freeze Dagger Mastery Mapmaker Pierce the Skies Shatter the Earth Sweep Spear Deflect First Aid Pathfinding Cutting Vegetables Plant Breeding Vengeful Bloom Gallant Intervention (Human) Four Shaded Domain Phantom�s Lantern Mana Shield Arcane Orb Fireball Magic Missile and Wall of Thorns

Randidly sighed as he looked at his status It was certainly somewhat slimmed down

Level 35 ( %)

Health(/R per hour) 3522/3773 (+730) (2314 (+165

Mana(/R per hour) 4109/4126 (884 (+9

Stam(/R per min) 3211/3276 (+60) (704 (+45

Vit 490 (+15)

End 163 (+20)

Str 437 (+52)

Agi 494 (+24)

Perception 424 (+20)

Resistance 398 (+45)

Intelligence 510

Control 697

Focus 302 (+4)

Progenitor�s Influence 27911

Skills (Soul Skill) Seven Lands of the Spectral Tree Lvl 2228

Combat Spear Mastery Lvl 190 White Phantom�s Half Step (Un) Lvl 86 Heavy Blow Lvl 105 Iron Skin Lvl 47 Dodge Lvl 102 Fighting Proficiency Lvl 144 Block Lvl 75 Phantom Onslaught Lvl 42 Calculated Blow Lvl 97 Roundhouse Kick Lvl 74 Idiosyncratic Cut (Un) Lvl 109 Stalemate Breaker Lvl 41 Talon Strike Lvl 44 Counter Lvl 68

PoFE Class Skills Grasp of the World Seed Lvl 199 Spray Holy Sap (Un) Lvl 25 Sharpness Lvl 85 Call Grove Defenders � Lvl 34 Earthquake (Un) Lvl 47 Invigorating Call (Humanity)(Un) Lvl 14 Grasp of Lava � Lvl 95 Erode Image Lvl 10 Spriggit�s Tinkering � Lvl 75 Aether Understanding Lvl 56 Summon Lava Golem (Un) Lvl 46 Aether Infusion Lvl 45 Volatile Ash Lvl 29 Visualization � Lvl 74 Fruit of the Planting of Enmity Lvl 2 Absolute Timing Lvl 11

The 7 Kata of the Ashen Spear The Spear Advances Ash Trails Lvl 92 As the Sun Stills Lvl 64 When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance (Un) Lvl 46 All is Ash Lvl 64

The 6 Signs of the Spear Phantom � The First Sign The Inevitable Phantom Arrives Lvl 106 (Un) The Fifth Sign The Wild Phantom�s Embrace Lvl 187 The Sixth Sign The Breath of the Spear Phantom � Lvl 68

Aether Skills Aether Detection Lvl 110 Aether Manipulation Lvl 105 Living Aether � Lvl 108 System Interference Lvl 22

Spells Yggdrasil Soul Seed � Inspiration � Incinerating Bolt Lvl 100 Circle of Flame Lvl 76 Plantomancy Lvl 35 Burning Footsteps Lvl 23 Touch from Beyond � Lvl 37 Influence of the Molten Core � Lvl 74 Incendiary Eruption Lvl 65

Crafting Potion Making Lvl 73 Farming Lvl 34 Analyze Lvl 29 Refine Lvl 72 Extract Lvl 58 Mana Engraving Lvl 140

Yggdrasil the Tree of Upheaval Glittering Leaves of Yggdrasil Lvl 122 The Golden Roots of Yggdrasil Lvl 145 the Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil Lvl 143 the Yyrwood Flesh of Yggdrasil Lvl 153 the Deific Mien of Yggdrasil Lvl 140 the Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil Lvl 133 Crown of Yggdrasil Silence and Upheaval Lvl 76

Auxiliary Sneak Lvl 56 Acid Resistance Lvl 22 Poison Resistance Lvl 21 Pain Resistance Lvl 79 Fire Resistance Lvl 102 Sewing Lvl 11 Digging Lvl 5 Cooking Lvl 77 Clockwork Mastery Lvl 25 Aether Connection Lvl 15 Soul Bond Lvl 105 Chef�s Palette Lvl 33 Nether Resistance Lvl 20 Child of the Rain (Un) Lvl 45 Chosen of Ash Lvl 100 Engineering Savvy � Lvl 83

With serious eyes Randidly looked up from his status screen and considered Ulaat The ghost formed of Ash smiled at him

So are you prepared boy

Chapter 672

Randidly nodded to Ulaat�s question

With a small cocky grin on his face Ulaat spread his hands wide Then he brought his hands together with a loud clap When Ulaat pulled his hands apart a portal opened between them It was a small thing at first but as Ulaat continued to spread his hands it widened until it was large enough for a person to walk through With extreme delicacy Ulaat placed the portal onto the ground

The third secret is this But it is also the move of mine you inherited first partially as Ashes to Ashes and now totally as All is Ash Ulaat frowned at the portal and then gave Randidly a meaningful look

Randidly just blinked Where does this go

Ulaat tsked But then his gaze turned to the portal and his gaze softened It was bright blue and fuzzy at the edges Waves of energy distorted the light coming through so it was all but impossible to see anything This leads to what I assume is the Third Calamity When it appeared a notification came that informed me that if I did not Ascend as a Challenger within a year my world would be reduced to dust

As if remembering something depressing Ulaat looked blankly at the ground The skin of his face twitched the only movement on his whole body I was in a very dark place then and I couldn�t help but laugh Reduce my world to dust What did I care But

Gesturing to the world of ash around them Ulaat said This is only an imitation I conjured with my abilities as a Patron A year from the day I completely burned through the images of my world my homeworld was annihilated A being came and no matter how I had grown with my abilities I was nothing to this being It seemed simply to smile and I was alone The pain of losing your home planet it is difficult to describe I thought the emptiness of my world was worse than it not even existing but

So you kept the portal Randidly asked with a frown He considered the portal Randidly intended to take a step closer to it to examine it but as he tried it there was a powerful repulsive force that pushed him back from it

Ulaat grinned It was only made for one person Although

Randidly felt it too In his Soulspace the mantle of the Patron he had stolen was humming softly It was a key in a way to the portal But Randidly wasn�t sure what other side effects would be involved if he attempted to use it Better to learn before he forced the issue

why is it still here if the one year has passed Randidly asked

Grimacing Ulaat waved towards the portal There is a Path there although I do not know what it is Enter at your own risk � it says as I approach Although I will cease I will leave the portal here With All is Ash I expect you to be able to return if you ever possess the power to do so In the memory of my people I hope you will grasp victory on the other side

No matter how good of an idea you think it is Randidly sternly told himself You will NOT go through this strange portal that is meant for a Patron

Anyways I must give you a little guidance so you do not kill yourself with my powerful Skill I must warn you I expect that my circumstances were a little special I believe that very few with images as powerful as mine became Patrons They likely challenged the Third Calamity although it is difficult to say what the outcome was Ulaat rubbed his chin My cowardice was not because I didn�t have faith in my strength but because some part of me died along with my people The rest died with my world

But as Ulaat looked up and met Randidly�s gaze his eyes were blazing Still I have finally found you It is not a high hope but I will give you one wish of a dying soul find the maker of this System that made fools out of my people and forced them to combat their darkest fears and turn that individual to Ash Salt the fields of their home Turn all they love to dust Only then may I rest quietly

As Ulaat spoke the end of that sentence the world seemed to shiver Those burning eyes seemed to take up all of Randidly�s vision Abruptly Randidly realized how lucky he was that this hadn�t turned into a combat sort of test The Willpower that was palpably wafting off of Ulaat even in this weakened state was intimidating

This is the being that had killed his people watched his world die and become a Patron It was a sobering reminder in the differences of their levels and Ulaat still hadn�t been able to protect his world

All is Ash is primarily a Perception enhancing Skill Ulaat said shaking the strange hypnotism his implacable will had on Randidly Although you have used it as a method of escaping death that is purely a side effect of the true function of the Skill A convenient one of course But overuse of the side effect slowly reduced your body�s resistance to the transformation to ash until there was a point that a portion of yourself didn�t return The pain you experienced was an existential doom hanging above you If I had not intervened your soul would have been permanently changed Perhaps for the better but how often are things improved by subtraction

But I am getting ahead of myself I developed All is Ash in order to hunt down the Scourge It is primarily a worldview so powerful that everything around you shifts All is Ash� as it were This makes everything weak and hollow You have not yet developed the sophistication to do so but you will one day be able to strike at things using the Skill and will find that others will blow away like ash before your might

Will they recondense as I do Because Randidly asked

Ulaat chuckled Of course not Because they don�t believe that All is Ash They are simply struck by a Skill they don�t understand You would recondense because you understand you are naught but ash But remembering to gather just the right of ash in the right combination to create yourself it is difficult You will need to practice just sitting in the All is Ash state learning yourself Otherwise you are doomed to lose yourself with this Skill The next time I will not be able to save you

If Ulaat was giving the whole truth then All is Ash was an incredibly powerful Skill To think something was so and shift the whole world to follow it That was a monstrously powerful Skill if Randidly could master it But the road to mastering it led through that pain that had struck him when the Patron of Ash had to save him

Shivering at the memory Randidly asked that�s all fine But when the accident happened last time I felt like I was in a place where nothing was something Where was that

Ah Let me explained what occurred While you were in the All is Ash state a part of you did not return to form your body It was unfortunately a very vital part Perhaps an emotion or a goal but some necessary ingredient was left behind That absence hurt Missing that one piece of Ash was enough to send your soul into full panic mode

Once it started sending pain to indicate something was wrong the pain destroyed your concentration you lost the focus to stay in the state Suddenly you were not a part of the fabric of existence you were an individual And something was lost But nothing had changed So it had to go somewhere But where could it have gone Nowhere

This time it wasn�t the world that trembled but Randidly Ulaat continued to speak I have encountered the Nowhere a few times while using the Skill At first I speculated it was the area of space not yet covered by the System but now Now I believe it is something much more terrible All my attempts to investigate have been unfruitful I recommend you put it out of your mind while using it It will only bring you suffering

With a sigh Randidly stretched feeling his shoulders pop as he put his hands towards the grey sky Although it was a dark place Randidly could feel the peace of this ashen world It was a retreat Perhaps some of the emotions that Ulaat felt bled into the making of this place

Wanting to waste no time Randidly sat on the ground in front of Ulaat and closed his eyes Ulaat wouldn�t persist forever and if there was anything wrong with the Skill Ulaat would know

Burning his Mana at a huge clip Randidly activated All is Ash

There was only a little color to this world aside from the red of some exposed lava but all of that color was bled out of the world as the Skill activated Rather than moving Randidly simply felt He felt how small he was How fragile and breakable everything was All was Ash Everything would disintegrate to nothing from just the slightest breeze This world had been hollowed out by an all consuming fire

His breathing began to speed up More than the fragility of life Randidly could feel a deep undercurrent of commonness between everything If all was Ash everything was connected He was one piece in a grand machine He bore his current form but when he died the substances that constituted him would be recombined in different shapes Life was eternal because it didn�t exist Everything had its place in an endless dance with no sound but only hollow remnants

Was there true existence in the past Possible But the real world had been burnt away They were all that was left It was all that is left

All is Ash

Randidly let out a gasp as his Mana ran out and the thinness of the world left him Although it was purely a comfort thing Randidly took several deep breaths At his level breathing wasn�t strictly necessary But it certainly calmed him down

Ulaat nodded with a grim expression Then he waved his hand and Randidly abruptly felt energized It is still my world and I can assist you regaining Mana We need to train as much as possible before I go I won�t allow my first Chosen to bring shame to my name I have a reputation of some import you know

Chapter 673

When Randidly returned to the back of that cart on Tellus there was a notification waiting for him

Congratulations Despite the odds you have merged with the essence of your Patron becoming Chosen The Efficacy of all spells and abilities relating to your Patron have increased by 25% At the long end of the road you find the corpse of your Patron and a mantle to carry forward You garb yourself in the mantle and continue forward Although it may be difficult the Path goes ever onward +500 to Health Mana and Stamina +50 to Agility Reaction and Focus

It may seem aimless the many winding paths you have walked but the further you go the more you realize that all Paths lead to the same place

Randidly tightened his hand into a fist That last line was certainly disturbing but most of all he was simply pleased to have made it out of the world of ash alive Besides he had learned much while he was there both about the second Calamity and the third More than that his Skills had been empowered

Randidly sighed At least he hoped so The changes to Plant Dominance had a huge drawback Hopefully it wouldn�t end up mattering

The other shift that Randidly noticed was how cluttered his Soulspace had become with the charred remnants of Skills and the new Skills His previous Skills had been neatly ordered but the new arrivals were rather haphazardly spaced Shaking his head Randidly opens up his Path Menu With the spare he had leftover from before and the gains fighting off the Ashen Image Randidly had some more PP to throw around He considered the open Paths

Heretic XXIX 0/ Nexus Traveler Cohort 5 0/50 Experimenter I 0/50 The Fighting Proficiency III 0/ System Transgressor 0/1 Steps of the Godling II Path 0/200 Friend to Humanity 0/100 War Leader 0/200 Path of the Patron 0/500 Metallurgist 0/300 Advanced Mana Engraving 0/400 Aether Convergence II Perfect Soul Bond 0/1000 the Bell of Doom Tolls 0/600 Growth of Yggdrasil III 0/2000 Mana Ghoul 0/200 Fiery Sharpshooter 0/350 The Ashes of Ulaat Patron of Ash 0/1000

Heretic had gone up another one which was worrying if only because reaching 30 would cause another Judgement to descend Remembering the one that came at 20 made Randidly grimace It had interrupted his training as they prepared to be connected to the New Earth and had left a constantly foggy area in the North of their Zone

Hopefully this next Judgement would be possible to overcome on his own without attracting much attention Otherwise

Shaking his head Randidly peered at his options There were three new ones Mana Ghoul Fiery Sharpshooter and the Ashes of Ulaat The Ashes of Ulaat seemed the most immediately interesting but it was a 1000 PP Path Especially now that so many of his Skills were lost Randidly wasn�t sure if he would be able to finish such a Path in less than a year Waiting a year for a path was a bit

Although Randidly admitted to himself that he was likely spoiled for choice when it came to Paths he was still impatient for results For now he set that option to the side Mana Ghoul obviously would help his Mana but the word Ghoul in conjunction made him wary Fiery Sharpshooter on the other hand seemed much more straightforward Likely he would obtain a Skill from it that would be an upgrade on his ranged fire spells Or he would get a Skill that would improve them either way would be satisfactory

After cutting out the bad ones Like Heretic System Transgressor the Steps of Godling etc that would have less utility and that didn�t take 1000 PP Randidly had a much more manageable list

Fighting Proficiency III 0/ War Leader 0/200 Path of the Patron 0/500 Aether Convergence II the Bell of Doom Tolls 0/600 Mana Ghoul 0/200 Fiery Sharpshooter 0/350

Path of the Patron and Aether Convergence also seemed to be not what he was looking for which left Fighting Proficiency III War Leader the Bell of Doom Tolls and the two new additions

Fighting Proficiency Randidly had a for a long time and would likely be one of the more predictable options War Leader was possibly too focused on leading others to be immediately useful The Bell of Doom tolls was 600 which was still a significant amount and like Mana Ghoul it was oddly ominous Fiery Sharpshooter would push him more towards using certain SKills in the future

Finally Randidly narrowed it down to either Fighting Proficiency and Fiery Sharpshooter And Randidly believed that he would be focusing on his Spear Skills for the interim Therefore he chose Fighting Proficiency When he put the first PP into the Path he was delighted to see that the Path only took 175 PP to finish It would likely be a quick Path and hopefully give him a positive benefit It was also nice that it seemed that every 5 PP he put into the Path earned Randidly 1 Strength and 2 Stamina After the Chosen of Ash netting him nothing it was a pleasant surprise

After distributing the PP and cracking his neck Randidly walked out of the back of the cart and looked up at the night sky Stars were sprinkled across the dark expanse like granules of sugar sweet and cold up in the sky On Tellus it didn�t seem like any time had passed at all

Azriel looked up at him as he walked out Ah good you are alive Congratulations

Chuckling Randidly nodded Then he said Can we take a break here I�d like to confirm some things

They were on a thin trail heading up a slope as they made their way around a canyon Azriel nodded towards the canyon they were driving around The town we are heading towards is right up there Since we�ve brought it this far Skarch and I will bring the cart to the town to sell feel free to jump off here and meet us when you are done

With a grunt Randidly did just that When he landed on the ground he smiled with relish nothing was as calming to him as dirt underneath his feet Being in that ash world it simply didn�t feel right

Randidly had to walk some distance away from the track to find some plants Not that there weren�t plants everywhere but he wanted to see his new effect on plants from the beginning Growing tiny plant bacterium wasn�t very satisfying At the very least Randidly was pleased to notice that his plant senses weren�t affected If he simply used his Skills to feel through the plants nothing untoward happened to them

It seemed it was only his Mana that was poisonous to them then

After he found a gnarled tree Randidly pointed and sent a sliver of his Mana into a branch Instantly the branch swelled and twisted almost instantly doubling in size Randidly�s eyes widened He had barely spent 5 Mana and it seemed well within his abilities to make the branch even larger

So Randidly did so swelling the branch until it was as thick as a human torso Without even his prodding as it grew the branch produced crimson thorns that threw off heat waves That raised some eyebrows Then Randidly lashed out with the branch striking the ground Of course the branch passed cleanly through it shattering the ground to pieces The thorns melted and then cut with the branch itself was almost impossibly powerful given its size

Checking his Mana expenditure Randidly swore quietly The cracked ground was a testament to having power similar to 200 Strength and that was still under 10 Mana If he pumped more into it

When the Mana reached about 25 the tree cracked and fell from the weight of the huge hulking thorned branch that was swaying above the tree It was explosive in its attacks striking with an impressive amount of speed And the power was likely four times what it had been previously In terms of offensive ability Grasp of the World Seed was incomparable to Plant Dominance

So Randidly slowly withdrew his Mana and waited He drummed his fingers against his thighs as he watched the branch slowly shrink back to normal size After about 30 seconds the branch began to smoke Then after another minute passed the entire tree was aflame and collapsing It looked like the fire had eaten it from the inside out slowly reducing it to nothing but ash

Then Randidly frowned Would that happen with everything

To test it Randidly used Wall of Thorns After he withdrew his Mana it only took a minute for it to collapse into a heap of smoking twigs

This time Randidly swore viciously That was actually quite annoying

Chapter 674

On the other hand Influence of the Molten Core was a delight to experiment with Setting aside the ability to use the Gravity Manipulation which was a much improved Gravity Affinity the core itself was incredibly useful

It reminded Randidly somewhat of the weapon Tykes used Except he didn�t need to touch it and it was hot enough to sear skin just by being within a meter of someone In addition Randidly could control it rather easily It would take some getting used to before he was comfortable using it in battle but it seemed simple enough to use bluntly

Tactics would come later but

Then Randidly stilled With a wave a small amount of Mana summoned a blade of grass that became a platform underneath his feet and lifted him high into the sky When he was perhaps 30 meters off the ground Randidly pulled his Molten Core up to him Randidly inspected the ball of metal carefully It didn�t drip as he would expect considering how almost liquid it seemed But instead it seemed to be self contained almost like a lava lamp

The strange minerals in the core swirled mysteriously before Randidly�s eyes Smiling slightly Randidly reached out and touched it Although it was painful Randidly didn�t truly mind There were worse things in the world then pain

As the Sun Stills Randidly said softly

The Molten Core began to slowly fall Randidly�s eyes narrowed because it truly looked like the ball was falling in slow motion The air seemed to congeal There was something almost stately about the core as it fell Its movements were simple His Stamina was rapidly fleeing him as he continued to channel the Skill and the ball grew heavier and heavier It seemed to move slower and slower

Abruptly Randidly wondered if there was something about using Stamina that seemed to slow the passage of time

Then the core alighted on the ground seeming to kiss it

Boomm

Everything shook and Randidly�s control with his new plant Skill wasn�t enough to keep on top of the platform As the grass platform swayed Randidly let himself fall off Flipping midair he rushed feet first towards the dust filled crater the core had descended into

With a soft tap Randidly landed The ground was split the core pounding its way almost 10 meters into the ground through solid rock Powder and dust from the rocks that had been smashed to annihilation still filled the air

A good combination despite how much Stamina it required If he could somehow work out a way to use Spells while striking with the core But no that likely wouldn�t work It was never a good idea to use two images at once Both were weakened by the experience Randidly frowned at the ground

Which meant that the As the Sun Stills was already weakened by Influence of the Molten Core and it still accomplished this Perhaps he should spend some more time making those images harmonious If he could use it freely in fights

Muttering to himself Randidly set off towards the town It was not easy to find the most cost efficient way to use his new Skills and it would take some time to figure it out But at the last second Randidly paused and spun around He reached out with his Mana intending to clean up the area but then he faltered

Slowly Randidly lowered his hand His expression turned bitter as he considered his hand He supposed in the grand scheme of things this was a small price to pay for power To never use plants without destroying them again that was just the way of things It reminded Randidly a lot of his roots The Cycle of Ash and Rot He would burn so things would grow

So Randidly seized a single blade of grass again and swelled and split it into a dozen vines that moved throughout the broken ground and moved the shattered rock back into the hole he had created It wasn�t perfect and the dust in the air meant that there were numerous spaces that need to be filled but at least it was no longer such an eyesore

Satisfied Randidly leaped and began heading towards the town He wanted to be far away from the canyon when fire consumed that blade of grass from the inside out

The inn was small and as soon as Azriel walked in she was very conscious of the fact that she could defeat everyone within the building With a force of will Azriel eased up her vicious killing intent as everyone froze at their entrance Azriel had been to the front lines before but that was a different world than the invasion they had fought against in the last month It pushed towards a certain very specific worldview One that wasn�t helpful with social interaction

There was a group of seven laborers eating at a long table on the left wall and they seemed to have missed most of her pointed bloodlust but there was a man sitting with a young woman at the bar who jumped to his feet when she and Skarch entered

The man turned and looked at Azriel his face pale Azriel calmly returned his gaze and nodded her head Forcing out a laugh the man sat down next to the young and began waving away her questions about his outburst

Was that on purpose We should do this more often It is a fun game whoever can get a bigger reaction wins Skarch said with a smile

Are there a lot of children like you in the Spear School Azriel asked with a little bit of interest as they walked towards the bar The woman behind the bar noticed the bloodlust too she watched them with obvious wariness as the two approached

Skarch knocked the butt of her spear twice against the ground Are there a lot of children like you in the Northern Domain

Azriel gave Skarch a withering look and then smiled at the woman behind the counter Excuse me Madam we would like to purchase a room for the night

The woman grunted Oh Well we don�t have many amenities to offer warriors such as thee Perhaps it would be best to continue another hour on the road and reach Hastam There are plenty of places there that would undoubtedly be a better fit for you

That won�t be necessary a room here is fine Azriel said She let some more of the tension leave her shoulders It was her mistake to come in with so much killing intent laid bare The rest of her squad had such similarly vicious gazes that they likely didn�t notice it But Azriel should�ve known better That was her role to understand and adjust

It seems like we disagree The woman said blandly The talk at the laborers� table was tapering off and they were all looking over towards the two newly arrived woman The man talking to the young woman kept laughing too loud and looking over his shoulder at Azriel and Skarch

Do you take money Skarch asked For good measure she took some out and put the cold metal onto the counter She tapped them with her pointer finger clinking them against each other We have money

The woman seemed to consider the money on the bar Money which was more than enough to pay for almost a week of room and board But she made no movement to take the coins Instead she just looked up at Azriel and Skarch Her eyes were red rimmed and it was clear the woman hadn�t been sleeping well lately It�s not a matter of money You�ll be wanting food yes Well there is none With the raids on the farms to the South we have nothing I won�t spare even a spoonful of food for strangers when I barely have enough to feed my kin You are welcome to sleep down here by the fire but we are filled to bursting with refugees who have been mistreated by soldiers for weeks Soldiers who extorted� them for the protection to be dumped even a few more kilometers North I think you might be in danger if you stay here so

Let me be clear Azriel said quietly It was just lark to stay inside after they had sold the cart and Azriel now regretted it But she wasn�t going to let this woman take out her woes on her and blame not after how much blood Azriel had shed for this land It is not us who would die if someone pursued the foolishness you speak of

Fear filled the woman�s face Before the confrontation could continue the door opened Muttering to himself and smelling of smoke Randidly walked into the inn His bare feet were dirty and his hair was starting to grow out The stumble across his jaw was starting to form a thin beard But he carried a spear and bag over his shoulder even though he possessed an interspatial ring It was a habit he had gotten into as a soldier

The woman�s eyes turned flat You soldiers all can just fuck right

Randidly�s gaze shifted to the woman and then when the other person spoke it shifted again To Azriel�s surprise the man who was sitting at the bar stood suddenly with much more grace than he had jumped up previously He turned around and regarded them all He scratched his hair and stared at Randidly for several seconds Randidly�s eyes widened as he looked at the man

Before you kick them out I owe this man a drink It�s good to see you again Randidly Ghosthound The man announced He offered a hand with a cocky grin

Randidly blinked uh Oh Orangey Is that you

Orangey as Randidly called him opened his mouth and then closed it Then he opened it again with a frown M my Tassle was orange yes but we had such a confrontation in the preliminaries to the Regional Tournament did you really forget my name

Randidly scratched his cheek Azriel chuckled

Skarch turned back to the woman and pounded her finger against the coins again I�ll take a drink too

Chapter 675

Randidly considered the vaguely familiar man before him It had been almost a year since Randidly had seen Orangey or Saynard Thorpe as he introduced himself but Randidly could still vividly remember struggling under that strange weighted contraption to secure a spot in the Regional Tournament If anything Saynard seemed even more self assured and confrontational than he had been in the past

It was a good thing that he had spoken up when he had however Because when Randidly walked into the shabby inn there had been a definite edge of violence to the room Over the past few months in Tellus Randidly had grown very familiar with the feel of violence And this was not a good one The violence of sparring was almost professional and dispassionate War against the Wights felt methodical and desperate but oddly impersonal

But in that room the violence was shaping to be frustrated and slightly crazed

Bah everyone is just tense because the Styles won�t move Saynard said with a wave of his hand The group of the five of them were now sitting at a table in the corner The laborers had stayed at their table and considered the group coolly but without malice One of the reasons the hostility had departed was Saynard greeting them People rioted but the Styles used fear mongering and pointed out if they would take to the countryside to fight the Wights no one would be here to defend Hastam Bah as if we were so weak to rely on them The Black Feather Style

Randidly�s eyelid twitched Orangey really loved to say Bah� it seemed But the man clammed up as another person walked up to the table

The server brought over several drinks on a platter as well as a thick mutton soup The wafting smell included a hint of caraway which reminded Randidly wistfully of the goulash of his youth But after the young male server dropped off the food and drink he scuffed his shoots against the wooden floor and looked at the edge of the table

Azriel frowned at the boy and Randidly knew that her answer to this problem would be effective but blunt Sighing Randidly said quickly Was there something else

The boy looked up at Randidly with bright blue eyes The other reason the hostility had departed was that they had revealed that they weren�t just soldiers they were the soldiers For all that the local militia regularly stole food from the people they understood that those layabouts weren�t the entire army And due to their strange names most people knew the individuals who spearheaded the defense under Captain Platton

It seemed the name Ghosthound was familiar to them

Is it true what they say The boy blurted out The reason you are the most powerful Spellspear in the Spearman School is that you are really a Wight from the other world And you fell in love with the spear and betrayed your people and chose justice over evil

Randidly just blinked Uh

Azriel�s mouth twitched Conspiratorially she leaned forward and nodded to the young server Yes he is from another world

But the real reason he betrayed his people was that a Propagator consumed his entire clan before his eyes Skarch said her mouth slowly widening as she spoke On that day under a blood red moon he hid in the corpse of an animal because all the Wight corpses were recycled by the Propagator He swore to never rest until every Propagator was defeated

Wow The server�s eyes were wide saucers

Awkwardly Randidly stayed very still His toes pressed against the warm wood of the inn�s floor How was he supposed to respond to this Honestly Randidly�s dominant emotion was exasperated that Skarch and Azriel would speak so misleadingly But he also didn�t miss that Azriel had very confidently stated he came from another world Had he confirmed that It was difficult to remember

Besides what did the kid see when looking at Randidly Randidly�s expression slowly fell into something close to exhaustion After a month of constant fighting and then the agony of becoming the Chosen of Ash he really wasn�t in the mood for this

Did you The server stumbled over his words then seemed to work up a head of steam Is it true you wrote your name on the South Bank of the Hallat and the Wights have been so filled with dread they haven�t made any attempt to cross

Boy Orangey growled leaning on his elbow but Randidly raised a hand to stop him

Would this be too much Well there was only one way to find out

For the offer of hospitality I�ll show you just for a second why they fear crossing the river It is not for my name boy Randidly spoke slowly feeling something old and familiar rise in his heart the touch of karma It took him somewhat by surprise to find it rising but he supposed he shouldn�t be surprised to sew karma

And then just for a second Randidly summoned his crown The thin grey of the circlet and metal spikes appeared The air distorted

Or at least Randidly meant for it to last for just a second

Synchronicity with ambient Ashen energy in your body detected

Your Skill Crown of Yggdrasil Upheaval and Silence has absorbed a significant portion of the remaining energy and transformed into the Crown of Yggdrasil Cataclysm and Gloom Skill Level will be maintained Area of effect increased Effectiveness of previous Skill increased

Warning The Rarity of the Skill Level is nearing a new plateau Please see a Village Spirit for more information

Randidly could feel the crown above his head twisting just slightly as the change rippled through it Instantly he felt that its offensive capabilities grew with this change although he wasn�t sure of the details In addition it was worth noting that the notification seemed to indicate that although a significant portion of the remaining energy was absorbed there was still more Could another one of his Skills change

Azriel�s short world brought him back to himself Immediately he dismissed the Skills Azriel and Skarch just seemed annoyed but Orangey was staring The girl that Orangey had brought with him and not introduced was trembling The laborers were looking with wide eyes over at the table Everyone seemed on edge

Then Randidly turned and look at the server He was frozen stock still His pants were wet and the smell of urine filled the air Inwardly Randidly winced That was a little more than he had been intending

Coming back to himself the server flushed and said I I I m my apologies

Kid Randidly said trying to speak as softly as possible And still the server jumped Hiding his embarrassment Randidly reached out and touched the server�s shoulders You didn�t step back Ultimately that is all you really need in this world

Ducking his head and muttering apologies the server ran away Randidly honestly felt pretty bad about embarrassing him and hoped his final line was enough of a positive that the boy wouldn�t be twisted by the experienced Thinking of that sensation of sewing karma with the boy Randidly�s expression turned bitter

ahem Orangey said into the awkward silence He spared Randidly a quick glance and then continued as I was saying the people around here aren�t as weak as you think Err I mean that kid probably hasn�t held a spear a day in his life but there are some hidden masters around here believe me

Trying to put that strange experience out of his mind Randidly turned to Orangey What were you saying about a Style The Black Feather Style

Ah Perfect Immediately Orangey grinned That�s actually where I met Noota here It�s not really a Style it�s just a coalition of the independents and counter culture spear users in the area of Hastam It used to be a pretty small time thing but with all of the worry over the Wights our numbers are exploding Actually I had a favor to ask

Skarch looked at Orangey�s serious face with some amusement Orangey what entitles you to a favor A drink Despite what the bartender insisted I have money That should buy things

Orangey winced and threw Randidly a hurt look As I said my name is Saynard I tire of your jokes miss Besides between Randidly and I we don�t count favors Sometimes there are just bonds between men that defy explanation It�s like a hunter gazing into the eyes of a Killer Hawk Bear

Randidly would have sworn that he had never heard Orangey�s name but he had learned insisting ignorance hadn�t had any effect Also was he supposed to be the hunter or the strangely named Killer Hawk Bear in this metaphor

As I was saying a simple favor You three are competing in the under 25 tournament correct I would ask you to wear a visible black feather on your person Nothing ostentatious but I believe our movement would benefit from visibility Especially with such talented individuals wearing the sign It will prove to the Styles of Hastam that something has to be done about the Wight problem

Randidly looked at Orangey with sad eyes He could empathize with the grassroots movement but it was hard to believe it would make a difference to the Styles From everything Captain Platton had said they didn�t care at all that land was slowly being devoured by Wights right under their noses

Which was why Azriel�s response took Randidly by surprise

I think we should do it

Chapter 676

Really Randidly asked as he twisted to look at Azriel She nodded affirmatively

My goal is to earn honor for my master If it is proven to be legitimate I will finally feel satisfied Azriel said simply This move will earn us the recognition of the people if what Orangey says is to be believed That attention is valuable

I agree Skarch added All of the established Styles hate us anyway what�s the harm in making some new friends

Orangey broke out into a wide grin and drunk down about half of his mug When he finished he slammed it down on the table and smacked his lips This is wonderful news You might think we are simply a band of malcontents and wayward elements but we are the voice of the people This will do a lot to bring some cheer to the common farmers around here

Not a lot of course But it will help a little

Randidly turned and looked at the girl Orangey had brought who had finally spoken up She was very obviously not looking at Randidly which made him sigh Still his little blip of self control earned him this behavior If he didn�t want it he should have been more careful

it�s the food thing isn�t it Randidly asked the girl His mouth firmed into a line Actually I can

Then Randidly froze Like a glacier melting his face once again fell back to a deep wariness No he couldn�t Although he could swell vegetables and fruits to huge sizes for barely even 10 Mana that Mana was a death sentence to those foods Suddenly the enormity of what Randidly had lost to the Ashen Image struck him

Randidly shivered as he imagined what would happen to a person if they ate one of his vegetables before the burn up time frame had expired Would it hurt them

The shook her head sadly It�s a problem of manpower not something you can solve by fighting someone Too many of our stronger individuals went to the front lines to defend against the Wights Fields aren�t being worked and if the seeds aren�t planted soon

She didn�t finish the thought Soon talk moved away from that topic and back to the Black Feather Style Azriel and Skarch questioned Orangey relentlessly about what it was how many members it had what its goals were etc

Instead Randidly just sat there his eyelids slipping down until they were half closed But in his heart his frustration and fury burned His emerald eyes were bright They flashed with the violence of his emotion Then he began to channel his Mana Although he had lost his gentle touch it couldn�t be denied that what he gained was a much more powerful tool with which to affect the world So he spread his influence across the surrounding miles and pushed

If any at the table weren�t caught up in the discussion they would have noticed that there was a strange flickering redness at the edges of Randidly�s iris When compared to the bright green it was almost as if flames were slowly eating in at his eye color

Jera rose before the sun as he did every day

First he washed his hands and face Then he moved to feed his livestock Afterward as he was walking back to his house the sun was finally peeking up over the horizon Rubbing his back Jera allowed himself to rest on his porch for a few minutes and watch the sunrise

Today�s labor was the same as yesterdays and it would be the same for the rest of the week he had to see how many of the nearby fields he would be willing to clear and till With all of his neighbors drawn South by the war effort and promises of glory Jera had much more land than he could handle by himself By maybe a factor of 20

But as the sun came further up into the sky Jera�s eyes widened He rubbed them to wipe away any effects of sleep and then looked around him to be sure his eyes weren�t deceiving him Even then Jera quickly got up and roamed around the house to see how big of an effect it was He hadn�t noticed it in the darkness but the fields in the surrounding area

All of them had been hoed and cleaned They sat pristine under the sun ready and waiting for the seeds to be planted

From the hill where Jera�s house sat he couldn�t see a field that hadn�t been tilled And that was a mighty far distance for one to have worked especially at night

Curious Jera approached the fields with a critical eye When he drew close his slowly budding hope turned to a spike of fear Frowning he walked up to the field and picked up some of the strange grey substance that had been left on top of the topsoil in some areas Now that Jera knew what to look for he saw it everywhere The entire field was covered in it

Rubbing it between his fingers Jera�s frown deepened

Ash

The sound of running drew Jera�s attention and he looked up as a group of three men jogged up the road toward his house One of them he recognized Albby

As the three approached the house Jera wiped the ash off onto his pants and returned to his porch After a brief discussion two of the men waved at Jera and received a nod in return Then they continued past his house and down the road heading west Albby walked up to the porch

Those boys were from Magedevlin way Albby grunted Every field tilled and ready just like yours A few people are complaining the lines aren�t always completely even but damn There wasn�t a Year I remember where I�d seen such pretty fields for such a long distance

Albby sat next to Jera and they both considered the strangeness of it Almost as one they both shrugged they weren�t in the position to wiggle the head of an inherited spear

They are running West to see how far it extends

Jera nodded simply Then he frowned Do we know anything about the ash

Some of the best damn fertilizer I�ve ever seen Albby said fervently If I didn�t know better someone shipped compost from a forest fire in the Heart School High nutrient density and Mana is practically rolling off the stuff I bet harvest time is naught but two weeks away and we haven�t even planted yet Whoever made this has a gift Probably a Skill

As one the two men smiled at each other Jera rubbed his back as he stood and then shook Albby�s hand Alright time to get to work

The girl returned to the Black Feather headquarters but Orangey insisted on accompanying the rest of them as they returned to Hastam Randidly didn�t mind but Skarch enjoyed it the most The entire journey was her teasing Orangey over his name What was perhaps more amusing was that Orangey fell for it every time spitting and stomping his foot in anger at her more cutting jokes

Randidly supposed this was somewhat akin to watching a bull and matador fight No matter how much he knew he shouldn�t Orangey just got enraged and charged at her And unlike the bull being able to trounce the matador Randidly had no doubts which of the two would be more powerful

Are you ready Azriel asked

Randidly tilted his head at her and she continued You might have ignored the announcement at the preliminary meeting but we have all earned time in the Hall of Stances by qualifying However it was being investigated when we arrived due to the Spearsource being stolen But I have spoken with my contacts in Hastam and it is being prepared for us

What is the Hall of Stances Randidly asked

Azriel seemed to consider this question Hastam was one of the most powerful Villages in Tellus It possessed a Village Spirit with unparalleled power and vision Over the course of hundreds of years Hastam purchased a strange treasure that enabled it to record ten seconds of movements from an individual in stones

Upon reaching the Pontiff level an individual possesses the qualifications to be selected to be within the Hall of Stances But generally it also requires proof of great power and influence Generally this is interpreted as great merit but there are also many great villains and Tellus� history that have been enshrined there Although they were beings of great evil their spear use was exquisite

Azriel�s eyes hardened One of my goals is to have my Master acknowledged there If that is impossible I will make it there and obtain a spot in the inner circle where the ten most powerful spear moves in history are enshrined

A tall order Randidly said lightly considering this information He suspected that whatever this was conveyed a bit more than a video recording would have otherwise Azriel wouldn�t have the note of reverence in her voice as she talked about it Likely it would let you experience something similar to that Skill Sampling so many powerful images it was no wonder why they were cherished

Rich coming from the man who tried to kill a Propagator Azriel said with a shake of the head After all there was only one person who ever had a confirmed kill on a Propagator

Randidly didn�t say anything but wondered about the veracity of that If the Propagator was the expression of the deep fear of Tellus� images then the Spearman would have fought against one Before the Spearsource was stolen the Propagators were clearly on the rope Had the Spearman failed to kill one

Then Randidly�s eyes sharpened The Hall of Stances recorded old styles for future generations The Propagators picked up their dead and refashioned them into more soldiers Was that a coincidence

With Orangey and Skarch bickering behind them the group entered into the gates of Hastam

Chapter 677

This trip into Hastam was much more expedient although the mood in the city had soured There was still a long line of arrogant men and women wearing expensive clothes but the sound of their talk had changed It became less light and sneering and more snapping

With their Soulstones denoting them as members of the under Level 25 tournament they passed easily through the gates and into the city proper As they did so Randidly turned to Skarth and Azriel

Where does the other tournament take place The under 50

Skarch smiled widely at Randidly Currently the Spear School has the honor of hosting the greater of the two tournaments Still of all the Schools the Spear have experienced the least amount of invasion on the part of the Wights Our equipment gives us a natural advantage As such we have maintained our lines much more easily than the others

I am glad we are here We have sharpened our Skills immensely on the front lines Azriel interjected

Orangey shook his head in disgust From what I hear the front lines were a meat grinder Were you three all truly out there fighting against the Wights I know they exaggerate but they say you killed thousands

Azriel just smiled and Randidly was amused to see Orangey shiver Azriel had a way to get under his skin

I mean you might have passed the preliminaries back then Orangey continued with a sharp look at Azriel But we were equal I can�t believe that so much has changed How different we are now

As I said Azriel said We have sharpened our Skills immensely You do not grow as we do away from the chance of death

Not just our deaths too � Randidly thought sadly as he remembered the graves he had dug He still remembered the smell of the river and the feeling of the wooden shaft of the shovel in his hands Whenever he felt tired or annoyed or frustrated Randidly knew that he would remember those feelings to push himself forward

The group followed Azriel�s lead deeper into the richer portions of Hastam Slowly the storefronts were replaced by walled courtyards The people that remained on the strength carried heavy spears and considered the group with hard eyes But inevitably they nodded grudgingly Randidly inclined his head in return

But abruptly Azriel took them from the rich streets into a side thoroughfare that was almost an alley Very soon the alley led to a doorway with two torches Randidly was slightly surprised that there were no guards or guides It all felt rather poorly arranged

Perhaps the Central Domain was finally taking the threat of the Wights seriously which was a good sign

The group pushed through the unguarded wooden door and found themselves in a wide antechamber A wave of heat and noise stopped Randidly dead His eyes quickly located the veritable troupe of minstrels along the wall playing at violins and harps Almost 300 people were packed into what could only be a ballroom There was a lavish spread of food laid out in the center of the room on a long table Roast ducks and huge haunches of mutton steamed appetizingly

Men and women in dresses held flutes of a dark orange liquid and laughed as they gathered around several men and women dressed up in battle gear that didn�t seem to have seen even a lick of use on the frontlines Their leathers were pristine their steel shoulder pads shining

In a split second Randidly could see that there were several large groups among the fancy dressed individuals Likely these were the supporters of those members of the tournament that grew up in Hastam But to think that so many would come and have a party here before the tournament really even started the preliminary results weren�t even yet in

Azriel finally broke the silence stating Randidly�s thoughts exactly This is the rumored Hall of Stances Pah perhaps I don�t wish to be here as badly as I thought Why not commission a bronze statue in front of a C Corporation burger joint

Well this should just be the gathering antechamber Skarch said with a frown But she too seemed disappointed None of them had actually been to the Hall of Stances before but Skarch had spent the most time between them in Hastam as she had come here early for the tournament

Before they could speak further a man in a long red cloak appeared before them a frown firmly installed on his face This is a private event Please leave or you will be thrown out

We Randidly began but a figure arrived behind them And in a blur of motion the figure stepped forward and smashed the red cloaked man with his fist

The man was thrown backward and crashed into a table with a crystal bowl of the strange orange drink on it The table buckled from the force and collapsed In a tinking shower the bowl and the glasses on the table shattered Orange liquid seeped outward from the man�s body looking like a farcical mimicry of blood

Then the man leaped to his feet with a bristling scowl breaking the image The party around them fell silent turning to look at the new arrivals and their actions

You The man bellowed He drew his spear and a few similarly dressed compatriots came to his side to face their group

Randidly turned and regarded the new arrival Silo coolly cracked the fingers of his hand and then gave his three teammates a dismissive glance

I�ve returned Silo said dramatically Azriel just gave Randidly a puzzled look Randidly shrugged Silo had no way of knowing that the twisted Aether cloud he walked around in was incredibly easy to spot for Randidly It was like a looming cloud of secondhand smoke

Fools Do you think you can simply barge in here this is

Heh guardsmen let them come Much as it pains me to say the Spearman School has declined to the point that these four are part of the tournament A tall man with a stupidly square jaw walked out of the largest group of fawning people and smiled at Silo Welcome back Silo You seem somewhat pale Was the stress of running away from Wights too much for you

Althumber Silo growled his hands clenching to fists

Randidly didn�t like to admit it but squarehead was right Silo looked terrible to the naked eye But when he sensed the Aether around him the picture was even more disgusting The guy was practically a pulsing mass of Aether and not in a good way It was clear that he stuffed more Aether into his body than he could handle and had suffered some sort of strange deviation in his internal world

The more Randidly studied him the more Randidly was sure that something bad had happened Something involving Silo�s Class But even as Randidly was worried about what would happen he was deeply curious about the effects One part of him worried that this was an action akin to something the Creature would do using someone for research but Randidly wasn�t going to hold himself at fault for whatever was occurring with Silo This was something he had brought on himself

We are all here A man said This one Randidly recognized It was Mister Veir the father of Althumber Then let us begin Our first business on the agenda a few moments of silence for one of our number who fell during the Wight attacks Let it be a lesson for all of you fighting needs to be taken seriously When you take up the spear you accept the possibility you will die

Around him all of the spear users closed their eyes and nodded their heads But he kept his blazing eyes forward Mr Veir also didn�t lower his gaze in reverence for the fallen people Instead he peered around with obvious boredom

Their gazes met

Randidly bared his teeth at the man I will teach you a lesson about taking things seriously Mr Veir I will rip your son to shreds so you feel the pain of those thousands of farmers you couldn�t be bothered to fight for �

For his part Veir seemed shocked that someone was glaring at him so openly But before he could form a reaction most people looked up With a final probing glance at Randidly Mr Veir slid a mask back over his features and was suddenly a sorrowful man

with that important task out of the way it is time to follow me through to the inner chamber Apologies to the friends and family that have come to support their young elites but this portion will happen privately as we determine who will make it into the final tournament Worry not however because it will take but a few minutes and we will soon announce the highest seeds

Chapter 678

Silo was torn

He partially was horrified at the needless and excessive violence he had engaged in Although the guard was an asshole that was no reason to strike him The other part of him glorified in it There was a simple satisfaction in being physically superior to someone else It was a simple pleasure like nothing else Silo had experienced

This split was nothing new It had been a constant source of inner pain and turmoil since he had pushed himself to Level 50 with the gift from his masters

As they walked Silo�s gaze shifted to his group He barely controlled a sneer They seemed rather hale and healthy they probably had done little actual engagement with the enemy Meanwhile Silo had been behind enemy lines Every day he had killed dozens if not hundreds of Wights

In those circumstances others would have probably fallen into the hands of the enemy and Silo couldn�t deny there were many close calls A handful of times he had sustained a deep injury that put him in dire straits But with his new more powerful images that he had received from the gift he was able to grasp victory

Silo was aware that he was losing a portion of his old Skills but it was hard to care After all everything was to show these pompous Central Styles that they can�t just trample over the lives of the people in the Spearman School

In his pocket Silo�s hand tightened on his Soulstone No matter what the rest of his squad had done Silo was sure that his actions were enough to buy them a ticket into the finals And from there he could demonstrate how far he had come

He could kill someone

The thought came unbidden and Silo stumbled as part of him recoiled horrified

Without much respect Azriel pushed lightly on Silo�s back Keep walking

Silo felt a flash of hot fury but he buried it Instead he hurried forward Why did he suddenly suddenly think about killing someone And why

did he want it so badly

Luckily they soon reached another room where there were 16 larger Soulstones about the size of a large closet Although this new room was just as spacious as the first the sixteen Soulstones did make it feel pretty cramped There was a small wooden podium in front of the Soulstones and Raption Veir walked to it and began to speak

Since we are here let�s begin quickly so we can return to the festivities One at a time each team will come up to touch one of the Soulstones They have been labeled To begin Team One

With an easy smile on his face Althumber and his group walked forward They laughed as they did it too which made Silo dig his nails into the palm of his hand In his mind Silo had no doubt that Althumber had never been placed in a situation where he was in any danger during this three month time span He had simply collected his points from others It was infuriating

But then Silo forced himself to relax Although he had suffered while Althumber had not the experience of fighting alone behind enemy lines was invaluable Silo had no doubt who would be able to triumph in a direct confrontation

Very quickly energy flowed out of the Soulstones they pressed on the larger Soulstones It was like watching a sphere slowly fill with mist Silo felt a flash of glee as no more energy flowed into the large Soulstone and the large thing was not even halfway full It truly appeared like think grey mist was pooling around in the stone

But when Raption spoke it was with laughter in his voice Oh Our Team One�s final scores is 26 132 Truly impressive They truly set a high bar As expected of the number one team

Althumber looked smug Silo did his best to suppress his twitching

More and more teams went up and put their energy into their individual Soulstone Team Two�s score gave Silo something of a shock because it indicated how he might have underestimated how badly the Veir�s were cheating for the First Team Team Two scored 15 079

Team Three was 9 010 but Team Four was 17 982 which gave Raption a moment of stiffness before he congratulated the team It seemed that Team Four�s performance was not in the cards The rest of the Teams were largely in the order they were ranked however except for one notable exception

Team Eleven 25 999 That For several moments Raption truly seemed unable to fathom what to say Instead he just stared at the lovely woman who had turned in the lion�s share of the points Silo spared a glance for Randidly who was yawning

The lovely woman bowed If Silo recalled correctly her name was Helen and she traveled here with this group It was incredibly impressive that she had accomplished this much

After a few more teams went up and revealed scores between six and seven thousand it was finally their turn

Silo stretched his hand out to his teammates stopping them Please let me go first You will understand why afterward

Unlike the rest of the team his team shrugged and let him go up alone His gait was calm and his breathing was even but the wild and dark side of him was practically giggling with glee Although he didn�t know how much energy he had gathered Silo had no doubt the amount was jaw dropping

An acidic smile curled up the edges of his mouth It was time to give them the first sign that they were not as in control of this tournament as they thought

Silo pressed his Soulstone against the larger Soulstone labeled with sixteen Energy rushed out of it and began to pool in the bottom More and more flowed out very quickly passing the point totals of most of their competition

But ultimately Silo had a bitter expression on his face as he noticed that his total was barely short of Team Two

Team Sixteen 14 578 Now the shock in Raption Veir�s face gave way to barely concealed fury It was clear that the man was grinding his teeth as he regarded Silo It did a lot to alleviate the frustration that Silo was feeling How surprising Well if that�s all I�ll announce

Ah wait I haven�t had a turn yet

Everyone turned as Skarch the Spear School Style woman walked calmly forward She removed a Soulstone and tapped it against the larger Soulstone Then she turned and walked away

Everyone stood stock still as they checked the new amount of the Soulstone

Team Sixteen 42 394 points Raption mumbled Then he turned around and gave Randidly and Azriel who were standing some distance away a hard look When they didn�t move it seemed something inside of him relaxed

Silo experienced a similar reaction Forty two thousand meant that the other three had gathered twenty eight thousand together That evened out to a little over nine thousand a piece It wasn�t as big as he had gathered which was reassuring There had a been a moment when Silo had felt a strange surety that they had each gathered that much energy

and something told Silo that of the three of them Skarch wouldn�t have the most Her attacks were too direct Meanwhile Randidly�s Spellspear Skills

Ah Well then Ahem Our final five teams are Team One Team Two Team Four Team Eleven and Team Sixteen The err Here Veir paused briefly before continuing The board of elders had decided to do away with the seeding element and randomly distribute the byes for the first round of the tournament which will be determined on an individual basis

The drawing will well occur presently Ah to make the numbers work there will be 8 individuals who will need to fight in a preliminary round and then those four will join the remaining twelve in a typical single elimination style I will write down the names and select them presently

Sneering at Veir while he hastily scribbled down on scrap paper brought to him by an aide Silo knew that the plan had likely to give the winners a bye and perhaps force the final two teams to fight themselves It was quite satisfying to see him thrown by the outcome but it was still frustrating that they couldn�t admit Team Sixteen was superior

In fact they could have just accepted the seeded method and forced Teams Two and Four to fight each other and Given the other three the bye into the final top 16 portion of the tournament But that was likely politically untenable Although not as important as those in the first Squad Squad Two had a lot of the pampered elites of the Central Domain

And to protect their fragile feelings Raption Veir would do anything

Oh also Veir added before the drawing began Even should you fail in the tournament before the end worry not For the remainder of the tournament you will stay in housing provided by the Hall of Stances During that time you may peruse the outer area of the Hall But only the final two shall be allowed into the Inner Sanctum So without further ado

As expected none of Squad One and only one from Two was selected That individual was from the Death School which was largely independent and cared not about such things But two people from Squad Four was selected Two people from Squad Eleven as well And finally three people from Squad Sixteen

Everyone but him would be fighting in the first preliminary round

Chapter 679

Randidly sat in the room provided for him by the Hall of Stances meditating Unlike most of his peers he did not choose this time to excitedly enter into the Hall of Stances itself Not only was the inner sanctum portion barred to him but there were also quite a few fellow competitors who would be using it at the moment It would not be the proper environment to experience these other images from powerful spear users of the past

All of those who wouldn�t be in the final tournament had seven days to peruse the images Undoubtedly they would be in the Hall of Stances this entire time hoping to squeeze any benefit they could manage out of their time here

Exactly the sort of attitude that would make such a trip useless

Today was the day that the tournament arrangement would be released Although Skarch and Azriel went to the presentation Randidly did not join them He didn�t really consider it necessary they would bring him the answer as soon as they had it Finding out which random spear user he would fight didn�t have much meaning

Releasing the rest of his breath Randidly felt he was ready So he activated All is Ash

Per the Patron of Ash�s advice most of Randidly�s practice with Skill was simply using it in a resting state The idea was to give his subconscious a baseline to feel what being himself under the influence of the Skill would be like That way an accident like what had struck him previously wouldn�t repeat

The world flattened and Randidly felt the flimsy shell that was the world around him Everything was Ash All was fragile and empty

His eyes burned emerald in the dimly lit room At the edges of his irises the faintest trace of crimson could be seen

The other thing that struck him about this state was how much movement there was in the world and how little it mattered Randidly could clearly feel how the small motes of dust in the air wandered around the room It gave the eternal silence around Randidly a sense of erosion Slowly but surely she shapes we created out of ash would decompose to leave nothing remaining

The only conclusion was oblivion It felt intimidatingly close but Randidly didn�t shy away from it That was the trick with this Skill Growing comfortable in the balance on a razor�s edge

Abruptly Randidly ran out of Mana Sensations crashed back around him To his chagrin he realized that he was audibly breathing With a wry smile Randidly stood and stretched Acri slithered over like a snake and Sulfur oozed across the ground excited to be retrieved once more but Randidly held up a hand Not quite yet

Instead he walked to the window and looked outside into the dingy courtyard below Although this place was clearly constructed with the finest materials the traces of the thorough and demanding investigation by the different Schools marred the surface The fine marble of the floor below was scuffed and dirty

Randidly�s mouth thinned to a line Although he wasn�t sure how to go about it he was sure that he would want to spend some of the time here in the Hall of Stances trying to figure out what went on with the Spearsource

The first question he had was what the Spearsource was Taken literally it seemed like the Spearsource was a source of power or perhaps more accurately a source of images Considered in the context of Tellus trying to pass the second Calamity it seemed likely that the Spearsource was the bundle of images that was going to vanquish the fear fueled images

The Wights made a lot of sense as the product of a villainous version of images as well Where the Spear users believed individual might was everything what did individual might mean when your body was assembled by a Propagator and once dead you could be recycled without any effort

But from everything Randidly had heard about the war against the Wights the Spearman had won and had been left alive at the suffrage of the Spearman Then as far as Randidly could tell the Spearman disappeared leaving the Spearsource

Randidly scratched his chin Did they have a comparable to a library Looking up some history might make this process much easier He needed more information to understand what was going on

Besides images couldn�t just occur naturally on their own Was it just as simple as the Spearman severing his own victorious images from himself But why Did he know what was coming Perhaps he had a clue what was through the portal and how he would be tested Was he trying to buy time

Or was the premise Randidly was beginning from flawed Had the Spearman lost and the Spearsource was the last bastion of his images

Or was the Spearman a misnomer perhaps in the past this world wasn�t governed by the image of spears at all

Randidly sighed Useless to speculate Instead he opened up his menus and spent the few PP he had earned over the past few days To his surprise it was quite a bit higher than he had expected But as he examined it his frown deepened

He gained 12 Levels in Talon Strike and 7 in Counter As far as he could remember he hadn�t used those Skills recently

His finger tapped the wooden frame of the window Were there perhaps more benefits to being in the Hall of Stances than Randidly assumed There certainly was an air about the place the vibrancy and strength of the images that lay below Randidly were palpable He had no doubt that he could gain a lot from staying here

However that could wait until the week was over and only the final 20 remained Then there would be more chances to peruse the images

Long before there was a knock on the door on his door Randidly heard the footsteps approaching They were light and soft but the time between each step was very precise Shaking his head Randidly prepared to see Azriel

After knocking once she opened the door To his surprise her face was serious as she considered him

What is it Randidly asked

Your first match is against Helen Azriel said quietly She seemed to be watching him very carefully for his reaction

Inwardly Randidly was somewhat annoyed That would make things complicated between himself and Helen especially if

Then Randidly blinked With a laugh he shrugged Alright that�s fine By the way where is Skarch

Azriel pursed her lips Your reaction is unusual One of you will not pass this trial Although I admit your emotional fortitude has increased it is honestly not for you I worry Helen will

It�s fine Azriel Randidly interrupted in a tired voice There was a lot to investigate and he was already far behind on what he believed he should be doing He didn�t need more pointless worries to distract him It will work out

I believe I could mimic her Skills to a satisfactory extent if you would like to practice spar Azriel added

Thank you but that won�t be necessary

This finally seemed to annoy Azriel You do realize she held back in the past Her abilities have been honed to a killing point I have no doubt that this three months only polished that She has the capabilities to beat you Kill you even

Then I suppose it�s time I give her the chance to demonstrate that Randidly growled shooting Azriel a glare Now where is Skarch

Aiden Darke and Selfia sat in a room opposite where Randidly and Azriel stood Darke�s face was creased with a frown

You can find nothing He asked

Selfia shrugged helplessly He doesn�t match the description of any known agents It was confirmed that he obtained some information from one of the previously established breeding farms but he holds none of their traits So therefore he obtained their methods by luck or

Or he knows enough to have sought them out Darke finished grimly His gaze pierced through the polished wood of their walls and the walls of Randidly�s room as if to finally see the truth of the man Randidly Ghosthound was an enigma Before appearing along with Shal in the Regional Tournament it was like the kid didn�t exist

Because of course the spear user Randidly Ghosthound didn�t exist Which was why he was called

Just watch for now Darke closed his eyes Disguises we have dealt with before After the tournament is over we will simply have to retire Mr Ghosthound and gather the truth from his broken flesh

Chapters 680

Her new body wasn�t ideal Lucretia reflected was she was led down the labyrinthine halls below Taft�s Assembly of Minister�s The capital of the Spriggit empire might be described in many ways but simple was not one of them

She was currently five and was following quietly behind one of the Under ministers the almost faceless people that performed the bureaucratic tasks of the Assembly Unlike the ministers themselves they were not elected and therefore spent quite a long time here Although they had no explicit powers many a Minister had discovered how crippling it was to be on the wrong side of the under Ministry

Through here The man�s gruff voice sounded very small in the dark The only light came from the torch he carried and the light seemed very muffled in the long stone halls He gestured impatiently to the door and Lucretia walked through

Inside there was a warm fire and a long table at which three people sat Their chairs were ornate and honestly the entire room looked much more respectable than the hallway that led here would indicate But of course

Lucretia glanced at the far wall at the mahogany door There was another way here But that door was too good for one such as here

Even with only a fraction of the monster race�s genes in her body it was too much in the eyes of the conservative faction of the ministry

Although this body�s father Halt was a Spriggit servant her mother Massy had the blood of Monsters in her In visible ways too Massy had curving horns from her head and powerful leathery wings that she had to keep bound against her back during the day

Lucretia didn�t mind the racism overmuch She was far too old to be bothered by the looks people gave her It just tired her sometimes Always it came back to this She wondered how much longer this charade would last

A part of her worried she would grow old and die in this body before Randidly would notice that she had lived inside his world

From her back stretched to protuberances of bone It was clear that they were the frame that the leathery wings her mother possessed were built on but there was no wing membrane They were just thin limbs extending from her shoulder blades that ended in a sharp claw Luckily they were much easier to hide than her mother�s They could be belted to her arms to hide most of it What was worrisome however was that her wing bones continued to grow Soon they would be too long to hide behind her arms

You may sit

A sharp voice from the central figure at the table cut through Lucretia�s thoughts With a small nod she walked to the unadorned wooden chair in the middle of the room She sat and faced the three

The central figure was an older spriggit man His hairy ears drooped as he studied her On the right was a figure with a cloak pulled over his face to hide it in shadow After giving up on discovering his identity Lucretia�s focus drifted back to the central figure for a bit To his left was a sharp faced woman who Lucretia vaguely recognized That got her attention

Ah it was the woman who had saw Lucretia fighting off the three thugs that lived in the kitchen Her irritation spiked sharply up remembering it

Not only did she need to endure the constant stares from Spriggits ranging between pity and disgust but most of those with visible monster blood made snide comments about how Massy and Creta were spineless shits The comments weren�t so bad but it made her mother upset

It might be a fake body but Lucretia had been cared for by Massy when she was effectively helpless in her own body There was karma there

It was an old joke the half monster servants made sometimes that Spriggits dine on metal rather than meat So when Massy was sick and the kitchens sent down vegetable soup with a rusted gear in it

Lucretia visited the kitchens She tore off the left hand of the ten year old cretin who thought he was the descendant of the Hero because he had fangs and was well on her way to torturing the other two when this woman had walked into the room Lucretia immediately bailed

That had been almost a week ago It did not bode well that they brought her here now And yet the room didn�t feel like a prison or that she would be punished for it No if anything this felt like

a job interview

You are probably wondering why you are here The central Spriggit began His voice was nasally and cold We have been informed of your act of violence against the kitchen boys We investigate such things seriously especially considering your kind�s propensity towards violence However we were shocked to discover that aside from ripping the flesh of one of them you kept your strikes in purely non lethal places It displayed remarkable animal cunning

Some might say dangerous tendencies The woman added darkly Her gaze was the most hostile but it was also measuring

Well Lucretia turned to the cloaked figure Who knew how hostile that gaze would be

these three did realize that her body was only that of a five year old girl correct Monster or not she wasn�t yet at the age she would be working

violence has its uses The man said smoothly Which is why you have been brought here I would like to offer you an opportunity If you accept it both of your parents will be cared for They will not need to work a day for the rest of their lives

That got Lucretia�s attention Although Massy hadn�t realized it yet she was pregnant again Due to the morning sickness her performance as a message runner was taking a nosedive This stressed her out which caused her to catch an entirely different kind of sickness Lucretia had considered many ways to assist the family�s finances but was stuck at somewhat of an impasse

After all there were no Skills in the world

There were magic and real vocational skills But there were no Levels No Classes No stats Everything was hidden although Lucretia suspected that there was some sort of numerical System underlying it all But for all her age and experience she still felt lost without any Skills to rely on She didn�t know what to do

What sort of work will I be required to do Lucretia asked Although she was truly five her monster blood made her body mature somewhat faster than Spriggits To adults unfamiliar with her she could pass as a short and skinny ten year old Besides playing dumb had never been Lucretia�s game

Creta that is your name yes You would be a shadow

Lucretia turned and looked at the cloaked figure with raised eyebrows It was somewhat surprising to her that the hidden figure was female if just based on her voice

What is a shadow Lucretia asked slowly

Cold and calculating The hostile eyed woman said sourly

The older Spriggit man smiled And capable Then he turned back to Lucretia A shadow is a being tied to another that takes care of the darkness so that the other can bask in the light

Something clicked in Lucretia�s mind She had seen them before those few monsters that were allowed into the Ministry They were never alone In fact they were generally following just behind a Minister their eyes scanning around An aide a bodyguard a shadow

Okay Lucretia said with a nod When can I start

An opportunity would put her closer to those in power In addition Lucretia had no doubt that she would be trained in preparation for this assignment Both would be helpful as she figured out how to grab Randidly�s attention She needed capability and influence Although she had some protective feelings towards her family it wasn�t overly emotional not being able to see them in the future wouldn�t be a crippling blow

Today Follow me The cloaked figure said Then she stood and went out the servant�s door Lucretia followed She wouldn�t see daylight for two years

Honestly Lucretia would perhaps not have seen daylight for longer except for two facts First she realized that although she didn�t have access to her own Status she could see her connection to Randidly gave her access to his Skills Almost innately she had muscle memory and hyper powerful intuition that couldn�t be explained any other way Her Fighting Proficiency was so much that Granyulla her trainer was forced to admit Creta was the most talented youth she ever taught

Granyulla was the woman in that room the first day and was also a White Hunter Although rarely seen outside their land it made sense to employ them as a martial instructor It was just that Lucretia was practically cheating Especially when she realized that striking with the bones of her wings could be used in conjunction with Talon Strike in addition to using her hands

So for two long years in the dark Lucretia familiarized herself with her body and paid lip service to learning to read do math conduct business understand law and assist another fully in their role as monarch of a company

She was ready because of the first reason But she left because of the second reason

The second reason was that a girl named Alta Bounty was born and the Bounty family had paid for their daughter to have a shadow

Chapter 681

When Alta hopped off her mount she stumbled but for a 10 year old she was surprisingly balanced Although it certainly looked like she would faceplant into the dirt track a mad pinwheeling of her arms managed to stabilize herself

Lucretia�s mouth twitched For all the girl�s faults fearfulness was not one of them

Alta scampered across the dirt track to the edge of the sunflower field her eyes wide Lucretia reigned in her mount and spared a glance for the servant following her and Alta in the carriage While Alta�s father and older brother were up ahead hunting god knows what the women dithered behind

Look Look Tiny sun babies Alta said with a wide smile She spun around and practically beamed at Lucretia Even though Lucretia was expecting it it still hit her with a physical force Although there weren�t Skills in this world there was a much more elusive and altogether useful sort of magic Of which Alta was a particular beneficiary Her emotions were booming waves of force that hit you when you were near her Volatile sure but powerful

As her shadow Lucretia was subjected to it almost every hour of every day She rose with Alta and put Alta to bed From the outside Lucretia had perfectly fallen into the diffident servant to this small bundle of power Even Lucretia wondered sometimes whether she was committing to this too emotionally or whether the girl was influencing her overmuch

But no matter what Lucretia would never leave the girl As Alta turned back to the field Lucretia�s eyes focused on the girl�s heart There a thick thread of karma sat It was slowly developing almost like a flower blooming When Lucretia had met Alta almost ten years ago it was so faint that Lucretia worried that she had imagined it But as time passed her fervent hope turned out true

Because that blooming karma was not with her

It was with Randidly

Lucretia eyes crinkled into crescent moons as she peered at the girl�s back Not that she was tossing aside all other avenues Lucretia had found to her delight that Engraving was still effective in this world and had been working diligently every night However this was an obvious lead given to her by the world She would not take her eyes off of it when it was building toward a possible connection

And it was also clear in that karma something would happen today Lucretia could hardly wait

Alta Darling Perhaps we should keep going Your little sister is tired if we continue to the summer home

Alta spun around and rolled her eyes at the face poking out of the window Whatever Darcy Daddy said I could stop and look at the flowers if I wanted right Creta

Lucretia nodded woodenly This is correct miss

See So there Alta spun around and skipped into the field her expensive dress catching on some of taller weeds that choked the ground around the wildflowers Not that she noticed She was too lost in the delight in foiling Darcy

Lucretia� gaze slid to Darcy�s rapidly reddening face Alta Bounty was the second child of the Bounty Family who owned the transportation system between the different lands of the World Tree and the power plants built on the connecting branches of the tree Although Lucretia wasn�t too clear on the details it seemed to feed on the electromagnetic energy given off by the bark of the World Tree There might be individuals with more influence than the Bountys but they were the richest Spriggit family in this strange world

Alta�s mother died in childbirth after having had Alta and Puar her elder brother A few years ago Alta�s father remarried Darcy who took her step daughter�s lack of respect as well an insulting lack of respect

Darcy noticed Lucretia�s glance and narrowed her eye at her Are you not supposed to protect her you stupid half blood Don�t stay here your smell offends Dalmanica

For several long seconds Lucretia just looked at Darcy with a widening smile It only took a second before Darcy shivered and pulled her head back into the carriage As soon as she was gone Lucretia ignored the carriage driver�s apologetic glance and hopped down off of her mount to follow Alta

Although Darcy hated it Lucretia was attached to Alta from birth Alta wouldn�t hear of firing her and the way her oath to the family was written only required her to show reasonable deference to the family other than Alta

Besides time and time again Lucretia had demonstrated to Imnor Bounty Alta�s father why she was indispensable as a shadow for his precious daughter

Likely out of annoyance and childish anger Alta had given up on skipping and switched to running as she opened up some space between the carriages Although Lucretia was wearing a long plain dress the young girl�s speed was nothing to her Within twenty seconds she felt the wind and caught it It was hard to explain and Lucretia understood it was a Skill of a kind But immediately the energy of the world filled her and she could arrive next to Alta without much work

That was the trick of the magic here It was not truly yourself growing although that was one way it was understood Lucretia knew that was foolish What you were truly doing was borrowing a fraction of Randidly�s power that animated the world As soon as she had this realization Lucretia seemed able to freely learn the special skills reclusive experts had taught her on the dime of Imnor

You are getting faster Lucretia teased as she caught up with Alta

The girl pouted but it was only play acting When Alta suspected Lucretia�s guard had been lowered she screeched and leapt towards Lucretia�s legs in the hopes of tripping her Although she could have dodged Lucretia allowed the young girl to tangle her legs and knock her to the ground All the while she was very aware of how gentle she was

The two of them rolled around and wrestled for a while But there was only so many openings that Lucretia could leave for Alta to take advantage of Very soon it became impossible to pretend like she wasn�t capable of overpowering the younger girl

With the straight face she used around the rest of the family Lucretia stood while holding Alta upsidedown by her ankles Apologies for tripping miss To prevent you from injuring yourself I will carry you for the remainder of the trip

No Alta bellowed but she was giggling furiously and clawing at Lucretia�s dress to get a grip Put me down I�ll have you fired if you don�t

Of course Lucretia intoned monotonously dumping the girl unceremoniously on her head This caused Alta to howl in anguish but then her giggles overtook her again They played this game a lot and both of them knew their parts

After being dropped Alta settled on the ground and looked up at the sky Part of the effects of the electromagnetic radiation of this place was the miniature climates formed above each of the seven lands in the tree Right now it was a bright and warm late afternoon in the finest countryside the Spriggit Land had to offer But Lucretia barely noticed Her eyes were locked on that blooming karma in the girl�s chest

Am I special Alta asked From Lucretia�s time on Tellus granting wishes she heard a familiar note in the girl�s voice longing

As Lucretia considered how to answer she felt pity for the girl Given everything she could ever desire but rarely anything she needed Her father was busy her mother dead Her older brother loved her dearly but was driven hard by Imnor to inherit the business There was always something else that they should be doing so that Alta barely had the time to have meals with them

Vacations like these where Alta got to spend time with her father and brother were rare And even now Imnor considered this a good opportunity to bond with his son so he had left his two daughters and his nagging younger wife behind to find some peace hunting

Perhaps no one was at fault but Alta was the one who was forced to understand why everyone looked at her with jealousy but she was always so sad

Yes Lucretia said quietly with glowing violet eyes

Alta sat up and looked at her with a mock serious face It always made her laugh because it was an impeccable impersonation of Imnor�s butler Creta I do believe we pay you to perform that task

Both women giggled and Lucretia reached down and ruffled Alta�s hair But then her hand paused Lucretia�s eyes narrowed

In a fluid motion her dress was ripped open from behind as she spread her talons� The two strange wing bones were about as thick as a wizened plum but they were almost three meters long and all muscles As her outer clothes fell away the skin tight leather armor she always wore beneath was revealed

Lucretia�s gaze turned to the West Alta we need to get back to the carriage

The air smelled like blood

Chapter 682

The carriage driver had stopped and was staring down the track with a pale face when Lucretia carried Alta back When he saw Lucretia�s state of dress he blushed further Miss the mounts they can smell

I know Lucretia cut him off with a sharp glance Being reborn into the body of an attractive young woman was a complicated experience and in important moments like this she was unwilling to humor other�s reaction to her Do you know anything

No He shook his head furiously

The door to the carriage opened and Darcy came out with a wailing baby and a frown Why have we stopped If Dalmanica is forced to starve so help me

Shut up the baby Lucretia said bluntly In her arms Alta was trembling and she was looking around with glassy eyes

Creta something feels bad Everything everything is so bad Alta mumbled

How DARE you Darcy bellowed setting off an even louder set of wails from the baby Mother of the year right there Do you think for a moment that I wouldn�t

Luckily for Lucretia the noise brought on the first wave of attacks more rapidly The beast stood up amongst the tall grass of the fields and roared their strange facial pustules oozing They were shaped like bears but their torsos and head were largely without hair and instead covered with boils and worts

Lucretia pressed her lips into a thin line With a firm hand she reached up and covered Alta�s eyes What was about to happen would still be too much for the girl

Darcy began to scream as the first two dashed forward to only a few meters away and more were worming up out of the woodwork As Lucretia� channeled Randidly�s strength her mind was quickly calculating the likelihood that a band of half mutated Soulless could coincidentally end up here deep in the countryside of the Spriggit elite

Obviously that wasn�t very high

Growth Lucretia whispered Her three meter talons trembled and then as energy flooded into them they sprouted outwards First five meters then ten And as they grew offshoots sprouted outward like branking courses of a river Soon there were a dozen talons flashing left and right The Soulless were helpless before the attacks and the first way was mincemeat before the second arrived

The reinforcements fared no better

Within a minute the area was clear and silent aside from Darcy and Dalmanica�s screams As the energy left her Lucretia�s talons shrunk to their normal size Fat drops of black blood fell off of them The carriage driver had enough presence of mind to fumble his sidearm out of the holster but had made the intelligent decision to freeze up rather than embarrass himself by shooting it

Slowly Lucretia kneeled and set Alta on the ground What surprised Lucretia was that it seemed the baby read the mood and slowly fell silent

You shouldn�t look around Lucretia said as she took her hand from over Alta�s eyes The karma in her chest was spreading thin tendrils outwards It was all she could do to refrain from pouring her own energy into the girl�s body to feed it What was it about this moment that was important however

Of course Alta looked around anyway And as she did so she grew pale But after biting her lip the girl seemed to firm her resolve She looked straight at the shredded bodies of the Soulless What what are they

Lucretia sighed inwardly It would be too much to say they were the sad and desperate children that the Creature had left in Randidly�s Soulworld when her incarnation had been burned away they are debris from an older era From an old war

Abruptly Alta�s eyes widened If we were attacked do you think daddy and brother

Lucretia said nothing and instead stood and looked at Darcy The woman was weeping silently holding her baby to her chest She was doing everything she could to not look at the bodies spread around them In a way it made sense Darcy was a pampered and pretty daughter What would she know of death What did she know that two of the seven lands were engulfed in constant warfare and the Spriggits were the merchants of death for both sides

On the back of the founding Bounty�s invention Spriggits had been able to control trade amongst the lands on a scale that none could replicate This was not the first attempt on the lives of the Bounty family and it would not be the last If she wanted to survive in this family Darcy would need to toughen up Perhaps imitate the maturity of Alta for example

Without even Lucretia�s answer Alta came to the correct conclusion by herself Several small tears formed in her eyes and ran down her cheeks But it was with an even voice that she said Go Find them Protect them You are strong right That�s why that�s why daddy takes you sometimes Out Please Creta

Lucretia nodded watching the slow and gradual shifts in Alta�s chest Was it simply that she would mature here Well perhaps that was fine too It wasn�t as exciting as Lucretia wanted but it would be enough Her time wasn�t wasted not as long as she felt that constantly growing connection between Alta and Randidly

With a nod Lucretia turned to depart But she had only taken a single step before she froze

Wait Damnit you can�t just leave us

Lucretia pirouetted on the spot to find that Darcy had apparently placed the baby back within the carriage and emerged with her own sidearm Inwardly Lucretia cursed herself for writing Darcy off as harmless

Although she was standing and trembling Darcy had one hand on Alta�s thin shoulder and held the sidearm with the other It wasn�t pointed at Alta but

The meaning in Darcy�s eyes was clear What if we are attacked again Please You must stay

In the weeks that followed Alta cried endlessly between the two wooden boxes with the ceremonial black cloth draped across them All the while Lucretia said by her side studying the warping karma within Alta�s body with sharp eyes This was the change Now it only remained to be seen what the ultimate effect would be

Both Imnor Bounty and Puar Bounty were pronounced dead on the scene by the time the medical tank arrived Darcy�s interference had prevented Lucretia from moving but Lucretia was honestly unsure whether she could have made any difference to protecting their lives at that point The fact they smelled blood already would indicate someone had already died and included the two bounty men there were only five individuals

Plus Alta�s group had been attacked by the mindless variety of Soulless Although physically powerful they were without guile and therefore not truly a challenge to Lucretia Imnor Bounty who was himself one of the most powerful warriors in the Spriggit nation had the misfortune of running into a Soulless Behemoth And based on the face it had escaped it was clear it developed sentience

A monster such as that was not one seen often except in the lowest Land of the Tree and Lucretia wasn�t sure how she would measure up against it

But of course this truth wasn�t one that Alta knew And early on the only thing that woke her from the storm of misery was hatred for Darcy

Imnor Bounty had a younger brother who took the helm of the Bounty Agency but without Imnor�s firm hand things swiftly fell apart Some of the other Ministry officials related to the family would have only been happy enough to feast on the corpse of the family but Lucretia had stepped in at that point strictly off record

She reminded those Ministers that her reputation as the Taloness was not something that should be treated lightly If Alta was not given her due Lucretia would ignore the Spriggit�s precious rule of law and bleed them all dry It wasn�t a boast to say she could do it For all the Spriggit�s ingenuity very few among them could even give Lucretia a run for her money in a fight It was part of the reason that so often Shadows from other races were brought in

Defending Alta was a priority but when accusations of extra marital affairs were brought against Darcy Lucretia didn�t even bat an eyelash When that woman was driven away from the Bounty ancestral manor on the South slopes of Taft�s affluent district all breathed a sigh of relief

When the dust settled most of the servants had left because most of the money was gone All they retained was the manor some small shops owned in Imnor�s personal portfolio the now empty research facility below the house and piles of scattered documents

Amongst all that Alta just sat with blank eyes staring at the wall In her chest the karma was twitching intermittently

For another week Lucretia brought meals to Alta�s chambers and forced her to bathe every couple of days Nothing solicited a response and Lucretia didn�t� force the issue That was one trick of karma that was true here as everywhere else nothing grew if you pulled it out of the ground early

Creta would you kill someone if I ordered you to

The question that finally signaled Alta�s return to some semblance of consciousness was one that Lucretia was not expecting But at the same time it couldn�t be considered too surprising She simply responded by given Alta a look Alta might believe the look was for her but it was truly to follow the path of the karma

Because at long last the karma reached out and took root from Alta to Lucretia forming a bridge And as it did so a terrible darkness spread through the karma from Lucretia In creeping fashion it followed the bond back across to Alta Very soon every inch of the karma in her body between Alta and Randidly had been twisted and warped into a black and oily substance

Then it bloomed and it was a pale flower

Those Soulless weren�t an accident Alta said slowly The ten year old girl looked up at her Shadow who harbored the soul of a seven hundred year old woman who had been accepting the souls of the innocent in bargains for generations It was after all a very rare hand that would not find a way to use the sharp knife it possessed We need to find out who is responsible And when we do I order you to kill them all

Lucretia smiled without the faintest hint of guilt and nodded Nothing would give me more pleasure

Chapter 683

This is a serious matter Are you certain Skarch asked him for the fourth time

Randidly did his best not to roll his eyes Although he understood the connection that Skarch had to her spear this was getting ridiculous Yes I am sure Based on my understanding of your spear this should be an exceptionally simple procedure In addition you now have your own Soulstone from the tournament with it you will be able to continue using your spear�s abilities indefinitely as long as you take a break to slaughter Wights

Skarch released a pleased smile in response Hoo Such a thing would be a great boon to my family Although you realize that you have sealed your own doom When my spear is activated none can stand against me

Aren�t there other Spear School individuals in the tournament Randidly asked with a bemused expression If it were truly such a simple thing to win here wouldn�t the Spear School dominate

You speak of the fumblings of amateurs My spear it is one of the greats Only the top three Styles of the Spear School would possess comparable spears and they would not dare allow their heirs to take them out into the world Alas due to one small mistake of my father to think generations of preparation came to nothing

Smiling slightly at Skarch�s boasting Randidly laid his hands gently against the spear His eyes traced the many interlocking engravings that crisscrossed the shaft Truly Randidly could understand how Skarch�s father could have made a small mistake to ruin the entire thing without Lucretia�s assistance to parse apart everything that was going on just trying to calculate all the energy exhaust made Randidly�s head spin

With a construction this dense you needed to have systematic methods to deal with that ambient energy and also needed those methods to not conflict with the true performance runes on the spears It was absolutely commendable

For all that Skarch had mentioned in passing once that the problem was not with the spear itself but the power source That comment from a few weeks ago had stuck in Randidly�s head Once they were here in the Hall of Stances Randidly didn�t want to bother with the crowd viewing images of heroes past so he instead wandered over to Skarch�s room to ask about the issue

And luckily his suspicions proved right

This is it right Randidly asked grimly looking at the tight swirl of runes near the base of the shaft

Skarch nodded It is so The designs for this spear are a hundred years old Materials were prepared centuries in advance as our ancestors prayed for this day But who was to suspect the careful storage of the specially selected wooden shaft would be in a dry environment and the shaft was to shrink a minuscule amount due to this Due to the small variance it wasn�t noticed until the rest of the Engraving was already done As an unfinished product it was set aside and hidden for 10 years when my father believed he had found someone who could fix the transferal procedure

As Randidly touched the rough swirls of the energy absorption rune he was able to intuit a little as to their functions And just the small bit that he was able to see left him flabbergasted To think that Skarch�s family was so far ahead of him in terms of understanding Engraving

Compared to this failed product Randidly�s work on the Ghost�s tank like body was an embarrassment The thought of destroying even a shred of the spear made Randidly�s heart hurt

as I explained I will need to defile this Sand away the old runes and drill a hole through to store the Soulstone Is that fine Randidly asked

If you are certain it is fine Skarch confirmed Then her eyes softened as she looked at the spear After all I am just barely to activate a few of the lesser runes with my own Mana If this were to give me access to the full complement of tools a small marring is not significant For all that I treasure its form this is a tool of function

Nodding Randidly began to work

Originally the power system at the base of the spear was supposed to be accessible directly by the spear user Their Mana and Stamina were combined in an esoteric way to form a raw sort of energy that would be pumped into the spear and fuel the runes on it This would increase the demand on the body of spear wielder but it seemed the Spear School cared little about that

To transfer energy through the palm of the hand from Mana and Stamina into a consistent form of energy was a feat of genius Randidly saw the parts that took in the Mana and Stamina the part that he believed would enable it to pass at the user�s will and also exhaust to the main energy line that powered the spear but there was a giant whirling mess in the middle that basically meant nothing to Randidly

He even broke out his old Engraving Encyclopedias to puzzle over it but ultimately he just made a charcoal rubbing and decided he would investigate more thoroughly later

Obviously Randidly couldn�t repair this But he figured he had an easy workaround stuffing a battery in it

For all that most people viewed the Soulstones as useful only for boasting they clearly absorbed usable energy from Wights This energy wasn�t anything that the human body could use but that didn�t matter to a spear So Randidly planned on chopping the complicated design down the middle and stuffing a Soulstone into it

After sanding down the base of the spear to wipe away most of the power of the previous engravings Randidly gave Skarch a look She nodded stiffly

With a smile Randidly began to drill through the middle of the shaft After a short talk Skarch admitted this would be the best method even if she didn�t like defacing the spear In order to distract her Randidly said casually I�m honestly surprised at the workmanship of the spear These Engravings a met an Engraving clan once but this this is much more sophisticated

Immediately Skarch�s expression grew stiff but after a second of studying Randidly she sighed yes Well it is something you likely do not know much about but before the Censure my family was a powerful force within the Engraving Clans When the Censure came and all who knew of Engraving were to join the Guilds or perish many in my family were forced to leave But because they went most of us survived with the teachings of our elders occurring only in secret

Even then we dare not move lightly We waited 150 years simply accumulating wealth through other means before we began preparations to forge this spear Skarch trailed off staring at the smooth hole the size of a strawberry that Randidly made in the spear shaft

Randidly frowned They certainly take controlling Engraving seriously Is it the same in all Schools

Yes it is known Skarch bowed her head

In spite of himself Randidly chuckled Then why are you telling me this

Blinking at him Skarch said Are you not in a similar situation Otherwise how would you have the capability to do this If the Engraving Guilds find you your fate will not be a simple one What point is there in hiding things between us

That took a lot of the cheer out of Randidly and he turned his attention back to the spear Grimly he raised a silver Engraving Needle and began to work The Needle was Level 40 and let to him by Skarch which cemented Randidly�s impression that her family was incredibly talented in terms of Engraving

The Engraving Guild An old enemy Not even an enemy An old worry But it was difficult not to realize that if Randidly did as he planned the Engraving Guild would likely have no qualms about moving against him Especially as he attempted to research more of the history of this world it would be decidedly inconvenient

But did he have any choice

The next ten minutes passed in tense silence With great care Randidly channeled his Mana through the silver needle and into the wood around the hole At this point he couldn�t do anything more sophisticated that creating the means of the spear drawing the energy But in this case that should be enough It would be inefficient but that could be improved in the future

After a bit of fiddling Randidly placed his Soulstone into the shaft and attached it with thin metal strips It burned with a bright light still filled with all of the energy he had gathered from killing Wights One part of him wondered how much energy he had gathered but the other knew it was more than the next closest by a lot There was no point and showboating here Better to use the energy productively like this

Well that should be that Randidly announced Now we just need to try it

Chapter 684

Who do you think will win Helen asked as she slowly moved through her warm up routine

Azriel didn�t even blink as she replied Randidly

Inwardly Helen was thankful for Azriel spending time with her over the past few days Knowing she would need to fight Randidly and one of them would lose in the tournament It pissed her the fuck off Especially given the blatant favoritism shown to Squad One

Helen�s fingers tightened on the wooden shaft of the spear but her movements didn�t increase in speed Balance in all things The river is movement but it does not move

Your lack of faith is disconcerting Helen commented briefly I have grown

Not enough Azriel replied

Helen�s eye twitched It wasn�t much but the two women were likely the only two who truly understood how much a monstrous change had seized Randidly in the past year An unlikely bond but one that was easy to rely on in times of war

From barely qualifying for the Regional Tournament he was no in the Inter School finals If not for the looming invasion of the Wights this would be the most talked about event of the year He had grown at a rate that defied the imagination and Helen knew that he wasn�t truly giving it his all

It was infuriating Doubly infuriating was that Azriel refused to pull her punches and continued to reminder Helen of this disparity Triply infuriating was that the fucker hadn�t even stopped by to talk to her about it Was he refusing to acknowledge their impending match Did he think it a guaranteed thing that he would win

What do you want him to say Helen thought sourly as she finished a circuit of her warm ups She had no answer for herself and just threw herself into the next series of motions Her hands guided her spear in elaborate loops

As long as he doesn�t take me seriously I have a chance Helen announced to the training grounds

Azriel shot her a bemused look You sound like you are trying to convince yourself Your chances

Fuck this Helen growled giving up on the progression It�s time to spar Give me your best Randidly Ghosthound impression

Buoyed somewhat on the success of his modification of Skarch�s spear Randidly returned to his room with a smile on his face Even he hadn�t known how effective it would be as a battery Now battery life suddenly became a demanding problem and Randidly could only guess at that But no matter what Randidly was looking forward to seeing how she performed with her newly freed up weapon

As Randidly went to open the door to his room Acri slithered up his arm and gave him a sorrowful look Randidly chuckled It seemed Acri knew he was thinking about another weapon and was slightly jealous Well that was easy to fix

His hand fell away from the door and Randidly turned and head down to the courtyard below There were training fields provided by the Hall of Stances for everyone for the duration of their stay but Randidly could feel his connection of Aether leading to those fields Both Azriel and Helen were there

At the moment Randidly had no desire to face Helen He was going to have so bad news when he saw her next and he wasn�t relishing his role as the person who would deliver the news Of course he could have someone else do the work but

Sighing Randidly pushed it from his mind and walked into the small courtyard It was a problem that could wait for later Now was a time for training

Although he had never been lazy during his time fighting the Wights underneath Platton it also couldn�t be said that Randidly spent much time working on the technical flaws of his spear use Mostly this was just due to lack of time But now Randidly was intent on really focusing his attention on himself After all his Perception ability had never been higher It was time to begin remaking himself

He started by simply standing and holding Acri feeling the weight of the spear His bare feet were on the soft grass of the open air courtyard His eyes were closed

Randidly had known for a while that he would need to begin consolidating his spear use but he hadn�t truly known what to do about it Not that it was exactly pressing but his image spars with Skarch had made it clear that as a whole Randidly�s images were starkly divided If he wanted an offensive Skill would he use Spear Advances Ash Trails or the Inevitable Phantom Arrives

One was a raw explosion of fury that had gifted him his first Skillset The other was the modified movements of Aemont and Shal both of who were likely far superior to Randidly in terms of spear use But suddenly it seemed that Tellus� strange fixation on your ability to use images had very tangible effects It was important

It wouldn�t be an easy thing but it would not occur without work Instead of having two move sets that Randidly relied on his goal was to merge both into a single theory of fighting Ideally it would be composed of the refined movements of The Spear Phantom with the powerful images of the Kata of the Ashen spear

Randidly sighed That was the idea anyway

To start he moved slowly through each of his different moves Almost out of habit the Crown of Cataclysm and Gloom flicked to life above his head The presence of that twisted crown gave Randidly pause but it couldn�t be denied that it focused his Perception to incredible heights For all that it would grate on any who approached him while he was training the effect was probably worth it

After all it was much more palatable of the Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil

Finishing up each Skill Randidly possessed he moved on to the different training movements taunt to him by Shal Most of these were supposed to be done with an instructor but Randidly didn�t worry so much about this The whole point of this exercise was to focus on himself

After finishing those motions Randidly returned to his Skills This time he performed each one dozens of times shifting his balance or making small adjustments to the way he twisted his hips and moved his shoulders Sometimes the corrections weakened his strikes Other times there didn�t seem to be any changes After all it was not an easy thing to even understand yourself and how to improve

What Randidly couldn�t accomplish with the System�s assistance in improving he brute forced with repetition Time and time again he would repeat small moves It was a good thing that the courtyard was so small and relatively fragile because it meant that his moves were largely limited He could only satisfy himself with basic footwork steps and simple attacks with the spear

But the more Randidly continued the more he realized he had vastly underestimated the amount of work his idea would require What immediately became clear was that the methods of force transference were very different for his different styles of attack That wasn�t crippling to the idea of combining the Spearwork but it was still daunting

So eventually Randidly settled on footwork Start small Understand your base your core Feel the strength that came up through the ground and move with that momentum

By the time the sun was setting Randidly was covered in sweat and panting As he allowed the crown to fade away he laughed in delight It was fun training like this The small improvements were more a function of stumbling onto small opportunities but the feeling of improvement was palpable The first step a warrior takes from his guard stance was something Randidly had never truly considered before but the more he focused on it the more its relevance seemed to grow

Likely Randidly would come here tomorrow and work on the same thing And that gave him a wide grin He wondered what Helen would think to know he was practicing stepping in preparation for their match

Abruptly his good cheer fled He wiped the sweat from his forehead and grimaced Most of the tournament goers were still below in the Hall of Stances Only Azriel and Helen remained in the training grounds glowing darkly in his Perception due to their familiar Aether If everyone was still busy then

Perhaps it was time that Randidly moved into Hastam proper in order to do some research For a brief moment Randidly considered asking Skarch or Silo for assistance but Skarch was busy in her room with her new toy and Randidly had no desire to get closer to Silo Already he could see that the effects of the foreign images were exacting a high toll on the man�s body Besides his newfound touchiness was more harm than he was worth

Whistling softly Randidly strolled off into Hastam Perhaps normally he would enjoy the peaceful sounds of a city at night but he was still hyper aware that the Wight horde was out there slowly killing its way towards Hastam As such it was difficult to set aside the tension held deeply in his chest

He needed to get moving There was simply so much to do

Chapter 685

Randidly winced and raised his hand to his chest as he walked through the illuminated streets of Hastam Was it heartburn To think that since he gave the recipe to Claptrap all that time ago burgers would already become this ubiquitous

Either way the pain quickly passed so Randidly paid it no mind It did however remind him of Claptrap His face fell into a scowl At a corner of a busy street Randidly paused and looked up at the sky It was overcast and gloomy but below there were dozens of people on the cobblestone streets laughing gaily

Inwardly Randidly felt himself smoldering These fucking idiots

But he set that thought aside for now and continued onward He had asked the owner of the burger joint and the old man and directed him to the Scroll Spire if he wanted to research the stories of the Spearman

Just the way that the man phrased that made Randidly somewhat leery of what he would find when he got there

What he actually found was that the doors were large and wooden and moved easily under his hand After a bit of hesitation he entered into the tall tower like building As the door shut behind him the noise seemed to cease entirely Instead Randidly simply found himself engulfed in the oppressive silence of a library

For that was what it was but not one the like of which Randidly had ever seen The entrance to the library brought Randidly onto a strange wooden catwalk that hung above the true portion of the library About ten meters below was a dark and misty place filled with pillars But as Randidly peered at the pillars his eyes widened

were they truly just piling scrolls down there

Visitors are rare You have business here

Randidly twisted his gaze away from the scrolls below and to a young man sitting at a desk in the center of the wide room The catwalks were in the shape of a cross and there was a staging area with ladders in the center As for the young man the first thought that struck Randidly as he looked at him was how skinny the man was He was so incredibly emaciated that it seemed he must never take a meal

But the intensity of the young man�s gaze was on a level that Randidly had rarely encountered before Perhaps this young man was not strong in a traditional sense but he was not one to underestimate Besides Randidly couldn�t� help but notice that despite his wispy frame his limbs were overly long His arm was practically draped across the desk

Yes I�m here to research the history of the Spearman and the Hall of Stances Randidly said Being honest was perhaps a risk but Randidly couldn�t really find any disadvantage with being up front He did however add the Hall of Stances as a method of sidetracking the man if what he asked transgressed on any social norms

He had inquired with Skarch and Azriel about it and they didn�t indicate there was anything to worry about But that just made him more worried After all those two were unusual

Ah Proceed The young man instantly relaxed and waved his hand towards the ladders

Randidly paused and looked at the piles of scrolls below Uh is it possible for you to point me in the direction of the scrolls regarding the topics I�m researching

Ah The young man appeared shocked He looked at Randidly for a long time before shrugging I suppose so Follow me

Bemused Randidly allowed himself to be led down amongst the scrolls

What does it mean to be a hero

Silo let his words hang in the air He was sitting in the living room of rundown farm in the area North of the Hallat river No one answered his question

After all how could they The squatters that had been staying here were now dead

Blood dripped off of Silo�s hands but it was hard to consider it important Everything was difficult these days His images were inconsistent and shallow his thinking muddled even his vision was blurry most of the time Still none of that made much of a difference to Silo It was hard to worry about such minor things when he finally had what he had searched so long for

Power

I wanted to be a hero so badly � Silo thought to himself as he considered the body in front of him The back of the man�s head had been smashed inwards and when that hadn�t stopped the man from screaming someone had ripped out his eyes and tongue The twisted and swollen face seemed almost humorous as it looked up at him But now that I can me I don�t know what to do �

For all that his images were unreliable Silo knew that it wasn�t doing much to really weaken him Where his old habits were being broken and lost new images were growing within him Images of darkness and violence of pride and blood There Silo was without peer He was a man with enough strength to silence entire worlds

In those images his body had been torn and broken so many times his original form was lost He became a twisted monster of violence But in that image his strength far exceeded that of everyone Silo had met

Well aside from his elders

That thought focused his mind because it brought back the reminder of the previous few days While his hands tightened to fists Silo did his best not to bare his teeth He failed

Although it was difficult Silo had achieved a balance with the strange energy in his body He had grown far beyond his previous Level with it to the point that he had true power All the slights he had endured in the past all the innocents that he had seen suffer no longer was Silo powerless to help them He had struggled behind enemy lines and obtained an impressive amount of accomplishments So much that he was sure to finally achieve the recognition he deserved

Remembering Silo�s eyes turned red Yet his strength was equal to that of his inane squadmates who fled from the horde of Wights While he remained and struggled so valiantly

The only option was that he hadn�t struggled nearly as much as he thought Silo needed more A hero was not one half of a team

a hero was an existence to which there was no answer

Silo hadn�t reached that height So he was forced by circumstances to draw more deeply than he ever had before from his precious treasure So deeply had he drew that he had briefly lost himself in a feeling of strangeness His body no longer appeared to be his own But that feeling quickly passed

When Silo returned to himself he noticed two things The first was that he had reached Level 50 The second was that he was missing one of his fingers and his left eye was a different color Naturally the excitement of accomplishing the former overrode any small worries that Silo might have about discovering the latter things

He was also delighted to see the two new Skills that he gained from the treasure his elders had given to him Heinous Decapitation and Violent Impulse Both gained Skill Levels easily in the following hours Although Silo was largely overwhelmed by feelings he had enough presence of mind to stumble back through the slums of Hastam to the place where he had been blessed with this treasure No doubt the elders could give him guidance

But they were gone

The houses where they lived eeking out humble lives abandoned Silo felt lost

Then he heard a teenager bullying an older woman and all of Silo�s confusion fell away What replaced it was a dull headache and the irresistible impulse to punish the fool who would hurt an honored elder

Needless to say Silo had followed the young man out of Hastam several kilometers across the countryside and waited outside a tavern while the kid drank Honestly the whole experience was good for Silo Breathing the chilly night air did a lot to numb his headache

After he returned to this abandoned farmhouse with his friends Silo could wait no longer He struck and taught these youths a lesson in respect that they would never forget It could be considered something of a generosity that Silo magnanimously taught them all the same lesson The final lesson

ches

Silo frowned and tilted his head to the side Then he carefully looked around him For a split second it had sounded like someone was speaking Yet that was impossible Silo had made sure that none of the people here had tongues with which to speak

teaches

What Who is there Silo bellowed The words were harsh in the creaky farmhouse and in their wake there was only the sound of the wind His heart was pounding in his ears as he spun where he stood sending small waves through the pool of blood on the ground

answering your question A hero is one who teaches

Silo blinked The voice was within his head How strange Perhaps that was the source of the headache

But for all that the voice had dubious origins it surely had some wise things to say Silo smiled widely Yes That�s right isn�t it A hero is an existence that can mold the rest Only I think that these sort of people will only learn in one way through discipline

The voice in Silo�s head chuckled

Chapter 686

Shit Alta announced to the room as she threw her hands up to the sky The two assistants that worked part time in the workshop kept their eyes on their own work as the circuitry in front of Alta fizzled in submission as connectors gave out

Lucretia smiled helplessly as Alta obviously got annoyed no one asked her what was going on A warm feeling filled Lucretia�s heart as she watched the younger woman turn around and glare at the ceiling waiting for someone to inquire about the most recent in a series of almost clockwork like failures in the research Lucretia had a mind to keep Alta waiting When she was frustrated in the workshop was one of the few times that Alta regained some of her youthful exuberance of long ago

Now twenty six Alta had blossomed into a lovely woman But she was currently a service mechanic for the very power plants that her family used to own and not many agreed with Lucretia�s glowing assessment of Alta�s beauty Not that it mattered much a lot of that came from the time they spent together in the way of the accident of Alta�s childhood

No one saw how hard Alta had worked how determined she had been to not lose sight of her goals No one else held the deep guilt that Lucretia had as she watched the pale flower in Alta�s chest grow more brilliant and shining day by day

What happened Lucretia said tiredly still with a smile on her face Strangely for the first time in her long lifetime Lucretia truly felt old It felt like a twisted sort of wisdom and pessimism about human nature that altered her entire worldview

Bah The electromagnetic energy from the tree same is too variable At one moment it is calm at another it is raging It makes sense I suppose Alta said with a frown The tree is a living thing As it breathes so we all live But even the small power contained in the smallest vein of sap that runs through the three can overwhelm the basic circuitry And if I insulate it there are times that the voltage ebbs and there is no power generated Without it basically the same thing happens the reaction fails without a constant source of power which burns out the circuitry

So what�s next For the day I mean Lucretia said patiently She already was moving to clear away the wrenches and soldering equipment on the workbench around the exposed vein Her guilt didn�t come from anything Lucretia had actually done although it started that way Instead it came from the realization that some things were inevitable people were more like machines and less like amalgamations of random chance

For example in the wake of that baleful flower of karma blooming in Alta�s chest Lucretia was slowly consumed by guilt The more time she spent with the broken girl the more she was reminded of her own experience growing up without parents in a strange place where it felt like everyone was vaguely out to get her The more Lucretia wished she hadn�t tempted Alta towards this convergence of karma

But at some point as the bitterness and rage Alta possessed had solidified into a desperate determination the more Lucretia realized that Alta would have always chosen this same path Lucretia only accelerated the process

A shift in the machine works Alta said with a bright smile Finally I�m tired of simply looking at power systems The mech I�ll be helping on is already two generations old but still its a modular frame with a basic suppression outfit It hasn�t seen frontline duty but we mean to shine it up until it can

One of the two assistants looked up from their work for the first time Does that mean the war in the third land is getting worse Do you think the Weavers

Of course not no one wants a Branch War to occur Lucretia said shortly Cierce the assistant who asked the question was an intelligent girl who they had been able to locate in the slums outside of Taft a few years ago when Alta had her first real breakthrough in how to use the sap of the World Tree as fuel But she was weak to distractions especially flights of nervousness fancy and gossip Lucretia wasn�t of the belief that her slight increase of intelligence over the next desperate bright child was worth her faults but Alta liked her

Mostly because Cierce was somewhat of an airhead and didn�t think too deeply about what the technology Alta was trying to perfect would do

Lucretia glanced at Alta who flashed her a slight smile Inwardly Lucretia shivered She had been the sharp knife that had taught Alta that with power anything was possible She was a temptation But not by choice That was the heavy weight that Lucretia held in her gut now

Merely Lucretia�s presence in the girl�s life was enough to lead her astray

But for all that Lucretia had to face this hard truth about her nature and the way of the world it had also propelled her ability to manipulate karma to new heights For those who didn�t earn Lucretia�s empathy it was hard for any to resist her subtle tugs

It only took about five minutes to finish all the labor intensive cleanup and then Alta dashed out of the underground workshop to head towards her job Cierce immediately fled to the kitchen to rid herself of the last of her nervousness with food leaving Lucretia alone in the main workshop with the other assistant

He bowed to her Miss Creta I�ll be taking my leave

Danz if we come close to succeeding in this research will you stop us Lucretia spoke in an almost playful voice but she knew from experience that this was the sort of tone that sent a chill down the spine of those who held less power than you Danz was relatively controlled so he completed his bow without defect or visible response

Danz they had found through an old business connection of the Bounty family Although most people knew that Alta hadn�t inherited any of the true assets of her father sometimes people still showed up who were either foolish or desperate Danz was the ladder Both of his parents died in some of the skirmishes in the lower lands leaving him with three younger siblings and not a lot of marketable skills

But what Alta wanted was discretion and they had enough left currency over to support Danz and his siblings Still Lucretia could see the powerful effect that the war had on Danz life She didn�t want anything getting in the way of Alta�s obsession

And while Cierce was airheaded Danz was meticulous and reserved His active eyes undoubtedly had begun making connections between their materials testing and the extensive amount of research in energy discharge Now that Lucretia had given Alta the basic idea for a battery to power mechs rather than drawing strength from the driver

Of course not If Miss Bounty succeeds undoubtedly we will all benefit Besides you can rest assured that I understand your abilities I am not a character with the clout to cross the Queen of Talons

Lucretia�s smile was dangerous as she watched Danz back He was sweating Did that mean something

Shaking her head Lucretia left the workshop as well Although her employer and friend was at work that didn�t mean she had any spare time In fact her time alone was likely busier than her time working at Alta�s direction

And it was time to get to work

Almost eight hours later Lucretia and Alta met back in the Bounty�s old manor for dinner Cierce and Danz only came in the mornings and Alta wouldn�t hear of hiring another servant so the two dined alone in the gloomy great hall A table long enough for twenty people held only two who talked in quiet voices

They are moving Although I don�t like it this will be one of our only chances to catch them distracted With a little more information I believe it will be much easier to pin down who exactly they are Lucretia said softly Today had been very productive

Alta paused lowering her cutlery to the table A large chunk of mutton sat forgotten on the end of her fork And by they you truly mean

Yes Lucretia said The same organization that attacked your family The so called Council of Fates

Immediately Alta�s face twisted away from that of a person to become a wicked beast that simply knew hunger Then we will go to stop them If they so truly desire war let us bring them a pitched battle Let�s make them fear us

Lucretia chuckled awkwardly Alta you won�t be coming Your ability to defend yourself

Is you Alta interrupted She gave Lucretia a look I WILL be coming Do you have it in your heart to tie me up to stop me What if I injure myself trying to escape

Lucretia sighed Sometimes being a spectacularly useful tool came back to bite you Perhaps she shouldn�t have been quite so effective at protecting her Mistress in the past so the girl had a bit of reasonable fear for her own safety

Chapter 687

In the wake of the death�s of Alta�s father and brother Lucretia had not been idle While Alta slowly came to terms with her new shift in lifestyle Lucretia had already begun gathering information For all that these stranger who brought the Soulless had caused the pale flower to bloom in Alta�s chest Lucretia was extremely wary that they wouldn�t let the young daughter of the Bounty line continue to live

Despite Lucretia�s growing martial prowess and hundreds of years at persuasion she was unable to unearth anything definite But where she found no figures she found tracks Certain officials with less than savory records would be placed in positions of responsibility Sudden influxes of cash to certain business ventures Unexpected disappearances and a marked lack of complaints against any of the series of government agencies that took over the Bounty Family�s assets

Someone wanted control of the transportation between branches and had taken it in one fell swoop While everyone else gathered around to devour the enormous wealth of the Bounty Family powerplants someone snatched up the ties that held the world economy together

The seven lands of the Randidly�s Soulskill were originally split so that one race dominated its own land but as time passed the peoples of the world spread Now there was a large intermingling although there were a few notable exceptions Part of the problem with maintaining the trade routes however was that the order of the lands occasionally changed The bottomland lifted to the middle The second from the top fell to the lower reaches

Lucretia believed that these changes were due to Randidly�s shift in how he viewed himself However that was hard to prove In addition he had an increasing amount of connections to others through Aether so it was possible that it was simply the influence of others

Either way keeping abreast of these changes was imperative for a land that depended heavily on its economy like the Spriggit homeland that housed Taft Currently it was the 5th land meaning that from the bottom it was the fifth land up Below them sat the Weavers land and above was the sparse land of the White Hunters

Once Lucretia believed she found the motives she began to keep track of which actors could benefit from seizing control of the transportation The immediately obvious culprits appeared to be the hardline military faction among the Ministers of Taft After the Bounty holdings were dispersed it seemed that more and more the voices calling for the open exchange of weapons were gaining in volume And those that didn�t want it for military reasons believed that intervention would free up more mineral resources for the Spriggit people

So Lucretia moved on one Minister who suddenly seemed to switch allegiances after the change and helped set up the agencies governing the transportation That night she had met with the man was the closest Lucretia came to dying and it wasn�t enough one of the Minister�s camp

An Earth Golem was hired to keep tabs on the Minister and when the Minister confessed he was being threatened under Lucretia�s torture the Earth Golem moved

It was a hard battle and reminded Lucretia that she was not truly the most powerful individual in the Soulskill not even close But she had won and had faced a hard decision

If the organization they were seeking could have a figure of that caliber keeping tabs on a single Minister who would they mobilize when they knew that Lucretia was tracking their movements and moving against them

So she killed the Minister and every soul at his residence at the time Word could not be leaked She would not allow a calamity to fall on Alta�s head so soon after she had lost her family

But she had gathered a name for this shadow organization from the deceased Minister the Council of Fates

Afterward Lucretia had pulled back and stayed relatively inactive She kept track of the politics of the world but she made no moves and the tragedy that struck that poor Minister was considered just one more attack of foreign powers The voices for open arms dealing switched to active Spriggit intervention in other lands using their technological superiority to assist in conflicts

Those voices had won

Years later Lucretia and Alta made a reservation at a rather famous restaurant in Taft the Lowbeam They came dressed nicely but casually joking back and forth as they walked past the warm wooden interior to find their small table in the hall

It was around halfway through their salad that he arrived

The White Martyr walked with the unnatural grace of the White Hunters all deadly sinew and sharp limbs But this was a very special individual among the White Hunters After all he claimed to have been alive for almost 1000 years and lived through the great cataclysm when the Soulless invaded Currently he had descended to the Spriggit land to urge that the MInistry cease their interventions in the 3rd Land

Enjoying your food You have such a look on your face Creta Alta said playfully

Lucretia harrumphed and took a dainty sip of water Of course she appreciated those few chances to see this side of Alta but Lucretia knew better than anyone that this was a front The energy of the evening was charged beyond repair Without a distraction the meal was unpalatable The Council of Fates was very interested in the continued war in the Earth Golem land and they would stop at nothing to keep this political figure from mucking up their game Lucretia�s investigation seemed to indicate that tonight was the night

Assassination may be a rather crude instrument to accomplish their ends but it would undoubtedly be an effective one

As if reading the mood most of the people around Alta and Lucretia also noticed the arrival of the White Hunter and the conversation shifted in that direction

We don�t need to be at war One middle aged man at a nearby table was explaining to his partner The monsters and Earth Golems thrive on violence paying attention to them is a waste of time Let them form factions and charge at each other The pointlessness is why the war is unpopular

Don�t be daft They crowned an Emperor For the first time in hundreds of years The woman replied with a shocked expression They say all Earth Golems kneel before him and he wields an artefact of the Progenitor

If everyone kneeled before him why are they fighting so much The man replied tiredly

Lucretia gestured sharply at Alta noticing the other woman�s attention had wandered with the random person�s conversation Focus Let�s just enjoy the night while we can

Bah I already can barely sit still It�s incredible how calm you are aren�t you afraid you might die Alta�s eyes twinkled as she looked at Lucretia

Not as afraid as I am that you will die Lucretia replied smartly A wall could fall on you and you�d be fucked So worry more about yourself than me

Is it from fighting in the Arena Is that why you are so composed

Both of them knew that the other woman had gone to say the word cold and decided better of it But their relationship was not something that would be shaken by the truth of what they were to each other Such was the influence of necessity

Alta rolled her eyes The meal continued with the next course which was a springy bread and some pickled vegetables It made Lucretia was to cry a little One of the many things that she missed about the outside world was the food Courses came and went and all of it was just blah Even Randidly could cook better than this

By the desserts Alta was beginning to get antsy Are you sure it was going to be here There hasn�t

Patience Lucretia said shortly Then she glanced over at the White Martyr It ate alone with methodical movement From its features it was hard to intuit what it was thinking Did it suspect that an attempt on his life would be today

On cue the lights winked out In a leisurely manner Lucretia stood and cracked her neck Time to get to work

The windows exploded inwards as several figures smashed into the restaurant Patrons began to scream and fall over themselves as they attempted to find out what was happening around them Lucretia tapped Alta�s shoulder to tell her to stay still while her eyes adjusted to the dark

Very quickly she spotted the six figures in dark clothes that were moving quickly towards the White Martyr What did surprise her was that the White Martyr was still sitting and eating as though all of this was beneath his interest

Interesting that smelled a lot like confidence and competence

Two of the figures split off and waded into the other patrons slaughtering wantonly Likely it was done to distract from the true purpose What was also interesting was that all six were White Hunters themselves

Finally as the figures approached the White Martyr�s table he looked up at them and frowned Need we do this Why play these games

The four that continued towards him didn�t answer The White Martyr could only sigh before standing to face them

Chapter 688

As the White Martyr stood Lucretia�s eyes narrowed Based on their movements these four were powerful but not on the class of the Earth Golem she had faced at the Minister�s residence all those years ago These were the distraction while the closer would come in later

Unfortunately one of the foolish two that were attacking the surrounding people was making a beeline for Lucretia and Alta Time seemed to slow

With a below the White Martyr leapt forward to attack the assailants and ripped a huge gash in one�s side Immediately their attention focused on the task at hand That moment of focus was all Lucretia needed to justify her movements

Smiling slightly Lucretia allowed her two long talons out of her dress By this point they were finally done growing and spread out three meters in each direction around her In the darkness the assailant probably didn�t even seen the talon streaking into his temple before he died Lucretia always took great care to keep the dangerously sharp talon�s slightly rough so they didn�t reflect light well

The body fell to the ground with a thump and Lucretia tensed But it seemed like for the moment the general chaos of the restaurant floor was enough to hide the fatality

Several seconds had passed since the attack began and most people had either been killed found a door or settled in to cower and wait for something to change The fight between the White Martyr and his four attackers was swiftly getting out of hand for the assailants so the leader whistled and the remaining runner who was attacking patrons twisted and went to help

Not that it seemed like it would be enough to help The White Marty allowed a wound on his shoulder in order to decapitate one of the other attackers and it was not either of the two he had wounded previously Lucretia�s eyes scanned the surrounding area If she wanted to strike she would be

A patron at one of the nearby tables Waiting for vulnerability

As if on cue two of the assailants ignored the grievous wounds they suffered and slammed against the White Martyr knocking him backward and to the nearby line of booths along the restaurant wall Like ghosts two figures rushed out of a booth with an intent to kill that seemed to freeze the air

Lucretia paled and surged into motion These two were definitely the ones she had worried about But they were also the ones who would have concrete information that Alta so desperately desired

However if they were able to kill the White Martyr safely Lucretia didn�t quite trust her chances to survive and protect Alta She needed to intervene and keep the fight closer to even

She need not have worried A ferocity that hadn�t been there previously burst out of the White Martyr and he cut the two tackling him to pieces Then he turned and slashed at the two new assailants splitting them as all three passed harmlessly by each other

The first landed the shadow resolving itself into a slight Spriggit man Will you not reconsider Ancient One You cannot triumph alone

The second figure landed and straightened right in front of Lucretia She was tall and shaggy and appeared to be from one of the beast tribunes among the Monster people Lucretia�s talon cut her left leg off at the knee and her arms windmilled as she collapsed in a growing pool of blood

All three of their gazes turned to Lucretia

She smiled My master was enjoying a meal before you came Please depart so the meal may continue

Don�t involve yourself in something you don�t understand The Spriggit said with a grim expression It was clear that this surprise was a distinctly unpleasant one His eyes furiously dug at Lucretia intent on understanding her place here If you truly wish to protect your master�s life step back and forget everything you have seen

They will hunt you down and kill you if you do no assist me in ending them The White Martyr said calmly Retreat is a short sighted action

That certainly raised Lucretia�s eyebrows For someone named Martyr he certainly seemed unwilling to die here

She smells like blood The female monster said and to Lucretia�s surprise her leg wiggled and grew rapidly back She stood and stomped on the foot as if to test it Then she backed up toward the booths again so she wasn�t standing between Lucretia and the White Martyr I doubt that she truly is here accidentally I also doubt this master� truly exists

Lucretia just smiled Not only could she regenerate but she also called Lucretia on her lie That certainly was unpleasant But since these two appeared to be in a talking mood Lucretia was of a mind to let it continue The more information that she could gather the better

The hard way it is So that we may break free of the shackles of our world Heed my will Erupt The Spriggit seemed to glow with a strange energy and pointed at Lucretia�s feet As he did so she could feel the world shifting around her bending to his will

Lucretia almost fell over He was invoking Randidly�s Incendiary Eruption Skill Truthfully she had relied on Randidly�s other Skills in the past but if it was the case that you could utilize them more directly

Needless to say Lucretia dodged to the side to avoid the explosion of molten lava But the reality was somewhat different than what she expected Instead of the geyser of superheated air and metal there was just a bubbling of the floor and then it popped The heat was very real but the area of effect and speed was very lacking compared to Randidly�s true ability

So much so that Lucretia laughed even as the female monster attacked the White Martyr The Spriggit continued to point at her but Lucretia could feel the flow of this world�s energy As someone deeply connected to Randidly very little in this world was hidden from her Even as the Spriggit started pointing at spots he wasn�t using the Skill she avoided his true strikes and only laughed harder

What�s so funny The Spriggit snarled as he walked imperiously towards Lucretia The White Martyr seemed to be on the losing side of his fight as even as he ripped the monster to pieces she grew back body parts and inflicted wounds on him So Lucretia didn�t want to waste much time with this guy

You are an idiot Incendiary Eruption is supposed to look like this

Although she wasn�t too familiar with it Lucretia reached and touched the essence of this place As she did so something changed Where once the world felt vibrant and full of life now there was dryness and sense of loss and hollowness The energy tasted like ash

But it answered Lucretia�s call Beneath the female monster�s feet the ground erupted a spray of molten metal burning away her skin and bones of her left side She fell to the ground screaming and the White Martyr pounced on her

As Lucretia opened her mouth to engage in a harmless quip something else happened

The ground began to shake Once more all eyes turned on Lucretia as the trembling of the ground became true staggering vibrations Lucretia just became tight lipped She hadn�t done this Right

Soon the vibrations were so violent that the building around them began to groan and creak One of Lucretia�s talons snaked out backward and seized Alta�s waist After all a wall falling on the foolish girl and killing her was a real danger

Fuck Rialta we are leaving The Spriggit bellowed He produced a dozen or so metal disks and flung them at the White Martyr He could easily dodge the disks but the spots he moved to were dotted with the lava bubbles Overcome by pain from one of the attacks the White Martyr staggered sideways

The Spriggit made a beeline for the female monster but how could Lucretia allow it Even though beams above them were splintering her right talon slashed forward to intercept him Hissing he twisted away from the attack but with sheer force she smashed him backward away from the moaning figure

This will mean the end of you The Spriggit said quietly Lucretia wasn�t sure whether he was talking to her or Rialta But then he turned and leapt out the window leaving them in a rapidly collapsing room

Lucretia cut her way out not bothering to hide the ability of her talons to expand and tear everything to pieces Hopefully the damage would just be attributed to the earthquake

She also carried out Alta the wounded Rialta and the White Martyr who seemed to accept her intentions weren�t malicious Without bothering for subtlety Lucretia uses her talons as giant legs to walk across the splintering and cracking suburbs of Taft

Even when they arrived at the Bounty residence they were not yet safe Quickly Lucretia used some of the engravings she had managed to bind the monster woman and used drugs to knock her unconscious There wasn�t enough time now to talk to the White Martyr but they did the best they could to wait out the Earthquake but it wasn�t until the morning that the tremors stopped

After a long conversation with the White Martyr Lucretia went to find Alta

It was almost midday but neither Cierce and Danz came to work in the morning likely due to the quake Across Taft the damage was catastrophic And early reports were that it struck the entirety of the seven lands As she expected she found Alta in the workroom

What she hadn�t expected was that the exposed vein of sap they had found would have ruptured in the quake Most of the room was covered in the energy rich substance which resulted in the papers and recordings and experimental technology they had sitting in the area being reduced to nothing It was a steaming pile of metal and glowing orange sap

All the years of work melted away in one tragic accident

Lucretia�s heart dropped out of her chest Alta I have spoken to the White Martyr Finally we have some solid leads on the Council of Fates

Alta didn�t respond She simply looked at the strange orange green liquid that had reduced half of the workshop to slag

Taking a step closer Lucretia said Although the research was important if we can figure out who is the cause of

Creta Alta interrupted Do you know how long I�ve stood here

Lucretia fell silent

Almost six hours Alta said answering her own question And this sap it�s throwing off a crazy amount of energy Everything that was here was destroyed Look at the warping of the ground at such even distances Even the high water marks of the voltage from before doesn�t match this Something changed in the world tree And it

Alta gestured helplessly Lucretia�s eyes didn�t miss that Alta�s hands were burned Without the resilience that Lucretia borrowed from Randidly�s Skills the energy radiation thrown off by the exposed sap was enough to char the edges of Alta�s body

I�m sorry Lucretia said quietly And she meant it

But to her surprise instead of speaking Alta just turned and looked at her Her eyes were sparkling with joy Within her chest the was a shudder Then the blooming pale flower soon became two flowers and then three

You don�t get it Alta whispered The energy radiation Lucretia It�s been constant For six hours Look at the lines If this stays hell with this much power I could make a reactor that will ruin war The power will be so frightening that no one would dare step out of line With that power what does it matter who we are facing They all will turn to ash

The pale flowers in Alta�s chest looked increasingly grey to Lucretia�s eyes

Chapter 689

Randidly�s eyes glazed over at the level of detail his sudden guide went into The man had swiftly gathered over thirty scrolls and brought them back to his desk and subjected Randidly to one of the most headache inducing presentations in his life It was stress inducing how closely they resembled college presentations Ah please let�s just focus on the big points I don�t think the currency fluctuations during the time of the Spearman�s prominence are really relevant

This seemed to bring the gaunt and long limbed young man who had introduced himself as Trentyon to a halt Really You wanted to hear about the historical exploits of the Spearman I personally believe his heavy handed methods regarding the Inter School Economy is one of the most under explored areas of study Would you believe if that he allowed the tariffs on spears and scrolls yet completely neglected building materials and foodstuffs Due to that the Heart School was able to

Trentyon Randidly said with a sigh Please Overview Shouldn�t I get a broader picture before digging in on the details

Not that Randidly had any particular connection with this dusty and gaunt young man Sure he had helped him find some relevant scrolls but that wasn�t enough to sway Randidly�s empathy these days No what made Randidly have a slight sense of delicacy while dealing with the young man was how when he was excited his whole person seemed to be filled with some inner illumination It reminded Randidly of some of his casual acquaintances who were in things videogames or anime clubs back at Rawlands University Because they were so rarely allowed to talk they were incredibly excited by the prospect of gushing about their area of interest

So Randidly as long as Trentyon got the point allowed the meandering discussions Or at least he had so far Much more and he would be reaching the limit of his patience

Ah Trentyon blinked Of course Context is important To return to the beginning

They were currently sitting in the small area in the center of the catwalk area where Randidly had found Trentyon originally surrounded by a few piles of scrolls There must have been at least 30 that Trentyon considered relevant enough to bring back up with him After peering at the largest pile Trentyon grabbed a scroll and spread it for Randidly let�s start here This is the Song of the Spearman which depicts a stylized interpretation of most of what the Spearman accomplished in the brief time of his activity And the song starts thusly Before Tellus had no water and no peace Not because we were consumed by war but because there was naught else but war We lived in a dead land until the day the Spearman split the sky and brought us light

There Trentyon expertly rolled up that scroll and grabbed another Although the Song is mostly complimentary driven it cannot be denied that all experts agree that Tellus was all barren deserts and salt rich seas before the Spearman came The population was naught more than 100 000 people Mostly the survivors lived on the coast and harvested frogman�s gallbladder to obtain the membrane that removed the salt from water A warlike and nomadic people the original people of Tellus didn�t keep enough records to know much but the impoverished state of the world is clear

Randidly frowned With the System why wasn�t something done about the food supply And how high Leveled were the frogman that

Ah this is a common misconception Trentyon said cutting Randidly off The Spearman brought the System to Tellus Before him it wasn�t there Or perhaps rather we didn�t have the energy for it Much like our current situation it seems likely that the people of Tellus were cut off from Leveling before the Spearman returned

That�s Randidly�s mouth stalled out as he struggled to understand what Trentyon was saying They didn�t have access to the System before the Spearman came How was that possible

however the Spearman did not come without enemies Trentyon continued heedless of Randidly�s confusion It is widely agreed that as the Spearman saved the world there was a great notification from heavens that since our world had passed a great trial a Calamity would descend upon us five years later Most historians agree that this was the most prosperous time underneath the Spearman�s rule as the entirety of the population united underneath the Spearman in the five Schools It was also during this period that people began to utilize the benefits of the System to become strong The hidden locations of the VIllages were discovered and Dungeons became active

Five Schools You mentioned that before There is a fifth School

Trentyon gave Randidly a reproachful look then he turned and fumbled in one of the side piles of scrolls DId you not say to avoid the ancillary details Yes there was previously a fifth School on Tellus Technically six because originally the Spearman had his own following before he became the spiritual leader of the world Eventually the remnants of his faction became interspersed throughout the others Ah yes originally there was the Spear the Spearman Memory Fate Abyss and Halo Schools The Halo School was the School that was destroyed

And the others Which became Heart and Death Randidly asked

it is not known but there are a lot of theories Do you want to go into theories With sparkling eyes Trentyon reminded Randidly of a cartoon drawing of a child on christmas

Randidly shook his head vigorously �Not at the moment �

Annoyed Trentyon pulled two scrolls out and set them in front of Randidly He indicated a specific passage on them both The details are highly contested on what the great Calamity was or how the Spearman dealt with it but it is clear that he was successful Victorious the Spearman returned to Illuminauct his citadel This portion the histories agree After returning to Illuminauct there was a grand banquet During which there was another message from the world Another Calamity must be overcome for the world to survive

A strange portal opened up in Tellus to another place where the puppet like Wights emerged from They were all completely manipulated by their Propagators and a great war was fought All of Tellus rose in support of the Spearman It was a war that makes the current invasion seem like border disputes Rivers ran red with blood 50% of the population was rumored to have perished Most historians state this was the time where the Halo School was destroyed and the Spearman�s faction was dispersed through the others But despite it all the Spearman was victorious

Once more he returned to Illuminauct He conferred upon his three apprentices great prestige and power To congratulate them another great banquet was held And once more a message from the System came down to survive our hero must ascend to a higher place

Tapping his finger against the same line in both scrolls Trentyon said At that point the Spearman went pale and said this In order to protect my people I must leave immediately � Without waiting for the banquet to end the Spearman departed Most assumed that he was ascending to a higher land because not a whisper of the Spearman was to be heard But after a year another notification came But it gave no information It was only the word Warning� No one could find the Spearman Since then Tellus has been waiting for word of what had happened but no one can tell That Mister is the context for all this

Randidly just looked at the bright eyed Trentyon with something approaching shock There was too much strange from the historical account of things If the first Calamity was truly the first Calamity what was going on before The System wasn�t even present That obviously wasn�t possible unless the way the System work had changed drastically since the fifth cohort

What seemed more like was that Tellus had somehow failed a test maybe to do with a Danger Zone in a way that affected the world similar to the drought of energy caused by the Raid Dungeon Was there another task for the world when enough Zones connected

That was worth thinking about It might not just be so simple as the Calamity�s arrival After that the First Calamity was defeated and then the great war started when the Second Calamity came Just that information was valuable because it seemed to indicate that the fear reflection created by the Second Calamity was something that could reasonably annihilate the world if a transcendently powerful image wasn�t used

It gave Randidly a headache to think of Donnyton becoming a war zone

But those were thoughts for another time After beating the Second Calamity it seemed that they received the notification that the Patron of Ash had mentioned with the year time limit to ascend At that point the Spearman disappeared It was unfortunate that the story didn�t provide any concrete clues regarding Randidly�s suspicion regarding the Second Calamity that it could only be overcome by condensing a Greater Fate� by reaching Level 100

That was a clue obtained from clearing a Danger Zone so Randidly had hopes clearing more would be more illuminating But he also had hoped Tellus would be helpful which had not yet been the case

Cursing himself Randidly wished he hadn�t been so torn apart by the painful image of ash at the time and thought to ask more concrete details regarding what would be coming But he supposed it had been a rather harrowing experience It was to be expected there were questions he would miss

Randidly looked up at Trentyon with a frown What about the Spearsource What is it

Trentyon smiled It was a wide and smug smile Huhuhu finally a good question What actually is it It was rumored to be the personification of Tellus� will that enabled the Spearman to bring the System Others say it was a blessing gifted by the Gods to the Spearman when he found the one true Path Most agree that it was the weapon with which he slew the first great Calamity

Then Trentyon leaned forward however there are numerous problems with this interpretation of historical events After all of all the contemporary primary sources that speak of their encounters with the Spearman none mention the Spearsource

Chapter 690

Randidly blinked you think the Spearsource didn�t show up until the Spearman left

Trentyon was watching Randidly with a half smile but when the other man spoke Trentyon scowled Well I suppose that is a rather inelegant way of saying it but I suppose I couldn�t call such a sentence inaccurate

Considering that Randidly believed the Spearsource was probably a manifestation was somehow a personification of the images of spear use it made sense that it hadn�t appeared until after the Spearman disappeared It was the amalgamation of all of his images the Spearman had gathered during his lifetime

What Randidly was truly curious about was how he had managed to separate himself from his images Considering his current issues with the pervasiveness of ash in his images Randidly felt a tightening of his heart but ignored it

Well perhaps he was thinking about this the wrong way Maybe he hadn�t severed himself from the images but perished as an individual to become an object Either way if the goal was to dodge the track of the Calamity it seemed to have work Tellus was stuck in the current situation with no progress with the Calamities and very rigid images for hundreds of years

The Creature�s dream Would it be so bad for the Earth to fall into something similar

Randidly shook his head Perhaps in the short term but there were a lot of strange perversions in Tellus that seemed unusual Accomplishing such a feat that had been done here was not a simple thing Before he understood the details no point in getting into a philosophical debate with himself

That�s not the only bit of drivel that the Song of the Spearman swears by Trentyon said Immediately his gangly limbs stretched to grab different scrolls from the piles and spread them out in front of Randidly Another important point that is the subject of hot debate is the actual arrival of the Spearman It is assumed that he brought the era of prosperity to Tellus but some sources seem to contradict the notion that it was such a neat thing It seems much more likely that the Spearman was a relative unknown until he slew the Calamity It was only then that Tellus became a global community

That seemed to make sense especially since Randidly sincerely doubt that this individual simply brought the System back He might have been the one to accomplish whatever arbitrary goal the System demanded but he was an unknown to that point

In addition there is a lot of confusion and mixed reports regarding the destruction of the Halo School Most say that they perished in the first part of the war against the Wights but others seem to speak of the Wight invasion as a distant memory while the war of Schools was going on which would play the war of Schools after it during the beginning of the Spearman�s absence Trentyon shrugged For political reasons it makes sense There was likely a reshuffling of power in the Spearman�s absence and the different Schools fought But afterward they preferred to blame the brutality on a third party than own up to it If you look at this passage here

Trentyon Randidly interrupted Shit how many of these scrolls do you have memorized Every time you want to show a source you know exactly

I guess it�s just luck

Abruptly the temperature in the room seemed to tick downward Trentyon was looking at Randidly with a wounded and angry expression

Scratching his chin Randidly said Look I didn�t mean

Of course It�s fine I have some work to do putting these back You�ve gotten your brief overview so please leave It�s about time to close for the night Without saying anything more Trentyon grabbed a pile of the scrolls and hurried off

For several minutes Randidly just stood on the upper catwalks and watched the other man It seemed like he had touched upon a sore subject but what had he even said There were moments when Randidly was almost compelled to speak up and ask but the slouching way that Trentyon scurried around the lower level gave him pause

Finally Randidly sighed and left Perhaps it would be best for him to try his luck tomorrow when Trentyon�s mood improved

But it was true that he had gotten the general overview of history that he wanted Still it had only equipped him to ask the right questions not answer them In order to answer them Randidly would need to actually speak to someone who was present during those that time years ago

Was it feasible to try and meet one of the leaders from the central Styles They would undoubtedly know more And based upon what Randidly knew Shal was the sun of someone from the Endless Heat Style albeit a bastard one

Most of the people had left the streets at this point so Randidly could walk in peace along the streets But even at this hour the gyms on the roofs of most buildings were alive with noise and exertion It was a city that prided itself on strength

And it was slowly being strangled to death by an old enemy that should have been defeated

What had happened Why was the Spearsource taken now

Stopping at a well Randidly considered his friend�s list After great hesitation he composed and sent a message to Shal

I�ve been back in the world for a while I think it�s time we talked

Randidly

After sending it Randidly looked up at the sky above Before he could dwell too much on the drawbacks of the newfound power in his plant images he received a reply

In the middle of something We speak later

Randidly blinked In the middle of something What was his master even doing these days

The cave was cold and dark dimly lit by a few candles on Versault�s bedside His gaze was cool as he considered the three people in front of him This is unnecessary I have already given you all the information I have You must come here too This is a sacred place to our School If you do not leave immediately

If it is so sacred why do you rest here every night Verynica countered Even with only the light of the candles a huge dome of a cave could be seen It was true that there was a small pallet and some personal effects in the middle area but Shal could vaguely see seven large shapes looming in the darkness along the walls And in the center there were a brass dias the size of a gazebo

Shal glanced at Verynica surprised she had spoken Ophelia stood between her two Lieutenants looking at Versault with a bland smile Shal�s instincts warned him that this would not go well For once he was glad that Razland had insisted on going to bed early At least he wouldn�t be caught up in whatever sort of farce this was

It was your turn to guard it Ophelia said softly I find it hard to believe that you and your people know nothing

Versault nodded slightly and it was clear to Shal from his stiff neck that even that small gesture took a great toll on the man As I have said we are not what we were

Truly the crushed remnants of Memory do not amount to much Ophelia whispered Then her eyes flashed and she gestured to Shal and Verynica Subdue him We will need to bring him back with us to the Oracle

Verynica took a step forward even while Shal hesitated

Ha Versault cackled You think her name would cow me Child although I can no longer remember my homeland my existence is not something that you can understand Begone from this place it deserves better than your petty tricks

Enough talk Verynica said and leapt forward towards Versault Despite his previous bluster the man seemed to deflate as Verynica approached Visibly he aged But when he raised his hand to meet Verynica�s thrust all Shal felt was an impassable barrier A shield of woven reeds that stretched endlessly in all directs

What Verynica gasped looking in horror at the shattered head of her spear Like glass meeting stone her weapon had disintegrated into nothing when it encountered Verault�s hand This made Shal narrow his eyes For all her bluster Verynica was competent Her weapon was also excellent What sort of man was this that could stop her bare handed

Child of Gila must we do this Versault asked one last time

Ophelia said nothing and gave Shal a small look With a nod he moved forward to strike

Chapter 691

As Shal charged forward Versault raised his other hand Once more those woven reeds filled Shal�s every sense It seemed like he could smell the dirt and running water There was the soft rustle of wind amongst them

Grinning Shal stepped to the side If nothing else he knew that testing that image was not an easy thing Better to start with more probing strikes His spear lashed out towards Versault�s foot

The man clicked his tongue and the bare palm turned into a gentle wave Shal seemed to see a child splashing thick drops of water in play and in the air the drops caught the light of a hot sun until they were glimmering like gemstones

With his instincts roaring fear Shal allowed the force of the blow to spin him away He stumbled to a stop some distance away looking wide eyed at Versault

That level of image it was obviously that of a Master but it was more concrete than anything Shal had ever encountered Compared to this his own hidden strength was also insufficient

But those few moves seemed to catch Versault�s attention He turned and regarded Shal with bright eyes Ah it is you Interesting I suppose it will not be a total waste of time if I witness your limits Child what is your Level

Before he could stop his mouth Shal answered 83

Then he slammed his hand across it horrified Why had he answered that question

Versault made a click with his mouth Slow But I suppose we have some time left especially considering all the movement out of the Spearman School Little Feely I really think that is where

My name Ophelia said imperiously Is Ophelia Don�t you dare use that name traitor

So blinded by loyalty Admirable Will you raise your spear against me after so long Versault asked in an amused voice But he had to turn to the side as Verynica moved with her new spear and struck again

Following Verynica�s lead Shal attacked from the other side in a pincer maneuver that was relatively well done considering they had never practiced

But it only earned a dry chuckle from Versault He spun and the room was suddenly filled with a warm spring breeze across a dirt road Travel and independence sun and exploration Possibilities filled every breath

Shal gritted his teeth A cold specter of the Spear Phantom condensed behind him reaching out his greedy hands towards Versault�s body Shal wasn�t too familiar with Verynica�s abilities but he could tell that she also threw a haymaker at the old man

Shuddering Shal stumbled backward from the collision His eyes narrowed as he considered the frowning man in front of him He took both of their shots on directly without seeming any the worse for wear Meanwhile Shal himself was stunned for several seconds and Verynica had shattered another spear and collapsed

Versault picked an infinitesimally small bit of dust from his nails and then spoke to Shal These are not your natural images

Immediately Shal froze

Fine unleash the seal Ophelia hissed and then she flexed her hand and produced a spear

For the first time Versault�s face turned serious Do you truly dare to act If you activate your soul

The Spearsource has been taken Unless we find it all has been lost Ophelia said softly Why would I dare not act

Now Versault�s face creased with furious wrinkles And you truly believe that using your power against me is the best use With this you accomplish nothing I have no knowledge what that selfish fool has done

Now Ophelia said

From Shal�s chest the images he had so long suppressed burst to the surface All those giggling moments with his beloved brother came to the surface designing a Style all their own Borrowing the grace and speed of Aemont�s Spear Phantom but reducing it to a deadly form that they could most easily use

The Wraith Adder Style

His spear instantly began to twist and sway as it slithered closer to Versault Snorting he waved his arm and conjured the image of layered reeds once more

But the ground split as Ophelia thrust forward with her spear The ground beneath Shal trembled as it seemed like there truly was a stabbing explosion of rock out of the ground The attack smashed into the reed wall with an explosion

With glowing eyes and deadly intent Shal advanced forward

The Luck of the Wraith Adder saved Shal as he twisted to the side at the last minute A plain palm strike slid past his cheek but it set Shal�s scalp tingling There was more power in that palm strike than in either of the strike�s Shal had thrown earlier

But he had been sandbagging

Shal�s Fatal Bite sliced sideways in the direction that the attack came from but it was stopped dead by another palm It was however somewhat satisfying that Versault grunted and took a step back Above Shal the Wraith Adder hissed calmly its eyes the terrifying blue of ice on deep water

Growling Versault spun around and the soft noise of rustling leaves became immediately audible It was fall and the ground was littered with red orange and yellow leaves before a cold winter chill began to wither them into a twisted brown Shal slithered past the attack and struck again and again hammering the man while he was busy dealing with all three of them Versault stumbled backward again and he looked up at Shal with a grim smile

Indeed this is more like it Not images but a creature composed of images that you have raised Fascinating

Don�t look away from me Ophelia said calmly dropping a huge attack that looked like an avalanche Instead of reeds this attack was met with the placid waters of a lake Unfortunately for Versault the distraction of addressing Shal meant that this time the image wasn�t powerful enough to completely blunt the blow and Shal heard a bone in the man�s hand snap

Verynica struck from behind Versault but was met with a donkey kick Vomiting blood the woman rolled backward until she hit one of the large marble columns along the walls

This immediately got Versault�s attention and he spun around with worried eyes In this moment where he was clearly distracted how could Shal let this chance pass

Lightning quick Shal�s spear stabbed once twice three times into Versault�s back The blade slid into the thick flesh of his back even as the man hissed and turned But Ophelia moved from the side slashing her spear to knock Versault back towards Shal

But the man was remarkably resilient Using the smashing attack from Ophelia Versault rolled sideways back toward the entrance At first Shal thought that he was making a break for it but he simply grabbed one of the thin brass spears from the carved figures by the entrance He lowered it at Ophelia I hope you have thought this through

Ophelia grinned cracking her neck I had forgotten how good this feels to utilize Skills Images have none of the weight of a true Skill With this we have a chance to seize the Spearsource once more Whatever you were in the past Versault I will give you one last chance Surrender the location of the Spearsource

Already you grow corrupted Versault said with a sorrowful shake of the head It seems the terrible darkness in the air still lingers Allow me to fulfill the duty of putting you down Only one strike shall I allow myself on this day

The ground rumbled as Ophelia charged toward Versault with rumbling footsteps In terms of momentum every step seemed to increase the force of mass behind her Meanwhile Versault simply stood waiting

The rumbling intensified until the whole underground area was shaking The vivid image of the ground splitting in a cataclysmic explosion filled Shal�s vision Meanwhile Versault just thrust forward with a spear The smell of tanned leather and sweat filled Shal�s nose He watched in muted astonishment as several pale skinned individuals slowly carved the spear that Versault now held They stood in a cluster in a tent

The wind pulled insistently at the covering of the tent and one of the figures looked up Their eyes met

Strangely Shal was looking at himself or at least a man with his face

A concussive explosion shattered the two images Versault coughed lighted and his brass spear was bent sideways But he was panting with exertion and Shal struck

Soul Venom

The point of Shal�s spear slid into Versault�s chest the other man turned and smashed Shal to the side with a flash of a child splashing water once more When Shal hit the ground one of his ribs broke Coughing he struggled to sit up straight

Versault was walking towards Ophelia After their one blow she had collapsed into a pile and was only now stirring

At that very moment Shal received a message from Randidly He immediately informed his apprentice it would need to wait

Perhaps it would be better to kill you but I dare not But I urge you to remember why we swore those oaths all those years ago Otherwise we would have fallen into darkness Versault said softly

Fuck you Ophelia panted looking pale and bloodless It was somewhat strange to see Ophelia like this For so long Shal had thought she had all the answers But now it seemed that although she was also one of the older heads of Schools Versault stretched even farther back

Sighing Versault turned to Shal He didn�t say anything but he reached up and touched the spot where Shal had struck with Soul Venom His eyes were full of pregnant meaning Then he turned away and looked around the cave

I suppose this is all the proof I need This place is forgotten No longer should I be bound here

Then he left

Chapter 692

Slightly disappointed with Shal�s response Randidly returned to his room in the Hall of Stances On his way back to his room he asked one of the young initiates of the hall how busy the main part of the Hall was and was disappointed to find that it was as popular as ever It would take longer than a few days for the joy of being able to encounter some of the greatest images the world had ever seen to wain

Mulling over what he had learned from Trentyon Randidly returned to his room However as soon as he was alone his eyes sharpened

Even though the past was important in order to prepare for the future Randidly�s main focus right now was growing stronger So he decided to focus his efforts over the course of the next week to polishing his Skills Not particularly on raising the Skill Level but Randidly believed the right course of action was to make sure using the Skills together was second nature

As he began to develop a training plan for himself Randidly was pleasantly surprised to receive a response from Shal

Will be returning to Hastam We shall speak Be careful

Shaking his head but slightly heartened Randidly focused his attention one more inward on himself Those strange Skills lost to ash remained in him cluttering up space within his Soul Much to Randidly�s chagrin he discovered that they really took up space inside of him He would not have the same potential of learning Skills as he had previously due to the influence of Ash inside of him Simultaneously though many of Randidly�s Skills had combined so he still had a dozen or so slots inside of himself for Skills

That was around the amount he had from his Class anyway so there was no use becoming frustrated over the lost efficiency Instead Randidly considered what to train to the utmost in this week But as he looked at his Skill List his face was covered by a frown He had gained quite a few Skills today almost 20 But in Talon Strike Mana Engraving and Spriggit�s Tinkering The nine in Spriggit�s Tinkering was especially confusing There was no way that his careful consideration of history earned him points in engineering right

But what was the alternative How ELSE could Randidly be gaining Skill Levels

It was obviously beneficial at the moment because he had more PP to spend but Randidly had a bad feeling in his chest Gifts like this rarely came free He had learned that from Lucretia

To his surprise Randidly realized that he missed the centuries old woman Both for her ability to use Aether and karma and also because of the strong steadying effect she exerted over both himself and his Soulskill With her helping to administer Randidly�s insides there was one less thing for Randidly to worry about

Still he understood that wasn�t a reasonable expectation Lucretia would likely never return to be inside of him again and that was alright The life inside of him wasn�t a true life Perhaps it was most akin to a clinical trial of some sort where a person was brought away from their real life to test some esoteric detail of life Randidly had been blessed to have her as long as he had inside his Soulskill

And speaking of his Soulskill

Randidly sat on his bed and buried his head in his hands His Soulskill was an area that Randidly always meant to give more focus toward but he always ended up being distracted by something else It was basically the equivalent of his Class for his Soul and yet he completely let it fall by the wayside Truthfully Randidly guessed that if he really wanted to make a change to the overwhelming quality of ash that had suffused his Skills even the plant ones the Soulskill might be the place to start

With a light sigh Randidly leaned back on his bed It was nowhere near the comfort of a bed from Earth but it was still lightly cushioned for those rare times people from Tellus slept And there was something profoundly soothing about staring at the ceiling The sounds inside the room were practically nil so slowly the sphere of hearing expanded to his whole wing of the strange dorms the warriors were placed

As it was mostly empty there were barely enough creaks to slow his Perception and he stretched further It was only when he reached the training ground and the kitchens of the Hall of Stances were his senses suitably engaged And while his focus was stretched across half of the building he released his mind so that his eyes grew dull and he could give his consciousness a few seconds of rest where he thought about nothing

The zen state was difficult to maintain but Randidly forced himself to remain there for several seconds letting his thoughts about the Ashen Image�s presence accumulate It was a hard thing to address immediately but Randidly had been putting it off long enough

As he gathered himself back together after the refreshing break Randidly�s mind went to one thing Plant Dominance All his ability to cultivate growth had basically been sacrificed for raw power Not that he didn�t value raw power but

Randidly silently grimaced Here in the dark room while staring up at the ceiling it hit him like a physical blow his ability to grow things was gone No longer could he be the same man he had been for so long leading up to now His time here had Tellus had hardened his heart and burdened him with a deep sense of responsibility and it also saw one of his most concrete ways of benefiting others disappear

His original little garden in the dungeon safe zone the fields around Donnyton he had cultivated the bloom of flowers by the shrine near Tatiana�s base that he had playfully planted all of it was beyond him now He had gained much his mental voice assured himself But it did little to alleviate the deep sense of loss that he felt in his heart

His grand image was the tree of life And now for power it was burning everything that grew around it to ash The sheer violence of the Ashen Image left a bad taste in Randidly�s mouth

Reminding himself that it was not his choice that had led to here also didn�t do much to stop the frustration and anger It was true that the Patron of Ash had forced his overwhelming Ashen image onto Randidly forcing Randidly to open himself to the desolate and lonely image But Randidly knew what sort of world the Patron of Ash had inhabited It was pretty reasonable to expect that as one proceeds down the path of a Patron their relations to that image would grow

Despite that Randidly had never thought what becoming more tightly bound to the Patron would mean He only followed that Path for the power that he was sure waited at the end This was a decision that he had come to on his own and now he was dealing with the consequences

Randidly raised his hand and conjured an Incinerating Bolt It hung hot and smoking above his hand Slowly his Mana drained as the thing remained in his grasp without being loosed Drops of molten metal fell to hit the ground sizzling softly against the wooden boards With a crunch Randidly closed his hand

The first Skill he had gained was root based Well perhaps that was not true Randidly frowned as he tried to remember the exact series of events years ago in that dungeon But the first choice between Skills that Randidly had he had chosen Grasping Roots That ability to control had blossomed into something so much greater

His Soulskills up until this point had been based partially on growth even if it was a rotting growth Now with all of the induced growth he caused resulting in fire and ash that long standing leg of Randidly�s had been cut

As if on cue there was a throbbing in his chest With a slow hand Randidly reached up and placed it under his heart His frown deepened Over the past few weeks he had noticed this pain intermittently When had it started Although he couldn�t pin down the date it did seem that it had begun when he had gained the Ashen Image Perhaps the loss of one of the focus points of his images was having a deeper effect than he realized

Perhaps like when the Cycle of Rot and Ash grew too quickly he was suffering from growing pains Randidly closed his eyes Within the next coming days perhaps it would be best to spend some time in the Hall of Stances proper Although it was not an option Randidly liked stealing another�s image to balance out his Soul would be important

Growth growth was why Randidly had strived so hard for strength He had wanted to find the power to let humanity flourish To lose that now

Even further back in the past Randidly recalled being a child and helping his mother and Kulwort garden A simple wholesome activity Those memories were some of Randidly�s favorites of his mother

So much had changed in so many ways But that didn�t mean he missed it any less

Randidly closed his eyes and as he did so a salty tear ran down his cheek

Some mechanical part of Randidly that wondered if using that tear in a potion would make it extremely effective Experimenting with the tear would undoubtedly result in great effects But Randidly simply wiped it away For this small moment at least Randidly was unwilling to force himself to always aim constantly to be working for the future This had hit him harder than expected and it was time to feel that grief

Although he needed to find balance in himself there were also so many other things grabbing at his attention It was exhausting His was now a dread Crown of Cataclysm and Gloom At the moment it felt like the change in the name was an ominous sign

For another fifteen minutes Randidly laid on the bed listening to the soft noises in the building The tread of feet upon wooden boards The bubble of boiling water The tired breath of an old man removing his outer garments in preparation for bed A young boy singing to an even younger girl Wind tracing its fingers along the roof Even as Randidly was seized by grief everyone else continued to move forward That was life

Then the moment passed and Randidly stood with a firm expression on his face It might not be now but he would remain on the lookout for a way to find his balance �Alright it�s time to get to work �

Chapter 693

As they passed each other the spears tapped against one another with surprising gentleness It was only a spar so neither Helen nor Azriel were really giving their all to win It was more a way to explore each other�s capabilities

Besides sparring with lowered intensity was necessary Generally Helen didn�t have a problem controlling her bread and butter Skill she had earned on the front lines but since hearing she would face Randidly it had become increasingly difficult It didn�t help that it had seemed that he was completely intent on ignoring her until the battle happened

And Helen believed she knew Randidly well enough to guess what he was thinking by not seeing her And that pissed her off even more

Instantly Azriel changed directions and rushed toward Helen Spinning her spear Helen gathered the thin eddies in the air and pressed them against Azriel to sway her advance However the small tugs did little to stop Azriel

Helen�s eyes narrowed In that at least Azriel was an extremely useful person to fight against in preparation to face Randidly in three days Both of them seemed completely immune to small forces There was no subtlety to their movements so to make tiny adjustments did little to weaken the main thrust

Helen stepped to the side then stepped immediately back Azriel had already taken a sharp step to aim towards where she was heading and sailed harmlessly past in that direction To Helen�s surprise however when she stabbed with her spear Azriel expertly raised her own and tapped the blow away

Gritting her teeth Helen chased after Azriel She was unwilling to let such a good chance by Her Skills boosted her speed and her spear flashed back and forth The harrying blows were light due to the rules of the spar but a few drops of her Sea of Blood Skill leaked out Even if it was a small thing Helen felt the grips she had on herself loosen just lightly

Pause Helen said with a sigh She lowered her spear This was exactly what she was trying to avoid In battle when the Sea of Blood Skill fueled her River based Skills the effectiveness almost doubled But it also made holding back difficult Anger was the fuel for that Skill

Although she was clearly on the losing end of the exchange Azriel stopped immediately and looked decidedly cheery Her impassive face made it seem like this was one of the most placid things in the world Very little of the knife edge of tension Helen stood on was reflected in Azriel�s eyes

Azriel studied Helen in turn You are thinking too much about these things If you wish to speak with him do it Do not simply worry yourself

I�m not worried Helen snapped Gouts of red blood poured out of her hidden image filling the room With a hiss Helen forcibly dispelled it Then she looked at Azriel with a hint of jealousy If she could control her emotions that well I really am not It is just curious He promised that we would have dinner

Azriel blinked Neither of you have had dinner since we returned

Fucking Azriel Helen grumbled inwardly It was impossible to prove but Helen would have sworn that the other woman played dumb on purpose in order to force her to admit to something Well today would not be that day

Have you heard the news The survivors from the Northern Domain have made it down to the Niergem Their following is swelling All communications indicate that they crush the Wights every opportunity they get Helen said

Now emotions played across Azriel�s face Hope happiness concern amusement and even worry

That last one made Helen blink Do you do you think your Master is among them

I suspect so but in his restricted form so it does not unnerve them Azriel pursed her lips That they have come so far is illuminating however

When Helen looked at Azriel in askance she continued to speak Although we have had victories they were largely pyrrhic ones and successful delays Randidly�s actions on the banks of the Hallat are a good example Which means one of two things that the Wights don�t care or the people from the North are doing something special

Like what Helen asked Her heartbeat had slowed after the spar and she felt her emotions returning to the small box she kept them in She closed the box with a click

Azriel grimaced It might seem strange but the true experts among them might be moving If they were to do so the war against the Wights would change

Aylwind Sky head of the Spearman School sat at his desk in the highest tower of Hastam In front of him in stark contrast to the warm brown of the desk were two crisp white envelopes Both were addressed to him and written in cold hands

Aylwind picked up the letter from Versault first With a thought the image of spear suffused his finger and he ripped off the top to remove the letter within

Ophelia has allowed her youthful exuberance to overwhelm her better judgment We must abide by the Three Oaths that we have all taken I urge you to contact Ophelia and remind her of her responsibilities

With a sigh an image of fire annihilated the letter in a second Of course more calls for peace While an army of Wights sat on the doorstep of Hastam he was to do nothing This was the great result of the Three Oaths

The three Oaths were rather simple He had to swear to them when he was ordained as head of the Spearman School

The Oaths were fine for the past six or seven hundred years Aylwind thought morosely But with the Spearsource was lost both Oath one and two seemed to block them from reclaiming the Spearsource

Honestly Aylwind deeply regretted accepting his position as head of the Spearman School Having his hands tied like this was infuriating

Sure the initial novelty of utilizing solely images to act was somewhat diverting When you relied completely on images outside of the Skill you gained a lot of insight into how a Skill was constructed In addition you generally would still gain Skill Levels in Skills related to your image It was basically what weight lifting was for athletes The point wasn�t generally to accomplish those tasks but it would sharpen you in beneficial ways

One hundred years later Aylwind did indeed feel powerful But he couldn�t forget the feeling of crushing his rivals with the raw power of his Skills That feeling was a nostalgic memory that occupied a lot of Aylwind�s time

Still he understood why that Oath was present even if he wasn�t as clear on the others Aylwind�s expression turned serious There was something deeply flawed about the energy of the world When he had ascended to his transcendent might he had been young But in addition he had been wild and filled with a reckless rage After a prolonged duel Aylwind had defeated the prior head of the Spearman School and killed him and his entire clan

Perhaps his reign of terror would have continued had not Ophelia and Versault arrived and subdued him Immediately he was locked in a dark room that was effectively a jail Initially Aylwind would have scoffed at the thought of jail But it was engraved in such a way that expenditures that cost Mana or Stamina were multiplied by one thousand while regeneration was reduced to one tenth

To simply stand up required several minutes and would leave one too exhausted to do anything but collapse back to the ground While in that room Aylwind had suffered deeply

It was only after six months of discussions did Aylwind accept the terms of release Because at that point he had spent enough time without using Skills to feel that his previous actions were extremely strange There used to be a wild rage in his heart that was suddenly gone

Thinking back Aylwind couldn�t understand where it had come from And that filled him with fear

Later Versault and Ophelia had explained that it was the world itself that was poisoned And the higher your Skill Levels the more you exposed yourself to the insidious violence that the world craved That the Spearsource craved

Which was why that had kept it locked away for centuries

Humming to himself Aylwind picked up Ophelia�s letter

Can we afford to wait any longer

Aylwind grinned Much more to the point and much more aligned with what he wanted to hear

Chapter 694

Randidly woke to the omnipresent feeling of danger It felt like the world was crashing down around him The pounding of his own heart in his ears did nothing to distract from the impending doom

Sharpening his senses Randidly immediately sensed the source a figure was floating above Hastam His heart dropped out of his stomach Someone was here And they were going to

A searing pain in his chest silenced him and Randidly hissed in annoyance It was on something of a whim that Randidly had laid down to rest for a few hours and now he deeply regretted it

What was the most surprising was that no one else seemed to notice it The Hall of Stances was quiet around him Dozens of participants slept soundly or trained without noticing the vortex of rage hanging above them The vicious and murderous Aether seemed to seeth around the figure like nothing Randidly had ever seen

Who

Endless Heat Style The figure said Randidly couldn�t hear but he could feel the speaker�s lips by feeling through the thick and knotted Aether around him Bonefire

The spear fell like the ticking of a clock moving exactly 45 degrees

Then the hairs on the back of Randidly�s neck stood straight up as he realized he could hear the roar of flames from inside his room inside the Hall of Stances inside of Hastam Instantly his Perception spread outward Paling he pushed further riding on the Aether heartbeat in the air That heartbeat seemed to be even louder despite the noise of the fire It seemed in some way Tellus was coming alive before Randidly�s eyes

And the South was burning All of it Everything that Randidly could sense

That Azriel said shortly staring out from the walls of Hastam at the charred and destroyed fields south of the city The ground wasn�t completely burned but it seemed in an area spreading outward from Hastam like it was the tip of a triangle everything was gone Was Aylwind Sky the head of the Spearman School

Randidly just looked mutely out at the ground Something inside of him shivered Is this what awaited him in his own future

But Randidly pressed that thought down He knew his ashes functioned as an excellent fertilizer Meanwhile this

Apparently an army of Wights was sneaking up on the city at night Almost a million Gone just like that Afterward he walked straight South through the night attacking when he found anything They say the Southern Domain is basically no longer there Azriel continued grimly

She turned and gave Randidly a look We are powerful But this this is beyond us

The ability to turn the tide of the war Randidly said softly The Styles of Hastam seemed to have finally moved And the final result was far beyond what he had expected

The early reports did indicate that Aylwind was careful with his strikes to avoid hitting the remaining areas of resistance or destroying too much farmland But when the cleaver he held was so large there was only so much damage control that could be done Still moral in the capitol and on the front lines was up Randidly had received a message from Platton that they were retaking the entirety of the South on the back of Aylwind

Lifting his gaze Randidly looked at the soft clouds and the heartbeat of Tellus� spirit that was within them Another tier higher on the power scale huh Was this a normal thing Would he need to reach this level of strength in order to face down the Calamity

Or perhaps was this a result of Tellus stalling out as it had

Over the past few days Randidly had managed to convince Trentyon he had meant no harm with his common and the two of them had spent a few hours each day researching into the history of Tellus Although Trentyon had access to his own scrolls he had collected they were relatively limited in scope

But when Randidly had told him that he could grant Trentyon access to the Hall of Stances and their records the thin man was delighted The caretakers of the Hall of Stances were decidedly against it but Randidly pointed out that they allowed him to view the images held there

How could scrolls be more valuable than that

Randidly needed to hold Trentyon�s mouth practically to keep him from fighting against Randidly�s argument but it had worked against the caretakers Even now Trentyon was chuckling to himself and unrolling and rerolling scrolls in a mad search for more details

It made Randidly concerned that he might be wasting his time here Even more so than he had previously He was however now waiting for Shal�s return so at least that gave him some direction

Do you wish to talk about your upcoming bout with Helen Azriel asked

Randidly chuckled because Azriel intuited the general focus of his thoughts if misconstrued his motivations Thank you but no

Am I correct in thinking you two have had sex before Azriel asked

Randidly did a double take What Why

Ha do not treat it as such a special thing Azriel said with a deep frown Helen and I have engaged in intercourse regularly in order to release stress

There was a moment when Randidly just stopped His mouth was wide open as he looked at Azriel Then her eyes crinkled up in the corners and Randidly glowered at her

Ha ha Azriel�s laughter was low and warm Truly you are a delight to bother You should not act so seriously It will impair your ability to read feints Social skills are necessary even for a warrior

With an exaggerated sigh Randidly turned away from the burned grassland and walked down the staircase of the stone walls Azriel followed close behind By an effort of will Randidly forced himself to relax Azriel was perhaps correct if a little weirdly focused

Finally he said Yes we had sex And honestly I bet Helen would have blushed worse than I did if you suggested you two were coupling up Try that joke out on her

Azriel raised her eyebrows Do you think so Hmm intriguing Well perhaps Her reactions are generally violent I do not mean to bring such ancillary things up but I suspect the tension you are feeling is due to the previous sex

In spite of himself Randidly chuckled There is no tension Azriel

Then why are you two not speaking You spoke before and you are not speaking now All has changed due to this minor duel

Minor duel From you Haven�t you staked your entire reputation on this tournament No need to downplay the reverberating implications of this Randidly said to Azriel over his shoulder She frowned at him so Randidly continued on a more gentle tack We aren�t talking because she won�t like what I have to say Better to wait and let the fight speak for itself

I suppose fights are an oddly erotic activity Azriel said while scratching her chin It makes sense that your emotions could be successfully sublimated during the tournament Just have a care that you don�t disappoint her

I don�t want to have sex with her Azriel Randidly said giving Azriel a sharp look

She grinned at him Because you want to have sex with me

This time Azriel blinked and found herself at a loss for words Then her face scrunched up into a look of annoyance I suppose I deserve this but I don�t appreciate these jokes

Welcome to adulthood Randidly said grandly Where we look each other straight in the eye and lie about the sexual tension

I am your elder but should you ever desire true courtship I would be open to the concept Hopefully your opening gift is persuasive to make up for all the work I had to put into your spear skills Then Azriel barred her teeth But I do not share such things with another You would be forced to make a choice

Shrugging Randidly let the matter drop There was a lot to do and now was not the time to chase fleeting emotions They would either prove true on their own or burn out A joyless outlook perhaps but one that put the fate of the world much higher than his libido

So do you have time for a spar Randidly asked He was itching to really push himself after seeing the destruction caused by Aylwind And his match against Helen was the morning of the day after tomorrow so he wanted to push his PP up as much as he could in the interim Because according to his plan everything would start after that first match

Azriel clicked her tongue a habit she had learned from Randidly We just spoke about the sexual aggression of violence So of course my answer is yes

Chapter 695

It won�t be a big thing but my new employer is throwing a party for me before I return with him to Donnyton Mareen said excitedly People flowed past them on the sidewalks but Naffur barely noticed him His breathing was short and his skin was tingling as he stared at the purple invitation Mareen was offering him It will be at the Eastern Gardens in one of those cute little gazebo things It�s close enough to my birthday that my family will be there too Because I�m not sure when I will see everyone again

Mareen trailed off seeming to notice Naffur�s glazed eyes for the first time Naffur is something wrong

You are leaving

No it�s nothing I�m just tired Naffur said quickly His tongue felt fat and dry and his mouth How could he feel so cold but be sweating at the same time There was a dull ache in his chest as he fumbled with his words I err I can come I guess

Really Mareen�s eyes flashed as she smiled The pain in Naffur�s chest grew worse Thank god Honestly Naffur I wouldn�t want to leave without um saying goodbye To you I mean

They stood awkwardly for several seconds not quite looking at each other Instead both seem to focus on the invitation held between them At some point Naffur�s hand had reached up and seized the edge so that their hands each held an end They were close only a small distance from touching But they were at a strange impasse

I Mareen began but Naffur cut her off with an effort of will His eyes were bright and serious as he raised his gaze He would say something

I like that you have this opportunity You deserve it His tongue was fat and dry in his mouth again His left hand the one not holding the card so near Mareen�s hand twisted and fidgetted It was very sweaty I wouldn�t miss your party for the world Mareen

Oh that�s good Even Naffur noticed that Mareen�s gaze was strange as it looked at him People continued to move around them They had earned more than a few annoyed glances from workers but they both ignored them

So um Mareen suddenly said as she let go of the card Slowly Naffur�s arm fell to his side still gripping the invitation How about you Did you get a sponsor from the Lottery Things were so chaotic afterward I looked for you but

Ah Naffur reached up and scratched the back of his neck How should he answer this What would be easier to say That he gained a lot Or that basically nothing changed in his life Yea but its a minor sort of position for a bureaucrat Basically I�m supposed to go to meetings

Which was true in a way Just extremely misleading

Oh that�s wonderful Have you told everyone down at the shop yet Oh have you heard about the man that�s started pursuing Mama He�s only 37 That�s 20 years her junior Say what you will about the System but in terms of health and beauty

Mareen continued talking happily with Naffur but all he could think about was the moment he had to tell her not to leave and the fact he had done nothing Very quickly he couldn�t stand it anymore and made an excuse to leave After extracting from him a promise that he would attend her party Mareen let him go with a disappointed expression

It was only after Naffur returned to his little base on the connecting scaffolding between two buildings that he could truly relax But that was short lived because as soon as he returned the first thing he looked at was the mask that started the entirety of this portion of his life the Ghosthound Mask It was partially melted and scuffed from the events at the Manhattan Tower but it was whole

And beneath it was a pile of money

The ending of the Lottery had gone almost perfectly well for Naffur The Haveheights were cast as heroes because all that most people saw were them charging into the bank in order to stop the terrorists that were attacking it Ricky Stain had been over the moon because the exposure had landed them a security gig at one of the lesser government facilities He had even sent Naffur a thank you note and a fruit basket complimenting his gift for knowing when to make an entrance

Still Naffur didn�t have a job or a sponsor who was training him All he really had was an alter ego that was the only known member of the Order Ducis other than Randidly Ghosthound himself

Even stranger still upon waking up after the Manhattan Tower Lottery Incident he had been greeted by a creature that was only Randidly Ghosthound�s doppelganger named Neveah

You aren�t him Naffur asked from his bed feeling profoundly disappointed Then am I not

Oh you are still in the Order Don�t worry I am basically him Even if I look like this My fiance doesn�t like it much either Then Neveah transformed and Naffur saw so many teeth that he wished he had never asked

But what Neveah did tell him was that the Order Ducis was important Incredibly so Mostly because it was seen as the vehicle for the will of the Ghosthound which was important to basically all of the important political figures but also because the Order Ducis was given sole responsibility of issuing permits for the founding of Orders by some charter

And then there was the money

Answering all the letters to make things Orders is boring Neveah said shaking her head After some goopy features she had settled on an androgynous body that looked similar to Randidly but was clearly not him But some are persistent and sent gifts You can have them it�s of no use to me

So Neveah had given him a seal signifying the authority of the entirety of the Order Ducis a pile of letters and so much money that Naffur still didn�t believe it was really sitting in the side of his small rooftop shack At nights sometimes he counted it to fall asleep He never finished going through the bills

Some of it was American dollars others were the Donnyton buck with there were promissory notes from various institutions companies and organizations of varying repute It was hard to know even what was worth what

But Naffur�s interaction with Mareen had filled him with a strange sense of powerlessness so today he made an exception to ignoring the letters After making a small fire he began to read

The first was a letter from someone who simply introduced herself as Annie She in spare prose asked for leave to found the Order Sagitta

Naffur was having none of it the letter was dropped into the greedy flames without a thought

The next was also a rejection it was for the Order Denaris Although he wasn�t positive that he knew what it stood for based upon the implications of the letter this was from a bank At the thought of a banking institution possessing the power to be an Order Naffur wrinkled his nose In the old world banks had run the world He wasn�t in the mood to allow that to happen again

More and more Naffur read applications for status as a recognized Order and more and more his frustration and anxiety about Mareen dissipated Soon Naffur stopped reading the letters because he was deeply concerned

In what way would he be able to know if these groups should be orders

Already the influence of the Orders could be seen For most other Orders there were small groups in most places supporting them and benefiting the community

For example the Order Fide was opening shelters for the poor in the Orchard giving away soup and bread twice a day The Order Valorum had set up Valor Boards where anyone could post jobs and rewards that were free for people to take

The Order Veritas offered some sort of honor based promises service that Naffur didn�t quite get but he recognized it was gaining popularity Basically an oath before someone of the Order Veritas meant something special People had even taken to inviting a member of the Order Veritas to witness their wedding

These were forces for good How could Naffur hope to rival the planners of the Orders in choosing who should be allowed into the group of Orders

How can I do this Naffur had asked when Neveah dumped it all on him He was overwhelmed and likely still a bit concussed Look at me I am just

Someone who went back to help in the face of danger Neveah had said shortly She flashed a smile at him I was watching And I think you�ll do fine Half of being a leader is just clenching your fist and being the first one to take a step forward

Then she had paused the second half is results but you get better at that part over time The sooner you start practicing the better I think

Chapter 696

With a deep breath Naffur brought his focus back Although his hands were trembling he picked up the letters

Just take steps forwards The results will come with practice

There was note that gave Naffur some encouragement After the Lottery Naffur had access to a new Path the Path of the Order Ducis I It had even been a measly 50 PP In the intervening four weeks since it had happened Naffur had even been able to finish it But the rewards he got were a bit strange

He received a big boost to his health and two Skills Summon Mask (Un) and the Devil�s Luck for Entrances Both had proven to be more disturbing than useful thus far

Naffur�s eyes flicked to some of the newspapers piled beside his bed but his stomach twinged strangely so he returned to the letters After burning at least 25 he finally had reduced all of the applications to two The Order Sanus and the Order Machina

There wasn�t a quota per se for what he had to allow Or at least Naffur hadn�t been told about one The Ghosthound could do as he pleased as far as Naffur could tell and as of right now Naffur was something of a proxy for Neveah who was a proxy for a Ghosthound

It was all rather confusing

There were a few things that Naffur did know

There would be a summit for the Orders in a few days on the same day of Mareen�s party That was part of the reason that Naffur was so shocked Neveah had delivered the invitation and itinerary to Naffur that morning by silently causing them to appear in Naffur�s room just as she did with the letters and money It was somewhat disturbing that it was so easy for Neveah but Naffur figured that for all she wasn�t the Ghosthound her dealing with the terrorists proved she was far beyond him

Luckily the meeting was for earlier in the day while Mareen�s party was in the afternoon And they were both in the Eastern Gardens of the Orchard With this fact and Neveah�s delivery Naffur felt quite pressured to attend

But what did they expect him to do once he was there

Pacing back and forth Naffur�s eyes kept flicking to the itinerary laying on the crumpled pile of bedding which was where he slept

The meeting marked three months since the Orders were founded and would review what had occurred and needed to be addressed It also seemed that these meetings would become a semi annual event

One of the items on the agenda was review recommendations of the Order Ducis for appropriate groups to become orders

Fuck this Naffur finally whispered with a shake of the head He was hungry The decision over these two orders could wait

Without much fanfare he hopped down and gripped the scaffolding to climb down from his roost with all the grace of a monkey Although the Skill rewards for the Order Ducis I Path were Skills he had also gained 50 free stat points from it With those points he was physically much improved because most of the points went to Strength Agility and Perception

The noise of his landing was a soft one and Naffur brushed him off before he walked around the corner and found him faced with three individuals

Congratulations Your Skill The Devil�s Luck for Entrances has become Lvl 26

Congratulations Your Skill Summon Mask has become Level 12

Naffur�s expression became ugly as he viewed the two masked men holding up knives to an elderly man with an expensive looking leather backpack This shit again

HIs Skills were more trouble than they were worth

The Devil�s Luck for Entrances There is a small chance to walk in on a situation in a key moment for good or ill That chance is vastly increased when the concerned parties are related to the Skillholder or thinking about the Skillholder Frequency increases with Skill Level The timing of the entrance is perfected with Skill Level increases

Summon Mask (Un) After selecting a basic mask or disguise you may summon it to your position at any time Cost increases with distance and size of the mask Effect is always instant Cost decreases with Skill Level Warning when the user is surprised there is a high chance of activating automatically

Shit it�s the Knight Errant Ducis One of the masked men shouted Then he immediately turned and dashed away leaving his partner holding the backpack man and a knife

The remaining man�s eyes widened until Naffur could clearly see the whites of his eyes even through the Ghosthound mask The man was clearly trembling Please please Don�t come any closer I�ll

Naffur stepped forward and punched him in the face

Congratulations Your Skill Cheap Shot has become Level 52

The problem Naffur thought ruefully as the backpacked man thanked him was that recently rumors of the presence of the Knight Errant Ducis had spread through the streets of the Orchard Most people were proud that such a hero was here But criminals dreaded Naffur even though he wanted nothing to do with them For all Naffur cared the common crime could continue unabated He had been on the receiving end long enough to have little empathy for rich individuals who had a little skimmed off the top due to a poor decision to go down the wrong alley

The six castes of an Order were Cadets Knight Errants Gallants Chevaliers Paladins Abbots and finally Prelates After the Lottery and Naffur�s appointment as a Cadet of the Order Ducis Nevaeh had quickly announced that as the only current Cadet he had been promoted to Knight Errant due to inherent qualifications

Knight Errant didn�t mean much to Naffur at the time but that was because he didn�t quite understand the difference But after hearing some of the same youths who had previously bullied Naffur excitedly talking about how much they wished they could be a Knight Errant in any Order Naffur realized his understanding had been a bit shallow

A cadet was an aspirant A Knight Errant was the basic full member of an Order and it was on the Knight Errant�s that an Order would be judged It was them that the population would interact in most frequently Or at least that was the state currently with all the Orders in fledgling states trying to market themselves

Plus with Naffur�s Skill basically forcing him into awkward situations

It did have the positive benefit of giving him some chance to test out his new fighting Skills so Naffur�s initial reaction to it was rather annoyed but overall not too bothered

Then Naffur had walked in on a woman being eaten out in an alleyway and she had beaten the shit out of him Of all times the Summon Mask chose that moment not to appear to cover his face It had been a firm reminder that although he was getting stronger it was nothing compared to most people with Classes

And it also served as a reminder that he was not lucky he had the Devil�s Luck For good or ill

Naffur hurried away from the scene of the mugging leaving the knocked out man on the ground After he was out of eyesight he removed the mask and tossed it in the trash with a forlorn expression No matter what he did it would be back Naffur had even tired keeping himself deprived of Mana so it wouldn�t randomly appear but that hadn�t stopped it

The only real consequence was a killer headache from Mana deprivation

His meal tonight was street tacos from a small truck in one of the slums of the Orchard But for all that the company wasn�t the best the chorizo was to die for Still Naffur ate with his eyes peeled He had also found that even if he wasn�t moving sometimes trouble would find him

Still to his delight the meal was a peaceful one Not willing to press his luck Naffur hurried back on the roof to avoid people Unfortunately it only took five minutes for his plans to go awry

Stop

Naffur twisted around at the voice only to see a figure leap over the edge of the room and crash into Naffur Instantly instincts kicked in and Naffur fell while grasping at his side The figure seemed incredibly surprised to have hit someone and slowed to a stop to peer at Naffur

The voice was gruff and male Kid are you alright I didn�t mean

Hmph you have a lot of nerve if you dare pick my pocket and lingering around chatting A female voiced hissed Instantly the man�s face paled Floating over the edge of the roof and landing on the roof was a lovely woman with dark hair to her shoulders In her left hand was crackling electricity In her right was a pure blue orb that made Naffur cold when he just looked at it

Naffur gulped

Chapter 697

It was an accident The man coughed

Naffur looked at the man with disbelief

An accident The woman said icily In the darkness her eyes flashed different colors one blue and one yellow

That�s seriously the best you could come up with Naffur blurted out Immediately he regretted it because both pairs of eyes turned to him Holding up his hands Naffur did his best to convey that he was a third party that wasn�t involved in the affair at all

From the hard gazes of both it seemed neither truly believed him

Pah The man spat on the ground at the woman�s feet even as he edged away The roof was ultimately not very large so he could not retreat much further before crossing to another roof Which Naffur knew could be done very quickly What use have you for a Lottery ticket I can tell by your dress you are not of the Orchard

The woman�s eyebrows rose marginally Do you think you have a right to steal from humans who grew up elsewhere If you believe you are better than others

You cannot enter the lottery The man hissed His eyes were bright and strangely fragile like candy from a gumball machine Look at you You undoubtedly have a Class to wield magic such as that Yet you want to monopolize the resources If I could I would

Without any flourish the man turned and dropped off the roof With the dexterity of a monkey the man sprung off the wall to another building and scuttled along the sides to a thin alley and slipped into it Within four seconds he was no longer visible leaving Naffur with the strange woman But immediately after the man left the woman�s gaze lost a lot of its hostility and instead turned thoughtful

She still held her magic in her hands although she lowered them as her piercing gaze focused Naffur Speak Tell me why this man felt so emboldened to steal from me

Although he was sweating Naffur did his best to lay out the function of the Lottery and how covetously the people of the Orchard viewed the chance It was their chance to be put into the view of people who could afford to give them resources to gain a Class In a way Naffur could understand how a desperate man could be infuriated by witnessing someone who didn�t need the Lottery discovering a ticket

Not that crime wasn�t a problem especially in this district of the Orchard But with the arrival of the System usually people who looked rich were also powerful It wasn�t an easy thing for a criminal to get the jump on someone like this woman

Clicking her teeth the woman let the magic drop after he gave an explanation Then she seemed to intuit Naffur�s thoughts as she stated The fault is partially mine I laughed at the idea of a Lottery when a shop owner explained it to me But perhaps I remembered the foolish hysteria of lotteries before the System It is not my place to mock

Naffur nodded seriously feeling the beginnings of elation in his chest Now he just needed to make his own casual escape Well since the misunderstanding is cleared up I suppose I�ll be on my way

Ah wait The woman said holding up a hand My name is Sydney You must be quite unlucky to be standing in the exact spot where someone leapt up to the roof Please let me make this up to you And I would like to hear more about the Lottery system here You stated you are familiar with it

Yes but Naffur fidgeted The threat of Skills was gone but Naffur didn�t forget how quickly she had brought out the threat of violence Being around such an obviously powerful and unbalanced woman was exactly the wrong sort of thing for him to have a peaceful day His Devil�s Luck for Entrances would probably have a field day if he was accompanied by a woman like that

Please The woman said But her voice was surprisingly insincere for someone who said please Instantly Naffur recognized her type Although she was a young woman it reminded Naffur quite a lot of those sort of attractive women or powerful men who were so used to getting their way that they didn�t expect you to reject them even as you were doing it No matter how perfunctory their imitation of manners was they assumed that would be enough to sway you

With a frown Naffur opened his mouth to refuse But then he had a thought

Blinking Naffur instead asked How old are you

Sydney pursed her lips Is that really relevant I am 25

Uh Naffur licked his lips She was a little older but still a woman And honestly without some input he would be lost over what to do Would you be willing to go gift shopping with me For a girl err a woman Young woman A birthday But she�s younger than you nineteen she�s nineteen

Sydney just gave Naffur a helpless glance as his words and sentences mashed together and sputtered to a stop For several seconds she just looked at Naffur Immediately some of Naffur�s shame that he wasn�t able to say anything to Mareen directly And somehow Naffur expected that information to come out But it would be much worse to show up without a gift to Mareen�s party than it was to spend a day with a stranger

He needed the gift to be perfect And if he were to pick out the gift alone

Naffur�s expression darkened Recently his life had been anything but perfect It had just been weird

you like her don�t you Sydney said Naffur just blushed

To his surprise then she began to laugh She kept laughing for a few minutes and Naffur thought that despite her age Sydney was really pretty in a wild and reckless sort of way Finally she rubbed her eyes and said Okay okay I think we can help each other out You remind me of a close friend I had growing up I would love to help you with your gift

Sydney watched the back of Naffur�s head following his sharp bird like movements with her eyes He was the type that was motivated by a body and psyche unable to keep up with the flood of hormonal energy he was experiencing That was very different than Randidly whose body seemed to grow far before his hormones had risen to keep up but somehow when she looked at this kid

They had the same desperate sincerity Fairness and justice were important to both They respected the rules and also frequently completely forgot about them In a lot of ways they were similar

The sort of fools who would burn themselves out trying to be heroes Sydney thought somewhat sadly It was too late for Randidly but hopefully this boy would have an easier time of it

We�ve gone through the stores Naffur Sydney said I think one of the necklaces or snow globes would make great gifts But you need to pick which

It was obvious the boy was smitten with this Mareen They had met earlier in the day and had spent almost two hours with Naffur mechanically taking Sydney through different shops to get her opinions on female gifts What she wanted to say was that proving that Naffur listened to Mareen and paid attention to what she said was so much more important towards how the gift would be received But Naffur had insisted that money was not an object by which he seemed to indicate he was so desperate that this is done right that he didn�t care how much it cost

Sydney was confused by Naffur As it was he served the purpose that had made Sydney put aside her annoyance at the pickpocket and speak to him in the first place he was a knowledgeable local guide Naffur had been in Orchard for as long as it existed which was still barely more than a year He knew quite a bit about the area but his knowledge of the economy was only anecdotal

Sardonically Sydney what she had expected out of a sixteen year old boy when she asked about how much freight moved Orchard

The idea was to grow more familiar with the Orchard so she was better equipped in tomorrow�s Order meeting to vote on what to do about the manatech rails Already companies in Zone 1 were building tracks East relying on the Donnyton expeditionary squads for protection Basically the plan was for the Orders to buy out the railway companies and control the supply lines After all neither Zone liked the idea of the other having control of something that would ideally run very deeply in their territories for all the economic benefits it would bring But which Order would own it

Naffur stood at the corner of the busy street seeming to spin around in a circle He was breathing surprisingly heavily considering that they had done nothing but walk leisurely about Are are you sure We could go to more

No more won�t help Sydney said patiently Besides she had spent enough time with the boy to learn everything about Orchard that she wanted to The fact she had stayed this long was mostly due to pity for the kid She needed to contact the official elements of the Orchard

Just as Sydney was about to inform him that she was leaving Naffur seemed to freeze up Slowly his finger rose up and pointed down the street Curious Sydney looked over her eyes tracing up and down the line of street vendors

Do you think Naffur said nervously Do you think she would want something like that It just seems like her

Naffur was pointing to an old woman selling hand woven flower crowns Sydney chuckled and said That seems perfect

Chapter 698

Naffur�s back itched terribly but he dare not scratch it Neveah was sitting beside him at a large table She was in her androgynous form but she still beamed around at the other members of the table with palpable good cheer The other people around the table seemed more focused and grim after every Order at the table had given its report on numbers and growth

Some orders such as the Order Valorus and Order Fide seemed pleased with their monthly progress They were led by a sharp eyed woman named Alana and a tattooed man named Alumuran respectively Both were difficult to look at for different reasons When one looked at Alana one�s eyes would begin to water And whenever Naffur snuck glances at Alumuran he instantly noticed and peered back

Meanwhile it seemed that the Order Ferocitas Veritas Caelim and Umbra were less impressed by their progress Compared to the first two these Orders had experienced extremely disappointing growth But still Naffur paid close attention to them mostly because Sydney was the representative of the Order Caelim

Seeing her there was a shock to his system and immediately Naffur was wracked by doubts regarding the flower crown in his interspatial watch What if Mareen thought he was an idiot Getting a flower crown for a nineteen year old What was he thinking It was a children�s toy

But nothing else had seemed to fit And now he was stuck with it

To distract himself from his worries Naffur considered the last group of the Orders at the far end of the table The Order Sapienta wasn�t present due to their leader being otherwise occupied But both the Order Ferrum and Order Infandus had sent individuals The Order Ferrum was a gruff man who had introduced himself at Kelly He wasn�t the leader of Ferrum but he spoke with the leader�s authority

And the thing from the Order Infandus was one of the people transplanted into the body of a monster due to Father Foster�s experiments Just looking at the scaly claw at the creature�s side made Naffur shiver

Does everyone agree that we continue to remain inactive in regards to the Ogre Gorge and the portal to another world No one spoke but the previous argument was exhausting enough that Naffur was glad that the powerful individuals at the table didn�t have the energy to continue The worst of it was that every once in a while other leaders would spare glances for him and Neveah

Neveah just smiled blandly and Naffur began to sweat more and more behind his mask They couldn�t expect him to have an opinion on the issue did they

Alright onto the next order of business The leader of the Order Veritas led the meeting Naffur believed her name was Tessa but it was hard to remember That itch had spread up to his neck and it was making things very difficult to focus Order Ducis do you have any recommendations regarding the establishment of new Orders

Naffur was busy sliding up and down in his chair to use the back to scratch himself when he realized that everyone was looking at him Immediately he froze Neveah poked him under the table

With a jump Naffur produced the two letters from Orders he thought sounded okay enough and slid them to Neveah Smiling Neveah took them The Order Ducis has two recommendations Ah The Order Sanus and the Order Machina

For the first time all meeting the quiet man from the Order Ferrus looked up Order Mechina

An association built around Ghost�s experiments and Erickson Technological Conglomerate I believe Tessa said glancing towards Neveah Neveah nodded simply With the Order Sanus being entity pushed for by Mrs Northwind

Alumuran made a low sound An Order for both Zones Equitable

An Order for Donnyton Sydney said sourly She turned and looked at Tessa Is this put to a vote I do not see the need for additional Orders

Indeed clarification is necessary The pale faced woman who led the Order Umbra said She cracked her knuckles methodically Naffur remembered her name was Illya So I believe that neither the entities that we spoke of have been put forward by the Order Ducis The Order Dinaris or Order Currus Without an order to control the rail lines our talks will undoubtedly fall through It is an interesting choice by the Order Ducis to ignore this issue

Isn�t it just a railroad Don�t act like it�s the end of the world Alana said dismissively Although it was difficult to look at her Naffur liked her This whole time it was clear that Alana was fighting off the urge to nap while sitting at the table

Zone 1 needs System relevant equipment and Zone 32 needs the market expansion Sydney said with a sharp look towards Alana Both would benefit from something more reliable

For the first time in a while Neveah spoke up What about another portal Like between Donnyton and Star Crossing

A few of the people at the table grimaced Finally it was Alumuran who spoke The teleporter is of course available to us however I fear that none but Donnyton have the points on hand to construct such a thing let alone operate it as freely as they do Without Classer Squads harvesting points for months it is an impossible expenditure

Also the Village Spirit of Donnyton has become unreliable recently Kelley said giving Alana a knowing look Although to afford such a thing is feasible let us consider that a backup plan

Either way Tessa said sternly looking around the table We are skipping the current issue The Order Ducis has the right to recommend Orders to the Council It is put to a vote then All recommendations are considered together We either approve both or neither All in favor

Tessa Alana Alumuran Kelly and surprisingly the scale man from the Order Infandus raised their hands Sydney the burly man from Ferocitas and Ilya didn�t move

Motion passes I�ll send out the paperwork and they will be official Orders three months from now Tessa said Then she glanced around Okay now it�s time to talk about

Tessa looked at Alana and frowned What is it

But it wasn�t Alana who answered Alumuran pushed back his chair and stood It appears this will not be a peaceful day

Sighing Sydney said Unbelievable How cliche can you get

Naffur was bewildered The Eastern Gardens were a sprawling series of ornate gazebos and pavilions that were divided by tall hedges There was also a central fountain and a jogging path that wound its way around some of the more ornate areas of the park The wind picked up and the rustling of leaves sounded like children�s laughter The sun was warm on Naffur�s exposed skin There was a drop of sweat running down the inside of the mask

What was this if not a peaceful day

Of course as soon as he thought that an explosion rocked the parks Distantly Naffur could hear people screaming Suddenly a strange rip in space opened up in front of the table where the heads of the Orders were sitting With a howl monsters over Level 60 that looked like blue wolfmen rushed out of the ripped space and brandished hatchets

Frozen Naffur could only watch aghast they streamed out to assault the group His hands tightened on the arms of the chair His Path had given him such horrible look recently Because the table was slightly rounded the wolfmen would reach his sitting position first He was going to die

There was a warm breeze and a flash of light and then the first six wolfmen toppled over with sizzling holes in their chest Alana stood with a golden spear and a winged helmet that made her look like a Valkyrie Her sharp eyes scanned the horizon and then she swore Another sweep of the spear blasted out golden light and neutralized the rest of the wolfmen This portal thing is a neat trick

As she spoke the portal shivered and closed up

It�s Mana based Sydney said spinning slowly in a circle When she had spun 360 degrees her mouth was twisted There are a lot of them I can trace it to the source but it might take a while

Is this targeting us Ilya said aloud with a frown Or was us being here a coincidence There was an attack on a building in the Orchard a few weeks ago correct

Humans haven�t yet mastered using monsters to fight Alana grunted The representative from the Order Infandus chuckled and Alana seemed to wince

Naffur just stared at them all They had just been attacked by a dozen monsters over Level 60 and they were so casual about it Like it hadn�t mattered and everything would be fine

But were they wrong They had so easily dealt with that attack that Naffur couldn�t deny that they seemed fine These people lived in a different world than Naffur They had Classes and Skills beyond what he could manage

Although they might be fine others would not be Naffur�s eyes widened Mareen�s Birthday It was still before noon but if she had come early to set things up

He leapt to his feet Neveah tilted her hand at him in askance

Gritting his teeth he said There are other people in the park

The Knight Errant Ducis is correct Alumuran said with glittering eyes Whether it is an attack on us directly or simply on the legitimacy of the Order structure we need to take it seriously Let us make this faction regret drawing the ire of the Council of Orders

Chapter 699

As if an inaudible accord had been reached the rest of the leaders of Orders stood Naffur turned and began sprinting out of their courtyard But very quickly panic rose in his chest as he realized he wasn�t sure where Mareen�s party would be Fumbling he produced the invitation and skidded to a stop

He heard the screams of other people and then the soft rush of air as other leaders whipped past Naffur at speeds he couldn�t follow

There was a crash from behind him from the meeting place of the Orders This was swiftly followed by a hideous shriek and a flash of warmth that Naffur felt on his back 50 meters away When he shivered it was not from the cold but from feeling profoundly out of his depth

With trembling hands Naffur did his best to ignore the rising tide of noises around him and look down at the invitation It was handwritten which Naffur hadn�t noticed before I hope to see you there was at the bottom written by Mareen

Naffur went pale What did that mean

There was a soft ripping noise which forced Naffur to look up In front of him there was a semi opaque tear in the air that crackled with energy

Oh right

A strange fish creature with tentacles stepped out of the portal Its mouth oozed with gore and its limbs seemed to twitch as it menacingly stepped forward and looked around

Congratulations Your Skill The Devil�s Luck for Entrances has reached Level 29

The slimy tentacle creature came out of the portal with its back to Naffur It cackled gleefully even as Naffur smashed it in the back of the head with an Intrepid Hammer earning him Levels in Intrepid Hammer and Cheap Shot

Stunned the thing fell to its knees and twisted around The tentacles flailed wildly and Naffur jerked his head back to avoid the attack The tentacles missed by quite a distance but some of the goo that was dripping from the creature sprayed outwards and landed upon Naffur�s Ghosthound mask

Very quickly the mask became to smoke and sizzle as the goo ate through it Horrified Naffur scrambled backward even further Shit he was going to need to get a new mask soon

No more important than that had he really just punched that acidic thing

Looking at his hand Naffur was relieved to see that his flesh wasn�t bubbling away But his heart thumped painfully as the monster seemed to recover from his earlier strike and stood tall in front of him

A hand reached out and squeezed the monster�s head until it burst in an explosion of gore

Careful These are stronger than you Neveah said wagging her finger at Naffur

You need to be careful too Naffur shouted There is ooze on that think that can disintegrate flesh

Instantly Neveah�s face contorted in horror She raised her left hand which was still dribbling in the ooze and brain matter of the tentacle monster For several seconds they both looked at her hand Nothing seemed to be happening Neveah glanced back over at Naffur seeming to ask with her eyes whether he was sure about what he had said Helplessly he shrugged

With a pitiful sigh Nevaeh crouched and rubbed the gore off on the ground Instantly that area of grass began to smoke and wither The effect spread in a one meter area creating a small zone of death Naffur paled as he realized that there was a similar halo of annihilation around the body of the monster

Such a close call Thank god Neveah said in a hollow voice Naffur was annoyed but could only helplessly look at the bits of blood still on Neveah�s hand that didn�t seem capable of doing anything to her

Shaking his head Naffur decided to ignore Neveah�s inexplicable strength Instead he looked again at the invitation FOr all that Neveah was almost mocking him and his worries it had served as a way to calm him down With his mind cooled off a bit Naffur was able to organize his thoughts much more efficiently

Okay it�s this way Naffur finally said and the group of two began to run Or rather Naffur began to run and Neveah seemed to skip effortlessly to keep up

The interaction with the tentacle monster had been brief but it did seem like that monster had been part of a large wave of monster attacks All around there were yells of battle and fear As Naffur rushed past unrelated courtyards and gazebos he saw plasma pistols and exosuits abound fighting against various strange animal and fish beings

Then there was a scream that cut across it all Naffur�s heart hammered in his chest with such force that it felt like his body was going to burst In his fit of desperation he yelled Mareen

Instantly he veered to the left and lengthened his stride From the screen he knew which opening in the tall bushes he should aim for But the responding shout stopped him dead

Naffur

Uh Naffur�s walked a few steps forward almost tentative Could he just rush in there now If she found out about his secret identity

Don�t come it�s dangerous Run away

Naffur winced Not that she didn�t mean well but yelling Don�t come � felt a bit like a rejection

Why did I fucking buy a flower crown

Lost in his strange reflections Naffur jumped when it seemed like a hammer was dropped beyond the hedges causing the ground to shake Mareen screamed again

Galvanized by the scream Naffur�s entire body seemed to hum But no sooner had he resolved himself to dash the fifteen meters forward and go through the opening in the hedge than he felt Neveah�s hands in his armpits

Right now you are not Naffur She whispered Fly Knight Errant Ducis Take a step and the rest will follow

As if she were pushing a child on a swing Neveah gently pressed forward Naffur was launched into the air as if he was shot out of a cannon The pressure from the wind took him by surprise so much that he flinched and blinked wildly But even as he arced up over the hedge he realized that he had underestimated the strength of his body the Stat points he had used over the past few weeks was more than enough to give him the ability to do this

A blurry image resolved himself as he careened through the air and focused on the condition of the courtyard below There was a large ape with teal skin and four arms that had left deep impressions in the ground in the shape of fists The monster�s arms were as thick as tree trunks with corded muscle that was visible even through a thick layer of fur

In fact there were two apes one in the corner lumbering out of the portal and another slowly advancing toward Mareen

For a second Naffur�s gaze hitched on Mareen She was wearing a long green backless dress and holding a plasma pistol aloft in front of her body She wasn�t aiming but simply holding it as though it would ward off the approaching violence Scattered around her was a fractured cake and brightly colored chairs that were overturned

Naffur�s eyes narrowed Intrepid

The ape monster twisted around as he descended Naffur thought briefly that it was incredible that Neveah had thrown him perfectly to hit the ape but that those was lost as adrenaline filled his body HAMMErr

The first hit knocked the ape in the tremble and it stumbled away Naffur was about one half of the size of the ape so his body rebounded harmlessly as he crashed into his shoulder With a grace that Naffur didn�t know he possessed he landed on his feet and raised his hands again Clenching his fingers together Naffur through punch after punch

Intrepid Hammer Intrepid Hammer Intrepid Hammer Intrepid Hammer Intrepid Hammer Again and again Naffur threw punches against the ape creature Each time notifications ticked up that he had gained one or two or five Levels in the Skill Very soon his arms were trembling from the strain of supporting the attacks But his vision had narrowed to just the ape

Even the reverberations of the ape�s moans and the feeling of bones shattering under his touch did little to alleviate the feeling of rage that filled him

Once again Neveah�s hands brought him out of it seizing his wrist The ape was on the ground its breathing labored Perhaps it is better that I handle this

Naffur looked up his breathing labored Mareen was looking at him with watery eyes a hand raised to cover her mouth Nafur turned and ran away

Chapter 700

Naffur did make an appearance at Mareen�s rescheduled birthday but it was just a brief one After he dropped off his gift box he immediately made an excuse and vanished

The rest of the night Naffur wandered the streets of the Orchard listless People were still abuzz with hushed arguments over what the attack on the East Gardens meant even as the Orders quickly mopped up the rapid attack Rumors about how the Nemesai accomplished it led to a frantic energy that did little to dispel Naffur�s funk

With a sigh Naffur settled down on the corner of the roof above the flower crown stand It was near dusk and the different stand owners were moving back and forth as they took down their wares for the night

What should I be doing Naffur said softly looking up at the darkening sky Stars were just beginning to peek out but they just looked like small holes in the world It was hard to have any enthusiasm when Naffur realized how little he could accomplish it

Part of it was the gift he had given Mareen which seemed like one of the dumbest things he could have done but the other part was seeing the other figures from the Orders Sydney Alumuran Alana even the scaled man from the Order Infandus had ripped through the monsters like a hot knife through butter When they acted they could accomplish To compare that with Naffur�s losing his cool and punching an ape enough to cause Mareen to be horrified

I won�t grow stronger here Naffur said But immediately after he did so a sharp spike of fear cut through his chest Did he want to grow Raising his hands he looked at the gnarled and bruised knuckles that remained from attacking the ape Already the dull ache in his fingers was dissipating as his meager amount of points in Endurance and Vitality overcame the bone bruises he had given himself

Even though it was a dim echo of the pain it still made it difficult to seriously consider what to do to get stronger Because Naffur knew that he needes higher Skill Levels higher Stats and eventually a Class And his growth in Orchard

Slow The incident at the Manhattan building was less than an hour of activity that had earned him almost 30 Skill Levels Violence and struggle increased the speed at which you gained Skill Levels The reason why this occurred was unclear but it couldn�t be denied that the fastest way to grow was to risk yourself

And risk meant pain

Naffur pressed his eyes shut and clenched his fist It was difficult It was so difficult to overcome the hot nervousness in his chest Naffur wished that the had the ability to just push aside his fear and go out into the world to fight and grow But his hands were cold and sweaty His ass seemed to have filled with lead keeping him firmly placed on the wall

Even though Naffur had a deep resentment and hate for the fact that he was given the Path of Cowardice his mind was still coming up with excuses as to why he shouldn�t go If he was going to go out and grow shouldn�t he research first Shouldn�t he practice combat Skills Shouldn�t he prepare supplies form a team

The hot shame sunk in Naffur�s chest going from an animating energy to a surly restiveness Somehow Naffur knew that he wouldn�t leave the Orchard He could stay here and his Devil�s own Luck for Entrances would force him a little outside his comfort zone Even if it wasn�t as fast as Naffur had heard from soldiers who had served out in areas controlled by monsters his growth had picked up

What Naffur pointedly didn�t think about was how far behind he was from those at the frontline A split second of heat and warmth annihilating monsters over Level 50

Besides he had a role in the Orchard as a masked vigilante People relied on him Because people at the Eastern Gardens had seen him the Order Ducis was talked about as one of those Orders that had stopped the terrorist attack It pressed a heavyweight of shame on Naffur but still it wasn�t like he hadn�t helped

Naffur froze

Mareen was walking across the almost deserted sweet in the twilight picking her way through the closing down stalls As she approached the old woman who worked the flower crown stall straightened While Mareen walked forward she never looked up and saw how Naffur�s face was locked in a rictus scowl

Little Mareen The old woman said with a smile I�m so glad to see you are safe I hope your birthday wasn�t ruined by that tragedy in the gardens

We had to move it but it turned out well enough Mareen said with a smile

Wonderful wonderful Now what can I do for you Surely you didn�t seek little old me out just to chat The woman asked

Mareen�s smile faded somewhat She held up her hand and produced an object from her interspatial watch I�m sorry to ask this but am I able to return this

In her hand was a flower crown

Naffur�s ears were ringing His face flushed with so much blood that it felt like the skin of his face was burning She she was going to return it

The two continued to speak but Naffur couldn�t even hear it His eyes were just locked on the flower crown Blinking Naffur was surprised to find tears falling down his face

Something snapped

The next thing Naffur knew he was rushing across the rooftops his vision blurry from tears His breathing was rough and the dull pain in his hands was lost amongst the sea of crashing emotions Fear anxiety anger depression loneliness

As Naffur ran for longer and longer his breathing became even rougher Although he had a passable amount of physical fitness Naffur had never done anything like this The size of the buildings slowly lowered Above the sky grew darker and darker Stars loomed overhead seeming to stare down on Naffur and notice his every flaw

I can�t stay here I can�t stay here I can�t stay here Naffur repeated it like a mantra Every time he said it there was a split second where he lost the sharp memory of what had just happened

It wasn�t a big deal that she returne his gift

It just meant she didn�t care

She didn�t care

As the tears slowly transitioned to sobs Naffur was forced off the roof onto the ground Passing the stacked piles of materials near the new construction on the outskirts of Orchard Naffur stumled out of the city and into the wild He didn�t know where he was going but he wasn�t going to stay here

I�m sorry to ask this but am I able to return this Mareen said feeling profoundly awkward

The flower stall owner frowned So soon You have been looking at this flower crown for months If you just wanted it for your birthday party I would have let you rent it

No no Mareen�s smile turned soft I do love it but someone got me another Someone special Somehow he picked the one I liked the most Isn�t that something

Ahh indeed The old woman reached out and took the flower crown Then she blessed Mareen with a warm smile Serendipity is a strange thing listen when the universe tells you something little Mareen

Blushing Mareen looked at the ground Yea I think I will

Randidly looked up at the sky The stars made strange shapes in the Tellus sky showing a completely different universe One part of Randidly wondered what sort of distance separated the Earth from Tellus Was it possible to traverse the distance physically or were the two located in separate universes

But that was a small part of Randidly�s gaze Most of his attention was on the Aether that filled the sky

The heartbeat of Tellus the sharp image of the spear was becoming increasingly clear Aether was being produced as the flow of Aether rubbed against the calcified Aether of Tellus and slowly wore it down By now the force of the heartbeat of the sky had reached a critical mass of strength and it was rapidly breaking down the previously held Aether of the world Soon the old images would be worn down to nothing

Still Randidly frowned Because he couldn�t help but notice that although the Aether was broken apart and set forth in the world in a much more digestible form a lot of the sharp violence and aggression that was present in the old Aether persisted If anything the breaking served to exacerbate it This vicious Aether drifted downwards settling on the increasingly active front lines

Randidly�s fight with Helen would be the day after tomorrow Today had been an explosion of attacks of the Wights in the wake of Aylwind Sky finally moving Most of the the fighting was not near the capitol but Randidly communicated with Platton and learned how there was a groundswell of support from farmers and tradesmen They were aggressive and they were out for blood

Tellus was changing And Randidly had a sinking suspicion that it meant he was going to learn quite a bit about the Second Calamity at the cost of the lives of people he had met here

Chapter 701

Randidly�s attention on the sky was torn as he received a message from Trentyon

Wow Wow Wow Come to the scroll room

With a small smile Randidly shook his head Trentyon had been conspicuously difficult to talk to Randidly had initially hoped his access to the scrolls of the Hall of Stances would be fruitful for learning more about the history of the Spearman but it soon became clear that his interest lay in areas that were at best historically adjacent

Basically Trentyon was quickly caught up in the minutia of anything Apparently the scrolls present in the Hall of Stances predated anything Trentyon had seen before and Randidly had asked after him a few days prior only to find that he was skimming through conjectures on pre Spearman religions

Randidly was somewhat heartened that there was information available from prior to the Spearman but was rather annoyed at the form that Trentyon pursued it Honestly the shame and self hatred that Trentyon had experienced as a literary focused person in a spear world were exploding into a gluttonous attitude towards the scrolls available Not that Randidly could really blame him For better or worse Randidly had encouraged him in a way that Trentyon had never experienced before But a lifetime of refusing to meet other�s expectations wasn�t so easily shaken off

But the fact that Trentyon had reached out now was a good sign because the few times he had done it so far were due to concrete information about the Spearman Although Randidly had wanted to finally head down into the Hall of Stances proper he wouldn�t mind the diversion if it helped him find out more information Whistling he walked down into the deep basement where the scrolls were kept

Whereas Trentyon�s original home had a deep pit with haphazardly piled scrolls these scrolls were in tall shelves that reminded Randidly of wine racks After descended down a steeply slanting staircase a high ceilinged cavern held the history that the Hall of Stances had collected

As Randidly approached the corner that Trentyon had appropriated for his research� his eyebrow twitched There were several tall scroll piles next to a giggling Trentyon making Randidly wondered whether the poor treatment of the scrolls wasn�t a function of Tellus as he initially thought

Perhaps Trentyon was just a messy person

Good good good Trentyon said when he spotted Randidly approaching Ah I have finally made the definite discovery you were waiting for To think you wished for me to focus on fruitless endeavors it was actually during my perusal of the effect of the Spearman on the study of ethics that I stumbled across this gem

Trentyon proffered a scroll Proudly displayed at the top was On Trust by Edric Zolan

And this is relevant because Randidly drawled

But Trentyon�s good cheer only became brighter as he smiled in response At first I believed it was truly just a commentary on trust But then I started to realize it was a regime critique of the Spearman�s government using strange examples But the more I read into it

In spurts of excited talking Trentyon began to explain the contents of the scroll unrolling it to indicate each portion as he reached it And as he did so Randidly�s forehead creased

In Zolan�s story there were 6 Avatars� who lived in accord Amongst them there were two that were devils and four angels Originally there were over 20 Avatars but a great war rocked them pitting the angels against the devils In the wake of this the remaining few decided to let the war lapse Due to the nature of Avatars growth would stagnate without the war but their people�s would be safe

During that time of peace one of the angels and devils became involved and fell in love This Zolan opined was the ultimate mistake for no rational decisions could occur while the mind was clouded

The peace continued until the world was hollowed out by slow consumption without present sources � In that emptiness one of the two lovers died Such was the love that the surviving Avatar had that they grieved for one hundred years Afterward their heart was broken by seeing the suffering of the people of the deceased people

In their name that Avatar once more fanned the flames of war The Avatar wielded a long rod of black iron and wore a cloak of darkness Before this Avatar none could stand and in their grief they were able to finally unite the world under one banner with one name

But a cheaply bought peace was easily shattered Two of the angels opposed the new order while one supported it One devil chose to remain neutral content to remain in their self created paradise

The Avatar won that war and named himself with his bloody tool They would call him the Spearman

Stop Randidly said raising his hand Is this

It isn�t named as such but it seems very likely this is a biography of the Spearman written by a contemporary Trentyon said with glittering eyes I�m unsure of what angels and devils meant but perhaps it reflects their style of leadership

Randidly said nothing but inwardly his gears were turning Avatars could be a general term to describe Champions and Nemesai or even terminology used in the earlier cohorts It also might be a clue about how to activate the Calamities because it seemed like they had allowed the world to stall out there somewhere

It seemed that a great war amongst the Champions and Nemesai occurred which might have been one cause There was also the mention of uniting the world

Is there more Randidly looked up and asked Excitedly Trentyon continued to explain the text of On Trust But very quickly Randidly was shaking his head After naming the focus of the treatise as the Spearman the text quickly devolved into meaningless dribble Exactly the sort of stuff that would be useless to Randidly�s investigation and that Trentyon ate up

But what Randidly had learned was more than enough to give him several leads And it seemed to indicate something extremely strange the Spearman was either a Nemesis or a Champion Perhaps that was the reason that t problems happened during the final parts of the Second Calamity Was it impossible for one of them to be the source of the image that would defeat the Second Calamity

But that didn�t make sense either The image was victorious against the Wights but it seemed that at the last minute the Spearman had severed the image from himself The images were left to lay fallow quickly stiffening Why

Why

After talking to Trentyon a little longer about other scrolls that he insisted were relevant Randidly left the deep portion of the Hall of Stances and walked towards the actual core of the building the spiraling ramp of images

But as he approached the entrance a figure was leaning against the wall almost as if waiting for him Helen�s eyes flashed as she looked him up and down The examination was extremely thorough and lasted almost a full minute Finally she shook her head sadly and said You aren�t afraid to see me You also aren�t embarrassed or angry Which means you aren�t concerned with the fight Will you make a bet with me

Randidly�s lips twisted He was somewhat surprised by her words because it implied that she realized something about his plans So Randidly stayed silent and tilted his head to the side in askance

After a long breath Helen said I bet I am stronger than you In the future in a year no probably only six months you will be past the point where I could fight you But right now I can crush you I will not let you dodge that by surrendering now

Randidly grimaced He had truly been thinking about surrendering in his match against Helen Truthfully the reward for the tournament was only to view the images in the inner sanctum That was likely useful but it was nothing compared to figuring out how to protect Earth from the Calamity It was even less important than identifying and address the current Second Calamity that was doing so much damage to Tellus

At the moment he didn�t have many concrete ways to address those issues but when Shal arrived that would change In addition Randidly had heard that a procession from the North was arriving in Hastam Some old faces would be making an appearance and they would how the power and knowledge to help him At some point it seemed like the tournament would only get in the way

so what�s the bet Randidly said softly

We fight it out in the match until one of us loses And then the winner concedes Helen said The only light in the hallway was torchlight and it highlighted her tanned skin in the darkness Her large brown eyes were fixed on his own emerald gaze If you aren�t even strong enough to defeat me Randidly do you really think it is your place to set aside this tournament and attempt to tackle bigger things

In spite of himself Randidly chuckled

Chapter 702

After saying her piece Helen left To his surprise Randidly felt a strange warmth in his heart It was clear from the way that Helen framed the issue this was her way to try and protect him

In a way Randidly supposed her concern came from a place of truth The end of the Northern Regional Tournament involved Randidly fleeing from a furious Skill Incarnation Even with the help of Aethon Thai Randidly had been wounded although Helen wouldn�t know the extent of that Remembering the agony he had suffered afterward with his broken Skill

Randidly shivered Without Simon�s intervention it was difficult to know if he could have even recovered

This time the foes that Randidly faced were even more powerful Thinking of the wave of destruction left in the wake of Aylwind Randidly couldn�t help but feel pressure The dead and dry grasslands weren�t just destroyed but they were filled with a deep image of a heat that bordered on parasitic At that level the heat bleached the color and moisture from the vulnerable land leaving it a smoking ruin

It wasn�t just a difference of stats Randidly had realized while looking at the destruction What separated Randidly from that tier of strength was also the resilience and clarity of the image As such Randidly knew he had to check out the Hall of Stances It might not be contemporary but it would be enough to get an understanding of the things powerful images could accomplish

After heading down some obligatorily ornate hallways Randidly arrived at the entrance to the true Hall of Stances Two of the weird acolyte types were standing there and then bowed deeply as Randidly approached The doorway was wide and tall and carved of bone As he approached Randidly paused but the acolytes remained perfectly bowed at the waist as he hesitated

Honestly it seemed like he could sit on them and they wouldn�t move That was certainly dedication although it seemed rather pointless Shrugging Randidly walked forward into the Hall of Stances

The main portion was a wide spiraling ramp downwards It was far enough across that thirty or so people could walk down in a line comfortably The slope of the ramp was extremely shallow too so it was easy to just think that one was walking down on a slowly curving all rather than a spiral that led deep into the ground

The first realization that Randidly had was that he had vastly underestimated the size of the Hall of Stances The building above the actual Hall was huge but Randidly assumed that it was because the organization that managed the Hall of Stances had grown to a ridiculous extent But perhaps if this Hall was truly this big just housing enough people to mop the floor here would take up a hotels worth of space

Then next thing Randidly noticed was the small altars The first altar was about fifty meters down the Hall It was a rather plain thing a stone square with a thin and worn Tassle hanging from the front On top of the altar was a disk of crystal that was a dirty red color

With a sardonic smile Randidly walked up to the crystal This was exactly why he should have forced the issue and asked questions about the actual process of this place Still that was not Randidly�s way Plus no one was around

This thought made Randidly wince If the Hall of Stances was so huge why had he avoided to keep away from people

Randidly reached out and lightly touched the crystal Instantly he felt a sharp impression fill his mind A vague image of a middle aged woman stood there holding a spear As if she was dragging a large brush across canvas she drew her spear sideways in the air Instantly the wind curled and buzzed and thin disks of razor sharp air exploded out away from her From that simple stroke of the spear those disks of air ran almost fifty meters in a cone in front of her

Then the image stopped Randidly stepped back on his heels and frowned Then he touched the crystal again

Once more the woman stood still for a second and then dragged her spear purposefully through the air This time Randidly�s entire focus was on the way her seemingly casual strike with the spear managed to interfere with the air currents in such a way to cause such a reaction

Unfortunately it seemed that the Hall of Stances had some purpose to restrict access to the images here When Randidly pushed all of his focus into looking at the image his vision very quickly became mired in a strange blurriness It seemed that the slow repetition of the image had led to its more profound points being lost

Even so

Randidly�s expression was grim Because what he saw when he looked at that first image was that the woman didn�t use any profound technique or rely on stats She simply held an image of such power that it warped the world

The more Randidly watched the surer he became It was easy to miss because of the fuzziness and the perspective but the woman didn�t have an offensive image as she moved Instead she held a very simple concept the wind is sharp

When she influenced the wind in such a way even the small breezes from a moving spear were enough to level fifty meters worth of scars in the ground That incomparably sharp wind image drop those small buzz saws of air to rip up the ground for quite a distance beyond what should normally be possible

After a while it was clear that Randidly wouldn�t get much more from this crystal so he began to slowly walk down the descending ramp Purposefully he kept his steps even and infrequent so he could take the short walk as a break to think about that use of images Not a movement or attack but holding a truth� about the world as an image

Pondering Randidly approached the second crystal But before he touched it he closed his eyes and looked at his Path screen It wouldn�t matter much that he improved his Perception by a few more stat points but it surely couldn�t hurt

But immediately some of his focus was shaken Another 12 Levels in Talon Strike 3 in Mana Engraving 10 Levels in Engineering Savvy

Randidly had been busy in the past week Apart from speaking with Trentyon and looking at the destruction left by Aylwind he had been honing his new ash based Skills His Kata of Ashen Spear had received particular attention and he had a few Levels in each of those Skills

But his growth was being boosted in strange ways Why was he gaining these Skill Levels

It was a positive thing but Could Neveah have something to do with it He sent an inquiry her way and soon received confusion and denial She had nothing to do with it as far as she knew Strangely Randidly felt a sharp heat in his chest as he scrunched up his brows Sighing Randidly pressed his hand to his chest and smiled ruefully

The Ashen Image acting up again was a good reminder This might not be something he understood but it was benefiting him His attention should be directed toward more pressing problems

With the boost from the strange PP he received he had enough to finish the Fighting Proficiency III Path

Congratulations You have finished the Fighting Proficiency III Path Through constant trials and challenges you have persisted down the path of violence You have not engaged in slaughter and you were not hunted like an animal Yours was the noble pursuit of physical contest against your peers The violence you have found had refined your body to a new sort of perfection You sense in your body the possibilities to evolve beyond your current understanding The Path stretches onward into deep red mists To proceed is to challenge the unknown with your body Good Luck

Congratulations Your Stamina has increased by 500 All Physical Stats are increased by 10 Your Skill Fighting Proficiency has shifted to Fighting Experience (Un) All Skill Levels have a slightly larger effect in increasing your abilities while fighting Skill Levels retained

Tapping his lips Randidly looked at his Status screen

Health(/R per hour) 3522/4343 (+730) (2357 (+165

Mana(/R per hour) 4109/4696 (898 (+9

Stam(/R per min) 3211/4376 (+60) (714 (+45

Vit 500 (+15)

End 173 (+20)

Str 482 (+52)

Agi 554 (+24)

Perception 434 (+20)

Reaction 507 (+15)

Resistance 408 (+45)

Willpower 505 (+10)

Intelligence 545

Control 757

Focus 352 (+4)

Skills (Soul Skill) Seven Lands of the Spectral Tree Lvl 2493

Combat Spear Mastery Lvl 191 White Phantom�s Half Step (Un) Lvl 86 Heavy Blow Lvl 107 Iron Skin Lvl 47 Dodge Lvl 102 Fighting Experience (Un) Lvl 145 Block Lvl 75 Phantom Onslaught Lvl 42 Calculated Blow Lvl 97 Roundhouse Kick Lvl 74 Idiosyncratic Cut (Un) Lvl 110 Stalemate Breaker Lvl 41 Talon Strike Lvl 80 Counter Lvl 79

PoFE Class Skills Grasp of the World Seed Lvl 199 Spray Holy Sap (Un) Lvl 25 Sharpness Lvl 87 Call Grove Defenders � Lvl 34 Earthquake (Un) Lvl 47 Invigorating Call (Humanity)(Un) Lvl 14 Grasp of Lava � Lvl 95 Erode Image Lvl 10 Spriggit�s Tinkering � Lvl 84 Aether Understanding Lvl 56 Summon Lava Golem (Un) Lvl 46 Aether Infusion Lvl 45 Volatile Ash Lvl 29 Visualization � Lvl 90 Fruit of the Planting of Enmity Lvl 22 Absolute Timing Lvl 22

The 7 Kata of the Ashen Spear The Spear Advances Ash Trails Lvl 95 As the Sun Stills Lvl 69 When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance (Un) Lvl 46 All is Ash Lvl 74

Aether Skills Aether Detection Lvl 110 Aether Manipulation Lvl 105 Living Aether � Lvl 108 System Interference Lvl 25

Crafting Potion Making Lvl 73 Farming Lvl 34 Analyze Lvl 29 Refine Lvl 72 Extract Lvl 58 Mana Engraving Lvl 149

Yggdrasil the Tree of Upheaval Glittering Leaves of Yggdrasil Lvl 124 The Golden Roots of Yggdrasil Lvl 146 the Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil Lvl 143 the Yyrwood Flesh of Yggdrasil Lvl 155 the Deific Mien of Yggdrasil Lvl 141 the Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil Lvl 133 Crown of Yggdrasil Cataclysm and Gloom Lvl 79

Auxiliary Sneak Lvl 56 Acid Resistance Lvl 22 Poison Resistance Lvl 21 Pain Resistance Lvl 79 Fire Resistance Lvl 102 Sewing Lvl 11 Digging Lvl 5 Cooking Lvl 77 Clockwork Mastery Lvl 25 Aether Connection Lvl 15 Soul Bond Lvl 106 Chef�s Palette Lvl 33 Nether Resistance Lvl 20 Child of the Rain (Un) Lvl 45 Chosen of Ash Lvl 110 Engineering Savvy � Lvl 98

Chapter 703

In the middle of examining his Status screen Randidly looked sharply up Above him he could feel the Aether of the world moving with sudden purpose Immediately it formed into strange interlocking shapes causing Randidly to frown This was oddly familiar

But then he narrowed focus in the area of the concentrating Aether It flowed from the sky and formed a strange series of interlocking loops As he watched those loops began to fold on themselves becoming even more concentrated First once then twice then five times as the size of the loop shrunk and its energy shrunk Randidlywatched

Then he chuckled Below that burning firebrand of Aether another noticeable source stood

So this Randidly said softly in the Hall of Stances as he walked to the second altar Is a judgement

Randidly was careful to not touch with Mana but he listened through the senses of the plants in the surrounding area of the energy source Instantly he could feel the weight of Silo�s shoes against the ground as he stood alone in a clearing as the Judgement descending

The energy folded again and Randidly�s eyes grew immediately serious Even though his eyes were useless he turned and peered upward through the hewn stone of the hallway�s walls This much energy what Level of Heretic has he reached

Even from here the Aether seemed to burn in his Detect Aether Skill It was so bright and concentrated that it seemed to blind his senses which was an extremely strange thing Randidly didn�t have as high Perception for his first two Judgements but he had seen it when his Judgement had descended for the third time

Strangely that Judgement was one of the weakest he had encountered although that might due to the acceleration in his strength increases But it somehow felt something was missing from it But that was a dim candle compared to this wildfire Whatever was coming would be huge

Randidly paused as he walked down the ramp Briefly he entertained the idea of assisting Silo The guy was an oblivious and self centered dick but he meant well for all that the energy around him was powerfully negative and violent Recently Randidly hadn�t spent any time with the guy at all but he felt vaguely pleased with Silo because Silo had brought back so much of the Wight�s energy Because of that Randidly had been able to experiment and assist Skarch with her spear

Idly Randidly wondered how the experiment with Skarch turned out She hadn�t approached him so Randidly was forced to assume his adjustment to her spear had gone well

Then Randidly snapped back to the moment The loop folded one more time and the Aether seemed to form a singularity Quite away from Randidly�s goal of examining the mechanism of the Aether portal Randidly�s attention was caught up in the strange concentration of energy that built up into a paradigm shift of power

If I can make As the Sun Stills have some of that sudden and abrupt feeling

But then the moment passed and the Aether seemed to disperse Frowning Randidly channeled more of his focus into the nearby plants Silo remained still and after some concentration Randidly realized that a creature with wings was floating in front of Silo They seemed to be speaking

Shrugging Randidly let his focus drift away For all that he knew Silo the Judgement drew strength from others interfering With Randidly�s amount of Stats his assistance might be more harm than help Randidly wanted to protect those near him but this was Silo�s battle to fight Just like Randidly would have his own Judgement coming soon

On that thought Randidly arrived in front of the second altar But before he touched the brown crystal sitting there Randidly opened his Path screen

Heretic XXIX 0/ Nexus Traveler Cohort 5 0/50 Experimenter I 0/50 System Transgressor 0/1 Steps of the Godling II Path 0/200 Friend to Humanity 0/100 War Leader 0/200 Path of the Patron 0/500 Metallurgist 0/300 Advanced Mana Engraving 0/400 Aether Convergence II Perfect Soul Bond 0/1000 the Bell of Doom Tolls 0/600 Growth of Yggdrasil III 0/2000 Mana Ghoul 0/200 Fiery Sharpshooter 0/350 The Ashes of Ulaat Patron of Ash 0/1000

None of the Paths available to him now were new But what caught Randidly�s eye was something below that He bared his teeth at the text in front of him

Great Path Burning Dualmage (Ash) 0/1000

Then Randidly forced himself to relax He was aware of the far reaching effect of taking the Ashen Image into himself It was not going well now but he would balance his image somehow For all that his plants were consumed it was a small comfort that the ashes of those plants ended up an effective fertilizer But to see himself losing his dualmage status

Wryly Randidly shook his head It wasn�t something he planned on using for a while based on hints from the Patron of Ash What was the use it letting it bother him

But what it did do was firm Randidly�s resolve Although all of the options were tempting Randidly reached for the intimidatingly long Growth of Yggdrasil III Who knows how long it would take him to finish but Randidly wanted to commit to focusing on the plant side of his images He would not let them

Warning insufficient time has passed since the last Growth of Yggdrasil Path was experienced 298 days remaining until this Path is usable

There was a cooldown

Fuck me Randidly muttered Why was the Path available if he couldn�t use it Instead Randidly morosely turned his attention back to his other Path options or at least the ones that he thought would be the most helpful

Advanced Mana Engraving 0/400 Aether Convergence II Perfect Soul Bond 0/1000 the Bell of Doom Tolls 0/600 Mana Ghoul 0/200 Fiery Sharpshooter 0/350 The Ashes of Ulaat Patron of Ash 0/1000

None of Randidly�s options were particularly distinguishing Fiery Sharpshooter was the first to be rejected due to its fiery nature Ashes of Ulaat Randidly also decided against if only because his memory of the previous Ashes Path had been backloaded with value For all that Randidly was confident that he would win against Helen there was no reason to not take advantage of the small bonuses he could have

Aether Convergence was another long term usefulness Skill The same with Perfect Soul Bond Advanced Mana Engraving was tempting for Randidly especially with access to Skarch�s spear but Randidly didn�t forget about the looming threat of the Engraving Styles

Which left the Bell of Doom Tolls and Mana Ghoul The source of the first was somewhat of a mystery to Randidly but he knew the second was from the constant Mana deprivation he had subjected himself to during his month fighting on the front lines After a brief hesitation Randidly picked Mana Ghoul mostly because of the shorter PP requirement

He dumped his remaining PP into it and received 10 Mana for every 5 PP That was a nice surprise With a small smile Randidly touched the brown crystal on the second altar

Instantly Randidly was on a hill standing behind a tanned man with a broad back His hands were spread out across his spear near the ends He breathed in and lifted the spear Then he breathed out and lowered the spear

And when the spear fell the world seemed to fall with it

At first Randidly thought it was heaviness that made it so like his own Skill and the summoning of the Judgement earlier That there was such an image of weight that the world trembled at the hint of this easy movement

But it was not weight that set the small pebbles in the area to rattling The trembling ground of the hill did not feel the weight touching it it was something else that seemed to fill the air with helplessness The spear was slowly lowered and everything began to quake The ground beneath the man�s feet cracked

Blinking Randidly realized this was somewhat familiar Then he got it

This wasn�t weight rattling the world to pieces This was momentum

This was an avalanche

As Randidly leaned backward he unleashed a breath Flexing his fingers he wondered how these people grew to the point where they had such powerful images about things Just by thinking these things they made it so Where did that strength come from Was it stats in Willpower Should Randidly focus there

Or rather was it related to understanding Would studying the elements he wanted to imagine make them stronger Would a scientific understanding be helpful Or was this like some of the old novels Randidly had read where he required an epiphany that would suddenly bring a strange intimacy with these elements

Ruefully Randidly scratched at his head His short black hair was beginning to get longer again He would need to cut it soon

Images were just that images Some other things were helpful but it wasn�t about the truth or understanding it seemed to Randidly It was about capturing something and projecting it Or put another way

It was about telling a story to the world that was so convincing that it believed you

Randidly reached and put his hand on the crystal once more

Chapter 704

Over the next few hours Randidly descended through the Hall of Stances slowly and methodically He encountered images left by the predecessor to the Endless Heat Style in Hastam The young girl just thrust her spear forward and the area in front of her seemed to boil and warp as the heat escalated beyond the world�s ability to endure

There were also images related to plants which Randidly was particularly interested in But both left him rather disappointed The first was a spear strike during a duel where the strike was clearly blocked but it seemed to split and grow around the block without missing a beat The second was a spear where every time the spear blade would flash it seemed like a flower would bloom A sweet and beguiling scent would fill the air

Neither seemed to be in line with what Randidly needed so he let it pass Skill Levels in Visualization and Absolute Timing slowly accumulated but Randidly ignored them Instead he continued to slowly sample the images of the Hall

There were images for Wind there were images for Thunder there were images for a flurry of spear strikes that seemed as gentle and refreshing as a spring rain storm There was a series of three images all left by the same old man The first was sharpness The second was resilience The third was just a strange aura of destruction All held the powerful tang of metal

Images for a waterfall images for sand images of the Spear School where images were simply the spear

It seemed that images from all Schools were here although Spearman School images were the most prevalent Randidly was profoundly confused when he found the first Heart School images and he was immediately overwhelmed with a strange feeling of devotion as he touched the yellow crystal

For several seconds Randidly was confused by what had happened His heart was hammering in his ears Then he shook his head It was a good thing that Randidly came here to check out these images If he had been confronted with a surging emotion like this in a real battle there was no doubt that he would have suffered for it

The Death School was even more confusing There was just a strange yearning A lack of something An emptiness

Honestly it made Randidly shiver It was certainly piercing and invasive and Randidly felt a strange coldness on his skin for a half hour after he viewed a Death School image It certainly wouldn�t be the path that Randidly chose moving forward but there were parts of it that Randidly would borrow

Slowly and surely as Randidly moved through the images Randidly learned small things that occurred to him about his own images Slowly the Ashen Image the Yggdrasil Image and the Spear Phantom Image were all slowly refined

He began to take fifteen minute breaks between images During that time he would really dig down into the image that Randidly wanted to shift slightly With great deliberateness Randidly would paint himself a new mental image of that image taking care that it was extremely vibrant With Randidly�s every rising Control it was not difficult to make sure his images were poignant

Still Randidly sensed something was missing from each And Randidly was beginning to have an inkling what that thing was

Clicking his teeth in a strange sort of mental exhaustion Randidly touched a pale blue crystal This time for the first time Randidly was transported to what seemed like a physical body Rather than watching from behind Randidly was standing opposite an extremely thin and pale woman She was small too perhaps only a meter and a half tall

Her spear slid towards Randidly

The air shivered and cracked as it froze The pale blue blade of the spear seemed to fill the entirety of Randidly�s vision and its strange coldness prevented him from moving at all As it approached the numbness spread from solely being physical Even Randidly�s thoughts slowed

This was a cold spear Randidly thought numbly to himself

The spear grew closer and closer Time stretched longer and longer as the cold sank deeper and deeper into Randidly�s consciousness It gripped him in a way none of the other images had Being on the receiving end of the image filled him with a strange sort of wonder but it also filled him with such instinctual terror that it was difficult to bring his mind around to observe the attack too closely

The spear in front of Randidly�s face seemed to stand still Ice formed and covered his skin striking the blow that the glacially slow spear wouldn�t

A touch on Randidly�s shocked Randidly out of the trance and he spun around wildly A young woman stumbled backward hands raised

Sorry Just wanted to make sure you didn�t get stuck in there Because of the nature of the image they say people can just stand there experiencing it for almost an hour Are you uh okay

Randidly�s tension melted away upon seeing genuine concern in her gaze He nodded calmly and gestured to the pale blue crystal That certainly is wow Are there more images like that where you are on the receiving end

Ones that don�t give you a migraine from the cold huh She seemed sympathetic but shook her head No it seemed that the nature of the cold Image made it easy to unleash directly at someone without harming them seriously Others preferred not to take the risk Because of how it makes you feel it�s a rather unpopular crystal

She stalled off The silence stretched as Randidly looked at her Finally she frowned

Anyways I�m heading back up I just wanted to warn you stay away from that crystal It�s more trouble than it�s worth

The young woman walked away watching Randidly out of the corner of her eye Tapping his chin Randidly watched her go Only when he was around the corner did he relax all the way Even though he relaxed Randidly continued to wait for another ten minutes as he did his best to remember the coldness of the image

It had something of the heaviness that Randidly wanted for As the Sun Stills and also possessed a good about of bleak emptiness that Randidly wanted for his Spear Phantom Skills And for all that it was painful to experience Randidly reached out and touched it again

The slight woman raised her spear and thrust it forward The air quivered and froze

Drifting forward the spear seemed impossibly large Frost covered Randidly�s torso and hands His thoughts dimmed There was just the long seconds and the spear

The moment stretched It was so cold that Randidly�s mind went blank

When he came out of the image Randidly was trembling Although there hadn�t been any real temperature the image was so pervasive that it had convinced Randidly�s body that he was freezing Part of the issue was exposure it was able to do so because Randidly had been locked in the image for an indeterminate amount of time But there was also a kernel of deep power in that image

Randidly released a breath After experiencing so many images he had made a rather obvious realization

Images were generally simple And when that simple image was pressed to a peerless level of surety that was when the images became powerful Wind is sharp The momentum of an avalanche Heat of the desert The cold of ice The growth of plants

Everything focused on something very specific Randidly had to admit that his own images were a little more eclectic Not that he believed this was ultimately a bad thing Almost intuitively Randidly sensed that this overwhelming strength of image was a result of the calcified Aether of Tellus As it stiffened it could become incredibly resilient and intimidating in a single form

But that power came with a cost Whether Randidly could gain that power without paying a similar cost remained to be seen To get there however Randidly needed to focus his efforts in that way Because although Randidly was gaining Skill Levels his abilities in terms of spear use had seemed to plateau

It had become pretty obvious in his duels with Azriel over the past week that although he was more than competent Randidly wasn�t a match for the people here in terms of raw spear talent He had numerous theories for that The first was which was the Aether they used was particularly suited for it Another theory was that they had superior Skill Levels to Randidly which gave them an obvious edge

But as Randidly�s Skill Levels rose he realized that he may have missed something The distance between their abilities with a spear were narrowing but there always seemed to be something missing from his attacks In terms of piercing ability Azriel was a league of her own But even in everything else she else a strange edge It was like she had an instinct for the spear

Which Randidly eventually realized she truly did Whereas Randidly was going to class and reading only a short five years ago Azriel had held a spear for almost 20 years That led to increased Skill Levels sure but there was a more important difference here that Randidly was starting to detect

To the people of Tellus the image of a spear is incomparably capable They believed from their youngest moments that the spear was their only path to a better life

Setting aside the Aether that influences the issue if the concept of image was as nebulous believed it to me that meant that belief was an advantage that Randidly didn�t know how to cope with It meant that Randidly needed his own edge in terms of images so he had to really focus on refining his view of the world

One way that Randidly considered to strengthen his images was to add more imagery from his own childhood But very quickly it became obvious that this was not a short term solution Perhaps eventually he could discover a powerful tie in from his time growing up but in the immediate future it would only make his images complicated and messy It would move them away from the simplicity that Randidly felt from all these images in the Hall of Stances

Now he was aware that the images he had just been faced with were the cream of the crop It was unlikely that any other fighters in the tournament would have this level of image But Helen had a point if Randidly�s goal was beyond this competition he needed to demonstrate his superiority

So Randidly picked his second thought for how to strengthen his images and this one had the added benefit of working quickly By stressing his mental state he could likely get his subconscious to slowly strengthen its own images to cope with the pressure Humans were incredibly adaptive Especially when they had hundreds of System empowered stat points strengthening them

With a wide smile Randidly touched the pale blue crystal again

Chapter 705

Hey Hey kid Isn�t your fight today Shit Althor get over here This fool has been stuck in that ice image for god knows how long

The voices were extremely clear even as Randidly felt like he was hidden in a deep well Noise and sensation reached him slowly only after reverberating against the walls of the prison that Randidly had constructed for himself

Some distant part of Randidly�s mind was strangely pleased by the number thirty four for some reason but the part of Randidly that was most in control of his body was puzzled by this number Instead the controlling Randidly swam through the frozen morass of a swamp that was his mind to turn woodenly around and look at the two acolytes who were staring at him with a worried expression

Randidly�s head hurt but it was just a small twinge Everything was hollow and chilly Sensations at first appeared to be occurring to someone else before Randidly belatedly realized that he was the subject of these feelings Both of the acolytes looked at each other

Do you think he is alright

Didn�t you see him on your earlier patrol How could you let him like this From how pale he is he might have broken the record for being stuck in that image

This is why some people get so riled up about taking it down It�s a danger to the supplicants who come into the Hall of Stances

He�s not even wearing shoes

Do you think he lost them Well I have a spare pair he can use

Randidly wasn�t exactly unable to walk but his body took quite a while to obey the instructions of his mind There was a freezing expanse of body between his brain and his muscles As such most of Randidly�s movements were simply wiggles

Besides Randidly could really figure out why he would want to move He was torn On the one hand a part of him was very sure that what he was doing was helpful somehow But another part of him seemed to recall that he had something he needed to be doing

In the end the two acolytes carried Randidly bodily up through the curving hallways Every now and then they would spare glances for Randidly�s glassy eyes and wince At one point one acolyte spoke a short phrase to the other one and the two stopped With great care they sat Randidly down on a stool After rummaging in his interspatial ring the man produced two fur boots

He put the first boot on Randidly�s left foot and then began lifting Randidly�s other leg to place the other boot in its place To everyone�s surprise Randidly leaned down and grabbed the top of the boot on his foot His fist tightened

The boot acolyte frowned while the other acolyte wrung his hands What is he doing

He probably has brain damage He took the image too deep The hand wringing acolyte said Let�s just hope that we aren�t blamed for this

Randidly began to pull upwards

You mean you hope you won�t be blamed for this The boot acolyte said while he shook his head You were the one who missed him on

Ripp

After pulling for a few seconds the leather of the boot failed and Randidly forcibly ripped it off his foot He blinked slowly trying to understand what was going on Then he shrugged and dropped the ripped leather This was not a good thing he understood instinctually Randidly did not need it

What the fuck The boot acolyte said Those cost a full gold coin

Pah Althor when have you had a gold coin laying around Don�t tell me your mother took up whoring again The hand wringing acolyte said

The other sent him a withering glance I hope that wit is enough to support you when you are kicked out of the Hall of Stances Well come on Better just bring him up to the sun Maybe that will warm him up

So Randidly buoyed by the two acolytes was washed up out of the Hall of Stances to the open world It was still early but the sun was already warm on Randidly�s skin It certainly allowed him to relax somewhat but the cold had taken a pervasive hold of Randidly�s core Instead of making things better the warmth of the sun certainly intensified the pain from the headache as Randidly became more aware of it

And it set him to shivering

Let�s just leave him here Althor The one acolyte whined

This man is in the tournament We cannot just leave him We will need to wait with him and hope he recovers sufficiently in these two hours Althor said with a firm expression

The other acolyte winced what if he doesn�t recover by then

Althor�s only answer was a glare

Randidly abruptly smiled Thirty four was the number of Skill Levels And Skill Levels were good Surrounded by ice the thoughts came slow But some part of Randidly was immensely pleased and looking forward to what would happen when the insidious chill inside of his body was vanquished

Deep within his core several tall runes that had been hollowed out and turned into ash began to hum softly His mental furnace coughed and sputtered then turned on

Mr Darke rest assured that the Spearman School is completely behind the activities of the Engraving Guild Aylwind spared the annoying young man a sharp glance with enough vicious heat that Aylwind hoped the boy would get the hint Unfortunately these contingency plans can wait I have other matters to attend to

To Aylwind�s surprise Aiden Darke only flashed a smile Perhaps but are we not currently at war with the Wights Understanding how the chain of command would work when your Excellency was out of contact would do much to alleviate the fears in the Engraving Guild�s mind Perhaps if you could just

It was a short word but Aylwind�s bubbling anger combined with a Skill sent Aiden Darke stumbling backward His face paled but he certainly shut up

Immediately Aylwind felt somewhat guilty but he simply snorted I do not often speak twice Mr Darke Do not force me

The other man nodded meekly and Aylwind felt even worse All in all Aylwind�s temper was indeed once more rising to be a conflagration of rage and animosity Aylwind was well aware of this and he considered whether he should once more stop using Skills in order to let the strange emotions that drove him forward pass

But in the past he had to spend ten months in the strange suppression room for that to happen His Spearman School couldn�t afford to have him missing for that long Although there might be small lapses of temper in the interim they wouldn�t be any long term negative effects And once the war had passed Aylwind could freely rid himself of this strange darkness that crept up in his heart

Was this truly due to the Spearman himself The mark of his violence upon the world

Aylwind smothered that thought Best not to think like that Instead he turned to Aiden and extended an olive branch Well the relationship between the Spearman School and the Engraving Guilds can be considered significant so how about this consider yourself free to act while I am not here But know that I will return and if I find things not to my liking Well I do not easily give warnings twice Do not force my hand boy

Paling even further Aiden Darke nodded seriously Although he knew it wasn�t a completely honest reaction it was still somewhat pleasing to Aylwind But of course the fact that this kid was chosen as the representative in Hastam meant that he wasn�t a simple individual

Honestly Aylwind didn�t truly know much of what the Engraving Guilds did They charged exorbitant amounts of money for the smalling engraving task and hunted down anyone unassociated with the guilds So they had money and not much else Even if they had power Aylwind didn�t fear a rebellion from them They would need to rely on another Style to have the strength to contend with Aylwind but even then

Abruptly Aylwind looked up To the South a strange energy was moving

Another army Well it�s about time Aylwind said cracking his knuckles I suppose I should welcome them to the Spearman School

Chapter 706

Azriel sniffed and frowned Why did she smell smoke

After a bit of searching she located a bonfire on a nearby roof surrounded by several smaller fires The fires were being controlled by two harried looking acolytes and in the middle of them

Snorting Azriel leapt over and landed on the roof Randidly What are you doing

With a sniff Randidly pulled the dripping mucus up into his nose and glowered at Azriel Simultaneously he seemed to be shivering and sweating It was not a great look even with his distinctive aura His arms were wrapped around himself as if trying to control his body I am camping It is a cultural activity with a deep history amongst my people

It is a form of self torture You look dead Azriel countered

Randidly scrunched his face up even further which was very amusing Well it�s a short term problem I�ll have it handled soon

Randidly ruined the fierce and determined image he was going for by sniffing and rubbing his nose after speaking Chuckling Azriel opted to say nothing although she wanted to point out how much Randidly currently resembled a sick child His lips were slightly blue and his breathing was shallow His body clearly was not in its best condition

It made Azriel profoundly curious what sort of training he had engaged in For all of Randidly�s flaws unwillingness to work hard wasn�t one that she had ever witnessed Honestly Randidly was hard working to a fault It was something that she deeply admired about him No matter how trivial he always seemed to be sharpening some part of himself for the future

Traveling with Randidly had done much to improve Azriel�s own work ethic Perhaps due to her innate talent she had never pursued strength as doggedly as Randidly did She preferred to allow sufficient time for thoughtful meditation and reflection in her training Meanwhile Randidly brazenly charged forward

For all that Azriel would give up anything to prove her Master a true spear user she had never had a good handle on whether she was accomplishing that by gathering glory Randidly�s impressive display in the Regional Tournament had given her a much needed yard stick She still had so much more to do in order for her Master to be recognized

Would you like some support Azriel said lightly while trying not to smile

Bah leave it Randidly said Then he waved his hand at the nearby fires Immediately a cuttingly chilly wind blew The smaller fires were smothered with the large bonfire flickered and shrank

That�s a cute trick Azriel said mildly watching Randidly�s reaction

His eyes narrowed to slits and he bared his teeth For fuck�s sake I can�t get rid of this damn cold

After a few seconds of studying Randidly Azriel�s eyes widened It took some strange logical leaps but considering how boneheaded Randidly had been during their short image duels Did you spend a prolonged amount of time immersing yourself in the chill image in order to temper yourself That dangerous image that the acolytes warn newcomers away from

I really wish I could say no Randidly grumbled

Azriel laughed Randidly you aren�t a fucking block of iron You don�t just pound yourself into a shape You

Instantly a hush fell over the city as the sky seemed to darken Azriel�s words caught in her mouth A bright comet flew up from the highest tower in Hastam and began to shoot towards the South It only too a few seconds to occur but in that time there was a monstrous sort of heat that grew as the comet hung in the sky above them

Even Azriel felt a deep wariness in her heart as she looked up and witnessed that heat in the sky It was soul crushing It eroded self confidence and endurance It was a physical force in the world Heat that devoured all resistance

It seemed that Aylwind Sky was moving once more

Just as soon as it arrived the comet was gone Azriel looked back at Randidly Then she crinkled her nose You look satisfied

It was the first bit of warmth I�ve felt in a while Randidly said while rolling his neck in slow circles And for sure some of the pale skinned and hollow eyed look that he had had was lost But even from standing near him Azriel could feel a vague hint of cold wafting off of his body

She tried not to think too deeply about what Randidly had done to himself Not only was there an extremely dangerous change of permanently warping his images but he also risked being lost in another�s image There were a few times that her own master had provided Azriel with recordings of its piercing strikes But it had warned Azriel not to rely on them too heavily or use them for too long There were too many risks associated with submerging yourself in another image

And yet here Randidly was The fact that the image of frost and chill clung to him even now demonstrated that he had truly gone deep But he seemed to be recovering at a noticeable pace What sort of resilience did he have

Still it wouldn�t be done in time for his match today Will you use this as an excuse if you lose

Randidly gave her a wry smile I won�t lose

Azriel mimed being shocked I was so filled with dread earlier that I didn�t want to ask but have you truly mastered the ability to create cool breezes Such a talent will be so useful to store meat in the summer Undoubtedly you will be highly in demand

Ha Randidly laughed Then he shook his head Believe me it will be fine I may look like this but the worst of it should be gone Come on let�s go to the tournament

Although he looked somewhat stiff to Azriel�s eyes Randidly�s speed was quick as they left the Hall of Stance and went towards the grand Colosseum of Hastam There would only be two fights today and Randidly�s would be first He and Helen would be kicking off the entire tournament

While they walked Azriel watched Randidly out of the corner of her eye He forced them to stop briefly and Randidly bought a large bowl of steaming hot noodles that he downed as they walked towards the arena Truly he was improving at a visible rate His skin looked pink and healthy His eyes seemed to burn green even in the daytime

Suddenly Randidly noticed Azriel�s gaze and he glanced over at her with his lips pursed What is it

She�s strong you know Azriel said I�ve sparred with Helen a lot over the past week She truly means to defeat you You cannot expect an easy match

I wouldn�t want an easy match Randidly replied He let out a long breath and none of his breath was cold enough to mist up We have an understanding Helen knows she has to come with everything she has or I will crush her

You underestimate her While speaking Azriel shook her head

Randidly grinned at her Maybe you are underestimating me

I�ve made that mistake before I won�t again Azriel said firmly But Helen is different than you In your eyes you see the great troubles of the world Do not think I miss that your Skill has you wearing a crown It is an inauspicious shape for Tellus and yet you pay it no mind It makes your intentions incredibly clear But on the other hand Helen�s eyes are locked on you Your strengths and your flaws I do not mean to say that she is the more dangerous out of the two of you but

Azriel paused her gaze has been on you for so long The person who currently has the greatest chance of defeating Randidly Ghosthound is Helen

To her surprise this just seemed to amuse Randidly Isn�t that your game A move will only beat you once And to hit a second time I would need to evolve my plans and abilities mid fight If I can manage that why is this preparation something you take so seriously

What could Azriel say to that Randidly was correct in a very narrow way His abilities were strange and varied It wasn�t an over exaggeration to say that the danger of fighting Randidly was to be forced to deal with all of the different avenues of attacks that he could throw at you And because he had so many Skills he could take advantage of even the slightest weakness

But Azriel also knew that the reason why Randidly was occasionally able to overcome her expectations and strike at her was that she was always surprised when her projections turned out to be insufficient to cover Randidly There was a definite point of surprise

Meanwhile Azriel knew that Helen had been forcefully pressing that out of herself in the past three months

No it likely started far before that Perhaps for almost a year

Helen fought on the front lines where the slightest weakness meant death Time and time again she found herself in impossible situations where there was no hope Only by hitting that bottom point did Helen encounter her own iron rod spine that served her through tragedy and disaster time after time

Surprise would not stop her Impossible situations would not throw her She had unshakable confidence and an admirable amount of flexibility Her ferocity with the spear provided enough pressure that weaker spear users would falter before her Helen was a soldier who had never once skipped her training

Azriel might be a genius and Randidly might be a monster but Helen was the soldier She was a professional at facing down trouble

And it is true that the soldier could not match up to the genius in most walks of life the one place the soldier had an advantage was fulfilling her role killing monsters

But if Randidly didn�t believe Azriel could say nothing more to warn him He would need to find out for himself that what was truly scary about Helen were the things she had learned from watching Randidly

Chapter 707

The words of the elders introducing the under 25 tournament and explaining the various rules were just a dull ringing in Helen�s ears The whole while her eyes were locked onto Randidly who stood next to her at the front of the contestants It seemed that it mattered little to the master of ceremonies whether the two first opponents stood next to each other Perhaps such a concern was beneath their notice

And what Helen saw from Randidly did little to dispel her fury

This fucker He looks like an invalid Helen thought her brows scrunching up as she fought to comprehend what was going on in Randidly�s mind Why had he allowed himself to waste away like this This was a special day that they had planned for such a long time so why

Unbidden the nagging voice of Helen�s mother warned what such a powerful frown would due to her skin which of course only served to worsen her mood Yet her only distraction was to consider her opponent

Randidly was not an inconspicuous character but he was the type that was often overlooked in a mass of people He was tall enough to stand above most but not so tall that his body seemed to stick out in a crowd He kept his black hair shorn short most of the time although occasionally it grew into a longer tangle In terms of musculature Randidly certainly wouldn�t turn any heads on Tellus he was wiry rather than built for strength Or generally that was how he looked

Today he had deep bags under his eyes that made his face seem extremely long and gaunt His shoulders were slumped somewhat resulting in his long arms hanging low on his sides giving him a strangely animalistic appearance Above all Randidly Ghosthound looked tired It seemed like a stiff wind could blow him over The lure of a pillow would pull him across a road right in front of a cart

Were you out all last night whoring If your respect for me is truly so little as this Helen thought spitefully Her eyes flashed Leading up to now Helen had felt some hesitation to utilize her full strength against Randidly Some part of her worried that if she won it would result in the sort of wound that one could die from But now seeing him like this

What pissed her off even more was the possibility that this whole visage was a ruse to cause just this reaction in her And it was working

Helen�s vision was slowly turning red She would kill him for this For all he had put her through

And now without further ado let us begin with the under 25 finals Our first match is a duel of two hailing from the Northern Region Our first contestant is Helen who won herself a spot in the tournament due to exemplary accomplishments on the frontlines prior to the invasion In fact if not for her acts of heroism it is very possible that the war would have happened even more suddenly

Helen calmly walked out onto the arena leaving Randidly to stand behind and watch her Although it wasn�t truly meaningful it was quite kind of this man to embellish some of her accomplishments Her footsteps were loud in her own ears even as the meager waters who hailed from the Northern Region or who served on the frontlines cheered for her

On second thought who was she to say that she hadn�t accomplished exactly those things Truly she had been instrumental in several operations She might very well have delayed the Wight�s plans

And the second challenger is a man who needs no introduction Just the name of his master and grandmaster can be used synonymously with absolute strength Heir to the Spear Phantom Style we have Randidly Ghosthound

At least he has the decency to look calm Helen thought sourly She carefully eyed Randidly for any sort of reaction to the introduction but there was none not even shock crossed his face Which Helen knew would have been appropriate Likely Randidly wasn�t aware of how recognized Shal had become in the time he was gone

As Randidly continued to walk forward only to stop about 10 meters away from Helen in the arena most of her emotions drained away Because despite how drawn and exhausted he looked the hairs on the back of Helen�s neck rose when Randidly entered the arena Their gazes met

This Helen realized would not be easy

Do you insist on this foolish bet Randidly said softly

Helen grinned at him Are you 100% confident that you belong in the middle of those fights and not this one

To her surprise Randidly smiled wryly back Honestly I don�t even know where those fights are occurring But If I don�t try I�ll never leave this place

Is it truly so important to leave So be it So we fight Helen said Randidly didn�t answer he just closed his eyes and breathed out Weirdly Helen abruptly felt a chill go down her spine Was he truly so strong as to effortlessly trigger her instincts like this

Then Helen frowned This wasn�t her instincts It simply was cold There was a cold breeze She thought she heard an audience member from the front seats sneeze

Don�t psych yourself out Helen chided herself as he produced her spear Randidly did the same as well as allowing that strange grey black armor to climb across his body and settle across him It mostly covered his torso shoulders and arms but Helen didn�t miss the thin layer that settled on his upper thighs

Narrowing her eyes Helen speculated on the weak points of Randidly and where she should strike for the best effect Ultimately though she had to admit that he would be a tough nut to crack That was the rough of Randidly Ghosthound He wasn�t a defensive specialist or a spear specialist or even a speed specialist He just did it all so well that he could endure what you were good at and strike where you were weak

Let the match begin

Even as the referee/announcer signaled the start of the fight Randidly shivered This fucking cold It was with an extremely uncomfortable expression that he regarded Helen before him who instantly began spinning her spear Although it didn�t seem like much Randidly could sense that she was utilizing a Skill she had used previously to create strange currents of force in the air If he wasn�t careful it would easy to be bound by them

In spite of the seriousness of the occasion Randidly sneezed As if on cue Helen surged into motion her body blurring strangely as she cut towards him Even forcefully pumping energy into Chosen of Ash did little to dispel the deep cold that was afflicting him In truth it didn�t affect his movements or thoughts anymore He had checked his physical condition and it honestly seemed to have improved somewhat But it was a constant source of discomfort to feel as though warmth was impossible

The feel of it was not something he had experienced until now and it was taking away a little bit of his edge

Helen�s spear was quick and already Randidly felt the small tugs of those currents of air But Acri sprung out in an Idiosyncratic Cut aiming to meet Helen directly Of course as soon as Randidly moved she shifted

With a quick spin her slash turned into a feint and now she stepped beyond Randidly�s guard In a blindingly quick movement she lowered her spear and thrust toward his exposed side Hissing between chattering teeth Randidly leaned to the side The strike skittered off of Sulfur harmlessly Taking advantage of the moment Randidly smashed down toward Helen with Acri

To his surprise or perhaps not Helen didn�t retreat at all and simply planted her left foot In a single movement Helen shot past him and his strike Randidly instantly slowed the slash and turned to regard Helen Their eyes met

In her eyes was a challenge Was this really all he had

Randidly chuckled It�s not like Helen came out so hot in that exchange herself Strikes of that caliber he could endure all day

But she was right that this wasn�t enough strength to overcome the enemies that waited on the grander stage Time to up the ante

For good luck and to get rid of some of the tingling numbness in his legs Randidly stamped his foot Once more Helen came forward with admirable sharpness spear raised

Breath of the Spear Phantom might have been effective but it seemed like that wasn�t the point to Randidly That was relying on a single Skill to suppress Helen His goal was to prove to her and to himself that he had the qualifications to reach to the next tier of fighters He needed to prove he had the strength to alter the fate of a nation He was more than this

The Crown of Cataclysm and Gloom condensed above his head instantly sharpening Randidly�s vision The Wild Phantom�s Embrace began to hum as Randidly moved forward to meet Helen

As they approached Randidly felt the pulling currents of a wild river with incredible strength Wincing he ripped forcibly through the restraints This might be a problem eventually if she could stack them infinitely But her eyes twitched slightly as Randidly did so which was slightly gratifying

Instantly her body contorted as she swayed out of the way and struck at him once more from the side But toward this attack Randidly only grinned as the binding forces that he had ripped through caught up to him he followed their pull Like a phantom he slid backward away from Helen�s attack without moving a muscle Randidly wished he could see what it looked like

Her eyes narrowed in fury With an even higher level of acceleration Helen surged forward Randidly bent his knees and pressed forward to meet the attack The spear stab flicked past his face and clanged off one of Sulfur�s shoulder guards But all the while Randidly�s gaze didn�t waver With a short breath Randidly expelled as much of the cold in his heart that he could manage into the surrounding air

Helen paled somewhat but her spear slithered back into a defensive position faster than an adder Even so she was forced to take the force of the Inevitable Phantom Arrives directly

Clangg

Chapter 708

Randidly saw the confusion in Helen�s face as she experienced the wave of crippling cold he had dealt with for the past day Truly it wasn�t something easy to handle even though he could reproduce only a fraction For all that it was simply an image the feeling of it spreading across your body wasn�t comfortable at all Even now Randidly felt strangely stiff and out of himself

But still at the moment of attack Randidly felt very clearly how he could use the cold in the Inevitable Phantom Arrives Ever since the movement�s inception Randidly had always had a headache keeping the opponent still long enough for the hit to land It was deceptively fast but that only took it from slow seeming to average But if he added the crippling wave of cold

Something that signaled the arrival of the phantom

With an annoying amount of capability Helen twisted her spear and dispersed most of the force from Randidly�s attack Still it wasn�t as clean as Helen would like Her steps were extremely shaky and the hanging image of a river appeared above her head as she wove back and forth as the momentum forced her backward

But Randidly wouldn�t let her off so easy

Randidly heard the ground beneath him shudder ominously as he launched himself forward In an instant his spear was ripping into the last meter in front of Helen but again Randidly underestimated her ability to react

Although he could tell that her left hand was somewhat numb from the last collision Helen leaned back and allowed Randidly thrust to hum past her Still bent backward at the waist Helen spun her spear with only her right hand so that the point arced upward and then down toward Randidly�s neck

With a small grin Randidly used Phantom Half Step to move himself a small distance away while maintaining his momentum toward her Randidly planned on physically crashing into Helen relying on his superior physicality to get the advantage of the trade

But to his surprise Helen straightened almost as soon as she launched her attack Unless she had the ability to predict the future such sudden movements should have been impossible

Randidly�s grin stalled out She had predicted he would do this And she had taken a pretty significant gamble that she would be right If he had continued and she had straightened like this

Still with her left hand only as a stabilizer Helen thrust her spear toward Randidly Above her head the roaring image of a waterfall emerged Suddenly the spear that was sliding toward Randidly looked to contain quite a bit of force Thousands of gallons of liquid smashed into rocks throwing a light mist into the air The thunderous noise was like a physical blow against his chest at this proximity Enough to give him a bit of pause although ultimately his mouth firmed into a line

If she wanted to meet in a contest of power

But just as their spears were about to clash the image above Helen disappeared In fact all of Helen disappeared Instantly Randidly felt a powerful threat

When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance

Rather than staying to find out the threat Randidly teleported himself sideways leaving a burst of ash in his wake As soon as his feet touched the ground he spun and to face Helen But the attack he was expecting didn�t come Instead Helen simply hopped out of the ash and gave Randidly a sharp look

Abruptly Randidly felt a sting at his jaw When he lifted his hand to touch it he found a rather deep gas from the middle of the left side of his jaw to under his left ear Very quickly the blood was flowing freely dripping onto the ground

It was some small comfort that his blood sizzled on contact with the ground and began to eat through What was frustrating was that his body still was so damned chilly Even the brief spat with Helen did nothing to abate that cold Randidly rubbed the warm blood savoring the feel of it on his fingers

That strike was very close to being deadly Helen said

Shrugging Randidly cracked his neck After a few seconds the bleeding had stopped and Randidly felt a fleeting trace of warmth along his jaw as the wound healed Afterward it settled right back down to tundra feel however

Even though Randidly didn�t believe that Helen had held back on the blow he had learned something very important Helen was good at reading him Which in a way was more impressive than almost anything else Randidly had encountered Azriel perhaps in a similar manner had grown used to his attack patterns and used that as an advantage against him But this was pure prediction Prediction while Randidly had access to more Skills than even he remembered to use

He supposed one way to combat this was to use his lesser Skills but that seemed a lot like admitting failure The point was to overcome Helen Not to avoid her

As if emphasizing the thought Randidly�s Crown pulsed with power

Helen frowned up at the crown and then looked at Randidly You don�t believe me Fine I�ll prove it to you Don�t say I didn�t warn you

This time above Helen appeared a small spring water flowing up out of the ground And as Randidly watched the water slowly shifted First a little in thin tendrils and then all at once the spring was flooded by blood The water ran thick and crimson

Helen�s eyes turned red and she smiled savagely Her grin was that of a hyena�s lean practical and out for a pound of flesh Randidly�s mental coldness was now accompanied by a true feeling of coldness that crossed his heart Something had changed Helen had bared her fangs Contained here was the power that had given her confidence

Sensing the change in the mood the audience began to howl The referee who had already been watching closely leaned forward to follow the two fighter�s movements Randidly believed that the man generally had a duty to protect the contestants but it was clear he was more intrigued by the prospect of blood than anything else

This time Helen�s approach set Randidly�s hairs on end In addition those thin currents of air that were constantly harrying him had thickened with the introduction of blood They wound around and began to encircle him flowing in a strange pattern That combined with the fearsome speed that Helen used constituted a real threat to Randidly

Such was her speed that in the split second he recognized its true depths Randidly wondered whether he himself was faster than her But then instinct took over and the Wild Phantom�s Embrace carried him forward

Helen�s attacks were fast and brutal It seemed like a small thing at first but the attacks she threw now were sharp and just a few centimeters longer than previously Randidly twisted the side out of a slash but his chest was still slightly scratched His counter thrust met only air and Helen�s burning eyes were right in front of him as she smashed the butt of her spear into his chest

With a grunt Randidly endured it and activated Grasp of the World Seed Instantly two thick vines exploded out of the ground Their tips sharpened and they ripped up toward Helen�s exposed back The river above Helen curved and she was away slashing and severing the vines with ease

Randidly�s eyebrows twitched After dispatching his two vines Helen once more leapt toward him and ripped at his neck with her spear Using her force the Wild Phantom�s Embrace carried him to the side and into the path of another attack

Randidly grinned the challenge of it finally getting to him She had used the force of the attacks to guide where he was moving to and attacked there huh

The blood empowered currents of air settled like a jailor�s chains around Randidly A fiery eyed Helen advanced with breathtaking speed Her spear cut downward aiming for his hands on Acri Eyes flashing Randidly twisted and raised his spear to meet her Just as they were about to clash Randidly felt her twist away to strike at another spot but he largely ignored that

Instead Randidly used Incendiary Eruption three times in a triangle around where they were standing Time to test her resolve

The ground blew upwards spewing bubbling metals and superheated gases The area of effect was small but Helen was surrounded She was bombarded on two sides by a wave of heat and stone debris

But although she stumbled it was only briefly The next moment her spear was blurring toward Randidly�s face He frowned Strangely through the chill and stiffness that suffused him he felt that the currents of air that were holding him were tightening There was some serious juice in the infusion of blood into Helen�s images

Even though the air was stronger it wasn�t strong enough Randidly shrugged and activated Yyrwood Body of Yggdrasil Instantly his Strength and Agility surged upward With the Crown of Cataclysm and Gloom activated Randidly moved perfectly to counter Helen�s spear

For the second time of the fight their spears actually crossed

Hiss

Instead of the concussive force that Randidly had been expecting there was only a soft hissing as Helen�s spear skidded across his own Even front this distance she managed to twist out of the way

Incendiary Eruption Randidly said again watching Helen carefully The ground underneath her shuddered and began to split

Her attack slid along his spear toward his chest and her body followed it as the full force of the Incendiary Eruption smashed into Helen�s back But again she didn�t react with anything but a tightening of her clenched teeth There was pain there but

Helen�s attack smashed into Randidly�s chest in a small explosion of flame He tried to lean back but the currents of air binding him had toughened once again It wasn�t necessarily heat that Randidly felt but his heart was pounding under the influence of adrenaline His curious numbness seemed to be lifted if only marginally

Immediately Randidly�s expression brightened Thank god he had thought for a bit that he wouldn�t feel warmth again

But before Randidly�s joy could manifest itself Helen sidestepped and stabbed at him again With her own force Randidly spun to the side But then the restricting air flows descended once again around him and Helen slashed left and right Randidly raised his spear and blocked both The force was dangerous but not to his guard But the pressure from the air currents

It was rising The whole stage part of the arena was covered in strange flows It was beginning to look somewhat similar to a whirlpool

Even though Helen�s strike was quick Randidly noticed that her feet were slightly slow to follow through with the attack It seemed that although she had somehow neutralized most of the damage from the Skill it wasn�t completely useless

Incendiary Eruption Incendiary Eruption Incendiary Eruption

The Skills smashed upwards continuing to harry Helen as she pursued Randidly Her dodges were sharp and skillful but she continued to force herself forward and keep the flows of air binding Randidly While maintaining the pursuit avoiding the damage was impossible

Gritting her teeth Helen slashed with her spear again and again To his surprise the speed and sharpness increased with every attack At the same time Randidly�s brow furrowed over worry for Helen taking damage from the Skills Could she continue this

Her spear blurred toward Randidly�s chest cutting sideways out of a different vector of attack Randidly raised his spear to block but then there was a hyper sharp trace of Helen�s quickening spear Randidly blinked Helen�s spear swept upward hitting at the right angle and with enough force to knock away Acri and leave a slash across his chest It was shallow but still

Acri floated in the air for a second as Helen prepared for follow up attacks But then it twisted and like a lightning viper struck downward Eyes blazing Randidly reached out and filled the air with as much of the cold image as he could manage hoping that Acri wouldn�t finish that blow

Chapter 709

Acri no

Through the sea of vicious heat that numbed Helen to the state of her body Randidly�s voice cut to her very core It helped a lot that her danger sense started screaming at her in the same moment and she stilled as a wave of wintery air hit her in the face

With a forlorn hiss something landed across her shoulders and spun around her neck She felt the sharp edge of a blade

Randidly�s spear was soft And living

Randidly had a few cuts across his chest and face He looked at Helen with a solemn gaze Let�s assume nothing happened there Acri is a part of my power but it does not serve as proof that I need to move on from this tournament

Helen�s hands clenched into fists but she stayed very still The strange living spear around her neck tightened She had known that Randidly�s spear was special and could curl up on his arm at will but she hadn�t known it was an independent entity If anything it would only become more dangerous if it was away from Randidly especially in instances like this

So did her plan of separating Randidly from his spear amount to nothing

Her legs were trembling Although she had increased her Spell Resistance and Pain Resistance through exposure to the Wight�s Psychic Venom that was ultimately a different variety of spell Despite her extensive preparations just for enduring through Randidly�s spells she was already on the brink of her pain tolerance If not for her Sea of Blood fueling her Skills Helen didn�t doubt that she would have already given in

Fine Helen hissed She couldn�t deny that there was almost no chance that she could beat Randidly but she didn�t want to give up Not now Not yet He was so close to her she couldn�t bear to let this chance go now His face was so wan and solemn This wasn�t what she wanted If this amount of blood wasn�t enough she would pump more into herself until she drowned him Maybe finally then he would understand it

Nodding slowly Randidly gestured at his spear With a whisper it slithered off Helen and onto the ground But to her surprise it went toward the side of the arena

Where is it going Helen asked not liking where her instinct for Randidly was taking her

Shrugging Randidly said You did get rid of my spear It�s only fair that we continue as if it was a normal spear and it is lost to me

Helen�s temple throbbed This dumb fucker Is that so

The crowd had been cheering for most of the fight although that noise faded into the background for the most part But now that they were standing and speaking the cheers slowly died There seemed to be some confusion among the audience Even the judge looked hesitant watching them

Fine then Helen hissed and she opened the Sea of Blood as wide as it could go Warmth and righteous violence filled her veins Like a sparrow alighting she moved Her only goal was to force some sort of reaction out of Randidly

Even as Helen exploded into motion Randidly felt cold

That he supposed was the point of his training To experience the cold and use it as a way to refine himself To that end he had engaged in repeated exposure to the cold After which he had been afflicted from this constant deep coldness leading to Randidly feeling lethargic and numb But most of those effects were at the beginning Since then he had slowly found some ways to flood the air with that cold image affecting Helen

It was a small thing but it proved that Randidly wasn�t just emptying his body of the cold After all his core was still just as frozen over What he was doing was utilizing some portion of the image on his own Now Randidly didn�t have any doubts about his own capabilities He might very well be the most powerful human at the moment but that was due to a great deal of luck and hard work He hadn�t reached this point by possessing the sort of genius that could experience and image and copy it

Why then was he still producing such a deep bone chilling cold

Helen�s bindings smashed into Randidly with a force that surprised him It seemed that over the course of the fight these sort of air currents grew stronger and stronger But as he had previously he exhaled and projected cold As the flows around him turned sluggish Randidly was able to wiggle out and step out of the way of Helen�s hacking attack

Her eyes were sharp as she twisted to follow him But perhaps due to the damage the partial hits with Incendiary Eruption had inflicted on her legs there was a brief pause before she dashed toward him

However if she was somewhat encumbered the image of a blood red river erupted above her to accelerate her speed The wild savagery and sharpness that surrounded her like a halo expanded even further in a spiraling whirlpool

Her spear cut sideways toward Randidly�s shoulder and he stepped forward into the blow to meet it Quick as a spark she ducked to the side and cut down toward his thigh Randidly raised his leg to knock the blow to the side and Helen was suddenly dancing backward After a brief pause she exploded into motion again reaching even higher speeds

Randidly grimaced as he raised his forearm to knock away a stab Even with the Crown activated at full capacity Randidly continued to get covered by thin and violent scratches It wasn�t so much that he couldn�t keep up with her moves but that he hadn�t quite conceptualized the extra reach the addition of blood to her images gave her

If this is all you have I�ll be claiming your head Helen hissed her eyes almost manically bright

With a sigh Randidly took two steps backward He hadn�t relied on his movement Skills much but that was mostly because he recognized early on that positioning wouldn�t be the key against Helen She was much too flexible and resourceful in her Skills Her image let her move basically freely from most positions as far as Randidly could tell What he needed was to restrict her movement

With a few points of Mana the ground exploded in a wave of vines and roots Instantly Helen launched herself into a spear whirlwind cutting left and right Roots multiplied and split but Helen was just as quick slashing them as they formed Like an unstoppable force she cut her way toward Randidly ripping apart the tide of plant life

Randidly grinned This was a mistake

Utilizing his high Control he brought more and more plants from different directions to attack at Helen�s back In that first two seconds Randidly was surprised at her ability to cope She was a literal walking lawn mower making short work of all of the stabbing and binding plant life that surrounded her What perhaps surprised Randidly most of all was how she was able to manage this with a spear It just wasn�t the sort of weapon that was best used in slashing attack and yet she was making it look like a machete in the tall grass

But she couldn�t overcome stats By the fifth second of being assaulted by the plants her momentum had stalled out The roots lashed and slashed until Helen strumbled her wounded legs finally giving out As she went down the roots rushed to smother her and Randidly felt vaguely disappointed in his heart

For a while something was building within him with the cold imagery but with this

More than that though Randidly had been very circumspect in the ways he had been fighting In the corner of his mind he had known that this was a method that would likely win the power of his Grasp of the World Seed was just too powerful It could overwhelm anything a single person with a spear could do But perhaps what he had been looking for both in the cool image and in the fight against Helen he had been looking for an answer to the question of inner balance

He had not found it

Sighing Randidly turned away from the sea of plant life crushing Helen to the ground and turned to the Referee to concede

Not yet

There was a dull roar and Randidly turned back around The air around Helen was filled with visible red currents of blood Her eyes were almost completely red and the surging of her Skill caused her hair to flutter behind her body Her chest was heaving as she glared at Randidly Rather than Skill she was using just a flood of energy to blast away the nearby plants

Randidly lifted his head his eyes flashing The Crown of Cataclysm and Gloom pulsed once more with power

Then come Randidly said pouring more Mana into the surrounding plants The swelled to twice their original size and were now as thick around as a human thigh waving back and forth threateningly Growling Helen rushed forward exploding outward with a wave of energy

Randidly grinned He could feel her pulling deeply from the Aether connection she had to him She must be developing a Skill at this very moment or was fueling a new Skill Either way he welcomed the challenge In his heart all he felt was the cold Any sort of thrill would be desirable As of yet Randidly hadn�t been able to prove to himself he should be beyond this Hopefully this would be the chance he needed

In a way he felt like he had all the pieces he just needed to bring them together But that was easier said than done Stats Skill Level and image all needed to combine to form something greater than the sum of their parts For that he needed a challenger

Helen howled in fury as she encountered the increased resistance from the plants IS THIS ALL YOU CAN MANAGE HIDING BEHIND YOUR PLANTS WHY WON�T YOU FACE ME

Randidly said nothing but his heart trembled slightly There was something about her voice somehow Randidly sensed that the conversation topic had shifted beyond the match and the concession And as such his grim pleasure slowly faded away leaving him with just the dull ache of his scratches and bruises And of course the cold

Just be honest Helen said between deep gasps of air But her spear was barely visible It was a blurred force that ripped back and forth clearing wide swaths of plants It was impressive even as Randidly felt a sinking feeling in his chest

The audience seemed to sense the same thing too and their cheers slowly drained away as if someone had pulled a plug underneath the arena With the silence and the coldness Randidly�s enthusiasm for striking with the plants abated Soon there was a clear path between them

Helen�s footsteps were loud as she walked toward Randidly

Confirmation means something Helen said as she lowered her spear at Randidly A promise means something

Helplessly Randidly looked at Helen Then he sighed Something clicked in his head For Helen this wasn�t about the tournament really It was about fighting against the eventuality that Randidly would need to leave again That his strength meant that he would be needed for greater things

That they would never have another night to share a moment of passion That their dinner date could never mean anything

To that question Randidly was rather helpless They were from different Cohorts Randidly wasn�t even sure what exactly that meant but he knew that it was something that created an inherent distance between them Was it something they could overcome With Randidly�s Skills there was little doubt they could find a way But was that a path Randidly wanted to pursue

He didn�t know

Or maybe he did but he remembered how they had fit together in that violent moment where he had needed to find peace Maybe that memory of heat had meant that he had been unwilling to admit to himself that she was not a priority in his life even as he given lip service to the fact that she would be more than a friend

But passion had cooled And what remained was

Randidly froze his eyes widening What remained was ash Just ash that had existed for a long time And grew increasingly cold

His eyes glowed emerald and a chill breeze crossed the arena

Chapter 710

Pain That was what Helen knew at that moment Part of it was the burns on her legs and back from Randidly�s eruptions Part of it was the feeling of her heart beating too hard for too long exhausting her body Part of it was the scalding image of blood that she felt completely submerged in The heat was worse than Randidly�s Skills in a way

But it was the way that her heart fell silently to pieces when Randidly closed his eyes to her words that truly set her aflame Like cracks in an iced over pond this moment was long coming The fracture lines had been clear for a while But the ice had been holding strong She had held out hope that at some point he would lower his eyes from the distant horizon and find her own gaze

With his silence Helen had received all the answer she needed For better or worse Randidly would never cease chasing the elusive concept of destiny His passion was to struggle against the System itself

Compared to that Helen was

Around the arena the plants continued to sprout forth and attack her but it wasn�t as thorough an attack as previously Her words had given Randidly pause Not that this was a good thing Even as she cut through the lashing roots she sensed that something was gathering in Randidly There was a barely audible ringing coming through the energy connection that Randidly had given her He was preparing something

The previously sluggish currents flowing through the air sped up as Helen forced energy into her exhausted body The roaring in her ears grew louder Her heartbeat intensified even further Her vision filled with steady drops of blood each tiny sphere slowly spreading to dye the entire world in front of her crimson

Fuck this Fuck him Even if I can�t change the world Randidly I sure as hell won�t let you leave me behind like this

With her face twisted in a snarl Helen ripped the channel of energy between them open even more widely Power poured into her body and her will grasped it with steely fingers

There were only 5 meters between them Randidly stood with his eyes closed a cold breeze surrounding him But Helen was burning up submerged completely in blood now Around the arena the currents swirled haphazardly She had largely lost control of them but at the same time she had managed to condense them even more solidly than she had ever before

Her spear tip burned in Helen�s vision The flecks of Randidly�s blood on it set her mind to ringing She was hungry She wanted more Her own blood felt like lava in her veins The energy she was receiving from Randidly was setting it aflame

Congratulations You have created the Skill Domain Tides of Blood � Lvl 1

Domain Tides of Blood Surround yourself in a deep sea of blood Within the sea your Agility and Reaction are greatly increased Efficacy of all Skills is increased This effect increases with Skill Level Opponents will find themselves restricted by the fickle tides of blood around them Opponents within the Domain will experience an increasing amount of mental strain the longer they remain within the Tides of Blood

There was a silent reverberation through the arena as the thing currents abruptly condensed to thick flows of blood The crowd gasped as their view of the fight became obscured as the Domain snapped into place Helen noticed the referee�s frown but he did nothing to stop the fight Domains were uncommon at this Level but not unheard of

Helen�s hands on her spear tightened Her fingers felt less like human appendages and more like claws Her eyes were locked onto Randidly�s peaceful form She would rip him to pieces to prove her worth She would maim him She would

Congratulations Due to your powerful will your soul has evolved You have gained the Soulskill Hunger of the Hellfin Reaper Within the Tides of Blood Domain the power and growth of your Soulskill is doubled

This time the reverberation was completely internal She felt her grin stretch wider showing more teeth Her vicious anger was replaced by a hungry predatory instinct

Randidly�s eyes calmly opened and their gazes met With a shriek Helen sprinted forward toward him

As Randidly opened his eyes he felt the Aether in his chest gathering He was almost there He just needed to find the shape of what he wanted But as he looked at Helen he frowned slightly Helen had shifted somehow And strangely Randidly felt underwater with the air tinted with the metallic tang of blood

This was a domain

Helen�s spear ripped toward Randidly forcing him to spin sideways to avoid It seemed that her predictive abilities rose once again because she instantly stepped toward him the middle of her previous attack cutting off his line of retreat

Randidly used When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance to move behind Helen but he released a blast of cold as he did so The frozen puff of ash was just enough to avoid the thickened currents of energy that flowed around the arena Grimacing Randidly landed and lowered his center of gravity It was annoying how restrictive this Skill was becoming But this was the sort of pressure he needed to shape this Skill

Freeze Randidly hissed spreading his hands toward Helen She largely ignored the concentrated image of cold heading toward her back and twisted around Her spear thrust was almost a thing of beauty with powerful image condensing as it approached Randidly He could feel it then more clearly than he had ever before The spear that Helen thrust toward him was not just a shaft of wood with a metal tip but it was something more than that

It was burned and stained with blood but unbroken As Randidly watched the spear approach It shifted right before his eyes until it became a jagged tooth of some deep sea monster with grey skin The spear to Helen was not a tool It was a way of life It was a part of her It was her hope and dreams experiencing the vicissitudes of life

That tooth hit Randidly�s wave of desolate cold and ripped right through it The difference in depth of the images couldn�t be compared Randidly had done a little to refine the cold into his image of ash but it was still mostly an imitation Narrowing his eyes Randidly met the sea monster tooth with a Talon Strike

Randidly felt his arm shatter from the collision and was filled with a deep shock Then he bitterly smiled Helen�s follow up was lightning fast and in it Randidly could sense that her image had shifted somewhat No longer was she the river but she was a carnivorous Queen that dwelled at the bottom of the sea of blood flowing along the bottom of the river to ambush the unwary The sleek movements of the sea beast made her speed even more impressive

Randidly allowed his left hand to fall uselessly to his side It would take a bit to heal through that wound

Instead he slowly exhaled Aether burned icy hot in his chest So powerful that even the image of chill that had suffused him was forced to give way for the power of Aether

Ash was a remnant Much of the Ashen Image Randidly had inherited was the process of creating ash through terrible consumption but ash was ultimately a remnant After the heat passed the ash could remain for an eternity a tragic sort of memorial for what had been destroyed

In the face of Helen�s imminent attack Randidly only grinned All is Ash

Randidly still had about half of his Mana pool remaining so when the blow struck him his body disintegrated to nothing This was the first time in a quite a while that he had used the Skill like this and also the first time he had done so since it had evolved As such Randidly felt a profound sense of control over himself as well as a deep connection to the world Time seemed to slow as Randidly savored the feeling of the sameness of it all

The heat and chill of the world faded away and Randidly could feel the deep sense of loneliness and nostalgia that suffused the air There was a deep sense in the ash around him that this was so much less than had what been present before before the great fires of genesis consumed the one true source and left this world And in those emotions of deep longing Randidly found the home for the frigid chill he had been seeking

Still every second in this form depleted his Mana at a horrendous wait So as Helen spun around in confusion searching for Randidly he condensed out of ash right in front of her

With great care Randidly spread his hands The hot flows of blood in the air smashed down toward him to completely restrain him Like a carp flicking her tail Helen shifted instantly into overwhelming motion She pounced toward him spear raised

Randidly�s eyelids slowly lowered The deep cold that suffused him trembled The crown above his head burned with a strange heat All the great things in existence would slowly be consumed And what was left

Frigid Ash Extinguishing Storm

Congratulations You have developed the 5th Kata of the Ashen Spear Frigid Ash Extinguishing Storm Lvl 1

Frigid Ash Extinguishing Storm Tap into the deep pervasive laws of Entropy that afflict the world and create a storm of frigid ash that radiates out from yourself These ash particles will devour all forms of energy that they encounter around you Size of the particles and storm increases with Skill Level Mana is constantly drained during use Mana cost decreases with Skill Level

Chapter 711

Randidly�s eyes snapped open as the Skill kicked in Almost like a fresh flurry of snow tiny motes of ash exploded outward from his body in a three meter space around him The thick currents of blood howled in and carried the ash some distance away but very quickly the flows turned turbid Those tiny motes of ash each carried with them an insatiable hunger and very quickly devoured the energy and substance of the currents of blood

Helen�s eyes narrowed as she approached but she didn�t slow Like the flashing fin of a shark her spear lashed out toward Randidly With blazing emerald eyes Randidly simply chuckled More ashes were conjured into existence as he laughed All the while the temperature around him plummeted along with his Mana

It wasn�t that Helen�s spear slowed but discomfort became apparent on her face as she entered into the zone of the extinguishing storm Gritting her teeth she seemed to shove herself forward unwilling to give up Flows of blood from all over the arena twisted and redirected themselves to blast at the whirlpool of frigid ash in an attempt to drive it away

Under the concentrated fire of the blood flows Randidly felt his Skill faltering But even so he didn�t move He simply watched Helen approach Her spear slashed sideways scoring a deep gash across Sulfur It only took her a moment to set her feet and strike three more times this time scoring two hits where she drew blood

This seemed to invigorate her and with this renewed energy she flourished her spear But Randidly flexed his left hand with a grim pleasure The few seconds that Helen had wasted attacking his body was enough for his arms to recover It might have been a dangerous gamble to allow Helen a strike but even with her new image Helen wasn�t one to throw haymakers She would tear her prey to pieces She might even toy with her quarry

And now Randidly once more had access to both hands

While channeling Frigid Ash Extinguishing Storm Randidly allowed the force of Helen�s attacks to blow him gently backward He raised his fingers and cracked them in deliberate challenge

Helen�s mouth twitched The flows of blood spiraled downwards around Randidly but the waves of turned the current sluggish Rather than binding Randidly they seemed to get in each other�s way Instantly her expression turned sullen

How long can you keep this up Helen asked

Randidly grinned Then he rushed toward Helen Already his Mana had run dry and the ash around him was thinning Like All is Ash the cost was entirely too prohibitive for Randidly�s liking But even after the Skill itself was no longer useful Randidly realized that he could mimic the effect with the image In took concentration but it still could restrict her movements Ash continued to billow out from him deeply afflicted with the spirit of cold

Even if the effect was much reduced it would give him the space that he needed to act

Showing her teeth Helen thrust her spear out four times to Randidly With light steps he wove he was forward without being touched

To counter Helen twisted around and slammed the butt of her spear toward Randidly But he chuckled and raised his hand in a casual Talon Strike But as his hand was about to land on the spear shaft the weapon blurred The spear tip spun sideways toward Randidly�s temple

Randidly simply turned his head but his eyes were emerald lanterns

All of the image of force and mass that Randidly could muster concentrated in his forehead Then he bent it folding that weight over on itself Again and then Again On the fourth folding the sensation of weight that Randidly had founded the Skill on bowed under the stress of being mentally bent like that Imagining the vision as the Aether portal for the Judgement opened Randidly pressed harder with his will

The sense of weight snapped into a huge abyss of nothingness concentrated at his forehead When that encountered the spear the weapon shattered

Helen�s eyes widened as Randidly took the blow directly and then hissed in deep indignation as his body was only left with a small cut while her spear was left a useless pole of wood But she was nothing if not adaptable If Randidly could fight without a spear so could she

But when she rushed forward Randidly blurred sideways and smashed her side with a Talon Strike In terms of unarmed combat he was superior Actually he was likely superior with a spear as well But her spear image made up that distance and then a small bit more Without that image aiding her

It was a shark with all of its teeth removed Even in water it was simply a big body

Coughing Helen crashed to the ground With red rimmed eyes she looked up at Randidly The swirling ash continued to radiate out from him containing that poisonous cold Their previous close proximity had covered her with a thin dusting of ash and Randidly could see it affecting her The places where the ash touched her skin were soon angry sores as his Volatile Ash Skill took effect even though this was only an image

Helen sprawled on the ground looking up at Randidly He regarded her calmly Her eyes were filled with unwillingness But Randidly knew he had won this He had two concrete breakthroughs The first was his new Kata of the Ashen Spear but the second was perhaps even more important He realized that it was entirely possible to simulate Skills entirely depending on your Willpower with images That was powerful

Do you think I�ll let it end like this between us Helen spat out Displaying a dogged determination that left Randidly impressed she heaved herself up to her feet Her legs were trembling and already a deep bruise in the shape of Randidly�s hand was on her side But she stood

Thing�s aren�t ending between us Randidly said softly Our bond isn�t just a one way street I feel your images too But in terms of what that night meant

Helen�s shoulders slumped Her chin fell to her chest Around the arena the blood flows slowly thinned Randidly could no longer see her face Do you mean that

Yes You hold one of my blessings The Crown over Randidly�s head grew increasingly clear A vassal In time I will call on you to repay what I have given you But we are no longer

He didn�t finish the thought He didn�t have to Helen nodded still keeping her long hair across her face After releasing a sigh Randidly turned to the referee

I concede Helen is the winner of this match

Congratulations Ophelia said to Shal as they sat in the high box above the arena They had kept it largely secret but they had returned to Hastam earlier that day just in time to witness the first match of the under 25 Tournament Although he conceded at the end he clearly was the superior fighter His capabilities are far beyond that normal run of geniuses But I suspect that because of the time of chaos this will be a cohort of unbelievably powerful individuals

Shal nodded looking down at his disciples back as he walked out of the arena Then his eyes went to the girl who remained standing on the stage while the audience gave half hearted cheers obviously confused by the outcome Did you notice Toward the end

Yes Your disciple has become qualified to be a Pontiff Ophelia said sparing Shal a glance Without calling on the System he relied on the power of the world to create a Skill I was wondering whether you noticed

Shal gave Ophelia a hard look

But she responded only with laughter I�m not playing games It was a subtle thing I don�t believe the girl he was facing realized otherwise she would have had a much easier time in the end

Shal only grunted He didn�t agree with Ophelia�s judgment at all and he only had the knowledge to dismiss her because his Perception Skill happened to be very sensitive to temperature It wasn�t that Randidly wasn�t good at creating a Skill through an image it was that his original Skill was unrefined and weak He had just learned it

But of course Ophelia had no dealings with Randidly She wouldn�t understand what sort of monster he was

Shal turned away from the window of their booth and Ophelia arched an eyebrow at him What are you not going to speak with your disciple Comfort him on his loss

No Shal said shortly My guidance can wait a few days Give him time to digest this experience Instead let�s meet with Aylwind I think it�s time you told me what was going on in Tellus

Ophelia�s smile was wicked

My condolences Azriel said curtseying in front of Randidly

The corner of his mouth quirked up You are aware of Helen and I�s bet Why are you here comforting me She will likely need it

Azriel chuckled The only person you understand less than Helen is yourself Randidly Come Rest your head on my shoulder

Randidly frowned at her Azriel offered a wide smile I am much shorter than you yes You don�t think you need this yes But please humor me

For several seconds Randidly just looked at Azriel But this wasn�t one of her jokes were her mirth would bubble up in her expression After standing for a good ten seconds Randidly had to admit that she was serious So he grunted and leaned forward setting his forehead against her shoulder

His first thought was how bony Azriel was He could feel the bone of her shoulder and also the clean arc of her collarbone Azriel reached up and softly touched the back of his head

Strangely Randidly felt the Crown of Cataclysm and Gloom hanging over him at that moment It felt like a weight pulling his forehead into Azriel�s shoulder It pulsed Randidly felt cold His fingers were numb from using his new Skill

There is no excuse for waiting so long to clear up the misunderstanding about your feelings but there is no shame in having a hard time delivering the truth Azriel said softly They stood in the dim participant hallway outside of the arena The underground passage was completely deserted except for them

It�s hard isn�t it Azriel continued To think you have found a peer a partner only to be forced to let them know you are moving on That you can�t stay with them �

Still Randidly remained silent

Azriel sighed It isn�t much but I hope you take these few moments to rest This isn�t the end you know I don�t know where the source of energy you have given access to me comes from but I know what it means You walk the narrow path toward supremacy Too few are those that can recognize that let alone follow you

Randidly�s hands clenched into fists She was right although he wouldn�t say anything He couldn�t move He simply let himself slump over against her The deep cold was sitting in his chest still It had receded a lot after he had been able to understood how it fit into his image of ash but it still remained It likely would never leave

It�s lonely isn�t it Azriel said quietly

Again Randidly didn�t reply The two simply stood in the hallway waiting for the weight of the moment to pass

Chapter 712

Cailm the Unbeaten first of his name Emperor of the Earth Golems was broken on his very doorstep Lucretia reported calmly His armies were scattered all five of his Hierarchs were captured and beheaded by the allied forces Many claim that such a daring and blazing offensive would be completely impossible without the Bounty Mechanical so called supermechs�

Alta�s smile was lazy Although most of her body was covered in the sudsy bathwater Lucretia knew she tracing the scars on her hands where she had burned and mangled herself working with the essence of the World Tree over the past ten years Even once Alta knew what had to be done even with Lucretia�s expertise even with a budget that wouldn�t have been possible without Lucretia�s clandestine nighttime activities it had taken eight long years to produce proof that Alta�s idea was feasible

During that time Cailm the Unbeaten had grown stronger and stronger The wars in the lower lands became increasingly heated as the Weavers became increasingly involved in the Monster and Earth Golem conflict

Around the point that Alta had created her prototype the Monsters the Weavers and the remnants of the Soulless had realized that their individual forces were being systematically eliminated So they allied

And still they were losing The forces turned on each other in a bloody melee as the Spriggits and their allies pushed downward through the Lands

The rising voices in the Spriggit Ministry that clamored to allow the sale of mechs finally managed to eradicate the last of the resistance Free trade with their highest value arms was possible At Lucretia�s suggestion Alta submitted a bid for a hyper cheap variation of her prototype that contained very basic strength speed and weapons attachments

But it included the Bounty Mechanical battery