LoRG 1

Sparing the Ghosthound a glance Donny checked his reaction He wasn’t agreeing but he wasn’t disagreeing either Instead the other man just continued to frown The Ghosthound was the one with a better view of this issue Donny knew so he wished he would speak up Ptolemy was only basing his understanding on second hand information he could glean through a combination of a physical and some basic diagnostic related Skills Some confirmation would be nice

Some people Ptolemy continued slowly his expression sad Cannot handle seeing themselves I suspect that Stan is one of these people Based upon what I’ve heard he’s a very distant and stoic individual Although he won the Tactics competition that seemed to have been through a complete lack of fear of losing and several bold strategies that worked out for him If what you’ve said about Soul Skills is true Randidly perhaps what you showed him especially the shadow in that cage was something his psyche didn’t want to accept

I hadn’t thought of that The Ghosthound admitted rubbing his chin as he looked at Stan’s crumpled form Some of the sweat from when Stan was writhing and screaming earlier still remained on the man’s body giving his hair a matted sullen look Donny felt a headache coming on The more he learned the less likely it was that this man would actually be useful as a tactical leader in a real battle

Better to find out now like this than in the middle of a campaign Donny supposed

Then let’s let him rest The Ghosthound finally said his voice tired The two other men nodded

That sleep powder will last for a few more hours Ptolemy offered Would you want to remove the Soul Skill before that time’s up

The Ghosthound just shook his head but the frustration in his posture was clear

Donny wanted to reach out and pat the man’s shoulder tell him that they didn’t need him to be perfect just to give it his best that they knew how difficult this was that he was not truly a myth but a man in front of them with flaws who made mistakes

But Donny’s hands wouldn’t move Instead he simply watched the Ghosthound walk away carrying the weight of this man’s previous torment on his shoulders

Chapter 388

Randidly didn’t receive further news until 8 AM the next morning Stan had continued to sleep long after the Sleeping Powder wore off simply lying there After briefly examining him Randidly realized that something was changing about the Soul Skill even while Stan’s consciousness was dormant The creature in the cage was producing increasing amounts of mist that billowed outward

Soon the entirety of the cage would be masked by the mist’s presence Which was one type of solution but it was one that Randidly found incredibly frustrating It was hard for him to understand why something that was clearly so true would fill Stan with such fear What sort of monster was he hiding burying deep in his chest

The other part that was frustrating was that Randidly knew that what the Soul Skill was unconsciously doing was covering up a portion of Stan’s potential although which portion he wasn’t clear on The mist obscuring the cage would call for a weaker effect although it would probably slowly shift towards Stan growing to understand that portion of himself as his Soul Skill grew

Or at least that’s what Randidly had expected It was so hard to fully comprehend what they were learning everyday and tough to know which portions were speculation and which portions were proven evidence Lucretia and Neveah had both been very quiet in the wake of Stan’s bad reaction although both seemed to tacitly agree with his assessment

But the fact that they had to wait so long to have that agreement

With the rest of the night and morning however Randidly had not been idle He had been furiously training his other Skills specifically his spells refining them with images and new utilizations in order to get more PP and improve further After all he still had a bit of leftover PP from his previous improvements and now with a few extra Skill Levels in a few spells Randidly thought that it was time he considered the question of what Path to use next more directly Honestly anything was better than dwelling on what happened to Stan

He had gained 3 Skill Levels in Spearing Roots 2 in Root Control 5 in Incinerating Bolt and Circle of Flame 4 in Hammer of the Dawn 7 in Burning Footsteps 2 in Ashes to Ashes and the most impressive growth of his spells was in Touch from Beyond which grew by 8 Levels

The performance of Touch from Beyond was also swiftly becoming the most impressive as the extra destructive power that it added was unmatched in speed and ease of cast The only problem was the slight amount of recoil damage that his body sustained after use but with his high level of regeneration techniques he could overcome that given a short amount of time

In addition Randidly had passively gained a lot in his work with Aether Aether Manipulation had increased by 7 Skill Levels while Aether Detection the Indomitable Spirit of Yggdrasil and the Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil had increased by 4 The big winner over here was Living Aether which had jumped up 12 Skill Levels mostly due to the moment when Randidly released a small amount of the Aether that was sealed up in his body letting it flood the portion of their Zone surrounding Donnyton

Even now the Aether inside of himself seemed much more alive and jubilant seemingly happy to flow within him off through his connections to distant individuals strengthening them It showed a certain amount of sentience that was disturbing It was also confusing because one of Randidly’s earliest theories about where Neveah came from was that she was basically the consciousness of the Aether Crossroads But that became increasingly unlikely as the Aether itself flowing from it came alive It couldn’t both have a central sentience and be that every shred of energy was alive could it

When combined with the PP that he had saved up previously it was over 100 Which meant whatever path that he chose would take a significant hit from using this Intrigued in spite of himself Randidly considered the Paths open to him

Randidly was initially confused about the fact that Heretic had reached 15 yet no Judgement had descended It was good in a way because right now was an extremely inopportune time for a Judgement to descend but it also meant that something was building If it followed the pattern set up by the System’s treatment of the Journeyman/Adept Paths this later Judgement would be perhaps even more powerful

Everytime a Judgement descended Randidly believed that his power had increased by such leaps and bounds that there was no way that the opponent could still be his match and everytime more and more Skills were revealed by that strange Yeti thing suppressing Randidly’s ability to resist If not for the fact that it seemed like its abilities were designed for the actual Heretics and were relatively useless on Randidly he would have been crushed in their previous engagement

Honestly Randidly hadn’t even overcome that Judgement He had simply locked it into the prison and run away And to Randidly’s surprise it hadn’t come bursting out of the prison following him If it was being strengthened even now

A problem that he would have to face when he returned to Shal’s world If he returned to Shal’s world Randidly sighed One problem at a time Besides that wasn’t really a Path option that he was considering anyways

Nexus Traveler Cohort Experimenter I and the Steps of the Godling II Path were other Paths that although they seemed useful they were permanently moved to the back of the Path queue Which was unfortunate because they were ones that he had had for quite a while It just always seemed like there was a more pressing and useful Path And as time went on the difference between the useful paths and those that weren’t was growing larger

System Transgressor was an obvious no which left Randidly with Path of Control the Phantom’s Embrace Fighting Proficiency III Basic Soul Bond the First Legend the Road to Mastery and Seed of Yggdrasil

Path of Control was a strong contender especially because when Randidly got access to it he also got a +1 Control per Level bonus There was possibly another boost like that available at the end of this Path which would make leveling that much more desirable The 200 cost was annoying but it would likely further raise his Control Stat which was one of the main reasons that he had been able to utilize such a strange fighting style thus far His implicit control over his body allowed him to shift cleanly between magic and spear to the point where even Azriel Blanche the most talented monster Randidly had ever encountered was slowed somewhat by his antics

But at this level there really weren’t any bad answers to what Path he should choose next just better ones Phantom’s Embrace was still the Skill he relied on most often in close quarters battles Randidly just hadn’t been forced into many of those of late Fighting Proficiency was similar It would give him the sharp boost in fighting power that Phantom’s Embrace would but it would provide an increase in efficacy probably that was more general It also probably contained a Skill

And now that his Skills had been consolidated that was a much more valuable option

Basic Soul Bond was the cheapest and it also would likely provide benefits to his connection to Neveah which was one of the pillars he relied upon for this whole creation of the Class thing improving that was not a benefit to sneeze at

The First Legend was a reward Path and Randidly believed that the Road to Mastery was the final in the long line of Main Paths offered by the System It would provide bonuses for leveling which was something that Randidly wanted in the future but it was harder to tell whether either would be as initially worthwhile especially as he attempted to create the Class In that regards although both of these might be better long term Randidly leaned towards the Path of Control and Basic Soul Bond

The final option was the Seed of Yggdrasil Path which Randidly thought was extremely strange It was obviously a response to his consolidation of his Skills and the Yggdrasil theme that emerged It was slightly annoying to him that he had created all these high ranking themed Skills and a Skill set hadn’t emerged One possible explanation supported by the presence of this Path was that an additional Skill was required to bring them together

Perhaps this Seed of Yggdrasil Path was exactly the Path to do that Creating a Skill set was something that Randidly wanted very much to do even though he already had one After all progress on the other Skill set had stalled ever since the second Skill in it had shattered And that was another problem that needed to wait until there was more time to deal with it It was not something that he could take care of with his attention divided

The reward Paths would have to wait Randidly decided The combat Paths too at least on Earth Randidly was reasonably confident in his ability to defeat most opponents Which left Basic Soul Bond the Path of Control and the Seed of Yggdrasil

Grumbling to himself Randidly put his PP into the Basic Soul Bond It was the least exciting of his options he supposed but that also meant that the benefit was more guaranteed which is what he really should focus on right now

After putting 10 PP into the Path a notification popped up that raised Randidly’s eyebrows

Due to increased Synchronicity benefits have been obtained from your bonded partner All Skills relating to Aether have increased

Just Just like that There was a strange sensation of tightness and then it was gone and as Randidly looked at himself he noticed the Aether Detection Aether Manipulation Living Aether and even System Interference had gone up by a Level This was unexpected

Would it really happen every 10 levels That would end up being quite a lot of free PP Randidly supposed it made sense since that was the main benefit that he obtained from Neveah The body she had that was so powerful and even now still growing was one that she had received from him That strength wasn’t what was flowing through their Soul Bond It was just this this powerful ability

And at the rate it was growing Randidly allowed himself a small smile He supposed he shouldn’t be so negative about this after all

Chapter 389

After finishing off the Path the completion notice popped up

Congratulations You have completed the Basic Soul Bond Path There are many methods of growth but your Path has intersected with another The entity known as Neveah has become a part of you and as your strength supports her it is only with her help that you may proceed forward It starts simply but never forget that like her strength has become yours so has her weakness But do not tarry for your Path leads ever onward and without each other only doom lies ahead

Affinity with Neveah increased She will have increased access to your thoughts and emotions Communication between you two has become easier Now if you attempt to utilize a Skill with insufficient Mana or Stamina you will take Mana or Stamina from the other to fuel the Skill rather than have it fail In addition blows that reduce your Health below 0 will instead take Health from the other

Randidly shook his head Sure he was glad he took the Path for the free PP and Skill Levels he received in very relevant Skills but the other rewards were somewhat lackluster Perhaps it would result in increased coordination between them when making the Class but that wasn’t a very concrete bonus

The real reward Randidly supposed was the connection of their Attribute pools However the only Attribute that Randidly ever had any real trouble with was Mana and Neveah’s Mana pools were pitiful Her new body just wasn’t one that often utilized Mana in grand ways Mostly it was used as a method of moving around by that earth surfing technique that she used

Stamina Randidly had no problems with and generally he didn’t have his Health reduced but he supposed it was possible that he would get into a fight where being able to call upon Neveah’s Raid Boss levels of Health would be extremely useful

There was some additional PP remaining but Randidly set that aside again It wasn’t enough to finish anything and he was relatively unimpressed by what he had received this time Better to give it some time to properly develop so he could obtain a powerful reward from one of these Paths

Instead now his attention had to turned to some of the more pressing issues with the Raid Dungeon dive There were only 12 days remaining until the end of the time and then there would be no Aether remaining in the Zone or an extremely depleted amount of ambient Aether His release would likely stave that off somewhat but it was better not to trust that And if push came to shove he could do it again but

It felt dangerous Like once a door was opened like that inside of himself releasing the Aether to the world Randidly could lose himself in the sensation of being a conduit for all of that energy rushing out into the world Even now it made him shiver The vibrations were too strong They would destroy his soul space and leave him nothing Although perhaps it was possible that the strengthening that a Class would give his soul space would make it more feasible to do so in the future

Clicking his tongue in annoyance Randidly stood and left his small cabin heading into Donnyton proper It was time to talk to Mrs Hamilton and Donny It was time to gather their party for the dungeon

And while they were traveling to join him it would finally be time to create a Class

Lucifer sat in a dark room the windows covered the lights out There with only the dull and muted line of light coming in from under the door he polished his sword

The new weapon was a long thing a two handed sword that was not necessarily pretty in a reflective way But in the darkness of the room it perfectly melded into the shadows around it fading to become a natural grey almost immediately blending into the backdrop like a chameleon

That was the great conceit of this sword Lucifer reflected That the dull color could hide its size and efficiency That one small detail could make up for a dozen or so conflicting ones

There was a knock on the door Lucifer didn’t bother to answer He had been in the room for almost 3 weeks now just waiting polishing his sword in the darkness Franksburg had enough Classers now that unless there was something serious they didn’t need to send for him And besides he was waiting for something else entirely

Again Lucifer applied the oil to the sword and then rubbed the worn rag up and down across the blade Several ruined rags lay scattered around him on the ground After three weeks of constant activity the fabric on these things naturally would break down Especially when someone with the physical strength of Lucifer was polishing the weapon

He had already resigned himself to the fact that he would need to rip off portions of his shirt after this to continue polishing

The knocking was repeated and Lucifer slowly looked up his expression souring But then the person beyond the door spoke

We’ve heard from Donnyton They are asking for assistance with the Raid Dungeon It seems like the Ghosthound will be leading the party

Lucifer smiled in the darkness

Coppernicus clicked his teeth together as he shifted his chess piece positioning it to take Drake’s rook Drake frowned

I’m not sure why I ever agree to play this game with you Drake said shaking his head They were sitting in the dining room of the small castle that they had made their headquarters idly letting the time pass Around them the Village was in a constant state of preparation Ever since they had sided with the Skeleton Knight and lost Sydney had pushed them hard towards militarizing the entire population

It had gone surprisingly well all things considered The people of East End were a bitter stubborn people as half of the population had come over from the failed Village while the Hero was still alive and polarizing the people around him

Still the backlash they expected did not come Most everyone was too concerned with monsters or their business or even surviving to hold a grudge for what happened with the Champions which was seemingly now on hold while this Raid Dungeon issue was resolved

Coppernicus suspected things weren’t that simple but now wasn’t the time to dig It was hard for him to believe that the people of Star Crossing who were attacked more directly than the other Villages wouldn’t have a strong response to their exposure to danger Just the presence of a live Dungeon spewing monsters between them had done a lot to stem their willingness to seek revenge

That and their fearless leader Sydney

Because we are waiting Sharpening yourself is preferable to simply wasting away in the meantime Coppernicus said stroking the bones of his chin Recently he had unlocked a Skill that allowed him to absorb other bones and he was in the midst of considering how much to do that Coppernicus suspected that if he followed that path very quickly he would no longer even appear to be human With interaction already difficult that might have him labeled as a monster and hunted which would be inconvenient

Of course that wouldn’t happen as long as Sydney was around but

What I don’t get Vandal said sitting up from his beanbag chair he had insisted on bringing down here Is why we are waiting What are we waiting for

Drake’s frown let Coppernicus know that the guard captain had been thinking similar thoughts although likely for different reasons Vandal simply was a teenager who was used to getting his way Meanwhile Drake had noticed the differences in Sydney’s behavior of late and was worried by the implications

Coppernicus was more in Drake’s camp than Vandal’s but he had to admit that he would have preferred to be more active during this time Instead they simply prepared But really that was the most productive thing to do

The door to Sydney’s office swung open and the owner walked out All three individuals turned to look at her startled Even Coppernicus couldn’t deny that this caught him by surprise After all it had been quite some time since he had seen Sydney leave her office It was a power ploy an extremely effective one She was a person who remained in her inner sanctum not because she was afraid of the outside but rather because there was no need to leave Everything she needed would come to her

Where Sydney hissed in frustration glaring at them all the fuck is he

Then without any explanation she turned around walked back into her office and slammed the door

Ah damn Drake said standing up Then he sighed and sat back down I forgot to mention another letter came from the Refuge Not through Rose this time it looks like Dauntless wrote it himself She probably would

Break your back for bringing it up Vandal said quietly and Coppernicus was inclined to agree but he said nothing and listened to the other man speak

appreciate knowing that even that bastard can admit he’s wrong Drake finished

A good point Coppernicus thought turning away from them both and looking out the stone windows to the lush valley below them But Sydney wouldn’t have appreciated it The man known as Dauntless was brittle and broken and she would never forget that

At the time it had happened Coppernicus had been rather shocked how well she had taken it But as time went on it was clear that Ace was not the man that was held in highest esteem in Sydney’s heart No there was another

And now that boy made her wait And they all had to pay the price

Play again Coppernicus asked Drake moving his bishop to place him in checkmate The other man only sighed

Chapter 390

Randidly pondered the sheets in front of him In terms of amount of time he had spent very little going over the dossiers that Mrs Hamilton had provided to him as he chose the people who would join him on his trek through the Raid Dungeon More so he had admired her fearsome ability to list out an individual’s strengths and weaknesses and other notable facts about them

Well Randidly said slowly I think of the top tier I’d prefer Alana to come along In addition she can have an extra spot to give away to anyone that she thinks best Clarissa as well Her brand of magic and the variety she has access to is invaluable Ptolemy might be her second but his healing Skills are definitely worth bringing

Mrs Hamilton made a dismissive gesture The magicians don’t really need a leader They will be able to make it without much guidance Including you and Lucifer who is on his way that puts the number at 6 There are 4 more spots This is a Zone wide thing you know We should consider the political ramifications if we don’t invite a representative from the Northern Villages

Randidly rubbed his forehead Don’t I have you guys so I can avoid this The real problem is they don’t really have anyone who can keep up with us both in Level and equipment

Speaking of

Both Randidly and Mrs Hamilton turned to the new voice Sam stood there hands behind his back the leather apron he wore displaying the clear signs of recent burns Randidly grinned at him

Have something for me Although Randidly hadn’t explicitly stated it he had hinted that he was looking for a total upgrade in terms of equipment Training spears could be made of roots but if he could have a spear that would give him additional benefits

Something like that Sam said with a nod Then he glanced at Mrs Hamilton and then back at Randidly I have to agree with Mrs Hamilton however As fucked as it is we can’t just do what we want

With an exaggerated motion Randidly sighed But then he nodded

Speaking of Mrs Hamilton glanced at Sam Randidly felt a flash of annoyance If they already had an idea of what was going to happen why were they bothering to consult him

You baby otherwise Neveah said in a matter of fact tone causing Randidly to snort Well perhaps that was true He would much rather be included in the discussions than feel like they were controlling what was going on with this Dungeon especially because the stakes were so high and neither of them would be on the expedition

But that line of thoughts made Randidly wonder how strong both of them were Although it hadn’t been confirmed he suspected that both of them had obtained Classes and good ones based upon the jumps in Aether that they were consuming Although neither appeared to leave Donnyton one of the buildings bought by the Village gave quests and missions and generally very specific ones In this way they could slowly accumulate experience and level in a way that didn’t expose them to danger

They also both had training areas and theoretically they could be practicing there or sparring Or they should be at least Everyone should have some basic level of strength

More issues for another time

Speaking of Sam picked up the line of conversation A delegation is coming down from the North Should be arriving now Do you want to be there to meet them or just

Let’s see the equipment first Randidly said Sam nodded

Dinesh wondered why his Class hadn’t ended up being Babysitter

Its fucked isn’t it Tykes said grinding his teeth as he looked at the swarm of people preparing the best packs for the group of 10 that would head North to the Raid Dungeon People like us are just as strong as any of the top people here But do you think they would ever pick someone like us

As Dinesh watched Health Stamina and Mana potions get placed into the bags he wondered if Tykes wanted to make this a weird racial thing In Dinesh’s mind it was eminently clear why neither of them had been chosen for the expedition or wouldn’t be because the final lists hadn’t been released yet

Dinesh wouldn’t be chosen because he was good as a mage and a fighter but where he really was great at battlefield management and tactics Only good enough for 5th place at the Tactics Assessment but more than enough to impress everyone around him

Hell with the combination of his Assessment finish earning top 10 finishes in everything but the Combat Assessment and his association with Paolo and Kayle had earned Dinesh a relatively unlooked for respect from most people Which is why the upper tiered people at Donnyton like Dozer and Alana had been greeting him politely And Tykes had adopted him as a friend

Mostly Dinesh suspected because he was a very quiet guy and would let Tykes talk and was one of the only other brown people in Donnyton Which didn’t seem like a big deal until Tykes’ anger made it clear that it was something worth paying attention to

Which led to the reason that Tykes wouldn’t be chosen he was a hotheaded angry teenager

Ah fuck man I know it’s not like that but it’s just so frustrating Tykes balled his hands into fists I want to do something help the town Killing monsters is important I get that but there are bigger enemies out there aren’t there We should

Both Dinesh and Tykes looked up at the same time their expressions becoming serious

So this is Donnyton There was something about that voice a heaviness that hung in the air over the area making the air turn just a hair colder Standing in the middle of the teleportation formation were three individuals

The first was a tall athletic looking man that had a biker helmet over his head To his side there was a slim pretty young woman with a clipboard and a bored looking man that could only be a guard But it was abundantly clear from the helmeted man’s stance that he meant to start a fight

Instantly Dinesh could sense Tyke’s anger finding an outlet as the younger man started walking to the newly arrived group Hastily Dinesh followed after him

Oh what’s this The helmeted man ignoring the annoyed gesturing of one of the workers walked over to one of the packs and removed a small vial of powder shaking it and holding it up to the sun

Sir The worker said exasperated but the helmeted guy shrugged and put the vial into his pocket

It’s shiny and I like it It’s mine now Do you have a problem with that

On the worker’s face there were several emotions First annoyance then confusion then a flash of fear Which was right about the point that Tykes’ huge iron ball thrown from afar careened towards the man’s unguarded back

Snorting the muscular guard stepped forward and pressed out a hand Instantly the ball stopped dead its momentum spent and fell to the ground Tykes hissed

Kinetic controller Little bitch That one’s yours Dinesh That thieving asshole is mine

Dinesh who had been chasing Tykes had unwittingly walked past his companion as the man stopped to throw his large iron ball Now Dinesh was standing only a few meters away from the muscular guard whose gaze shifted from Tykes to Dinesh and was sizing him up

As he opened his mouth to speak he saw the man disappear and his instincts from long training sessions kicked in instantly the hand he kept pointing behind him released an Arcane Orb There was a sound of impact and a large grunt and Dinesh spun away blindly avoiding the reaching hand of the man

That was close It was luck more than anything else that meant he had avoided the grab Otherwise when he looked at the man’s large and calloused hands Dinesh shivered

He has some sort of spell holster The woman said frowning down at her clipboard He has 5 more spells stored there right now and can use them instantly The way it’s set up prevents me from seeing into it Also a danger sense that is tied to a perception Skill hard to tell the specifics Dauntless that one

No worries The helmeted man waved his hand stalking towards Tykes who was baring his teeth at the visor I’d prefer to do this raw More fun

Instantly Dinesh’s nervousness increased That girl had instantly intuited his Skill somehow and could even discern how many charges he had left Meanwhile the other man was clearly the leader and wanted to take on Tykes in a frontal confrontation alone Fights weren’t common in Donnyton these days but they also weren’t unheard of mostly between Captains of rival Squads So people had gathered and a few jogged away to inform their superiors but no one was really worried

A few were even starting to cheer A few characters had appeared and were riling up tensions

Ohohoh So our boy Dinesh has challenged this muscle bound monster to a personal duel My how he has grown His boldness gives me the shivers Paolo said rubbing his chin

Kayle sighed It’s somewhat bittersweet I suppose this is what a mama bird feels like when the baby has left the nest

The giant bone wurm Neveah whom the previous two individuals were riding shook her head sorrowfully No enemies left We watch

The tragedy of the tardy Kayle opined The other two nodded sagely

Dinesh wanted to cry but the man stepped forward and then disappeared

Chapter 391

This wasn’t speed Dinesh realized as the man disappeared he was clearly using a Skill One that got him close but not close enough to instantly overtake Dinesh There was a moment when the other man had to reorient himself where Dinesh could act

A hand closed on his arm Both of Dinesh’s hands flexed

Arcane Orbs shot in both directions as Dinesh was unsure of where the opponent was located as his senses scrambled to catch up There was a grunt to his left and Dinesh cast Frost Nova a bloom of cold spreading out around him With more instinct than finesse he brought up his other hand to deflect the palm thrust at him by his opponent the stabbed his hand towards the other’s neck

His hand hit but immediately the momentum of it died and not the slightest depression in the other’s skin could be seen Although there was some frost condensed on his face and torso he was otherwise unharmed and his grip pulled Dinesh closer Meanwhile Dinesh could feel a strange weakness from the other’s grip

Some sort of draining touch Skill Along with a controlled gap closer Well fuck

Thunder Palm Dinesh whispered casting one the old fashioned way and using one of his free uses for the other one so both hands crackled with energy Both slammed into the opponent’s body or Dinesh tried to but that ability to dissipate kinetic energy appeared again Luckily the electricity from both discharged snaking across the opponent’s body making him stagger

In that opening Dinesh pulled away opening some space his eyes glowing Most of his nervousness fell away as the adrenaline of a fight flooded his veins This was not an opponent that Dinesh could beat alone that was immediately clear In terms of Health and Stamina the other would outpace him Dinesh focused his Spells on utility which helped his team but wouldn’t win a direct confrontation for all that he had managed to inflict damage on the other So for now

As the guard reset his stance and began to walk slowly towards Dinesh Dinesh’s eyes were scanning the battlefield around him The helmented man Dauntless and Tykes had already clashed several times Tykes coming out the winner of each but not enough to make the trades worth it

And while Tykes wielded the large iron ball savagely Dauntless only used his hands and was able to dodge around and land some small jabs in the opening between attacks If this continued Tykes would probably be worn down too

I was mistaken The young woman said looking at her clipboard It isn’t a holster it’s just a cache of free spells Uncommon Rating only There must be some sort of limit

The man in front of Dinesh disappeared and Dinesh rolled forward reaching with Mage Hand Tykes charged at Dauntless Behind Dinesh’s head he could feel the grasping fingers swing by barely missing him and his Mage Hand landed on the woman’s clipboard

With a tug he ripped the papers free and threw them in the air pulling them towards the man obscuring his vision giving Dinesh a brief respite Then with Mage Hand still Dinesh reached up and grabbed the front ankle of Dauntless who was preparing to meet Tyke’s charge Then burning the rest of his Mana Dinesh pulled

Instantly he felt his opponent moving through the papers heading for him so Dinesh cursed and rolled out of the way His move against Dauntless worked and the man trembled and fell to the side Very quickly he recovered his stance but that split second of loss of balance had cost him He was leaning to the side and had no way of straightening and resetting himself before the metal ball arrived

As if by magic Dinesh felt the burning weight of Dauntless’ gaze even through the visor for several fractions of a second that seemed to stretch out filling the air But then the moment passed and instead of straightening Dauntless leaned further to the side until he was being in an arc twisting out of the way of the ball which sailed harmlessly by

Tykes was close behind and his eyes narrowed focusing on the opponent that had dodged his attack After a quick pull on the chain bringing the ball back he dropped his grip and moved into close combat with Dauntless

Cursing quietly Dinesh scrambled backwards his focus on his own very dangerous predicament His opponent was wary of his spells now but seemed to sense that he held the advantage despite Dinesh’s earlier actions Then again perhaps he was just reacting to Dinesh’s very passive stance

Sometimes being overly aware of oneself was

There was a crash and Dinesh froze because his opponents attention turned away from him and towards the fight between Dauntless and Tykes It seemed that after bending to the side Dauntless had recovered enough to knock out Tykes in several short blows But before he had been knocked out Tykes had brought the ball back and it had hit the back of Dauntless’ helmet knocking the man out

Now both of the other fighters had collapsed knocked out lying together on the ground in a heap of cracked stone

Dinesh glanced at his opponent who shrugged and straightened Then he turned to the young woman who was glaring at him With a gesture Dinesh gathered each and every piece of paper back together and handed it to the woman who accepted it with a huff

There was a cough behind Dinesh

What happened here Sam said gruffly stepping forward At his shoulder was the Ghosthound looking at the three new arrivals with cool eyes

Draw Neveah said Paolo and Kayle nodded in agreement

After taking away Ace and Tykes and sending the other two towards Mrs Hamilton Randidly followed Sam around to the back of the production compound It was impressive how much the area had been built up in 6 months of Earth time until it was seriously a whole little town in its own right where hundreds of people lived and worked constantly producing and refining the process of producing equipment in a System based world

If you see anything you like just let me know Sam grunted as they walked past several display cases that were full of different armors Randidly nodded but wasn’t sure whether he would actually do that He didn’t want to just take armor he needed

And honestly he had gotten quite used to fighting with very little armor Some accessories would be nice but above all Randidly didn’t want anything that would be too constricting His mobility was something that he had gotten used to in his time in Shal’s world Randidly was confident in his own strength but he wasn’t sure how easy he could adapt to fighting while weighed down by armor Better to stick with what he could do

And god forbid if Sam had made him boots But based upon other people’s attitude it was clear that they understood that he wanted to have his bare feet on the ground While that was true before it was almost necessary now that he had earned himself the Yggdrasil Skills Barefoot was his new most powerful style

Eventually they crossed a half mile of brick buildings and arrived at an open area There a group of young men and women were clustered around a stone table talking quietly Their bodies kept Randidly from seeing what was there but it was likely that this was what Sam had prepared for him

There was a problem with making equipment for you Sam said slowly Part of it was me I’m just getting too good too fast Halfway through each project I feel myself inundated with better ways of forging things so I didn’t want to make a spear too early and then regret not making you the best I could So I’ll finish that tonight But I want you to put the other equipment on now and then show me some of what you can do Knowing your flavor will help me make a better spear

But for now Sam continued shoo ing the milling people out of the way These are the base of what I want to give to you You remember them right

The first object on the table were a familiar set of leather armors It was the winner of the Production Assessment To re familiarize himself Randidly scanned its status

Blood Soaked IV The leather was produced by long periods of soaking in monster blood The process was devised by a prodigy in the art of leatherworking Health Regeneration +100 per hour Stamina Regeneration +30 per minute User gains 5% Lifesteal

Randidly slowly breathed out a long breath When he had first seen these leathers and imagined them on powerful fighter he had been impressed But imagining them on himself 200 bonus Health plus 41 useful Stats topped off with huge bonuses to Health and Stamina Regeneration per hour And above all else that 5% Lifesteal

Randidly felt a small thrill of excitement at the thought of fighting with these on But then he came back to himself and turned to Sam with a questioning expression Is it really alright for me to wear these At least let me pay

Oh we did Sam said his face twisted and narrow What pisses me off more than the amount is that every dollar of it was worth it This armor is the best and it suits you You use mobility and flexibility to overwhelm your opponents harder and sturdier armors don’t suit you Plus with the Regeneration bonuses as long as you have this it will be very very hard to kill you even if you get caught

Nodding slowly Randidly slid the armor over him tightening the straps covering his chest arms hips and upper legs It was pretty extensive with defenses in key areas without being bulky It was slightly strange to wear it but not overly uncomfortable After some time spent wearing it Randidly had no doubt that he would be used to it

Then he turned back to Sam who had a sly grin on his face

Now let me show you what I have made for you

Chapter 392

Sam led Randidly over to the far side of the table where most of the people were clustered Then Sam picked up what seemed to be a strange sort of wide woven blanket and threw it to Randidly Reflexively he caught it marveling at the strange clinking noise the thing made as it flew through the air

With his hands on it Randidly abruptly realized that the source of the strangeness was because it was chainmail it was hundreds of quarter sized circles of bone woven together Someone without Sam’s Skill would have been unable to manage it Each was slightly curved so the joining flowed seamlessly and the woven bone could moved like a very heavy cloth

But then Randidly looked closer at each bone and saw that each and every one of the smaller circles of bone was Mana Engraved Every single one As he scanned over the portion that his hands were holding he saw several he recognized and a few others he didn’t and was instantly perplexed Instead of asking questions Randidly simply brought up the description for the item

Masterwork Bone Cloak Lvl 50 An inspired bonemail cloak from the man known as the Dawn Smith Although the elements between the work and the forger are somewhat conflicting they have been weaved together in a harmonious manner The many runes that cover the cloak only possess a portion of their usual strength but together they add to the defense of the armor Touched by Twilight IV Forged by Dawn IV Endurance Vitality Strength Agility Reaction and Perception +10

Touched by Twilight The creator of the Cloak infused it heavily with the Shadow V Mana Engraving but this shadow was heavily influenced by the first rays of the Dawn Enemies will find it very difficult to pin down your location Sound made by the Cloak will be muted and echo strangely in the surrounding area Leave a trail of afterimages in your wake There is a random chance that a projection of your future moves with be sent forward confusing your opponents While wearing the Cloak you gain the Skill Twilight Manipulation Lvl 75

Forged by Dawn IV The light of the Dawn fills the armor granting it a random quality that few other armors possess While some armors inherit the dawn’s heat or brightness or awe inspiring presence this armor has been infused with the Dawn’s purity Health +300 Resistance +30

Randidly whistled Then with trembling hands he slid the Bone Cloak over his shoulders It settled there cleanly the clinking sound echoing out filling the air bouncing back and forth as the thing swung softly back and forth Then he pulled up the bone hood Immediately Randidly could feel the twilight around him and he could sense the small vision impurities in the air around him hiding his movements just slightly from those that watched As he moved it was as if he was moving behind a grey curtain the specifics fuzzy the details of his face and motions obscured

Randidly grinned He really fucking liked this Twilight Manipulation was something he needed to practice more with but giving him more stealth and feints in close combat was exactly what he wanted for an extended campaign into the Dungeon The bonus Health Resistance and other Stats were nothing to sneeze at either

Slowly Randidly pulled the hood back down and looked at Sam with a meaningful glance Thank you

Sam grunted waving his hand It was nothing A little bit of a bitch to Engrave so many tiny bits but all in all I’d say it’s one of the only things that I think is passable

Seriously Randidly said somewhat frustrated by Sam’s gruff exterior It was still one of the reasons that Sam was the first person in Donnyton that Randidly truly opened up to but Randidly had matured a lot since those days For him two years had passed It was one thing to be emotionally muffled out of awkwardness it was quite another to allow a debt like this to simply lie because he wasn’t willing to put himself out there and ask the price Tell me what you want for this It’s it’s the highest Rarity I’ve ever seen on an equipment

Yup Sam said as if this was the most natural thing in the world And don’t think I wasn’t rewarded for making the second Ancient Rarity equipment I was Which is why the only payment I need is to see you fight

Randidly almost wanted to roll his eyes But he could sense that Sam wasn’t going to back down on this one so he just resolved himself to be on the lookout for things that he could do for Sam Alright then Who am I dueling

Me Sam said pulling a large set of plate armor over his head Then after he latched it shut he began to put on vambraces and grieves and then finally a metal helmet like a jousting knight of old Looking profoundly silly armor Sam stood hefting a war hammer

Perhaps not silly Randidly reminded himself It was just Sam looked very much like a legitimate knight out of a fairy tale Most of the people Randidly had seen around had an amalgamation of armor leathers and jeans a strange mixture of olden style armors and current leftover fashion But Sam had abandoned that and simply embraced the tried and true utility of a suit of armor The armor itself was nothing to sneeze at either glistening silver gold in the light as Sam approached

Let’s begin Sam said stepping forward

When Dozer walked into the room Annie looked up from the baby narrowing her eyes at him

So Annie asked her tone extremely casual Inwardly she winced He would know immediately from the way she said that how much it meant to her But to her surprise Dozer said nothing he just grunted and sat down on his chair then spoke after several seconds

It’s like you said Is there anything that’s needed to watch the baby As he spoke Dozer stood again and went to the wall for a pack Then he began to slowly move items into it

Annie’s heart clenched She was very glad in that moment that Dozer was turned the other way so he couldn’t see her face He would see how devastated she was how resentful how how

It wasn’t that any of this should come as a surprise Dozer aside from Donny was the best of anyone in the Village at locking down one powerful foe while the rest of the party inflicted damage Inside a Dungeon Dozer’s contributions would be invaluable And because of the baby only one of them could go no matter how useful Annie would be

Hell she would be

She could be

Silently tears streamed down her face running down her cheeks and dripping onto the baby’s sleeping face The little girl stirred and Annie leaned back wiping away some of the tears all the while keeping her eyes trained on Dozer’s back She could be like this now while he worked and while he was away but but if he were to turn around

And that was the worst part Because in her heart Annie knew she would say nothing no matter how upset she was over this over the fact that she would have loved the chance to go on this journey relished this chance to finally get to go out of Donnyton since being pregnant Dozer had worked so hard to protect her and now he was doing it again and was so fucking logical about it

She wanted to manipulate him to wrap him around her finger but

Dozer turned around Annie sneezed managing to pick up a tissue and reasonably wipe her face before he could see her Were her eyes red He was staring at her for a long time Was this one of those things where he could see through what she was doing again God she fucking hated his stupid

Be careful Dozer said simply offering her the pack

Eh Annie blinked slowly unable to understand She looked at him and then the pack Setting the baby down she took the pack cradling it in her arms unsure of what was going on Dozer picked up the baby

Like I said earlier Dozer said a decided twinkle in the corner of his eye Is there anything that’s needed to watch the baby I’m not you but

Annie took the baby from Dozer carried her to the crib and set her down gently Then she tackled the man she loved to the ground or tried to filled with manic energy and glee and euphoria fully intending to bite off a chunk of him to take with her for the road so the nights wouldn’t be too lonely

As it happens she only managed to embrace him and then collapsed in his arms letting his huge hands pick her up and cradle her

Randidly cracked his neck wincing Although he hadn’t really been all that pressured by Sam during their duel the other man was almost annoyingly impervious to damage It took Randidly a full 15 minutes to work up the nerve to hit the armor with a full strength attack only to have it rebound almost useless Then a further 15 minutes of methodical targeting to rip into it

All in all it had filled Randidly with an awe for Sam and his craft and also a healthy curiosity about how Dozer and Donny would look in full armor protected like that But apparently their vicious duel was enough of a sample and Sam went to work preparing the materials for the spear Randidly would use

So Randidly had come back to the headquarters and was speaking with Mrs Hamilton

All I’m saying is that it would be wise to invite them She said with a shrug

Randidly gave her a bitter look Sure we were friends before but Ace he’s a little off these days Everyone has scars from the System He’s not someone I want at my back I get that you think this makes it better politically

Oh hush that’s all a front Mrs Hamilton said waving her hands But it’s always good to keep those things in mind No the reason you invite Ace is not for him but for Rose Calloway Even you cannot deny that her ability to read Skills is useful In the middle of a Dungeon with unknown threats Her detection would make the trip that much safer Just consider it alright She won’t come without the man who calls himself Dauntless And if anyone could control him wouldn’t it be you

Then she left leaving Randidly to mull this information over Or likely she hoped that would be the case But instead Randidly met Neveah outside of town and had her carry him far to the East again When he did this he wanted to be alone with a lot of buffer around him in case in case something went wrong and there was some sort of Aether reaction

Alright Randidly said to himself psyching himself up Time to make a Class

Chapter 393

After breathing and looking at the stars for about an hour Randidly felt his heart settle If Randidly was a pond the ripples had stilled Neveah loomed over him hanging above him in the air Lucretia organized her notes utilizing markings that she had made in Randidly’s Soul Skill world

They were as ready as they would ever be Or rather the other two were Randidly was just a pawn he thought with a twisted mouth

Let’s begin

This time when Randidly agitated his Aether he did not have a hole in the seal that let it surge into the world He simply pressed with his high Willpower activating a portion of his Battle Intent to create a great whirlpool within himself having the Aether spiral downwards in himself to form a huge current Slowly at first but Randidly kept his will pressing urging it onward

Not too much Came Neveah’s silent warning as she intently monitored the situation inside of himself Grudgingly Randidly nodded allowing the vast majority of the Aether to slowly drift back to stillness It honestly made him sweat as he did so because he suddenly realized how much Aether he had gathered He had reached with his hand and just ripped forward and almost everything had moved to his will Sure having this much Aether was a good thing but

Highly concentrated Aether reacted with itself and Lucretia needed it in amounts that she could control and weave If the Aether latched onto the other strands or rejected where it was in the greater weave at the wrong time all of the previous work would come to naught

Breathing through his teeth Randidly released his Battle Intent After all the Aether that would become his Class needed to be clean and free of images in order for it to form correctly as both Neveah and Lucretia informed him Once the shape was formed that’s when they would require Randidly to imprint the image onto the Class giving it the shape he desired He felt that he was a bit off of what he truly wanted in that regards but there wasn’t anymore time

The image needed to be ready

Alright there Lucretia confirmed as Randidly shaved off a further amount of Aether leaving only the Aether closest to the surface whipping around at high speeds Neveah leaned forward focusing on the Aether that had been gathered and began to for lack of a better word comb through it removing the stray images that had settled into it during its time inside of Randidly They were mostly small things embedded into his Aether that had probably been deposited there by the people Randidly had connections to

Rather bored Randidly just maintained the speed of the Aether while the purification process was occuring Then at Lucretia’s urging Neveah began to syphon off small tendrils of the Aether forming strands that would be actually used during the weaving These strands were folded and retied made flat and uniform able to be easily manipulated

More Neveah hissed and Randidly pressed again with his will gathering more Aether

Again and again this happened until Lucretia had gathered a decent amount of Aether strands winding them into neat pools floating in Randidly’s soul space It was to her limit and it would be a little short of what was needed to finish the weave but there was nothing they could do Neveah and Lucretia seemed to exchange a meaningful glance with their forms in Randidly’s Soul Space

Relax Randidly whispered annoyed he had to reassure them at this juncture If you need to take a break I can follow the pattern

They said nothing but the reluctance was clear Once more Randidly smothered a sharp flash of annoyance It wasn’t worth the time and effort Better to focus his energy on annihilating the problem in front of them

The base of the Class was the belt for lack of a better term that would wind around the whole of Randidly’s soul space restricting non Class Skills and adding some inner stability to his area In addition Lucretia theorized that this would help deal with some of the Aether resonance that occurred when Randidly moved too much of the Aether at once

Once this belt was in place a seed could be created which would serve as the anchor in Randidly’s soul space and then the trunk would be made by weaving Aether slowly growing it into a tower Now of course the tower base would only be constructed by them because the goal was then to allow it to grow naturally with experience but that tower base was composed of Aether so thin that it was nonexistent when pressed flat So the layers they would be forced to make might be somewhere between 20 30 so the way that they were weaving his Class would take

Currently they had enough Aether to form 20 layers They proceeded anyway

Growing Neveah grabbed a huge current of Aether apart from the stuff that Randidly was keeping clean and pure This she twisted and pressed battered and bent folding and forging until it began to glow with a strange blue energy

Randidly felt a strange trembling in his chest somewhere between the sensation of being poked and nostalgia It was as if something in his heart called out to it Called out to have it The implications of that

Neveah was moving wrapping it slowly carefully around Randidly’s Skills Then she began to press and they slowly shifted towards each other crowding inward Randidly grimaced as a dull pain emerged behind his eyes As expected even moving the shattered Skill had consequences But he could feel the Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil running through him fixing the problem even though it was spiritual in natural

Through it all his Soul Skill floated built on a different layer impervious to the changes

Slowly Neveah stopped now that Randidly’s Skills were much more closely gathered together but still not near enough to touch or merge There was even a sizable area about ? of the total space surrounded by the belt where Randidly could create new Skills This would let him have another 20 or so new Skills that weren’t a part of his Class

This number filled Randidly with a certain amount of alarm to be hemmed in like that but both Neveah and Lucretia were adamant that stretching it farther might hurt the integrity of the Class base causing it to collapse into useless Aether binding Randidly’s soul space

Of course with Randidly’s ability to manipulate Aether he was in much less danger than most people but it still wouldn’t be quick or easy to fix that little disaster With the looming time limit of the Raid Dungeon it was a mistake they couldn’t afford

Almost unwillingly Randidly’s mind flashed back to Nathan and he shook his head clearing his vision Both Lucretia and Neveah hissed in annoyance at him as the flow of Aether faltered and he pressed with his will and refocused His portion of this was to provide the tools while they handled the delicate work It was tiresome but

But it was the safe choice

Randidly bit his lip

Lucretia and Neveah worked together to wrap the end of the belt and bind it causing it to flow into the rest of itself seamlessly It was now one whole surrounding him supporting him It would be the base of what would later grow inside of Randidly

Randidly’s inner world shuddered causing his vision to briefly blur Blinking Randidly reached out through his Soul Bond to see what was going on but Neveah’s emotions didn’t have a trace of surprise or nervousness Was that because this was supposed to happen Or because she couldn’t feel it

The shuddering grew worse for a single second and then faded to nothing leaving Randidly breathing heavily but otherwise unharmed That was peculiar

The seed Lucretia said looking at Randidly

After blinking it took him another few seconds to realize what she wanted Then he gasped and nodded closing his eyes There was ONE portion that was all him and that was the seed It would form the anchor between the Class and his soul space and be the energy source the engine for everything that followed It would somehow convert Experience into growth which Randidly wasn’t too sure about but they had examined plenty of people with Classes so Lucretia had already made the apparatus

What Randidly needed to provide was the image just to start They cautioned him however to keep the image relatively simple The more basic and clear the stronger the base So although it was somewhat cliche Randidly closed his eyes and pictured a seed

It was small but strong and burning with life and potential Lines of hot emerald ran through it glowing the promise of a bright and strong future If it was planted it would explode into growth rising and shaping itself until it became a spear of emerald and gold the most powerful weapon that the world had ever seen

Randidly opened his eyes A glowing circle of Aether was forming the soul space around it warping connecting to it and to the base apparatus that Lucretia had prepared Sighing Randidly moved back before the purity of the image was tainted by the other things spinning through his head

Aemont’s back as he disintegrated to ash The strange monochrome cast that came over the world as Randidly used Ashes to Ashes The spear advancing forward The hanging promise of death delivered by the Spear Phantom That strange Aether construct still ticking still sitting at the heart of Randidly in his Soul Skill Potion making Roots

Shal’s hands heaving Randidly to his feet The taste of Helen’s mouth The burning violet of Lyra’s eyes The Creature’s empty smile

The people of Donnyton

Keep up the good work Randidly Lucretia whispered and Randidly snapped back to himself Luckily he had maintained the rotation of the Aether for Lucretia while she worked and she had gotten about 5 layers of the Aether down already Neveah was already moving to syphon off and purify more strands

The strangest thing was Randidly felt nothing looking at what was occuring in his soul space Instead he felt profoundly detached Then he shrugged

Perhaps it would have to wait until he imprinted the greater image upon the Class that it would feel like his own Now it just seemed strangely beautiful like a tapestry

Heedless of his thoughts Lucretia continued to weave her eyes narrowed

Chapter 394

As Randidly focused on watching Lucretia’s movements he was able to make out generally what she was doing in terms of the runes she was using The most common base of it was Control Agility Vitality and Intelligence in that order as the building blocks of the base of Randidly’s Class Below that there were the runes for plant growth and as a counter the rune for fire

Even deeper as a broader theme the Shadow Rune in its IV form was woven subtly throughout That annoyed Randidly somewhat that his Class would only have the Shadow IV rune inside of it rather than the Shadow I but even Randidly admitted that the Shadow I rune was far beyond their ability to imitate even in its base form let alone working it into this complicated orchestra of sigils

In the blink of an eye Lucretia had created 10 more layers Neveah was keeping up with Lucretia’s use of Aether so they weren’t running low on that With a small thought Randidly gathered a small additional amount and began to purify it His stomach growled Annoyed Randidly ignored the sensation

Now Randidly could watch as they tried to work his Class Skills into the base It was a slow steady thing as they built the 3D shape up layer by layer but the two of them had been very secretive in what Skills they planned to give him Randidly considered this something of a sin as it was HIS Skill but they both insisted it would be better as a surprise So he could only grumble and wait

Carefully watching the shapes Randidly actually had no idea what they were aiming for At first he thought it was something to do with Ash but the longer they shaped it it started to resemble Randidly’s Summon Pestilence Skill Did they were they attempting to merge together two Skills complicating an already worry fraught procedure

Randidly’s stomach growled again Sighing he reflected that it probably had been since returning to Donnyton that first night since he had eaten anything Even though his Stats were so much higher that’s no excuse to ignore basic nutrition He was aware that Mrs Hamilton was conducting trials to see exactly how hunger and food intake assisted people but he couldn’t imagine that the System had reduced the effect to zero it had simply lessened the bad side effects

And at some point Randidly was sure they would discover additional foods that would provide positive benefits but for now all you needed to do was eat SOMETHING Which he apparently hadn’t managed

Problem Neveah mumbled as she continued to spin off more strands of Aether and pull them into the weavable form Lucretia frowned but she said nothing instead her eyes simply began to glitter

Hearing this Randidly’s focus narrowed back to the weave again even as another wave of that strange blindness descended his Soul itself buzzing When it passed Lucretia had enough time to lay another 3 layers of the Aether and it was becoming abundantly clear what the problem was

Even though they had planned and practiced apparently Lucretia had underestimated how many layers would be necessary in order to achieve the requisite thickness In terms of layers they had put down around 35 already and from how it appeared they were only halfway through the process which would make the final product over twice as large as they had expected

And this was the version that Neveah had argued was the only safe option because of its relatively small size

Of course in terms of Classes it was extremely large because of who it was for it would be the Class of Randidly Ghosthound It could not be some common thing But to take 70 layers of weaving

The problem was not to continue weaving in a pattern for the individual Statistics that would make up the vast majority of the layers Although it was problematic at the outset once the trick was learned Lucretia was probably able to continue in that pattern indefinitely

No the problem was that a good fourth of each layer to this point had been dedicated to the Skills that Randidly would start with in his Class That meant that they needed two more prepared Skills Of course they had brainstormed a dozen or so Skills trying to figure out which ones would be the most valuable before selecting a few very carefully If this continued Randidly would be forced to have some of the non chosen Skills which struck him as somewhat frustrating

His stomach rumbled again heightening his annoyance

The next Skill that was slowly woven into the Class was a Skill based on what the had gotten from the rabbit and turtle people of Kith Klark It was a strange combination of the Fleet of Foot Skill the Herculean Strength Skill and the Endless Patience Looking at it Randidly could tell for sure that this was a created spliced thing Although his mind wasn’t as sharp as Lucretia and Neveah’s he could only look at the thing dubiously as it was woven into the fabric of what he would become

He spared Neveah a glance This time there was nervousness in her soul as her gaze remained locked on the slowly layering weave

Sighing Randidly closed his eyes And at that moment the buzzing came again greater and worse than before It wasn’t to the level of being pain but it was Annoying It was like the whining of a child in his head a droning off putting thing Randidly growled in response and this time actively tried to push it back and down silencing the vibrations but this only seemed to intensify them

As he felt his control of the rotating Aether slipping Randidly eased off and just tried to relax even though at his core he was wound as tight as a spring This was not the fucking time to handle some weird mental shit

Lucretia’s curse brought him back to focus the buzzing parting like a curtain before his necessity

What

Randidly’s Skills were there pulled together by the belt they had created Resting just above the belt in what was going to be the anchor and bridge there was Randidly’s image a small spatially warping ball of light Above that Lucretia had been layering the Aether weave now 57 layers thick and extremely dense with energy Small little bolts of discharge flashed off between layers

But that wasn’t what had caught their attention The weave was starting to twist for a lack of a better word The portion of the weave directly above the anchor point was beginning to slowly spin sucked in towards the light that was supposed to be the anchor And the more they watched the faster it started to happen as the first the bottom most layer was gobbled up the second began to twist

No Neveah howled and she reached with her own senses relating to Aether right into Randidly and grabbed onto the layers of Aether as they slowly twisted forcing them to remain strong Randidly shuddered feeling abruptly ill at the sudden invasion even though it was from someone who shared a Soul Bond with Hell if they hadn’t shared a Soul Bond he suspected that the side effects of what she was doing would have been much more dire

Then he shook his head refocusing I think it’s too heavy The thickness

I know Fuck Your image isn’t strong enough Lucretia hissed rubbing her temples If Neveah can hold it there I think I can fix this mess

Randidly’s temper flared It’s only lasted that long because of how strong the image is One basic image can’t hold up all this Aether If this was going to be a Skill the ratio

Randidly’s mind ground to a halt as the strange dizziness and blindness returned everything drowned out beneath a layer of buzzing Instead he could only wince He could sense Lucretia speaking to him but she seemed unaware of what was going on and the fact that he couldn’t answer

When he didn’t answer she seemed to take that as agreement and motioned to Neveah who adjusted her grip and tried without success to pull the portion of the layer that had been sucked into the image back out to form his Class Instead it remained stubbornly absorbed and it seemed that the suction was growing

As Neveah changed her grip the buzzing only got worse Randidly’s stomach also started growling in response and suddenly Randidly wondered if that this wasn’t his stomach growling but something else

And there was a tickling in the back of his mind one that had been here the whole time one that had been buried under dissatisfaction and frustration Randidly didn’t like this this method of cobbling together something and forcing it together to be organic But the other two understood Aether much more than him

Strangely of all memories Randidly’s father’s voice floated to the surface of his mind People with hammers like to see nails ’

Randidly paused Was that really all it was Because these two were so focused on their ability with Aether they were attempting to solve a problem through Aether that they didn’t need to

But that was wrong this was an Aether based System and

Randidly’s eyes snapped open Of course

Because the System itself wasn’t the enemy the person running it was that fed the Aether But if his Aether was a separate type of car to what everyone else had that didn’t mean Randidly had to stop using the roads

If this was a Skill They needed more images But if they had images they needed more Aether too so everything remained balanced And hadn’t this whole idea with Neveah pointing out that Classes were just larger versions of Skills

Something settled in Randidly’s chest The buzzing slowly died away With a gesture Randidly moved Neveah and Lucretia back away from his core Without their influence instantly layer after layer of the Class they had been attempting to build began to be sucked into the image at the base The anchor had become something of a black hole and greedily ripped into all the ambient Aether around it

Randidly what Lucretia began but he just gave her a look

Then Randidly smiled reaching again and this time he didn’t hold back but scooped up over half of the Aether that had sat inside of him soaking into his soul and bones whispering to him Then he pressed and it began to spin

His eyes burning emerald Randidly said I’ve had an idea

Chapter 395

Mrs Hamilton sipped her tea as the young woman or what had once been a young woman stood next to her

It’s time Lyra said her mouth curling into a smile That idiot is finally starting to move Took him long enough It’s not easy to keep the Administrator distracted We are almost out of time

Mrs Hamilton said nothing simply looking at the cooling liquid in her cup There was a lot she wanted to say about Lyra’s choices the dangers of the the bets that she was making about Randidly and the changes he was going through about the broader changes that were happening due to the System But they would simply be rehashes of old discussions with Lyra Although the girl was willful she had good instincts

Even though it was difficult for Mrs Hamilton to let go of control she simply had to the other player had the better hand And it was going to be a long game of poker

Are you coming Lyra asked squinting at Mrs Hamilton

must I Mrs Hamilton asked surprising herself But she really dreaded this in a way because what they were doing what Lyra suggested they do

was to change this boy’s fate To interfere in his path To cause the strength of his ability to incite action to be bent to their plan their agenda Mrs Hamilton was no stranger these days to manipulation it was her bread and butter She thrived on using other people by helping them see the path that would benefit both of them

This was something else Was this a path that would benefit Randidly as well

Yes Lyra said decisively I cannot and there is no one else that knows the fate of this land

Mrs Hamilton looked sadly at the ground You’re sure

Nodding Lyra said It hurts to admit but the Calamity isn’t fucking around I cannot go into details but if we don’t do this

In Mrs Hamilton’s sigh she shed a weight of responsibility It was feather light compared to her other loads just the small ounce of pure and unthinking trust that a young man put in her to run this town In a way she needn’t shed this the actions that Mrs Hamilton was taking were for the good of the town She was adjusting them towards a long term course This was the way that it had to be

But to this small weight of responsibility it felt like a betrayal Finally she was asking him to give up something that he couldn’t easily spare

I’m not going to apologize ’ Mrs Hamilton thought to herself But I just want it on record that I will never forget this moment ’

She brushed off her shoulders as she stood that bit of responsibility falling away The heavy weight of the safety of Donnyton crushed down on her shoulders abruptly much more pressing and urgent Her eyes were cold as she nodded at Lyra

Then let’s be off

To the Northeast in a manner that was visible to the naked eye Aether exploded in a storm shaking the ground and shaping the sky into a large typhoon

Careful Neveah’s warning was full of anxiety as the small anchor point became an all devouring black hole but Randidly couldn’t help but allow the smile on his face to grow ever wider stretching across his visage like a fault line There was just a manic glee to him now a rightness

The Aether around him began to roar as his Indomitable Will of Yggdrasil urged it onwards creating a huge darkening mass of Aether at the center that continued to condense becoming more and more compact more and more refined Randidly had taken note of Neveah’s methods but he suddenly found them unnecessary

Sure this Aether was filled with strange bits of meaning from Mrs Hamilton or Helen or Arbor but so what That was who he was The image that was going to be the basis of him the anchor that held his Class together was not a single thing He had become many things to many people learning through his experiences how to use different Skills and fighting styles

His strength came from his multidisciplinary nature and his ability to multitask utilizing the best approach for each situation He needed that depth in a Class too if it was going to be the path of his future growth He needed more than a single golden seed to create the effect that Randidly was aiming for

What are you doing Lucretia howled her eyes bulging as she watched all of her carefully arranged layers being absorbed into the old anchor that was struggling to grow by any means necessary

Randidly wouldn’t say that he laughed but he was decidedly amused at the strange expression on her face We were too light We were too cautious The Class would have destroyed itself as I demanded more and more out of it Better to go the other way and make it too heavy

You fool Lucretia hissed How can you just say that Do you think we didn’t already think of that But beyond what we had the complexity of doing it on your own

Why do we need to make it on our own Randidly asked his smile sharp More and more Aether was snapping into motion drawn upwards by the momentum of the surrounding Aether and slowly Randidly realized something more There was a gravity to the gathered Aether a presence to it that pressed down over them all

It felt strangely familiar It took Randidly several long moments of examining the sensation to realize that it was a strange combination of his past Skills a lot of which had been absorbed into his new Yggdrasil themed Skills He could feel the dull burn of Agony the strange whisper of Bacterial Regeneration even the extremely old Grasping Roots Everything he had experienced was wrapped up in this Aether that had surrounded him for years now

Although it was easy to forget even in the beginning the Aether Crossroads had been in him since he had killed the Tribulation of Turtletown Ever since then every breath that he took every thought that he had every interaction every image every ounce of strife and every desperate fight everything passed through the Aether that was at his core

And though not much at all was taken each time that slowly added up The struggle to figure out how to reach out to people the long days of fighting in the prison Randidly’s struggle in Shal’s tournament the slow and agonizing recovery

There were more and more moments and images rushing by as the Aether gathered above them filling Randidly making him feel a strange profound joy This was his this was his and only his unlike the static thing that Lucretia had been creating this would have the strength to support him

Lucretia was still gazing at him incredulously The whole basis of this was that you refused to get a Class from a Village If you hadn’t stubbornly insisted on such a foolish prideful move

Calm Bigger Skill

Both of you are fools If we miss this chance if we waste this much Aether if your soul space implodes based upon the weight of this Aether We know nothing about how to handle this Can you feel that Look at how it’s changing That’s not an energy source anymore it’s a fucking bomb

It’s life

It’s me Randidly said his face twisting further his eyes brilliant and emerald illuminating even the soul space Lucretia backed away her face drawn as she watched the last of the layers she made being slowly absorbed into the old anchor

You are right I didn’t want to get a Class from a Village But I realized Randidly stared intently at the huge sphere of Aether that he had created infusing with his images Very rapidly it started to shrink losing size and gaining density as well as qualitative increases in the strangely heavy aura it threw off the baleful weight of it

This continued until it was the size of a marble A marble that felt like it would crack and sunder the earth if it was allowed to touch the ground such was the weight and gravitas contained within it

I realized that the System isn’t the enemy it’s just a shape What we hate is the dirty fuel that the System runs on So as long as we borrow the shape and use our fuel

The last of the layers were absorbed into the anchor which pulsed strangely in the aftermath of it plaintive The marble of Aether that Randidly had created this time around pulsed in response almost in answer to the first The two were still for a second and then the higher marble of Aether exploded long spikes of Aether rushing down crashing into the already gathered Aether the whole of Randidly’s soul space vibrating with the force of it

But the anchor held up devouring it all greedily lapping up every last strand of Aether First 5 or so then a dozen then hundreds of these spikes shot out of the marble and aimed downwards crashing towards the anchor

Give me weight Randidly’s burning eyes said for him as his voice remained silent Ground me

The soul space began to warp with the force of it everything twisting and winding its way inwards everything drawn towards the anchor Even the Skills began to be pulled inexorably drawn by the force Randidly went to smile but that smile froze on his face

Because his body was warping Well his soul version of his body

Fool Lucretia snorted disdainfully This is what you get

The world twisted further and all three of them along with the remaining Aether were ripped from the soul space and pressed into a singularity of possibilities

Chapter 396

Randidly felt strange That was the only word that he could think of to describe it But even that was insufficient to convey how he felt

There was a peace in his soul that he had never felt before a fullness Around him was simply blackness He couldn’t recall how he arrived at this place nor would that peace in his chest allow him to care There was simply acceptance Here he was in the blackness

That was that

A part of Randidly rebelled against this notion Why are we here That part of him raged furious at the complete acceptance that the other parts felt But there were many forces against that part of himself that questioned

Again and again Randidly railed against the peace in his heart and again and again the peacefulness flooded into him like the sea struggling to drown and deaden those emotions leaving them waterlogged and drifting But as time passed

The fires in Randidly’s heart only grew hotter

Fuck this Randidly whispered opening his eyes staring intently into the blackness around him Why am I HERE

The world around him shook seemingly nervous at his strength This time when the peace returned rushing into him Randidly simply devoured it swallowing it whole Then he exposed that peace to the burning insistence in his chest his refusal to back off his demand to know And that peace evaporated into nothing

After that no more peace flooded towards him leaving him alone in the blackness But after overcoming that peace there was a question floating in the air that Randidly could feel that his one clue as to why he had arrived in this place

What are you

Twisting his lips Randidly considered this question What was he A human obviously but

Ah the Class

Randidly’s eyes glowed a brilliant emerald and his smile was wide So he was right the System would assist him in creating a Class if the right conditions were met That sense of peace then was perhaps the System trying to re exert its influence That bore watching then for the future For the moment it appeared that was broken and now it was just time to choose

Over the past few weeks as the knowledge that the Raid Dungeon could only be entered with a Class forced him to consider getting a Class Randidly had carefully considered his options There were perhaps too many directions that he could go into But what Randidly wanted was something that was uniquely his and that would be able to support those people around him

His Soul Skill seemed like a lead and also his spear usage learned from Shal but Golden Roots of Yggdrasil was the one thing that had captured his attention It was a Skill he had learned from Burt a villager of Kith Klark but it was simply a passive Skill that had vastly increased his staying power in a fight due to its influence on his regeneration

Well it didn’t truly boost his regeneration but what it did was raise the effect of his Vitality to a ridiculously high degree allowing him to have the natural strength of body to overcome most injuries and exhaustion He was simply an engine that pressed forward under its effects And there was the very eye catching term Yggdrasil included in it which was something worth remembering

But that didn’t strike Randidly as enough and it wasn’t quite aptly suited to describe him He was not a world tree and he wasn’t just a root system Randidly was

He was

Images of his past flashed by His fights His time in the original Dungeon The sight of Donnyton growing at least a hundred people now seeking shelter underneath his influence The sight of Lyra’s dead body cold and grey

Tessa’s face as Randidly lashed out with Agony hurting her The wreckage of monster and some human bodies after Kim Lath attacked Donnyton

Shal’s proud face The fury and rejection in Drak’s eyes as he accepted Aether from Lucretia in order to have a chance against Randidly The intense way that Azriel looked at Randidly while they were practicing as if nothing else in the world existed

The smug expression on the Engraving Guild Representative’s face as he told Randidly they would be watching him The dead look in Claptrap’s eyes the last time Randidly saw him Arrogance scrawled across Drak’s grandfather’s face as he descended and then the shock as Randidly used his Skill to stall the man if just for a second

Pure unquestioning concern in Simon’s eyes as Randidly awoke finding himself filled with the shrapnel of a broken Skill

This world Randidly whispered slowly his eyes becoming even brighter in the dark this System brought with it so much pain didn’t it

In Randidly’s heart he could feel unwillingness too flowing into him through his connections with others The sharpest of them all was Helen who continually flooded Randidly with bold and unrelenting images of struggle A staunch unwillingness to surrender if even for a second had become second nature to her and that continued supply of images had an effect on Randidly

But everyone had that feeling in their heart with the System hanging over them with the threat of the Calamity They refused to give in and allow death to come The four that Randidly had originally blessed all were filled with a proud insistence that humanity would survive all of this growing stronger and more fearsome

Because to stop moving forward would mean death

I hate it Randidly said surprised at himself He really did Although so many things had happened because of the System so many people died Those things those benefits that Randidly had obtained he could have grown in similar ways without the System He wouldn’t have traveled to Shal’s world or met anyone there but he still could have grown beyond his stubborn awkwardness around other people

It wasn’t like he was very social now but anything was better than how he had been previously

This was growth that he could have had anyway without the death And while people were given Aether they weren’t allowed to shape it in the way they wanted to Most of the images that people created would just disappear because the System provided mostly Aether that was already stiff and unyielding unwilling to let other people control it It sucked that meaning away though to where Randidly wasn’t sure

The blackness around him was expanding slowly pushed backwards by his thoughts that were becoming more and more violent and surly It was almost as though it was shrinking back and the message was one of placation trying to focus him back on addressing the question presented

Just take a Class the weird System process seemed to say so we can both get this over with

Randidly’s grin stretched wider Fine then He was

A growth of hope A source of life and support for those near him A force that allowed for survivors to band together underneath him growing stronger An inciting action for humanity

The Yggdrasil image was a strong one too

I’m a Planting of the Forest of Eternity Randidly said slowly savoring every word He was just one sprout of many one of the same tier as Yggdrasil but Randidly didn’t want to seize that name He wanted his name to be his own and he would slowly discover it Yet as he said the words out loud that hot angry part of himself seemed unsatisfied

Create the Class Planting of the Forest of Eternity Y/N

Although Randidly wasn’t sure why he followed his instincts and selected no Because at that moment a thought occurred to him To say he was just part of the Forest of Eternity it was a powerful image and it would likely give him good Skills but again it was missing so much

There was too much to include in a single Class Randidly thought shaking his head But he could make this closer to the truth He wasn’t just a normal Planting but that portion didn’t seem to be the most efficient part of his phrase to change That part felt insufficient but it was just a transition period It would start weak and then grow strong that was what Planting said to Randidly And honestly it was his image so

But the latter portion

Smiling Randidly realized he knew how he wanted to change it

I’m a Planting of the Forest of Enmity Randidly whispered his eyes blazing emerald Yes because that was what he was He could feel his image as his roots trunk and branches twisted and warped becoming bloody and jagged spears He was not simply doing this to be a source of life No Randidly was seeking something

To tear down the System and dance among its ashes To feel the spine of the Calamity break for him and reforge that into a spear that could annihilate this behemoth of parasitic Aether that they slaved under That burning desire that enmity would not rest until its goals had been accomplished For it there was no true victory while the System remained

Which was a realization that Randidly never had before In that moment he realized what he truly wanted was to crush the System to nothing and earn everyone freedom from its influence

Create the Class Planting of the Forest of Enmity Y/N

Even though he could feel his inner world twisting and becoming blackened and dangerous Randidly selected yes The world around him began to rumble the blackness shuddering and cracking Aether rushed into the cracks breaking through the darkness flooding Randidly’s surroundings with violet light That rushing noise from the Aether swarmed Randidly’s consciousness slowly setting him adrift

Struggling to remain conscious Randidly found himself helpless before that strange rushing flow of Aether Very soon he was deep in the darkness even as his hands balled into fists even as his eyes were squeezed into unwilling slits This

Chapter 397

Mrs Hamilton stumbled slightly as they emerged through the portal that Lyra had created Brushing herself off Mrs Hamilton felt slightly embarrassed It had been quite a long time since she had behaved as anything but graceful and she half suspected that the other woman had done a rough landing on purpose to cause her to stumble

Not that there was any proof but ever since Lyra had become involved with that strange being that had been parading around with her face she had gotten even more deeply mysterious and pompous

Still Mrs Hamilton didn’t really begrudge her for that Lyra was a brat who was truly a genius But that didn’t mean she would make the right decision or even one close to correct all of the time But Mrs Hamilton had no choice but to rely on her as a source for information And as a lever that she could exert influence over to control the fate of humanity

Because although they had stayed ahead of things so far the next portion of the System’s trials might be the most difficult they had ever faced interacting with other segments of the human population Those could perhaps be even more dangerous than a Raid Boss if left unattended and the fact they were progressing another level made the possibility of a Tier IV Raid Boss appearing likely

A small part of Mrs Hamilton twitched wanting to raise the morality of what they were attempting to do now but she instantly squashed it She had made her decision Mrs Hamilton was not one to act squeamish when she decided to roll up her sleeves

Fucking doggy The ONE time he moves quickly Lyra hissed and Mrs Hamilton looked around They were on a dull grey platform with darkness surrounding them The material of the platform seemed to be ivory because there was glossy smoothness to its greyness At the center there was a stone table upon which Randidly was lying dragons and snakes composed of Aether spiraling around his body biting into him piercing through him and emerging from the other side

But floating above Randidly was a spiraling sigil hanging in the air slowly condensing As Mrs Hamilton looked at it she couldn’t suppress a shiver There was something almost evil about the rune that was there Somehow it filled her with a cold sense of dread Its cool light touched her skin and invigorated her but it also filled her with an unholy unwillingness almost like a geas Very quickly she looked away controlling her breathing

Mrs Hamilton glanced sideways at Lyra and clicked her tongue That’s his Class then We were too late

Lyra nodded glumly but her eyes were filled with glittering calculations Perhaps perhaps not

Mrs Hamilton controlled her face even while the other party was pointlessly being a bitch The problem was the girl was too used to playing a role so she was constantly in this snarky character Mrs Hamilton was aware that it wasn’t the girl’s true personality but she was also losing touch with Lyra’s true personality buried under the play acting and muddied with the influence of that strange being that Randidly called the Creature

What was worse was that Randidly encouraged her irreverence which Mrs Hamilton supposed he couldn’t be blamed for He just wanted to be treated normally And verbal derision seemed to be a sort of interaction that he understood and was comfortable with but

Lyra took several steps forward and waved her hand The rune trembled and then slowly stretched opening up spreading apart Between the two sides of the rune a finely detailed network of energy lines emerged weaving together and connecting the two sides Those little connection nodes glittered with dangerous power almost hissing when exposed to the air

Imitating Mrs Hamilton Lyra clicked her tongue Well we can’t shape his Class now but we can weave our own influence into his Class as long as it follows certain guidelines The effectiveness of it will depend on whether he accepts it and has images to back it up but

Ah I wasn’t first A rare tardiness on my part my apologies ladies

Mrs Hamilton turned calmly around while Lyra spun Inwardly Mrs Hamilton sighed Why not just announce to the world you weren’t expecting this and you are now nervous

There was a creature walking forward a wide smile on its Rhinoceros head

Octavious Shrike Lyra whispered her eyes narrowing I thought

that your distraction would be sufficient No Your arrogance is distasteful child I allow you to play your games but this is something I can’t miss Octavius arrived at the low grey table Randidly was lying on and waved a hand An ornate golden chair appeared and he seated himself comfortably It is quite rare that a being achieves Transcendence And oh every alarm in the 7th Cohort is ringing like mad I need to be here so I can make an accurate report

Lyra’s eyes narrowed even further lending her a very melodramatic air Mrs Hamilton performed a small curtsey Octavius Shrike A pleasure to make the acquaintance of the being who oversees all of our Cohort I must say I much admire your work so far I would be delighted to join you to witness this Transcendence if you would be so kind

Octavius turned and exchanged a glance with Mrs Hamilton In his eyes she could read a lot and a lot of it was worrisome But there was also a truth there that put Mrs Hamilton on very familiar ground this man was primarily a bureaucrat Then he grinned because he had seen the same truth in her eyes

Of course Please allow me Octavius waved his hand again and two more chairs appeared simple black wooden pieces with a strange triangle base and no real back More like stools than anything else But that was just him posturing

Mrs Hamilton seated herself murmuring her thanks even as another part of herself flexed its legs The grey spider that sat in the back of her mind slowly woke up calmly feeling around testing the web it had weaved around it Not the best scenario but better to go along with it for now

Are you here to stop us Lyra said Mrs Hamilton had 3 problems with the sentence and what it represented but she knew that the younger woman wouldn’t care She had her own way of dealing with the world and her looks had apparently given her no cause to believe that this wouldn’t be sufficient when dealing with the metaphysical overlord before them

Octavius shook his head Of course not There is ample ambient Aether that you can use still clinging to his body to add meaning to his Class I am simply here to record it all You as the first people to arrive may start Simply name the Class you would like him to have and if accepted it will use images from him to add it to his current Class An extra bonus for him

Nodding Lyra turned to Mrs Hamilton Just say something like Hero of Humanity or whatever

Mrs Hamilton’s brow twitched and she ignored the foolish girl Instead she turned to Octavius The System is truly a work of wonder So it even has contingencies for this situation

Octavius nodded a small smile on his face as he watched Lyra’s twist with annoyance Oh yes By the 3rd Cohort the modern prototype for the current System was in place After that there were increased opportunities for past Cohorts to influence the future for example I was originally born on a world in the 5th Cohort but very rarely has there been any surprises

Impressive Then Mrs Hamilton tapped her chin thinking Which was a mistake because Lyra cut in seemingly using her brain in this brief time that her mouth was switched off

What are the criteria that would allow a suggestion to be accepted

Mrs Hamilton’s mouth twisted This

Luckily it seemed that Octavius didn’t care much about about small talk Or actually it seemed he cared very deeply about the rules of the System themselves and his voice became animated the longer he talked about how things worked

Well it’s rather simple The suggestions you make have to fit inside’ of his created Class Whether he expected this or not he created an extremely broad Class that can be filled with multiple different meanings In addition the amount of Aether used to create it is staggering I have never seen a Class cost this much And only about half was used His body is still suffused with the remaining Aether although it is the Aether of a Heretic it seems which is distasteful

Then Octavius coughed lightly before speaking And yet his Heretic level is so low I wonder how he earned this much Aether hmm At any rate since the circumstances are so ideal there is only one final criteria your addition has to mimic his Class Translated to your language

He paused there needs to be a P then an F and then an E Small variances are possible but the less the better

So it’s a word game Lyra said her voice sounding disgusted Mrs Hamilton almost smiled

Octavius nodded his eyes bright

As Lyra opened her mouth to make her opinions about such a thing clear Mrs Hamilton spoke her voice ringing clearly Protector of Humanity’s Final Enclave

There was a rumble then a strange dinging noise as if it was accepted Below the floating sigil but above Randidly’s chest several of those swimming strands of Aether shaped like dragons curled upwards condensing and shaping themselves Very soon they formed another smaller sigil below the first Very quickly light around it started condensing growing brighter and brighter

It was accepted Octavius said producing a small notepad and scrawling something Now let’s see how well he takes to it

The light continued to intensify so much to the point that Mrs Hamilton could only close her eyes to avoid blinding herself Then all at once that light was snuffed out

Now when she opened her eyes and looked at the sigil it had shifted Or rather it had been shaped by the image in Randidly’s heart

Chapter 398

The light was still there emerging from the smaller sigil above Randidly’s chest but it had changed becoming softer The whole thing exuded this aura of softness and strength The strength was brutally dangerous but it was guided by a calm determination Whereas the Class itself was filled with a baleful fatality what animated this one was not that but

Responsibility

Very effective Octavius said his voice conveying how impressed he was You did well with your word choice I suppose

Thank you Mrs Hamilton said nodding her head as she watched the smaller sigil float up and join the larger one There was a ripple through it and a small shift in it as they adjusted to each other’s presence Some of the evilness of the Class’ aura was abated but honestly

It just made it more of an insidious thing more self righteous and demanding That responsibility had perhaps been more twisted than it had done twisting

Now what Mrs Hamilton inquired turning to Octavius He gave her a wide smile

Well now that you took your turn we allow the others to go Who would like to go next With this amount of Aether

I’ll go

Mrs Hamilton turned and saw a stubborn looking woman with long pale lavender hair riding what appeared to be Neveah slithering over towards the group that was already gathered around Randidly As they arrived the woman hopped off not even sparing the three sitting individuals a glance Instead she just looked up at the sigil with furious eyes

Then she turned her gaze down to Randidly and the look she had softened It wouldn’t have been a betrayal just guidance that you needed And would have ignored otherwise

Neveah rumbled her displeasure and the woman waved her hand It didn’t work alright He ripped everything to shreds with raw power Don’t go getting your bones in a bunch Hm

After tapping her chin for several seconds she said Progenitor of the Four Shaded Evolution

Again a ripple ran through their strange location Again the light began to gather slowly building to a blinding crescendo And as it fell down it revealed a glittering sigil that glowed with four different lights There was something strange about this sigil too or multiple things

The first was that it was oddly mechanical and in motion shifting and clicking together merging into new forms always growing moving forwards The second thing was that it was hidden at first but the more that the four pieces moved the more Mrs Hamilton could sense that at its core there was an unrelenting engine acting a powerful energy source that held almost too much power to be channeled

Slowly that sigil too rose and joined into the larger mass causing the other to twist and shift This time the change was more Mrs Hamilton wanted to say superficial but she suspected that this wasn’t actually the case It was just that the changes were much easier to see The varied mechanical style had been absorbed and now there were dozens of smaller shifting parts that made up Randidly’s larger Class

In addition the aura that it emanated had intensified perhaps driven by the addition of that energy source

Another fine synchronization with the image Octavius said making another note Still more Aether remains perhaps

You can sense me can’t you Well I suppose there is no point in remaining then From Randidly’s chest a figure appeared first blurry but then slowly condensing to a grey ashy form and then resolving itself into a man holding a simple spear Immediately Mrs Hamilton’s spider felt the strength of this shape and was filled with caution This man was probably the most powerful thing she had ever seen

Even more so than Octavius He simply seemed unstoppable

After sparing Mrs Hamilton a glance seemingly aware of her assessment the man looked at Octavius with an easy smile I suppose that you will not allow me to dwell within his emotions Many of them were inherited from me

I am aware of your situation Octavius checked something on his wrist Aemont But most of your personality has sacrificed itself to give the boy additional power You are just the memory of the true Aemont’s shape feeding on the ample Aether this Heretic possesses Not that I would act against you the boy’s safety is none of my concern but when the Class is instituted you will be purified And you don’t have the luxury of this woman’s refuge who cowers in his Soul Skill

The lavender haired woman pursed her lips but said nothing The figure Aemont nodded slowly Then he turned and looked at Randidly I sense you can be considered my family even though I don’t remember clearly why But yes I remain because of you and because of my resolution that won’t let me rest Perhaps it is best that I pass that onto you as well

Aemont straightened his eyes becoming deeper and darker filled with a wild hatred I feel in you a kindred spirit boy You have taken my emotions then you took my techniques Now take my resolve It is all I have left but I feel like You too have the tenacity to seek its completion Phantom of the Foreshadowed End

The form of the man dissipated leaving only the sigil that grew and then became eclipsed with light As it dispersed what remained was the smallest of all the sigils created but also the heaviest Mrs Hamilton felt it like a weight against her heart Every beat was a struggle as long as that sigil hung before them

It was a dark dense thing It didn’t have much meaning on its own but it was like a promise Or a seed Or an egg that would hatch the most vicious monster that Mrs Hamilton could imagine a thing of black limbs cracked bones and desperate teeth Very slowly it floated up and joined the larger Class

The only change was that the light it was producing was a hair darker now than it had been in the past But it was enough to give Mrs Hamilton a sense of foreboding Just who was Aemont The fact that he carried that around with him in his chest

The Aether is being depleted Perhaps now Octavius turned and looked at the darkness

Yes I will go I just figured I would let the children act first A deep amused voice sounded out and a figure appeared above them a face made of ash and lava twisted into a lopsided grin I will name this boy too as is my right

“You choose to name him ” Octavius almost seemed amused scratching his horn in a practiced motion getting around the place where his ivory met his skin “These nice denizens of Cohort 7 and otherwise seem to have a vested interest in his potential I might “

“Worry not ” The huge face of ash said its mouth stretching wide and what appeared to be a car sized droplet of lava oozing from the corner of its strange mouth “He is not there yet but soon he will be chosen And then he will have the potential to go even further to take up the mantle I have held for so long “

Octavius’ eyes widened “You mean “

“For he is the Patron of the Fallen Earth ” The face said and when he spoke the rumble that went through the platform was not small More than that though the face began to vibrate too shaking and stuttering large hot red cracks emerging in the face lava oozing slowly outward from the wounds dripping down and landing on the grey ivory with dull thwaps Mrs Hamilton pursed her lips as she watched This thing was one of the rare Patrons

There were of course people from Donnyton who had obtained Patrons and went on the strange teleportation to the Patron’s world where they were tested to see if they were worthy of the powers of the Patron If she recalled correctly there were three levels to Patronage Initiate Anointed and Chosen This Patron spoke of Randidly as though all he had yet to do was become Chosen which would mean he was already Anointed Mrs Hamilton made a mental note to ask him about the process

That boy went through so much The amount of knowledge she could probably gain about the methods of the System just by following him around was probably 10x the amount she learned in Donnyton even with multiple experiments running Somewhat frustrating

More than that though this being seemed to be implying that what he was giving Randidly was the ability to move beyond simply being a Chosen to the next level being a Patron himself

Even now Mrs Hamilton gritted her teeth as the shuddering rumbling grew more intense so that if she didn’t her teeth would rattle right out of her mouth More and more chunks of rock fell off the giant face revealing a bright red molten core but as that was exposed to the air it cooled and darkened then cracked and fell

For the first time since Octavius arrived Mrs Hamilton sensed that he was truly shocked and worried There seemed to be a sheen of sweat on his brow “Senior “

“Nonsense ” At last the central chunk of rock that had composed the face was revealed hardened and fell From it a stone form shaped roughly like a human with large clublike arms stood Its body was brown grey and its mouth and eyes glowed with the red of molten rock “Among Patrons I am rather young I hailed from the 3rd Cohort I was born as a treant you know before I became a Patron And in this boy I see the potential to die as one “

‘Titles ‘ Mrs Hamilton thought tapping her finger against her lip ‘ Were important The System designation ‘

She considered how much Lyra had worsened after becoming a Village Spirit It wasn’t just power it was information Seeing behind the curtain of the System to the inner workings But the power was not insignificant either It was enough to make Champions of men

Finally the vibrations ceased A glittering rune floated in the air larger than all that had come before almost of a size of the Class rune that was originally made albeit much more slender and basic It was all burning reds and hard lines a vicious thing a desolate thing without any soft portions Mrs Hamilton looking at that floating rune was very dubious how much effect their addition to his Skill would ultimately be Although they added some softness and understanding everyone else seemed to add hard brutal unrelenting and unforgiving shapes and meanings These would emphasize his stubbornness and foolhardy tendencies not soften them

How much could a Class change a person Mrs Hamilton wondered How much could that boy be warped by this unyielding image

Chapter 399

Mrs Hamilton’s gaze was locked on Randidly’s still form With all this would Randidly still seek to defend humanity Would he have the heart to resist throwing himself to his quest to resist the influence of the System

Mrs Hamilton didn’t think he wanted to rid the world of the System completely but it was clear from his unwillingness to adopt a Class that it didn’t sit well with him It was more than just a youthful rejection of authority too There was a knowledge there Mrs Hamilton could sense There was a deep worry What was it about the System that infuriated him so

The light began to build and this time it wasn’t just light but a scorching heat Doing her best to suppress a gasp Mrs Hamilton stood and stumbled backwards away from the source of the heat Even so her skin was red and dry even as she felt her own improved Vitality move to cope with the damage Her frown deepened as the light departed leaving a rune that now appeared to burn visibly not with actual flames but with heat waves around the sigil It inexorably floated upwards sinking into Randidly’s skin morphing it making part of its aura a sense of dry devastation

Displaying a surprising amount of insight Lyra patted Mrs Hamilton’s shoulder With a complete dearth of tact she then said “I think it’s one of those times where the more they go against us the more they emphasize us Don’t give up on our path so easily “

Mrs Hamilton wondered if she possessed the ability to kill this foolish girl Her Soul Poison Skill that she obtained at level 30 might be worth a shot regardless of the fact that she was almost completely composed of the System’s laws At least then one of the last elements that were within her purview that completely ignored her control would be gone

Well perhaps that was part of the fun Mrs Hamilton reflected Without Lyra it was like everything she was doing was too predictable Lyra and Randidly They shared that habit of acting in a way that left her almost infuriated but mostly amused

Mrs Hamilton patted her shoulder back For all she wanted to murder the girl she did have a certain annoying physical beauty And people like pretty things

“If that’s everyone ” Octavius seemed still to be worried and glanced around No one else stepped forward out of the darkness no more forces acted “Then “

He produced a hammer and then a small table and swung it down as a judge would hit with a gavel

Mrs Hamilton blinked Because right before the hammer hit the table the hammer stopped

“Not so fast “

Lyra spoke but it wasn’t Lyra’s voice It was something older something darker something much more dangerous So this was the Creature

“A pleasure ” Mrs Hamilton found herself saying “You are the one they call the Creature May I inquire after your name “

“Yestyx How quaint ” When Mrs Hamilton spoke the Creature and was looking at her smiling something like a cancerous organ would grin at you “No one has asked me that in a very long time For that I’ll give you a gift “

Lyra’s hand reached out and touched Mrs Hamilton and as she struggled to back away from the younger woman she found herself frozen When those fingers touched her Mrs Hamilton thought she would freeze to death as something colossal and lonely brushed its soul up against her

Then she pulled her hand away and Mrs Hamilton fell back gasping The feeling quickly departed and she was left wondering if anything at all had happened

“I’ll also let you see this Although you should know telling that poor boy that I do this will only confuse him Better leave me as the easy enemy It will make the next part simpler “

Lyra’s body walked forward filled with Yestyx the Creature until she could reach out and touch Randidly Which she did stroking his cheek

“My hero ” Yestyx whispered her smile wicked “I’m trapped in this Dungeon Come save me from the dragon I name you Poison for the Fickle Aether “

Something in reality cracked and Mrs Hamilton felt herself sliced in half and then die

Then something corrected itself and she was back whole She vomited spilling the stew she had eaten for dinner over the grey ivory ground not caring at all how graceful she seemed Yestyx laughed

The rune was not a rune but it was an absence of anything shaped as a rune It was several slashes in the fabric of the world quivering and dark And for this light did not come but simply a deep blanketing darkness As the darkness grew and grew it muffled light then noise then thought

Then it was gone and Mrs Hamilton was shaken by the fact she had no idea how long that had taken

What was left was a small wizened rune barely the size of a fingernail but it burned with pure hatred It squirmed and seemed to emit a keening wail full of absolute disgust It was an emotion that would not negotiate would not show mercy would not compromise

It sunk into the Class without a trace

The hammer banged on the table Then Octavius spoke still with his eyes on the ashy remains of the treant not even noticing Lyra’s abrupt appearance next to Randidly’s side “Then that ends this Transcendence Perhaps the most effective one I’ve ever seen but then I’ve only seen four Now since this is such an extreme situation I suppose I will need to submit a report “

When Lyra opened her mouth Mrs Hamilton’s hand shaking though it was clamped down on her shoulder This was her turf not this hasty girl’s

“Ah Transcendence is against the System’s rules ” Mrs Hamilton asked innocently

At the mention of rules Octavius’ ears visibly perked up “Hmm hmm a very interesting question What was your name again I would say that it isn’t against the System’s rules because at its core the System forbids nothing Anyone may take the path of the Heretic for example Only there are consequences for all actions that subvert the will of the System “

“How intriguing and well designed Individuals such as yourself undoubtedly are a necessary part keeping the System running “

“Haha Well ” The rhino man seemed to blush and gave her a look that Mrs Hamilton had received many times from human men She almost wanted to roll her eyes It was the look a man gave her when they moved her from an unknown entity to something that wasn’t attractive enough to be lusted after but wasn’t yet old enough to have her brain dissolve into mush A capable assexual being Easy to work with uncomplicated and she could feel him shift her

The grey spider in her mind rubbed his forelegs together in glee

“Perhaps so administration of the System is not something that is simple it’s more of a monitoring Seeking patterns Finding problems and making sure the System recognizes them as an issue “

“Ah so you’ve known this was coming for a long time ” Mrs Hamilton asked quizzically Lyra was silent in very strange way her gaze focused on Mrs Hamilton’s face

So she can imitate me later practicing in the mirror Mrs Hamilton thought with a certain bitterness And Mrs Hamilton had no doubt that she would be great at it

“Of course Your Earth has been peculiar in a number of ways ” Octavius said coughing into his hand then pounding his chest “The exploits of your people have surpassed expectations by magnitudes My regular reports detail the dangers of humans in an incredible amount of accuracy I had just this sort of situation in mind “

Gotcha Mrs Hamilton thought her mouth staying perfectly still “So this Transcendence it necessitates an emergency report “

“Well no ” Octavius said with a sigh shaking his head “There is only one time that a true direct report is given when the first world in the Cohort triggers the Calamity I will give a debriefing on everything Until then the regular reports are how I record my research “

He trailed off seemingly struggling with something Which made Mrs Hamilton narrow her eyes Was he truly

But then he spoke and she once more felt at ease “I suppose this doesn’t constitute something that is outside the normal operations of the System Still I’m somewhat worried “

There was a greedy gleam in Octavius’ eye Mrs Hamilton smiled Making a deal with a fool was unpredictable Making a deal with a monstrous intelligent rhinoceros that had weaseled himself into controlling a whole Cohort of the System

“Tell me what you are worried about ” Mrs Hamilton cooed Lyra watched her eyes unblinking

The ash treant did cartwheels delighting in his body

“You feel that ” Donny looked towards the horizon Lucifer stood next to him gazing in the same direction as him towards the Northeast

“Yea ” The other man didn’t speak much Donny had learned very quickly but was most comfortable brooding and meticulously inspecting his equipment Donny was disappointed that all of that careful maintenance hadn’t had anything to do with the cloak he allegedly received from slaying the first Tier III Raid Boss but it was something that Donny could afford to wait on

If the difficulty of the Raid Dungeon was to be believed they would need every tool in their arsenal to handle it At least based on the seriousness that the Ghosthound was treating it

“He finally got a Class ” Lucifer said squinting towards the swirling clouds visible even miles away

“Yea ” Donny said not knowing what else to say That was their leader The hope of humanity

Donny wondered what sort of Class he ended up with He wondered what sort of level up gains he would receive from it

Chapter 400

Randidly didn’t really understand what was happening but he could feel its effects One by one certain images that he held within his heart were emphasized growing in strength and power beginning to dominate portions of his grove of the Forest of Enmity

Idly he mentally tapped his chin considering these influences His mind was foggy and his vision was slightly blurry but there was a sharp incisive intuition that warned him of these strange influences in his mind Almost bleary he considered them with suspicion The notifications he received didn’t exactly ease his worries but it certainly gave him focus

The Class Planting of the Forest of Enmity is being created Calculating parameters

Addition (+) has been added to Class Calculating benefits adjusting parameters

Foreign influence ’ Randidly narrowed his eyes his animal instincts immediately diagnosing this threat examining what was happening He could feel the changes dimly Already the Class was connecting itself with his soul space even while his consciousness remained sucked into the anchor allowing the entirety of the process to flow through him

But as Randidly monitored the changes as closely as he could through his senses he gradually came to accept what was happening There was a resolve in this addition to a deep sense of responsibility towards his fellow humans It flowed slowly into him Or rather he could slowly feel that part of himself coming into focus If it was a color inside of his personality it did not grow as he would have expected or move to a more prominent part of himself but simply increased the vibrancy of its shade moving from red to crimson or from grey to an impending thunderstorm

Strangely Randidly didn’t mind it Rather than adjust his personality it was intensifying him Making him more than a person It was a gradual thing as several thin lines of himself strands of emotions became stronger Not in the way that it would cause them to occur more often but just that when they did occur those emotions would be stronger more relentless their images vivid and bright

Or it was like adding a higher quality engine to a car Even now Randidly could feel himself working harder faster more tenaciously just given an extra inch of strength due to motivation

Closing his eyes Randidly reached for the image of his Class And after some soft groping in the dark he found it Immediately the world exploded and he gasped sucking in air Immediately he was surprised by the fact that it actually worked and his lungs expanded

Eyes full of wonder he looked down at his hand his arm a true body standing here somewhere deep deep within his soul space Then he looked around taking in the small grassy hill and the 5 young saplings that stood at the crest of the hill At the center was one that was about double the size of the rest a young tree about 3 meters tall its trunk still skinny and slender

Its branches twisted upwards to points sharp spears aimed at the heavens The bark of these trees was cracked and rugged black at the edges and a dull grey at its base Thin veins of emerald flowed through the silver revealing the staggering vitality that all of these plantings carried within them

Randidly looked and saw a thin blue shield condense in his Class the personification of the addition he supposed It fell to one of the peripheral trees leaning lightly against it Immediately it began to emanate a blue light that flowed into the nearest tree causing it to slowly but visibly glow Soon it had reached a midpoint of size between its previous size and the size of the central tree and stopped But now from its branches small azure flowers bloomed casting a soft light over the surroundings

Looking up at the sky Randidly frowned So it seemed that there were plenty of people willing to take the chance to impart parts of themselves This was not an asked for benefit and it was not like the debt that he owed Shal he would not go to the ends of the earth to help these people It was a free benefit that he obtained

Not that he could really discern who had given him these things But his heart swiftly hardened as he considered who might be moving to assist him The first appeared to be related to protecting humanity but these others

The first it was a focus on his Soul Skill A growth in his protectiveness his inventiveness in his value towards being their Progenitor And it also had other strange effects drawing it more closely to him moving it towards a change of some sort that it would make it more powerful That must be Lucretia but how

A small pocket watch split into four quadrants of white red golden and blue grey appeared and was swiftly absorbed by one of the plantings That tree began to grow too strange cogs and flywheels poking out of its bark its color shifting to more varied and multifarious

The next addition was even more confusing It was just a brutal determination A set of principles to live by a sense of responsibility and vindictiveness against those who crossed Randidly

A tattered and ripped Tassle appeared hanging from one of the four outer trees and Randidly coolly watched as the tree twisted further every bend and crook of the branches reminiscent of violence Shadows gathered around that tree and out of the corner of your eye it seemed there was a face hidden in its trunk smiling sweetly at you It was a tree that could fulfill other functions but it was completely transformed into something that evoked the spirit of a weapon The hardness to protect softness as it were

The third addition Randidly’s eyes widened A vast desolation A deep melancholy and loneliness Fury dulled by passing time Endless patience Wrath bubbling beneath the surface The tangy taste of ash The Patron of Ash

A small crack opened up in the hill and a thin stream of magma bubbled out quickly cooling into rock before cracking and falling away again More and more flowed out and the nearest tree trembled Rather than seeing it Randidly could feel how its roots moved beneath the ground seeking out that earth fire tentatively sucking it into itself

The whole tree shivered Then it began to lightly smoke But Randidly could feel that although the emerald fluid and that lava met each other and sought to eradicate the other it was a controlled exposure and they only served to emphasize the other’s strong points Very soon both flowed through the veins of the tree and while it was not peaceful it was not dangerous

The final addition was simply a deep and implacable hatred Above the hill hanging in the sky a fat yellow green moon appeared So close and bright it cast its strange light over everything giving it an unholy pall

This hatred who did it come from Perhaps Lyra After what she had to go through due to it he would understand but he didn’t think even Lyra was carrying this monstrous hatred in her chest

Randidly frowned This was a deeper more complete thing that he had His hatred was perhaps rather adolescent in its complete rejection But it was an easy thing to cling to to grow strong It was easy to understand and pursue Staring up at the yellow green moon Randidly considered

Perhaps He said slowly speaking to no one but himself I wouldn’t have thought about it had I not been forced to see it face it directly but we cannot escape the System can we But that does not mean this hatred is useless but

Reaching up Randidly grabbed the fabric of his Class his eyes blazing emerald Distantly he could feel Aether rushing to assist him in his will fueling the change he sought Randidly grabbed the sky and tugged softly The moon began to drift downwards slowly towards the horizon First just a sliver then half then all of it was devoured by the edge of this small hill that made up all of his Class Then slowly a sun rose in the East bringing with it light and warmth

all things should be tempered with warmth and mercy Randidly whispered

Then he sighed letting out all of the tension that he had been holding within him Something chimed deep within his chest and then there was a click as if something locked into place and then he could feel the space around him becoming blurry Closing his eyes Randidly allowed himself to be thrown from his Class and then withdrew his attention from his inward soul space to be back into his real body Then he opened his eyes and saw notifications even as the energies ran rampant through his body

Neveah watched as Lucretia added her meaning to Randidly her Soul Bound partner and remained silent She understood how little influence these would really have but it remained to be seen how much power that Randidly would receive from it all

After Octavius’ hammer struck instantly Neveah could feel through their connection how Randidly began to shift and change shaped by the Class given shape to his growth Hopefully it wouldn’t affect him too much

Immediately though those energies swirled within Randidly and then exploded outward through their connection flowing through in Neveah’s soul space She couldn’t get a Class but

Those energies hit her like a stampede of hungry wolves ripping into her consciousness Instantly something instinctual took over and her physical body took over physical and spinning As she felt her personality completely displayed by something primal inside of herself she found herself hoping that this would hurt

Him

Chapter 401

Congratulations You have received the class of Planting of the Forest of Enmity( +) You have gained the Skill Plant Control (Un) Lvl 1 You have received the skill Spray Holy Sap (Un) Lvl 1 You have received the skill Sharpness Lvl 1 You have received the skill Call Grove Defenders ® Lvl 1 You have received the skill Aura of Enmity Lvl 1 You have received the skill Earthquake (Un) Lvl 1 You may learn 10 additional skills to these and those you already possess Skills may be forgotten to learn new skills +12 Health per Level +15 Mana Per Level +14 Stamina per level +5 Vit Per Resist Int or Control per level (these points may be distributed between 5)

Congratulations You have gained the Invigorating Call (Humanity) (Un) Lvl 1

Congratulations You have gained the Four Shaded Domain Lvl 1

Congratulations The Skill Plant Control has merged with Root Control and become Plant Dominance ® Skill level has been adjusted

Congratulations The Skill Aura of Enmity has merged with Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil Skill level has been adjusted

Randidly laughed aloud then frowned and tapped his chin The bonuses themselves were wonderful double digits in all three attributes would mean his survivability and burst power would increase by a whole order of magnitude if he had access a bunch of levels The 5 attribute was also the highest that Randidly had ever seen and was only the base Beyond that he had earned 3 addition stat levels ups and 1 to a P Def 1 to M Supp and 1 to Control It was unfortunate that the points he had to distribute also included a P Def and Control and didn’t have any Strength or Agility but

But Randidly’s expression turned more grim as he looked at the remaining Skills portion of the Class Only 10 Skills remaining

It was true that at the moment his Skills seemed to be more than enough but would that case continue If he needed to make more Skills for whatever reason or increase his Skill Sets

Ah but Skill sets only counted as one didn’t they That was some small comfort Which eased the very uncomfortable restraints put on him by the System But based upon what Lucretia and Neveah told him the tightness was necessary because it would provide a base that would allow his Class to grow high

He hadn’t really thought about it overmuch but what they hadn’t really considered was WHAT the Class was going into During his time in Shal’s world he was made aware that there was the 25 and 50 level tournaments but beyond that 50 he wasn’t sure what happened to Classes Based upon all reports the leveling slowed to a crawl after 45 No one in Donnyton had reached 49 yet let alone 50 although several would likely do just that within the next month

Was there some sort of qualitative change to Classes Did it have to do with the Skills that were obtained every 10 levels And how high did the leveling system go Was it capped at 50

Lucretia is there a level cap Randidly said inwardly concentrating on his Soulskill sending his whisper throughout its air

But there was no answer Frowning Randidly turned his attention to it only to notice that something was occuring within the Soul Skill Unlike its normal slow march of time right now it was frozen as his Class settled around him It seemed some influence of the Class was sinking into it as he considered the issue

Perhaps after whatever was occurring finished he could figure this out Honestly Randidly chided himself for not thinking of this and asking sooner but there were so many other things to give attention to

For now Randidly considered his new Skills The merging of Root Control and Plant Control to create Plant Dominance was nice and easy to understand But the rest

Spray Holy Sap (Un) As a Planting of the Forest of Enmity you constantly produce an amount of sap Once per day you may spray this sap This will either heal an ally bind and enemy or do a large amount of physical and mental damage to an enemy Strength of Effect increases with Skill Level Every 10 levels decrease the Cooldown of the Skill by an hour to a minimum of 1 hour (Synergy with Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil detected Efficacy increased by the Skill level of Synergized Skill)

Sharpness Spend a small amount of Mana to increase the sharpness of bladed weapons Also increases the durability to a small degree Efficacy increases with Skill level

Call Grove Defenders ® As a Planting of the Forest of Enmity minions of Enmity flock to your standard You may spend 1000 Mana to summon some of those minions to your side For each summoning a Statistic must be selected to base their form upon Their ability to fight increases with Skill level and as the chosen stat increases Special characteristics of minions increase with Skill level and as the chosen stat increases

Earthquake (Un) Create a localized earthquake in your surrounding area Will destabilize terrain in your target area Subterranean enemies will take increased damage Effect increases with SKill level Mana Cost decreases with Skill level

Invigorating Call (Humanity) (Un) Shout raising the spirits of all humans nearby Heals them for a small amount and doubles their regeneration for a short time Efficacy increases with Skill level

Four Shaded Domain Call down the influence of the Four Shaded Eternity surrounding yourself with its power and influence Within its area receive small buffs to Wisdom Focus Strength and Reaction while opponents receive debuffs to the same Size of change increases with Skill Level Area of Effect increases with Skill Level

The first four were clearly from his Skill while the final two were likely from some of his bonuses Randidly had truly obtained 6 Skills from his Class but two were absorbed by greedy other Skills At least Root Control had the decency of changing its Skill name indicating that the combination had an effect

As for the Skills themselves they weren’t overwhelming but Randidly could see their uses The Sap undoubtedly had a powerful effect not that he needed another strong finishing move but it would work well as an emergency healing measure After all he no longer just needed to worry about himself It remained to be seen whether a full party of 10 was necessary but all the slots were being filled just in case

Randidly’s mouth narrowed into a thin line After all they couldn’t afford to fail

Sharpness and Earthquake might not be impressive now but Randidly suspected they were the type of thing that would grow to an unbelievable effect if he worked at them both long enough Of course that was a matter of time and honestly that was the thing that he just hadn’t had after leaving the prison in Shal’s world

Still since he was going into a Raid Dungeon there should be some time difference and with that he would have some time but it wasn’t likely everything he needed

More interesting to Randidly was Grove Defenders It was another summoning type Skill which he had tried before but this was another one that appeared to make different types depending on which stat he used It would be interesting to experiment and see all the types And if they would get stronger both by his Stat and by him leveling the Skill a lot of potential of growth for him there

What was strange to Randidly about the final two Skills was the fact that there was only two of them He frowned at the two of them These were clearly from the first two influences Another healing buff made to help defend humanity and then something relating to his Soulskill Both useful but what about the other 3

The choice of buffs was somewhat strange but Randidly supposed it was based on the races in his Soul Skill Wisdom would be Weavers Focus Spriggits Reaction the Hunters and the Golems were Strength They would hold back his enemies and boost him Mostly that Strength buff was interesting to Randidly but he suspected everything would be useful

Just depended on how costly it was to maintain well Randidly supposed that it would work out with his large growth rates of his attributes now

The lack of any Skills or bonuses whatsoever to his Class based on the bonuses was annoying but perhaps he had been hoping for too much Like Lucretia always emphasized a Class was a tower The base was never supposed to be impressive just sturdy As it grew only as it began to tower over the people below would it be clear how well designed it was

Randidly looked at his hands Hatred tempered with Mercy huh

His hands tightened into fists This was his path then It was only a matter of time before he walked farther down this path and discovered the answers that he wanted What were Classes Why did the System insist upon them

But what Randidly was amused by was that there was now a new function that displayed his growth rates And when he looked at everything he had earned himself per level after all this time he couldn’t help but smile

Growth per Level +5 (Vit Per Resist Int or Control) 3 free Stat +1 M Stat 1 P Def 1 M Supp +1 Control 20 health 24 mana +23 Stamina (+ 5 regen per level) (+1 Health and Stamina Regen per level) +20 Progenitor’s influence

Chapter 402

After cracking his neck Randidly stood The area around him had been reduced to a glass smooth crater He scratched his ear Apparently some of his Aether had escaped in a major way due to his lack of control during the process because a casual kick from Randidly wasn’t enough to even scuff the empowered ground beneath him It seemed that so much concentrated Aether had the benefit of strengthening even something as basic as the ground

If he had put this in a more useful position

But Randidly shook his head banishing the thought Better to stay focused for now Even though he wanted to explore a bit and try out his new Skills better to head back to Donnyton and then gather everyone up to head North towards the Raid Dungeon There was one thing that Randidly wanted to do before he went in there if he could help it

In case he failed he had to check

Again Randidly shook his head That was for later

His Soul Skill seemed to be still in its strange transition period so Randidly instead reached out for Neveah She didn’t respond but he could sense her nearby her body waiting while he performed the ceremony to obtain a Class Although Randidly suspected that he could move very quickly especially now and it wouldn’t be difficult at all to obtain a few Levels he figured it wasn’t worth the effort

Those first few Levels would be easy to get either way So Randidly just walked over towards Nevaeh who appeared to have dug a trench out for herself a fair bit away from him

Neveah Are you Randidly reached the edge of the trench and looked down Then he began to frown

A small bird formed out of the air condensing on his shoulder It chirped at him

Randidly shook his head No I don’t think it’s bad but it certainly throws a wrench in things

Lucifer sat as still as he could but his traitorous toes gave away his excitement by tapping excitedly It was dawn and he had arrived in Donnyton After he had been given a delicious meal he was now brought to the staging area where he was given an interspatial pouch filled with 20 of the highest tiered potions he’d ever seen although he wasn’t going to reveal that now

Standing with his arms crossed he surveyed the other people who had already arrived Alana was there of course looking as surly and serious as ever two spears strapped to her back and a shield to her arm Standing nervously next to her was a young girl absolutely strapped with armor and next to her there was a tall grizzly bear rubbing its belly

There was also Clarissa and Ptolemy who Lucifer recognized who he assumed would be the mages for their expedition Although Franksburg’s militia was improving by leaps and bounds that was one area that they still had to rely on Donnyton for which rankled somewhat The mages that came out of this small town were absolutely inspired

Like what you see

Lucifer barely controlled his urge to jump and spared a sidelong glance to a very pretty woman with long dark hair tied behind her head in a ponytail She gave him a saccharine sweet smile and waggled a finger at him

Annie the White Arrow they called her Just standing here Why not introduce yourself We are going to be teammates aren’t we Let’s get friendly

She linked her arm in his and started walking What was shocking was that she had enough Strength to forcibly drag him across the area towards the final duo that was currently waiting an athletic man with short golden hair and a woman who looked like she was constantly taking notes The two looked up as Lucifer was dragged over by Annie and the man smiled

You The man said pointing to Lucifer have the making of a truly great villain Never stop chasing that dream kid

That’s not how you greet people the note taker said then glanced at Lucifer scanning him up and down Lucifer had gotten used to being looked at both before and after the System’s arrival due to his height and long bright orange hair Now that lanky frame of his was covered in a layer of muscle which drew even more eyes to him Combined with the large cleaver he often carried across his back

But the way this woman looked at him was disturbingly clinical as though she could see right through him It made the sleepy beast in Lucifer’s heart suppressed by shyness wake a little one eyelid trembling But then the woman extended her hand and the moment was past

I’m Rose Calloway I believe I’ll be in charge of analysis and tactics on our expedition This is Ace You are

Lucifer frowned Rose and Ace Those were not names that he was familiar with based on the dossiers that he read of Donnyton’s personnel And to go so far as to say she would be in charge of analysis and tactics well hopefully she had the ability to back up that claim

this is Lucifer He’s from the South and even worse at making friends than Randidly so keep that in mind Annie said removing her arm from Lucifer’s and casting him an amused look Lucifer managed to shrug trying to look nonchalant inwardly sweating Still it might be hard to tell now but these people were undoubtedly all strong There was no reason to dismiss them Better to just extend an olive branch

Lucifer running on a flash of nervous energy extended a hand and put it on Ace’s shoulder Then as calmly as he could he spoke

Heeyy It came out as a low growl hanging in the air Ace’s eyes met his Very rapidly Lucifer felt the attitude between them change Tension crept out of hiding for both of them as they both began to glower more and more strongly Lucifer realized abruptly how what he had done could come across as threatening but now he could only sit back helplessly as the instincts of the beast inside of him took over

The other groups looked over Alana’s eyes narrowed as she looked on and she quietly drew one of her spears

You Ace said his eyes squinted Then his face broke and he sighed You might be the most talented villain I’ve ever seen That flashy appearance that deadpan expression that gravelly voice You make enemies everywhere you go don’t you I’m so jealous

Ace patted Lucifer’s shoulder a few times then walked away a sad expression on his face Lucifer scratched his cheek That turned out fine

An older man with short grey hair came out of a nearby building carrying a long package and looked around at the group of them quizzically Not here yet Christ that boy

Annie laughed You saw that spike of energy to the North It just abated He can’t be two places at once

Yet And suddenly Lucifer’s perception narrowed focusing on the tall young man that had appeared in their midst his shoulder length black hair swishing lightly from his obvious momentum The ground beneath him remained undamaged which made Lucifer’s heart pound

To stop without damage at that sort of speed

He looked just the way he did in Lucifer’s memories but he felt so much more So much more focused and real so much heavier The air was thick with his presence His eyes flashed emerald as he scanned through them all But apparently what he found there wasn’t what he was expecting

And when the Ghosthound frowned that weight turned piercing Alana where’s your second We should leave soon

Thea’s my plus one for this dance Alana said putting her hand on the shoulder of the young girl For her part the girl looked extremely nervous just looking at the ground in the face of the Ghosthound Lucifer could understand that There was an intensity to that gaze that made him uncomfortable as well Still the beast in his chest would never allow himself to look away if the Ghosthound initiated contact no matter how uncomfortable Lucifer himself was

But the Ghosthound’s eyes softened as he looked at the girl Thea and he said nothing Instead he nodded and turned away

There’s a 10th spot yes Clarissa asked tapping her wrists Who will be our final member

Another from the North The Ghosthound said this time looking at Ace who waved good naturedly at him with a cheesy grin Almost in spite of himself the Ghosthound’s mouth curved up into a grin From East End Ace you’ll accompany to ask for their assistance yes

Ace’s happy expression fell away Instead his face twisted into a combination of pain and guilt It was so strong that even Lucifer could discern it so it was indeed extremely overt The Ghosthound frowned in response and it was Rose who stepped forward with a hesitant expression

No offense meant but that is not the best idea The two of them did not part on good terms Rose explained The Ghosthound said nothing Ace’s foot began to tap again

Well then I’ll go alone The Ghosthound said turning away Mrs Hamilton and their research specialist Daniel were hurrying over As they made a beeline for him The Ghosthound turned over his shoulder and said Introduce yourselves to each other familiarize each other with everyone’s Skills It’s just a hunch but I suspect we won’t have an easy time in the Raid Dungeon Strength isn’t enough we are gonna need teamwork

Chapter 403

After they had heard the details of his Class both Mrs Hamilton and Daniel seemed extremely excited They demanded the details of every Skill and after getting the details they shooed him away as they excitedly discussed the particulars of what he obtained Apparently his worries about not obtaining anything from the bonuses were unfounded Randidly could only assume Otherwise their behavior didn’t make much sense

Hey kid Hearing Sam’s voice Randidly turned and looked at him The old man was carrying a large package that made Randidly’s face break out into a large grin Sam nodded some of the same glee coming into his eyes

Yes it’s just like you think I finished this beauty for you this morning If I had more time or could obtain better materials well I’ll let the work speak for itself Sam handed over the package Randidly’s smile widened as he felt the weight enough that his arms actually strained to hold it It was a spear that he would need to grow into which was exciting

Carefully he removed the cloth wrapping revealing a long steel grey spear a completely whole piece of equipment all forged of one extremely long bone

Spine Spear of an Ogre Gargantuan Lvl 44 A titanic spear forged from the spine of an Ogre Gargantuan Extremely dense the bones of the Ogre Gargantuan are a combination of calcified carbon and iron leading to a metallic feel The creator of this weapon is a fine artisan and was able to bring out its inner potential to the fullest Flash of the Dawn III +30 Strength The Skill Heavy Blows is automatically activated when the spear is swung for no cost

Flash of the Dawn III Forged in the fires of dawn there is a 30% to strike with additional sun based damage and a 3% chance to cause an explosion of solar power with a strike

Randidly laughed aloud Nothing but Strength from the Spear huh The bonus from both the constant Skill activation and the forging method were extra bonuses too With this Randidly finally had a weapon other than that strange Aether spear to use

Well his expression became solemn as he looked at the spear This spear was powerful but it wouldn’t help to fight against the Creature who was lurking at the end of the Dungeon His idea about spraying stiffened and useless meaning into the Creature was worth looking into as well as investigating that small amount of powder that Mrs Hamilton had provided him that caused Aether to burn more quickly

After all pick your weapon based upon your prey

Well Sam asked his voice gruff Randidly abruptly felt somewhat embarrassed and swung the spear around enjoying the weight of it It was difficult at first as his body adjusted but the Strength bonus from using it made it just possible As he grew used to it his strikes grew wider more fluid his Yggdrasil bonuses kicking in boosting his physical capabilities far beyond what a human should be capable up

Alana whistled her appreciation while Rose watched Randidly intently furiously taking notes Immediately Randidly stopped swinging the spear feeling somewhat embarrassed It wasn’t like he wanted to hide his Skills from her she would have plenty of chances to find out later while they were in the dungeon But it just seemed a bit braggy to perform like this

Yea Sam it’s perfect Randidly said meaning every word pointing the huge grey thing towards the sky Sam nodded in satisfaction

With that no more soft attacks from you eh Well that’s about it from me Just eh be careful alright Sam smacked Randidly’s shoulder then walked away

Looking at his departing back Randidly didn’t know what to say Should he have offered a hug

Scratching his neck Randidly focused inward and looked at his new status with all his new equipment his new Class almost an entirely new person his strength rising to another level entirely without even him gaining Levels There was also the fact that he still had PP that he needed to put into a Path There was so much room for his strength to grow

Class Planting of the Forest of Enmity (+x5)

Level 1

Health(/R per hour) 2920/2190 (+730) (852 (+165

Mana(/R per hour) 2149/2149 (373 (+9

Stam(/R per min) 2350/2290 (+60) (288 (+45

Vit 208 (+15)

End 120 (+20)

Str 183 (+52)

Agi 237 (+24)

Perception 199 (+20)

Reaction 211 (+15)

Resistance 167 (+45)

Willpower 277 (+10)

Intelligence 196

Wisdom 128 (+9)

Control 298

Focus 255 (+4)

Progenitor’s Influence 170

Equipment Master’s Fine Leather Belt Lvl 49 (Vit +5 Str +5 Agi +5 WP +10 Resist +15 Wis +9 Focus +4 Per +10 Health +100) Masterwork Bone Cloak Lvl 50 (Vitality Strength Agility Reaction and Perception +10 Health +300 Resistance +30 Twilight Manipulation Lvl 75) Tough Leather Armor Lvl 41 (Health +200 Endurance +20 Reaction +5 Strength +7 Agility +9 Health R +100 Stamina R +30 5% Lifesteal) Spine Spear of an Ogre Gargantuan Lvl 44 (+30 Str)

Paths Newbie 7/7 P Def 10/10 M Supp 10/10 Risk Taker 15/15 Basic Physical Fitness 20/20 Trainee 15/15 Wandering Survivor 20/20 Pathless I 5/5 Pathless II 5/5 Pathless III 10/10 Pathfinder 15/15 Disciple of Shal 37/37 Pathless IV 10/10 Pathless V 15/15 Pathless VI 15/15 Pathless VII 20/20 Pathless VIII 20/20 Pathless IX 25/25 Pathless X 50/50 Pathless 100/100 Mana Bolt Path 25/25 Phys Fitness 25/25 Evasion 35/35 Phantom Thrust Path 40/40 Spear Mastery I 50/50 Monster Slayer I 1/1 Monster Slayer II 3/3 Heavy Blow Path 20/20 Monster Slayer III 6/6 Monster Slayer IV 12/12 Monster Slayer V 25/25 Potion Making I 25/25 The Monster Slayer 100/100 Entangling Roots 40/40 Meditation 35/35 Frontrunner 100/100 Apprentice Path 50/50 Fireball I Path 50/50 Potion Making II 35/35 Spear Mastery II 75/75 Phantom Thrust II 75/75 Empower I 60/60 Root Manipulation I 75/75 Advanced Phys Fitness 100/100 Fighting Proficiency I 80/80 The Lonesome Spear 100/100 Path of Carnage V 1000/1000 Oathbreaker 25/25 Grace I 75/75 Fighting Proficiency II 100/100 Weeping that Falls like Rain 200/200 Aether Philanthropist 1/1 Tireless 50/50 Initiate of Ash I 75/75 Bacterial Mutation I 125/125 Initiate of Ash II 150/150 Anguish I 125/125 Intermediate Battle Intent 200/200 The Ash of Aemont the Spear Phantom 500/500 Steps of the Godling I 50/50 Mentalist I 50/50 Basic Mana Engraving 100/100 Adept(+1) 250/250 Basic Soul Bond 75/75

Skills (Soul Skill) Four Shaded Clockwork World Lvl 1752

Combat Spear Mastery Lvl 151 White Phantom’s Half Step (Un) Lvl 52 Heavy Blow Lvl 74 Dagger Mastery Lvl 10 Iron Skin Lvl 47 Dodge Lvl 80 Fighting Proficiency Lvl 120 Block Lvl 54 Phantom Onslaught Lvl 42 Sweep Lvl 54 Spear Deflect Lvl 10 Calculated Blow Lvl 78 Roundhouse Kick Lvl 41 Idiosyncratic Cut (Un) Lvl 70 Pierce the Skies Shatter the Earth Lvl 39 Body Control Freeze Lvl 27 Stalemate Breaker Lvl 29 Talon Strike Lvl 38 Counter Lvl 1

PoFE Class Skills Plant Dominance ® Lvl 72 Spray Holy Sap (Un) Lvl 1 Sharpness Lvl 1 Call Grove Defenders ® Lvl 1 Earthquake (Un) Lvl 1 Invigorating Call (Humanity)(Un) Lvl 1 Four Shaded Domain Lvl 1

The 7 Kata of the Ashen Spear The Spear Advances Ash Trails Lvl 51 As the Sun Stills &&

Aether Skills Aether Detection Lvl 70 Aether Manipulation Lvl 71 Living Aether ® Lvl 83 System Interference Lvl 8

Spells Spearing Roots Lvl 70 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 20 Soul Seed ® Inspiration ® Incinerating Bolt Lvl 79 Circle of Flame Lvl 53 Plantomancy Lvl 35 Hammer of the Dawn Lvl 37 Burning Footsteps Lvl 23 Ashes to Ashes Lvl 24 Touch from Beyond ® Lvl 13

Yggdrasil Glittering Leaves of Yggdrasil Lvl 101 The Golden Roots of Yggdrasil Lvl 100 the Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil Lvl 96 the Yyrwood Flesh of Yggdrasil Lvl 104 the Indomitable Spirit of Yggdrasil Lvl 97 the Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil Lvl 99

Auxiliary Sneak Lvl 46 Acid Resistance Lvl 22 Poison Resistance Lvl 21 Pain Resistance Lvl 61 First Aid Lvl 16 Pathfinding Lvl 18 Fire Resistance Lvl 23 Sewing Lvl 11 Cutting Vegetables Lvl 2 Manual Labor Lvl 6 Digging Lvl 5 Cooking Lvl 53 Clockwork Mastery Lvl 16 Aether Connection Lvl 3 Soul Bond Lvl 76 Chef’s Palate Lvl 24 Nether Resistance Lvl 3

Level UP +5 (Vit Per Resist Int or Control) 3 free Stat +1 M Stat 1 P Def 1 M Supp +1 Control 20 health 24 mana +23 Stamina (+ 5 regen per level) (+1 Health and Stamina Regen per level) +20 Progenitor’s influence

Soul Skill Bonuses +16% Concentration +12% hearing and vision range +4% size Immunity +8%

Where is Neveah Alana asked coming to stand next to Randidly distracting him from his Stats Randidly pressed his lips into a thin line

I I don’t know Well I know but Randidly turned and looked to the Northeast Where his Soulbound companion still lay dormant she’s transforming somehow Something to do with me gaining a Class I expect So for now I’d love to wait for her but

To Randidly’s surprise the next person to step next to him was Annie a NCC child developed a cough today They brought her into the clinic the parents more bewildered than worried But

Yea Randidly said nodding turning away They didn’t have time to wait for Neveah and whatever was going on His Soul Skill too was still transitioning which was annoying but hopefully that would stop soon as it was showing definite signs of changes

Ready everyone Randidly said looking around Alana Annie Thea (and Chrysanthemum) Ptolemy Clarissa Lucifer Ace and Rose Including Randidly that was 9 people A party of their best Perhaps not THE best that could be fielded but a flexible group that wouldn’t debilitate Donnyton by being away

Turning Randidly looked North but now Northwest Towards the East End Village Then let’s head out Time to visit an old friend

Chapter 404

It was raining when he arrived in East End Of the companions for the Raid Dungeon only Ptolemy and Rose had taken Randidly up on his offer to accompany him to East End Thea had wandered off to spend time with Simon while Alana and Annie had dragged Lucifer off somewhere to spar

Ace had disappeared much to Randidly’s chagrin almost immediately after they arrived in town and Clarissa was much more interested in talking with mages in Star Crossing to see what sort of spells they had developed whether there were any unusual Classes Randidly thought this was a mission given to her by Mrs Hamilton but Clarissa seemed to enjoy it well enough so Randidly said nothing

So there they stood at the gates of East End a steady drizzle turning the world around them grey Randidly’s hair plastered to his skull Ptolemy had a cloak and Rose had an umbrella Briefly Randidly considered pulling up the hood of his bone cloak but

Not only were the bones rather poor at keeping water out but also pulling up the hood would activate the twilight effect and hide his face and figure from view There was no point in spooking out the people of East End more than he had to

Randidly had also considered breaking into East End just making his way through the town and tracking down Sydney but that felt wrong There was a strange nervousness in Randidly’s chest when he thought about meeting Sydney one that he had never felt in the past This meeting was different somehow Perhaps because they had both assumed that this would be their final permanent separation Or at least Randidly had He had thought she was dead for so long

Ace was his best friend but Sydney Sydney had been a part of his life for far far longer So long that even now after the period of time stretched by the System she still felt like a permanent fixture in his memories

You’ll be wanting let in I expect An old man said looking down from the roof of the building in front of them His eyes were narrowed and suspicious Randidly blinked He had no idea how long he had been standing here Both Rose and Ptolemy had stayed silent the entire time they had remained here content to wait his mood out Which was perhaps a mistake but luckily this man had brought his attention back to himself

Yes Randidly managed He wasn’t nervous he was just This was a person that he had thought long dead That he had mourned That he had ignored knowledge of to solve other problems There was a complicated system of pulleys and ropes that almost bound him with guilt rendering him unable to run away but also unable to approach

The old man hocked and spat and thumped on the ground with a club With a groaning noise the wall of metal that blocked off the doors to the East End Mini Mall were drawn back allowing passage

Welcome to East End the man whispered turning away walking back through the sheets of rain to wherever he had been watching Randidly from

Turning a mall into a Village was a fascinating prospect As long as the walls were sturdy it provided a natural shape that would make defending the Village that much easier There were also quite a variety of supplies contained in the mall that would make living in the wake of the System that much easier Donnyton was currently reaching a point where it could no longer feasibly import its paper products including toilet paper tampons and writing paper from Franksburg

At this point Franksburg itself was realizing the crisis that it was about to face as it ran into shortages of those items and prices skyrocketed So Donnyton could only helplessly watch and push some people into getting Classes related to paper production

Meanwhile at a location like this there was a higher amount of pre System resources to rely on which would make the transition that much easier

It also Randidly mused as they walked into the main part of the mall made the fashion here a bit strange

The mall was a huge sprawling three floor building filled with shops and boutiques catering mostly to the rich but also containing a fair amount of grungy specialty shops designed to cater to the spoiled children of the rich allowing them to act out just enough to catch daddy’s attention So the people wore a mixture of strange RPG esque belts and suits creating something a strangely steampunk semi formal vibe

It made Randidly shake his head in amusement There was clearly some sort of weird fashion thing going on here and he could feel Sydney’s hand in it She always had the right amount of flair to turn the ordinary into a statement

Randidly made no attempt to speak with the average person but walked forward heading through an area dominated by shoe stores turned into a strange mixture of textiles and armor production facilities But then Rose tapped his shoulder

I know my way to my contacts from here She announced giving him a slow look Randidly said nothing so Rose just shrugged and looked at Ptolemy I wouldn’t mind introducing you as well if you

Please the man said nodding and the two of them walked off barely sparing Randidly a glance

His mouth curled up into a sardonic grin He must have really stood out there in the rain for a while for them to treat him so coldly So long that the gate watcher had come out of his little hidey hole to speak with them ostensibly because he felt bad they had waited so long And that man from their brief interaction appeared quite bitter It would have taken a while

Randidly could only sigh His relationship with Sydney was always strange Always just a little bit

Mr Ghosthound When I heard that someone matching your description entered East End I can’t say I was pleased As Randidly turned he saw a man in loose leather armors walking towards him It was the guard leader Drake The man flashed him a short smile You must forgive me for preparing for the worst

Randidly could hear the archers about him moving as silently as they could on the 2nd and 3rd levels getting in position The middle portions of the mall were open so they could look down from the upper levels to the hole in the middle and peer down towards him Honestly it made him want to laugh It was amusing and refreshing to be so honestly threatened

And so underestimated

I’d like to meet with Sydney Randidly said doing his best to not let the words stick in his throat although they were as slimy and floppy as a live trout Drake stood but said nothing simply drumming his fingers on one of his leather belts Smiling Randidly settled in to wait

There were three things that Randidly knew about Sydney and no matter what happened even if something similar to the trauma that had befallen Ace had happened to her these parts of her would not change The first was that she was missing something some part of her that let her empathize easily with other people For that reason many people had called her a cunt or retarded or ripped up her notebooks poured spilled milk in her backpack or 1000 other small pranks that were designed to make her miserable

Every one of those people who had given her these small slights would find that that missing piece of her freed up room in her head so that she could perfectly remember those people who she wanted to pay back And she was vicious and vindictive when she had the upper hand

The steps were slow and even solid clicks making it clear that she was wearing heels Because of his boosted Perception he could hear her walking towards him on the 2nd floor when she was still 100 meters away But also because the people had disappeared and the mall around him was almost silent save for the breathing of the guards

The second thing was that Sydney liked making an entrance She always believed that no matter what people said those aesthetics were the first thing people saw and the last thing that someone would forget about you For that reason Randidly suspected that when Sydney realized what the System was what it meant she had seized this location purposefully

Her base being set up here was not a coincidence this location had elements that she valued and she had carefully chosen to be located here She had created for herself a place where she was in her strongest element But that again was not quite true Randidly could tell If she truly was confident about facing him she would have summoned him back to her base not come out here to meet him

Shocked at himself Randidly shook his head as the footsteps came closer Why was he thinking about her like she was an enemy This was Sydney

The footsteps stopped Randidly looked up

Her eyes met his They sized each other up

Randidly watched as her thin hands seized the handrail squeezing it until her knuckles were white And then further until the handrail warped bent by her strength

Randidly Ghosthound Sydney said almost sighing as she looked at him She was wearing a deep purple dress with a small leather jacket pulled over her shoulders There were three belts across her hips and beneath the hem of her dress boots peeked out

Although she was more ridiculous than ever it was so familiar that it was bittersweet But to explain why was a bit

Sydney Harp Randidly said simply surprised at how easily the name came out

She smiled but it was self mocking Well let’s go then I suppose we have a lot to talk about

Chapter 405

Sydney Harp remembered very specifically waking up as a two year old and fixedly pawing at the latch to her crib Eventually by some miracle her fingers caught the latch and her crib fell open From there she pushed herself off of it and landed on the ground harder than she had intended

After a brief silent cry she stood and tottered off heading to the window Because that was the source of her current fury

She couldn’t make it to any of the windows in her room but the Harp family living room had a couch she could climb up on that would give her a view out of the window and to her neighbors’ house Also luckily for Sydney her parents always left her door cracked so they could hear her if she began crying

Which she never did of course but it made them paranoid that she was a crier they were just missing it And so she could use her two year old hands to pry open the door and slowly stumble towards the kitchen From there she moved to the living room and then spent around 10 minutes working herself up onto the cushy couch

Then another 10 minutes to get up to the top part from one of the arms so she would walk along to the side by the window and press her nose against it peering out towards her mortal enemy

Because out there in the darkness of the night a baby was crying She could see his window and Sydney was sure it was a he the house to their house’s left with a light in one of the uppermost windows as he was left to cry himself to sleep every night

Syd sometimes I wonder if you aren’t trying to run away from home

Sydney jumped spinning around Her 10 year old older brother stood behind her hands on his hips superman onesie zipped to his chin

I’d come with you if you were Zack her brother added I’m tired of all the vegetables in this joint

Sydney frowned but said nothing She could speak but had only practiced it in secret because she was aghast at how slurred her words sounded She resolved herself that she would only speak when her English was perfect So she pointed violently out the window towards the lit up window in the house next door insistent

Zack crawled up next to her humming Oh the Ghosthound kid Yea he’s a whiny baby Careful you don’t end up like him You know he’s your brother right So you are a crybaby like that too

Wide eyed Sydney stared at Zack drinking in every word He nodded clearly satisfied with the attention Ask mom and dad You two were born on the same day right next to each other So you are connected And that’s that

And so it was

Sydney was fascinated by this strange relative that her parents hadn’t told her about and watched him carefully for the next three years All in all she found him profoundly unimpressive

His hair was always messy he always looked at the ground and when he spoke he mumbled half his words so he was impossible to understand

So when they coincidentally had a birthday party in the same park at the same time because of course their birthdays were on the same day and they lived in a small town Sydney resolved herself to make contact with the sloppy boy Inform him that if they had to be related the very least he could do is practice his speech a bit

Everything went wrong immediately Sydney had approached the boy Randidly and dragged him to the sandbox behind the hedges There she had demanded an explanation and he just looked at her dumbly He also just backed away as she advanced towards him until he tripped and fell on his butt

Then his eyes crinkled and a telltale look went over his face Sydney’s heart filled with dread he was about to cry

Her hand shot out and grabbed his mouth yanking him forward until they were nose to nose

Don’t you dare You are better than this Sydney whispered her eyes narrowed And to his credit he didn’t cry Randidly just stared at her But then just as she escaped disaster things took a turn for the unforgivable

Ha I found em mom They are kissing back here Jack called over his shoulder a 13 year old who was too cool for his sister’s party taking out a bit of his angst on her Sydney leaped backward away from Randidly but it was too late

Sydney’s mother and father walked over chortling looking over at the two of them with the most disgusting eyes that Sydney had ever seen

It’s good to be young Her father said kissing the crown of her mother’s head

Her mother laughed It’s a little early but those two have a special connection don’t they

Sydney knew they were saying something but she was still a bit too young to be able to parse apart what So she just stayed silent and stayed away from Randidly And she did research By watching Disney movies

About a month later horrified Sydney stomped into her parents’ room You think I love Randidly

Her mother looked up from her book a mild expression on her face Now what gave you that idea

You you He’s gross Sydney grasped for words and then just blurted out the first thing that came to mind It wasn’t clever or eloquent and she hated how childish she sounded but goddammit it was true Randidly was gross and she couldn’t believe they had believed Jack when he had said she had been kissing him

After laughing quietly the older woman picked up Sydney in a huge hug Aw he’s not that bad Honestly I think he’s kinda cute Here look at him And with that her mother took Sydney over to the window and they looked out it together

Outside Randidly had drawn a line in the dirt and was throwing a ball at a tree from that line Sometimes Randidly would hit the tree and then he would walk pick up the ball and then throw it again More often he missed the tree and he would just chase down his little ball and then walk back to the line

He’s an idiot Sydney said scathingly Then she winced as her mother pinched her cheek

That’s not nice to say But you aren’t wrong Sydney’s mother looked at the boy then up to the house beside him which was silent and empty Her eyes took on a pained look Still there are worse things in the world to be than dumb Dumb might be unexciting but it’s predictable dependable

And she added her face twisting into a smile At least he’s not ugly

Sydney nodded absorbing this lesson She watched her mother’s face shift again becoming bitter And sometimes there are forces in the world more powerful than the choices you make Sunshine Sometimes Sometimes you just need to do the best you can with what you are given because everything else is too much Even when you are otherwise so strong when otherwise you are so loved

Her mother trailed off and Sydney’s gaze turned from her face to the boy below throwing balls at the tree

A month later both Sydney and Randidly started 1st grade at the same school although much to Sydney’s relief they were assigned to different classes Later that week Sydney was told by her mother that her father had gone away to someplace called Rehab so he could adjust his diet because he had done too many unhealthy things

He would never come back because before Sydney had turned 6 he had relapsed and died of a heroin overdose During that same time Randidly’s father and mother were divorced During the summer after that year again Sydney would go to the window and look out it at her neighbor And as always he would be there throwing the ball at the tree He hadn’t even gotten noticeably better which drove Sydney insane

Yet she still would watch him

Predictable dependable Every day she watched him

Due to the timeliness of their trauma they both began acting out in class during 1st grade and often spent time together forced and terse time where they barely spoke But he was always there by her side

Sydney Jack and her mother moved away before the start of 4th grade She didn’t bother to say goodbye which she regretted for a whole 8 months They were now in a different state after all The chances they would see each other again were so small that not even Sydney’s mother would have suspected they would meet again

In the summer after 6th grade Sydney discovered boys and would spend her days hanging around the baseball park that was in her neighborhood whispering with her friends as boys walked by

One day a girl dragged her over to one of the little league games to watch a team getting creamed Bemused Sydney followed And then she sat down transfixed the entire game because she recognized that boy She knew every idiosyncratic twitch in his throwing form It was Randidly and he still hadn’t gotten any better at throwing the ball

After the game ended she followed him back to his car ditching her friends His dad was there his heavy hand on Randidly’s shoulder guiding him back to the car And when they were safely hidden between cars Sydney heard the loud and echo y sound of a hand hitting flesh

Peeking around a red SUV she saw Randidly lip trembling standing in front of his dad Sydney’s heart seized Jesus not again

But then Randidly gulped it all down and his face went blank and numb His dad nodded approving and they kept walking

Sydney’s wheels whirred That hadn’t gone how she had predicted it would

Chapter 406

Sydney tried for the entire walk back from the South end of the mall to the staircase to the roof to think of the word that could describe how she felt being near Randidly after so long To her surprise it was most aptly described as a violent apathy She could feel her emotions smashing leftwards and rightwards furiously but there was no need for an outlet She seemed eminently content to remain silent feeling nothing

Perhaps the real problem was that she had been struggling to quash her hope for the past several months that the absurd name Randidly Ghosthound actually referred to HER Randidly Ghosthound And then she had been furious how much she wished it was him Then she felt guilty for wishing so vehemently that it wasn’t him and that she sorta hoped she would stumble across his dead body in a ditch so she could finally put the damn emotions to rest

On and on they would cycle swirling within herself a snake chasing its tail continuing forever Or it would have Had not he actually come actually been Randidly causing her emotions to grind to a halt Now

Now she did her best to ignore him as she walked purposefully forward When they reached the roof she paused waiting for his reaction Although it had taken some doing Sydney didn’t regret building a miniature castle on top of the mall a sprawling hulking behemoth of a thing that had taken her months It certainly looked sinister now though especially in profile Plus doing it had done wonders for her in the beginning giving her a fanatical purpose and also grinding some Skills up to the point she could begin finishing Paths and gaining useful Skills

Randidly peered up at it his face solemn ignoring the rain plastering his hair to his skull

At this moment while he examined the heavy stone castle on top of the mall Sydney allowed herself to really examine him looking at him and more specifically what he was wearing

The most obvious and the eye catching thing was the strange cloak he was wearing that appeared to be some sort of bone mail made entirely of tiny rings of bone At first Sydney had assumed it was some sort of metal but there was a hollow clinking sound when the different pieces shifted which was completely different than the noise metal would have made In addition each of those small rings of bone was covered in strange runes Sometimes they would flash with a strange energy as Randidly moved

Now though as he stood still he was just covered in a strange bulky white cloak It almost looked silly but Sydney’s instincts told her that it wasn’t a simple thing After all even the idea of threading so many of those bones together gave her the pangs of an oncoming headache Whoever had produced this cloak had spent an incredible amount of time working on it shaping it to be just so

Underneath the cloak Sydney could make out a set of leathers lightly dyed red that were even more impressive East End had its own tanners and leather workers and although they had heard how proficient the forges of Donnyton were Sydney wasn’t too worried She had believed that even if they could produce more the geniuses working tirelessly under her could do better in small doses

That red brown leather set shattered that confidence But that was an issue for another time

Randidly turned from the castle and looked at her Sydney turned away and walked into the castle They walked through the wide wooden doors into the entry room where Sydney led Randidly towards the stairs For this Sydney planned on heading to her private study Some privacy would allow her

She paused Her emotions continued to swirl seemingly heedless of her thought processes They were almost a separate entity at this point

But honestly why did she need privacy

Her body was another separate entity and carried her forward Within minutes she walked through the door allowed Randidly to enter and told Drake to guard the door Then she closed the door and turned to Randidly

With a flick of the wrist she created a goblet of ice After a second of reflection she created another then cleared her throat Would you like a drink

Nodding slowly Randidly said Yes Still hard to really feel anything these days

But it’s better than nothing Sydney said going to the cabinet and removing some spiced rum from the shelf She knew what he meant in more ways than he perhaps meant It was very difficult even for her who didn’t focus on Vitality or Endurance to reach a point of being drunk without multiple bottles of liquor But more than that she was so cold so numb Feeling things was a distant memory

As she was pouring the drinks he started speaking

I thought you died He said his voice almost wondering Raw and lost filled with a strange tension that Sydney could also empathize with Sydney at least had Ace for all that the human monster they had fought with had warped him into something broken She wasn’t alone facing the vicissitudes of the System Randidly had no one

Sydney wanted to turn around and hug Randidly tell him they were back together after so long that again he had shown up surprising her when she thought that she had seen everything he could manage And from the rumors that she had heard about him the things that he had been able to accomplish they were impossible He was the most powerful human alive and he was that same dumb boy that couldn’t hit a tree from 20 meters

But instead she found herself turning around and saying So Why have you come

Randidly straightened slowly looking at Sydney really looking at her Her usual streaks of dyed hair were gone leaving all of it a rich dark brown that could be confused with black Her eyes were light a mix of grey and blue cold as the glacier they seemed so intent on imitating And yet

Sydney hadn’t always been this cold In the time after Randidly’s move in middle school they started talking all the time and by high school they had been really close When it came out they lived next to each other growing up Randidly was bewildered but the pictures showed Sydney as the correct one Then in the months leading up to college Sydney had sat Randidly down Then she had told him the school she was applying to and the acceptance rates

After looking at him with her eyes so warm then she had said This has been strangely fun But it can’t keep going Good luck

Then her eyes cooled as she turned away and departed Randidly had never in his life really wanted anything before that moment He had been content to sit quietly ignoring his mom and her boyfriends drifting to and from school just letting life carry him forward It wasn’t that he didn’t care it was just he had never found anything worth caring about

That changed that day Sydney had given him a challenge and then left He would not keep her waiting long And yet when he saw her that first day of class freshman year

Her eyes went wide and she took an involuntary step backward right there in the world history classroom and said What did you come for Did you follow me

Randidly froze After a brief awkward interlude Sydney stormed out and the professor coughed and said something very opaquely about boundaries in relationships that had Randidly burning Then the tall athletic looking blonde man in the seat next to Randidly chuckled

After casually leaning over he whispered into Randidly’s ear Man if I had a chance with that girl I’d follow her around too

That’s more than a little creepy Randidly replied more shocked than anything else to be so poorly received by Sydney Hadn’t she encouraged him to try Wasn’t this exactly what she wanted

Randidly had driven himself into the ground trying to cram enough extracurriculars and volunteer work into his last year of high school to get into this school The whole time Randidly was thinking about Sydney about how she cared enough about him to encourage him even when the task set before him when considering his history was impossible

Yet in that year Randidly had learned something about himself Although he had drifted for a long time that was due to a lack of direction not a lack of spine It was not easy but he had made it

The blonde man laughed and then offered Randidly his hand Yea well only in private My name’s Ace Who are you lady killer

Now in the present in the wake of the System standing in a castle built on top of a fucking mall it hit him in the gut to hear her use those same words in reaction to him after so long apart Was it really just this

Randidly opened his mouth then he closed it Sighing he shook his head Then he straightened and this time the person looking out at Sydney was not Randidly but the Ghosthound his eyes glowing emerald

You’ve seen the notifications I assume We are launching an expedition to clear the Raid Dungeon There is a 10 person limit on the party that goes in As the leader of one of the Villages in the North you can have one slot if you want it You can come with us

Sydney’s eyes narrowed but she said nothing Randidly recognized this mood of hers It was most of what he had dealt with in her reactions to him before Sydney began dating Ace before she was forced to be civil to him Before she had been diagnosed with cancer and her frosty exterior finally cracked

Ace will be coming Randidly offered taking a calculated gamble Immediately the change in her face the tightening at the corners of her mouth informed him he had chosen incorrectly

I have a question Sydney downed the rest of her drink and straightened her goblet of ice twisting into a glittering bracelet I think it’s a reasonable one What qualifications do you have to lead this expedition Mr Ghosthound Do you really have the strength to do so

Randidly opened his mouth to speak then he closed it Because he knew how stubborn she was too And right now she was dealing with the Ghosthound He gave her a sharp look It was a show of good faith and support from Randidly to come and offer her a slot in the party to go into the Dungeon Randidly didn’t doubt it would be dangerous but that the rewards for passing it would be similarly phenomenal And sure there was the added benefit of seeing Sydney but

She never was very sentimental

Fine Randidly hissed his eyes glowing even more brightly

Chapter 407

Sydney had once had a very strange dream that Randidly had appeared before her and effortlessly overpowered both her and the representative of the Skeleton Knight who was visiting with her That was prior to her deciding which of the Champions she should throw her support behind

In the wake of that Sydney had experienced a wake up call Sure when she founded her Village she was undoubtedly the most powerful of the forces of East End But in the few months following that she had somewhat let herself go

Which was why unbeknownst to most of her people she had arranged to have a Dungeon installed in the room off of her study That was where she spent most of her time stretching each day into almost a week After a prolonged period of this she began to experience Aether Sickness as explained by the Village Spirit so she laid off somewhat but she never forgot how easily he had overpowered her

That would not happen again

Now 20 Levels later and with Skill Levels almost double her previous highs Sydney was confident Even when with an eerie similarity to her dream vines and roots erupted out of the ground twisting towards her

She dismissively slashed with her hand and Cone of Frost blasted forward stopping the advance of the plants dead Although the System could empower things that didn’t mean that the Skills didn’t still follow reality’s laws Plants were weak to cold Combine that with the fact that she was almost Level 90 in the Skill and his plants were easily dealt with

If that’s all you have you don’t Sydney began but she threw herself to the side at the last moment a bolt of molten metal ripping through the frozen plants and blowing a hole in her wall And after she examined the trajectory of the attack Sydney could only grit her teeth Randidly had missed on purpose taking it easy on her

Fine then Coldsnap Pointing Sydney activated her most powerful Skill She was partially relying on Randidly actually being powerful here because if he wasn’t his body would be ravaged by the abrupt change in temperature

Randidly didn’t even move Eyes glowing he allowed the Skill to hit him his bone cloak abruptly covered in a thin layer of frost as he simply stood and took it Then with exaggerated slowness he lifted his hands and grabbed his hood and then drew the hood of the bone cloak over his face

Instantly the light from his emerald eyes was snuffed out There was only a strange shadow and then his whole figure became blurry before fading into the poorly lit room

Sydney froze for a second then pointed towards where Randidly had been standing and also towards the fireplace Fireball

A moderately sized ball of fire ripped forward only smashing harmlessly into her stone wall another igniting the wood in the fireplace However the fireplace was deeply set into the wall and Sydney’s own body and her wooden chair continued to cast long dark shadows across the room

Randidly remained hidden There was a knock at the door

Is everything alright Drake asked concern and tightly controlled anger clear in his voice Sydney wanted to rip the man’s eyes out Now of all times for him to get jealous

Yes Sydney said simply The room became quiet once more She could hear Drake huff and back away then drink something

There was a creak on the floorboards behind her

Zone of Frost Sydney shouted spinning and bringing her hands up the ice bracelet shifting into a dagger made of ice Of all of her training most of it focused on Dagger Mastery to the point that it was her highest leveled Skill It was only by a few levels but it was more than enough to overpower most individuals who expected that she would be easy to overcome because she was a mage

But Sydney just gaped in shock because standing in front of her its weight on the creaky floorboard was a strange creature made entirely of roots and vines shaped in a vaguely human shape

A cold metal blade pressed against her neck Is this acceptable as proof

Sydney said nothing but her hands dropped to her sides How was he so strong This this wasn’t how this reunion was supposed to go at all

So he’s gonna be the representative of East End Dauntless’ female secretary asked looking at him with curious eyes The Ghosthound just grunted looking up at the rain clouds overhead

Drake crossed his arms He wasn’t any happier about this than the Ghosthound was But both Coppernicus and Vandal were away on other matters so Drake was the only person who was near strong enough to keep up with the crew of elites and also Sydney trusted enough to represent her interests

What’s your Class and Level And any special Skills you have You’ll also be given access to the information that everyone else provided so it can be considered a net gain for you The woman who introduced herself as Rose said And don’t bother holding anything back My Skill will allow me to see what Skills you use and based on the difficulty we are expecting we don’t have the luxury of holding anything back

Drake considered for a long moment before nodding After the Ghosthound had stomped out of the room his face studiously blank Drake had gone into Sydney’s study to speak with her She was also curiously devoid of emotion and calmly informed him that he would be going with the group into the Raid Dungeon In addition she had ordered him to cooperate fully with them

After all Sydney had said We aren’t at war with them yet

In his heart of hearts Drake locked that yet away and made it a priority of his to examine the strengths and weaknesses of this group And part of that was baring his own abilities

Level 34 My Class is Guard Captain But I do have a Soul Skill called Haunted Armor It gives me bonuses to Endurance Strength and Resistance Plus I learned an extra Skill called Bone Exoskeleton which gives me a huge armor boost but takes forever to activate and cuts down on my mobility a huge amount

Good news Ptolemy Rose said her eyebrows rising 39 isn’t the lowest Level anymore Well Drake you’ll have to stay sharp because you’ll probably be outclassed by most enemies for a while but that means you will grow more quickly

Drake just grunted then realized he probably made the same noise that the Ghosthound had a minute earlier and flushed with annoyance Trying to change the subject he looked around and asked So Where’s that big bone centipede of yours

Randidly’s face darkened She is otherwise occupied

It was midnight and the group that would descend into the Dungeon tomorrow were gathered around a fire introducing themselves talking about strengths and weaknesses polishing their weapons and saying small prayers

Randidly sat a small amount of distance off feeling his connection to Neveah She continued to sleep the forces of whatever happened still transforming her It didn’t appear that she had moved from that ravine where she had locked herself after Randidly had obtained his Class

In more positive news Randidly’s Soul Skill had finished its transformation and seemed altogether unchanged except for the increased presence of energy in that world It made Randidly frown because he could feel that something had shifted at the core of the world and some of that clockwork based on the work of the Creature was shuddering into motion

But Lucretia was also back even though she largely was silent examining every inch of Randidly’s Class keeping her opinions to herself She seemed profoundly disappointed about something and honestly Randidly didn’t want to press her for the details They were strangely connected but that didn’t mean that he wanted to be an integral part of her life Hopefully at some point Randidly would return to Shal’s world and just let her out

Well perhaps not she had done a lot of evil things in her time there

Shaking his head Randidly turned his attention to his Paths screen

Chapter 408

Over the past several days Randidly had gained some small amount of Levels in things But he had quite a bit of PP left over from before he obtained a Class and that gave him the sizable amount of exactly 100

Ultimately Randidly’s attention focused on five choices Path of Control 0/200 The Phantom’s Embrace 0/150 Fighting Proficiency III 0/ Intermediate Soul Bond 0/125 the First Legend 0/

What he needed now was a consistent source of strength With his Class he could grow more quickly than he had previously but that didn’t mean that he could set aside these lucrative seeming Paths Of them Intermediate Soul Bond was likely the weakest but Randidly still couldn’t help but be tempted by the possibility that it would do something to help Neveah who continued to slumber

With a heavy heart Randidly removed that option Next Randidly was able to remove Fighting Proficiency as an option for although it was likely a Skill Path and one that would provide a big boost to Stamina it was probably a worse reward than he would receive for the Phantom Embrace Path

Which left him with the Path of Control the Phantom’s Embrace and the First Legend

The Path of Control had been with Randidly so long that it was starting to get annoying Perhaps he had been spoiled so far because he had access to such a large amount of PP but not being able to pursue some of the interesting sounding Paths was really starting to irk him Plus Control was a Stat that Randidly relied on a lot both in its ancillary role as a way to make his attacks more delicate but also by giving him a greater amount of control over his Spells

On the other hand Phantom’s Embrace was his greatest physical Skill and an upgrade there would be extremely valuable In addition physical Stats that he would likely obtain from it would be extremely useful and would improve Randidly’s survivability Thus far he hadn’t encountered many things that could threaten him simply due to his high Stats but if that changed moving forward