LoRG 2

Randidly gaze alighted on a certain individual A coward who could not even face his own truth RandidlyÆs expression turned grim

The moment continued to stretch Only a few seconds had passed since Randidly had severed the hand For most people the violence had happened more quickly than they could follow The words were not vague but the casual tone likely confused anyone who could listen Even now the spectators were struggling to catch up and understand what had just occurred

The referee stood on the side his face blank There was still a few minutes until the rung was scheduled to start It was clear from his expression that his Perception was high enough to understand what had just occurred Right now he was simply trying to rationalize why the attack had occurred

Finally RandidlyÆs gaze went back to Eli Iron An old man strong too Level 57 Certainly capable likely well respected based upon his status Yet he now faced Randidly without the hint of remorse Eli only displayed embarrassment that he had failed so spectacularly That he had taken the chance to attempt to tear down the Ghosthound and instead brought a calamity to Donnyton

Randidly squeezed and EliÆs remaining hand shattered Powerful and confident Someone who could influence the future of Donnyton Decisive and self righteous very suited to an image If you werenÆt I might think about killing you No you would already be dead

His gaze slid to the referee whose face twisted into a frown the man had come to a decision RandidlyÆs thought flitted back and forth Then his gaze darkened

was this a trap

He gazed for a very long second at Stan unleashing his bloodlust Even though they were fifty meters apart and there was the wall of the VIP section separating them the man flinched and stumbled backward

Because Randidly came to one conclusion no matter what his thoughts were on his image allowing Donnyton to be known as a traitorous group would be disastrous for Donnyton Not only that but RandidlyÆs plan involved Donnyton influencing the rest of the world to pick up an image as well But this small incident had enough weight to completely shatter his plan

Which left only a single option

Randidly would need to take the fall for this transgression

An ashen blade cut Eli IronÆs legs at the knees even as the referee was opening his mouth to say something Once more the spray of blood froze the man

Randidly gestured sharply at Helen Although she was confused She nodded and rushed forward toward the arranged Squads As though they had prepared for just this eventuality they fell into formation and lowered their weapons

Randidly smiled like a hungry shark Fine then Stan IÆll walk into your trap LetÆs see if youÆve developed any bite while IÆve been away

Chapter 926

Helen rushed forward activating her Tides of Blood Domain Even as the energies exploded outward and swirled around the Squad members in front of her she felt someone in the back of the group unleash blasts of water into her Domain Very concentrated and accurate blasts of water

Very quickly she could feel resistance in the usual rotation of the DomainÆs currents it seemed this individual was pretty familiar with how liquid moved And also they had paid attention to the way that she constructed her Domain to restrict all her enemies within the area Not only Randidly but it seemed that Helen herself was now worthy of plotting against

For whatever reason Helen found this fact immensely satisfying Even as her Domain seemed to stutter and slow to a sluggish trickle that glow of happiness suffused her chest

But Helen wasnÆt worried In fact she felt a surge of excitement in her heart The man who had foolishly attacked Randidly had shifted the tone of this entire battle Whereas Randidly was keeping his cool before now that tightly held control was starting to loosen His curt gesture to Helen conveyed his thirst for violence

ItÆs time to run wild Helen thought with a grin Like a puppet master before a show HelenÆs thoughts traced the lines of power that controlled her Domain The lines of power spun She felt the resistance from the Classer at the back and could only smile like a shark Good Otherwise this wouldnÆt be any fun

After cutting down the man who had attacked him Randidly had remained still So Helen unleashed another blast of her Domain one so full of power that the Tides of Blood covered the entirety of the arena and touched the edge of the audience Immediately Helen felt resistance exploding outward from the VIP box but HelenÆs grin just widened

If you dare test us isnÆt it fair that we do the same

This Domain was animated by different principles than the prior one that Helen had used One of the earliest tricks that Randidly taught Helen in her training was that a Skill that was predictable no matter how powerful it was would eventually be used against you Truthfully this was almost universally known But most people accepted that fact and just prepared for the counter

RandidlyÆs style was different

No Randidly made his hay on being unpredictable Because he had been indelibly shaped by Azriel who would memorize and counter a move after seeing it only a single time So Randidly had grown to be very aware of the sliders he could adjust in his attacks to keep the enemy guessing Timing power angle initiating motion all of them were toyed with And with RandidlyÆs ridiculously high Control he had become almost impossible to predict

It got to the point that the more Helen tried to understand RandidlyÆs tells the more he would be able to trick her by adjusting them In fact it was much safer to just rely on instincts in fights against Randidly

That was the trouble of fighting Randidly Ghosthound Even while he was clashing against you with power his mind was memorizing your responses seeking patterns that he could exploit With a monstrous amount of Control the flow of a battle would eventually turn in his direction

So Helen needed to have her fun before he moved

Helen released a relieved sigh as she spiraled her currents around in the opposite direction than she had been pushing them previously but also with an inwardly curving series of streams rather than an outwardly curving series of streams Energy was now being funneled to a tightly packed ball in the center whereas it had previously reflected away all attempts to penetrate more deeply

Randidly would notice the trick in it immediately but Helen expected these fools were a bit less sensitive than Randidly was

As she arrived at the group of Classers they surged into motion Even with the boost from the Domain Helen had to be cautious against these foes Although it hurt her to admit it they were individually more powerful than she was She had gained a significant amount of her strength back but it wasnÆt enough to overcome this difference in time spent training

Even as she condensed her harpoon and scaling knife Helen settled into a defensive posture Two swords slashed toward her position as the vanguard moved forward but she smashed them aside with a wave of force from her Tides of Blood Domain With a quick step she managed to slip through their blockade

and found herself surrounded They had been waiting for her to do exactly this Already the long range attackers had moved several steps backward Two archers drew back their bows and loosed arrows at her legs hoping to strip away her mobility The Classer who was shooting off blasts of water fired a dozen key blasts at once correctly hitting the important points to slow HelenÆs influence in the surrounding area

That arrangement would have been perfect to resist her currents had they been outwardly aiming and pushing away outside forces But as it was Helen borrowed the strength of those water blasts and brought them rapidly to the center of her Domain to feed her ball of force

Still this level of danger wasnÆt enough to corner her With her knife she cut the arrows out of the air stepping quickly up toward the archers and thrusting forward with her harpoon

The swordswoman cut at HelenÆs back again but a flick of her harpoon shaft flung some of her chains up into the path of the blow dispersing enough of the power that when it struck HelenÆs back it didnÆt pierce through her leather armor

It just hurts like a bitch Helen thought sourly

One archer scrambled backward but the other one dropped his bow and flicked his fingers sending three needles shooting toward HelenÆs wrist

Clicking her tongue Helen brought that borrowed energy from her Domain and smashed it directly down on the back of the water mage who seemed to have understood that he had made a mistake Yelping he was knocked helplessly forward and crashed into the back of a spearman who was about to strike at Helen

With a sidestep Helen avoided the needles and sneered as they stabbed into the hapless spearman DonÆt you dare try and bring such shallow techniques to someone who grew up on Tellus

But she immediately had to block a slash from the other swordsman with her harpoon Gritting her teeth Helen let herself be shoved back into the middle of the circle of Squaders Even now she heard another man barking orders sending groups forward to engage Randidly

Yet Helen could sense that he still hadnÆt moved so it was time to up her tempo Maw of the Hellfin

A huge shadow appeared in her crimson Domain opening and shutting its wide jaws on the back of the archer who had retreated and been about to fire another arrow The creature ripped into the manÆs right arm causing him to scream and release the arrow haphazardly The shaft flashed past skittering off the ground

Unfortunately the Squad around her were too well trained to react to the sound of their allyÆs suffering truly these were hardened warriors But they did switch to an aggressive stance which meant that the swordswoman moved a step too quickly toward Helen

Before another individual could shift to cover the swordswoman Helen thrust her harpoon forward Decimate

Blood covered energy gathered around the strike and empowered it Although the sword was able to score a glancing blow on the harpoon it wasnÆt enough to block it entirely The strike slid into the swordswomanÆs belly the wickedly curved hook ripping through her intestines

Helen grimaced despite herself If a healer doesnÆt get to that quickly you are going to die And it will be fucking horrible

Unfortunately the other Squaders moved more quickly than Helen would have guessed even as her Domain tugged at them An ax cracked into her shoulder and made her stumble forward To warriors like this that was more than enough of a chance A blast of heat singled a fire Skill had passed a bit too close for comfort as well Helen swung around adjusting her balance

Two more individuals wielding spears stepped forward and thrust toward HelenÆs sides With ripping motion Helen attempted to yank her harpoon out of the swordswomanÆs stomach But as Helen looked it seemed like a strange liquid copper had bubbled out of her wound holding the harpoon in her body

Lightning fast Helen released her Fate and recondensed it feeling a blast of mental wariness to control it so quickly But it allowed Helen to parry one of the spear thrusts and knock it into the other rather uninspired attack

Spinning around Helen barely avoided another volley of needles from the pseudo archer who now produced several daggers and rushed toward her But what she saw behind her gave her pause The Swordswoman was still standing there now wreathed in molten copper As Helen watched a conical helmet formed leaving a small slit for vision

The slit began to glow red

But Helen couldnÆt puzzle over this for long Strikes rained down toward her from every direction forcing her to dance to the side Several long scrapes on her arms marked how elusive she really was but Helen felt her mood dip

These people are too strong to play like this for long

Helen did not hold back and slipped along the lines of attacks and slashed at several lightly armored individuals with her scaling knife The wounds might not be deep but they would bleed heavily

As they attempted to surround Helen her attacks became increasingly violent Every other attack was a Decimate which consumed a lot of her Stamina but rapidly led to the other side pausing before they stepped into her range

It was possible to withstand her normal attacks but the Decimates continued to keep them on their toes

The battle should have begun to shift toward Helen as she made use of the energy she had gathered with her Domain but actually the opposite began to happen Most troublesome of all all those who Helen had wounded soon were standing covered in that same liquid copper armor Copper weapons flowed out of their hands and they moved with renewed vigor to cut her down The copper covered warriors seemed to attack in the same patterns but the moved more quickly than they had previously

Was this a shared Skill they all had because

HelenÆs harpoon smashed into the shoulder of one of the armored copper zealots Unfortunately the tip left a deep scratch but didnÆt pierce through Slowly the flaw in the armor healed Within ten seconds it was like she had done nothing at all More and more strikes rained down around her and Helen stretched her Domain to the limit to avoid the worst of it

If it continued like this

Like a hand passing through a cobweb HelenÆs Domain was blown away A strange wind howled shaking the air Everyone froze and turned their gaze upward It was demanded Instinct took over

Towering over them all was a tree that stretched upward through the sky Its branches wound up rough the clouds holding them aloft Beyond that was space where the twisting tendrils extended infinitely so far beyond the edge of an individualÆs vision that it seemed endless

The deep brown of the bark was so old that HelenÆs mouth dried as she looked upward at it The weight of timeÆs passage lay heavy over the air For those without a high level of Strength even breathing was difficult before this tree The emerald leaves rustled the noise clearly carrying to her ear even though the foliage appeared to be kilometers away It was like hearing the breath of a different world

As the tree slowly grew more vivid and defined the surrounding world dimmed The universe groaned as it was forced to revolve around the tree Sun and moon spun slowly obediently orbiting it Warm fire red light on its one hand cool blue silver on the other Between it the tree acted as the fulcrum for the warping of space

And across the whole of the tree small spinning lines of gold covered every inch of it From a distance it simply appeared that the tree had been liberally dosed with golden glitter But as one examined the tree with more focus suddenly it was clear that the strange geass of the tree seemed to flow through these letterings

What truths those letters conveyed were then born out into reality Such was the treeÆs power

So it is written so it shall be

If itÆs come to this Randidly said easily raising his hand and looking at his fingers His voice was that breath of a distant world seeming to boom with force while simultaneously being whispered to all who witnessed this phenomenon Then letÆs no longer hold back

Around her the powerful Squads began to stir as they fought off the passive influence of the tree But RandidlyÆs gaze shifted down toward the body of Eli who continued to bleed onto the cold stone ground Randidly grinned Interesting that Skill improves the more damage youÆve taken doesnÆt it A support Skill to provide copper armor to your allies But is that flimsy barrier really enough

Above the tree there was suddenly a Crown It was simple and austere a woven thing of bone and metal and darkness The air shifted and the writing across the tree shifted and rewrote itself The tree demanded fealty

This time when the leaves rustled it sounded like a dull roar And all who witnessed that Crown began to tremble and suffer

Chapter 927

Copper Lifeblood was a unique Skill for several reasons When she had heard about it Mrs Hamilton spent several hours pouring over the details of the Skill It could not be used on the user but only those who served the user In addition to the buffs it provided it also served as a very functional set of armor

It was a buff to Strength and Agility that increased based on the amount of Health that the user was missing Perhaps most strange was that the boost when EliÆs Health was very low was such that often the affected individuals couldnÆt control their own power They didnÆt have enough Perception and Reaction to manage their new capabilities

As such Eli Iron had worked hard to form a Squad that purposefully kept their stats in line to take advantage of the Skill As such they werenÆt able to stay at the top of DonnytonÆs Squads very long If Eli was ignored at the start of the fight the rest of his Squad could be eliminated

It was only when Eli was wounded early that they could demonstrate their peculiar power

Was this worth it Mrs Hamilton asked with a heavy voice

Stan just shrugged You asked for a chance This is the beginning With this we might be able to learn something about his capabilities Without more information

You canÆt be ignorant to what this means Mrs Hamilton said quietly The grinding agony of that strange crown that hovered above the World Tree continued to dig a screw into Mrs HamiltonÆs temple

And if she felt this much even with Alana who was blazing with fighting spirit the audience

I guess we will found out Stan said The numbness kept his face completely blank He seemed almost disinterested in the storm that he had caused The sky was dark Agony was spreading like a plague across the arena And Stan simply looked bored

Her gaze even Mrs Hamilton turned back to the arena and saw the vicious hunger in RandidlyÆs emerald eyes One problem at a time

This is a man I need to kill for Donnyton

As Randidly slowly picked apart Stan’s motivations and the benefits he could have expected to receive through this series of events that violent thought cut through everything It was fueled by fury and RandidlyÆs protective inclinations toward Donnyton So compelling was the thought that Randidly briefly lost control of himself

Yggdrasil rose tall over the arena judging the condemned

Unbidden the Crown of Upheaval and Gloom had manifested in a cloud of cold energy As its bearer the World Tree seemed to grow more luminous and holy Allowing the emotions to flow free Randidly didn’t bother to control the explosion of Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil The air hummed with his fury With waves of power RandidlyÆs displeasure was made known to all

And yet his pale Crown still trilled demanding more

He was a monarch It was time to punish the children for playing at being adults

Randidly felt himself raising his hand to point at Stan The crowds were seething the distance dispersing the power somewhat but they still tortured by the singing Skill of righteous fury that Randidly radiated outward Narrowing his eyes Randidly brought his will to bear All of that power concentrated to a point and the air around the VIP section began to warp as Randidly’s will pressed down against it

But he stopped himself The singing ceased All that vicious energy that was torturing the surrounding people was sucked back within Yggdrasil as if it had never existed Only the sounds of the panting audience members remained Above the emerald leaves rustled softly

Attempting to steady their breath the crowd struggled to rationalize what was happening Their eyes traveled upward tracing the immense form of the World Tree And inwardly Randidly struggled The blow was prepared and ready but he did not loose it

Around him on the arena the Squad members struggled to their feet attempting to put up some sort of resistance Honestly Randidly was slightly impressed they had recovered so quickly They were well trained and had high enough defensive stats to be a problem

Well perhaps they could be a problem once they understand how to use images Randidly thought darkly For now

Yet Randidly was frozen holding that tightly condensed judgment in his chest An image he had carefully cultivated now tore him in a dangerous direction He knew there were drawbacks to images but this impasse was rather unexpected And the only reason it occurred was due to the flamboyant gall of Stan to attempt an attack on Randidly that would destroy Donnyton’s credibility

The unthinking act of a fool became the start of a slippery slope

Because Randidly’s Crown had been devouring Donnyton’s image of invulnerability for the entire challenge These images that werenÆt calcified were relatively simple to plunder and absorb He felt himself growing heavy with its weight increasing its potency at a speed that had his eyebrows scrunched together

This image of the Ashen Phantom was one that he was offering as a threat to Donnyton so these people could learn the necessity of strength in this world It was a desperate path he had chosen one where he was attempting to put Donnyton on the right path at any cost This whole challenge was about them

He would drag them kicking and screaming toward dominance under the System if it was the last thing he did

Stan’s actions had clearly indicated that he should be eliminated Otherwise his shortsightedness might prove ruinous to Donnyton’s future developments He was a man that could not even face himself Perhaps for that reason he possessed unusual insight into the truths of others But without knowing oneself what strength did he truly have

Threats needed to die Otherwise all this effort might be wasted

Yet that was the Spearman’s Path was it not

Grinding his teeth Randidly stared at Stan Without looking away for even enough time to blink Randidly examined him His emerald eyes seemed like a terrible inferno intent on devouring all things Stan stood frozen held by the intensity that Randidly considered him

A surprising branch in his Path triggering all of the darker tendencies that he had allowed to grow within his Crown and his image He wanted to use force during this process but was careful to arrange the Challenge against Donnyton in a way that would not result in any loss of life

The Ashen Phantom was truly an image designed to kill But it was not a weapon that Randidly meant to use against the people of Donnyton

Randidly was callous in his strikes but he wasn’t aiming to kill He had never believed that he possessed the right to determine who lived and who died Randidly just believed that his experiences gave him a wider view on how to survive the System By teaching Donnyton the danger of images he was guiding them without seeking definite control

If he killed Stan here that fine distinction would be washed away by blood He would have eliminated someone who threatened his plan Someone who threatened all of Donnyton in Randidly’s mind but that didn’t make it necessarily correct

So his images demanded Stan’s death He had created the Ashen Phantom in accordance with the pride of his Crown of Upheaval and Gloom Both led to eliminating this known threat

An image’s strength was related to its purity and conviction Refusing to follow what his image dictated would weaken the image immensely

And so Randidly paused

Strangely Randidly was reminded of the first time he had encountered the Creature when it had buried him in darkness intent on taking over his Aether Crossroad Just like now he felt lost and frustrated Yet this time what bound him was not darkness but the intersection of thousands of decisions Many of which were his own making

That weight he had gathered in the fight against Donnyton which gave his images potency now pulled him down toward a dark Path

In the world of Earth before the System arrived many people often discussed destiny and free will Specifically they discussed whether there was a grand design from which you couldn’t stray or whether humans had the capacity to control their Paths through life Much of this was framed by religious undertones but it was a secular philosophical argument as well

But it was one that Randidly had never understood Destiny and free will were two sides of the same coin Humans were complicated but it never seemed to Randidly that they were more than the sum of their parts Being unable to quantify or understand inputs didn’t mean that inputs didn’t lead to discrete outputs

Put more concretely both destiny and free will existed Destiny was the Path you took and free will was why you took it No matter how detestable one found their lot in life free will meant that you would choose it if given the choice again without the benefit of hindsight Because that was who you were

An omnipotent destiny could account for you trying to avoid it Because inputs and outputs were always fixed

Randidly closed his eyes Rather than hearing it he could feel Stan slump against the walls of the VIP section Was there no magic in the world Are we truly all inputs and outputs Will I truly walk this Path

Chapter 928

Perhaps the reason that Randidly had immediately released the Yggdrasil Image that he had been saving for the later rungs was that the Ashen Phantom would have killed Stan immediately The World Tree’s righteous fury bought Randidly time It possessed wisdom enough to consider and judge

It was unfortunately true that this image too judged Stan should die

He wanted to take the blame for Donnyton’s transgression and overshadow it Randidly believed that affecting the audience with the Skill would manage that He did not want to become a monster himself by killing someone who wasn’t even competing in the challenge But it was also unacceptable to allow his images to suffer such a grievous blow in order to protect Stan’s foolish little life

Randidly bared his teeth and wished for magic

Magic could describe two things First an input that would sometimes lead to different outputs all other things held equal Or the second possibility a strength that was so absolute that it violated causality Making inputs and outputs irrelevant

Seconds ticked past As Randidly racked his brain he felt the surety in his images falter Images were tools but they were living things In a way they were like children They didnÆt understand why something so obvious as StanÆs death hadnÆt yet occurred This man should die But I am not killing this man So

Yet the strange resemblance to feeling trapped by the Creature for the first time returned some of the light to Randidly’s eyes If I don’t like the output just add more inputs

To escape from the Creature Randidly had reached out and absorbed strength from the four individuals to which he had given Blessings Mrs Hamilton Alana Annie and Sam With their strength he was able to find himself and connect with Neveah That was the start of his rebirth into the world of the System

Now that Randidly had his Alpha Cosmos his physical body was another world That entanglement meant that the two existences were linked implicitly Because the Alpha Cosmos was his body it was immersed in the sea of Aether that formed Randidly’s core Through the interconnection between himself and Neveah the people of the Alpha Cosmos would never want for energy

Yet shape and flow were very important to Aether Before Randidly found Neveah she was just a fragment of an idea buried deep under a stagnant pool of Aether The energy became an agent of inertia preventing her from progressing If not for Randidly’s overwhelming need he likely would have been unable to wake her Even now Neveah’s origins were quite mysterious But she taught Randidly everything he knew about energy

No matter how placid the sea appeared it wasn’t alive unless the body was filled with currents

Although the Alpha Cosmos benefited from his lighthouses those were just concentration points of ambient Aether Springs of pure energy that emerged in the world and were shaped by the people’s meaning

But those were the origins of energy and it was left to the people to determine how they shaped the world Over time those flows would naturally congregate An ecosystem would slowly evolve in the living world of RandidlyÆs Alpha Cosmos

But Randidly didn’t have time for that This situation called for an image immediately He reached within himself his will stretching outward Unlike the Blessings of the past there were no hard points of Aether to follow He hadn’t engaged in direct transfers of energy so the process of finding suitable connections was much more difficult What Randidly grasped at then was meaning

His consciousness traced along the lines of his lighthouses searching for a firm grip to stabilize himself and form a connection It was a hasty decision perhaps but Randidly believed to be the right thing to do

What was within without Without within

Now all thatÆs left is to find people who can handle to be connected

Click

With a small noise connections of Aether snapped into place as four willing individuals accepted his touch It was so easy that Randidly felt somewhat shocked Those he had harmonized with had accepted without a second thought

A feeling of vertigo overwhelmed Randidly for a split second because his sense of self was immediately twisted Whereas before Randidly was located within his Soulspace that Soulspace now shifted rapidly leaving his body and floating somewhere in the nebulous boundary of his skin Four beams of support shot outward to connect him with the four people on Earth who were bound to him

Yet now there were also four connections that solidified his connection to four individuals within his Soulskill Perhaps before Randidly was suspending himself with his original four connection but now he was pulled in a different direction Because his body was his Soulskill and he now was intimately bound to four figures within his Soulskill he was pulled to the edge of his skin The boundary between his Alpha Cosmos and Earth

It was there that he found himself existing no longer quite within his body It was an extremely strange experience Randidly raised a hand and looked at the skin of his hands

Releasing a breath Randidly allowed himself to relax The frigid air that he had been projecting cracked and began to thaw Meaning flowed through him buying him a little more time

In the arena the Squads were cautiously forming back up into a group as they stared at Randidly in fear Above him the World Tree was a towering monolith Helen had returned to his side but she was staring at him with a frown Everyone began to move as Randidly let air circulate through his lungs and search for another path forward

I must kill this man Randidly’s Crown called weakly Its light was still fading It could not understand why its image hadnÆt been followed

Although his balance had shifted it was still difficult A difficult thing to get around the necessity of Stan’s death just by drawing additional inputs

But as Randidly waited the knowledge eventually flowed into him From a most annoying source So much so that Randidly physically chuckled

One of the four beings that acted as a fixture for Randidly’s meaning was the Monster Prince Not one that Randidly would have chosen but the Monster Prince had shown time and time again that he had a knack for surviving

Even now Randidly’s brief contact with the man revealed that the Monster Prince was leading negotiations with one of the nearby nations that Randidly’s Soulskill citizens encountered Very soon it seemed he would be named Duke of the newly exposed lands with full political power within this already established country

A peaceful solution One that attempted to avoid the greed turning their way Randidly thought with gritted teeth Most of his ire was not for the Monster Prince but for the fools of this world that were coveting the resources of his people All of this was created for them These previous residents they were nothing but baggage of the System

Yet it was very clear that the Monster Prince had purposefully sold a portion of their land’s riches to this country in order to avoid open war And the answer that Randidly found was in the Monster Prince’s fear

Their path is not my path

The thought came as the Monster Prince watched Alicca and Rejt continually growing in strength and expanding their sphere of influence To the point where the Monster PrinceÆs new allies were only forced to recognize him because of their fear toward the other individuals active in the Alpha Cosmos

There were many subordinates that followed the monster prince but none of them possessed the pioneering spirit that was epitomized by these two Indeed the Monster Prince wasn’t charismatic or innovative Yet he could maintain the status quo His goal was to make the people who trusted him feel secure

I cannot follow them Their path is not my path It was a bitter truth that the Monster Prince realized Even as he respected and envied their strength there was nothing that he could do to keep up with them They were leaving him behind Somehow the Monster PrinceÆs palace became empty and dim

But right now bitter medicine was exactly what Randidly needed

With a huge effort of will Randidly shifted the golden writing along the World Tree The death of Stan had been written but now Randidly shifted it sending spiraling changes across the whole of the treeÆs writings

The lettering glowed and flickered as though the shapes were small tears that let the viewer see a burning sun that was housed within the towering form of the World Tree Randidly traced through the writing line by line across the whole of the tree It rippled like water and changed to suit his will

His eyes were emerald lanterns and his gaze shifted from Stan to Mrs Hamilton Their path is not my path If you choose to allow this liability to continue to exist well it isn’t my business It isn’t just Donnyton that is watching this challenge

I’ll show them all how powerful my images can be It was not my first choice but Donnyton doesnÆt need to lead the world does it

As though they sensed Randidly finally losing his horrifying level of tension the Squads began to surge forward Melee fighters covered in copper armor dashed forward while Skills sizzled above them heading toward Randidly and Helen

Helen’s eyes brightened and she looked toward Randidly but she was instantly disappointed when he waved her to stand behind him No he had sharpened his Ashen Phantom enough Since Yggdrasil had made an appearance it was time to hammer home its power

It was time to make a point

Of all of Randidly’s Skills Yggdrasil was the core of his growth It gave him his physical and regeneration buffs as well as sharpening his aura into a weapon that could warp space It had grown with him until it towered over Donnyton like the city itself was just an ant The leaves in the canopy rustled releasing a noise that deafened those below

Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil

Previously Randidly’s intent to kill Stan had released the Skill in an indiscriminate wave This time it was concentrated in the small space between Randidly and the forces of the Squads Basically he erected a three meter wide three meter tall wall between himself and them And then Randidly waited as he watched the challengers approach

The air cracked and roiled creating a strange heat haze in the middle of the arena Roaring the vanguard of the Squaders charged into it without care That was their confidence That was their pride

Perhaps they wouldnÆt have done so originally They would have calmly considered the problem and found ways to address it But Randidly had landed too many solid blows against the legitimacy of DonnytonÆs Squads To them this was their chance to get even

They collapsed tripping over each other and falling like cloth dolls into haphazard piles When the offensive Skills entered that zone of Indignation projectiles disintegrated to powder and spells sputtered out

The ground underneath the barrier began to crack even as the concentrated zone Randidly created continued to refuse everyone passage

One enterprising young woman leapt over the barrier spinning her staff like a helicopter as she traveled through the air With a soft tap she landed on the far side and immediately leveled her spear at Randidly

His Crown pulsed with power When Randidly reached for Grasp of the World Seed the image of Yggdrasil was hanging over everything in the area staining it all with its resplendent glow It wore the Crown It was monarch

Congratulations Synergy detect Your Skill Grasp of the World Seed is evolving

Your Skill Grasp of the World Seed has evolved into the Infinite Fingers of Yggdrasil Skill Level will be maintained Infinite Fingers of Yggdrasil has resonated with the other Yggdrasil Skills Creation of a Skillset possible

Warning creating a Skillset will cause a shift in the related Skills Attempting with insufficient energy will result in loss of life and sickness Would you like to create a Skillset now

No need Randidly thought brusquely It was nice to confirm a Skillset was close for his Yggdrasil Skills But now was not the time Randidly was aiming to have one more Skill become a part of it before he took that step

But with his newly evolved Skill Randidly smashed back the staff wielding woman who jumped over the barrier Yelping she managed to spin around and regain her feet just in time to enter into the barrier from this side and collapse anyway Foam frothed up from her mouth making her abrupt loss of consciousness clear

There was a pause as the Squaders tried to figure out what to do In that time Infinite Fingers of Yggdrasil ripped up from the ground and stabbed deeply into their thighs and calves Then the roots sprouted thorns and ripped the surrounding muscles to shreds

Randidly grinned the main boost he noticed immediately was how quickly the roots appeared If one was standing on the ground it now seemed impossible to avoid being pierced Such was the small fraction of time between the root ripping up out of the ground and punching into someone’s flesh

If you noticed it breaking through the ground it was already too late

“Kneel ” Randidly announced Then he ripped his roots out of the Squader’s legs As one they collapsed in pools of blood struggling to block the flow of blood from their wounds

Then Randidly looked down at Eli Iron who was looking with wide eyes up toward the image of Yggdrasil ” this is where you surrender “

Chapter 929

After they had surrendered Randidly walked over and stood looking at the completely placid pool of water that surrounded the arena in the quarry There wasnÆt a ripple to be seen on the crystal clear water Behind him the audience was finally starting to wake up from the violence it had just witnessed

Before him Randidly let his eyes glaze over as he traced the lines of the revealed bedrock

Behind him Donnyton slowly grasped that something had irrevocably changed

Helen came to stand next to Randidly You lost your temper

Snorting Randidly shrugged in acknowledgment It was not like he could deny it now The proof of it was too visible Especially for Helen who had experienced the ebb and flow of his moods for quite some time

When Randidly didnÆt say anything else Helen continued to speak Are there not other groups who will follow you on this world This is your homeworld after all This betrayal need not be a big thing

That earned a scowl from Randidly Some of the tension returned to his shoulders as he tightened his right hand into a warm fist But then he sighed and all of the tension sluiced out of him and into that placid water beneath him you are right I own a company or at least I used to And also there is an Order that I sit at the head of If all else fails IÆll be able to influence those organizations to go down the route of images should Donnyton choose

Randidly trailed off What had they even chosen here It was one dumb action by one reckless individual Most of the other details of his relationship with them hadnÆt changed The monolith that was Donnyton canÆt be shaken so easily could it

But now I know this could happen Randidly thought sadly That even now they need me to protect them from themselves And without a thought I stepped in and fixed it If I continue to protect them like this they wonÆt grow No matter how realistic I make the threat I spared them the consequences of Stan and EliÆs foolish plan They will correct but

Not enough

Probably the Order would be my choice Randidly said finally It is respected amongst the other Orders There are individuals there with talent But it might become a geographic problem more than anything else

The Order would need a base That base would need to be an area that wouldnÆt be politically troublesome by setting up within another Zone while also having the reach to influence the rest of Earth Balancing those two issues was almost impossible considering the current state of affairs

Is there a plan for the next challenge HelenÆs voice softened as she moved past the difficult conversation about RandidlyÆs relationship with Donnyton For her willingness to allow this to proceed Randidly was immensely thankful

Because without him even realizing it Donnyton had always been that avenue to spreading the strength of images throughout the world That was what he had imagined And now well likely he would struggle to understand what had exactly happened for quite a while

No Randidly said finally Although if my memory serves you might not get the chance to participate This next rung will probably be more about brute force than anything else

Helen raised an eyebrow but Randidly just shrugged

So give me a very short and compelling explanation for why that was necessary Mrs Hamilton said with steel in her voice Her fingers flexed with all the subtlety of a bear trap being wound open If you do not

You would resort to violence without a trial What happened to the rule of law in Donnyton StanÆs face remained an impassive mask even as he had the nerve to snark Mrs Hamilton just looked at him

Small beads of sweat began to form on his forehead Finally he broke and shook his head it was a joke Look we learned a lot from that challenge And when Clarissa goes up there for this next one

ItÆs like you didnÆt hear me give you instructions Mrs Hamilton said icily Currently the individuals in the VIP box were herself Stan Alana Hank Clarissa and the recovering Cortez siblings Aside from Mrs Hamilton and Stan the rest stood like mute statues as spectators for this roasting session

For the Cortez siblings especially they seemed frozen by the weight of violence that Mrs Hamilton was throwing out into the area Isabella was pale and Mrs Hamilton hadnÆt seen Pan take a breath in almost a minute

Trust me Stan said but Mrs Hamilton had enough Her fingers twitched again but this time with a much different purpose The razor sharp wires that Mrs Hamilton had spread throughout the VIP section twisted and sheared off several locks of hair from Stan and took the tip of his ear with them

Everyone who hadnÆt been absolutely still now froze

He is DonnytonÆs closest and oldest ally A benefactor Mrs Hamilton hissed A thousand emotions were seething in her chest for this brave black haired boy she had watched shifted into a young man who now had to bear the weight of DonnytonÆs stupidity on his back And yet this twisted little shit

Mrs Hamilton took a breath You alienated him You broke the trust between him and us and then forced him to take responsibility for it so that Donnyton wouldnÆt be completely locked out of the political posturing that is to come And all you can say

Twist Screech

This time Mrs Hamilton took StanÆs pinky finger and bound him by the wrist pulling his hand upward and splaying his fingers outward with the thicker version of the metal wires he hadnÆt noticed weaving through his limbs The severed pinky dropped to the ground of the booth and rolled almost a meter

Now Stan was even paler than bloodless He seemed so flimsy that a gust of wind would rip the fabric of him to pieces Trembling he gazed with wide eyes at Mrs Hamilton

is trust me Mrs Hamilton finished sweetly She rid her heart of that wild anger with a chilling flick of her wrist The severed pinky on the ground twitched The anger would serve no further purpose than the threat and blood price already had Her empathy too for the cold weight that Randidly bore needed to be set aside He was past the point that she could help

God help me but that boy who pulled us out of the darkness needs to walk out alone into the wide world Mrs Hamilton closed her eyes

When Mrs Hamilton opened her eyes again she was the spider who would protect Donnyton personal attachments be damned Her gaze focused on the man in front of her a pale sheet of a person without any sort of resistance remaining within him

LetÆs try again She said simply

Stan nodded jerkily carefully moving his neck to avoid cutting himself on any of the gleaming metal threads Ah the two things that make Randidly almost invulnerable is his high Perception and his seemingly endless Mana pool But the Mana pool cannot be endless and if we canÆt overwhelm his Perception all we need to do is cloud it We can use his emotions to do that if we press the right buttons So triggering his protective instincts was the best way to accomplish both of the prerequisites to defeat him

Mrs Hamilton smiled sweetly Her tongue tapped against the backs of her front teeth before she spoke What you are saying those things about alienating our greatest ally it was all on purpose

Apparently Mrs Hamilton achieved the desired sort of verbal execution because Isabella gulped audibly

The eyes in StanÆs head rolled around for several seconds like he was an oversized bug being smashed by the thumb of a child But eventually he calmed down He was still trembling but his voice was even when he spoke Yes

Not a coward at least Mrs Hamilton reflected And a much better truth than him being the ignorant kind of fool

Then you are undoubtedly ready to explain why this challenge was so important that you would incur these disastrous losses Mrs Hamilton purred

That seemed to surprise Stan He blinked and then glanced up at his bound hand before speaking isnÆt beating him here the most important thing CanÆt you feel it HeÆs taking the spirit of Donnyton He believes our current spirit is too weak which is hard to deny when you see what he is capable of Yet heÆs taking something precious from us I donÆt think we can recover if we lose that spark ItÆs what makes us Donnyton

For several seconds Mrs Hamilton regarded the pale form of Stan Then she wiggled her fingers Like docile worms the wires that stretched across the VIP came back to her hands and wound themselves around her arms and up her sleeves Even though Mrs Hamilton knew that humans feared to lose what they already had more than was logically correct some part of her agreed implicitly with Stan

Which meant she would at least wait and consult others to determine StanÆs further punishment rather than taking his life immediately

After all itÆs a bit too soon for these two to see the fangs it takes to lead Donnyton Mrs Hamilton thought with a glance toward the Cortez siblings Both were pale to the point that any more would leave a lasting mark My way of guiding Donnyton cannot last forever They need to see a better path Hopefully it is RandidlyÆs figure they remember from today

It wasnÆt worth it Mrs Hamilton said lightly But the rest can wait until later

Then she turned to Clarissa and raised an eyebrow I assume you plan on running wild in this next challenge

Clarissa cracked her fingers with an expression of immense satisfaction on her face as though the whole interrogation had taken place far away Unlike the siblings she had been at the periphery of DonnytonÆs leadership since the beginning She likely was aware of the many greed motivated individuals who conveniently decided to stop pursuing their personal agenda as Donnyton grew into a superpower

Clarissa had seen enough to recognize that these decisions were not just lucky coincidences Someone had intervened actively to guide Donnyton So this level of threat didnÆt even phase her Of course Since RandidlyÆs been gone well it’s tough being the most powerful spell caster in Donnyton I want a challenge I want to see how far these Skills can take me

Mrs Hamilton smiled sharply She had no doubt that Randidly would accept ClarissaÆs challenge She just hoped they glimpsed a path to beating him during it

Chapter 930

Of all the breaks they had taken so far this one seemed to fly by most quickly Part of it was the slowly settling cauldron of emotions roiling in RandidlyÆs chest Part of it was the furious series of discussions that sprang up across the crowd as everyone shuffled around eager to seek a drink after the tension of the most recent rung

But mostly it was because of Clarissa

Almost exactly halfway through the break she walked out onto the stage and began to grin at Randidly like a fool Such was the genuine anticipation in her expression that Randidly couldnÆt help but get caught up in the spirit of it

This will be great Clarissa seemed to beam at him And Randidly saw no reason why not to let himself be swept away by the positivity

Helen stood with her arms folded sourly studying Clarissa I donÆt like this shit Where are the others This rung is supposed to be against Squads Nine through Three Why is it just her The challenge is about to start Do they think we wonÆt just fucking attack

But as she was muttering to herself ten burly men walked out onto the arena arranging themselves around Clarissa To RandidlyÆs amusement they werenÆt looking at him at all they loosely held their weapons and glared at Helen as if daring her to make a move toward Clarissa

Randidly chuckled TheyÆve started getting smarter about the challenges All Skills have an inherent image so to fight against us they need lots of powerful Skills that can shake an image

Which is why they should all be up here Helen hissed

Randidly continued without pausing for HelenÆs aside which would be true if the Skills were coming from a single person but if they are relying on separate individualsÆ Skills to work together and disrupt me they will need a lot more than two hundred if it’s from a group those Skills interfere with each otherÆs budding image just as much as mine Instead better to have one individual who can produce a lot of powerful Skills to test me Plus

Trailing off Randidly looked over toward the still grinning Clarissa plus due to the qualitative differences in Mana and Stamina spellcasters have an edge on the natural image they are given Probably because the spirit of Mana Skills are a bit different If there were anyone who could actually shake our images alone it would be Clarissa I suspect this rung is all about testing the limits of that

Randidly pointed to the tense group of men without bothering to suppress his grin They are just here to warn off the crazy woman who has been staring daggers at their Squad Leader

IÆll fucking show them fucking crazy Helen cracked her knuckles menacingly Almost helpless Randidly shook his head

Well at least this way Helen will be able to sharpen herself in the match

But RandidlyÆs expression shifted to something more serious as he considered Clarissa It was foolish to engage in this sort of direct confrontation It was unnecessary and would only give away more information about his own limitations Yet Randidly was past the point where he cared about the smart thing to do

It had shifted from guiding Donnyton to being purely a rebuke for their own weakness And it seemed that his prior violence hadnÆt struck that point home yet

When the start was announced by the referee Helen surged into motion With a few barked orders the opposing warriors arrayed themselves into a tight clump and marched to intercept her Very soon the cries of battle raged across the arena as Helen fought to her heartÆs content

Yet Clarissa just grinned at Randidly ItÆs been lonely without you

Randidly raised an eyebrow and Clarissa laughed Her greying curls bounced around her bright face

I suppose you wouldnÆt understand when you left you went to places where there were foes at your level to fight Clarissa said Then she licked her lips Lyra was here for a while but well she didnÆt stay s a human for long I couldnÆt judge myself against her As for everyone else well if they got close they could defeat me but really they are pretty weak arenÆt they ThatÆs why you are fighting now

Eyes bright Clarissa raised her hands and stretched them toward Randidly as she took a step to narrow their distance I want to split the sky open I want the ground to crack and seethe I donÆt want to dodge and hide from sword attacks I want to throw around little bits of the apocalypse I may be a Weather Witch now but I want more

Randidly just looked at the elderly woman who had been a librarian and closet nerd for her entire life He still remembered the zeal with which she took to the System Despite the danger it had been a way to live out her fantasies

Yet at that novel joy faded Randidly could imagine how it felt To look around and find that everyone became obsessed with min maxing and no one tried to just do something cool with their new powers

For the loneliness that Clarissa undoubtedly felt then Randidly had some sympathy But his spine hardened as he looked at her Because rather than trying to help the world she had let herself devolve into playing games She had allowed Donnyton to coast in this direction

IÆll show you more Randidly said softly

Clarissa cackled with glee Perfect LetÆs start slow shall we Even though I know it’s dumb IÆm worried that you wonÆt be able to withstand the big stuff yanno So Lightning Bolt

Storm clouds surged above forming a dark blanket across the entire sky RandidlyÆs eyebrows rose but he shouldnÆt be surprised it was almost evening Now it would be much easier to darken the sky with a Skill But Clarissa was still the first person to accomplish it

It took several seconds but those clouds darkened from slate to pure obsidian From that inky black blanket a huge pillar of lightning snaked down in a split second aiming directly for Randidly

But before the Skill could get close the storm clouds rippled and were replaced by the huge image of a tree Its emerald leaves rustled and it was like the pillar of lightning was never there Aside from the vast canopy of the World Tree there was nothing in the sky

Wow Clarissa gasped as she stared up at it ItÆs one thing to just see it but it’s so much more intense to stand in front of it Fine then StormÆs Fury

Once more the clouds gathered forming into a tight knot that hovered above Yggdrasil and was able to resist the passive eradication effect that Yggdrasil exerted in the surrounding area For several seconds there was only a dull rumbling as power gathered in that tightly packed expression of ClarissaÆs Skills

Then a cobalt bolt of thunder shaped like a roaring dragon raced downward heading toward Randidly The air sizzled with its compact energy Without moving Randidly looked up and studied it critically The effect of the Crown of Upheaval and Gloom activated and time seemed to slow to a crawl

If just weather could shake the World Tree wouldnÆt that be too pathetic

As the cobalt lightning dragon approached the Deific Mien of Yggdrasil began to activate The golden light emanating from every inch of the World Tree grew incrementally brighter To behold this tree was to witness an entity that approached godhood Lines of golden script spiraled up and down every inch of the trunk and leaves illuminating the future

It was an impossible monolith and its radiating grace slowly ate away at the most recent attack Bits of energy were ripped away from the main body and then devoured by the treeÆs visage This continued until the attack was nothing but a paper clip thin whisper that struck the ground a few meters in front of Randidly and left a small smudge

Gathering Storm ClarissaÆs joy was clear in her tone Cutting wind Absolute Zero StormÆs Fury StormÆs Fury StormÆs Fury Prowl of the Thunder Liger

Huge blades of wind formed and rushed forward to cut at Randidly

Rustle

The temperature dropped so rapidly that frost skittered wildly out to cover half of the arena

Dozens of thick cobalt blasts of lightning smashed downward to be turned away time and time again by the golden brilliance that was coming from the World Tree Slowly the blasts were penetrating deeper and deeper but some inner ire seemed to be awakened in the World Tree as Clarissa continued her unceasing assault Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil shook the sky with its fury warping the space where her storm was formed very quickly weakening the thunder strikes

But then a brilliant golden cat streaked outward from Clarissa Growling it raised its claws and swung rapidly at RandidlyÆs throat

Randidly didnÆt even blink Infinite FIngers of Yggdrasil ripped upward out of the ground The frost slowed them a little but as the Liger attempted to dodge around them and strike at Randidly from the side more sharp thorns were waiting for it Its energy body was rapidly dispersed as the tenacious roots ripped up through its torso and tore apart its limbs

With a cry it was forced to disperse But Randidly was now frowning Because ClarissaÆs constant strikes had regained their prior intensity In fact they were growing stronger every second

StormÆs Fury crashed down toward him like raindrops in a spring shower In the sky above the dark storm clouds withstood the blast of concentrated Cruel Indignation of Yggdrasil Slowly those black clouds began to spread a small amount

Relying on quantity Clarissa truly was able to withstand RandidlyÆs Yggdrasil image

However from what Randidly could tell she was hemorrhaging Mana And it seemed like one of the earlier Skills she used increased her expenditure to gather incremental strength that increased with each Skill she used

She was working herself up to something Randidly bared his teeth

StormÆs Fury StormÆs Fury StormÆs Fury Perfect Excellent Stupendous ClarissaÆs hair was whipped around her frail figure by the tumultuous storm she summoned Then she drew a dagger and slid it across her finger allowing several drops of blood to be carried away by the hungry air By my hand Storm I beseech you Condense Form the Eternum of Wind

Immediately the wind rose in velocity until it seemed to be howling Those black clouds began to slowly spiral inward until they formed a tightly wound cord of black air Tighter and tighter it wound ripping downward from high in the sky to crash into the arena ground in front of Clarissa with a wave of force

Immediately Randidly grimaced and staggered as he was smashed forcefully in the chest with a blast of stray wind The howling had grown higher until it formed a terrible keening noise What followed the blast was first dust and debris that obscured the air for a split second and Randidly raised his metal left arm in case an attack came

But then the wind continued unabated and everything was blasted away A towering black whirlwind stood at the center of the arena picking up the carefully reinforced stone ground and spinning it around with gale force winds Clarissa spoke but her words were snatched away by the windÆs keening At the moment there was only Randidly and the wind Everything else was pulled away

The terrible noise continued as Randidly looked up at this Eternum of Wind All told the condensed wind thing likely stood at around thirty meters high It had seemed so small when compared to the World Tree but Randidly had to admit that his image was becoming so large that it was warping the scale of his vision

There were no eyes on the creature of wind but Randidly knew it was watching him Slowly it lowered its towering form into a crouch and began to rush toward Randidly This was ClarissaÆs ultimate strike then A being of wind that gathered more and more debris the longer it existed becoming a walking natural disaster

Randidly spread his hands and grinned Truly he could understand what Clarissa had longed for A way to use this and not destroy have the town and leave someone dead That he could give to her It would bring him a great deal of joy to put down this monster

And in the process test out exactly how infinite his Skill was

Infinite Fingers of Yggdrasil

One hundred thick roots surged out of the ground shattering the remaining ground of the arena on RandidlyÆs side of the arena as the wind being turned into a drill aimed directly at his heart Such was the force of the winds that even he was having difficulty standing against its indirect onslaught

The first wave of roots that hit the whirlwind was ripped to shreds and simply became fodder that strengthened the wind As Randidly anchored himself to the ground with roots around his legs and waist the second wave of roots he sent was smashed aside by the debris of the first wave adding even more mass to the fucking thing

It should be impossible but

The wind thing was only fifteen meters away and eating up distance fast It grew as it devoured more becoming a juggernaut Dust and small flecks of plant matter filled the air screening the activity in the arena from view Yet Randidly could still sense the wind howling toward him He needed to slow it down

So the next wave of roots Randidly sent was composed of a series of two roots wound around each other for strength And he sent one thousand of those grasping up to seize this wayward wind that would stand against the World Tree

Perhaps it took a split second to rip through but rip through the defenses it did Again it only grew in size from the destroyed roots

But it couldnÆt gather all of the plant matter the surface level of the whirlwind was already heavy with debris RandidlyÆs eyes burned like an engineered chemical fire

Randidly sent five thousand roots these roots being three roots wrapped together and incestuously penetrating each other with thorns When those ripped Randidly was ready with ten thousand four root braided chains

More and more as the distance narrowed down to six meters and the Wind Eternum flung ripped roots in every direction Some smashed into the surrounding area while others were twisted and useless still sticking up out of the soil Undoubtedly the audience was being showered with them while being totally unable to see what was occurring in the arena

A huge mass roared in fury the weight of it grinding against itself to deepen its battle cry

Once again Randidly sent ten thousand this time a dozen small roots braided together in each thorny rope Still the Wind Eternum advanced Mana flowed out of Randidly like water through a net filling the air with its ambient power In spite of himself Randidly released a breath of excitement His heart was pounding

Above him the World Tree towered Very lightly the noise of the leaves rustling drowned out the scream of the wind

Why do they think it’s impossible to grasp the wind

Only because they havenÆt seen hands wide enough

But Yggdrasil can hold seven worlds To it wind isnÆt such a grand thing

Ten thousand roots made of one hundred woven thorny vines sprung upward into the air absolutely demolishing the remnants of the arena Those roots were able to withstand the tearing wind for a split second

Which was just enough time for those roots to form claws and rip downward Although Randidly couldnÆt hit the wind directly it could seize all of the gathered mass And when that was stolen all the energy used to pick the debris up would be wasted

CRASH

The tightly packed creature of wind smashed into RandidlyÆs chest bits of debris and shattered wood pricking his face But Randidly just smiled No heavy stone or long vines followed to smash against him Indeed even the cutting edge of the air had been dulled The wind had been gutted smashed to the ground with raw power

Around him the debris slowly collapsed to the ground Without the wind animating it the visual obstruction slowly drifted away Rather than an arena they were now standing in a twisted forest Plant matter sprinkled the entire area stretching upward in vicious curves

Portions of the erect vines were ripped down but the strange silent forest gave testament to the tenacity of RandidlyÆs Skills There was even a gradient Extremely small tattered plants were sticking up on the far end of the arena yet near Randidly they stood almost a meter tall And the vines were thick and dangerously studded with thorns

An honor guard fit for a king

Clarissa sat on her ass looking up at him Her hair was windswept and tattered Even without looking Randidly could tell that her Mana pool was empty when he ripped through the wind it had given out It was a power she didn’t have the strength yet to wield

Then she sighed thank you I concede

Chapter 931

It was announced very quickly that this break would be extended to two hours so the arena could be reconstructed The combination of the roots and the gale force winds had reduced the large arena to a pile of rubble Even the engineers seemed rather nonplussed by the devastation everyone was slowly coming to terms with the capability they just witnessed

A rather shell shocked and confused Xia allowed herself to be escorted by Han Yazhu out of the arena and toward Donnyton proper The sun was sinking toward the horizon signaling that it was time for dinner The break couldnÆt have come at a better time

Sluggishly the crowd shifted around them still trying to understand what had occurred in the last two fights Everyone could feel it something had changed But no one could quite put their finger on what was now different It was a feeling in the air

The low brush of the wind sent everyone into a fit of shivers

Eventually Han led the two members of the Zone Seven government to an adorable little restaurant that smelled strongly of garlic A smiling Italian woman took their drink order and flounced off leaving them with a modicum of privacy in their tucked away booth There was a candle in the middle of the table that Xia stared at for several seconds before speaking

Han what was that Xia said shortly

What followed was a long pause while both of them wrestled with that question Xia could tell from HanÆs expression that he had a similar reaction The culmination of the most recent challenge had been difficult to follow From a rather mellow discussion the fight had abruptly accelerated to the point that their Perceptions were completely insufficient

It started with lightning With a power that was intimidating in its own right Clarissa began to throw huge bolts of lightning that crashed downward toward the standing form of Randidly Even more intimidating was the fact that those attacks were easily neutralized by the huge tree that towered over him without him needing to act at all

But then ClarissaÆs Skills came faster and faster stronger and stronger stirring up the air and causing a veil of low clouds to form above the arena Small chilling drops of rain had landed on XiaÆs hands and neck Tingles spread throughout her body and the hairs on her arm stood straight up

Then the attacks grew in frequency to the point that it was impossible to see what was occurring in the arena Lights and noises blended into a rich fog of animation that didnÆt seem to be real Soon that too passed as a terrible darkness descended over the arena There was only the terrible roaring noise and gusts of dust choked winds that screened vision

When all of the chaos subsided Randidly stood surrounded by wickedly twisting roots that were thrust into the air More than anything else those curling roots reminded Xia of gravestones It seemed to her that their presence was an overt statement of power had Randidly Ghosthound given it his all he would have left the most recent squad buried on that ruined arena

The wind exhausted itself and Randidly stood over a kneeling woman in an empty graveyard

it is difficult to answer Han Yazhu finally said There were things I have seen that likely you were unable to witness but there were also things I do not know By the end of it their power

What is there to know We do not have that kind of power Xia said bitterly She had always known that Donnyton was powerful Economically and socially all roads in the current political climate of Earth seemed to lead to Donnyton But to see someone conjure a storm out of thin air and use it as a weapon

Zone Seven was struggling to catch up to Donnyton in terms of production they held no hope of rivaling that amount of military power And Clarissa was only a single woman

Han leaned forward Do not falter We always knew that Donnyton had deep reserves of strength Is that not why we have refrained from stepping up hostilities with them No matter how small the pond the local ruler wields immense strength But we need to take the long view

How long would it take for our armies to stand against that storm Xia couldnÆt contain her frustration Her hands were trembling She couldnÆt forget how she had so recently recommended that they do just that engage in overt fighting with Donnyton before they could grow stronger If the fellow minds of Xiang Le had agreed with her

Xia shook her head We are a people that have always sacrificed small comforts for the long view of the world Yet is there a path where we could overtake Donnyton

To that Han Yazhu just looked tired

Xia knew it was a difficult question The System was a variable that continually threw new threats at them Zone Seven had stabilized by turning their Villages into fortresses but that also meant that there were portions of the countryside that were filled with Raid Boss spawn The concentration of people gave Zone Seven increased control over the population but it had bred resentment Even ever loyal Han wouldnÆt deny that

Yet those costs would have been worth it if it would lead Zone Seven to a glorious future And yet now

Their conversation was further derailed by a man sauntering up to their table and tapping his finger against the heavy wood He flashed a handsome smile at the two of them pushing back his hair to reveal sharp eyes Have room for a third

To XiaÆs surprise Han Yazhu nodded seriously This made her give this new arrival a more careful inspection There was no way that Han YazhuÆs panicked protection of her would allow him to simply allow a stranger to make himself comfortable at their table Therefore this must have been arranged

The arrival was tall and self assured grinning at Xia in an extremely disrespectful way But as she examined his cocky demeanor with more focus a name clicked in her head Ah Ace correct To think the leader of the Refuge would slip into Donnyton for the challenge as well It is a pleasure to meet you

Who would miss it It makes my blood burn to watch I almost wish I could join the Squads fighting up there Ace laughed ItÆs easy to forget heÆs human Randidly The way he fights the things he creates He just keeps on surprising me

Did you see how he did it Han interrupted Xia pressed her lips together she didnÆt like the frank statement of their weakness To ask Ace with such desperation in the tone was to reveal they had not been able to find out the answer themselves

Although both she and Han Yazhu had trained to become sufficiently strong they had to go through none of the hardships that those of DonnytonÆs Zone endured Zone Seven was one of the eight Zones that received word beforehand of what was to come So they were prepared

Or they thought they had been The System was much more dangerous than they had been warned

Yet right now Xia couldnÆt fault Han she was curious about what had occurred as well

It was obvious from the remnants that Clarissa had someone summoned a great deal of destructive wind It seemed like the ground had been ripped up in a cone the point aiming directly toward RandidlyÆs heart Yet as that dust settled those tall twisting roots remained unbroken by the earlier violence

Yet as the dust settled Randidly stood in that same spot just looking at the exhausted Clarissa She hadnÆt even been able to force him to move

Ace grimaced and rubbed his shoulders Well I canÆt deny that I saw it but I donÆt think me telling you how he did it will make much sense Some parts of his life just sound made up Randidly used those roots to reach up and snatched the wind Physically covered it with roots and pressed down Smashed it into nothing

You cannot grab the wind Han said with a curt shake of the head

Ace laughed awkwardly I donÆt know what to say to that But I can say that Randidly certainly did just grab the wind and smash it to nothing ThatÆs just the sort of man he is

Wind is air Xia said tartly It would flow right around any attempts to grab it It compresses easily into small spaces and it is part of grand weather patterns that dwarf the significance of humans The strength of an entire climate is not a simple thing Mr Ace

Call me Mr Ridge if you insist on being stuffy Ace said with a shrug If you were right about that we wouldnÆt be so impressed now would we It shouldnÆt be possible It definitely wasnÆt easy And the worst part was that he wasnÆt spent after the process Which is why we are speaking is it not Because you have witnessed the depth that Donnyton possesses Even setting aside the monster that is Randidly Ghosthound could you endure Clarissa

That silenced Xia Her logical brain continued to insist that explanation wasnÆt plausible Yet she was also struck by the truth in the second thing that Ace suggested that even the loser in that exchange was beyond Zone Seven

The System had pushed Earth beyond a logical understanding It was now almost more story that substance Which Randidly was pushing even more forcefully with his focus on images Zone Seven was prepared to buckle down and work together to advance the glory of their Zone to be the gem of Earth That was their image Progress through unity

Donnyton worshipped individual power Clarissa was practically a miracle worker with the Skills she was able to use

Yet Randidly Ghosthound was on a completely different path A path that ran roughshod over both And the power he displayed made it seem very foolish to not walk that same path

But itÆs brought us together hasnÆt it AceÆs smile was wide and shark like For the first time since they met Xia felt a dangerous tingle between her shoulder blades as she looked at him Her eyes narrowed For all that this man looked like simply a fool he was dangerous Powerful enough to have assisted the Undying Hero and endured DonnytonÆs ire

It isnÆt simply Donnyton that possesses a hidden monster

A beautiful and auspicious meeting Han agreed with a dry tone AceÆs smile stretched wider but he didnÆt comment on the edge of sarcasm to HanÆs voice Our brilliant Zone would be happy to arrange a trade agreement with the Refuge From what I understand much of the less official goods pass through the Refuge It is said that you can buy anything under the sun within its walls

It is true Ace agreed with a smile So What does Zone Seven want to buy

obviously challenging Donnyton directly is difficult Han said slowly Then he leaned forward Yet I have gone into the markets and seen many unique items Bits of pure elemental energy condensed As DonnytonÆs production is very idiosyncratic they are moving toward relying heavily on these bits of energy If we would be able to dominate that market

East EndÆs Elemental condensations Xia said quietly How are they made

Ace chuckled

Chapter 932

I will take the lead Paolo said as he adjusted his leather gloves The thick leather was almost purple a dulled remnant of the vivid dinosaur that Paolo had slain in order to acquire the leather After that the processing of the material had taken even more effort he had to pay Sam a small fortune due to how intensive it was to handle the stubborn skin

Kayle smirked examining his reflection in one of his long knives The knife was impeccably polished revealing every contour of his jaw Is that so One shouldnÆt make statements so casually when you clearly lack the capability to follow up on them what if a child hears and is disappointed

With a flick of the wrist the beautiful blade spun into a pure silver disk Then just as quickly Kayle slid the knife into one of the many sheaths that were strapped to his hips and waist The two shared a single glance And in that glance was enough condensed violence that everyone nearby felt something akin to a physical slap

Stan sighed as he rubbed his tingling cheeks You must work together His spearwork is aided by that powerful image but

Impossible Kayle seemed aghast We are separate Squads

Paolo blinked With him It would do more harm than good

his ability to even notice me moving at high speeds is in doubt

what if I break him accidentally with a wild swing His thin wrists

and Stan please do not get me started on his smell Do you know he chews basil raw

Rubbing his forehead Stan pressed forward His moves are unrefined and wasteful Your Squads are the only groups that have a hope of catching him in those weaknesses Every member of the Squad is an elite If you move as one unit and exploit those weaknesses we can make a better plan for the final

Both men fell silent and turned to look at Stan skeptically

IsnÆt the plan just to win Paolo seemed incredibly disinterested He turned to a woman from his Squad which passed him a warm towel With practiced ease he produced a razor with his one hand rubbed his head with the towel and then began to studiously shave his head Why over complicate it with things that can go wrong Like Kayle and his lackeys

I agree but for different reasons KayleÆs Squad members brought a wrought iron table and chair and set it before him A man walked forward and flapped out a tablecloth that was quickly spread across the table A moment later another man arrived and placed a soup and salad on the table

After taking a taste of the soup Kayle looked speculatively at the darkening sky Well we will need to work on this recipe Just like Randidly needs to work on his fighting style ItÆs not like we noticed it I donÆt doubt even that monkey caught a hint of it

At this point I could imitate his style so well that even his mother would be hard pressed to tell whether I was her own flesh and blood Paolo said with a yawn as he casually scraped the razor across his head

Kayle didnÆt bother to acknowledge the other man Should we really give him this trial run to hone his Skills It might be better to surrender and proceed immediately to the real challenge

Coward Paolo said softly But he didnÆt bother to contradict Kayle Instead he set down his razor and accepted a peeled orange from one of his Squad members

Kayle twisted his mouth and distaste and flicked a few drops of vinaigrette across his salad With great vigor he began to eat

Stan shook his head If it were truly so easy to refine a fighting style all of us would have risen to the level of Randidly Ghosthound during this challenge Believe me all we need to do now is expose his weaknesses With the Raid Groups we will be more than capable of defeating him Randidly Ghosthound will fall

You fear loss Paolo commented He sniffed loudly for effect I can smell it on you Desperation breeds mistakes even if the decisions are sound ones If I can smell that desperation fate can smell it too Fate doesnÆt even spare children You will be devoured at this rate and take us with you

Stan clenched his hands into fists Yet neither of you is my tactical equal Can you deny that both of you lost to me Trust me I know the flow of battles This is our time

And how many battles have you fought against the Ghosthound himself little man Kayle mocked But then he shrugged and set down his silverware Ah itÆs too late youÆve already ruined my appetite Might as well just go out there and face him

I hope he punches you so hard you vomit up that shit Paolo said with a shake of the head But he too stood and stretched his arms above his head His shoulders popped with such volume that Stan flinched

I hope he smashes in that misshapen head of yours Finally give it some symmetry Kayle said around a yawn

Then all at once both focused

Time to work

DonÆt hold me back

Together the two and their Squads stepped up into the arena

Feeling extremely frustrated Stan returned to the VIP box Even now he sat several seats away from Mrs Hamilton trying his best not to stare at his own drying blood that stained the ground The empty space where his pinky had once been was aching painfully

When he returned Mrs Hamilton grinned at him What did they say

nothing of note Just their usual banter Stan said bitterly

Mrs Hamilton chuckled DidnÆt we have a talk about lies

Stan felt his heart squeeze itself into a knot Blinking rapidly Stan considered the chances that he would be able to dodge an attack from her at this range Even his numbed instincts quickly returned a negative But Mrs HamiltonÆs hands stayed neatly folded in her lap Slowly Stan felt his hackles tremble and lower toward something close to relaxation

Or more likely his nerves simply had given up hope

She continued to speak From your expression ah they said that they shouldnÆt even fight this rung Interesting They have good instincts you know They are not Squads 1 and 2 for nothing

Stan pressed his lips together Truthfully he also didnÆt know how much these two Squads could accomplish Even ClarissaÆs attempt had felt dubious to Stan There was only so much they could accomplish alone against Randidly

Even if they needed the information the brief skirmishes could provide throwing small numbers against Randidly just seemed foolish It was better to wait until they had the weight of numbers on their side then spring it all on him at once

Yet the back of StanÆs shirt was soaked in cold sweat The look he had seen in Mrs HamiltonÆs eyes she had planned on killing him She would have done it had his motivations not been sufficient to placate her

Hers was the hand that guided Donnyton in RandidlyÆs absence And for the first time since Stan had received his Soulskill from Randidly he realized that this was his fault At some point he had given up control of his life and treated it like it was a game Had he not been so callous or lazy or apathetic he could have steered himself away from this point

Yet now that he felt the hungry fangs of consequences sinking into his flesh

Stan was desperate He needed more information So he clasped his hands to hide the trembling and ignored Mrs HamiltonÆs amused gaze His eyes narrowed to slits as he looked out at the arena

He needed this

Randidly cracked his neck as he walked toward Kayle and PaoloÆs Squads You know I donÆt think weÆve ever fought all together before

Paolo grinned Unfortunately not Before you left Donnyton we were simply minor characters It took me a while for my natural talents to shine through the chaff And yet somehow I still feel obstructed

If you want to come for the Squad 1 spot IÆll welcome the challenge anytime Kayle said smugly Then he bowed at the waist to Randidly fully 90 degrees It is wonderful to meet you here There is no better way to know a man than to fight him And truly I have long admired everything you have accomplished

RandidlyÆs gaze slid from one to the other then the two of you must know each other pretty well

Unfortunately

There were some sacrifices on the road to greatness

Both answered with grimaces such perfect mirror images of each other that Randidly laughed Well then This match will certainly be fun You are both you feel strong And out of everyone here it is the two of you that seems the closest to where I want Donnyton to go

Both grinned KayleÆs sharp features and dark hair contrasting perfectly with PaoloÆs blunt face and clearly broken nose Randidly had meant the compliments both were strong And it wasnÆt just them A scan with Aether indicated that part of their strength came from the fact that everyone in these two Squads was over Level 62 There were no weak links here to exploit

As he examined the Squads there was abruptly a change in the air Quickly he refocused on Kayle and Paolo Randidly was sure that both were thinking of the small bits of advice that he had given them in the past

The air around Kayle sharpened as though he steadily transformed into a naked blade that stood aloft glittering with vicious deadliness His hands flexed abruptly reminding Randidly of the vicious readiness that he had sometimes seen from Hank and his revolver

Paolo raised his hands to the sky and Randidly could distantly hear the sound of cheering The noise grew increasingly thunderous especially as people in the crowd got caught up in his rising nascent image and began to cheer Some of the vigor that Randidly had stolen from the audience emerged again until people were stomping their feet and screaming out all of the stress and confusion they had felt watching the previous challenges

This was the pinnacle of DonnytonÆs Squads This was their pride The dying embers of DonnytonÆs strength were stoked and came surging back into focus This was Donnyton They would not fall And all of that pride and confidence swirled around Paolo giving weight to his movements

Randidly grinned He looked sideways at Helen who bright eyes seemed to sense the same thing that he did This was going to be fun

On cue the referee announced the start of the match and all twenty four of the figures on the stage surged into motion

Chapter 933

Rumbling with condensed power Paolo led the charge toward Randidly with his fists raised He was not fast but his sheer momentum meant that Randidly did not have much time before the Brawler arrived in front of him

His blows came short and sharp with barely any pause between them To those strikes Randidly raised Acri and spun the spear expertly Then he lowered himself into a grounded stance to unleash the combination of Spear Advances Ash Trails and As the Sun Stills but Randidly was forced to jerk his head backward right before he was about to move

Slice

A thin line of blood trickled down his cheek and into RandidlyÆs gritted teeth The knife that careened past twired mid air and began to accelerate toward RandidlyÆs back A cute trick but Randidly had more than enough tension to follow multiple projectiles Yet PaoloÆs next round of strikes finally arrived pushing Randidly back even further

With two quick chops of Acri he knocked aside the strikes and dispersed the force Yet Paolo used that opportunity to close the distance and his left hand shot forward in a twisted claw With two fingers acting as daggers he pierced toward RandidlyÆs left shoulder

RandidlyÆs eyes widened as he followed the line of the attack to its destination Going for the leather bindings of my arm foolish

Rather than dodging Randidly allowed the strike to smash against Sulfur Paolo grimaced in pain as his finger strike failed to pierce and followed up with a quick right cross Randidly lifted his left arm batted away the knife that was heading toward his back and then chopped downward to throw the punch off of its course

When their blows crossed RandidlyÆs grin widened while PaoloÆs eyes narrowed Their strength was near equal even while Paolo continued to funnel Strength through his vast image Randidly standing still and not drawing any strength from his images was able to match that amount of force

But itÆs time to stop playing around

RandidlyÆs image exploded outward Bones ripped up from the earth and formed into a keening Ashen Phantom Its body was surrounded by an amorphous cloud of ash that pulsed and seethed with its hunger and fury The only portions of its body that were truly visible was the burning eyes and the long fingers that had been so thoroughly stained by blood to become maroon

That wave of ash blasted outward knocking Paolo a few steps backward Unfortunately for Randidly two of PaoloÆs Squad members rushed into that gap both releasing heavy punches toward him Frowning Randidly brutally smashed both of them backward but was forced to hop to the side to avoid another vicious cut from Kayle

Two Squad members arenÆt nearly as good as either Paolo or Kayle but when they combine forces they can buy a split second well letÆs see how they handle the accumulated damage Randidly thought idly as the blade hummed past

The ground cracked and shattered evidencing the dangerous power contained in KayleÆs strike

Such was RandidlyÆs attention on KayleÆs attack that he noticed KayleÆs Squad Members attacks too late they drew pale lines across Sulfur unable to penetrate the powerful armor Still it was a blow to his pride He cut twice with Acri hitting the first but narrowly missing the second

These two step quickly well then it will be easier to burn through PaoloÆs lackeys

But then Paolo was back with fiery eyes rumbling forward in an attempt to tackle Randidly to the ground Raucous PhantomÆs Finale the Skill coded into RandidlyÆs powerful left arm hit Paolo in a brutal uppercut motion The cartilage of PaoloÆs nose broke and his head jerked upward in a spray of blood

Yet Paolo gritted his teeth and forced his head back down to glare at Randidly With grim determination he took another step forward

Three more Raucous PhantomÆs Finale smashed him left right and then directly down into the ground The arena floor cracked and cratered Paolo bouncing slightly from the concussive force

But Randidly felt Kayle appear behind him

Got you The knife wielding man whispered Then he cut aiming to sever RandidlyÆs metallic left arm

Wild PhantomÆs Embrace All is Ash

The Ashen PhantomÆs eyes burned as it became nothing but a spec of ash borrowing the momentum of the attack to blur away and appear behind Kayle Acri ripped forward in an As the Sun Stills but unfortunately Kayle spun to the side and only received a glancing blow

Still even deflected the power contained in that Skill was enough to smash Kayle backward Instantly the two Squad members who were supporting him leapt forward and caught his body

An opening As Randidly took a step to follow up on the moment of weakness Randidly paused for two reasons

The first was that the timing of the six people he was facing was almost perfect As he made to step forward PaoloÆs two bruisers came at him from the sides Not only did they work within their Squad well but the two Squads clearly spent a lot of timing fighting together against each other or otherwise They knew when to move so there wasnÆt enough of an opening for Randidly to take

Which was partially his own weakness Randidly reflected bitterly Because the transition between styles wasnÆt seamless Randidly had to completely condense after Wild PhantomÆs Embrace then use As the Sun Stills That moment of warning was enough to give Kayle an opportunity to shift the blow into something survivable

Well he probably would have survived eventually Randidly reflected as his eyes scanned PaoloÆs two goons

The second thing Randidly noticed set his teeth on edge The leather bindings that held his left arm in place made a soft noise as they hit the ground Seeing Randidly pause PaoloÆs supporters didnÆt press the issue

As KayleÆs two supporters helped him to his feet Kayle smiled sweetly at Randidly With such sloppily combined Skills did you really think you could dodge my blade

Randidly just looked at Kayle as he reached up and used his right hand to press the metallic arm to his shoulder before it could detach all the way Which would have been extremely painful Kayle opened his mouth to speak but as he did so Paolo roared forward swinging his fists in wild arcs

Narrowing his eyes Randidly studied Paolo Looks like I will need a few seconds

Immediately the ash grey circlet around his head erupted in emerald flames The flames were so large and eye catching that Randidly felt like he should be partially blinded by their brightness yet they didnÆt seem to affect his vision at all In fact RandidlyÆs focus expanded to cover every single detail of PaoloÆs assault

Two Reach of the Jade Slags erupted out of the ground seizing PaoloÆs legs With a roar the Brawler just ripped forward through those as if he were stepping through tall grass But then he barely crossed his arms in a defensive posture in time to catch an Ignition Bolt in the chest But this wasnÆt just a normal Ignition Bolt

This was empowered with one of the three wishes from the SunÆs Teardrops Belt It was an emerald cannonball crackling with golden electricity that struck Paolo solidly in the chest and sent him shooting backward His leather armor was destroyed and the flesh of his chest was smoldering but Randidly was relieved to see that the man had survived

Looks like he invested pretty heavily in Physical Defense If he hadnÆt well this would challenge would certainly have taken another turn

As Paolo shot toward the stands and Alana was forced to leap up and prevent him from physically crushing some spectators Kayle moved forward like a silent reaper But the image of the Ashen Phantom physically imposed itself between Randidly and Kayle

Kayle frowned and slashed out with the same powerful Skill that was able to cut Randidly while he was dodging The maroon dagger fingers of the Ashen Phantom clashed against KayleÆs knives and a cold icicle of pain shot through RandidlyÆs head

It was difficult to condense the image into something capable of resisting a Skill from another individual even with RandidlyÆs extremely high stats Grimacing he endured the mental strain and focused on his arm Flame come

At his beckoning emerald fire flickered to life around his shoulder bridging the gap between himself and the metal arm But that wasnÆt enough Soon he envisioned the golden writing of Yggdrasil Behind him the sound of rustling leaves emerged

Luckily Kayle was still frowning at the monster between them I donÆt have time for you

But the Ashen Phantom was a creature of need Released of its bounds and given almost all of RandidlyÆs mental strength it shrieked and cut forward through the air With quick movements Kayle drew and threw several gleaming knives They tumbled end over end striking at the relatively weaker joints in the Ashen PhantomÆs body

One cracked its knee while another found a home in the burning socket of its eye The most debilitating shattered the PhantomÆs ribs and filled the air with the spray of bones Each wound was a blow against RandidlyÆs psyche and he trembled as he endured the layered mental agonies and tried to control Mana Engraving and Ignition of the Emerald Essence at the same time

Slowly the golden glow of the writing shifted to burn emerald

Despite its wounds the Ashen PhantomÆs ungainly body charged forward and struck out at Kayle In terms of stubbornness it had no equal KayleÆs two supporters moved forward but he waved them back Some things need to be done personally Besides canÆt you feel how he is weakening

Randidly pressed his lips into a line it was true The area influenced by the cloud of ash around the Ashen Phantom was shrinking The image wasnÆt losing definition but it was becoming more difficult to manage And at the same time

RandidlyÆs flesh was sputtering and burning as he worked on his other pressing issue

Deflecting the Ashen PhantomÆs strike Kayle lanced a knife through its chest in his resposite Then he twisted and blade and cut upward shattering one of the bones in the Ashen PhantomÆs upper arm With a hiss the Ashen Phantom drew back Although it did not know fear it was growing wary of Kayle

Abruptly the cloud of ash shrank even further but the Ashen Phantom sucked that ash in to condense a substitute bone to keep its shattered arm functional With an ash cloud that had shrunk to the point where its scrawny body could be seen it once more raised its hands in a vicious promise

But Kayle wasnÆt giving it the time to take the initiative With six quick attacks its leg one of its hands and part of its remaining front teeth were hacked off The bones tumbled to the ground and the Ashen Phantom staggered backward It had faded to a flimsy flickering shadow but still it struggled to recover

Warning Damage to your Skills is accumulating

If this continues Skills may

I fucking know Randidly hissed The Ashen Phantom didnÆt collapse however The remaining ash spiraled behind it to reform its severed leg Rather than a human leg this was closer to the leg of a grasshopper folded and spindly And when the ash rushed to fill its hand the appendage twisted into a vicious bear claw gaining mass with the last bits of ash

The repurposed limbs looked oversized and strange on its skeletal frame So much so that Kayle laughed

This is your image ItÆs more monster than anything else at this point Which makes this very easy Sever

But the Ashen Phantom disappeared at the last second and KayleÆs Skill struck nothing but air Tilting his head he looked up at Randidly His eyes widened

Once more Randidly was standing with Acri raised grimacing through the pounding headache he had acquired from the series of mental gymnastics he had endured But in that time he had added burning lines of emerald fire that twisted upward from his metal shoulder into the flesh spreading in a radiating shape

With Mana Engraving he had bonded the limb to himself It hurt like a bitch but it would mean that any further attacks to the binding would be pointless

And also

Behind him a dark cloud of ash slowly gathered All across the arena a wind picked up Flakes of blood and ash spread earlier by RandidlyÆs image were now slowly pulled back to the source His grin was wide and feral

Nothing is eternal Especially Strength Especially weakness Randidly said softly

Synergy detected

Due to loss of integrity your Skillsets the 7 Kata of the Ashen Spear and the 6 Signs of the Spear Phantom « are merging Warning this process may result in a reduction in rarity as the synergy rate may be low

Calculating Synergy Rate

Randidly used every ounce of his remaining mental strength and significant Willpower to press forcing those two Skillsets closer to each other within himself He recalled every second of desperate practice with the Root Avatars and with Helen He recalled the years of training with both and his struggle to distill them down to their essence

And now forced backward by the tightly woven teamwork of the Number 1 and 2 Squads of Donnyton Randidly was done being gentle with himself

Unable to determine Synergy

Merge

MERGE

The image of that misshapen monster appeared in RandidlyÆs mind Then he flexed his fingers

Congratulations Your Skillsets have merged into the Descent of the Grim Chimera

Chapter 934

Paolo brushed himself off and frowned at Alana Does this mean IÆm disqualified

Alana glanced back toward the arena Kayle continued to dismantle RandidlyÆs strange skeleton creature while Randidly seemed to be setting his own shoulder on fire It must hurt But AlanaÆs instincts told her allowing him to continue with the process would be a bad idea Not that she could do anything about it as a spectator

Which Alana didnÆt really mind All in all it was a very good fight to watch

Then she scratched her head At this rate she could sense Randidly was going to turn the fight around It would be a shame if Paolo couldnÆt participate in the rest of it Well Technically no but

Sighing Paolo nodded in agreement You cushioned my fall To protect civilians but I should bear that interference not Randidly So punch me Once in the stomach To even up the damage

The two were standing in the five meter crater that Alana hadnÆt been able to prevent Paolo from making in the stands Randidly had truly smashed him back with a huge amount of force And to stop that momentum Alana had used a spear strike Even then this was the damage that resulted

The people who Alana had shoved out of the way gazed at the two of them with wide eyes

How hard Helen asked half heartedly even though she thought she knew what the answer would be

As hard as you can PaoloÆs face was covered in blood from his shattered nose but it was nowhere close to the damage that RandidlyÆs spell had wrought on his chest The flesh was blackened and burnt with puss and blood leaking out from the cracked wounds Even Alana had been shocked at how powerful that single spell had been

Something to watch out for when she finally got her turn to walk out onto the stage

Alright here goes Alana grunted Then she twisted her body and smashed her fist into PaoloÆs stomach

She hit him so hard that he crashed into the stands once more probably doubling the size of the collapsed seats After a few seconds Paolo limped out

Okay okay He slapped his bloody face and then beat his fists against the third degree burns on his chest Got to get back out there before Kayle gets to have all of the fun

Alana watched Paolo hop down off of the stands and hobble back toward the arena as the stone weavers hurried over to repair the damage Yet Alana found herself smiling as she looked down at her bloody knuckles

Yea this is a good fight to watch But it’s a better fight to be a part of

Suppressing her excitement Alana returned to the VIP section Her turn would come soon That terrible darkness that Randidly was now summoning assured her of it

Congratulations Additional Skills are being assimilated into the Skillset

White PhantomÆs Half Step (Un) Lvl 95 has been assimilated

Fighting Experience (Un) Lvl 159 has been assimilated

Phantom Onslaught Lvl 42 has been assimilated

Calculating gains

Warning continuing without sufficient energy may result in debilitation and death Do you wish to continue

Resonating Synchronicity Percent 96%

Congratulations Skills have merged to create the Descent of the Grim Chimera

Your Skills All is Ash Lvl 102 and When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance (Un) Lvl 65 have merged to form Chimeric Avoidance Lvl 149

Your Skills Breath of the Spear Phantom « Lvl 84 and Wild PhantomÆs Embrace Lvl 197 have merged to form Cursed Appetite of a Wraith Lvl 233

Your Skills White PhantomÆs Half Step (Un) Lvl 95 and Fighting Experience (Un) Lvl 159 have merged to form MonstrosityÆs Appalling Physicality Lvl 191

Your Skill Frigid Ash Extinguishing Storm Lvl 59 has evolved to form ReaperÆs Mantle of Catastrophe Lvl 75

Your Skill Inevitable Phantom Arrives (Un) Lvl 120 has merged with the caustic and fiery image of ash to form Molten Fang of the Pariah Lvl 160

Your Skills Spear Advances Ash Trails Lvl 108 and As the Sun Stills Lvl 80 have merged to form Man is Proud but the Chimera Takes Lvl 140

Your Skills Inevitable Phantom Arrives Lvl 120 and Phantom Onslaught Lvl 42 have merged to form The Chimera Weeps as Man Mourns Lvl 126

Your image has fused to create the eighth Skill in the Descent of the Grim Chimera Skillset The terrible fragility of ash imbues the Skill The horrible desperation of the Spear Phantom lives on in the Skill You have gained the Skill All Else Succumbs Yet Time Whirls the Earth Lvl 100

Where one stream of notifications finally stopped another grouping immediately jumped up to cloud RandidlyÆs vision Luckily it seemed that Kayle and his minions stopped to stare at the monster that was slowly mutating behind RandidlyÆs back

Congratulations You have broken past the shackles of Legendary You are the first individual from your Cohort to break through to the Mythic rarity As such you have been branded by the First Key to the Nexus

With the First Key to the Nexus it becomes possible for you to transcend your world and exist within the deeper realms of the Nexus Secret areas within higher Cohorts are available to you When two keys are assembled it is possible to bring a single territory with you as you transcend your existence and climb the Nexus When all three keys are assembled you can bring your entire world

Congratulations You are the first individual on Earth to break through to the Mythic Rarity As such you have been awarded a Small Coin of Territory

Although your world was divided into separate Zones some areas of your planet were so devoid of human life that they were not considered as part of the Earth in the SystemÆs scans Therefore these pieces of wilderness have remained untouched throughout the arrival of the System

Using the Coin of Territory at the boundary of your New Earth will summon a piece of that Wilderness communsurate with the quality of the coin Based on the size there is also a chance for an improvement of a random Rarity to be included within your new Territory

Congratulations You have stepped beyond Legendary You have become aware of three new Rarities Mythic Transcendental and Pinnacle

Warning others witnessing a Skill beyond the Legendary will slightly increase their chances of reaching that specific Rarity themselves

Bum bum

The terrible darkness that Randidly was steadily gathered condensed into a twisted amalgamation of a human Its heart shuddered then slowly began to beat sending a flood of heat through to RandidlyÆs inner world

He felt his image shifting slowly settling into its new form Like the Spear Phantom it was a being designed to kill and maim It had no other purpose and walked a Path that meant it could never truly join human society It was constructed with function in mind without giving any concern to its terrible form

Like the Kata of the Ashen Spear it was a being animated by spite and resentment An eternity of entropy led to the creation of this chimera It hated its making it hated the pure and smooth lines of humanity it hated perhaps even more its own lopsided and viciously deadly form It was focused on brutal acceleration In its case it’s only defensive qualities were how quickly it could move and kill

ItÆs left hand was a gnarled hand with fingers so long and sharp it seemed to be holding a half dozen scythe blades Thick veins stood out from its arms and trembled with every labored beat of its heart Its right hand was simply a shaft of sharpened bone dark grey darkening to maroon at the tip Its legs were those of a raptor full of coiled muscle and covered in green grey scales

BUM BUM

From the base of its neck and from its tailbone two long tails swung casually through the air seeming to taste the small breezes in the surrounding area But these tails were not things of the flesh but only bones They looked like two anaconda spines jutting out from the chimeraÆs back the lower one being almost double as large as the higher

The ChimeraÆs head was the most human part of it except for two key details Although the head was generally human shaped there was a paper thin layer of extra skin that covered most of the actual face There was something to it that reminded Randidly of wax paper wrapping

It was possible to see the shape of the wide open mouth and the empty eye sockets but they just seemed to be filled with darkness It had a similar effect that covering a personÆs head with a plastic bag would reducing their identity to something that was clinically considered human but also dead in some vital way

The other detail was the two twisting ram horns piercing up through the skin layer and curling above its ears

Before it had totally condensed Kayle was already moving forward to strike It seemed his instincts were sharp Randidly distantly felt the air ringing the breeze singing as KayleÆs sharp strike sheared toward him Yet the headache and the flood of notifications and the dull pain remaining from his shoulder made him pause for a split second

BUM

The heat that was spreading through Randidly was so hot that it was blanking out all of his senses Releasing a breath Randidly reached for the Grim Chimera and felt it He looked into its soul and saw all the sharp and broken things that had accumulated there

You are my darkness Randidly thought My anger at watching so many people die The violence I learned from Shal who learned it from the Spearman That resentment that I inherited from the Patron of Ash That bitterness and loneliness that I lived with for all my life and for those same feelings that are resurging as I realize I am still different than everyone else just in a very different way

The dark eyeholes of the chimera regarded Randidly As it breathed its skin pulsed and shifted It was an incomplete thing made for violence All who saw it would fear So Randidly smiled and reached out his hand

The System the Creature Lyra the Spearman LetÆs make them all regret giving birth to us

KayleÆs strike was a split second away when RandidlyÆs gaze sharpened Beneath the flimsy layer of skin the dark circle of the chimeraÆs mouth curved into a half moon smile

Chimeric Avoidance

Kayle cut and the image of the chimera folded in on itself as it used its body designed for killing and repurposed it into something smaller and more difficult to hit Even then Randidly feared for a second that he would be hit But then he stepped forward

MonstrosityÆs Appalling Physicality

When he moved the arena cracked and a noticeable chunk of Stamina was taken away But the amount of distance he covered in a split second was mind boggling

As KayleÆs eyes widened and he spun around to face Randidly the Chimera raised its vicious arms and set about its grim work

Chapter 935

Kayle purposefully cut wide in his attack confident that he could have caught the edge of RandidlyÆs hair if he had aimed for it It wouldnÆt have inflicted any damage but it was reassuring to be so near to hitting him

Really it was an extremely short distance four centimeters Altering the course of the blade was well within his ability making the swing he had just performed four centimeters shorter than it would have been

So when Kayle was forced to roll forward to avoid the absolutely vicious spear thrust that Randidly unleashed with very little warning it only sunk about three centimeters into his right shoulder blade before he had escaped from the attack That little bit of extra time gave him an edge but already Kayle could feel the wound throbbing

WasnÆt enough Step needs to be faster SomethingÆs different

Kayle popped to his feet to see both the two handlers he had brought and the two Paolo had brought surrounding Randidly in an X As though moving on some unspoken cue they varied their timing of strikes perfectly PaoloÆs attacked first but KayleÆs men had faster attacks All the while Randidly stood stock still

A mistake to attack without either Paolo or me but a warning wonÆt come in time Kayle thought with narrowed eyes That excess in his style we beat it out of him Hmm I did try to warn Stan

Although he was surrounded Randidly just casually glanced around The monster that hovered behind him cracked its neck ItÆs two tails curled around its body claiming dominance over the surrounding space

Then Randidly blurred into motion unleashing seven rapid strikes that crisscrossed his body It was an area Skill one that gave him preposterous dexterity to strike in the surrounding area So much so that four of the top individuals in Donnyton working together were overwhelmed And it wasnÆt close

Quick thrust and a quick explosion of thrusts Kayle began to move into position because he could already predict what was coming Based on what we saw earlier this two Skills wonÆt be all

KayleÆs two elected to dodge the strikes and were left with deep gashes across their torsoÆs Even they werenÆt fast enough but they quickly pulled out potions PaoloÆs two raised their arms and tried to endure the strikes directly This was a mistake

The first man collapsed almost immediately The woman gasped in shock looking down at the two fist sized holes that RandidlyÆs attack had ripped through her forearms and into her stomach

Randidly as moving to finish her off as Kayle struck again

Absolute Separation

Once more RandidlyÆs body seemed to fold in on itself and out of the way of KayleÆs strike Huge blue veins stood out on RandidlyÆs body as well giving him a burst of speed that saw him avoiding the strike and wheeling his spear around to point at Kayle

Blade Dance

Luckily Kayle had predicted that Randidly would use his quick thrust because he moved before the attack was launched Otherwise he would not have dodged successfully or even stayed in fighting shape As he did so he threw the two long knives he held at RandidlyÆs head and drew two more in a smooth motion Those two new knives he slashed in an x toward RandidlyÆs human arm

Hopefully this part of him still bleeds

But a grey melancholy seemed to swirl up and seize KayleÆs arms infecting him with a deep chill The monster behind Randidly had its gaze fixed upon Kayle Grimacing he dropped the knives and hopped backward Seven blows filled the air he had just left

Somehow Randidly also now possessed an aura that slowed anyone who entered into his area Which was a hard counter for everything that Kayle wanted to do when he got in close to foes

For a brief moment Kayle spared a glance for the other side of the arena where RandidlyÆs companion was barely hanging on while assaulted by the remnants of their two Squads Kayle grimaced They could spare likely one each without losing much power in that group but the problem was that Helen was noted for improving the more strikes she inflicted on the surrounding people

The fewer fighters they had holding her back the more quickly she would come to wreck their current fight with Randidly And honestly would more people even help to slow Randidly down now

DONÆT HAVE TOO MUCH FUN WITHOUT ME Paolo bellowed his arms pumping wildly as he dashed back up to the arena and attempted to spear tackle Randidly

Kayle sighed DonÆt you recall what happened last time It seems you love abuse too much to even plan to avoid it

Without moving Randidly lowered his spear

Ah Kayle thought with false cheer as he flexed his hands to dispel the numbness Paolo didnÆt slow his advance at all charging directly toward the attack This will be the hard hitting Skill

The monster behind Randidly raised its right arm which began to glow a cherry red like a poker pulled out from a blacksmith’s fire Then the attack ripped forward

Still fast Just not impossible to see Kayle reflected darkly Two knives spun end over end toward RandidlyÆs exposed back But to his shock the monster twitched and twisted his skin wrapped head around to look at Kayle

Then the dark shape of the mouth beneath that skin seemed to shift The two bone tails connected to it flicked out knocking away the knives

PaoloÆs feet smashed into the ground as he lowered his stance His hands shot upward and boldly seized the shaft of the approaching spear ignoring the ominous rumbling the attack made as it shot through the air But that was part of PaoloÆs charm Making all the stupid decisions so Kayle could make the smart ones

Grimacing Paolo jerked his head to the side as his Strength proved insufficient to hold back RandidlyÆs spear Rather than ripping through his throat the attack skittered off of PaoloÆs shoulder The webbing of his thumbs tore from the strain of altering the attack spraying his already grim visage with additional gore

As Kayle moved toward RandidlyÆs back RandidlyÆs living spear twisted around seizing PaoloÆs arm and jerking him forward Before Kayle could even arrive Randidly smashed Paolo with a brutal cross with his left arm

But then Kayle was there his two knives stabbing into the flesh of RandidlyÆs back

Kayle twisted around rapidly recalculating as the form he had attacked dissipated into wisps of ash Randidly stood about twenty meters away the force of his deceleration having shattered the tiles of the arena

That speed is a serious problem Kayle reflect If I could just Shit

Randidly was already in front of him that monster’s right hand spread wide the glimmering reaper blades filling KayleÆs vision It seemed that Randidly had kept his rapid acceleration skill through this incredibly dangerous change

Smiling KayleÆs hands moved without having to think But we already knew you had an acceleration Skill Which meant we could prepare Twin Rend

One hand ripped upward the other chopped downward In a split second Kayle and Randidly were once more separated by twenty meters as RandidlyÆs momentum carried him forward past the spot of their clash

Blood spurted out of KayleÆs shoulder but his smile stayed in place as he spun on his heel and dropped his two broken knives

Randidly regarded Kayle with a frown two quivering shards of metal sticking out of his chest Despite the gentlemanÆs agreement nature of their battle KayleÆs attacks had been clustered around RandidlyÆs heart But the cagey fuck had folded his body at the last second avoiding any blow that would have truly incapacitated him

WhatÆs the read Paolo asked as he stood back up and spat out a glob of blood

Kayle shrugged IsnÆt it best to just have fun

They exchanged a glance laden with meaning Are you serious

Unless you are about to evolve into a higher leveled mob then yes LetÆs just try to have fun Kayle said dead serious Blood dripped out of his wound even as his body began to flood the area with Stamina to stem the flow and hasten recovery

Their conversation cut off as Randidly arrived between them that terrible monster lashing out in both directions The two leaders of DonnytonÆs best Squads lowered their weapons and got to work

Panting Randidly regarded the two men in front of them Stronger than I thought Stronger than should be possible

They were in a piteous state KayleÆs one arm was completely out of commission and PaoloÆs face had been beaten so brutally that Randidly was honestly surprised he could still see out of his swollen sockets

Yet both hadnÆt fallen even after almost fifteen minutes of fighting

We had a good goal to aspire to Kayle whispered

Paolo didnÆt bother to speak He just nodded grimly and kept his guard up

Sighing Randidly shook his head The boost he received from the Skillset was massive In terms of both power and functionality his toolset had transformed from what had been possible previously If Randidly had used either the Ashen Kata or the Spear Phantom as his image he probably would have needed to rely on his Mana based Skills to give him an edge against these twoÆs combination

But the Descent of the Grim Chimera was able to suppress them with raw power The synergy between the Skills enabled him to consistently transition between different strategies and overwhelm Paolo and Kayle Randidly supposed that was the weight that Mythic held It wasnÆt just the next step above Legendary but it was an entire tier above

Randidly was very much looking forward to what the higher Rarities would give him

I have one last Skill Randidly said softly Both Kayle and Paolo didnÆt bother to respond so Randidly continued to speak Honestly they might not have the breath to answer IÆm not sure what it will do so guard yourselves well This will be in another league

Both men remained still allowing their Stamina and Health to accumulate

Randidly released a breath All Else Succumbs Yet Time Whirls the Earth

BUM BUM BuuM

Behind the veil of skin the dark sockets of the Chimera began to glow red A grand ticking overwhelmed Randidly vibrating his very bones His heartbeat with enough force that every cell in his body shook with it Time around Randidly compressed to the point that everything became still

In that heightened state Randidly thrust and both men were felled like wheat

Chapter 936

As Paolo and Kayle fell Ace sat very still with his hands folded in his lap There were several seconds of silence as those brief blurred images repeated themselves before his eyes Had he truly seen what he believed he had seen

Unfortunately that moment of clarity passed like a dream Immediately his senses distracted him with information about the curious woman from Zone Seven and her minder sitting next to him but he ignored them for now Ultimately they were a diversion But this what Ace had just seen was the real deal

It was powerful enough to fill him with dread Powerful enough that he couldnÆt move while he was witnessing it

So instead Ace sat in the dark space of his mind and did his best to replay what he had just seen a few more times He repeated that vision that he had barely managed to catch Even with his Perception Skills revolving as forcefully as they could Randidly had simply moved beyond what he had been capable of perceiving Barely beyond but the speed was enough that Ace would bet he could count on one hand the people watching that were able to truly see what happened A smaller portion still could understand it

Mrs Hamilton Alana and Annie definitely would have but Ace wasnÆt sure any of DonnytonÆs other elite specialized in Perception Still would those three reveal the truth Or would they silence it

Certainly the crowd had no idea what was going on Well they knew the result and generally the method Randidly had finally overpowered Kayle and Paolo two of the most popular fighters in the town But they didnÆt understand how much the method of his actions changed things How different that last attack had been

If they did understand would they feel fear

Could a bug truly understand why it must fear the fickle whims of man

how could one man move so quickly Yazhu muttered blankly staring at the stage AceÆs smile widened That small spark of joy was enough to shake him out of his concentrated state but he didnÆt mind It was enjoyable to feel superior to others immediately after Randidly had outclassed them all

Heh fool This is the world stage This is the pinnacle And even with it occurring right in front of you you cannot see it

Am I jealous Ace thought watching as Randidly turned and walked away to find a spot to meditate Is that why I enjoy the weakness of these two

I didnÆt see anything at all Xia admitted shaking her head But what I donÆt understand is why the ground wasnÆt destroyed by the force If he was moving as quickly as he must be and he returned to his starting position how much control must he have

That gave Ace pause For the first time since he had met her Ace examined her thoroughly once more It seems this one isnÆt for show Sharp

Because Xia was right and wrong at the same time Randidly for all his capability would not be able to control his momentum enough to protect the arena More so there was no reason to destroying it was par for the course for him He had done it repeatedly thus far in his challenges

It was one thing to know that it was another thing to realize something was strange when it didnÆt happen For her to notice this when the rest of her senses were so blinded well perhaps Zone Seven wouldnÆt be so weak forever

Because Randidly hadnÆt truly moved when he attacked Ace reflected as he watched the healers hurrying out to Paolo and Kayle The high intensity fight between Helen and the group around her slowed to nothing as they realized that the fight was over His feet were planted the entire time He had simply grown

At that moment RandidlyÆs body had evolved into something monstrous So quickly that Ace hadnÆt been able to follow what was occurring at all His limbs had stretched and scythed outward cutting Paolo and Kayle down

Interesting Grinning Ace got up and stretched Very very interesting

Randidly sat on the ground meditating Or at least putting up the front of meditating What he was actually doing was frantically using Golden Roots of Yggdrasil and MonstrosityÆs Appalling Physicality to heal the damage that Randidly had done to his own body with the last move

It was hard to describe what had happened in those few seconds Where Randidly had been expecting something grand what he ended up experiencing was ultimately just extremely strange As he activated All Else Succumbs Yet Time Whirls the Earth he had been very careful to monitor his own condition Yet even with that careful observation he was still unsure exactly what had happened

First his heartbeat That had risen to become a dominant feature of his body It filled his body with a strange power one that was reminiscent of RandidlyÆs early images of the Inevitable Phantom arrives But that was just the prelude As his blood continued to pump his whole psyche began to twist like a spring being wound

Finally as the pressure inside of his body continued to build RandidlyÆs formidable Willpower coalesced into the thought StrikeÆ And he had lashed out and attacked both Paolo and Kayle at such speed that neither could react Yet the damage he had done to himself was just as horrifying

Looking at the Skill description was similarly unhelpful to determine what exactly had occurred in that tense moment

All Else Succumbs Yet Time Whirls the Earth A Skill with great destructive power and infinite potential The Chimera is a being that lived with suffering forced to seek the pinnacle of adaptation to avoid the multitude of threats that would delight in the chance to snuff its life out Time and time again the Chimera was forced to evolve or die In terms of survivability none rival it Yet even the Chimera cannot resist the currents of time Death as with all things would inevitably beckon To the Creature that thrives on growing this final end is its greatest fear For this reason out of all creatures a Chimera accepts that ultimate invitation most unwillingly Such is its blessing Such is its curse

But being dogged by such a dangerous enemy as time has given the Chimera vast insight into the worldÆs mysteries By drawing heavily on the power of time that will inevitably destroy it a Chimera is briefly able to travel through blurred Paths that it has not taken and will never take All possibilities are open to it

Warning The further afield from its own Paths the Chimera wanders the larger the damage it receives will be Warning Some damage may be permanent Power of the effects gained vastly increases with Skill Level Damage received marginally decreases with Skill Level

Randidly grimaced At least it’s clear that the effects are powerful and grow quickly as the Skill becomes more powerful ItÆs just unfortunate that the damage received is so slow to grow to compensate

The state of his body was currently a testament to that Even now Randidly relied on the physical reinforcement Skills he received from both the Descent of the Grim Chimera and Yggdrasil to withstand the force Even then all Randidly had been able to do was make sure the damage was something he could cope with after an hourÆs rest

Unfortunately this would be one of those moves that Randidly wouldnÆt be able to use often As such the growth might be stagnant

On the other hand Twisting his mouth Randidly looked at this offending Skill It grew six Levels from only a single use

Then Randidly shook his head Rather than finding a way to better avoid the damage the correct path was figuring out the exact mechanism that the Skill used to accomplish that vast power Randidly had briefly felt With a more concrete image he would be able to offload a lot of the strain

Although the text of the Skill was rather ambiguous one thing was clear the Skill allowed Randidly to briefly enjoy the benefits of Paths he had not taken The further those Paths were from what Randidly actually had chosen the more strain Randidly had to withstand

From what he had felt Randidly had gathered a vast amount of energy into his body and then he had somehow compressed time with himself Which would explain the damage he received

Ugh I canÆt figure it out without time to experiment Randidly sighed A bloody Helen looked at him dully The gulf of disappointment in her gaze had been present since Randidly finishing the battle before she had managed to overcome her sixteen opponents Rather than being angry she just seemed resigned Bleakly she gazed out across the arena looking so much like a disappointed child that Randidly could barely stifle a laugh

When Helen looked sharply up at him the venom in her gaze abruptly restored Randidly raised his hand to his mouth and pretended to cough For a split second he allowed the true damage he received from the Skill to show through

Helen frowned at him Are you alright

The new Skill is strange Randidly admitted Then he looked at Helen speculatively It was hard for me to understand Did you

Nah but I felt when you used it Helen shook her head The whole arena shook Not physically but I felt well something strange through our connection

Randidly just grunted Well if I canÆt figure this out better think about how to use the other Skills

The shift from two Skillsets into one saw some bleeding of different Skills but after experimenting with them against Paolo and Kayle Randidly was rather satisfied with the final result

Cursed Appetite of the Wraith seemed to have absorbed the offensive capabilities of All is Ash and combined that with the suppression of Breath of the Spear Phantom In addition it gave him a passive damage boost the more attacks he avoided likely as part of Wild PhantomÆs Embrace

As it was Randidly could still create condensed blades and shields of the terrible hunger that he felt as well as taking in a deep breath This deep breath would rip the ability to breathe from people in the surrounding area as well as stealing a small amount of Mana and Stamina These Skills were based on ash exactly but a sort of condensed grey emotion A combination of despair and resentment that seemed useful at leaching away the strength of opponents

Unfortunately I was so shocked at the effects that I repeated the Stamina and Mana absorption several times There is no way that Kayle missed it Randidly thought grimly He looked over at the tightly packed VIP box Because it steals from each person it would give me an even bigger edge if they send everyone against me Still useful for the future

MonstrosityÆs Appalling Physicality was a pure physical boost and likely the most pedestrian of the Skills he obtained Of course that was just because the bonus was of a recognizable type The magnitude of the bonus was anything but average Likely in terms of physical defense and recovery RandidlyÆs abilities had doubled Which considering his already inhuman levels in those areas was ridiculous

However considering the strain some of the Skills put on his body now seemed entirely necessary

ReaperÆs Mantle of Catastrophe was an evolution of Frigid Ash Devouring Storm Randidly also couldnÆt help but notice some thematic elements that it had stolen from his Crown of Upheaval and Gloom As it was all people within a few meters of Randidly would find their movements restricted If Randidly burned Mana he could spread that area out to fifty or so meters The longer one remained in the area the more he or she would be afflicted

Unfortunately using his other Skills just seemed like such a more efficient way to spend Mana but as the Skill Level improved the passive effect would become more valuable

Molten Fang of the Pariah was the baby that Randidly had received from Ulaat Patron of Ash It contained all of his anguish and bitterness condensed into a brand and shaped like a spear And also mixed with the uncanny attack speed of an Inevitable Phantom Arrives

Man is Proud But the Chimera Takes was the combination of Spear Advances Ash Trails and As the Sun Stills While using it Randidly would rip across the arena and gather all of his terrible hunger into a strike that would destroy anyone who dared to receive it head on

This was another Skill that had a powerful physical toll After using it a few times Randidly had ceased to experiment with it against Paolo and Kayle Paolo seemed to have some way to disperse the damage and Kayle was able to deflect too much of it away It wasnÆt cost effective to use it against them

But against monsters that were less skilled at dodging

Chimera Weeps as Man Mourns was a move that allowed Randidly to strike up rapidly for a short period of time Although the power wasnÆt that impressive the sheer speed and wide area of effect made it a useful tool

And the most confusing of his newly acquired Skills honestly Randidly hadnÆt been impressed at first by Chimeric Avoidance As it was a Skill that blended together All is Ash and When a Shadow Departs Fireflies Dance Randidly had high expectations Yet the name was rather bland

But in practice it was even scarier than Randidly could believe

Chimeric Avoidance The uncanny ability for the chimera to avoid grave harm is its greatest strength A portion of all damage received is always avoided A portion of Attribute expenditures and mental strain is always avoided In addition the Skill can be activated to shift the physical body to a position that violates the laws of physics With this Avoidance even universal laws can be briefly surpassed Effect of avoidance increases with Skill Level Time limit of avoiding universal laws increases Current Avoidance Percentage 8%

When Randidly saw that 8% he just blinked Did that mean he avoided 8% of all damage that he would receive and all Skills cost 8% less

And the line about avoiding universal laws

Randidly couldn’tÆ help but wonder if this Skill rather than MonstrosityÆs Appalling Physicality was the reason that using All Else Succumbs Yet Time Whirls the Earth was possible Somehow he was now only bound by 92% of the limitations that covered other people

Chapter 937

Donny folded his arms This was his least favorite part of the preparations His hands were sweaty and his breath came short and often That was excitement But most of that was being dispersed by the reality of what he had to accomplish before the actual battle would start

The plan was important he knew but it wasnÆt something that he needed to participate in At this point it just felt like a farce Donny reached up and rubbed the bridge of his nose This was why so many people were turning toward battle he knew This management portion of being a leader it was a heavy weight to bear

Likely that was why Randidly had passed it off on Donny so long ago That was why his life had taken an abrupt turn for the better even after everything went to hell

His ability to absorb peopleÆs Mana certainly makes things difficult Glendel said

Stan shrugged Then he shot a quick glance at Mrs Hamilton who was standing behind him while wearing a thin smile Seeing no other indication Stan turned back to Glendel Maybe but it was already for the best we streamline this group If people arenÆt able to ignore the mental strain that Randidly can cause they will just get in the way during the fight

Plus it seems that those with Fates condensed can have somewhat lowered Stats and still resist the image well enough Mrs Hamilton added lightly Although these two criteria cut down our numbers to only about fifty those fifty will be the most capable group that Donnyton can field They will be the group that shall gather information as to whether the final rung will be necessary

Frowning Donny forced himself to remain quiet This was all just an act An act that he knew was necessary

Not that this would be the end of it Hell before the challenge started he was required rile up the spirits of the audience That could be considered a portion of this act Yet it all felt so exhausting All this effort spent on placating and preparing while Randidly simply stood in the center of the arena and waited for the challengers to line up before him

It was somewhat envious To simply walk from one battlefield to the next waiting for brave challengers to throw themselves at him In between to be able to lose oneself in training and not be required to manage the lives of others

Of course Randidly had his own concerns They just seemed somewhat manageable from DonnyÆs perspective

Ahem Stan coughed lightly There are a few details that I want to review with everyone Specifically images That is that stated motivation for this challenge that is RandidlyÆs main justification

What we have learned is that in a lot of ways heÆs right about their effect Stan readily admitted These are a powerful force that are a much broader application of Skills When trained to extremes well everyone felt the reverberations from his attacks Everybody heard the terrifying noise produced by the grand tree he summons If Donnyton can master that our strength will be that much greater

ShouldnÆt we focus on the plan at the moment There is no need to dither here throwing out meaningless compliments Mrs Hamilton asked sweetly Stan paled

After blinking several times Stan spoke again Ah yes of course There are only two critical facts relating to images that give us a fighting chance two images canÆt be maintained near each other and Skills possess inherent albeit weak images Therefore the initial part of the battle will involve us attempting to circle around both Randidly and Helen to force them to stay in close proximity

So far theyÆve separated and acted independently to lessen their individual images interference on each other So we force them to remain in next to each other Both images are powerful but that is without us being able to mount any real resistance to the image If the two images mix their strength

They will simply overpower us to break out Dozer said folding his arms Many of the surrounding elites nodded agreeing with his assessment

Stan nodded as well Of course ThatÆs when we spring the trap

Mrs Hamilton cleared her throat By far RandidlyÆs most dangerous weapon is his ability to manipulate plant life Without suppressing that it becomes a battle of attrition and his monstrous regeneration makes any sort of competition on that front extremely perilous By letting him break through with his Skills and then quickly suppressing them we will put him on the backfoot Also he will be alone Without support we will then we force him into melee range

The surrounding peopleÆs expression darkened at that last statement Paolo and KayleÆs injuries were too fresh in their mind for them to be excited about the prospect of facing RandidlyÆs attacks directly Donny sharpened his gaze Even I need to take part then

Then Donny spoke lightly keeping his tone even to gently refocus the thoughts of the surrounding individuals How confident are you in suppressing his plants

Rather than answer Mrs Hamilton turned toward two individuals standing next to each other on the far side of the VIP booth Clarissa and Sam

Sam just sent Mrs Hamilton a sour look He detested these sort of shows even more than Donny did And although Sam likely didnÆt know the true trick of the battle he was too used to dealing with Mrs Hamilton not to expect a dagger hidden in the dark aimed at RandidlyÆs back

Instead Clarissa spoke Relatively confident During my challenge it seemed that my frost within the ground heavily suppressed his Skills effectiveness And that was only collateral damage if I focus my spells it will be much more effective He can brute force his way through it as he previously demonstrated but it is enough to make sure he cannot simply dominate all of us with that SkillÆs reach

Stan spoke to continue with the explanation So they break through we begin to suppress the plants In addition the group will split into two groups The final group insisted on by uh consensus is fifty two people Only those who possess a Fate and the requisite ability to resist RandidlyÆs images and those who are deemed

All she had to do was frown and Stan shivered

Donny suppressed a laugh Mrs Hamilton certainly had this fool on a short leash after the debacle of the earlier rung Donny had only heard the end of their discussion but Stan was willing to give ground on all of those who participated without Fates except the Cortez siblings

Theoretically more was better against Randidly but StanÆs plan involved pushing Randidly to the edge Therefore Stan argued if the individual standing nearest when RandidlyÆs weakness was revealed couldnÆt strike a decisive blow

But Donny agreed with Mrs Hamilton on this count Having the kids gain experience wouldnÆt make a difference either way Besides Mrs Hamilton didnÆt currently have a Fate and yet no one dared to voice opposition to her inclusion

anyways Stan drew a shaky breath While most everyone will surround Randidly and work together to whittle away his Attributes Alana Dozer and the two Cortez siblings will work on suppressing Helen

AlanaÆs gaze tightened but she said nothing She simply looked at the stone ground That caused Donny to blink in surprise

SheÆs getting better at hiding her displeasure Is it because she understands that Helen is the weak point we need to manipulate or does she think it wonÆt matter in the end But to think she isnÆt going to say a word as the rest of us hog the dubious pleasure of slowing down Randidly Ghosthound

If we can force Helen into desperate straits and eliminate her then Randidly will be entirely surrounded Mrs Hamilton finished Without overwhelming power Randidly Ghosthound will fall before our combined attacks

A logical statement generally Donny allowed Yet none of the evidence we have witnessed today seems to support it It will be a long fight either way

Everyone nodded sharply as an air of determination spread over the gathering The easy sense of what she was saying was enough to guide most away from their earlier worries In its place a steely fortitude settled over the group

and then was promptly destroyed as Annie stretched and yawned Hopefully this at least last long enough for that dumb kid to fall asleep Then IÆll get a night alone in our bed

And I Dozer rumbled

Annie shooed him away We have a couch donÆt we Do you know how fucking long itÆs been since IÆve been able to chug a barrel of wine and just burp without worrying that little terror would start mimicking my gas for the next week So stressful ItÆs very possible I might fall prey to wrinkles soon

As Annie and Dozer continued their strange version of flirting and walked out onto the arena most of the other assembled people followed Then all it took was a sharp gesture from Mrs Hamilton for Stan to hurry away and she and Donny were alone

Are you prepared She asked shortly

Donny just nodded

She tapped her cheek with her long fingers considering him And the time limit

We tested it up to thirty minutes and there were no permanent side effects Donny grunted Then he scratched the back of his neck Although he suspected it wasnÆt a comfortable thing at all to endure for the other party

Good Then I have no doubt we will win Donnyton will remain as the unshakable power on Earth despite RandidlyÆs best efforts

Donny looked at Mrs Hamilton He supposed that she was trying to sound encouraging but she just sounded tired At that moment she looked how Donny felt That made him grimace The weight the two of them had borne together for so long was finally starting to take its toll on both of them Yet he had no small amount of sympathy for Mrs Hamilton

Donny supposed that the antics of Stan had hit her harder than he had expected

It was good to know that sometimes Mrs Hamilton was just as shocked by some things as the rest of them were

Paolo and KayleÆs healing took much longer than anticipated Donny said lightly to change the subject Regina informed me that some strange energy was present in their wounds it took a repeated Revitalizes in order to remove the lingering damage and only after that energy was gone would the healing begin

Mrs Hamilton just twisted her lips The two looked out at the arena All of DonnytonÆs strength was gathered here This was the best they had Both understood that the last rung would be pointless They would either win here or lose

Did you see it Donny asked simply

Nodding Mrs Hamilton seemed someone helpless The most powerful Raid Boss that the Earth has ever faced

And it’s the man that saved all our lives Donny murmured

Both looked over at the sitting form of Randidly Neither spoke for several seconds

LetÆs have fun Donny said as he looked out toward the unadorned silhouette of Randidly

You sound like Alana Mrs Hamilton replied her lips curling upward Today letÆs just avoid the loss shall we

Chapter 938

RandidlyÆs gaze scanned through the people who began to filter up onto the stage Truly Donnyton was sparing no expense to fight against him

Alana Dozer Annie Sam Mrs Hamilton and Donny all were present slowly stretching their limbs With them was a sea of familiar faces that were all powerful in their own right Glendel Ptolemy the Cortez Siblings Clarissa as well as the hale and healthy looking Paolo and Kayle were checking their weapons

When he saw RandidlyÆs gaze Paolo offered a large thumbs up forcing Randidly to chuckle Truly that man was one who cared for nothing but fighting Even after that last strike none of his good cheer had been smashed out of him

In addition to the powerhouses there were also were a group of thirty or so members that felt like they were extremely powerful but not as poignant or individual as the leaders These then would be those members that were only present in the Raid Groups It seemed they had noticed his ability to steal a small amount of Stamina and Mana because they had selected only the most powerful to participate in the challenge

More annoying was the fact that almost all possessed Fates With them they would have some inherent resistance against RandidlyÆs images

Yet Randidly was also pleased to see that Eli Iron would not be present for this challenge if he had been Randidly might have lost his temper again

You know Randidly finally said Mrs Hamilton who was closest to him on the arena looked up sharply If Decklan were here it would be a reunion Most of the people who founded Donnyton would be gathered

Mrs Hamilton smirked Ha Decklan missing this well can you imagine the look on his face I have no doubt that when you see him next he will be extremely

She trailed off as though unsure of how to proceed Inwardly Randidly winced

Honestly he hadnÆt thought about it but perhaps the problems with the frogpeople were growing more pronounced and Neveah couldnÆt afford to let him go even for a brief period of time Decklan was running constant damage control on a vast area After all even after removing Roy the ripples that idiot had created would take some time to disperse

However Randidly was confident after seeing Neveah that she could handle it And if she couldnÆt she wouldnÆt hesitate to reach out to him After all Earth was a special place to her Her small crush and that stupid garden were here And Randidly himself although he had never really felt anything like protective feelings from Neveah Although that might be his own fault His level of capability meant very few people had the nerve to try and care for him

IÆm too strong even my home town has to come together in order to rival me Randidly thought with only a small amount of bitterness From the people arrayed before him that would actually be fighting Randidly looked up into the sea of faces looking down at him from the stands

We are ready to begin Mrs Hamilton said quietly Behind her Donny began to speak to the crowd speaking warmly about all Donnyton had accomplished About how it was only possible because of teamwork How everything in the System was achievable with hard work and determination which Donnyton possessed in droves

Just like with Paolo and Kayle the audience came slowly alive under his careful ministrations Their spirit was roused to fight once more Their cheers slowly increased in volume There wonÆt be any coming back after this Are you sure this is necessary

Randidly looked at Mrs Hamilton and sighed Yes itÆs necessary This is only the beginning of what the System will throw at us IÆve experienced the best that Donnyton has It isnÆt enough

Although it looked like Mrs Hamilton wanted to say something else Randidly spoke before she could Besides Stan burned my path to retreat So we fight

So we fight To RandidlyÆs surprise Mrs Hamilton smiled even as Donny continued to whip the spirit of the crowd into a weapon to use against him Honestly IÆm excited

Grinning Randidly studied Mrs Hamilton The middle aged woman seemed outwardly so well safe and conservative Like she was the sort you could trust to watch your back or protect your bag in a crowded restaurant Yet right now the smallest spark of battle lust could be seen in her eyes DonÆt tell me while I was away did you spend too much time around Alana

No but capability brings with it a certain amount of joy Mrs Hamilton said while chuckling Then her face turned serious This doesnÆt mean that you cannot return to Donnyton you know Even if

No it doesnÆt Randidly said But his voice was no longer soft It just means that I cannot pretend that IÆm like everyone else So IÆll no longer be a guide IÆll be the goal IÆll be a self righteous villain Come at me Miranda And experience personally why I believe Donnyton is too weak to save the Earth without me

When he spoke her name her eyes just widened Then Mrs Hamilton watched Randidly as he turned and walked toward Helen Around them Donny had finished his work with the crowd and the cheers were causing the entire area to hum Unlike the previous weight generated by Paolo these cheers were filled with faith and confidence

Yet Randidly didnÆt miss the thread of desperation that ran through the sound It was a small thing but Randidly had spent too long submerging himself in images to notice it Especially now as his own images were finally built with a powerful foundation it was obvious how fragile this joy of DonnytonÆs was

Perfect

Any plan now Helen asked as she stood close enough to Randidly in order to be heard above the roar of the crowd DonnytonÆs elites were drawing their weapons Mana began to swirl around Clarissa Glendel and Ptolemy Even Randidly had to be impressed with how thorough their control over the energy was They would all be threats he had no doubt about that

Yet before his Aether Detection Randidly could see them all arrayed before him There would be no surprises today

Are you ready Donny asked in a bellow his eyes blazing with competitive spirit

Randidly examined the Aether around Donny with a frown There was something here Something more than his Fate Perhaps his Soulskill Donny had more riding on this challenge than almost anyone in the whole of Donnyton His name was in the title of the town for godÆs sake RandidlyÆs attack targeted him albeit indirectly

He was someone that Randidly hadnÆt seen fight in a long time Yet a quick examination of his Aether proved he was not weak At Level 59 he was one of the highest Leveled in the group In addition Donny had an exceedingly strange Fate that Randidly couldnÆt seem to pierce through Although Randidly wasnÆt skilled regarding Fates at all he had begun to recognize some familiar shapes within them DonnyÆs was different

he is their blade Randidly realized suddenly He spared Mrs Hamilton a glance The shield of Donnyton Has become a weapon Out of all of them his Aether seems the most dangerous

But Randidly couldnÆt help but laugh No matter how dangerous I wonÆt run away ItÆs time to stop holding back It seems they realize that the fight will be decided here either way

Spreading his arms wide Randidly conjured the image of Yggdrasil The emerald leaves the deep brown of the bark and finally the spiraling lines of golden runes that covered everything shot up out of the ground behind him Very quickly the image shot upward to fill the air above the arena

The leaves jingled like bells The sound was his answer to Donnyton The fight would start and he would win it Before the suppressive effect of Yggdrasil the cheers of the people of Donnyton slowly died away They couldnÆt help but lose spirit they had seen this tree inflict too many grievous injuries upon DonnytonÆs pride already today

This was RandidlyÆs answer to Donny and Mrs Hamilton And to layer on top of the dominant image of Yggdrasil Randidly finally conjured his Crown of Upheaval and Gloom The pale grey metal of the Crown flashed into existence above his head Along with its appearance a rumbling wave of force emanated from Yggdrasil

Honestly to add the image of a Crown into a tree had stumped Randidly for a long time It couldnÆt be so large to wrap around the entire canopy then its shape would be warped It also couldnÆt just be wrapped around the trunk And with Yggdrasil this huge it wasnÆt a possibility to have it floating above the tree Then it would be practically impossible to see

Yet Randidly had found the answer with the addition of Mana Engraving to the treeÆs image Slowly within the golden lines specific characters began to glow The change in light was small at first yet as DonnytonÆs Squads gathered together in a tight formation that light quickly rose to brilliance

From within the trunk of Yggdrasil a Crown was the source of that light It clearly danced across the trunk rippling ominously It was as though the burning heart of the tree was this terrible Crown that signaled the descent of Woe Randidly bared his teeth at the sky

Information began to flood into his mind as the Crown gathered information within the surrounding area The Skill became the next best thing to a Perception focused Domain without an opponentÆs image present to resist him As long as his Crown was able to operate all of these people were within his hand

Yet no sooner had he thought that than there was a brilliant flash of red orange light Upon AlanaÆs face a glittering helmet condensed silver wings extending back over her ears Lowering her spear something within Alana shifted into place Like a car shifting gears the roiling hum of her Aether increased rapidly in volume

Suddenly a towering image of winds blowing red sands through the air spun upward from Alana It was not a true image but it was a powerful force of condensed violence that had enough punch to resist RandidlyÆs image in a localized area Honestly it reminded him a lot of what Drake had been able to conjure

Still this was on a much wider scale Alana was not the spearhead of Donnyton for nothing

They are facing us directly Helen remarked The clash of images caused wild winds to whip her hair across her face Yet her gleeful gaze was locked upon the opponents

Chuckling Randidly raised his hand Then letÆs go to meet them But there is no need to go alone

With a wave of the hand the ground around them cracked and burst Slowly twelve Riders of the Baleful Wood twitched and crawled out of the ground Immediately afterward their rhino/camel/spider mounts followed using their stick thin legs to leverage themselves out of the ground

Charge

Hearing their liegeÆs order the Riders raised their lances and formed into a tight wedge that began to blur toward the Donntyon group

Chapter 939

Truly standing before this image is an entirely different experience Alana thought through gritted teeth Even at this distance the ambient energy it was throwing off was like standing before a wide open oven Compared to that her own attempts at contesting the energy were minuscule

As she pulled energy from her connection with Randidly through her Class and Fate she was able to generate the swirl of energy that would disperse his ambient image in the area Or rather it pushed it away quite like a child throwing a tantrum would drag its tired parents In order to not be warped RandidlyÆs image retreated slightly in front of her explosion of energy But although it was simple in practice actually maintaining that state was a struggle

Especially because Alana could feel the focus of the image shifting to her beginning to press down on her measly smokescreen Although the parents will give the child space for a little while it had now reached the point that it crossed their bottom line As such the weight of discipline pressed downward

How long can you hold out Mrs Hamilton asked

Long enough to fight Randidly Alana thought But her mouth said Maybe fifteen minutes And I can only assist in the area around me From farther away

Truly this boy is a monster Mrs Hamilton remarked Then she shook her head and Alana followed her gaze to the twelve strange minions that Randidly summoned They were rapidly gaining speed charging toward DonnytonÆs group Dozer Stop them dead

As Alana watched them she felt a small spark of curiosity Although there were fifty people in DonnytonÆs group these twelve summons were sent by Randidly directly at them It was like he was asking for them to be destroyed

Immediately Alana began to suspect that there were more to this group of calvary that could be easily discovered

Gladly Dozer said as he strode forward with his long club slung across his shoulders At his side almost ten equally large and muscular individuals followed him forming an intimidating front line Of the Raid Groups Dozers had locked up the most spots by far Although the images that Randidly produced were powerful those stoic individuals simply endured them with patience and a tolerance for pain

They quickly formed up into a group raising their weapons as RandidlyÆs Riders approached Other elite members of the Raid Squads gathered preparing to mop up the remnants after DozerÆs team struck

Behind the front line Clarissa and Annie began rapidly rain projectiles over toward the charging forces The three mages that Clarissa brought also began to throw spears of earth and bolts of fire Soon the air was filled with whizzing projectiles

Rather than slow RandidlyÆs summons just weaved through the strikes in near silence AlanaÆs eyes narrowed The weird tapping noise made by the approaching twelve was surprisingly light belying the ominous aura that they produced as they moved in perfect formation

Above all of it the towering form of that tree continued to oppress the people from Donnyton like a physical weight Flexing her hands Alana channeled more energy through herself generating more interference But suddenly she feared her prediction had been optimistic

As Dozer raised his weapon to meet the lead rider a wave of crimson energy blasted outward from the formation Like a knife in the dark Helen spun between the two lead riders and turned into a barely visible blur as she dashed forward Within a second a spear shot forward toward Dozer Yet speed at this level wasnÆt enough

AlanaÆs eyes flashed and she rushed forward interposing herself between the two After waiting for so long she felt a thrill at the impending violence Finally time to go wild

DozerÆs calm eyes measured HelenÆs attack and then AlanaÆs intervention before finally taking no action toward them He raised his club higher preparing to smash the first wave of riders to a pulp as though the two women werenÆt about to clash only a meter in front of him

Even as Alana felt HelenÆs spear trajectory in response to her presence Alana snorted coldly Alana was not one who often used fancy moves but in terms of basics no one in Donnyton had performed the reliable Skills as much as she had this sort of improvisation would not fly

Around them the two forces remained in tense silence as they careened toward each other Only the crash and boom of projectiles and the tapping of the mountÆs feet broke the silence It seemed that no one seemed to breathe

With a quick move Alana cut off HelenÆs attack Yet Alana immediately felt Helen notice her adjustment and then spin out of the way relying on the power of her Domain to quicken the move to the point that Alana couldnÆt follow it Once more the woman became a blur

It seemed that up close the image was even more difficult to resist HelenÆs crimson waves were crashing against the orange dust filled winds that Alana created The density was quickly increasing displacing AlanaÆs interference But it did seem like that then magnified the effect on RandidlyÆs tree

For a split second that blur seemed about to shoot past her and crash into DozerÆs line But then Alana simply sidestepped and slammed her shoulder into Helen sending the other woman stumbling

IÆm your opponent Alana said coldly all of the frustration she felt over this assignment focusing toward this talented young woman that had appeared with Randidly when he returned It was due to her presence that she was stuck with this shit assignment As she raised her spear Alana reflected that the best she could do was finish this immediately

Then in the next moment everything was drowned out in the crash of metal as DozerÆs compatriots and the riders smashed into each other Axes and lances blurred toward each other in an elaborate dance The taps of the mount’s legs accelerated into a staccato beat as they adjusted for the collision

Then the two lines hit each other both sides striking out to wound and main Unfortunately for Alana she didnÆt allow herself to look up at the surrounding battle Her focus was on only one foe

As Alana took several steps forward to cut off HelenÆs path of retreat she was surprised to hear Dozer grunt in pain behind her Despite her earlier focus she paused Then she once more heard the rapid taps coming from the mounts followed by several loan moans and grunts of pain

Looking over her shoulder Alana witnessed the strange mounts of these riders twisting expertly out of the way of DozerÆs blow then scuttle forward in the small gap created while thrusting a spear into DozerÆs shoulder Around him DozerÆs companions suffered similarly with the mounts sometimes lightly hopping and pressing themselves off a neighbors weapon to obtain a better angle

The whole thing was so quick and natural that it was mind boggling It was only as the second line of DonnytonÆs forces hurried forward that they were able to slow and surround the riders Without the benefit of their preternatural flexibility their flawless defense began to weaken

AlanaÆs eyes narrowed Not the brute force types then Agility based riders Dangerous but not impossible to handle

Absolute Zero Immediately Clarissa moved forward and blasted the area with a wave of cold that afflicted both the riders and DozerÆs crew alike However while the humans simply shrugged off the powerful restrictive effect the riders seemed physically slowed to the point that the surrounding elites could wound them

Very quickly individuals from AlanaÆs and DonnyÆs Raid Squads worked together and inflicted several small blows on the legs of the mount eliciting high pitched screams It also seemed that these beings were relatively fragile Alana confidently turned her attention back to Helen and thrust forward with the spear At this rate

RandidlyÆs voice sent chills down AlanaÆs spine

Did you all truly forget about me

The ground began to rumble then hundreds of razor sharp roots pierced upward out of the ground and into the legs of the individuals that were attempting to slow down the riders Quick as a flash Ptolemy was among them rapidly healing the damage done But as quick as Ptolemy was there the riders were quicker

With impossibly light leaps they bypassed the encirclement and began to dash rapidly forward toward the backlines of DonnytonÆs forces

Helen regarded Alana warily spinning her spear IÆll fight you later Right now Dozer

Once she falls I can finally fight him Alana blurred forward unleashing three quick thrusts toward Helen Grimacing Helen could only scramble backward allowing the attacks to rip deep gashes in her Domain It wasnÆt just her spear that Alana struck with either the more she used it the more familiar she became with the strange energy she was capable of generating by vibrating her Class

Very quickly it was easy to see how much power she could generate by relying on this extremely primitive version of an image Although those gashes healed quickly Alana was rapidly learning how to use those gashes to herd Helen back toward Randidly As long as she forced the two images close together they would rapidly be forced to reveal some real potential to break out of DonnytonÆs trap

And if Alana could finish Helen off quickly enough then Randidly

More screams erupted behind her as another wave of roots ripped upward Alana leaned backward allowing one vicious specimen to leave a small gash on the inside of her thigh and then pass right in front of her face She directed that orange energy downward and she stomped her feet

Immediately the surrounding ground was filled with that energy destroying RandidlyÆs Skill at least temporarily But although she was able to withstand the Skill the other Donnyton elites were also being harried by the riders they werenÆt able to cope at all

I suppose we will have to be your opponent Mrs Hamilton said lightly as she Donny and Sam leaped over Helen and Alana to rush toward Randidly and the towering tree Without taking her eyes off the foe in front of her Alana forcefully created more energy and sent it in a wave toward Randidly hoping to give those three some cover

No such luck Only five meters away from Alana that energy dissipated into nothing Grinding her teeth Alana unleashed three more simple attacks pushing Helen further and further backward

If she couldnÆt affect him from here she would just shove Helen backward into his chest

The wounds I leave on those Classers you brought here wonÆt be easy to heal Are you sure you can afford to leave them alone with my Riders Randidly said wonderingly The pale grey Crown above his head pulsed with power Behind her Alana could sense that Kayle Paolo and the Cortez siblings had interposed themselves between the riders and the half dozen mages

Instead of charging the riders wheeled around and began to return to the individuals from Alana andÆs DonnyÆs Raid Squad The roots that the wounded had been somehow managing with Ptolemy assistance abruptly doubled in number now switching from attacking to simply entangling the limbs of the warriors of Donnyton Like heavy chains they dragged them down making them helpless before the ridersÆ charge

Cursing Ptolemy removed two short swords from his ring and began to desperately cut his allies free but from AlanaÆs peripheral observation it was clear he wouldnÆt make it in time

AnnieÆs voice cut through the air Dozer

Hop up

With an enviable sort of combination Annie jumped toward Dozer who extended his weapon caught her with the tip of his club He then flung her impossibly high into the air like a baseball player hitting a grand slam above the scoreboard Instantly glowing white arrows began to rain down toward Randidly

But as Dozer then charged to intercept the dangerous riders who were about to reach the bound Donnyton elite Glendel stepped forward and raised both his arms Descend

There was a shuddering rumble and suddenly the area between the group fighting Randidly and the group fighting the riders was filled with a towering mass of flesh with spectral tentacles Ooze slowly spread outward from the central body The hovering text above it revealed it was Level 66 and its strikes smashed downward toward the riders with clear antagonism

With that same impossible grace they wove their way between them inflicting small wounds on the tentacles as they hurried toward their prey that was struggling to free themselves from the roots

Not my battle Alana struggled to remind herself Her focus returned once more to her own opponent Yet even as Alana continued inflicted small wounds on Helen around them the battle continued to escalate The glowing arrows that Annie shot down at Randidly crashed into the ground like comets yet Randidly casually smashed them out of the air with his spear

DonnyÆs body was suffused with a golden light as he charged toward Randidly while Sam hefted a vivid blue hammer the size of a cinder block The strange spectral monstrosity raised all of its tentacles to smash downward in a second wave toward the riders but then it screamed in absolute agony as almost one hundred roots ripped upward through its body

The plants were covered in strange spectral goo and wiggled like gleeful maggots their thorned sides ripping deep gashes in the spectral monsters Very soon it shivered and collapsed disappearing only five seconds after Glendel had summoned it It also seemed that its disappearance hurt Glendel as well because he coughed and took several steps backward with a pale face

The riders arrived at the still bound group around Ptolemy at the same time that Dozer did It seemed that even if its life was in vain the Level 66 monster had been able to buy some time In that second DozerÆs club was like a tornado smashing out left and right The riders were immediately forced to scatter

This is the battle we are in where a Level 66 monster is barely able to stop him for a second Alana thought So why am I

With three sharp strikes Alana pressed Helen several steps backward Then as the other woman attempted to dodge around her Alana slammed her with pure force and knocked her back several meters to the side

Such was the distance she had pushed her that they now neared the edge of the area Alana rapidly advanced forward releasing thrust after thrust The other womanÆs desperation was clear in her eyes if she retreated another step she would be forced off the arena and to the lowered ground At that point she would have no chance

Likely Helen would have honor enough to stay irrelevant afterward Because Alana had forcefully suppressed her without using Skills while generating enough to weaken RandidlyÆs image in the area

AlanaÆs eyes glowed dangerously as she considered Helen You donÆt belong here Stop holding me back

Chapter 940

HelenÆs breath came in ragged gasps Alana was strong She always knew that Which was why Helen hadnÆt had any intention of challenging her directly It was Dozer that she had her focus looked upon

Yet why was this fucking bitch constantly trying to kill her Without even using any active Skills it was maddening It was infuriating how stifled Helen felt

Very quickly Helen had been pushed to the edge of the arena As her feet were up against that precipice HelenÆs anger drained away All that was left was determination Her focus on Dozer was discarded as useless right now this foe was far more dangerous If she wanted to avoid death right now she couldn’tÆ afford any distractions

After all Helen had no delusions about her abilities although she had reached Level 50 on this planet her Skills and images were still filtered through RandidlyÆs Domain She could bring to bear most of her power but that last 10% that she was missing was especially noticeable in battles of this level

Her current failures against Alana were to be expected Despite the other womanÆs frequently divided attention Helen couldnÆt do anything but retreat

And now there was no longer any room to fall back

Yet Helen was not one of the apex predators in her mind No that was not her path In her right hand her harpoon began to hum softly The cadence was carried along the chain snaking behind her back to her bone knife in the other hand That noise grew nurtured in her heart even as AlanaÆs precise strikes continued to force Helen to inch backward

Very soon HelenÆs heel was no longer on solid ground It was suspended in the air above the two meter drop to the area surrounding the arena Still AlanaÆs strikes rained toward her faster and faster

The Hellfin Reaper roared defiantly in her chest as if it would fight to the death to avenge this grievance Yet its eyes roved around calculatingly considering the different forces at play in the arena On the far side the group gathered around Randidly made its move giving up on striking him down from afar and rushing toward him

Honestly they were forced to With the assistance of the strikes from his roots the riders were dancing around Dozer and deeply wounding the other elites Clarissa cast spells to slow them down but they werenÆt interested in finishing off anyone They were simply trying to sap DonnytonÆs strength

Helen breathed deeply savoring the hint of blood in the air Her Domain rippled almost imperceptibly

In response to the aggression toward Randidly the tree behind him grew even taller its thick roots covered in golden script digging greedily into the ground around him Although it was just an image the whole quarry rumbled ominously from the strain of withstanding RandidlyÆs image digging into it

LetÆs stop playing around Randidly said simply He raised Acri and pointed it at Donny Are you ready

Behind Randidly there was a flickering in the air Cold eddies of ash and dried blood gathered around him Then the monstrous form of the Chimera condensed Ripples spread outward as the two images of the tree and the chimera coexisted

As someone familiar with using images Helen could sense the ripples brushing up against each other However rather than using them to influence the surrounding area right now Randidly kept their influence rather focused As such they only served the specific purposes of strengthening his other Skills rather than acting as a pseudo Domain

Yet those images together immediately changed the feel of the surrounding air As with the area around all top tier image users Helen had seen the boundaries of reality were blurred by the System They would need to move soon or some of the surrounding individuals would naturally form a concrete image as the brains defensive response to the pressure they were under

Although I suppose that is the point isnÆt it Helen dodged AlanaÆs sluggish attack While the other woman was so clearly distracted her foot advanced imperceptibly maintaining her stance on the edge of the arena

It was a small movement but it was still the first time she had managed to advance Helen took another breath The scent of blood in the arena was growing stronger

The immediate shock radiating outward from the Donnyton group was palpable

How can you manage both

But before Donny could say anything further the entire arena was engulfed in an all encompassing light

That wave of light that erupted from RandidlyÆs pale grey Crown Suddenly the entire area seemed to be bathed in twilight transforming everything to a dreamlike state While within the sphere of that light even Helen tensed up Although she had never experienced this ability of the Crown before it was clear that it was not ordinary Even AlanaÆs constant roiling energy couldnÆt rid the area of it entirely

Above them it seemed that RandidlyÆs emerald eyes were inspecting every inch of the battlefield Then as quickly as the light had covered the arena it disappeared With the pause over DonnytonÆs group surged into motion to attack Randidly But then Spearing Roots stabbed upward out of the ground in cruel waves attacking everyone who was touching the ground

Even Alana was hit by a wave although a simple stomp of her foot produced a wave of flame that reduced the roots to ash Helen grimaced This woman was altogether too capable

Still that time was enough for Helen to push herself to go deeper into her own Domain causing the thick currents of crimson energy to grow more dangerous and chaotic

HelenÆs Domain was somewhat special in that there were multiple layers to it that Helen could utilize As with that final fight on Tellus it was possible for Helen to dive deeper into the world of her Domain causing its power and influence to skyrocket

Yet at the same time HelenÆs dive expose herself to increased danger If her Domain were to be shattered in this state her image would be extremely damaged Luckily Randidly had beaten resiliency into her Domain Although she still resented him for some of the torturous training she had been subjected to she couldnÆt deny how useful it was

AlanaÆs spear whipped outward and Helen leaned backward With a detached numbness Helen watched the gleaming tip slide past the surface of her eye No deeper still

Alana quickly pulled her spear back into a defensive stance and glared at Helen It seemed that she sensed that the other woman was preparing something and launched herself toward Helen to prevent it Unfortunately another wave of roots ripped upward these cutting toward Alana at sharp angles that were much more difficult to deal with Alana was forced lower her spear and shear the roots like it was unruly grass

Perfect HelenÆs face bloomed into a grin Around her the crimson aura darkened into something close to maroon The currents became wild and unpredictable At this depth even Helen couldnÆt control the Domain perfectly

But I can utilize them well enough Helen thought as she stepped back into a current and let it whisk her away AlanaÆs spear cut toward her a split second too late to catch up Growling Alana dashed after her spear raised

Narrowing her eyes Helen landed and adjusted her stance It wasnÆt fair to rely on her Domain to oppress Alana but she had no other choice at the moment Especially while RandidlyÆs Domain continued to act like chains around her While the other woman was occupied Helen sprinted across the arena toward the group battling against roots and the riders

IÆm a scavenger it’s time you learn how terrifying that is While the unstoppable leviathan is the calamity that leaves destruction in its wake it is the scavengers that cling to its belly that bugs such as these need to fear

RandidlyÆs eyes scanned through the arena in a split second his Crown informing him of every movement and Skill within the area Then he used the Infinite Fingers of Yggdrasil to rip up through the ground and destabilize the footing of all of DonnytonÆs forces In addition those roots also struck upward with vicious intent

Luckily the graceful bodies of the riders could endure that sort of uneven terrain without even slowing Although Dozer Paolo and Kayle had managed to arrive in time to threaten the riders they were slowed by the broken ground giving the riders a chance to strike and escape

All but one of the riders managed it while one was unfortunately crushed to the ground by an overwhelming strike from Dozer Still five or six of DonnytonÆs elites lay unmoving after the sudden raid Without much fanfare Randidly used roots to fling their bodies out of the arena At this point they would just get in the way

Donny rushed forward and lashed out once more toward Randidly but that just caused Randidly to grin While maintaining two images at once was difficult the burden on his mind was immensely reduced now that both were stable images With their discrete details it wasnÆt impossible for Randidly to make use of both at once

Immediately the active of Cursed Appetite of a Wraith pulled at everyone within the arena As Randidly breathed in so too did he suck in Stamina and Mana as well as stealing their ability to breath DonnyÆs eyes narrowed as Randidly lowered his stance in preparations to attack

Apparently DonnyÆs Stats were greatly improved as well because his shield moved sharply up in time to deflect away the Molten Fang of the Pariah that Randidly unleashed without any warning Unfortunately Donny wasnÆt ready for the rapid movement Randidly used to then reposition himself at DonnyÆs strike and unleash a second Molten Fang of the Pariah

Thin steel cords whipped forward from Mrs Hamilton’s fingers but Chimeric Avoidance made these childÆs play to step around Besides her goal wasnÆt to wound him but only to keep him in one place and distract him Many of the attacks were superfluous It seemed that Mrs HamiltonÆs true goal was to figure out how much information his Control and Intelligence could handle

RandidlyÆs grin widened This isnÆt nearly enough to give me pause

The situation was complicated somewhat by AnnieÆs annoyingly accurate and destructive arrows but in response Randidly simply conjured more Infinite FIngers of Yggdrasil that reached upward and smashed the arrows out of the sky

Which left Randidly in a melee duel Donny chopped downward and Randidly was already gone He sucked once more using Cursed Appetite of the Wraith to keep both his Mana and Stamina at 90% Honestly perhaps he shouldnÆt rid himself of the small fries just yet They doubled the number of Attributes that he could absorb in this fight If Donnyton didnÆt have an answer for this

We canÆt wait any longer Mrs Hamilton said while shaking her head Then she looked at Sam ItÆs time

While they were speaking Randidly conjured several more waves of roots to harass DonnytonÆs forces Those who attempted to endure the damage from the roots without moving were blasted with Eruption of the Blazing Leyline Across the arena the ground continued to fracture as RandidlyÆs Skills emerged upwards at unpredictable intervals

DonnyÆs blade was sharp and fast but Chimeric Avoidance folden RandidlyÆs body Soon he was around it and smashing DonnytonÆs formation again with roots so his Riders could strike

However quite a few of those attacks Randidly was forced to concentrate on Alana Of them all she seemed the most unphased by his constant strikes However without his intervention it was clear that she would corner and crush Helen With his assistance however Helen rapidly rushed toward a tall man who had been acting as a healer for all of the Squads when Ptolemy couldnÆt act himself

Although Randidly had hit him with several powerful Skills the man was remarkably fast at shifting his position Not so fast he couldnÆt be caught but Randidly was fighting too many battles at once Even if his Control wasnÆt at his limit his attention was Although he could handle more information there was no need to press the issue at this point

Sam who had just been standing as Donny was struggling against Randidly raised his hammer and smashed it against the ground Instantly Randidly felt the change in the air From the location where Sam had hit the ground a wave of frost spread outward Very soon it had covered half of the arena

Blinking his head in wonder Randidly looked down at the frozen ground What crazy sort of weapon did you make now Sam

Before Randidly could respond further Clarissa and a mage next to her began to act Clarissa raised her hands to the sky while the short man crouched down and pressed his hand against the ground

Creeping Frost Creeping Frost Creeping Frost

Harden Calcify Harden Calcify

It didnÆt take long for Randidly to realize what they were doing Very quickly his expression turned grim

The ground beneath him had been enhanced and frozen Although normally Randidly would be able to pierce upward through the ground without a problem now the topsoil had been transformed into something akin to bedrock A quick series of probes revealed that all of the ground around the arena had been forged into a heavy shield pointing downward toward the ground beneath

If that wasnÆt enough the powerful frost spells that Clarissa had cast had multiplied the effectiveness of SamÆs weapon which severely weakened his plants Underneath the effects of that pervasive image of cold Randidly could only use a fraction of his Infinite Fingers of YggdrasilÆs ability

RandidlyÆs expression darkened

Chapter 941

Creeping Frost Absolute Zero Creeping Frost

Rather than easing up after their goal had been accomplished Clarissa and her companion only increased the speed of their Skill usage Although they were chewing rapidly through Mana the shield that they maintained effectively stabilized their position in the arena

Randidly frowned the ground as though truly surprised by this move He saw Alana glance at him and then shake her head slightly before continuing to catch up to Helen Without the interference of the roots Alana would finish this quickly

On the other side the Squads finally had a weapon against the agile Riders Although they were quick Kayle danced among them like the god of death In quick succession he was able to cut down three and force several others away from the wounded He also bought several seconds worth of time so Paolo and Dozer could catch up and begin throwing blows that would shatter the rider’s limbs in a single strike

When the riders avoided those blows neither Dozer and Paolo appeared to care Instead they smashed the hardened ground directly sending reverberations through the brittle ground Randidly had some hope that they would weaken the seal enough for him to use his Skill again there was no weakness he felt And it did destabilize the relatively fragile legs of the riders

Donny Mrs Hamilton and Annie slowed their attacks against Randidly gathering their strength It seemed that they were content to allow him to attempt to break through their defenses and strike at the mages in order to cease the bind against his Infinite Fingers of Yggdrasil

Are they truly so confident dealing with the Chimeric Skills Or Randidly looked again at Donny and that strange contraption of Aether at his core Or is this the trap

Then Randidly began to laugh His annoyance passed like a cloud on a spring day If they couldnÆt find ways to slow him down they wouldnÆt have even dared to attempt this challenge To let this little trick upset him was pointless His Crown pulsed with power Fine do you want to play with spells

Randidly breathed in using Cursed Appetite of a Wraith His body was flooded with power and he could feel the surrounding individual bristle as all of the Attributes they regenerated in that short break were stolen away

Then twenty Eruption of the Blazing Leylines ripped upward from the ground in the area around Dozer and his group the immense heat thawing and cracking the hard ground A few of the surrounding riders used the distraction to form up and escape once more

Maintain the frost on your position Mrs Hamilton barked even as she herself approached Randidly There was a second of strangeness that gave Randidly pause but then he accepted that she truly was attempting to challenge him to a physical confrontation As her daggers and wires flung outward to hem him in Randidly snorted

Donny charged toward RandidlyÆs side beginning to glow with a golden radiance But Randidly just spared him a sidelong glance Gleeful at the prey the Grim Chimera crooned happily Then Randidly lazily spun his spear and waited for them to arrive

Absolute Zero Creeping Frost Clarissa continued to proudly narrate her rapidly decreasing Mana Her Skills continued to keep the area around here thoroughly frosted With the support of the stone mage that meant Randidly couldnÆt just rip up through the barrier they created and attack them However they were fools

Randidly smirked Fine then No regular attacks from below How about this

Creeping but Clarissa blinked in surprise and fell to her knees as the ground beneath her jerked upward The whole arena shuddered Several of the other mages also fell their Skills fizzling to nothing

With a tearing rumble a twenty meter in diameter section of the arena was simply lifted upward by RandidlyÆs Infinite Fingers of Yggdrasil The frozen ground remained completely intact but that chunk of land had now been removed Densely woven vines trembled with the effort of lifting it but they managed it

RandidlyÆs flame spells had weakened a few points along the outskirts of the area enough to pierce through and he had then used a fair bit of Mana to just pick up the offending chunk of ground that was very close to impervious to his Skills

Then while grinning at Mrs Hamilton he threw the offending chunk of ground away with a heaving explosion of power from the Infinite FIngers of Yggdrasil Is this all

Immediately Alana cursed loudly as Helen avoided her sudden strike at the same moment Randidly physically overwhelmed and threw away the seal that they had so carefully planned against him This is exactly why I should be the one pinning him down right now Well change of plans anyway

With a burst of bright light Alana surged into motion and left Helen behind Regardless she could not allow that huge chunk of ground to impact the stands Because of the slow arc of the heavy projectile most people were already scrambling up out of the way of the area it would land there were very few weaklings sitting in the first few rows of the stands

Mostly those were filled with the Squads that Randidly had previously defeated They were prepared to retreat quickly after their loss

But based on how large the projectile was if it damaged any of the structural supports of the stands it could

Then Alana paused

While the mages were rapidly leaping off of the chunk of land Randidly threw toward the stands and most of the people were running away one figure appeared grinning over at Alana He even had the nerve to wave cheekily at her before raising his hand and smashing his fist toward the huge chunk of rock

Ace you fuck What are you doing here Alana thought grimly

AceÆs strike smashed into the rock shattering the front half and splitting the remainder into several large chunks These while dangerous to people simply hit the carefully reinforced stands and left relatively deep cracks There was no chance of permanent damage from the smaller stones

For a second Alana was frozen She couldnÆt decide whether to apprehend Ace now and beat answers about Roy out of him or to continue with the challenge

Yet very quickly she turned back to the arena She had a role to play Her first step was then toward Randidly but then she forced herself to turn and head toward Helen who was now speeding across the ground like a hurricane toward Clarissa and her crew

Finished here Dozer said as he arrived next to Alana The nervous looking Cortez siblings were with him Behind them lay the crumpled forms of the strange summons that Randidly had produced They had not responded well to the shaking caused by Randidly lifting the frozen ground and tossing it away Although they were extraordinarily graceful and possessed extremely sharp weapons they couldnÆt keep up with the combat experience possessed by Dozer Paolo and Kayle

Fine Alana said Ready for this DonÆt hold back just because you traveled with her The quicker we take her out of the fight the quicker we can fight against Randidly directly

Dozer chuckled but he didnÆt say anything Still AlanaÆs face wrinkled into a frown It seemed she hadnÆt hidden her disgruntled reaction well enough Something to work on then

After she finally had the chance to enjoy this fight

Behind them a wave of force exploded outward as Glendel revealed his final card the arena was now filled with a towering two headed bear that was Level 70 It was only with an extraordinary amount of effort and AlanaÆs Raid SquadÆs assistance that he had been able to subjugate its soul

Now the foolish beast roared and charged at Randidly directly Around it Kayle and Paolo floated like ghosts ready to strike when Randidly revealed weakness Annie floated above it all her powerful and precise arrows crashing down toward Randidly

Time and time again he used only a single spear strike to smash the shafts of the arrows into splinters AlanaÆs eyes tightened as she spared this move a long glance After having faced Annie in multiple duels she understood the other womanÆs significant power Yet Randidly was now making it look like childÆs play to deal with her attacks

Truly was his improvement after his image shifted so significant DonnyÆs shield already looked badly damaged after only a few exchanges If Alana would head over

No Alana was grinding her teeth as she hopped down off the arena Her gaze was fiery and locked onto HelenÆs rapidly moving back I have a role There is a plan Even if it is not what I would have chosen I have a responsibility

Just donÆt blame me for not being gentle Alana thought bitterly She tried her best to ignore the sounds of rustling leaves and roaring bears behind her as she hurried toward Helen

After all if she did not move Clarissa and her fellow mages would be reduced to meat paste And Helen would thrive on their spilled blood

This was necessary

This is necessary

WeÆre moving Alana growled A chuckling Dozer and the silent Cortez siblings followed her after Helen

Chapter 942

RandidlyÆs eyes burned emerald in the darkening night Around him the battle settled into two main theaters around him and around Helen Around him there was a slight lull as DonnytonÆs forces moved into position Around Helen

Seems like Helen will be able to stabilize now that there is enough blood in the air Randidly reflected as Helen rushed toward Clarissa and her mages Behind Helen Alana Dozer and the Cortez siblings were rapidly gaining ground Even if Helen was likely faster in a direct sprint she had much more going against her

Luckily HelenÆs speed had risen to the point that the Skills thrown out by ClarissaÆs assistant mages werenÆt enough to slow her Only the doubly large and powerful Skills cast by Clarissa herself were enough to give her pause Even with the assistance of her Domain the Skills affected such a large area that it didnÆt matter how much care Helen took she couldnÆt avoid them completely without being caught by Alana and her crew

So Helen forcefully withstood the Skills and rushed forward to try and eliminate the five mages before her pursuers could catch up

Randidly studied the situation carefully Based on their relative speeds it seemed like Helen wouldnÆt be able to do it cleanly Clarissa could delay until HelenÆs pursuers caught up But at the very least it would mean that Clarissa would be forced out of the fight against him for a while

And who knows Helen might surprise me and finish them all

RandidlyÆs gaze shifted to the dozens of individuals that now circled around him like vultures He grinned It seemed that the initial overtures were over It was time to fight with blades barred