LoRG 3

For several seconds Lady Iellaya was silent Then she snorted is it desperation Lord Miln you truly dare scheme against your own Commanders while the enemy is at the gates I assume that the Nether Prince is already being moved to the Headquarters in order to protect the asset

Of course He did not wait long Shall I make some inquiries to the other Commanders Only now did Abiodun glance over his shoulder at his mistress

Although her face was in shadow her eyes were polished obsidian the gleamed wickedly Ha No no need After this well my opinions on our glorious leader have always been well known No they will come to me Still Lady Iellaya leveraged herself up out of the wicker chair this does mean I cannot afford to take time to recover The other Commanders will come calling soon and if I am too week to be seen as a rallying point YouÆll have to call up the Ghosthound Perhaps with his help well we will see

Bowing Abiodun left immediately He found Randidly exactly as he had seen the young man from the command tower laying on the ground surrounded by his feeble swirling images They were like shimmering sheets of gossamer blown around in silent rotation around his body Yet as Abiodun approached him he could resist pausing right at the threshold of the area dominated by Randidly GhosthoundÆs images

It wasnÆt that they were strong But they were solid To be near them was to feel them completely despite AbiodunÆs own images that should mitigate any outside influenceÆs effect They were solid In a manner that Abiodun hadnÆt seen before they seemed absolutely present and vivid despite their weakness As he approached they parted to reveal a thin corridor that allowed Abiodun to proceed to Randidly

More than anything else it was that glimmer of awareness that made Abiodun hesitate

Gritting his teeth at the fact he felt even a tingle of fear from this man Abiodun forced himself forward Randidly GhosthoundÆs images whispered soundlessly around him silk dragged over tile When Abiodun reached him RandidlyÆs eyes flickered open to reveal a deep forest green more work huh

More work Abiodun confirmed Then he favored the young man with a wicked smile that burned with bloodlust ThatÆs the joy of promotions in the army All that we reward you with is a broader stage to struggle

Perfect Randidly Ghosthound muttered Immediately vines cracked open the dirty stone ground around him and helped him to his feet

Chapter 1140

The method that Yggdrasil had developed to assist images in healing was a rather complex application of Glittering Leaves of Yggdrasil Golden Roots of Yggdrasil and Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil in conjunction Energy from the roots run through the leaves to add mental clarity and healing Condense all that potent energy into sap or the image of sap and then rub it like a salve over the wounded image Now as Randidly set about Lady IellayaÆs requested healing he was largely out of gas for his images But the weight of his Skill Levels was more than enough to accomplish what he wanted

Or at least Randidly hoped that was the case

Congratulations Your Skill Emerald Sap of Yggdrasil has grown to Level 193

And to add a little extra oomph Randidly used one of the three wishes from SamÆs SunÆs Teardrop Belt The warmth and energy of the sun synergized extremely well with the Yggdrasil Skills and Randidly noticed a difference almost immediately to Lady Iellaya as he applied the Skill to her

Her image even wounded as it was was a frightfully powerful midnight blackbird Yet the darkness of Nether had eaten large holes into the image hollowing out some of its power As best he could Randidly fed the warm energy of the salve into those large wounds and watched as the supple fabric of her image began to knit itself together

That was what impressed most of all For all its potent weight Lady IellayaÆs image was as supple and flexible as the wind With RandidlyÆs assistance she began to fold the image over the wounds as though they were never even there

Still Randidly didnÆt relax He was still very close to his limits in terms of Willpower and he didnÆt want to inflict any damage to Lady Iellaya due to a mistake After all it was clear from the fact that she was willing to show this extremely pale and wane version of herself to him that he was becoming increasingly trusted

Apparently working myself to the bone today had an effect Randidly thought tiredly But then he shook his head and continued about his work

It was only after he had used a second of the SunÆs Teardrop BeltÆs wishes and Lady Iellaya looked markedly better that Randidly sat back on his haunches and asked the question that had been bothering him So why is the Nether Prince so important

When he had arrived Lady Iellaya had also given a short explanation of why it was necessary that Randidly continue to push himself to heal her which Randidly appreciated Yet what Randidly wondered was why Lord Miln would risk offending the Commanders for the Nether Prince

Lady Iellaya stood tentatively up from her chair with Abiodun hovering protectively at her side But after grimacing in obvious discomfort at the state of the remaining physical wound Lady Iellaya waved Abiodun away and stood on her own Nether well if I had to compare it a Nether Prince is like an egg

While listening Randidly eyed the wound on Lady IellayaÆs shoulder inwardly torn He could clearly sense the lingering dense Nether that continued to nag at her Due to its presence Lady Iellaya would need to expend a bit more energy before she could heal her physical body cleanly It was possible for him to remove it And yet

RandidlyÆs gaze was heavy as he looked up at Lady Iellaya We might be starting to trust each other but I hope to get my Fate and Level 50 before I tell you everything I can manage

Seeing RandidlyÆs look and probably taking it for confusion Abiodun smoothly continued to explain The Nether is composed of great systems of connections Energy and things like memories sensations and desires flow along these connections and when enough of any of these things are gathered a Nether Prince is born

Those memories or powerful emotions start to cling to each other then the develop their own sort of gravity as the gathered forces mutate If given sufficient time that node of somethingÆ will develop sentience that is the awakened Nether King that comes from a Nether Prince And it is the most fearsome of all of the NetherÆs soldiers Because those desires or memories the beings are based upon are often extremely powerful ThatÆs why the Nether Prince formed in the first place

In addition Lady Iellaya said quietly as she began to slip back into her armor It is widely recognized that when you crack open a Nether Prince early you have a few moments to view those powerful memories that created it To us who seek to sharpen our images it is very beneficial Likely Lord Miln wishes to break open the Nether Prince and empower himself with the memories within

So its a bit of a gamble that something good will be within Randidly said thoughtfully But inwardly his brain was frantically surging forward so fueled by the excitement that the weariness of the day seemed to be finally shaken This could be exactly the thing that Randidly was looking to in order to condense a Nether focus for the Grim Chimera Plus if what he needed was memories Randidly had the Alpha Cosmos to draw from

Honestly no Lady Iellaya sighed It isnÆt a gamble truly After all although it is impossible to predict the formation of a Nether Prince the fact that it did form guarantees that there is a powerful memory at the core of it But what is shocking is that the personal power he could gain from the Nether Prince is more important than the goodwill of his Commanders That speaks volumes toward his predicted tenure here

Before Randidly could ask another question Lady Iellaya straightened sharply and looked to the South Then she turned to him Thank you again for managing to heal me even the slightest bit but IÆm afraid that is all the time we have I believe I must now meet with my fellow Commanders Get some rest Ghosthound this is just the beginning We survived today but this was just the vanguard One river that flows outward from a vast sea

Biting his cheek Randidly nodded and turned away For a couple of meters the curiosity about the Nether Prince sustained him in walking quickly and directly but by the time he reached the bottom of the staircase to the command platform RandidlyÆs vision was swimming With a grimace on his face Randidly paused to lean his forehead against the cool stone of the fortification

Heh probably a good thing Lady Iellaya sent me away when she did Randidly thought rather wryly IÆm almost at my limit

Recognizing the voice Randidly straightened Soot stained and bloody Vualla stood behind Randidly while looking at him with concern crinkling the corners of her eyes Both her hands were behind her back and her hair was peaking wildly from its tight braid But RandidlyÆs vision locked onto one singular detail

Tucked behind her ear was the azure lily that Randidly cracked open the ground in front of her to give her after she faced the Nether Gatekeeper

Heh Randidly smiled widely or as wide as he could manage But he could tell by the fact the tight lines in the corner of VuallaÆs eyes remained that she could tell how exhausted he was Give me a few hours and IÆll be back to normal IÆm just glad That you got my flower I mean It was for you so

Vualla giggled Well IÆm glad that I didnÆt accidentally intercept a flower that you were sending to someone else and ah thank you I donÆt know IÆve probably never been just like given something From someone who from anyone So thanks I honestly love it

Yea Randidly said tiredly And honestly he was glad that he was so exhausted that he didnÆt have any energy left to be embarrassed at the warm affection in her voice

I brought you something as repayment Vualla produced a glass flask from behind her back and popped off the cork I figured it was only fair and I bet it will really hit the spot after the battle

Randidly grinned despite himself as he took the flask She brought him liquor Could they even get drunk with their high Stats Well if the Nexus made alcohol tailor made to affected them even through their Stats Yet with how tired Randidly already was a sip or two would likely ensure that she needed to carry him back to his tent

or was that exactly what she was aiming for

But all it took was a single sniff of the flask to stop RandidlyÆs thoughts dead He looked at Vualla in shock then drank from the bottle His adamÆs apple bobbed twice as the refreshing and tart juice slid down his throat

Randidly wiped his mouth ThatÆs fucking orange juice

Laughing Vualla nodded Yea ItÆs my favorite And honestly I donÆt know much about you so I just thought

After taking another drink Randidly asked How did you get orange juice out here With Nether trying to kill us constantly

It helps to know someone in the supply train Vualla winked But then Vualla looked somewhat guiltily over at the bottle Ah ItÆs only

Randidly tipped the bottle up and finished off the rest of the orange juice in a huge gulp God thatÆs amazing But are you alright I watched you know As you fought against the Nether Gatekeeper and crushed it Congratulations

After shaking herself Vualla smiled a tight smile at Randidly She scanned his face for several seconds then relaxed into a nod Yes I did And I wish I could cut off its head and take it back to my fatherÆs grave It obviously wasnÆt the Nether Gatekeeper that killed him but its proof Proof that IÆve become powerful enough to make him proud

IÆm sure he was always proud of you Randidly said quietly

Vualla shook her head but she didnÆt reply Instead she turned away and looked up at the Great Rift above them There is one good thing about this war you know It will spur us onward Force us to find our own Paths I can feel it already I donÆt think I donÆt think I could have managed this in my past life Without you know

Randidly nodded We will keep getting stronger without having to sacrifice ourselves We can grasp power while still caring about things other than power

One fist at a time One step at a time further down our Path VuallaÆs eyes began to release a soft azure light

As RandidlyÆs eyes grew emerald to mirror her intensity he showed his teeth Using the walls in front of us to climb higher and higher Until that day finally comes

Pirouetting on her heel Vualla twisted until she faced not toward the Great Rift but the high rocky outcropping of headquarters that we can tear down this Nexus that has exploited us

Brick by brick Randidly turned to follow her gaze The embers of heat in his chest from the Nether RItual began to stir inside of him He wondered if she could feel them too

Pound of owed flesh by pound of owed flesh Vualla hissed There will be a reckoning A debt is owed to us Randidly Ghosthound It is not the head of a Nether Beast that I want to lay on my fatherÆs grave

Randidly licked his lips And we will collect wonÆt we Vualla Meteo

Then the two shared a smile but there was not soft emotions or kind fondness in their expressions For a split second the Grim Chimera faced the specter of the first Heretic in the SystemÆs existence both anticipating the price they would exact as vengeance Their eyes reflected the rivers of blood they would traverse to reach their goal

Their mouths were slightly open revealing an almost mirror perfect pair of hungry ambitions The fire between them swirled higher carrying them along with its momentum

“Or we will die ” Vualla said lightly Her hand reached sideways and took his

“All things die ” Randidly’s chest burned with heat

“All things ” Vualla asked and now Randidly was sure that she felt it too The ritual passing between them The promise

The Path and the beginnings of a Fate

The heat had become so intense that Randidly could barely speak The words came out in a whisper “All things Even the Nexus “

Chapter 1141

Randidly woke up hours later after he finally got the chance to rest staring up at the blank ceiling of his new personal tent With a great sigh of release he sat upward and rubbed his eyes

Nice change of pace when IÆm not woken up by Abiodun demanding that I run somewhere and solve some problem Randidly thought as he yawned widely His fingers flexed as the small craving for some more of that tangy orange juice hit him I wonder if Vualla has any more From her expression it didnÆt seem like it but maybe

Then Randidly froze as his more well rested brain abrupt reviewed the way VuallaÆs face tightened as he had happily guzzled the orange juice in front of her The slight strain at the edges of her smile as he had handed back the empty glass flask that had once been filled with her favorite orange juice floated in front of his vision

Did she wait for me to try some of the juice and I drank all of it right in front of her

Randidly rolled over and pressed his face into the ground Then he lifted his head and banged it several times against the orange stone The effect was somewhat ruined by the fact that his Stats made him more damaging to the ground than it was to him

When several minutes later Randidly was able to straighten again with a certain amount of resolve he wondered how he should apologize But some part of him knew that rushing over to see her immediately wasnÆt the answer Even he could sense that Especially after the Nether Ritual between them burned with such fiery intensity immediately afterward

So Randidly forced himself to relax as he lay on the ground of his dark tent Ultimately it was dumb of me to do it But itÆs a small thing in the grand scheme of the war Better to focus on other matters But also to make sure that it wonÆt happen again

Randidly smashed his head against the ground one more time The ground cracked with a very satisfying noise

As some of the sear of the embarrassment faded RandidlyÆs mind turned more long term issues Because although he had been somewhat insensible during the past several hours in order to recover from the mental strain of prolonged extreme exertion some parts of him continued to tirelessly prepare for his opportunity to condense a Fate

Specifically Ignition Essence had slowly been absorbing an increasing amount of memories from the hiltless blade while the rest of Randidly was at rest Now that he had recovered his capability it was time to examine those

And as Randidly looked at his Status screen he grimaced And itÆs a good thing that Ignition Essence was preparing for the condensation of the Fate I tried to avoid gathering experience in that battle but it was one of the things I couldnÆt quite spend attention on toward the end So now IÆm 81% of the way toward Level 50 if another big battle or two happens I cannot delay Leveling up much longer

Pressing his eyes closed Randidly cleared his mind and prepared to receive the information that he had slowly absorbed As the memories from the Fate blade came a broader picture of the original owner of the Fate came into focus It started with the memories of the arms of two loving parents who even as a child the owner was able to see were awesomely powerful

There was a name Illym the girl who would one day produce the hitless blade

There was a reflection of Illym in a mirror perfectly duplicating the image of a young girl with soft brown hair and softer brown eyes She sat in the darkness of one of her parents’ palaces and stared listlessly at her own reflection

There were the memories of Illym admitting to herself as she twisted side to side to view herself from different angles that she could definitely be considered pretty but nothing more than that Her talent with images and martial arts was above average but as the daughter of two of the most powerful people in the area how could Illym not be a disappointment to her parents

There was the heavy weight of that anxiety That constant fear of disappointing her parents

Only made worse because Illym was only one half of a pair

There were memories of a gleaming sparkling sister One with golden hair and golden eyes who laughed like wind chimes and the whole world seemed to orbit Her name was Radiance and Illym loved her more than anything else in the world

But the world did not love the sisters equally Or at all

There were long memories of Illym being confined to her bed unable to move due to the violent shakes that were wracking her body Her grey bedsheets became covered with sweat and snot and Illym wished she could cry but she could do nothing but endure and shake

But those were still somewhat manageable because at least Illym felt like she could survive that What she couldnÆt survive were those other weeks were Radiance would collapse into a deep sleep and wouldnÆt wake for days at a time The lack of her sisterÆs bright laughter left their home empty and dim When her parents visited Illym they were always so kind and warm encouraging her to try her best

Yet when Radiance was sleeping all that Illym saw in her parentÆs eyes was a terrible loss

There were the slumped shoulders of Illym and RadianceÆs parents as an exceedingly old man from the Nexus walked up to the two girls currently aged ten Although the old man seemed incredibly frail and his gnarled wooden staff was his only pillar of support he methodically lowered himself before the two girls His eyes were brown just like IllymÆs

Destiny has chosen you two The old man had whispered to the two girls It will not come tomorrow or in a year or maybe in ten But someday you will need to face it

You two only have one life shared between the two of you split between two bodies Somehow somehow you are a miracle of life that you both have survived to this point But miracles do not have an easy Path forward Likely to rid yourself of the sickness that afflicts both of you one of you will have to die Die so the other can benefit from the half of its life that is currently missing Or someday you will die together as two rotten halves of a whole

For a very long time after he emerged from the borrowed memories Randidly stared upward at the same bland surface of the tent The slight mental exhaustion made a rather unfortunate return to him leaving him feeling drained

Yet he could not avoid this issue So Randidly rolled his shoulders and focused Time trickled past as he reviewed the fractured memories several times Sighing he eventually pushed himself up into a sitting position and cracked his shoulders This world so many small tragedies played out on a grand stage And when those small tragedies afflict those with power they are magnified into something extremely dangerous and tragic

Randidly shook himself and stood instead turning his attention toward his other foci for his Fate But the lingering feeling of those undeniable demanding shakes that gripped Illym kept tugging at his attention It was difficult to lose the echo of that helpless chill out of his mind

Ah fuck me Randidly muttered He flexed his hands so violently that his knuckles cracked Acri slithered questioningly down his upper arm to present itself for use perhaps recognizing the emotion contained in the harsh gesture At first Randidly shook his head intent on continuing to focus upon his Fate but then he hesitated as Acri rubbed his spearhead insistently against his forearm

one of you will have to die

Certainly a hard message for a child to hear Probably harder still for the parents Randidly shrugged his shoulders and thought of the fiery repressed fury of Kalim and the patient vision of Nadia who he had encountered at the Fate Armory And he thought about how both had ended up beaten down and broken by what had happened to their children

Although I havenÆt seen the specifics of what happened it seems pretty clear by the way they are now that they didnÆt find a way around this destiny Randidly thought sadly His hand tightened on Acri Because the truth of the matter was that even with the foggy memories of a child Randidly had caught glimpses of the power of those two

Yet they had not succeeded They hadnÆt been enough

Some part of that failure haunted Randidly indicating that if he continued he too wouldnÆt be sufficient to succeed at his grand mission to dismantle the villainy of the Nexus If they couldnÆt manage it how could Randidly

That seed of doubt continued to swim in the back of his mind no matter how Randidly tried to push it away and focus on his upcoming Fate Perhaps he would have continued to stand there letting that doubt take root if Acri hadnÆt hummed in frustration and inflicted a small cut on RandidlyÆs head

His blood bubbled up crimson but filled with small gleaming emerald gems And Randidly couldnÆt help but laugh an let his chin fall to his chest YouÆre right Even if I cannot accomplish now even if they couldnÆt accomplish it then that doesnÆt mean that will always be true So for now focus on what I can do

Instead of fighting with his insistent and probably correct weapon any longer Randidly put his other hand on Acri and walked out of his tent Like spring loaded childrenÆs toys both Zauna and Salazar were thrown upward to their feet as Randidly walked out of the tent and appeared before them

D d d do we h have another m m mission Salazar squeaked His scaly arms were wrapped around his torso nursing the shallow remnants of a wound on the ribs he had sustained in the large scale Nether attack Because their assistance around Randidly hadnÆt been necessary Randidly had ordered that they go assist with holding the line Zauna had managed it alright but Salazar

The tragedy is he is probably the more powerful of the two Randidly thought tiredly as he looked at his wounded subordinate But his fear he carries it with him constantly Unless he can find a way to manage it

Not yet Randidly finally said Then he forced some cheer into his expression as he smiled at both of them But if either of you is interested in a spar I was about to go train

I IÆm okay Salazar raised his hands and gestured frantically to push Randidly away Then he snake man returned to his seat his gaze fixed on the dusty and cracked ground RandidlyÆs gaze lingered on the man for several seconds torn between going with his planned training to clear his mind and trying to do something about SalazarÆs funk

but the honest truth is that right now I might be just as frazzled as he is Randidly thought as the smile faded from his face The truth of Nadia and KalimÆs failure still tainted his outlook Then Randidly clenched his jaw And this is definitely an area in which I am extremely weak I know how to lead by example but to directly cheer up a subordinate ah damn it sucks to think that Donny is probably a better leader in that manner than I am

Randidly shook his head But isnÆt that why I left Donnyton to him

IÆll do it

Randidly blinked and turned to find Zauna looking at him with a stern expression

Suddenly Randidly grinned one hundred percent genuine alright then LetÆs work off some of the tension we have shall we

Chapter 1142

Congratulations Your Skill Chimeric Avoidance has grown to Level 219

RandidlyÆs quick step backward carried him out of the orbit of ZaunaÆs wild swing But she followed up with a surprisingly agile stride that brought her follow up blow back on a rumbling path toward RandidlyÆs side Truly although her image wasnÆt particularly complex the exceeding level of detail meant that Zauna was quite capable

RandidlyÆs eyes flashed I could directly suppress her with Stats now that I have a body but that misses the point IÆm her superior ItÆs time I demonstrate that

The Chimera Weeps but Man Mourns

Using his AOE ability Randidly lashed out with a dozen quick strikes with Acri The air hummed with the speed and intensity of the viper quick strikes The blows cut shallow gashes in ZaunaÆs arm and torso but the real damage it did was to bleed momentum away from her own heavy swipe Randidly could see from the tightening of her eyes that she understood what was happening but she had already committed too much of her power to the strike she couldnÆt quickly adjust her position to cope with his concentrated thrusts

RandidlyÆs metallic left arm came up and physically caught the attack Even with the loss of power from his flurry of strikes ZaunaÆs punch still carried with it enough moxy that the metal of his limb groaned from the strain of stopping it That had RandidlyÆs eyebrows up but he supposed it was only a matter of time before the metal he had managed to create on Earth would begin to show wear

The foes on the frontline were simply much more difficult to handle than those he had in mind when he made the limb So far Randidly hadnÆt needed to really address the issue when he fought from afar but soon

It was why he had kept the limb as far away as possible from Nether Mostly it was just the fact that his images had been a much more adolescent stage when he was on Earth After the struggles of handling the frontlines here and the Great Rift they had a sort of weight and depth to them that dwarfed what he had previously

As the images he used to make the metal was much more shallow any sort of image you could find on the front line could damage them Even ZaunaÆs who didnÆt possess a body was a threat

Not like I could make any sort of changes here though RandidlyÆs eyes flashed as he flexed his metallic arm and threw Zauna two steps backward He lowered AcriÆs tip toward ZaunaÆs chest I suppose I could visit the Alpha Cosmos and see how feasible it would be to create a passable foundry there Besides I wanted to visit to see about creating something akin to a Nether Prince for myself from that world

Congratulations Your Skill Man is Proud but the Chimera Takes has grown to Level 185

Even as Randidly began to explode forward with a level of acceleration that was likely only possible with Chimeric Avoidance suppressing wind resistance he could see that ZaunaÆs eyes flashed as she understood what was about to happen Her image flowed down around her condensing into a tight ball of power in the exact spot in her chest that Randidly was aiming for

Admirable reaction time Randidly admitted Still

In this case Randidly knew that it was possible to use his Control to adjust the angle of his thrust and impact another location on ZaunaÆs torso It would be a less vital spot but he could bypass the strength of her image entirely and do significant damage Due to the short split second that would pass between the adjustment and the impact as they were so close Zauna wouldnÆt be able to adjust no matter her sharp reactions

Yet this was just a spar Randidly didnÆt truly want to kill her

Just demonstrate why he was the one in charge His thrust shot forward toward ZaunaÆs condensed image

Zauna was blown backward like she was a baseball hit by a major leaguerÆs swing She zipped and bounced across the ground until she crashed and blew apart a large stone that had jutted out of the ground its entire existence just for this moment And it was a blessing that she hit into that because afterward

she crashed into the tall wooden fence that had been erected around Commander TerithÆs camp With the additional deceleration of hitting the stone she simply cracked open the timbers and rolled a short distance further into the camp Several soldiers rapidly rushed out of their tents fearing another Nether attack but when they found ZaunaÆs form struggling to stand they could relax and shake their heads at these foolish fellow soldiers

Chuckling Randidly walked over and helped Zauna to her feet You took that well

Pah Zauna spat with obvious bitterness It was clear that she was deeply agitated by how easily Randidly had suppressed her over the course of their ten minute spar but it wasnÆt like they both didnÆt know the main reason for that

A body meant a lot

Still Randidly didnÆt bother to say that It was an excuse that Zauna cleared didnÆt want she had her pride He gestured shortly back toward Lady IellayaÆs camp ThatÆs probably enough for now Thanks for the help I was a bit in a funk But after that exercise IÆm feeling much better But I do have some image training to do so

When Randidly said that she had helped he couldnÆt help but notice that a lot of ZaunaÆs unwillingness to quit was softened away by a spark of happiness Although it wasnÆt meek Zauna nodded shortly and began walking back toward the base without raising an objection Leaving a slightly sweating and warmed up Randidly to finally put some attention back toward the issue of his Fate

Randidly moved some distance away from the broken portion of the fence heading back toward the supply caravan path Not that he thought anyone would punish him for breaking it now that Commander Terith was apparently recuperating in the Headquarters there was no point in attracting undue attention to his actions

Beyond the supply track was the badlands and it was there that Randidly finally settled into a cross legged seated position and prepared to meditate But before his focus turned toward his Alpha Cosmos Randidly checked in on his Status again

He currently had 133 PP sitting around because he hadnÆt yet chosen what Path he wanted to do next However it was largely a moot point because he would soon be receiving a huge chunk of PP after he had spent 300 additional PP and unlocked the next round of reward from his Soulskill

Which meant that he only needed to gather 167 more PP which wasnÆt a small number but it was certainly doable in a month or two What Randidly wasnÆt sure about was whether he would be able to gather that amount of PP before he needed to condense a Fate Which likely wasnÆt relevant but as he tried to plan what Path he should take next it felt like an issue he needed to solve

Not because of new Skills he might obtain from his Paths but because of the benefits from Paths like Growth of Yggdrasil III It seemed as though finishing that path would cause his Skills to evolve to a higher rarity Not that evolving the Skill itself would have a profound effect on RandidlyÆs image but the power of image was admittedly based upon specificity The way that the Nexus saw his image growing would give him additional bricks to create the foundation of something phenomenal

Of course that perspective made Randidly slightly bitter Relying on the Nexus to predict his own growth seemed dangerous in so many ways considering his self stated goal of over throwing it But could he grow by ignoring the Nexus And honestly the Nexus appeared rather agnostic about its treatment of individuals it benefits those who grew strong no matter their goals

Shaking his head RandidlyÆs attention turned to some of the other Paths available to him Because in addition to the Growth of Yggdrasil III Path there were two other new arrivals that held his attention

Search for the Akashic I 0/200 Ashes of Illym the Above Average Child 0/5000

In the same vein as relying on the Nexus for growth was a bad idea Randidly knew it was foolish to be pleased that his growth was reflected by the System in his Paths Yet as he looked at the first of the two Paths he couldnÆt help but feel slightly proud Although he hadnÆt even begun to make concrete steps toward adjusting Yggdrasil the fact that the shifts in his image were enough to trigger this was a good sign

As for the second Path

RandidlyÆs eyes flashed Interesting but no reason to start down that Path before I understand more from Ignition Essence It is a gamble I donÆt need to take for a benefit I donÆt yet understand

With at least his understanding of his Status taken care of for the short term Randidly sat in a small shady alcove he found a short distance into the badlands and steadied his breathing The sensation of dust on his feet the howling cry of the wind the warm of the daylight they all fell away Then he proceeded into his Soulskill

Once more Randidly found himself standing outside of the capital of the Armgrast Empire right in the spot where he had parted with Azriel as she had proceeded with her dress toward whatever ruin that had been recently uncovered Recalling that moment brought a smile to RandidlyÆs face

Remembering AzrielÆs determination Randidly felt an impulse to seek her out immediately and see what she was up to To see whether the journey she had taken ended up being worth it Of all the people in RandidlyÆs life Azriel was the one who seemed to be the steadiest sort of friend Perhaps most embarrassing of all his thoughts although Randidly had never done something like it before he had not a little desire to find someone to share his newly discovered relationship with Vualla with

And aside from Azriel very few people would have the nerve to give Randidly their honest reaction about it Well Mrs Hamilton probably would but

Then Randidly shook his head His budding connection with Vualla should probably be given some time to grow before being picked incisively apart by the extremely logical Azriel Instead it was better by far to proceed to find Wendy immediately so he could investigate smelting some high quality metal with the additional boon of his empowered images After that he could check the fabric of this place for powerful enough memories to make something similar to a Nether Prince

As RandidlyÆs Perception spread outward he immediately froze Slowly he raised his gaze to the sky Which was filled with drifting blue veins

And the distinct tang of Nether

Chapter 1143

Rejt fiddled with the small device that Wendy had given him with his overly large fingers and you are sure that this will assist against the miasma

Yes of that I am at least sure Wendy grumbled The two were standing at the edge of the allied base for the exploration of the Hell Labyrinth looking down at the vast stairs that led down to the next level As they were on the 20th floor there was a small platform down the vast unadorned stairs a safe space to rest before proceeding I only wish that Randidly Ghosthound would have provided more warning if he had told me that this would happen

It is wrong to think of Randidly Ghosthound as a godlike being Rejt scolded He put his hands on his hips and peered down at the Spriggit woman Remember he is just as mortal as the rest of us even if he was once our Progenitor In fact the rumors that I taught him many of the tricks that he has

If he was once our Progenitor he is still our Progenitor Wendy pointed out sourly Then she shook her head Just be careful alright It wonÆt completely block the effects just reduce them

He is just a man Wendy Rejt said softly He wondered at what point in his life he had grown from the wild warrior to an elder comforting a young and anxious woman but here he was If you let every small event fluctuate your faith it will be a long and difficult ride

This entire world is his body Wendy’s mouth twisted Yet you claim he is just a man And his power

He has his own concerns Did you not also have other issues you needed to set aside when the Miasma came Sometimes it is difficult to pivot quickly to address the current threats

Bah I just wish we didnÆt have to do this without him this is basically his fault after all ugh then I start thinking that this might just be his gas

Rejt chuckled and spoke before she could continue further Do we have any choice The miasma will slowly strangle the entire world if we let it While our children still yet live we must use this technology that the Ghosthound provided for us and reach the core of this issue

WendyÆs expression tightened but Rejt didnÆt need her to speak in order to understand her thoughts

If Randidly Ghosthound cared so much us surviving this where was he Why didnÆt he provide more of a warning

Which was a fair question But it was one that Rejt couldnÆt answer So Rejt looked away from WendyÆs face and instead inspected the chasm below and the ten meter long and wide steps that led deeper into the abyss below

Around two weeks ago a huge earthquake had shaken the vast mountain range that split the two larger political entities inside of Randidly GhosthoundÆs Soulskill the Armgrast Empire and the Kelley Kingdom Several mountains collapsed from the force of the tectonic grinding In the wake of that terrible natural disaster the air began to fill with the dreadful miasma which seemed to eat away at the life force of every individual who came into contact with it

Those with a high Level could rely on their superior Stats to resist the effects but children and the elderly soon fell ill under the influence of the miasma Although rapid investigations were able to discover the source the newly appeared Hell Labyrinth the effects were progressing far too quickly for the countries to cope with them Only two days had passed and the surrounding ten kilometers of the mountain range was impossible to survive for anyone under Level 25

And every day the miasma around the Hell Labyrinth grew denser That ten kilometer distance became fifteen and then twenty

Luckily on the fourth day it was announced that a pioneering Spriggit researcher Wendy had developed a material that could shield against the influence of the miasma It was relatively expensive and time consuming to produce but it was not resource intensive It quickly became apparent that it was possible to create whole cities lined with this material in order to mitigate the effects of the miasma

So the world powers convened on the fifth day and faced a grim choice invest all of their resources in creating safeÆ cities where their people could live while slowly addressing the problem of the Hell Labyrinth or instead outfit an elite group to proceed into the Labyrinth and find the source of the miasma to stop it before it spread too far

Due solely to the red eyed vehemence of Lazareth Armgrast the Armgrast Empire and the Shelley Kingdom agreed to go with the more aggressive plan Although they would each throw up several refugee shelters to which it was possible to evacuate the populace the genius researcher herself would join the strongest warriors of both sides in order to plumb the depths of the Hell Labyrinth to develop increasingly capable armor to deal with the rising threat

Naturally when the Shelley Kingdom requested that the Monster Prince send their strongest warriors to assist Rejt volunteered And despite the fact that the Shelley Kingdom was largely wary of the newcomers they couldnÆt deny RejtÆs personal strength

Which is why they had agreed to one of his requests earlier today

Besides even the growing threat to the world there was another reason that Rejt couldnÆt afford to miss out on this mission Something personal

RejtÆs gaze turned sharp as he focused on those large steps that led down to the 21st level of the Hell Labyrinth Even from this distance a trail of crimson footsteps led gracefully down those steps with almost flagrant boldness They glowed faintly when Rejt activated his Class Skill

He was following a trail And although Rejt wasnÆt sure of what was the exact name of the Class that she had obtained there was only one individual that Rejt knew that could move so much faster than everyone else cutting to the heart of the problem even before the Hell Labyrinth had erupted

Azriel Blanche

How are the preparations on your side coming for our dead weight Rejt asked casually as he turned back from the ominous stairs and the extremely small trail leading ever deeper

WendyÆs face twisted into a maze of wrinkles Although talking about Randidly got her upset nothing upset her more than talking about the political figures who had demanded to accompany the expedition Pah The stupid idiots ItÆs much easier and cost effective to create an amulet like what I gave you It will vastly reduce the effect the miasma will have on you But to ask for an entire suit of armor of the shielding material

WendyÆs thin fingers twitched Smirking Rejt turned away and scanned the rest of the forward camp Although fifty people wasnÆt a large number the fact that they had political accompaniment meant that there were almost as many tents as there were people Most were small storage tents or hastily dug latrines screened by thin cloth but many individuals required their own sleeping quarters

The entire rest area of the 20th floor was filled with the sea of tents

As a figure strode rapidly over to the edge of the chasm where Rejt and Wendy were staying RejtÆs smirk widened Speak of the devil hey Armgrast how do you feel about your ministers’ requests we take a quick break so that they might protect themselves more fully

The lion headed man glowered at Rejt as he came to stand next to the two of them Just as quickly however his eyes flicked away and were drawn down to the depths of the abyss Humph you know that I would gladly leave these fools behind by the way can you still see

Yes Rejt interrupted Her trail is still there Leading deeper into the darkness and miasma ignition

Lazareth Armgrast bared his very impressive fangs but Rejt had spent enough time around the prince to realize that it was actually worry that animated his face That foolish woman why would she go alone Why would she leave the damned rope of bedsheets when she ran away Was she making fun of me Did she think I wasnÆt strong enough

She probably thought you were a pigheaded misogynist Wendy said unhelpfully

LazarethÆs eyes flashed My head is that of a noble Lion you glorified librarian

Wendy sighed with an aggrieved expression that seemed to express something like this idiocy of yours is probably exactly the reason why Azriel didnÆt stay but Rejt cut into their bickering before they could escalate

ItÆs been four days since we have left the surface and weÆve already made it down to the 20th floor Of course we know the reason why your ministers are hesitating now just like the Dukes from the Shelley Kingdom We had pretty reliable scouting reports up to the 20th floor But beyond that

Lazareth sighed Yes and no scouts have returned from beyond the 30th floor I know All this while we donÆt even know how deeply the Hell Dungeon extends

At the very least we are not quite wasting time entirely by remaining here for a break Wendy said All of us have developed the Miasma Resistance Skill yes And the deeper we go the thicker the Miasma is and the faster the Skill grows It is an ugly truth but the longer we remain the better equipped we will be to move forward In addition the rewards from the Trial by Miasma connecting Paths are extremely generous So

Yet every day more and more of the people of this world die Lazareth hissed How can you calmly accept death like this

Why are you getting so upset when those emotions accomplish nothing Wendy snapped back

Because I am a man with empathy Lazareth Armgrast stepped to Wendy towering over her small statured form Not some chemically warped midget machine

Suffice to say we need more information on the lower floors before we can convince the political dead weight we carry to proceed with any sort of speed Rejt interrupted smoothly

Truly it is the tragedy of my existence that I am constantly asked to guide the foolish Rejt shook his head remembering the first few times he had met Randidly Ghosthound For all their potential to be afflicted with such quarrelsome pupils ah did I perhaps shine too brightly in my past and the Progenitor was jealous of me

which might be true but we can only wait for those damned scouts to come back with that intel Armgrast grumbled If I had only known I would have made sure that I was the leader of the scouting party

I volunteered earlier today Rejt interrupted again He reached in his pocket and used his large earthy fingers to pull out a paper with the official stamp of the expedition on it To be a scout I have been given leave to lead a three person scouting party into the depths of the Hell Labyrinth to prepare for the expeditionÆs descent

The other two stood and stared at Rejt for several seconds as the implications of what he was saying slowly dawned on them

Wendy spoke first you when did you become so scheming

But Lazareth continued to wrestle with his thoughts But if if she goes the rest of the expedition will refuse to move They need her technology

Such a tragedy Rejt smiled

Chapter 1144

Twenty six hours later Rejt spat out a heavy mouthful of blood and heaved himself out of the broken stone wall So this is why no scouts returned from beyond the 30th floor

Lazareth Armgrast grimaced and pulled a thick obsidian spike out of his side Then he did his best to use his wide hand to stem the gush of blood out of the wound Well we survived the first strike of this fucker The rest is downhill from here right

You fool Wendy hissed Although she had stayed toward the back as they encountered the sinister monster in the long tunnel of the 31st floor she now hurried forward and pressed her hands to LazarethÆs wound After a few seconds a warm light from her fingers began to knit together his corroded flesh DonÆt just rip it out

I donÆt think we have the time for me to leave it in Lazareth grunted as he turned to face the towering specter that barred their path

It was almost four meters tall its head brushing against the roof of the spacious stone tunnel Its body seemed to be made of an interlocking series of dark grey pieces of metal a strange shifting motion of body parts that looked less like the clockwork of machinery and more like a surreal approximation of that ordered machinery It was shaped like a humanoid with extremely thin arms and legs and heavy armor around its torso

And at the thing’s core was a dense ball of black energy that seemed to be the solidified version of miasma As the three figures watched thin tendrils of blue stretched out from that core and manipulated the piecemeal body to pull another one of its obsidian spikes from its heavy shoulder pauldrons

And also Rejt grimaced and glanced upward Although it was faint he could already feel a steady stirring amongst the miasma in this place Even as they struggled against this foe here something terrible was coming There had been a change in the Hell Labyrinth Miasma was beginning to sluggishly roll outward

Such a change would not bode well for the forces trying to explore this place

And of course emphasizing their need to proceed the crimson footsteps left by Azriel led straight forward through this monster as though she hadnÆt even needed to alter her gait in order to bypass it

The lines around RejtÆs eyes tightened Which seems impossible considering its strength Which makes me wonder was this guardian here when Azriel went forward Based on the timeline she likely came while the Hell Labyrinth was still inert And if she is the one that reached the core and activated it

Get back itÆs coming Lazareth growled as he used his long and muscular limb to physically shove Wendy backward Although the woman hissed in ire no sooner had she be forced back than the guardian surged forward with an obsidian spike in each of its hands

It didnÆt appear to use any Skills but that just meant that it was so impossibly fast that it made their Skills inadequate Even with his Level 112 Elusive Crimson Steps Rejt barely had time to roll to the side as a hand holding an obsidian spike cut downward toward his skull like a woodsmanÆs ax

As he twisted away he raised his arm and smashed his palm forward toward the guardianÆs waist Wind quickly gathered around his hand and empowered the blow But the guardian shifted its stance slightly at the last moment so the blow that should have smashed against its thin limbed legs hit against the heavy armor of its torso Just as it had during their prior exchange the guardianÆs leg flitted outward to strike Rejt in retaliation

Unlike the previous time where Rejt had assumed that the leg would be relatively weak Rejt forced his body into one more roll to the side to avoid it Losing a chunk of Health due to his foolish assumption was a mistake that he only planned on making once

Grimacing Rejt recovered his footing and gathered the sharp edged wind that existed even here tunnel His will sharpened and steadied the air currents around him to strike

But Lazareth was slightly faster than he was taking advantage of the opening that Rejt had created

Primal Smash Lazareth roared not even aiming for the guardianÆs thin limbs and instead just aiming to impact that vulnerable seeming core that it held in its chest Then the guardianÆs hands blurred into motion and brought all of their plans to nothing

It was only due to his Blessing of the Vast Wind that Rejt was able to track the movements as the guardian used only the strength and elasticity of its hands in order to shoot the two obsidian spikes toward them And even with that warning the obsidian spike cut a half circle out of the edge of RejtÆs stony thigh

Lazareth Armgrast took his spike through the left side of his chest It exited out of his back with a clean spray of blood

Still those two strikes from the guardian gave Rejt the time he needed to gather the wind he needed to himself And with that wind he cut

The metallic guardian released a jarring chime as it staggered backward with a huge gash cut out of its inky black core The metal pieces around it spun listlessly Yet Rejt gritted his teeth when it was able to steady its stance and the other parts of the core began to flow around it and heal the wound he had cut into the heart of the bastard

But it wasnÆt just the guardian that was uncommonly hardy After releasing a horrible sounding wet death rattle due to his collapsed left lung Lazareth Armgrast forced himself back to his feet

You fool Wendy shouted Her hands began to glow again while she hurried forward You need

Stay back Lazareth barked The guardian casually reached up and took two more obsidian spikes from its shoulder pauldrons Although only one currently remained those three spikes still weighed heavily on all of their minds

YouÆd rather die than let me heal you What the hell is with your pride Wendy asked some of her frustration overwhelming her concern for Lazareth

IÆd rather you not die Lazareth replied stiffly Then he spat out some blood to the side But at least it is down to three spike attacks If we manage to dodge at least one of those

LazarethÆs voice fell away to nothing as the pauldrons of the guardian shivered and then all five of the missing spikes in them grew quickly back Sighing Rejt glanced upward at the increasingly disturbed miasma above them In addition it looks like we do not have much time until whatever is changing up in this place reaches us We must hurry

A tremor ran through the miasma Then it seemed to be blasted away shooting out above them into the higher floors above them And beyond that it would enter into the atmosphere of the world RejtÆs expression darkened

Whatever monster was beginning to breathe in the depths of the Hell Labyrinth if it was allowed to escape

Ringing ominously the guardian stepped forward But before either Lazareth or Rejt could react there was a soft whisper of wind and the sound of bare skin rasping against stone Suddenly there was another individual who stepped forward to face the guardian of the Hell Labyrinth

The figure spoke and the air seemed to burn with the weight of his words Absolute Gasp of Yggdrasil

Huge vines as thick as pythons and lined with thorns that looked like golden daggers shot out of the ground and surged to constrict the guardian The guardian sensed the attack and shifted out of the way but the roots moved faster than it could match In a split second it was completely suppressed

Then the vines began to squeeze radiating an ominous golden light At a volume incomparable to the small blow that Rejt had struck against it the guardian began to release its jarring chime that sounded quite a lot like cries

With a sigh Randidly Ghosthound turned slowly around to face Rejt Lazareth and Wendy His black hair was slightly longer but he had the same twist at the corner of his mouth the same sharp nose the same emerald eyes Yet when that gaze settled on the three of them Rejt could feel prickles on the back of his neck

He had made such a big deal of emphasizing that Randidly Ghosthound was just a man to Wendy earlier yet now the air around this man felt so incredibly heavy that Rejt couldnÆt even speak for several seconds It seemed that the shadow of a vast tree hung above Randidly It was an image but it wasnÆt like any image that Rejt had ever seen before

It shook the air by being there It left the guardian that had slowly been bleeding them dry completely suppressed

It was admittedly the strength of a god

IÆm sorry you had to deal with this Randidly Ghosthound said His expression grew heavy if you give me some time believe me that this will be completely resolved

If you knew this was coming why didnÆt you give me more warning Wendy asked in an accusatory tone At first Rejt was impressed that she had been able to gather up the courage to step forward under the sway of that shadow but Rejt quickly realized she must not have enough mastery of images to sense that terrible darkness that hung over them and pressed the guardian into the ground Why not tell me

I didnÆt know this would happen Randidly gritted his teeth This is my fault for not paying more attention An old mistake of mine and apparently one I hadnÆt learned from

What is this Rejt finally found enough strength to ask He gestured easily as though all of this was beneath him This place

A training ground Randidly replied One that I am beginning to suspect was meant for me to introduce me to Nether But it appears that even old monsters donÆt know everything So I think itÆs time I skip to the end of this farce

Chapter 1145

As he turned away from the stunned figures of Rejt Lazareth and Wendy Randidly reached out with his formidable Willpower and pulled hard at the surrounding Nether It did not come willingly at first motivated to radiate outward by the steady pressure that was flowing out of the Nether Ritual that had been erected in the core of his Alpha Cosmos but when his Willpower didnÆt waver the Nether slowly gave in to his grasp

When it came to protecting this place Randidly would not give in

The Nether Ritual was too large and Randidly wasnÆt touching upon any of its vital thoroughfares so the effect didnÆt amount to much This avenue that Nether used to flow steadily outward into the outside world was stopped up but Nether would find other ways Which was frustrating but not exactly surprising

Even with his Nether Sensation Randidly currently wasnÆt able to determine the exact location that he needed to be in order to reverse the effect of the flow of Nether Some of that might be the low Level of his Skill but it also struck him that it was a function of the sheer size of what was going on within his Alpha Cosmos

This is not a small thing here Randidly thought with fiery eyes as he began to walk forward down the stone tunnel This was not an accident This was not some unfortunate mutation that occurred when I allowed Nether into my being No this this was crafted

Because some horrible side effect was exactly what Randidly had originally thought this was as he had arrived in his Soulskill and seen the sweeping effects of the Nether That he had somehow opened the door for this to happen by developing Nether Cores But the more he investigated the more of the ruins that Randidly witnessed the more sure Randidly was that this was not the case

Plus the construction of these guardians Randidly spared a glance behind him once more for the metallic automaton with a core of Nether that was struggling to its feet I recognize that construction It is the same material from my original Four Shaded Clockwork World

the core of which was provided by the Creature

They were queer things composed both of the strange ivory white metal and the pitch black Nether Honestly their shifting shape almost reminded Randidly of the visualization of Skills from his inner world This impression was supported by the strange resonance and chiming that he heard from them Perhaps the individual responsible found mixing Nether cores and Aether Skills amusingly ironic

Still no time to waste here Randidly rolled his shoulders as another strike with Absolute Grasp of Yggdrasil threw the guardian to the side With an open path

Hey wait Wendy shouted anxiously as Randidly began to stride forward ArenÆt you going to at least kill that thing If you donÆt

If I did wouldnÆt you just follow me Randidly replied rather dryly He opened his mouth and considered his words carefully getting into a verbal spar with Wendy here would definitely waste time You might be able to survive this amount of Nether but it will only get worse as we move forward Take your time growing here the old fashioned way

Hmph you believed this foe to be sufficient enough to slow us down Rejt folded his arms and raised his chin You better leave this worm alive just so I can demonstrate how wrong you are about us And donÆt let me catch your heels from behind or you will pay for your shallow faith

Chuckling Randidly nodded and prepared to continue forward But the last of the trioÆs ragged voice brought him to a stop

Perhaps it was because it so closely mirrored RandidlyÆs original thoughts but he couldnÆt help but flinch as he heard the words Even if it wasnÆt true in this case it was again a situation where he had been distracted by other issues and let something dangerous develop in his Soulskill So Randidly spun slowly around to face the red rimmed gaze of Lazareth Armgrast Almost against his will RandidlyÆs frown softened as he looked at the otherÆs expression

You you were supposed to Damnit The lion headed man brought a hand up to his face and gripped his mane If if anything has happened to Azriel I will kill you

Relax Randidly said YggdrasilÆs healing energies spread slowly outward filling the tunnel with warmth and light I have my flaws I canÆt always behave perfectly and I will disappoint you But now that IÆm here now that IÆm moving donÆt think for a second that I will fail to protect this world Especially Azriel

Did you say that for him or for yourself The voice of Yggdrasil whispered softly But Randidly couldnÆt answer easily

Congratulations Your Skill Deific Mien of Yggdrasil has grown to Level 250

Randidly could still see the unwillingness on LazarethÆs face But when directly faced with Deific Mien of Yggdrasil some part of him seemed to accept the transfer of responsibility to Randidly His shoulders crumpled forward And so Randidly turned away now bearing one small reason to accomplish the goal that had driven him immediately here to the ruins

ArmgrastÆs knees hit the ground with a soft thump

How much did you see Azriel even when I met you while you were escaping from your palace Randidly wondered Did you know the stakes would be this high What is your relationship with this man Because he certainly is worried about you

almost as worried as I am

As Randidly continued forward accelerating down the tunnel he quickly bypassed several more of the Skill like Nether Beast guardians of this place and reached the stairs The Hell LabyrinthÆ as the people of the Alpha Cosmos called it seemed to follow this same pattern A long floor that led to a short set of stairs with the tenth floor being a platform along a longer set of stairs that allowed one to take a break

Needless to say as you went deeper the Nether grew denser Yet RandidlyÆs Unique Skill Nether Modification made this amount of Nether practically comfortable The foes also attacked and defended more adeptly with the talents of Nether They utilized the benefits of bubble and the core making them extremely difficult to damage using normal Aether based means

Of course they werenÆt even able to slow Randidly down at all It was almost comical how easily he accelerated downward past them Within only a few minutes Randidly had gotten out of the 31st floor and shot down the stairs to the 32nd floor

He had briefly considered simply jumping down into the vast abyss that surrounded the staircases between floors but the Nether there was extremely turbulent If the Nether Ritual was a human body the staircases gave Randidly a window to the arteries carrying huge amounts of Nether and pumping it out to the places that needed it

Nether Modification can handle this but Randidly hesitated

The density wasnÆt the issue it was how quickly the Nether in front of him was moving If he exposed himself to it he would likely be able to find the core but he didnÆt want to risk encountering something even more dangerous waiting in that Nether

Besides it had barely taken him an hour to reach his current floor by hurrying forward As long as it didnÆt become vastly more difficult as he proceeded downward Randidly felt confident that he would be able to reach the desired destination

Of course is it smart to walk into a test that was probably designed by the Creature Randidly asked himself quietly But two facts had him walking forward anyway The first was the difficulty of the test thus far maybe he would need to worry about harder trials later but so far the quality of the Nether opponents didnÆt exceed the one star level And the second thing was AzrielÆs involvement

Her fate after being drawn into this trap couldnÆt be a good one And that pissed Randidly off in a way he hadnÆt felt in a long time

Creature if you are responsible for hurting even a hair on her head

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 40

Randidly hit the 32nd Level like a tsunami gathering the ambient Nether in the air to protect the surface from being flooded with it and using it like a cudgel to smash back the Nether that was eagerly surging forward The air trembled and the unfortunate guardian that was hiding in wait for him keened in pain

A split second later Randidly moved past it releasing a long held breath and pulling once more at the Nether around him in a tight spiral Although Randidly didnÆt have any Skills that related directly to manipulating Nether he still felt like

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Ritual has grown to Level 61

Even if I donÆt have a goal in mind the ritual is responding to my faith Randidly reflected as he hurtled forward Truly Nether is entirely different than Aether Just my momentum is enough to bring more and more of it under my control

And just like that Randidly streaked down like a comment shooting through the 32nd floor then the 33rd then the 36th then the 39th

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 48

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Ritual has grown to Level 74

And just like that Randidly was taking wide steps down the huge stone staircase that led to the 40th floor practically gliding over the stone beneath him A maelstrom of Nether had gathered behind him now shaking the air and the surrounding stone And it gave Randidly great pleasure to sense how the chaotic Nether flows around the staircases were growing turbid as he forced this huge mass of Nether deeper down the gullet of this massive ritual that Randidly still hadnÆt been able to see the shape of

Carrying that momentum forward Randidly crashed into the 41st floor To his amusement a modified automaton/ Nether Beast around the two and a half star level leapt out to ambush him

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Avoidance has grown to Level 220

With extremely quick steps Randidly swayed his body back and forth The Nether Beast slashed outward with its claws but he leaned just out of range of the attack The BeastÆs longest claw scratched quietly against Sulfur and then Randidly was past it He planted his foot on its back and exploded with force

So fucking weird that they look like Skills

Chiming angrily the Nether Beast could only tumble forward as Randidly accelerated beyond it and proceeded even deeper into the Hell Labyrinth Just like the thirties the forties were gone in a blur leaving Randidly blowing past a foe that was just short of the three star tier of strength for the Nether Beasts and proceeding to the long staircase beyond

Yet here Randidly paused standing at the top of the threshold to the staircase allowing the river of Nether that he was leading deeper to surge around and past him while he studied what was waiting for him below

Unlike the previously staircases that led forward the staircase he found here was a spiral staircase that led downward in a tight orbit Yet what stopped Randidly cold was the tight coils of Nether that surged downward around the staircase They were the same if not greater in size than the amount of Nether that Randidly had gathered surging down here

And as there were ten of them and only one of RandidlyÆs flows they rapidly ground down the Nether that he had gathered to nothing It continued to flow from behind him following its previous momentum but it was easily devoured and repurposed into the vast flows of this place RandidlyÆs mouth firmed into a line as he looked down over to the small platform that waited below as floor 50

Even from here he could see her familiar figure wearing the guise of Lyra and staring up at him with a small smile on her face

The Creature Yystrix Randidly clenched his fists Then he began to walk down the stairs

Chapter 1146

It had been quite a while since Randidly had met the Creature face to face He had seen the husk of its body that had been consumed by Zone 1 to create an infinite power plant but its consciousness had already been consumed at that point Which as it turned out ended up being eminently frustrating for Randidly who had so doggedly pursued the trace of the CreatureÆs Aether to that point

Perhaps then the last real confrontation between them had been the invasion of his Soulskill Which had been a clash that had deeply scarred Randidly not just due to the damage the CreatureÆs monsters had inflicted on his inner world but because of the sacrifices that Randidly was forced to make among the people who worshipped him in order to win that bloody battle

Before Randidly had shifted his land to make the Seven Lands quite a bit of his Soulskill had been a graveyard

Randidly pressed his eyes closed as he walked slowly down the stairs The Nether continued to swirl around him but he was no longer in any hurry to cut to the source of it To be here was to feel that the Nether was a slowly building thing even if it was obvious that the pressure here was building rapidly to something Although the momentum Randidly had built with his gathered Nether was destroyed by this working it had slowed this down and also severely depleted the Nether that was flowing to the surface

Likely the dangerous areas of Nether saturation would recede in the short term giving him enough time to deal with this threat

The other benefit of a slow descent was to feel out what was going on around him As he was now among the thickest of the Nether flows it was immediately clear that Randidly had underestimated the scope of what the Creature was hoping to accomplish Even now as he strained his Nether Sensation outward it was difficult to get a picture of what this much Nether would do

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 59

Barring his teeth Randidly forced his feet to continue to carry him forward He glanced downward once having proceeded halfway down the spiral staircase in a few minutes With the additional distance covered his Grim Intuition allowed him to perceive several more details about the platform waiting below

The platform itself only covered a relatively small space perhaps the size of a basketball court cast ritualistically in jade obsidian and silver The three colors blended together in geometric lines that made it difficult to look at the platform for too long without growing dizzy In the absolute center of the platform was a stone dais on which Azriel was resting

Floating above her was a swirling series of those same ivory metallic bars whirring rhythmically to a pattern that Randidly couldnÆt quite grasp Small tendrils of extremely dense Nether spun delicately inward to join the extremely dense core of Nether floating in the middle of the metal which looked like a tiny black marble

It was only when Randidly saw the source of those dense tendrils was through AzrielÆs body that Randidly gritted his teeth When he studied it more closely it was possible to see a hole beneath her that allowed Nether upward to filter through her body

Randidly twisted and glanced over the outside of the staircase to see the huge flows of Nether that looked like black rivers flowing down to join a huge mass of Nether that waited below There was a matching series of ivory metal pieces swirling below these built on a commensurately larger scale to manage the huge flows of Nether and condense them to tight strands that would flow upward

They swirled around appearing briefly like Skills but then shifting to look like a ribcage that contained the huge mass of Nether They spun and twisted constantly on the move

Then far sooner than Randidly would have liked it was time to face this foe one more time

The sound of RandidlyÆs footstep as he finally arrived on the platform echoed strangely in the empty space surrounding them Space that was only filled by Nether Yet the noise seemed like a deliberate sign because the Nether that was whirling around them began to accelerate The small amount of time Randidly had bought by bringing counter swirling Nether had been burned off Some small portion of the Nether around them flowed down to the area next to the Creature and touched two discs of metal that were laying on the platform

Different curved bars of metal spun upward slowly manifesting themselves as two Nether Beasts shaped like Skills that were truly at the three star level of strength Bearing LyraÆs sharp and lovely features grown into womanhood the Creature smiled ItÆs been too long Randidly Ghosthound IÆve missed you

Randidly had prepared a sharp comeback but the raw emotion in her tone stopped him Slowly his expression grew solemn The Creature legitimately means that She missed me

Somehow that made him even warier

You try to use me or control me every time we meet Randidly finally said I can say honestly that I had hoped I would never see you again

YouÆre lying The CreatureÆs smile burned with genuine pleasure It was quite a disappointment wasnÆt it To chase me and find nothing for so long So long as you feel traces of my touch on you and the Earth you will want to meet me Such is your hypocrisy and your charm I suppose

maybe I would feel better if I could track you down on Earth But itÆs because I donÆt want you to destroy any more lives with your machinations RandidlyÆs gaze hardened as he glanced over toward where Azriel lay still in her crimson gown with her hands folded over her chest This wisps of Nether slithered up through her And even if there were no negative side effects that Randidly could see that didnÆt mean he wasnÆt worried And seeing this just confirms that I was correct to worry

Such a convenient vessel Almost fondly the Creature reached out toward Azriel Then she shook her head and looked back toward Randidly Another has already hollowed her out to carry an image so it was quite easy for me to do something similar If things go as plan she is the fertile soil I will use to grow my gift to you But before you can save her IÆm afraid there is one more test for you to pass

Without waiting for the Creature to finish Randidly reached out and pulled at the Nether that was flowing down into the two Nether Beasts beside her Although they were truly composed of Nether Randidly recognized that they were just as false as the Nether cores that the grand formation created The runic engravings on the metal bands were what shaped the working The Nether was not naturally drawn into those strange discs

A false bubble was no bubble at all So Randidly used his Willpower to make himself the core and the false cores before them his bubble And then they were his to pull freely Engravings couldnÆt stand up against his Willpower

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Ritual has grown to Level 85

As the Nether flowed easily out of them the bands of metal groaned and collapsed to the ground For the first time since Randidly had walked down the staircase the constant smile that was upon the CreatureÆs face twitched and waned You how did you do that

Satisfaction bloomed warm in RandidlyÆs chest like a sunflower To see the Creature so confused was a welcome feeling This time things would be different The Nether spun around him as Randidly took a step forward If you wanted to test my ability to handle Nether this is far from enough

Yes but how If you can work Nether right now The Creature hissed And then something dawned on Randidly that had the satisfaction in his chest dimming and wilting

you legitimately donÆt know You cannot see outside my Soulskill to whatÆs happening in the real world Randidly said in wonder His emerald eyes narrowed as he considered the Creature in front of him you are just another sliver of The CreatureÆs personality left here amongst the old core of my Soulskill IÆm surprised you managed to persist through so many rounds of destruction and rebirth for the Soulskill but still you were probably just triggered by the surge of Nether inside of me

After hesitating for a second as it studied Randidly the Creature opened LyraÆs mouth again you likely have begun to rely on Touch from Beyond recently IÆm surprised you are aware of the term Nether but do you think this matters The fact that youÆve had to rely on the devasting power of my gift just proves

What the hell are you saying Relying on Touch from Beyond How long has it been since I had that version of the Skill

You truly know nothing Randidly said slowly His stomach felt odd as he considered the Creature Yet he didnÆt wait any longer instead proceeding directly forward toward the Creature You you probably donÆt even understand how much trouble your true body is in

This was a calculated gamble on RandidlyÆs part but he wanted to confirm something Or maybe he wanted to shift the conversation so the Creature would stop just seeming so so

Thankfully the Creature took the bait even as it lowered herself into a fighting stance Hmph do you think I would fall for such an obvious bluff I can sense plenty from the core of my existence And if you are capable enough with Nether then I will just beat you into submission the old fashioned way Then we can have a nice chat about how we will proceed

The Creature blurred forward It was quite fast but not so fast that Randidly couldnÆt keep up No in fact it was quite easy to keep up The acceleration the Creature displayed was fine but its top end speed was relatively bland

It was disappointing What Randidly felt in his stomach was disappointment

No this was a test that Randidly was designed to have triggered long long ago The strength of this shade made that immediately obvious But Randidly wasnÆt going to let go of this opportunity to suppress even a fraction of the CreatureÆs consciousness just due to a lucky break on his part

Chimeric Avoidance NetherÆs Caress

With almost the same series of hyper quick steps and sways that he used against the guardians to get here Randidly maneuvered around the CreatureÆs vicious slash and twisted to strike at her back As he did so he gathered all that dense and available Nether in the air to create a blade in his hand

The Creature spun around to block the descending blow with its arm but it was still forced several steps backward by the clash And Randidly didnÆt miss the way that LyraÆs slender arm began to smoke and sizzle as Nether ate into the image the constituted this sliver of the Creature

You idiot I fought as an image for too long to not know how difficult it is Randidly thought almost sadly Why are you why is it like this

As the Creature righted itself Randidly raised his arm and pulled even harder at the surrounding Nether causing his NetherÆs Caress Skill to hum with the pressure of controlling so much Nether It simply took far too long to this version of the Creature to recover its footing It was pathetic

The blade in RandidlyÆs hand grew from a dagger to a long sword then to a greatsword and then to a towering pillar of dense and volatile Nether His hand tightened gripping the Nether blade and burning his skin in an attempt to inject a sense of reality to this almost surreal experience Yet even with the pain nothing changed A small and impotent Creature in the form of Lyra still miserably looked upward at the blade that Randidly had conjured

Time to fucking end this farce What the hell is going on

Congratulation Your Skill NetherÆs Caress has grown to Level 113

Congratulations Your Skill NetherÆs Caress has grown to Level 114

Randidly felt an empty echo of enjoyment watching the projection of the Creature in front of him pale but it was ultimately made completely unsatisfying by its low mutter How

Randidly slashed downward sending vast reverberations through the surrounding Nether The Creature dodged to the side but Randidly maintained his grip on the huge pillar of Nether and slashed again And again His arm continued to accelerate as Yyrwood Body of Yggdrasil and MonstrosityÆs Appalling Physicality merged together to urge him to impossible speeds

When he finally caught it with a glancing blow the Creature couldnÆt help but reel backward One of LyraÆs arms had been burned away by the Nether The image of her flesh around the shoulder began to corrode from the dense Nether

Yet the reason why Randidly didnÆt follow up with another attack to shatter the projection in front of him was that the Creature began to laugh Do you think that your strength changes anything You can kill me if you want it doesnÆt matter IÆve already accomplished my goal by being here

The Creature its one remaining arm and gestured to the dais on which Azriel now was lying You have two choices now that the ritual is activated Accept this power which I give you or release all the Nether and drown your Soulskill in it

Chapter 1147

As the Creature spoke the weirdest thing happened in RandidlyÆs chest He felt a sliver of excitement The strange sensation of disappointment wavered at the CreatureÆs fanatical words

It wasnÆt because it talked about giving him power That poisoned prospect would never have excited him despite how much he knew he needed some kind of power in the real world where Lord Miln and Ileot Swacc were watching him with greedy eyes

No the reason that Randidly felt briefly excited was because this confrontation with the Creature had been profoundly boring The threat to the Soulskill was a real thing and this much Nether was extremely dangerous And yet to so quickly overwhelm the Creature in a fight

It felt like he was missing something

Perhaps it was because Randidly had built up the Creature in his mind but Randidly was left somewhat at a loss to see him so easily overwhelm the CreatureÆs tests and then proceed to be able to suppress the Creature completely with his own strength After all the Creature had manipulated RandidlyÆs entrance into the System so he had initially appeared in a Dungeon Through the CreatureÆs machinations he had been given half of the Aether Crossroads that he now held in his chest

Many parts of his Class Soulskill and Skills were tainted by the CreatureÆs touch It had taken everything Randidly had to escape the CreatureÆs grasp previously

But in retrospect could the current Randidly have accomplished the same sort of manipulation with his current abilities Combined with several thousand years to study and refine his knowledge of Aether apparati

Yet that was what probably gummed his perception up wasnÆt it The age of the Creature Because now Randidly had met individuals like Nadia Kailm Lord Miln and Cail Tweocs He could see the potent power of images that could be achieved over time Even if this was simply a projection It should possess some of that power shouldnÆt it

Had RandidlyÆs perspective gotten skewed by the foes that he now faced from the Nexus or was there a dagger waiting within this trap the Creature laid

No somethingÆs definitely wrong Randidly assured himself His eyes flicked from the decaying flesh of the Creature to Azriel on the dais and then up to swirling pieces of ivory metal But what is it

Either way Randidly didnÆt intend on following the CreatureÆs intended conversation path no matter how much he somehow was disappointed by this weak version of the Creature What I was saying earlier was true I met a being that seemed suspended in a continentÆs worth of crystalized Aether surrounded by huge obsidian pillars And when he felt me he said Yystrix IÆve found you at last Æ

LyraÆs face twisted into confusion but then a glimmer of understanding dawned there The CreatureÆs gloating expression slid off of LyraÆs face almost instantly For the first time Randidly saw through the callousness built up through an eternity of escaping the System and saw a raw and gaping wound in the CreatureÆs expression One that gurgled up blood at RandidlyÆs words

LyraÆs lips twitched Elhume found me

Like Achilles struck at the ankle everything about the Creature in front of him fell apart A low thrum ran through the Nether Ritual around them and the movement of Nether once more turned sluggish With a whisper the glamour of Lyra unraveled around the Creature and revealed a thin and elderly woman with steel grey hair done up in a bun above her head There were deep lines at the corners of her mouth and eyes as her gaze grew dull and she considered the ground in front of her

Her voice came out again so soft that RandidlyÆs ears couldnÆt pick it up It was only with Grim Intuition that Randidly was able to snatch her words from disappearing into the abyss right after they passed her lips

Did he miss me that much But I The CreatureÆs eyes fluttered and closed

Randidly was somewhat stunned how well his offhand comment had cut to the core of the Creature To see her so clearly vulnerable was he wrong about missing something Was the Creature he had so long feared

Well thatÆs fine Just as quickly as the fissure in the Creature opened up it snapped closed again It was with clear eyes that the Creature looked up to regard Randidly with a newfound intensity from this elderly face I cannot run away from my fate forever You boy are proof of that I suppose Yet my statement remains unchanged You cannot avoid the choice before you Accept this gift IÆve prepared or drown your Soulskill in Nether

RandidlyÆs jaw worked slowly as he took in the rapid return of determination to the CreatureÆs new and maybe natural features I have a hard time believing thatÆs the case And also letÆs not pretend as if you would ever prepare me a gift that didnÆt come at a cost So whatÆs the cost

Well this vesselÆs life and Fate The Creature said in a wry tone and Randidly almost cracked his teeth as the muscles in his jaw flexed at the callous dismissal of AzrielÆs death Yet then the Creature continued to speak But yes There is a shape to what IÆm making that you will not be able to escape

Randidly forced a snort out Is that so Just like I shouldnÆt have been able to pass your test

After giving Randidly a reproachful look the Creature shook its head You fool Do not confuse variance with a grand miscalculation on my part I have long prepared for this day You what truly can you do

Beat the shit out of you Randidly thought in annoyance but he let this monologuing Creature continue

The working before you is approaching its completion When it reaches that moment of release it will birth in the vessel a weapon that you may use to strike at the Nexus The Creature raised its hands high above its head Its grey hair was strangely luminous in the light from the giant spinning ivory pieces that circled the platform And yet you are right within this working lays a millennium of bitter hatred I have toward the Nexus To bear this weapon is to labor under my geas To carry the weapon will demand that you use it

Randidly flexed his hand thatÆs a long time So taking this gift would mean allowing your image into me ThatÆs why you are willing to give such a powerfulÆ gift

Precisely The CreatureÆs hands dropped to its sides And if you donÆt accept it well you will need to act quickly And likely all the Nether that IÆve been slowly summoning to fuel it will explode out over your Soulskill

Even as she spoke the Nether around them once more accelerated Then it continued to accelerate causing more and more thin tendrils of dense Nether to flow up through AzrielÆs body and into the small marble floating above her And also it immediately became clear that the marble was floating slowly down to plant itself in AzrielÆs chest

and maybe even more dangerous than a Nether explosion Randidly looked up to the small bead of Nether floating above AzrielÆs body Likely the reason that you are so weak right now is your image is bound in there ready to infect me If I felt overconfident after trouncing you and simply ignored your warning thinking I could protect my Soulskill from the Nether you would have gladly let me shatter it all and seize back your strength wouldnÆt you

Randidly shivered but some part of him felt much more comfortable after he had found at least some of the dangerous hooks waiting within the situation that the Creature had prepared for him When it had seemed weak and incapable all of the efforts Randidly had taken to defeat it previously seemed foolish

Yet it likely did show that some of its superiority was running out if it was willing to play possum in order to get Randidly to lower his guard And even now Randidly was still wary of what other tricks might be waiting in the Nether Ritual that was trying to plant something into Azriel and birth a weapon

IÆm willing to take that risk if I need to Randidly said tightly Then he finally let his senses extend outward toward the whirling ivory bones that seemed to form a ribcage around the beating heart of Nether below them If he was going to stop this working this was the engine he needed to foil All of that energy was spiraling up through Azriel into the tiny tight marble of Nether that Randidly began to suspect contained the CreatureÆs image

Or perhaps more accurately its memories

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 60

Even though Randidly spoke with confidence about stopping this he could only let his breath hiss through his teeth as he expended his senses to accurately feel what was going on in front of him He had some ability to manipulate Nether sure but it wasnÆt until he felt the scope of what the Creature was making here that he felt a tingle of trepidation at the prospect

The weight of the swirling Nether was immense It was easy to tell from how vast and thick the intertwining streams were that the Creature was a little less proficient than Randidly himself at concentrating it but that wasnÆt the issue here Even if the Creature could only manipulate Nether at the three star tier of density it simply had been in his Soulskill for far too long preparing for this

As Randidly looked at the Nether around him his frown deepened thatÆs why the Nether Skill she gave me was so strangely made that it conjured a portal The whole idea was probably to slowly siphon a bit away through the portal portion to fuel this Luckily I didnÆt use the Skill much but I was eventually surrounded by quite a bit of ambient Nether that would flow into me and I experimented with NetherÆs Caress quite a bit to rescue my body

You sense it IÆm sure The Creature said softly There will be consequences in trying to dismantle it So why struggle Is this oneÆs life truly that valuable

For a split second RandidlyÆs mind was scorched away by fury But he hurriedly suppressed it before annihilated the fucked up projection in front of him He forced himself not to respond to the CreatureÆs cruel words mostly because he didnÆt have a useful comeback

But as much as he hated to admit it the Creature seemed right about the size and difficulty of this demolition job Although Randidly was superior in his manipulation of Nether the sheer weight of the thing that the Creature had slowly crafted was too much for him to dismantle quickly

Even if it hadnÆt had quite a bit of time to work with Nether these engraved ivory like metal pieces that so resembled Skills having those clearly gave focus for the CreatureÆs work Once it fed Nether through them the momentum built and built until his Soulskill partially ruptured and began to flood with Nether

Of course all these issues avoided the elephant in the room and the reason that Randidly wanted to tear the Creature in front of him to pieces

Randidly looked over at Azriel her hands folded in front of her chest Her pale hair lay spread out from her head in uneven clumps She didnÆt appear injured yet that small orb of Nether drifting down toward her would likely soon change that

Her life and her Fate huh

Even so I have no choice I will not sacrifice Azriel to save myself Randidly said lightly The Creature smiled evilly at Randidly but said nothing

Releasing a breath Randidly closed his eyes and gathered every scrap of Willpower he possessed Ignition Essence Yggdrasil and the Grim Chimera all gathered around him flickering in the air as he concentrated all his potency on this one task Then Randidly began to squeeze

His head throbbed painfully and he squeezed even more tightly When he could feel his will being ground away by the motion of Nether the Grim Chimera raised its head and roared Ignition Essence began to sizzle and crackle Last but not least a light wind blew through the air filling the surrounding area with the slight rustling of leaves

Growling Randidly squeezed even more tightly He saw ash and blood soaked claws and shadows against a cave wall and beams of sunlight through warm brown branches RandidlyÆs images spread outward from him and filled the air adding their weight to the surrounding air Nether and image hissed antagonistically but RandidlyÆs images had a drop of Nether at their core grounding them

And that made all the difference

Slowly but surely the steady churn of Nether below ground to a halt Step one accomplished

Great Randidly thought as the fabric of the CreatureÆs Nether Ritual began to bulge and warp underneath the strain of so much motionless Nether Now I just need to figure out how to not flood my Soulskill with Nether kill Azriel or release the CreatureÆs image thatÆs contained within this

Typical day in my Soulskill

Chapter 1148

A tremor ran through the surrounding area as the backed up Nether began to destabilize and crackled with potency Even the huge construction of this deep pit into the ground couldnÆt withstand the cataclysmic energy reaction as the working within began to disintegrate The Nether Ritual that the Creature had created was somewhat crude and definitely not designed to simply cup this huge quantity of Nether

It had been too tightly bound to the ritual and now it had nowhere to go

Squinting upward Randidly had three immediate ideas to deal with the sudden problem of the imminent Nether explosion that was balanced precariously above his head And he needed to choose one of them quickly because like all explosions this one was likely to blast upward and annihilate everyone that had come into the Hell Labyrinth in a tide of Nether

Not that Randidly wouldnÆt probably have difficulties too but it was his Alpha Cosmos that was being held hostage by the CreatureÆs plot They would be the ones to suffer from a mistake here And as if to emphasize that point a thin crack appeared in the staircase leading up from the 50th to the floors above

The first and likely the most desperate of the plans was to bring the Nether out through his physical body and release it into the outside world He would act as a release valve that would siphon away the bubbling pressure above him that was currently beginning to warp the surrounding space

Randidly likely wouldn’t need to switch his position in the real world to do so as he was already hidden within the badlands beyond the front lines Still the flaws were obvious a touchy Aether army was likely to notice a huge quantity of Nether abruptly appearing behind their lines And then he would need to explain why he had produced so much Nether from nowhere

And its not like he could afford to watch out for witnesses while trying to corral this huge amount of Nether

For all that Lady IellayaÆs opinion toward Randidly was favorable discovering this sort of action might spell a sharp end to rose colored perspective on Randidly Which would expose him to some of the wider threats on the frontlines that he had thus far avoided Even though Ileot Swacc had stated that he only wanted to be friends with him Randidly didnÆt trust that man at all

The second option was to use the Aether Crossroads in his chest to produce enough Aether to counteract the Nether here Although the two energies had found an equilibrium inside of his body that was because the Nether and the Aether were two sides of the same coin Randidly himself served as the conduit between them Although this Nether had slowly been gathered within him it likely was not related to him and should conflict with Aether in the usual way

RandidlyÆs hair had grown long enough that the stirring winds caused the black strands to sway messily across his forehead Even with his imagesÆ assistance it was incredibly difficult to maintain the current balance as the loss of momentum to the Nether caused it to simply sink down pressuring Randidly with raw weight Which of course was patently impossible Nether was energy it couldnÆt possess weight

And yet With a strained grunt Randidly adjusted his stance and glared upward at the laws of physics violating energy

Again the problem with using Aether was the sheer amount of Nether that was present here Randidly could produce Aether quickly but not this quickly If he opened himself up widely enough to address the Nether before it collapsed he would risk exposing himself to the strange urgency of expansion that lay within the energy release If he wasnÆt careful he could be completely consumed by it In the same way that the Nether Wells he absorbed had been before Randidly had brought them around

Of course that ignored the same problem that was present in plan number one Randidly would likely release some significant amount of Aether out of his body in the real world and come back to find that everyone was shocked at his ability to produce Aether He had already served out his punishment as a Heretic but that was ignoring the truth of that label

What Randidly could do wasnÆt truly Heretical The System only named him as such because it had no other way of understanding what he could do Even though the people that Randidly slowly encountered were powerful they all were tied to the System

It seemed his Aether Crossroads made him very very special

And Randidly did NOT what to give Ileot Swacc another reason to desire his body

Another shuddering groan escaped RandidlyÆs lips He clenched his jaw so hard the muscles began to spasm in his cheeks His hands flexed as he raised them to give a physical guide to the effort he put toward balancing the Nether above him

The third plan was the most daring And it would solve several of RandidlyÆs problems at once The gist of it was to gather all the abundant Nether here annihilate the working that the Creature had been shaping to plant a weapon in Azriel and create a Nether Ritual that would only be RandidlyÆs

Likely the result could be the creation of the focus that Randidly had been wracking his brain over for the Grim Chimera With that focus in his pocket Randidly could return to his body and put the finishing touches on the Yggdrasil focus while slowly allowing the memories from the hiltless blade to prepare him for what the Ignition EssenceÆs focus would be

Another tremor ran through the air this one much louder than the previous one The extremely ornate platform on which they were standing shuddered as it was forced to endure more weight than it was designed for Jade obsidian and silver cracked beneath RandidlyÆs feet Even the Creature was beginning to pale as the density of Nether in the surrounding area began to warp the space around them

It was an exceedingly peculiar feeling Randidly reflected Due to his Nether Modification it wasnÆt too uncomfortable for him to endure but he could feel the way that the Nether was trying to press all of the space together in the surrounding area into one point When the Nether was free to choose its own path Randidly could suddenly sense how it wanted to destabilize the surrounding area and create a singularity

Which was a whole different issue and probably just as dangerous as allowing the Nether to spread out and slowly corrode the people of his Soulskill faster than they could develop Skills to resist its effects

Gritting his teeth RandidlyÆs emerald eyes flared and his images became so vivid and detailed that it was nearly impossible to tell them from actual physical presences next to him The branches of Yggdrasil creaked and a low hissing breath of ash escaped the Grim Chimera’s mouth Together all four of them pushed against the fraying Nether Ritual and once more set the thing spinning

In the opposite direction

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 61

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Ritual has grown to Level 86

The Nether resisted at first simply by virtue of its immobility but slowly it began to trudge in reverse of its previous path The huge mass of Nether below began to suck Nether back into itself both the runoff that flowed up to the surface and the dense strands of Nether that passed through Azriel toward that dark seed that the Creature had created

There were a few more tremors through the ground around them but as the Nether began to move things normalized to a low roar of momentum Of course the Nether RitualÆs destruction was hastened as Nether forced its way through it in reverse but it still bought Randidly some time

Because the problem with the third plan was that a dual trap was laid by the Creature in it If he created his focus with this bead it had prepared some powerful portion of the CreatureÆs will would be at the core of it And if he attempted to remove that piece of the CreatureÆs will before he made his focus that image that the Creature had sacrificed would once more go back into its hands

And Randidly had difficulty believing that a weaponized Creature would calmly let him foil its plan

Randidly glanced sideways at the Creature ItÆs grey eyes only slightly lighter than the grey and stern hair of its new form remained fixed on Randidly Do you yet hesitate It is a sign of weakness that you still cannot make this choice Is it too hard for you Well there will be no gradual easing of difficulty after this You might bear my weapon but the weight of responsibility waiting for you will only grow

This was RandidlyÆs Soulskill and he had had enough Now that the Nether was maintaining itself somewhat reversing its motion through the Nether Ritual Randidly flexed his authority This was his body All here was within his domain This was the Alpha Cosmos born of his flesh

And he demanded that the Creature leave

There was a soft gust of wind The whole of existence around him trembled

Nothing happened It was like RandidlyÆs mental fingers tried to find purchase on this foreign existence within the Alpha Cosmos and only scrambled against marble It seemed that the Creature fit perfectly into a hole that Randidly didnÆt even know existed It was flush with the edges of him Which was a result that certainly hadnÆt happened the last time that the Creature had invaded his Soulskill

The Creature continued talking as though it hadnÆt even noticed his efforts to evict it until the day comes that you can truly fulfill your Fate You can end this System that has persisted far beyond its limits

Randidly didnÆt respond to the Creature still shaken by the previous failure No what had shaken him was exactly how little effect his attempt had It hadnÆt even noticed Otherwise the Creature would definitely gloat He was missing something here For all that he had dominated the Creature in terms of power that was only due to it having given its image to this unraveling bead in front of him He could not allow himself to forget that again

This was still an ancient monster whose understanding made it extremely dangerous

Rather than focusing on this foe that he was fighting Randidly turned his attention toward Azriel in this fleeting moment as the Nether howled above him in a gliding motion His senses spread out across her body trying to quickly determine if she was alright The short answer was yes but the more he looked at the changes that had occurred within Azriel the more Randidly gritted his teeth

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 62

Her mind hadnÆt been touched by the Nether but her body had been thoroughly modified It was now apparent that all of Azriel had been slowly been groomed by the Nether passing through her to become a bubbleÆ for the dark marble that had been floating down toward her Now that the grand Nether Ritual was unwinding that process had been stopped But the energy passing through Azriel continued to slowly taint her physical presence with Nether

It was somewhat impressive that AzrielÆs body accepted the changes so harmoniously Randidly couldnÆt detect a sign of corrosion between the Nether and Aether that she was But she had almost completely become a creature of Nether Much more so than Randidly who maintained a balance that was quite favorable to Aether inside of himself

Perhaps that was why even the Creature was so impressed RandidlyÆs eyes were worried as he scanned his friendÆs body for any signs of NetherÆs touch It seemed that whatever her master had done had weirdly prepared her for this Or given her a persistent flaw that allowed this to happen

Yet RandidlyÆs revery was interrupted as AzrielÆs eyelids fluttered After a second of confusion her clear crimson eyes flashed and focused on him for a split second Then she pursed her lips and scanned the area around them

Randidly hated speaking like this in front of the Creature but some part of him just didnÆt care His voice was raw with emotion as he said Azriel are you alright

Although she didnÆt really seem able to move her clear gaze conveyed her thoughts quite effectively as she locked eyes with Randidly All part of the plan

Chapter 1149

Randidly couldnÆt help but laugh at AzrielÆs rather ridiculous claim that this was all part of the plan Which drew a sharp glance from the Creature but the unexpected release did a lot to improve his mood Even with the Nether howling above and large chunks of the Nether Ritual falling away and deteriorating around him Randidly Ghsthound grinned at Azriel This was your plan

Then he reached out mentally sliding easily through the thick aura of Nether that had seized AzrielÆs body to reach her mind more directly Even if the Creature had somehow inserted itself into the fabric of the Alpha Cosmos to resist his eviction efforts Randidly still possessed the same intimate connection to all of the beings of his Soulskill When Randidly reached his mind and AzrielÆs touched to each other

They connected instantly

Time slowed around them as their thoughts accelerated Not fast enough that they had an infinite amount of time to discuss what was occurring but enough for Randidly to check in on how Azriel was doing And to find out why the hell she would plan for this

To his surprise when Randidly entered into AzrielÆs mind he found himself sitting in a small room lined with warm colored stone pillars There was an ornate table accented with gold and two couches upholstered with a bright and lively colored pattern reminiscent of spring Azriel primly took a sip from a bright orange teacup and regarded Randidly with her typical serious expression

Well although the details were a bit more convoluted than I would have liked Azriel admitted as though her ending up being warped into an open vessel by Nether was as simple as misreading the weather But yes I had a sense this would come to pass That there was trouble stemming from this place

Knowing there was trouble you came here anyway And you didnÆt mention your sense to me at all when we met while you were heading to this place Randidly did his best to push down his rising irritation I could have helped Azriel If I had a little warning could have ripped the Creature out of me before it had the chance to do this And now

WerenÆt you rather busy with your own problems Azriel asked dryly She set her cup down on the saucer and rotated it so the handle was point slightly away from her person

To that question Randidly didnÆt have any satisfactory answer To be honest he had spent the last several days either resting or fighting against the huge Nether attack But before that since the time that Randidly had returned from the Great Rift to his body there had definitely been some downtime that he had spent training or working on his images

But still the point was valid Randidly had his own concerns in the outside world Problems that he couldnÆt make light of despite Ileot SwaccÆs strange insistence that he only wanted to be friends And yet

Randidly forced his hands to relax It hadnÆt even registered when they curled into tight claws He walked slowly and sat down on the opposite couch from Azriel You know thatÆs not the point If the Alpha Cosmos was in trouble and you knew about it you should have told me I would have made time to help

Azriel picked her perfectly angled orange teacup up took another long sip and then set the cup down on the table with a soft click Now that he was near Randidly could smell the gentle touch of mint wafting up from the two steaming orange cups and the teal and orange striped pot between them Randidly IÆm going to ask you a question and I want you to answer it as honestly as you can

Blinking in confusion Randidly nodded in the affirmative

Azriel responded with her own sharp nod in response Do you think you can solve everything yourself

Very quickly RandidlyÆs mouth twisted What sort of question is that

The sort of question that lies at the heart of what is going on here in your Alpha Cosmos Azriel said lightly Even though her hands were folded neatly in her lap the tilt of her chin and her straight spine were positively combative as she held him in her crimson gaze And honestly it should be a quite simple question do you think you can solve everything on your own

obviously not Randidly finally said But this is my Alpha Cosmos ItÆs not that I can handle everything alone you obviously could have asked me and we would have worked together Do you expect me to simply let these things happen without comment

No I do not expect anything of the sort The question is just a simple matter of philosophy that IÆm going to use against you in the discussion that follows A small smile crossed AzrielÆs face So letÆs begin I believe that even you cannot deny that what this Creature has accomplished is only due to a growing flaw in your world one that emerged after you allowed these Nether energy into your existence It became a part of you but you did not give them an outlet here And this world is physically you so their presence could not be avoided By acknowledging them it appears the Creature has taken on a necessary role

So I suggest you take this new knowledge and find a way to use those energies in the way that you desire And honestly use the broader lessons the Creature is teaching you about this Alpha Cosmos so you donÆt make a similar mistake again

This time Randidly had an easier time relaxing the muscles around his jaw He even took a moment to sip on the tea in front of him I think I can see how that would work I hadnÆt thought about it but Nether is a part of me now Perhaps thatÆs why well why IÆm torn about how to solve the current problem Now that things have developed to this point there are only bad outcomes in front of us

Is that really the case Azriel flicked a fingernail against her orange porcelain teacup In this strange mental world the noise was a strangely loud and pleasant chime I have a thought about you Randidly Ghosthound You have been forced to accept so many things in the past several years that you refuse to compromise or accept an offered shortcut when it isnÆt absolutely necessary And honestly your greatest strength may very well be understanding when it isnÆt necessary to compromise

Are you really suggesting I compromise Randidly asked frostily The Creature it has killed so many individuals It experimented on thousands of people Most if not all of those individuals but I met terrible ends I was one of the few to survive It bound and manipulated thousands more to give itself those opportunities Even just talking about the souls in the previous iterations of my Soulskills No This is one of those situations where we need not compromise And we cannot afford to Not when the Creature always has the capability of making such callous decisions again

Azriel flicked the teacup again lower The sound was muted and dull in comparison to the former clear ring So the possible power you may gain from accepting the CreatureÆs image doesnÆt even enter into the discussion Is that really the attitude of one who believes that he canÆt solve everything

Azriel she wants to sacrifice your body to do it Instantly Randidly frowned finally letting the whole of his annoyance with Azriel through How can I stop and weigh some theoretical power when your life is on the other side of the scales Sure power would be useful But I donÆt need it Even if I cannot solve everything I can solve this problem in front of me

Listen to yourself I donÆt need it Æ So can you solve every problem that manifests itself in front of you Azriel interrupted Her eyes glittered as she lazily spun her teacup in her hand Forget the theoretical problems that threaten the world The problems that line up in front of you if you devote yourself to them can you solve them all

What are you trying to say Randidly asked slowly

After taking another sip of tea Azriel gave Randidly a frank look I said it to you once and its the reason that I stopped pursuing martial power The more novelties IÆve experienced outside of the thin experience of my early life the surer I have become if you could build a better future by simply being strong wouldnÆt we have reached it already Some things arenÆt about the sort of threats you can deal with by being strong

Randidly experienced an echo of the same shock he had felt when Azriel had said that to him originally sitting in that manicured garden in the Armgrast Capitol Even now Randidly didnÆt know what to say to the confidence in AzrielÆs expression Because there was some part of him that wanted to argue that she was wrong It was only due to the fact that increasingly powerful foes were circling viciously around him that Randidly needed to continue to stay strong and grow stronger Someday theoretically he would be able to set aside that power

But those words died stillborn on his lips as he looked at AzrielÆs firm expression He disagreed with her on this Yet he also trusted her and recognized her intelligence And Randidly had spoken honestly when he had said earlier that he didnÆt believe he could solve everything on his own

Even if he understood that Azriel was likely trying to guide him off of the same Path that Randidly had saved Donnyton from his voice was bitter when he spoke So you are saying be weak Allow the Creature to influence me for the possible benefit of its power

IÆm saying you shouldnÆt be so inflexible as to refuse to take a loss here Azriel said with amusement Then she raised a hand as Randidly gritted his teeth Peace I only mean a loss from your current perspective I wish to raise two points as to why it is actually not such a loss as you think

First you fear allowing the Creature to have a measure of control over you This is honestly naive Do you think that your image hasnÆt already been indelibly marked by her And your Class as well But perhaps even more than that Azriel leaned forward This is just a projection yes This projectionÆs image would be fighting against the weight of everything that you have built so far

If you let that fragment of the CreatureÆs will into you it will be bound by the bones of this place You will influence it just as surely as it will influence you Likely more so this is your home turf Just like the Creature made it here because of your past Soulskills do you think your past Soulskills have truly died You underestimate the past The Path stretching behind you has not disappeared Randidly Ghosthound

A tremor ran through Randidly

Azriel straightened My second point the Creature pointed out both the problem of Nether in your Soulskill and provided a certain type of solution use the vacuum of Nether power in your current Alpha Cosmos to produce a potent weapon Even if she has hurt you in the past those two things alone are a tangible benefit you have received You donÆt have to be on the same side eternally but do you not have the same goal To overthrow the Nexus Is it truly that unthinkable to work together

Gritting his teeth Randidly spat out More likely than not she doesnÆt truly believe I have the power to damage the Nexus She just wishes for me to be a distraction so she can hide

Is that true Does she not currently seemed resolved This time Azriel tapped her fingernail against the gold molding of the table Even faced with the knowledge that her main body is being pursued she did not falter In fact she seemed even more determined that you pick up her blade

I But again as soon as Randidly went to vehemently deny the prospect to insist that he didnÆt need to work with the Creature some part of him awakened to the fact that what he would be saying was that he could handle the problems alone Which was why Azriel had started the conversation by asking him that

Because that was the choice he was facing

And it wasnÆt that Azriel was insisting that Randidly allow a partnership with the Creature No she just wanted Randidly to look at the opportunity with clear eyes Was he not taking similar risks by using the two Fates he had obtained as foci for his own Fate

the Path you choose is your own obviously Azriel took another sip of her tea You have made it thus far by relying on yourself But do not lie to yourself if you continue down this Path you are the piece that will come under greater and greater stress Everything stems from your own power You will need to become strong enough to overcome everything If not as an individual as the fulcrum by which many forces meet All that stress will run through you

This is another Path One where you become the core of a larger assembly seeking to destroy the Nexus Not to touch a sore subject but is Vualla your partner or a partner for now A partner for before the time that you become strong enough to completely protect her

Still Randidly remained silent as emotions seethed inside of him After a hesitation Azriel spoke again

Do you truly resent the Creature that much You wonÆt even acknowledge that this is a woman that you are dealing with however old and monstrous she may be How different will you be from her if you continue down this Path for a couple of thousand years Because all you need to do is look at her to see that she followed this same logic of yours during her life and lost IÆm not asking you to forgive her because of this but can you at least acknowledge how that could have broken her

In his Alpha Cosmos standing on the platform of jade obsidian and silver Randidly slowly raised his head and gazed at the slowly unraveling seed that contained the CreatureÆs image Unwilling to give Randidly barred his teeth

Chapter 1150

Randidly knew why Azriel would make her stand He also knew why she would make her stand here it was one thing for Randidly to admit he needed help it was another for him to face the truth of those beings he would likely need to receive help from in order for that help to matter against the Nexus

The assistance of an average individual wouldnÆt be enough Those content with their lives would never gather enough power to matter

Yet this was difficult ask There was so much built up hatred and fear in his chest that he laid at the feet of the Creature for all the ways it she manipulated him over the course of his experience with the System He was a tool to her meant to be used and then cast aside To work with someone who made use of him who tried to burn everything he was and wanted to protect

Are those emotions worth sacrificing the chance to make her a tool of my own though

That was the question that Azriel asked She wasnÆt asking Randidly to trust that the Creature wouldnÆt try to betray him or use him somehow In fact she was telling him to face that possibility head on But what Azriel also wanted from him was to also face directly the benefits that might come with using the Creature or her image

The costs and benefits should be balanced Although Randidly continued to think that Azriel was rather blithely ignoring the threat on her own life through all of this

Randidly pressed his eyes closed If my Soulskills and the Alpha Cosmos by extension are truly the type of worlds that are created by being strong worlds that are habitually beset by an existential threat with the potency to shatter everything IÆve built perhaps this Path IÆve walked

Feeling that they had dithered for long enough Randidly slowly phased out of that strange tea room with Azriel Yet even as his awareness turned back toward the Alpha Cosmos and the horrible howling of the collapsing Nether Ritual AzrielÆs voice continued to whisper into RandidlyÆs ear When you were purely a being of Aether well when Aether was the dominant force it was fine that you and the Alpha Cosmos were one You were a world and a world was an individual

But as your body became increasingly comprised of Nether especially because of how fascinating the interaction is between the two energy sources there needed to be a vessel of Nether here in the Alpha Cosmos to mirror its presence in your body The Creature intends to make that a weapon and establish a balance in that manner

How do you know that Randidly asked mentally

Azriel seemed to sniff and take a sip of her mental tea Even though it was just an illusion Randidly would have sworn he could smell mint Because IÆve been here observing the changes in the Soulskill for quite a bit longer than you Most of it is conjecture but being part of this strange ritual has made me strangely connected to the broader situation in the Soulskill This Nether is a peculiar substance

Randidly shook his head as a huge chunk of the spine of the Nether RItual above groaned and collapsed Nether began to freely spurt out and douse their area in even more dense Nether with thick globlets like a heavy fall rainstorm If such a huge chunk had broken off of a Class it would be effectively hamstrung no matter how many Levels you gained As it was it was a sign that this all was soon going to come crashing down soon

And Randidly needed to make a decision

All that Randidly had done for the past several years was to get stronger to resist the CreatureÆs next plan Or to be on the lookout for signs of the Creature and escape her next trap It was a habit he had long gotten into Although his main enemy was the Nexus the Creature embodied all the same traits that Randidly hated from the Nexus Entitlement Greed Manipulation Arrogance

Callous disregard for life It had been the physical representation of RandidlyÆs final goal on Earth It kept him motivated to grow and to refuse to let his growth slow down

Yet that thought caused Ki KunotÆs feathered visage appeared before Randidly tugging at the edges of his heart

Shaking his head Randidly tried to stem the guilt that was seeping out into his thought processes Luckily rage still roared in every bone of RandidlyÆs body as he considered AzrielÆs suggestion Following the lesson of the Creature and achieving balance in his Soulskill Bah It roared and demanded sacrifice instead Rather than give in to obtain a benefit it urged him to fight and burn everything the Creature touched to the ground

And fear slithered through his tendons and joints preserved by the visceral remembrance of how he had been bound previously by the CreatureÆs machinations Even making use of the CreatureÆs strength and knowledge seemed like a dangerous prospect

There was a truth that occurred to Randidly as he watched the black bead unwind slowly revealing the memories contained within that the Creature had donated to birth a weapon As he thought about this almost missed truth and considered it from every angle he could find no flaw in it Perhaps his perspective was simply warped but it felt impeccably true to his eyes Ignition Essence pulsed with agreement for the sudden insight

The truth was a simple one The Creature would not expect Randidly to compromise here

Perhaps that was what ultimately moved the needle of his heart the shade it needed in order to consider it as a serious option Because no matter how much Azriel might sense about Randidly needing to achieve balance in his Soulskill and the Creature providing an easy avenue she didnÆt understand the CreatureÆs abilities Randidly did

And he didnÆt doubt there was another trap hidden somewhere in this waiting for him to buck her carefully laid plans and find a way to seize her power for himself Because that was what he had always done That was what she the Creature had likely done over the course of her lifetime

Is there really any benefit to doing something that will legitimately surprise the Creature Randidly asked himself

Combined with all of the other benefits of using her power yes Randidly whispered back to himself Even if she didnÆt expect the method of me using Nether she correctly predicted it would eventually happen And to give her a genuine surprise now will make her doubt every plan she had laid thus far

ThatÆs an advantage

The threads of the dark bead parted and finally revealed the CreatureÆs donated memories In an instant transmitted across the Nether between them Randidly felt those memories as if they were his own

Just like the Creature had hinted they absolutely burned with the need for vengeance against the System They were so potent and visceral that Randidly dare not look too closely lest he get drawn into them The part of him that understood how dangerous the Creature was grew very grave as he viewed these memories They had all of the same vivid and implacable strength that the images he had seen from Nadia and Kailm possessed

If what he had seen in the CreatureÆs expression when he revealed the pursuit had been a fissure this was a direct hole to the engine of the CreatureÆs loss at the SystemÆs hands The bitterness the frustration the spasming muscles and the almost primal need to hurt something radiated outward from the memories The space around the memories seemed to be physically boiling from the palpable negative emotions that rolled outward

Yet the part of him that accepted AzrielÆs argument couldnÆt help but acknowledge how potent a weapon those memories would be

ItÆs foolish to believe I wonÆt be affected by holding those memories Randidly thought sadly What if some of that callousness infects me What if I start to treat the people of Earth in the same way The people of the Alpha Cosmos

As if he had spoken the words to her Azriel replied quietly in RandidlyÆs ear SheÆs a wounded thing that I cannot deny But you can feel how vehemently she wants her vengeance those emotions would not have been born in someone who did not care deeply about something And what you are accepting are those memories Not the current husk that bears them

The Nether Ritual shuddered and fell apart above him The memories of the Creature were completely revealed burning away the surrounding Nether and starting to cause a chain reaction that would likely send the whole space that had been compressed by Nether into a supernova like scenario And right as everything seemed to ignite both Azriel and the Creature spoke

Azriel said Trust me on this if you call and fuel this with yourself instead of allowing the Creature to orchestrate the genesis there will be a change The CreatureÆs memories of loss do not exist in a vacuum even if they are isolated now The things you have endured to get to this point were not for nothing

The Creature sneered and said So this is your choice I cannot say that I am surprised So how will you deal with

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Ritual has grown to Level 87

Just as the whole of the Nether Ritual shattered above and the huge mass of Nether began to settle into freefall toward those hideously potent memories Randidly raised his hands The three images once more surged to work Ignition Essence became an emerald fireball that settled around the entirely of RandidlyÆs body guiding him through the work His Willpower flicked outward and seized the shattered pieces of the previous ritual making them his own

Congratulations Your Skill Nether RItual has grown to Level 88

Faced with RandidlyÆs determination the whole of the surging Nether stopped dead His arms trembled from the strain A throbbing headache spiked out from his temples It was too much too soon too fast

But it was necessary

It started with hope And then it grew by faith and reaching out into the vast darkness for an answer

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Ritual has grown to Level 89

Congratulations Your Skill Nether RItual has grown to Level 90

As he held everything upon his back the shape was reassembled The bones of a similar Nether Ritual were erected Then the Nether Ritual began to greedily devour the surrounding Nether rapidly easing the burden on RandidlyÆs body And the weave of flows that Randidly created was markedly superior to the CreatureÆs as Nether began to flow once more down below the platform to that tight heart and then refine itself up through AzrielÆs body to bind the CreatureÆs memories there was much less wasted Nether

The amount that the Nether Ritual pumped up as excess to the surface was practically negligible But that did mean that the result would be that much more potent and capable than what the Creature would have created Randidly hoped that Azriel was right about the change that would happen if he shaped it himself

On the trust that Azriel was right and convinced by the stated benefits Randidly pulled deeply from himself and the bones of the Alpha Cosmos in order to fuel the ritual Even without wasting any the Nether here was insufficient so Randidly pulled from deep within this world to gather the hidden Nether and the memories were dragged up along with them

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Ritual has grown to Level 91

Randidly released a breath and let himself relax slightly The bright memories of the Creature were rapidly buried beneath the Nether and the small memories that floated upward from the bedrock of this place

Randidly was extremely nervous He regretted this decision almost immediately fearing he exposed himself to weakness due to sentimentality Yet there was one extremely convincing sign that what he had done was the right decision

Just as he predicted the Creature did not react to the reassembled Nether Ritual for several seconds Then she looked up at it rather blankly You my memories are still within that What are you doing

Chapter 1151

Her surprise wasnÆt fake For several seconds it was clear to Randidly that the Creature was completely bewildered by what she was witnessing In the same manner as the wound that opened up previously displaying to the world the real pain that the Creature felt as this Elhume pursued her RandidlyÆs current action had come as a surprise to the Creature

Honestly Randidly didnÆt know how to explain what he was doing But something within him was gradually loosening Would I have done this I wonder before I met Vualla Before she reminded me to cultivate the heart that craves strength just as much as you cultivate strength

The feelings were vague and amorphous So Randidly spoke the words he held in his heart eve knowing that they meant very little IÆm having faith

What does that mean The Creature snapped She took a short step toward Randidly but then glanced sharply upward as the Nether that filled the sky accelerated Bits of energy from all corners of the Alpha Cosmos stirred and began to slowly gather here Once more the energies of this place aligned to create something here

I hope your gamble is worth it Azriel

Before Randidly could decide what to do about the Creature a ripple spread ominously outward from the depths of the darkness below their platform Randidly closed his eyes and strained his senses but beyond the platform there was the huge clump of Nether and then only the abyss laying below them Honestly Randidly could understand how the platform was suspended here Had the Creature

Another ripple spread upward through the Nether Although he didnÆt like it Randidly focused his Grim Intuition and Nether Sensation away from the assembled Nether Ritual to identify whether the strange movements of Nether were a threat Yet no matter how much Randidly narrowed his focus he could not find the source

The reverberations travel through Nether but the source isnÆt Nether Randidly chewed on his lip and wiped sweat from his brow So what

Without any warning a figure appeared with them on the platform They faded slowly into existence shifting quickly from shadow to solid made of Nether arranged in a manner that Randidly couldnÆt wrap his head around for several seconds The figure strode easily forward to join them standing between Randidly and the Creature Wrapped around the figure was a cloak of shadows and memories fluttering lightly as the Nether Ritual slowly accelerated above them At the figureÆs waist was a familiar dagger

ItÆs you Randidly said in awe

The Spriggit ThiefÆs face was more lined than Randidly remembered but he hadnÆt seen her much leading up to her eventually death in his Soulskill The time difference in those iterations of the Soulskill meant that it was difficult to keep a firm track of what was going on within it And anyway despite all that she had done for him and that Randidly had shaped her life as she grew into her own she had never really desired much interaction with him

Randidly had always suspected that she had never forgiven him for what happened

She curtsied My my my ItÆs certainly been a while Progenitor You called and I I have answered

Before Randidly could even speak another voice interrupted Bah To think someone else beat me here It cannot be denied that I am not as renowned as I used to be But to have even this honor stolen from me

The tall and bulky form of an Earth Golem also composed of shadows that slowly settled into stone thundered forward with huge steps as he approached the waiting trio He wore a crown on his head that had been broken to preserve a continentÆs peace In his left hand he held the Scepter of Dominance and in his right he casually leaned huge Dawn Hammer across his shoulders Both were weapons that could probably shatter the platform on which they currently stood The Earth Golem Emperor Xierk Taf the man who was the only individual to have possessed the power to unite the entire Soulskill against him stood next to the Spriggit Thief and considered Randidly

itÆs because they are memories Or something like a memory

The Earth Golem Emperor stood with all the majesty at the height of his reign holding both of the two weapons that were condensed from RandidlyÆs Skills and sent into the Soulskill Yet his gaze was also filled with the dignity of one who gave his life to save his people The icon that held both faces of Xierk Taf The broken martyr The invulnerable warleader

The Earth Golem Emperor turned with a stern expression toward the Spriggit Thief You should not have appeared first The glory of arriving should have been mine The weight of history is behind me I am your elder by quite a few years

Even as Randidly felt a deep nostalgia for seeing these faces from his old Soulskills the shape of the Spriggit Thief stealing this arrival created a fragile smile on RandidlyÆs face The Spriggit Thief waved her hand Even if she had aged she hadnÆt lost her flippant attitude Does it really matter Besides you can gladly go first into this mass of meaning before I do IÆm waiting for someone

Bah trying to swindle me by offering me something I already own by right The Earth Golem muttered Then he turned to Randidly and all of his sternness fell away Without giving Randidly a chance to react he walked up and gripped Randidly in a huge hug Although his entire body was composed of Nether the stone of him felt real and warm like the Earth Golem Emperor had been waiting in bright sunlight this entire time before coming to help Randidly

When the Earth Golem finally released Randidly he spoke with a gruff voice I know the difficulty you face now what if stepping off your current Path will mean you will no longer achieve victory in the future But it was never about the victory was it It was always about the reasons you sought victory And sometimes victories come at too great a cost

Then the Emperor walked straight toward the dense threads of Nether coming up through AzrielÆs body and shifted into motes of Nether that were rapidly absorbed into the waiting gleaming bead that was slowly reforming

Very quickly more shadows began to show up They came in pairs at first Nether weaving together their guises slowly as they walked in a pirade forward but then they came marching in entire formations Their weapons were soaked with blood and ichor and when they passed Randidly each and every one of them honored him with a deep bow

Suddenly Randidly recognized them as the army that had fought off the CreatureÆs first invasion of his Soulskill There were the Weavers and the Earth Golems the White Hunters and the Spriggits and of course there were the monsters loping wildly forward between the tall columns After stopping to greet him they all marched forward and were sucked up into the bead

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Ritual has grown to Level 92

Above them the Nether Ritual continued to build up steam Rather than the almost cyclonic diaster the Creature had built in her attempt to do this RandidlyÆs was a tight orb with a tiny bead of darkness and memories being slowly created at its core The heavy pieces of engraved ivory metal slowly drifted down and settled on the platform To Randidly they were practically useless

Perhaps more importantly Randidly had no faith in them So they were set aside Randidly breathed and as he inhaled he pulled out all of the secrets from the depth of his Soulskill And then with a trembling heart did Randidly turn and look out toward the abyss below

It was only after the entire army of the dead had marched by that the man Randidly most feared came With a thundering heart Randidly stood and followed the Spriggit ThiefÆs gaze to the shadowy figure that made his way forward His flesh condensed and solidified And RandidlyÆs heart lurched when he saw this figureÆs hand still glowed a terrible blue with the power that he had borne within it

Tziech Exodus the one who had been called the Monster King who had evolved from nothing to create a country for his unfortunate people who had borne the hatred of all the other races until he had demanded their respect walked slowly forward toward Randidly with a warm smile on his face

The boy who had been called Zeke who had always wanted to be a hero and the one who had finally achieved that dream by paying for RandidlyÆs sins and destroying that projection of the Creature stopped only an armÆs length away from Randidly They looked at each other for a long moment

Randidly released a steadily breath as he studied this manÆs proud face The noise of his heart continued to be loud in his ears To see him now the Monster King was a harsh reminder that the Path Randidly had taken to grow strong had been nowhere near perfect Often Randidly Ghosthound had made mistakes that others had to pay for And perhaps that was the reason why he had been willing to give into AzrielÆs advance or at least indulge it

Seeing Tziech Exodus now made Randidly glad that he had relaxed at least a little The Monster King was a life sacrificed to the Path Randidly might have demanded to continue

The only question is whether this Path is any better Randidly glanced sideways to the wary face of the Creature

Zeke addressed the Spriggit Thief first just by smiling and extending the hand that wasnÆt burning with the strange perverted Nether of Touch form Beyond The Spriggit Thief took it smiling sweetly back the wrinkles in the corners of her eyes painting an epic of smiles that had softened this woman toward the end of her life Some part of Randidly flinched as he could see the peace this woman found at the end of her life and paired that with the knowledge that the Progenitor had no part in it

Then Zeke turned to Randidly

Once more they regarded each other silently for several seconds And to his own surprise Randidly was the one who spoke first thank you For everything I never got a chance to say that

But I got the chance to see you were thankful Zeke said softly With his free Nether blue hand he scratched his chin in wry embarrassment I wasnÆt alive obviously but I saw that my people got their own land when you reshaped the Soulskill It was the proof my people had always waited for That even if we werenÆt created we werenÆt a mistake We could wear the moniker of Monster with pride

Randidly blinked rapidly as he felt tears in his eyes I if I were stronger

You werenÆt The Spriggit Thief cut across Randidly Then she favored him with a cold glare You never were In a lot of ways you were just lucky But you paid back the debts you owed as best you could Which is why we all came when you called

Samantha ZekeÆs tone was reproving WeÆve all become a part of his legend now IÆm sure youÆve seen the shape of his struggles Is there any point and acting sour now

The Spriggit Thief folded her arms across her chest and turned her nose up at ZekeÆs gentle chide But Randidly could only blink

Your name is Samantha

Almost unwillingly the Spriggit Thief turned back to Randidly Yes What of it

that was my motherÆs name And sorry For never asking for you name Randidly inclined his head slightly

If anything RandidlyÆs apology only served to annoy the Spriggit Thief further But as she was opening her mouth to respond another voice cut across them

Hmph so you fools already arrived and all you doing is chit chatting Stand aside I didnÆt come here for him

The new voice that drifted upward from the darkness where Randidly pulled the Nether was rough and raw It was a voice that was filled with fire and ash The Spriggit Thief and Zeke exchanged a glance Zeke reached out and put a hand on RandidlyÆs shoulder the hand that burned with the CreatureÆs impure Nether We will go on ahead And donÆt be so hard on yourself You making a mistake isnÆt the end of the world we made just as many mistakes So it is to be alive ItÆs only when you refuse to acknowledge those mistakes that you will lead us to ruin

Charming Randidly managed to mutter out and then the two walked forward Zeke went first moving smoothly up to the altar of AzrielÆs body and dispersing into those clumps of Nether to be absorbed But at the last moment the Spriggit Thief stopped and turned back toward Randidly

Even as her lower body disintegrated into shadow she spoke to him I was born without a name Just like Zeke I was an orphan So even my name was stolen It came in one of those dreams we would have that were your memories percolating out amongst the denizens of the Soulskill

It was a brief memory and extremely fuzzy You were a child having your clothes straightened by a woman I suppose your mother She had a nametag on that said Samantha And I thought it was a beautiful name like IÆve never heard before

The people in the Soulskill had dreams that were my memories Randidly thought in wonder His mouth moved but he had no idea what to say

Then the Spriggit ThiefÆs torso and arms were being sucked away into the Nether Ritual and her expression softened Of all the things I stole I always felt the guiltiest about taking that name I donÆt know why I just it just felt special

It was Randidly sighed And then the Spriggit Thief was gone woven into the Nether bead

Randidly turned to face the next specter of his Soulskill that came forward when he called buoyed forward by the thousands of people that she had killed in her descent into madness They were heralded by a thick cloud of exhaust and the coppery tang of blood in the air

Although they flowed around her AltaÆs bulky figure was immediately clear amongst the other shadows that flowed upward to join the slowly being constructed core of the Nether Ritual The differences only became more stark as they became flesh and she condensed as a machine She walked forward belching smog from her exhaust ports and covered in thick riveted plates of meta Even with the metal shell it was clear her flesh was slowly being burnt away by the incinerator like engine that was in her chest

Then it changed Because in this memory form she was all of the faces of who she had been As she approached the metal slowly began to fall away

The pieces came away smoking and clanged against the ground at such a volume that it could even be heard over the howl of the Nether gathering both above and below Every step Alta took saw more of her metal panels and protections falling away revealing the red and inflamed skin beneath Yet as this reincarnation of Alta continued her flesh began to rapidly heal Metal fell away and the burns receded

By the time she had reached Randidly she could reach up and remove the helm that had given her the moniker of the Metal Queen Once more she was whole no longer bearing the scars of having been consumed by her desire for revenge

Alta Bounty regarded Randidly coolly I havenÆt forgiven you for what you have done you know For creating such a fucked up world and abandoning us in it And I still think my choice was the only logical one

With soft eyes Randidly watched Alta allowing her words to wash over him She was intense but still lovely The fire of her passion burned still bringing light to her face She was a physical presence of heat and light displaying all of the attractive pieces of the image she consumed and none of the terrible loss that was hidden beneath the surface

Perhaps the proof was in the smoking metal she left strewn in her wake to reach him

As he stayed silent AltaÆs mouth firmed into a line Pah You think this is about you No this is AltaÆs gaze went to the black marble that had once more appeared and was floating down toward AzrielÆs chest this is about that image You know what I hate That I feel so drawn to this ancient thingÆs image That she has the same terrible scars that I do That just like me she failed to accomplish what she wanted That terrible regret she carries

AltaÆs eyes flashed as she glared once more at him ThatÆs why IÆm here You are practically an observer

Without a word she continued forward So Randidly spoke to her back I would have done the same thing you did if the roles were reversed I deserved it I failed you and for the longest time didnÆt know how to apologize or help Your choice it killed a lot of people Just like my choices have killed a lot of people But the Alpha Cosmos wouldnÆt exist without you Alta You were necessary

For a split second Alta froze She snorted and shook her head still swaying on that same spot Before RandidlyÆs eyes she changed again as she turned around so that when she looked back toward Randidly she was the child who had hurried back to find her family bloody and mauled Her eyes were still haunted by what she had seen that day

Then she raised her chin and disappeared absorbed by the swirling tide of Nether

As the shadows emerging to joy the working faded RandidlyÆs eyes narrowed at the obsidian marble that was floating down toward Azriel Scratching his neck he asked mentally Are we really going to sacrifice your body to create a weapon

Azriel chuckled YouÆve seen the CreatureÆs memories and you are familiar with your own legacy that answered the call of this working Do you truly think what will grow out of that is a weapon

Chapter 1152

Randidly paused and considered AzrielÆs words Truly it was possible that what would result from this extended Nether Ritual wasnÆt a weapon

But that was when the implication of AzrielÆs words made Randidly grit his teeth in frustration There had been hints of this realization sprinkled in her entire attitude but AzrielÆs most recent statement drew RandidlyÆs attention directly to this truth You you encouraged me to take this gamble and you donÆt even know for sure what is going to happen

Randidly could clearly sense the unamused look that Azriel gave him It was just not to be worried when that mental look was juxtaposed with her coldly inert body on the dais Randidly how would I know how this would turn out Although I can sense the need I have no experience with Nether at all I simply believed that you cannot handle all of the issues yourself and that this is a good opportunity to make an ally Or at least unite under a common goal

You Randidly hissed Yet his tongue felt clumsy and thick as he attempted to express why he was so upset It was all too much To have seen the ghosts of his past Soulskill and to have been forced to admit all of the prejudice he had carried against the Creature some part of Randidly was emotionally exhausted

Piece by piece Randidly had opened up and considered the truths that he had packed away an ignored for a long time Under the urging of Azriel Randidly had displayed vulnerability and took a step back from the tight control he wanted to maintain over himself The tight control he felt was necessary in order to succeed Now to realize that AzrielÆs urging was made without even knowing the exact outcome

To feel like his vulnerability was based on trust in AzrielÆs plan and to have made so much of this choice on because of a feeling about need

But I do understand a little bit about Nether Azriel continued And is it not the case that it is always based upon faith So it is not like I donÆt possess any idea what will become of me I would not casually risk myself

RandidlyÆs gaze toward AzrielÆs still form hovered somewhere between icy and scornful And perhaps the Creature sensed the internal discussion going on between Azriel and Randidly because she finally spoke up These flimsy spirits Do you think this changes anything

Slowly Randidly turned to regard the Creature with an even look For all that he felt a great deal of worry for AzrielÆs plight he was not going to reveal that on his face Despite her earlier surprise it seemed the Creature had mastered herself and hidden her confusion for the moment And in the face of this calm and collected Creature Randidly couldnÆt show weakness

But he didnÆt miss the flinty anger in her gaze revealed this was still a choice that the Creature didnÆt expect him to make Her words were scathing as she favored him with a grimace There are deep threads of karma in those memories Threads of hatred that will bind your Path more intimately toward the NexusÆ destruction even more tightly than iron No matter what sort of pathetic emotional wrapping you put on my truth it will remain the truth you will carry my grudge against the System to your grave

She legitimately wants me to refuse to allow it within me This is aimed to get a rise out of me Randidly thought in wonder Even though he still feared how much control of himself he surrendered by accepting this memory to see her so desperately pressuring him made him truly consider allowing this to happen

Still what continued to hold Randidly back was the evident truth that the Creature was not bluffing Now that she had reminded him of karma he could feel the subtle reverberations he had learned to recognize from Lucretia emanating out from that minuscule black bead Part of the karma was his own but to RandidlyÆs karmic senses the air was thick with a seemingly infinite series of karmic ties that blanketed the area like a spider web The benefits of a thousand years of struggling vehemently against the System given leave to bloom karmically

And Randidly was supposed to easily accept that strange organism into himself

Just as he was reconsidering his position Azriel spoke again into RandidlyÆs ear The karma might be vast but just like she can use those ties to bind you can use them against her With my body as a medium

Passing karma from one person to another is not a simple thing Randidly hissed mentally His emerald eyes narrowed as he considered the tight repressed fury in the CreatureÆs stance There must be a total severing the two original individuals must either become one or the donating one will surrender all claim to the power that the karma carries And I think itÆs clear which the Creature will aim for

Your argument against allowing her strength into you is that she will have the leverage to affect your behavior That you will be bound by the karma she bears Although Randidly couldnÆt see AzrielÆs movements in the mental world because of her continued deathly stillness physically in front of him he could feel her slowly marshaling herself This was the spine that Randidly had been anxious not to see earlier but canÆt we do the same

Not to sound defeatist but even the most optimistic view of my karma would put it beneath the weight of a thousand years of the CreatureÆs Randidly sighed Then fire ignited in his eyes An interesting possibility but it was not a fight he believed he could win And also this still sets aside the whole issue of what happens to your body

IÆm not talking about using karma against her The Nether Ritual howled above the two of them It was shrinking bringing with it a subtly heavier weight to their discussion Even though nothing had really changed AzrielÆs voice warped as it passed through the thick Nether IÆm talking about using the leverage The same leverage that she used to get here

Randidly blinked What are you talking about

Now Azriel was insistent speaking confidently into RandidlyÆs ear Your fear is making this all about keeping yourself pure from the CreatureÆs influence And maybe thatÆs the smart idea But you are missing the point why did this happen It was because the Nether inside of your Alpha Cosmos needed an avatar and she inserted herself into that niche Because of that sheÆs difficult to dislodge from you currently Unless you created another avatar

Then Randidly saw it and his eyes widened you donÆt want to give birth to a weapon with your body and try to keep the Creature from using it You want to absorb her memory and take her position in my Soulskill becoming the embodiment of Nether here And sheÆs given you the karma tied to her so you can easily replace her

Still RandidlyÆs good mood didnÆt last very long His frown deepened yet it still leaves me bearing the cost of all these karmic ties to the System and you having to contend with the memories of the Creature in order to force her out Even with my SoulskillÆs history helping your side we canÆt know what will happen to you

This time Azriel just sighed I know that This was never supposed to be a perfect solution we already missed the chance for a perfect solution when we didnÆt prepare for the need for Nether in the Alpha Cosmos No we were surprised I just wanted to make sure you wouldnÆt cut off your own arm in order to spite the Creature in this moment As long as you keep looking there is a Path forward

There was an uncomfortable feeling in RandidlyÆs chest as he listened to AzrielÆs words You have a lot of faith in me

I wouldnÆt be friends with you if I didnÆt think you could handle this responsibility Azriel responded easily Let me ask you one last question what did you wish for as you made this Nether Ritual

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Ritual has grown to Level 93

For several seconds Randidly became conscious of only two things the sound of his own breathing and the terrible weight of the Nether bead that was slowly sinking toward AzrielÆs body as the Nether Ritual continued to hum along Even though the Nether had been given a small shape it was still pressing down on the surrounding space Perhaps because no Nether was escaping up into the surface of the Alpha Cosmos the density of Nether around them climbed sharply upward with every passing moment

They were becoming the core of something on this platform The core of RandidlyÆs wish One last time Randidly exhaled slowly Then he said I wished for Peace For the Alpha Cosmos For balance so that all the people who depend on me wonÆt need to struggle to survive at least once in their lifetime

Then trust that wish And as though she understood that Randidly needed time to think Azriel severed the mental connection between them She simply became the pale body in a crimson gown as a strange bead drifted ever closer to her chest

Looking up at the tight spirals of Nether coming down around the shivering platform Randidly faced the awareness that he could still shatter what he had wrought here Scatter the energy flows and reclaim the memories that he had offered up as fuel for the Nether Ritual It would not be without cost but he still possessed the capability to manage it

But he likely would not be able to do the same in twenty seconds

ItÆs momentum had risen too sharply The weaving that Randidly had orchestrated was accelerating toward a climax If he wanted to stop now was his last chance It was AzrielÆs last chance

Randidly pressed his eyes closed AzrielÆs plan was to use the same leverage that the Creature aimed against him to dislodge her In the process shore up the flaw that the Creature had pointed out to create a more well grounded Soulskill His Alpha Cosmos would be a world and a body in the outside universe with Azriel becoming a a focal point of the Nether within the Soulskill to reflect the truth that Nether was a part of Randidly

Yet as Randidly considered it such an option was better than the current state but it was still also flawed Because even if Azriel bore the weight of RandidlyÆs prior Soulskills and the CreatureÆs memories she was a light counterweight compared to a whole world Randidly and the Alpha Cosmos were one and the same It would be one thing to change the Alpha Cosmos to incorporate Nether It was quite another to make a single individual the weight of Nether in his Soulskill

Especially because she wasnÆt bound to anything like how Randidly and the Alpha Cosmos were connected

And the other reason that Randidly hesitated was because he was distantly aware of the System watching his actions here The System was a constant presence in his Soulskill giving them access to Stats Skills and Classes Even if the means were through his own lighthouses the System would no doubt be gathering information on the Alpha Cosmos the first of its kind So he didnÆt want

As seconds ticked by Randidly forced his eyes open They were as bright and emerald as a painting of spring What is within without What is without within Even if it’s not a perfect answer Azriel is right that it is probably worth the gamble Plus removing the Creature from this role is probably more important

Ignition Essence slowly grew taller around RandidlyÆs body He had a flash of inspiration

Congratulations Your Skill Nether RItual has grown to Level 94

Even as the twenty second mark Randidly had set himself passed Randidly didnÆt move His mind was racing

When he laughed the Creature looked at Randidly suspiciously But Randidly just shook his head in amusement he had seen the Path forward If you want to give me a heavy karma against the System the solution is easy I donÆt need to retreat IÆll just use that karma as a blade to cut it out of my Alpha Cosmos

Chapter 1153

As if in response to his words the surrounding Nether trembled and then accelerated even further toward its imminent completion Finally the truest spark of hope that Randidly had felt since arriving down here on this obsidian and jade and silver platform ignited the surrounding memories into action

Randidly could see the way to spin this Although it was simply a dull black marble of Nether that small object that was suspended at the core of this working began to glimmer

heh The Creature seemed to regard Randidly with obvious caution Her eyes flipped between the glimmering marble and RandidlyÆs face Even if she didnÆt possess the same Skills as Randidly the Creature could probably sense the same approaching conclusion that he could I suppose with this we can finally consider ourselves being of one mind You will bear my hatred to strike against the System I am surprised you were willing to surrender to me But

Your assistance wonÆt be necessary Randidly said softly Then he gritted his teeth and forced out the next few words But still I wouldnÆt have gotten so far without you So thank you Yystrix

That gave her a moment of pause as the thread after thread of refined Nether slithered up through AzrielÆs torso The threads were so dense that it seemed like a sinuous inky serpent was piercing up to be spun into the bead YouÆve never said my name before

Randidly just nodded And this time was just to distract you

It wasnÆt that the Creature was emotionally moved by using her name that she was distracted but rather Randidly could clearly see her calculating mind trying to gauge what was going on here So many uncommon behaviors in a row from Randidly had made her nervous

But at this point it was too late to stop The core had been formed An aura of light and images was already beginning to form slowly filtering out to form a bubble around the core The dense energy rustled the fabric of AzrielÆs crimson gown as it floated down to sink into her

You arenÆt flinching The Creature mused Her eyes instantly sharpened What are you plotting boy

Randidly grinned as the Nether bead slipped into AzrielÆs chest The Nether Ritual began to shake as it reached across the vast universe for the one thing that Randidly wished for building a bridge that he could cross to reach that place Time and space and possibility slowly spun bringing themselves into alignment Stability

The threads of the CreatureÆs karma were like the many arms of a sea anemone eternally sensing and testing its new home within AzrielÆs body Yet there was clearly a darkness to them as they began to highlight AzrielÆs weakness Azriel shivered and wrapped her arms around her torso Before they could begin to bind Randidly needed to act and create the opening he needed

So he looked at the Creature and said Should I be worried That Elhume he left an Aether mark on me when he tried to trace your true body Will he return

Elhume The Creature hissed out Her reaction was much more controlled than it had been previously but there was still a crack in her expression as she wavered Through that small chink in her armor Randidly could see both fear and a faint longing It was a name with great power that dragged the CreatureÆs focus to it despite the high stakes situation around them

But that was all the opening they needed AzrielÆs hand twitched Then her eyes shot opened and revealed crimson irises on pitch black pupil and sclera Before the heavy karma that Azriel had accepted could settle to its grim work she used it like a blunt force and smashed it against the CreatureÆs assumed metaphysical role as a focal point for Nether in the Alpha Cosmos

Randidly couldnÆt see the clash but he felt it and saw it disintegrate the confidence on the CreatureÆs face Her eyes widened You

But the Creature had given all the weight of its karma to that memory To bind Randidly but Azriel was right to point out that those bindings didnÆt just work one way Azriel controlled the reins of power now and the CreatureÆs remaining projection shivered and was suddenly supplanted Randidly could almost feel her immediate absence an ache he hadnÆt even noticed until it vanished

If he had wished it Randidly knew that he could banish the Creature from this place once more But he didnÆt want her to go not yet Suddenly his Alpha Cosmos felt a lot more whole Still this wasnÆt the end of it

Heh this was your ploy To the CreatureÆs credit she didnÆt mourn the sudden shift very long Instead she sneered at him Regardless you have now accepted my karma I hope it scalds your sensitive skin and corrodes your lungs boy

Almost as though the karma had heard the CreatureÆs words it instantly turned its sharp tips back on Azriel As she straightened on the stone dias her face was wracked by a grimace Those threads of karma had dispersed from the focused weight needed to unseat the Creature from RandidlyÆs Soulskill and now began to stab deeply into Azriel intent on binding her to that terrible hate born within it

Randidly clicked his tongue lightly The potent seed of Nether he created pulsed with power and released a wave that knocked those misbehaving threads of karma away from AzrielÆs body

The Creature cackled You wish to waste what little of your power that seed possesses to protect her It wonÆt last long That karma will not cease in its pursuit Not ever

It only has to work once Randidly replied He felt it now his own Path forward The same Path that Randidly had taken through the past five years of living in the System He raised his hand and the threads unwilling looked up to see the image created by his will a baleful blade that would cut the System Even if the greedy karma sought to tightly bind because that was what it had done all its existence Randidly offered it the other Path The threads of karma hesitated uncertain

The Path the karma had always yearned for The chance to wound the System

Because RandidlyÆs Path was subverting the natural order of the Nexus

When he started he killed the Tribulation of another Village before it had truly been released Then he had helped Lyra discover the tools to become a village spirit Randidly had created his own Class and then caused fellow humans to seize the powerful roles of Champion and Nemesis

Randidly had jumpstarted a world that had been slowly failing the Second Calamity for five hundred years and given a Village Spirit a Class

And now with a blade of karma he wanted to do something even more elaborate and bold

Ignition Essence surged upward leaving the fireball around Randidly dim but it emerged as the shape of the hiltless blade in the sky With that as the framework the karma surged forward to form a vicious edge that had the requisite sharpness to sever

Yet that wasnÆt enough Yggdrasil raised his branches and a gleaming golden hilt was formed It was sculpted smooth mahogany covered with a looping graceful script that told the entire story of this assembled blade that Randidly had created It grandly spoke of a future where RandidlyÆs Alpha Cosmos became entirely his own

Growling the Grim Chimera became the shadowy bond that held the two portions of the blade together It floated lightly downward a thing of metaphors and repurposed images so that Randidly could easily take it into his grasp Perhaps the strangest part of it was that the blade was three meters long perhaps just as long as Acri itself Randidly looked down at it in wonder The hit was warm and the blade was cold

Almost unwillingly Randidly raised the blade above his head For all that he had managed to tempt the karma with this long craved form that accomplishment also meant that Randidly wasnÆt long able to delay or everything would come unwound Then the threads of karma would find their bitter succor in AzrielÆs flesh which was exactly what Randidly was trying to prevent

That Path would not give him the future he wanted

A beautiful blade The Creature said warily But do you think you can subvert its nature enough to strike at me Or are you fool enough to truly try and cut the System itself out of the Alpha Cosmos Because it has recorded this experiment of yours without responding to it because it doesnÆt affect its bottom line But if you truly strike at the System

I know Randidly said His hands itched from the strain of keeping the blade from falling but he couldnÆt strike yet His Grim Intuition operated to its limits giving him the shape of the System that was present in his Alpha Cosmos Because he knew in his heart that the Creature was right The karma he had received from her was truly bloodthirsty And now that he activated that portion of it be needed to sate that craving

The problem was a wild strike against the System probably would be exactly the sort of action that Octavius Shrike warned Randidly against Direct interference with the System that would bring a much harsher inquiry down on RandidlyÆs head One that would likely cut to the truth of what Randidly was and the energies he carried One that Randidly couldnÆt afford to allow

Yet there were two Systems And the karma that the Creature had given Randidly was not discriminatory

Even then Randidly probably wouldnÆt trust himself to swing the sword For one because he had never used a sword in the past but the larger point was that there was no room for error in his strike If he didnÆt completely sever the overlay System it would realize what happened and likely report Randidly the same way a strike against the underlying System would And if Randidly happened to strike against the main System

There was a single line to walk

No the reason that Randidly felt he could do this was that he had added his own karma to this blade Because his karma would act as a guide

It was a secret given to Randidly by Ileot Swacc a secret now which outlined about a third of the System that Randidly could sense in the Alpha Cosmos in gleaming light That the overlay System only became possible by utilizing the principles used by the first Vualla That her incorporation of Nether was critical to its implementation

RandidlyÆs connection to the duplicated Vualla still burned strong in his chest And although they were vastly different they were two Paths from the same karma Randidly could see exactly which parts were which VuallaÆs influence was illuminated before him His shoulders relaxed

The blade began its graceful arc downward

DonÆt do it The Creature whispered desperately If you bring their attention onto yourself now everything weÆve done

Her pleas fell on deaf ears Randidly cut the System while smiling viciously

Chapter 1154

Congratulations Your Skill Sharpness has grown to Level 137

Congratulations Your Skill Sharpness has grown to Level 138

Congratulations Your Skill Sharpness has grown to Level 139

Congratulations Your Skill Sharpness has grown to Level 140

Congratulations Your Skill Sharpness has grown to Level 141

Congratulations Your Skill Sharpness has grown to Level 142

Warning Error

Warn

You fool The Creature howled with her fingers locked into a tight knot as the very fabric of space around them was cut by her own corrosive karma but Randidly ignored her voice Again this next face of the plan needed to happen immediately or there would be consequences

Once more Randidly dangled a Path in front of the karma After everything after suffering underneath the System itÆs one thing to hurt it But wouldnÆt it be quite another to take everything from it

It was a stretch This karma between the Creature and the System had never truly thought about such a possibility It had been bitter but never envious Although it did want to hurt the System it was driven by wild desperation not by sinister machinations

And very quickly it became obvious that it needed to happen For reasons that Randidly didnÆt quite explain in the split seconds after the overlay System was cut away the air began to tremble Randidly could see the way that the actual System was impacting the physical world without the intermediary of the overlay Strange ripples ran across RandidlyÆs vision

But it was only the first variance that was difficult Randidly had given the karma a shape that fit with the spirit of what it wanted even though it had been in a shape it didnÆt understand To guide it now to flow into this even more convoluted Path took a nudge but the karma that had just feasted so deeply on its bloodlust for the System was game to try anything he suggested

Azriel Randidly asked mentally

Although she still grimaced Azriel looked up toward the strange visual distortions in the air caused by the lack of overlay System and nodded Randidly had created the opening but Azriel needed to be the one to fit into the hole that had opened in the Soulskill The karma of the Creature had been awakened to the possibility but the whole point was Randidly wasnÆt going to be the one who controlled the change That was why it would bring stability to the Soulskill

What was within without What was without within Balance

Randidly was an individual who became an entire world And Azriel would be an individual who became his System Two extended bonds crossing each other and supporting one another to form the foundation of the Alpha Cosmos

The distortions flashed and pulled the terrible sense of wrongness even more widely The ripples through the air intensified With his Aether Detection Randidly could suddenly see the points where the overlay System had made the underlying System reliant on it for feedback It had slowly parasitically inserted itself into the normal operations of the System Which meant that the longer the overlay was gone the worse the distortions would become

And at some point it would cross a line that would be noticed by the System itself

Yet even as Randidly felt his nervousness spike upward Azriel raised her hands The questing threads of karma finally shivered and began to move Their meandering paths started slowly but they quickly accelerated outward They filled the sky doing an admirable job of imitating what Randidly was capable of with Absolute Grasp of Yggdrasil More and more and more threads of karma shot out from this small platform to cover his Alpha Cosmos

Those countless threads of karma all leading back to a bitter memory of regret focused on the System began to rapidly brush the System with a questing touch

It was like watching an extremely awkward first date The distortion flares in the air slowed and stuttered unable to understand exactly what was happening With an almost tender hesitance the threads of karma danced across the bare surface of the System Every now and then one touch would linger and the distortions in a certain area would disappear entirely Then with a flick the karma would hurry forward Both sides truly didnÆt understand what was occurring

how The Creature said blankly Then her expression rapidly hardened If you think I will simply let you accomplish whatever you wish with my power

Those delicate tendrils of karma suddenly flinched With his strange intimacy with the Alpha Cosmos Randidly could feel the Creature reach out with wicked claws and attempt to take back what she had earlier donated to the Nether Ritual Or even if she wasnÆt trying to steal it what she did was agitate the negative impulses It shook the delicate trick that Randidly had pulled to convince the karma that this Path was a good one

RandidlyÆs hands tightened into fists but he couldnÆt move That was part of the considered construction of this balance As soon as this became a facet of him it would no longer be the balance his Soulskill He was helpless at this point

But that didnÆt mean he had no effect As a halo of bitter hatred emerged from around Azriel to seize the karma an answer came The figure of the Earth Golem Emperor with his Hammer of the Dawn raised high above his head appeared above Azriel Then as both Randidly and the creature watched the internal struggle that danced across AzrielÆs face the Emperor lowered his hammer

What do we care about more The satisfaction of our emotions Or seeking our true goal As the Earth Golem Emperor spoke the crown he wore shattered and fell away With a heavy hand he reached up and pressed a finger to the woven hatred

His aura smashed against the halo of hatred creating a thin crack in it Just as the hatred seemed to be gathering itself to heal Zeke and the Spriggit Thief were there With their fingers stuffed into that crack the two heaved and leveraged it slowly open

The King of Monsters bared his teeth Just because something has always been a certain way does not mean that will always be the case It is difficult but trust to the future you helped build

The Spriggit Thief was much less gentle in her complaints DonÆt you dare try to steal this fucking future from me

Of course it was Alta still in her child form with her hair and arms limp and broken that struck the final blow With exaggerated slowness her specter appeared and raised her eyes to look at the vulnerability that the other three had opened in the hatred

YouÆve already failed once Have you no shame

The halo became nothing but fragments of cracked glass some remaining as dark clouds around Azriel but most drifting away And at that moment Azriel raised her head and roared

All at once the threads of karma worked up their nerve and stabbed downward into the System An electric shock shook the air causing even Randidly to wince Across the whole of the Alpha Cosmos the new overlay System began to hum to life It brought with it a string of notifications that left Randidly rather bemused

This is impossible The Creature shrieked Shaking his head Randidly flicked his will and then she was gone Randidly had wanted her here to make sure the karma didnÆt react strangely to her absence but now that things were settled the projectionÆs presence no longer mattered

Initializing New System successfully installed I donÆt believe there are any abnormalities

Ahem LetÆs work together and create a peaceful world The Alpha Cosmos will grow fruitfully with our combined efforts

Congratulations Your Agility has increased by 100

Azriel Randidly rolled his eyes And then he shook his head as her answer came in the form of another notification

Excuse me I was simply testing it Your Agility has decreased by 100

The storm of Nether around them slowly settled Randidly walked over to Azriel and considered her taking in her skin and eyes that had been dyed black by the Nether His expression was worried Can you not speak in anything but notifications any longer

I can speak normally but I just wished to familiarize myself with this sensation Azriel cracked her neck and then hopped lightly to her feet There is a vast part of myself that I suppose is the ultimate product of the Nether Ritual It controls the System I can feel it is it myself but it is also so much more

One day this Alpha Cosmos will spell the end of the Nexus LetÆs follow this Path to our grave

RandidlyÆs mouth twisted as he recognized a line that the Creature had spoken earlier Azriel coughed into her hand And itÆs clear that the CreatureÆs touch isnÆt completely removed but I believe I will be able to restrain its worst impulses Especially with the assistance of your SoulskillÆs spirits

Test

Again Randidly gave Azriel a frank look And this time she had the common decency to seem embarrassed

That wasnÆt me either Azriel whispered Which triggered a flood of notifications that echoed out across the whole of the Alpha Cosmos

So now I bear the mantle of the Progenitor For one who was Emperor I suppose this is the natural next step

Congratulations All those with the Monster Race will now receive +1 free stat points per Level

Hey Zeke No favorites We are like gods now Have some dignity

sorry All those with the Monster Race will now receive 1 free stat points per Level

Azriel coughed lightly into her hand Then she folded those hands behind her back There are a few kinks to work out obviously However I believe that I will be up to the task of managing this

Chapter 1155

Vualla paused outside of RandidlyÆs new more ornate tent and admired the heavy black leather accents that were present at the corners and at the sides of the entrance Even though it was simply a tent the location oozed authority Certainly once Randidly got his body back he hasnÆt wasted any time in getting promotions

Maybe some part of Vualla felt a tingle of jealousy but as she examined her feelings she was honestly rather pleased to find how happy she was for his success Even as an image Randidly had possessed a determined potency that had caught VuallaÆs eye He was genuine and direct before he even had the power to back it up He had been kind to her without expecting anything in return It was somewhat gratifying to see that others shared the same positive opinion of him

Of course Vualla remained wary of Lady Iellaya even as she showed Randidly her favor Despite having a few interactions with some of Lady IellayaÆs subordinates that were obviously very loyal Vualla didnÆt trust a woman who would climb on top of so many in order to seize power The methodology of her Heresy made it difficult for Vualla to be comfortable with Randidly working for her

Or are you just bitter how much you wanted to take the same Path toward strength Vualla asked herself

Shaking her head Vualla ignored the outward trappings of the tent and focused her senses to feel the energy fluctuations within RandidlyÆs temporary home The whole reason that she had come today besides her rather constant itch to seek out Randidly Ghosthound was that Lady Iellaya had reported some strange energies around RandidlyÆs tent Specifically Lady Iellaya had noticed a significant tang of Nether floating in the air

It was a subtle thing and one that oddly hadnÆt corroded the tent or the surrounding area Which was why Lady Iellaya had been able to suppress the alarm of her subordinates who discovered it Despite the fact that it felt like Nether it didnÆt seem to behave like Nether So Lady Iellaya could explain it away just as Randidly reaching the five star level But Lady Iellaya did need it to stop before anyone from headquarters discovered it and sent for Vualla to discover the cause

Vualla knocked lightly on the front of the tent aiming for the central pole so the noise of her knock carried Randidly

There was no answer And also not a hint of movement within Just as Vualla was about to push her way in to check if he was asleep the flap slid open and revealed the stretched face of Salazar O our l l leader has left again W when he c c c came back and smelled l like N n n nether I j just

Back out to the supply track Well thanks for the info Vualla nodded and favored Salazar with the warmest smile she could manage It wasnÆt that Randidly treated his subordinates badly but there was certainly a Carelessness with which he approached the subject of leadership As though the management should take a backseat to proficiency in related Skills And this specimen was a particularly egregious example of nerves Within significant reassurance his stutter rapidly escalated

But Salazar was having none of her warm reassurance After delivering the message he allowed the tent flap to swing back closed in VuallaÆs face

After suppressing an unrealistic impulse to crush the manÆs stupid snake face into the ground Vualla turned on her heel and rapidly hurried over to the supply track She moved so quickly that when she breezed past some of the soldiers they were put on alert by her quick movements But she quickly paused and used her hand to give the all clear sign before hurrying forward while flushing

Jeez look at me rushing to see a boy ugh in some ways IÆm sorta glad that father isnÆt around to see me like this

As soon as she made even the slight joke VuallaÆs chest tightened in the horrible grip of depression So much so that she stumbled to a halt and had to bring a heavy iron gauntlet up to press her forehead against the cool metal Slowly the urge to vomit receded probably too soon to make a joke like that Take it easy Vualla You are fine

It took a minute for her breathing to stabilize and then she continued out of the camp

Vualla found Randidly crouched only a short way past the supply track but hiding behind a rather big rock outcropping so that no one could directly see what he was up to From the track he was completely hidden Pale emerald flames flickered into and out of existence around Randidly and Vualla could see that he was gently moving his hands over a small object that was steadily growing in front of him

Seeing him now still hit Vualla with physical mass She could only see the side of his face but his gaze was so incredibly concentrated that she slowed to a walk as she approached Her chest felt tight in an entirely different way than she had earlier as all the things that she wanted to say to him were clamoring for the first opportunity to walk up her throat and across her tongue

Unsurprisingly he quickly noticed her despite her modest attempts to approach quietly He looked up and flashed a private smile toward Vualla it was all the invitation that she needed to move to his side

But as she approached VuallaÆs mouth twisted As she grew closer it became increasingly clear that his aura had changed It was powerful in a way that Vualla had never seen before but that was only because it appeared that Randidly had somehow managed to cleanly integrate Aether and Nether through himself

Because that scent of Nether was still swirling through his aura There were layers to RandidlyÆs aura the same several images that Vualla had seen before but to have the two energies entwined like this Despite the fact it was Randidly it put her somewhat on guard

While Vualla was approaching his attention remained intently fixed on the object in front of him Gradually VuallaÆs attention was dragged back from RandidlyÆs aura to that object as the tree he was carefully tending to grew upward at a visible pace The bright green of its budding leaves reminded Vualla of his eyes

Vualla purposefully injected some amusement into her tone as she critically scanned RandidlyÆs indirect method of injecting energy into the tree CanÆt you control plants Why do this in such a roundabout way Or why not just make an absorption array so that you lose less energy into the air

Chuckling Randidly sat back on his haunches and cracked his neck Unfortunately my ability to control plants comes with a cost any plant I touch directly will quickly turn to ash once I let go of it Which is why I need to be careful with the Skill and honestly

Randidly seemed embarrassed and scratched his cheek I donÆt know how to make an absorption array powerful enough to be helpful

Ha You are kinda a bad Heretic arenÆt you Modified absorption arrays are generally the way most people start down the Path of the Heretic But then again you never were one to take the easy Path Vualla walked to RandidlyÆs side and began to use one of the long metal fingers of her gauntlet to rapidly draw a series of runic sigils in the dirt beside them

Halfway through Vualla paused That cannot be right right You would waste so much overflow this way Better to add an intermediary array too so that the tree doesnÆt get overwhelmed by the pressure Mirrored stabilization around the core how much energy can plants absorb anyway

For several minutes Vualla got lost in the minutia of crafting the array Not only had she studied the subject extensively as a child but Vualla had gathered quite a lot of practical experience in energy utilization since arriving at the frontlines It was only due to those tricks that she had survived And she brought all of her experience to bear as she studiously crafted the array

There obviously had to be a wider containment area with all the changes to the interior of the array and then a mechanism that gathered all the energy in the containment area and provided it to the tree The delivery could be more wholistic just based on the principles of energy singularities yet that would mean that it would rely primarily on Randidly maintaining the proper energy density to control its output

Chewing the inside of her cheek Vualla continually revised her exact plans for that mechanism If I make to antagonistic flows of energy and run them against each other the pressure should refine the energy into a more consumable form The only problem is how volatile the energy will then become maybe a core array that is also powered directly by Randidly or I After all we both have the energy to spare this isnÆt supposed to be a broken Heretical array

Vualla froze as she realized that Randidly had been silent for some time She hurriedly cast her mind back and realized that she had been working furiously for several minutes Coughing she finished off a few details and took a step back from the fully three meters of array runes that she had hastily sketched out Yes well Something like this would probably suit your needs

Vualla coughed again into her hand when Randidly regarded her intently for several seconds Then he looked down at the arrays with gleaming eyes Vualla you you truly are a genius IÆve done a little with energy transformations but compared to that man my work was rough

Feeling somewhat embarrassed Vualla shrugged I havenÆt had much of a chance to work with runes since coming to the frontlines but most of what I studied when I was home was Engraving and Aether Mechanisms Although they are put into practice differently when it is internal the same sort of principles apply to how you utilize energy So it ended up being pretty relevant to how to fight especially once my images became strong enough to matter

Grinning at Vualla Randidly rapidly began to sketch out the array that Vualla had outlined around his tree There were a few times that Vualla forced her mouth to open and correct the shapes that Randidly was drawing but she was inwardly very impressed by how even his Mana distribution was

In VuallaÆs experience Mana was much harder to manage than Aether when making these sort of Engravings so to see his smooth movements was an eye opening experience And utilizing Mana as the base for the array would draw a lot less suspicion from the System

After working together for a few minutes the array was completed and hummed to life Then Vualla received her second shock as she watched Randidly absolutely dump energy into the array in order to fuel the growth of the tree Which resulted in her third shock as Vualla could see that while the tree was now growing quite a bit faster it wasnÆt that much faster

What the hell is this tree that it requires so much energy to grow Vualla asked in wonder

Randidly looked at her and then of all things he blushed ItÆs a gift But I had to do a few work arounds to get near to the flavor I wanted so itÆs a bit complicated

Still Vualla could quickly realize why Randidly was so embarrassed As the three grew she immediately recognized the stubby trunks and the spade like leaves After another minute the first small fruits began to grow out of the branches And to VuallaÆs shock the speed of growth slowed to an absolute crawl as soon as the fruits appeared

Randidly shook his head rather helplessly Yea this is the hard part I didnÆt really how much energy making the fruit into trees and then trying to harvest more fruit would take

Vualla just watched silently Because she knew what this was Randidly was growing oranges to pay her back for the entire flask that he had devoured Which made VuallaÆs eyelid twitch to remember but her heart softened as she saw how earnestly he poured his energy into the creation of these fruits

ItÆs not like it would be a problem for Eliot to get me another but for him to make me some himself VuallaÆs heart fluttered

Then it started to beat rapidly as she began to pay more attention to the amount of energy that Randidly was casually pumping out into array And from the relaxed expression on his face he wasnÆt nearing his limit

Uh Randidly Vualla finally said Are you sure you arenÆt a Heretic ThatÆs a lot of energy Like a ridiculous amount of very pure energy

Randidly the smug bastard actually had the gall to chuckle

Chapter 1156

The sheets of rain slowly eased up but it did little to improve the mood With one foot in front of the other the group trooped back across the grassland barely noticing when their foot sloshed into puddles

The air above the Order Ducis camp was heavy as their party returned from what should have been a routine Raid Boss clear They were covered with so much mud that not even the bitter tears and sweat couldnÆt wash it away The rain was finally starting to make a dent in it but the group moved with a palpable weight that seemed to even turn the persistent rain aside

For a brief second Vye held the gaze of Valor Then they both looked back toward the ground Vye cradled her throbbing left hand against her chest With a shrug of his shoulders Valor heaved his burden across his back so it was easier to bear the weight Both continued their slow slog forward with the rest of the Order DucisÆ chosen ones behind them All of the heads were lowered in failure

It was supposed to be so easy Vye thought bleakly A victory lap We the ten that were chosen to be allowed into the Order Ducis So why

But another cold rod of pain slid from her hand up her arm and Vye could only press her eyes closed and wait for the agony to pass She hadnÆt meant to rely so much on the physical ritual that had been inscribed to her arm but it had been reflex When the accident had happened VyeÆs body reacted before her mind could truly understand what was happening she had activated her Reject ritual instinctively And with more power than she had ever felt in the past

It had still failed of course Because she had run up against the one force that could never truly be rejected

Just avoided

There was a light drizzle hitting them when they arrived at the edge of the Order Ducis training ground and found Naffur Ajax and Madelyn waiting for them And honestly Vye might not have noticed that it was still raining if NaffurÆs hair hadnÆt been plastered to his skull clearly a result from waiting out in the rain for them to arrive

He looks so young Vye thought numbly as she looked at the nominal leader of the Order Ducis while Randidly was away

Still NaffurÆs face was firm Even if he was young he had already held this role for a while He glanced from Vye and then to Valor then scanned the other seven faces behind them let me see the body

With a grimace on his face Valor heaved his shoulders and brought the body around Obviously his Stats made this an easy task but sometimes weight didnÆt come from physical mass It came from memories of almost ten months working and training together being pushed to the limits of their Endurance Sweat and blood mixing all working toward the common goal

All to become heroes Or to follow the Path of one who they all believed to be a hero

Vye couldnÆt take her eyes away from ValorÆs face as he lowered the body to the ground in front of Naffur And I bet Valor is thinking the same thing as me After seeing him go like this that this man was much closer to being a hero than either of us If either of us had been worthy of that title we would have saved him

Which means we are unworthy

Naffur looked sadly down at the peaceful face of Aldo and could only sigh