LoRG 4

Randidly had his own spin on this technique

Gradually RandidlyÆs Nether Nebula slowed its rotation Then it stopped and began to spin in the other direction After a second of internal rumbling a tide of Nether surged outward through those carefully drawn pathways and filled the atmosphere of the Southern portion of their training area Almost instantly the entire area darkened as the chaotic energy dominated the sky

Those thin trails of emotion became the guild that drew the Nether down the paths of least resistance

The energy gushed like the fallout of a broken dam frothing and crashing unpredictably for several seconds as it engorged the trails left by the Aether RandidlyÆs expression tightened More and more Nether blasted out of his body gleeful for the scent of freedom after the long pooling within his Nether Nebula An inexplicable tremor ran through RandidlyÆs hands as he tried to continue his gentle guidance

Very purposefully he had constructed the framework for the Nether system in the sky above the training area So as the divergent flows bucked and crashed against each other it was in a space that wouldnÆt impact the average training session But even Randidly didnÆt expect such an explosive reaction from his Nether With gritted teeth he widened the scope of the Nether currents so some of the excess exuberance of the energy wouldnÆt smash apart the whole structure More of the sky darkened but his creation remained stable

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 321

Randidly couldnÆt help but smile as he struggled to retain control of the Nether ecosystem that he had unleashed in the sky Each individual flow was like a bloodthirsty eel struggling to escape RandidlyÆs tight control and descend toward the befuddled individuals looking up at the sky from below Heh my excuse of having Nether present in the training grounds to create exposure for the elites looks a lot better when it seems like I have control over the whole process

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 322

A bead of sweat oozed down his brow and then lightly traced the outline of his cheekbone His whole body was tensed to continue the struggle And Randidly might have continually fought and forced his will upon the Nether until it submitted had not Helen coincidentally climbed the tower to speak with him and moved within the area Randidly had given over to the Nether

At first he was horrified especially as the Nether paused and then forcefully ripped itself out of its previous moorings to rush toward her The Nether spiraled around Helen before Randidly could stop it And he knew that the presence of his Aether in the air and HelenÆs body would largely blunt the caustic effect of normal Nether but

Randidly blinked Then he narrowed his eyes After studying the suddenly meek Nether around Helen and the Nether that furiously tried to push its way forward to touch her Randidly could only sigh ThatÆs right Nether is the energy of connection Trying to build a system without any connections is impossible individuals naturally serve as the mooring points

Feeling somewhat hesitant Randidly lowered the writhing Nether System down onto the training area proper allowing it to interact with the recruits He could feel them stiffen as their bodies suddenly adjusted to the sudden sense of pressure now present in the air Even if his ambient Aether that filled the air and this Nether were compatible with each other and prevented the worst reaction it was still an alien sensation to most of the recruits

And in that brief pause Nether rushed forward and created an entirely organic network of flowing energy by using the various individuals as waypoints The energy became even rather obedient as long as it was flowing from one person to another it didnÆt mind the direction it traveled

In addition Randidly could suddenly feel a few extra motes of significance settling within his Nether Nebula as the energy system around him made its path back through his chest before spreading out once more Randidly watched the entire process with half lidded eyes The goal was to mimic the expansion of images with RandidlyÆs Nether Nebula He would use this time to examine the way that Nether moved on a broader scope hopefully providing him with enough insight into Nether that he might make some headway with a Nether Class

Perhaps sensing that Randidly was largely done with his working Helen ascended the rest of the stairs to RandidlyÆs penthouse She knocked on the door and then opened it She peered around with interest clearly sensing the movement of Nether Is this another training method for the recruits or is it just for you

both But it will require direct attention on my part to weaponize the Nether to mimic the effects of an actual Nether Beast Randidly rubbed his chin examining the way that the Nether was behaving below Perhaps based on significance some of the original flows were thinning while others were thickening Eventually smaller Nether flows became obsolete and new ones were organically born between individuals standing near each other Randidly allowed the Nether to do its work Instead he glanced at Helen with a half smile Also did you enjoy that demonstration You stabbed that recruit through the heart ItÆs rare IÆve seen someone get under your skin like that

Helen rolled her eyes That kid needed to learn a lesson but I donÆt quite think it will stick No matter how closely he comes to death if he doesnÆt die he will continue to believe he is invincible A stubborn fool If we donÆt kill him a Nether Gatekeeper surely will

IÆll work Nether into his training chamber Randidly nodded He had allowed Helen and Heiffal to head the training of the recruits but that didnÆt mean he hadnÆt been paying attention And over the past five days DiOrtho Vant was both the recruit who had improved the fastest and the only one that hadnÆt had their attitude turn for the better in the disciplined environment Twenty four hours to start and if he comes out without learning his lesson we can just leave him in there for a week Any thoughts of revenge heh those reflection chambers will keep him honest

Maybe Helen just shook her head her long braid bouncing against her back But remember that we donÆt have to just worry about him according to OctaviusÆ report VantÆs backer is one of the most ancient amongst the recruits

Randidly pursed his lips a blood drinking psychopath who rose to prominence in the Third Cohort Certainly an unsavory character who would raise a descendent to think he was invincible not caring about the consequences

Make sure you think about the consequences before you punish him too harshly Helen jabbed a finger toward Randidly I get it Randidly I really do You are getting restless staying here and training the recruits But donÆt bite off more than you can chew The rest of us wonÆt be able to survive it

Randidly waved a hand in irritation But the reason he was irritated was that Helen was right Sitting for the past few days on the Rally Station knowing that Vualla was about to be deployed against a Nether threat that had killed a Commandant one of the most powerful individuals within the military structure it made him feel like he was wasting his time here Randidly craved the chance to fight and work off the nervous energy that was filling him

It didnÆt help that the Stillborn PhoenixÆs emotional refinement meant that his emotions were becoming quite powerful Both with his images but also just for normal living All power came with a cost

Randidly forced himself to calm down In front of him stretched two and a half more long months of training these recruits And he would gladly take that time for his own training but he also craved more perspective about how he fit into the existing power structure of the Nexus After the fight with Kaan Swacc Randidly had definitely made some serious improvements That transformation wouldnÆt be complete until he had finished the Grim ChimeraÆs metamorphosis but he was strong

Exactly how strong Well

Randidly shook his head and then refocused on Helen Was there something else

Yup Helen walked over to the table Randidly had rather casually roasted some meats this morning mostly a massive boar he picked up while he had been within his Alpha Cosmos and had been steadily snacking on the result while he had worked on his Nether system She picked up a piece and confidently popped it into her mouth A second later her expression brightened and she took a few more We got another scroll requesting a meeting But this one is from Commandant Wick himself

That had RandidlyÆs attention Suddenly he wished he had delayed activating the grand Nether array for a few more days Remembering that tightly controlled madness that he had briefly witnessed in the Commandant standing over that metallic being that had his physical form destabilized to the point of being an ooze the skin on the back of RandidlyÆs neck prickled was the request as the acting head of the military efforts in the Fifth Cohort

Helen shook her head Only as a doting grandfather according to the scroll But he would like a full tour of our training facilities and the opportunity to talk at length with you right after the first inter Drill Sergeant skirmish Seems like heÆs hedging his bets The only reason weÆve been able to expand so freely is that everyone thinks we have his support right

Right Randidly rubbed his chin Well it wasnÆt like he planned on hiding what he was doing here But he did wish he would have had some more time to act without anyone noticing But Randidly supposed that was impossible he was the head Drill Sergeant As the Fifth Cohort became more of an issue he would come under more and more scrutiny

Honestly the fact that outside forces had remained quiet for the first week was quite a blessing

Oh there is one other thing I forgot Helen now holding an armful of RandidlyÆs smoked meats said as she walked toward the door That other Drill Sergeant Banum Volopposett stopped by to pester to meet with you He says the Engraving Guild is very interested in learning about some of the runes you used They are willing to assist with your experiments if you are willing to share your insight

Randidly snorted YystrixÆs Engraving methods were one of the few advantages he had If they came with Nexus Citizenship Coins he wouldnÆt mind it But otherwise

Chapter 1516

Charlotte Wick walked calmly next to Benjamin Rex accompanying the slender young man toward their destination They hadnÆt arranged to meet like this but when they had seen each other the fell into step beside each other Charlotte resigned herself to the pitstop that she knew Benjamin would make but was glad for his company

Having a companion keeps the flies away Charlotte sighed inwardly

Of all the recruits Charlotte got along best with Benjamin One reason was that he was also uninterested in the political posturing of their peers A second reason was that he also had powerful enough backing that no one pushed him And finally because they could exist next to each other without either trying to start a conversation The peace was immaculate

They walked in glorious silence letting the sound of wind through bamboo be their only accompaniment The sound of their footfalls on the dirt ground became the baseline to a calm sonata Charlotte revelled in the experience right up until the point there was a barely perceptible shiver through the air and both of them stopped

Something was coming A split second later it hit them both

While Benjamin remained rather stoic in the face of the invisible reverberation Charlotte could only accept the sickening heaviness that came with this invisible energy with a grimace For several seconds she stood as still as a status trying her best to not think too deeply about the strange sensation of other that invaded her body Her stomach flipped over urging her to vomit immediately but Charlotte stifled that impulse

In a way it felt like her skin was being peeled away but not painfully No the sensation was curiously numb But after her skin was peeled back these other perspectives slipped into the place where her flesh had once been While CharlotteÆs consciousness observed from a distance those confusing and erratic invaders inflated her skin and pretend to be her right in front of Charlotte

Her skin crawled as the sensation continued to build It was a sensation that an image could affect not at all Charlotte could only endure it She pressed her eyes closed to block out that unfamiliar vision of herself in her mindÆs eye and clenched her hands so tightly that her wrists began to ache This sensation had been occurring rather frequently over the past six hours described by the Overseers as a new training formation designed by the GhosthoundÆ Periodically everyone would experience this horrible exposure to Nether gradually acclimating them with a softened version of what they would fight against in the Fifth Cohort

If this was a softened version Charlotte certainly dreaded encountering actual Aether

But the immediately obvious truth about this array was that it didnÆt affect everyone equally or at the same time The tremor that precipitated the NetherÆs arrival was something that could be mysteriously sensed by those in the surroundings So sometimes the Nether would arrive at most of a group with tiny tremors then crash all together inside the body of the final individual leaving that person in something near a seizure

Everyone had their own experience with it too Some said it felt like their blood was turned to ice Others said that it seemed that tiny agents of darkness began to nibble at the edges of their senses until they were entirely isolated

Charlotte had the mysterious others that rushed under her skin

Over time it became obvious that the intensity these episodes werenÆt random the Nether by design or chance favored certain individuals giving them a few seconds of agonized stillness every hour The recruits had taken to calling this the GhosthoundÆs favorÆ

Charlotte wasnÆt the worst recipient but she was in the top five

Truthfully a version of Charlotte that had somehow achieved nirvana would have calmly agreed that the process wasnÆt without benefits When that strange sense of foreign observers being present in her body left Charlotte found her mind was clear and calm Her image seemed especially robust in the aftermath In addition she was gradually becoming accustomed to the sensation She recovered much more quickly afterward

But the sensation was still horrible She felt like a well used piece of leather armor worn and then tossed to the side The clarity came from being discarded and left with a strange hollow sensation in her chest

The Charlotte Wick who had been spent all her life receiving benefitsÆ from Commandant Wick didnÆt trust those benefits for a single moment

Charlotte let her breath hiss through her teeth as she raised her head and looked at the sky Those strange observers seemed to mutter to each other and roam along the length and breadth of her body Her extended muscle fibers hummed with their passage as if their invisible feet touched lightly against her bicep and quadriceps as they trotted back and forth The visitors seemed to multiply until their innumerable whispers tapped at the interior of her skull Her body resonated like the string section of the orchestra right before the show starts

Much more persuasively this time her stomach made its case for vomiting Although tempted Charlotte refused once more She clenched her jaw

After the peak the sensation began to fade One by one the strange visitors trotted their way out of CharlotteÆs body leaving her with the same sense of numb satisfaction as an intense workout The horrible otherness of her own body receded fading like a nightmare before the calm light of morning Gradually she could open her eyes Charlotte released a shaky breath

Benjamin looked at her in sympathy You are truly favored

I suppose so Charlotte sighed Then without any further comment on the incident the two turned and continued their journey forward along the dirt path She would have been quite happy to move without any further reference to the incident but to her surprise Benjamin spoke again

There is a pattern you know To the Nether arriving He blinked his pale eyes twice as though consolidating his thoughts physically in his vision Each word was exactly spoken then without hesitation Even now this is just a theory based on the infrequency of the arrival and how little time has passed but I spent my meditation hours chasing the ripples The Nether seems to flow and gather together

For a second Benjamin trailed off But then he raised his gaze and looked directly forward through the mist covered idyllic gardens in front of them to one individual in particular And then the Nether spreads out and starts the process all over again Everything is gradually funneled inward then dispersed

Charlotte pressed her lips together The few people like her were truly unfortunate But above them one recruit clearly received the most agonizing GhosthoundÆs Favor his episodes lasting for a full five minutes before he was released from the GhosthoundÆs cruel grip And no one who was near enough to experience the thunderous reverberations of the NetherÆs arrival would deny that even the worst episode another experienced was only half as violent as his

They arrived at his shabby shelter to find Raymund Ballast sitting up and panting There were no real walls to the building it was just a slanted roof on stilts to keep the rain from soaking him Currently the framing of the shelter just added the vulpineÆs pathetic appearance His luscious auburn fur was matted with sweat The ground nearby was covered with deep claw marks likely inflicted while he was in the worst of the GhosthoundÆs favor

Raymund glanced upward as the duo approached and shook himself to wakefulness His movements were still slow and seemed clumsy Charlotte and Raymund were not close but both appreciated the company of Benjamin Rex although clearly for different reasons But Charlotte was willing to get used to the VulpineÆs presence if only just because Raymund Ballast was another individual who didnÆt partake in the politicking of the training camp

Benjamin glanced at Charlotte as though apologizing for this different variety of companionship that required verbal interaction which he shared with Raymund and then looked back at Foxman It seems like the episodes are getting worse

True Raymund Ballast stood His two tails once bushy and lively now hung limply behind his body They twitched as Raymund stretched It honestly feels like the Nether is itÆs going to sound weird but digging something inside of me Like its a construction crew blasting apart something inside of me in order to create a tunnel through a mountain My Overseer Advisor says that once I have grown accustomed to what the Nether is doing it wonÆt be so troublesome

That caused Charlotte to frown and enter into the conversation Do you like your Overseer Advisor Allowing the Nether to adjust your body might be

RaymundÆs expression brightened and he stretched out his arms toward the sky it seemed clear that he welcomed the change in conversation topic Oh yes I actually think sheÆs the first Overseer to actually listen to what I am saying about my image I want to be stronger but there are some things I am just unwilling to do

Meanwhile Charlotte warily watched the Foxman move Although he looked somewhat bedraggled at the moment he was still one of the most physically intimidating individuals in the training camp He was three meters tall and his forearms and shoulders were thick with cords of muscle The Nether training might be extracting a brutal toll on him but the physical training was polishing his already significant gifts in that regard

Before she had witnessed Overseer Helen Raymund Ballast was the sort of aggressive physically impressive male that Charlotte had believed she would eventually mate with Assuming they were compatible his offspring would possess many desirable traits

Oh she doesnÆt think you should change your image Benjamin asked pulling CharlotteÆs focus back to the present

RaymundÆs bright expression faded somewhat Well she still insists I should change my mindset But she says I donÆt need to change in any particular direction Just that my image growth is clearly weak so itÆs obvious that itÆs not an effective image

The three stood awkwardly at that Despite the fact that Raymund had been the only recruit to make it to this elite group purely on merit and his initial capability was very impressive his growth since then had been rather mediocre At the moment Charlotte suspected he was still one of the twenty strongest recruits but others were swiftly catching up It was an abrupt fall from his status as fifth in the initial tournament

Again Benjamin glanced at Charlotte before he broke his silence Hum Well itÆs good that you found a good match I too enjoy my Overseer Advisor He is surprisingly observant And recently he has been teaching me a strange game from the GhosthoundÆs homeworld called bowling It apparently assists with focus and image control

Wait Charlotte blinked in shock You like your Overseer Advisor too

Raymund and Benjamin glanced at Charlotte while her features were marred by confusion Eventually Raymund scratched his cheek awkwardly You donÆt like yours

RaymundÆs disbelief somehow left Charlotte speechless Her tongue moved in her mouth for a few seconds gathering her thoughts He sometimes just DoesnÆt seem very reliable

Two days ago every recruit had been assigned a personal Overseer Advisor Their training still involved a slew of Assistant Overseers that would spar with the recruits but these new Advisors were specifically individuals they would never fight with Instead these individuals would serve as mentors interacting with the recruits during their meditation hours or time within the bamboo forest In addition they would provide recommendations as to methods to improve the recruit’s images

During the few interactions between Charlotte and her Overseer Advisor she had left the meeting with a bit of a headache Her Advisor was verbose to say the least And seemed much more concerned with his own heroic escapades than assisting with her image

Well anyway Benjamin said sensing CharlotteÆs sour mood He looked again at Raymund Are you prepared for this

Raymund grimaced Ugh of all of the individuals to be the first one to get a Darkstar Coin why did it have to be that dog but I guess I can bear it since we are getting free time to watch the redemption Have the Overseers announced what he will receive for the Darkstar Coin

Yes Benjamin smiled and Charlotte found the expression from the slender humanoid slightly creepy Vizzeret Clamman will be joining the Overseers for a training exercise He can select any five Overseers to assist him and then they will then protect Vizzeret for ten minutes From the Ghosthound himself who will be trying to kill him

Chapter 1517

When Raymund first realized what turning in the Darkstar coin would earn for that foolhardy dog he first remembered the ominous silhouette of Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound and he couldnÆt prevent himself from shivering Both the GhosthoundÆs impressive visage and the very real difficulty and effects of his newest training formation were fresh in RaymundÆs mind he couldnÆt imagine trying to stand against him Even for only five minutes

He wondered how long Vizzeret would be able to last He hoped the result would be embarrassingly short

Then Raymund’s jealousy began to fade and he held quite a bit of genuine anticipation toward VizzeretÆs struggle to survive even with Overseer help

But that thought made Raymund pause as the trio began to head to the Southern training grounds Exactly how powerful is the Head Drill Sergeant that he can overpower a group of any five of his Overseers within five minutes

The three of them walked quickly forward Raymund still wincing internally at the dull ache that ran throughout his body after experiencing the Nether array With the deeply frowning Charlotte behind him as she seemed to be reflecting on her own distaste for her Overseer Advisor the group traveled in silence It was almost comfortable

A lot of RaymundÆs sense of intimidation had been beaten out of him by virtue of simply being next to all of the so called elitesÆ in the training camp but there was something about CharlotteÆs fierce expression that made him unwilling to offend her Even now she left him slightly on edge

Gradually they joined a larger group heading South a series of exhausted and morose figures coming from the bamboo forest or from the individual training chambers As they passed the central area someone turned in a Tree Coin and an invigorating wave of energy crashed against RaymundÆs body The group released a collective sigh of relief With the lingering damage from the Nether still present Raymund savored the warm sensation of comfort that he felt from that mental energy before it began to gradually fade

As more people gathered the bubble of CharlotteÆs stormy mood was slowly suppressed by the weight of numbers The excitement of witnessing their Head Drill Sergeant fight was infectious amongst the recruits hopping from individual to individual until they were all exhibiting symptoms They had seen his images felt the capability of his subordinates and experienced his brutal training programs Now it was time to see such a capable individual in action

And at VizzeretÆs expense Raymund thought smugly

The flow of recruits soon arrived at the huge trench dug in the center of the Southern area which they hadnÆt yet had the occasion to use Wargames would start after the skirmish but for now it was just a low muddy area that they walked around to get to their own training pits Currently Assistant Overseers directed them around the edge of the massive ditch spacing themselves out as they wished to witness the challenge The three of them quickly walked along the edge until they had about thirty meters of the side to themselves

As they settled to watch the action was already beginning below Overseer Helen stood with her arms crossed as she weighed the massive grey dog in front of her like she was calculating how much edible meat hung off his oversized bones Her clear voice echoed through the surroundings as I informed you previously the rules are simple This is both a training exercise and the chance to earn a personalized lesson from the Ghosthound himself You will select five Overseers to help you fight the Ghosthound Should you survive five minutes you will receive your special lesson

But frankly Overseer Helen smirked At your current power both in terms of physical Skills and image you are nothing but dead weight It will therefore be the thankless task of the Overseers to protect you from the Ghosthound while you struggle to survive A thankless task So have you selected the five Overseers that will assist you

While Vizzeret worked his jaw below and considered his choices Raymund put his hands on his hips up above and spoke quietly I wonder how powerful exactly the Ghosthound is

I wonder that as well said a new voice Raymund twisted around and discovered that a rather scrawny reptilian that he didnÆt recognize had somehow snuck up on their group But from the reptilianÆs uniform and the subtle touches of image that radiated outward from the man it was clear that he was an Overseer Then the reptilian turned and beamed at Charlotte Miss Charlotte Took me a bit to find you DidnÆt I say that I would be waiting on the Western side of the gorge This is the Eastern side

Charlotte bowed mechanically her furred face inscrutable Advisor Salazar I apologize It must have slipped my mind I just wished to watch the challenge with my friends

Raymund tried not to look as shocked as he felt

DonÆt worry donÆt worry comradery is an important element for everyone Advisor Salazar flapped his hand and settled near the other three clearly joining them for the duration of their stay Ahem but as I was saying even we wonder how powerful the Ghosthound is these days Ahem ahem let me give you just a bit of c context There we were standing on the battlements of the GhosthoundÆs thorny castle as the Nether King invaded

ShouldnÆt we pay attention to the challenge happening below Charlotte interrupted warily

O oh I s suppose thatÆs true Advisor Salazar seemed to wilt like a flower visibly disappointed that he didnÆt get to tell his story Meanwhile Raymund was somewhat alarmed as he observed his own image in relation to this Overseer There was something about the lizardmanÆs aura especially while he was talking which put him perfectly in harmony with the surroundings And weirdly Raymund felt some of the exhaustion in his physical body beginning to heal while he was standing nearby to the Advisor

That sort of healing was something Raymund had rarely witnessed in his existence He spared a single glance for Charlotte You might complain but none of these Advisors are weak

Below Vizzeret shocked exactly no one when the first Overseer he requested was Overseer Helen She sighed in defeat but said nothing After that he cleared his throat and said Overseer Heiffal As he did so there was a rumbling chuckle from behind Raymund Heiffal is capable as a leader but his fighting style is too blunt to be useful in a challenge like this Especially against the Ghosthound He is not one you fight directly

This voice Raymund recognized so he was already bowing as he turned around Advisor Zauna Who should I select if I obtain a Darkstar Coin

Me She replied simply Then she folded her arms in a position that meant the conversation was over While Benjamin and Charlotte sparred glanced for the stony exterior of Advisor Zauna Raymund looked back below at the challenge After the two obvious picks Vizzeret listed off the names of three other Overseers that he didnÆt recognize They steadily trooped out to surround Vizzeret

Helen grinned up at the sky but her words were clearly meant for Vizzeret Are you ready You should activate your image as much as you can Because once things start there is no turning back The Ghosthound will come with the intent to kill you

Taking her advice seriously Vizzeret shook his head and unleashed his image He pawed the ground as he did so revealing his nerves A horde of gleaming golden furred dogs manifested around him surrounding him protectively These spectral dogs raised their noses and sniffed the air looking for danger

Unfortunately for that fool Zauna said quietly In an effort to make the challenge fairer the Ghosthound will come without using his images So any Perception Skill looking to catch the whiff of an image will be useless

Right after Vizzeret manifested his image the five Overseers glanced at each other and then spread out to surround the grey dog at a distance of about eight meters Each of them flared their own images to life even the weakest of which dwarfed the dogsÆ display sending a thrill of pleasure through Raymund That is until Helen unleashed the full extent of her image and the entire several hundred meter trench became a churning sea of crimson blood

Even standing just at the edge of that sea applied so much pressure to RaymundÆs body that he could barely move Overseer HelenÆs image was awe inspiring The crimson flows that lapped up against his feet felt so thick and real that a part of Raymund doubted this was an image If he were to compare this effect to what he could accomplish with his nine tailed fox

This is why they say my image wonÆt cut it Because my ethereal eternal nine tailed fox will never have the punch of this concrete existence

From the side Benjamin spoke toward Zauna Is the Ghosthound truly this overwhelmingly strong He does not even need his image to fight against us

Just watch Advisor Zauna glanced over at Benjamin with her flinty eyes The common sense of the Nexus says that the Path to power lays directly through images Randidly Ghosthound does not believe that is the case Or rather he believes that the entire self is worth cultivating as you hone your edge Now watch closely or you will miss him as he arrives

At his AdvisorÆs words Raymund rolled his shoulders and narrowed his gaze While the tides of blood churned below Raymund turned his face upward and looked for the brutal forthcoming blitzkrieg from the Ghosthound Low clouds lay overhead seeming to hint at the impending descent of a threat

The wind traced its slow progress through the dusty Southern area rubbing up against RaymundÆs fur Below the golden hounds of Vizzeret flicked their ears back and forth The five Overseers stared straight upward seeming to sense something the rest of them did not

and nothing in particular seemed to happen

Eventually Advisor Salazar giggled You t tease them too much Zauna You know the Ghosthound is going to make a show of it

As the lizardman Advisor spoke the Ghosthound did indeed reveal himself purposefully He came down slowly floating through the air toward the exhibition area The space around him bent and warped making the descent extremely smooth His person seemed to grip his surroundings so tightly that he could bend and twist them as he wished

As one all of the recruits looked at their Head Drill Sergeant and slowly began to frown Because the form that floated downward to challenge the five Overseers and Vizzeret was not the complex and strangely harmonious horror that they had witnessed when he spoke for them No this form was entirely humanoid His hair was black Both his eyes were visibly luminously emerald although it did seem to Raymund that the left eye was slightly darker

Is that really the Ghosthound Charlotte whispered

Just him when heÆs about to show off Zauna huffed but her eyes held a deep respect for the figure who alighted on the edge of the deep ditch The Ghosthound was also much more casually dressed than he had been in his display before them earlier wearing only a beaten pair of leather shorts and an angular grey chest armor In his right hand was a long spear with flaring leaves along its shaft

Watching the small movements spear Raymund couldnÆt help but blink RandidlyÆs hands were still but the weapon was undulating slowly the spear was alive

But the longer that Raymund watched the Head Drill Sergeant the more he realized that there was one other particular detail about the man that floored him After experiencing the training array for the past few hours there was no way he would miss the unmistakable tang of Nether that covered the GhosthoundÆs shoulders like a mantle And in a quantity that left him petrified

How can he contain so much Nether within his body Benjamin whispered

Salazar pounded one of his hands softly against his chest as though to clear some phlegm before speaking Hum The G ghosthound is currently a near p perfect replica of how much energy a Nether Gatekeeper has That is the foe he wants to raise you to beat In the grand s s scheme of the N nether army they are pretty common

Chapter 1518

Charlotte Wick looked in wonder at the swirling mass of Nether that hovered around the Ghosthound and felt a genuine twinge of fear The way he had warped space on the way downward took on a sinister edge His shadow was long and dark falling into the massive ditch If anything the lack of the monstrous features of his images laid bare exactly how dangerous Randidly Ghosthound was as an individual It made sense that even her grandfather would encourage her to seek this man out and try to win his favor

But then some of the details of what her Advisor had said registered with her As someone who had been in the periphery of Commandant WickÆs existence she had some understanding of the power of the creatures of the Nether And although Nether Gatekeepers were a nightmare for the average soldiers So right now he is as powerful as a Nether Gatekeeper

Advisor Zauna snorted and cast her a rather impatient glance He has as much energy as the Nether Gatekeepers girl In terms of power well at least three of the Overseers chosen could fight a normal Nether Gatekeeper to a draw Helen might be able to kill one and wound another at this point Now watch whatÆs about to happen and tell me how powerful he is in comparison to that rabble

Charlotte pressed her lips together and kept any flush of embarrassment from rising to her face Advisor Zauna was right it had been a foolish question Of course a more talented individual could do far more damage with the same amount of energy as

Charlotte paused because she realized that her own Advisor was looking at her with a sympathetic gaze Somehow the lizard manÆs eyes managed to convey donÆt take it personally Zauna is mean like that to me all the time I thought it was a reasonable questionÆ Gritting her teeth Charlotte looked away from her advisor She wasnÆt sure what pissed her off more that Advisor Salazar continued to act like he and she were very similar or that she so easily could read his intentions after barely knowing him for a few days

Again she wondered if she could switch Advisors

Luckily most of her anger ebbed as there was movement from the demonstration in front of her Even the surly Advisor Zauna straightened and focused on the Ghosthound as he lightly rolled his shoulders and then glanced down toward Overseer Helen His voice reminded Charlotte of the wind light where it touched your skin but massive in the way it managed to move the entire sky Are you prepared

Instead of answering Overseer Helen just spared a glance for Vizzeret The grey dog raised its head proudly refusing to bow before the waves of pressure that the Ghosthound was releasing The golden dogs around him followed suit I am prepared

The stone lip on which the Ghosthound had been standing shattered as though he had been an unholy apparition that had been banished from this realm by VizzeretÆs words Yet as soon as the noise of shattering stone reached her Charlotte understood that she was about to miss what happened So she pressed her lips together and activated the only Skill taught to her personally by her grandfather A WarriorÆs Poise

CharlotteÆs fingertips tingled Her pupils dilated The details before her sharpened And then and only then was she able to catch the barest blurs of the fight occurring at high speeds between the Overseers and Randidly Ghosthound

While the Head Drill Sergeant pierced sharply down toward the clearly unprepared Vizzeret Heiffal accelerated upward to meet him Meanwhile Helen twisted around seized Vizzeret by the scruff of the neck and then bodily tossed him back into the waiting arms of one of the Overseers The golden dogs turned fuzzy and then vanished Her charge taken care of Overseer Helen whipped around and glared up toward the approaching Ghosthound

Overseer HelenÆs immense image exploded into motion so many different flows of crimson energy wrapping around to bind the Head Drill Sergeant that Charlotte couldnÆt even begin to count them Yet without even seeming to break a sweat the Ghosthound ripped through them all

His body moved but Charlotte couldnÆt quite pierce through his speed to any of the details

How high is his Agility CharlotteÆs eyes widened

The Ghosthound impacted Overseer Heiffal his spear flashing Charlotte couldnÆt catch what sort of attack he used but Overseer Heiffal deflected off to the side like he was an unwanted pest Before the Ghosthound could accelerate forward and attack the still limp Vizzeret another Overseer intervened swinging a massive hammer toward the Ghosthound Meanwhile Overseer Helen stood with her eyes narrowed the crimson flows of energy around her gathering and darkening

The whole of Overseer HelenÆs image seemed to be exploding with fury but the time interval was just so short

The moments began to accelerate as the various participants became more serious Three images flared to life from Overseer Heiffal the Overseer with the Hammer and the third Overseer that was waiting behind the hammer wielder to assist with stalling the Ghosthound

The Ghosthound reached out and blocked the hammer with his bare left hand Somehow Overseer Heiffal regained his balance mid air and pounced back toward the Ghosthound from the side Charlotte wasnÆt able to tell if he had any injuries

When the GhosthoundÆs hand touched it the hammer shattered into a million tumbling pieces Simultaneously the GhosthoundÆs spear seemed to split into a dozen different serpents that lashed out at the gathering Overseers from different angles three strikes for each

Congratulations Your Skill A Warriors Poise has grown to Level 203

Still about fifty meters back from the main action VizzeretÆs paws finally hit the ground At the same moment HelenÆs feet left the ground and an enormous shadow expanded to fill the space around her body A shadowy maw ghosted silently forward in her wake CharlotteÆs eyes twitched as she struggled to follow the GhosthoundÆs movements and could only make out seven blurs where his spear used to be

Boom Boom Boom

At almost exactly the same time all three of the Overseers gathered around the Ghosthound were smashed into the ground creating three small craters The GhosthoundÆs spear once more settled into a singular weapon His bare toes touched the ground Overseer Helen rushed forward glorious and perfect in her surging momentum The crimson flows continued to seethe powerfully Charlotte was concentrating so hard her eyeballs felt like they were vibrating

The Ghosthound stepped forward even as Vizzeret belatedly flared his image to life once more The golden dogs returned but they were greatly diminished by the GhosthoundÆs influence Nether swirled around the antagonistÆs body thick and foreboding

Dunn

The arena was cut with the sound of two spears colliding For a brief instant both the Ghosthound and Overseer Helen were brought to a standstill That enormous shadow had shrieked and expended itself finally stopping the GhosthoundÆs advance Even more shocking all of the bubbling potent power of the crimson tides in the surrounding area suddenly turned sluggish Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound had completely suppressed an entire image Domain with just a GatekeeperÆs worth of Nether and so much physical power that Charlotte couldnÆt believe it

It was the only even exchange of the entire challenge

CharlotteÆs eyes were locked on Overseer HelenÆs shifting muscles She could practically feel the heat of the blood pumping through her body as she struggled to retain her balance

Congratulations Your Skill A WarriorÆs Poise has grown to Level 204

The Ghosthound recovered from the frozen moment first moving with a preternatural smoothness that more rightly fit his more monstrous body than the humanoid form he currently wore Nether or no Once more his spear became a blur Blood spurted out of her side as Overseer Helen struggled to adjust her guard By the time her eyes widened in pain the Ghosthound was moving past her

With a roar Overseer Heiffal leapt in from the side and

was smashed into the ground with enough force to bounce him a full meter back up into the air Behind them all the pieces of the shattered hammer continued to tumble through the air The GhosthoundÆs spear once more settled back into a singular fearsome entity within his right hand

In the next instant the Ghosthound crossed the distance to the final Overseer standing next to Vizzeret The Nether flowing through him followed him like a cloud corroding the images in the surrounding space

Go Charlotte couldnÆt help but whisper as she saw Overseer Helen leaving a shining trail of blood through the air behind her caught up to the Ghosthound The bearwomanÆs heart was pounding as she saw the gathering shadow

not next to Overseer Helen but beneath the GhosthoundÆs feet it seemed the brilliant Overseer had planted a trap there perhaps understanding what sort of foe they faced in the Ghosthound His pale emerald eyes turned downward

The shards of the hammer finally hit the ground tinkling lightly

Congratulations Your Skill A WarriorÆs Poise has grown to Level 205

There was no surprise in the GhosthoundÆs expression as he regarded the gathering shadow beneath his feet just a mechanical recognition of the appearance of a threat Yet somehow that expression was exactly the most chilling glance that Charlotte could imagine she had often seen a similar expression on Commandant WickÆs face when he was contemplating certain unsavory matters

BooM Crack

The shadowy image was smashed to bits by the Ghosthound with raw physical force Charlotte didnÆt need heightened senses to detect that feat the very ground beneath her feet shook from his stomp Then he twisted around and slammed the butt of his spear against HelenÆs side She adjusted and blocked but her spear still splintered from the strike and she was sent flying

Just as the last OverseerÆs image was rising Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound thrust his spear forward with no discernable time pause between his strike against Helen and his thrust The Overseer was skewered and tossed to the side

Congratulations Your Skill A WarriorÆs Poise has grown to Level 206

There was an extended moment when Vizzeret raised his grey head and met the pale eyes of the Ghosthound In the next moment there was a splatter of blood left on the ground and the huge animal was skidding across the ground its limbs broken and limp The golden dogs were shredded like paper

Time seemed to stand still as the Ghosthound stood with his spear raised gazing after his recruit as the VIP in this challenge tumbled across the ground to a stop CharlotteÆs mouth felt very very dry Overseer HelenÆs image which had become a constant crimson hue cast over the entire event gradually faded it was clear that the result had been decided

The Ghosthound frowned over toward the inert form of Vizzeret You have failed to survive for the required five minutes According to my Skill you have managed to endure for four entire seconds By all possible metrics it can be considered an embarrassing failure

Then the Ghosthound folded his arms and turned away He raised his eyes to the sky His expression was mild he didnÆt even seem disappointed However you were still the trailblazer who dared to turn in the Darkstar Coin first For that ambitious display Overseer Helen please provide him with another Darkstar Coin An opportunity to redeem yourself in my eyes In the future Perhaps far in the future

Without another word the Ghosthound opened a portal and vanished As the overt heaviness of his presence gone the watchers gradually relax Next to Charlotte Benjamin shook his head That is a cruel reward to receive

Raymund nodded in agreement The vulpine had a complicated expression on his face as looked toward the broken form of Vizzeret Only four seconds huh

Chapter 1519

Randidly returned to his penthouse apartments and the first thing he did was walk to the center table and pop a piece of smoked meat in his mouth Helen had seriously raided his supply meaning he would likely need to smoke another boar in the next few days if he wanted to keep it around as a snack But right now the main goal was to give his body something to do while his mind whirred Thoughts clicked into place like tumblers giving him a clearer view of what had occurred today

First and simplest even Randidly was surprised how far his body had come since his fight against Kaan Swacc He had always been strong overwhelmingly strong compared to most individuals who utilized Aether But in the past he would have said that it was still quite difficult to suppress a manifestation as powerful as HelenÆs image solely with his physical prowess and some Nether But now

And while the growth of his various physical passives was part of it the real culprit was the recent institution of the Nether in the training camp As Nether flowed between the various recruits significance gradually accumulated and was eventually deposited within RandidlyÆs body As a result his Nether began to gradually change Although he lost some of his own significance in exchange to fuel the process the reason the process was so valuable was that the significance released seemed to beget more of itself as it spread throughout everyone

Honestly it reminded Randidly of information he had learned about the banking industry back while he was in college Randidly acted as the central bank lending out his own significance to various individuals to get the process started Then those individuals utilized that loaned significance to improve their own lives and by extension enriched the loaned significance The more significance they had the easier it was to generate This enriched significance was passed on to others where it continued to circulate to the point that it returned to Randidly very much more valuable

In the back of his mind several new methods for attempting to create a Nether Class began to ferment He felt like he was very close to achieving a breakthrough on that front

But the big reason that Randidly was so shocked that he had silently returned to eat a few bites of meat and the reason that he was briefly distracted enough during the challenge to unleash a full strength sweep that nearly killed Recruit Clamman was because this system of significance had somehow triggered his Dreamcatcher of the Long Night

Although he had taken the memories of challenges in the past from present individuals and that had boosted his Dreamcatcher all the way to Level 99 he had never been connected to said individuals during the process With the introduction of the Nether array and although the array clearly favored recruits over Overseers for reasons Randidly hadnÆt quite figured out yet the connections had finally been present during the process

A shared moment had been saved

Congratulations Your Fatepiece the Dreamcatcher of the Long Night has grown to Level 100 Congratulations Your Fate has reached maturity

Randidly cracked his knuckles For a second he allowed himself to relish in the completion of this Fatepiece it had been a long time coming And hopefully the cost of its usage would dramatically decrease now that it had been completed It would let him deviate more meaningfully from the past without forcing him to endure a vicious headache afterward

Then he reached within his interspatial ring and removed the blank canvas that he had obtained from the tomb of Yystrix Each Fatepiece was connected to an important individual or aspect of his life The PhilosopherÆs Key was tied to himself while the Dreamcatcher of the Long Night came from his father Randidly had fought against admitting this for a long time but Yystrix had carefully shaped him to his current capabilities Whether he liked it or not she was the one who had given him the tools to survive in the Nexus

While within his interspatial ring the canvas had rolled up into a scroll To RandidlyÆs surprise there was no notification when he retrieved said scroll out of the ring But as he held it within his hands the fingertips touching the Fatepiece buzzed with potent energy

The benefits to my Leveling was a sharp increase in Focus but a small decrease in Control Randidly released a breath and unfurled the scroll It wasnÆt until the blank page was completely open before him that a notification popped into existence in front of his eyes

Congratulations You have obtained the third piece of your Fateset the Visage of Obsession Lvl 1 The Alchemist is differentiated from the common man by one simple truth he will not stop on his Path until he discovers the key ingredient to create the impossible Yet even the great Alchemist cannot completely escape the flaws of his mortal coil at least not without a reagent The Visage of Obsession is the ever shifting reflection of the AlchemistÆs determination that borders on madness To a mundane viewer it is just a painting Yet to the Alchemist it is a potent catalyst to cleave the userÆs mind from the limitations of a worldly perspective In the depths of Obsession reality begins to fragment

A strong enough desire can warp reality

Warning Once usage of the Visage of Obsession begins its use can only be delayed never stopped The user will experience ten trials that will test the limits of his obsession There will be a cost to passing each trial

Congratulations Your Fatepiece the Visage of Obsession has grown to Level 2

Randidly decisively snapped the scroll shut and snorted to himself He barely even had time to capture the now revealed vivid swirls of color on the canvas before he stored it away ItÆs a bit late to tell me that the usage can only be delayed never stopped when IÆm required to look at it directly in order to receive the notification Also I wonder what it means by trials

However unlike the prior two Fatepieces this one came with some implicit understanding of its usage even if that usage didnÆt seem immediately useful Even with the scroll closed and the details of its actual depiction hidden Randidly sensed that all he needed to do to Level the Fatepiece was to spend time looking at it As for the trials and the costs for passing them Randidly wasnÆt sure All he could tell was that the Visage of Obsession was used when he had a problem he couldnÆt solve through normal means

As soon as he had an understanding of the Fatepiece he thought about his Nether Class issues But the lack of immediate clarity was enough to make him decide that he should spend some time addressing the current problems in front of him before he committed himself to stare at the painting

First tomorrow was the first scrimmage battle between Drill Sergeants To his own surprise Randidly found that despite the current plan to exhaust the recruits before the match and make them lose he felt an impulse to change his strategy His memories of the few other Drill Sergeants that he had met meant Randidly really didnÆt want to lose

In addition there was the impending meeting with Commandant Wick who would no doubt have opinions on the outcome of the skirmish

But Randidly shook his head decisively as he put another piece of roast hog into his mouth The whole point of the Darkstar Coin demonstration and this first skirmish was to light a fire in the hearts of the recruits Hopefully this display would spark some enthusiasm toward physical training It wasnÆt enough just to follow the program They needed to push themselves

Of course Randidly didnÆt think they would approach his Nether Brawn he could easily overpower a Nether Gatekeeper at this point He had left the System limit far behind making him likely to be one of the most physically powerful individuals in the Nexus And Randidly wasnÆt going to force the recruits to take his Path to break through the System limit But getting them closer would help them survive And make it vastly easier to handle a Nether Gatekeeper

For now Randidly could only wait to see whether the Darkstar Coin would have the desired effect Heiffal would observe the recruits over the next several hours and report back whether there was any noticeable change

In the meantime Randidly wondered if he should prepare anything for Commandant WickÆs visit Either as an extra indication of his competency or as a way to distract Commandant Wick from his true capabilities Specifically he wondered if he should think of a scapegoat for the Engravings that Neveah created He somehow doubted Commandant Wick wouldnÆt have questions regarding this individual In that regard Randidly sent a question to Lady Iellaya asking for her advice

The fact that Commandant Wick had requested the meeting rather informally meant that Randidly felt less of an impetus to do either But Randidly knew himself well enough to know that this was partly his own desire to continue his training rather than preparing for this social interaction Shaking his head at his own bad habits Randidly walked to his window and looked out over the training area

A storm was brewing to the East driven partly by Randidly continuing to apply the gas to growth in the recruits’ gardens but also in response to the recruits’ emotions after the earlier demonstration Their introspection and gloom became ambient with the advent of their understanding of emotions as images even if they hadnÆt quite realized it So the heavy cloud cover was a partial reflection of their current mood

Which was fine if they were content after watching Randidly crush five Overseers that had been repeatedly thrashing them for the past week he would be concerned for their futures as soldiers

Randidly let his eyes unfocus as he looked out at the clouds and instead peered toward the flows of Nether that had become part of the fabric of the training area The dark energy glided from individual to individual right now with a feather light touch passing so peacefully through them that none seemed to notice it running through them Randidly wondered whether they understood exactly how much the fabric of their physical body was being altered by hosting even if briefly Nether

Although the truth is I donÆt really understand the long term effects either

What was interesting about the current flow was that it wasnÆt returning to Randidly in the same cycle as it had for the past several hours He could see significance building below as the Nether spun through everyone and then back on itself but it didnÆt yet return to Randidly The more Randidly observed this the more he realized that this was a characteristic of Nether rather than some defect of the system he had created

The Nether below was building to something within the hearts of the recruits and returning to Randidly would somehow spoil it Or perhaps it was better to say if he harvested it too early it wouldnÆt be ripe So the Nether had shifted organically becoming something akin to an echo chamber for whatever significance the recruits would eventually subscribe to the event they had just witnessed

Randidly rubbed his chin If I make a Nether Class the ability to organically change would need to be a part of it Having a rigid structure like a Class wouldnÆt work in fact perhaps the whole concept of Levels wouldnÆt quite capture the growth of Nether

Before Randidly could consider that concept too deeply he received a reply from Lady Iellaya Do what you think is best But know that Commandant Wick is famously unimpressed with demonstrations and even more famously critical of a subordinate that doesnÆt understand the importance of impressing his superiors

Randidly read that message several times It didnÆt seem to become any more helpful on repeated perusals Basically Commandant Wick was the damned if you do damned if you donÆtÆ type Which left Randidly shaking his head once more and walking back to the smoked meat on the table

As he popped another piece into his mouth he raised his head and peered almost directly upward into the sky Revelation energy flared to life around his eyes as he peered as far as his insight would allow into the future For the first minute he peered forward at what he should prepare for Commandant Wick but after that he shifted his attention Because while tomorrow was the Drill Sergeant Skirmish and then the visit from Commandant Wick the day after that was the day that Vualla would be deployed to the Fifth Cohort

Congratulations Your Skill Revelation of the Atramentous Threshold has grown to Level 333

Which meant that soon he could attempt to safely contact Vualla again but also that she would be exposed to danger Randidly pressed his lips together But then a thought occurred to him

He reached into his Alpha Cosmos and contacted his hitherto idle Riders He had vague plans on making them help with the training but he already had enough assistance with that due to HeiffalÆs soldiers Meanwhile

Perhaps Vualla could make use of them They had some experience fighting the weaker Nether Beasts after all

Chapter 1520

Leaving his portion of the Rally Station to attend the skirmish between recruits immediately reminded Randidly that this place had been quite a dump before he had begun terraforming his area He walked alone toward the bleak and squat grey buildings at the center of the Rally Station while Helen gleefully took the recruits through the toughest physical training exercise yet Something that would really have them primed for the upcoming skirmish

At the very least the Darkstar demonstration had the desired effect the recruits are finally taking their physical training seriously Randidly reflected as he walked up to the central buildings He flexed his hand remembering the sensation of when Helen had struck him with enough force to stall him out Plus several individuals had breakthroughs with their image The weak willed ones are finally showing signs of developing resolve Growth is clearly trending upward

He paused outside the central building eyeing the guards who seemed to dread any sort of interaction with the fearsome Head Drill Sergeant Although he didnÆt recognize the images of either of these two individuals the way they stared at the ground and imperceptibly trembled in his presence meant they had heard of his reputation

Which made Randidly feel quite awkward Not because he minded the reputation but because he had been so dismissive of Superintendent XeruthÆs missives that he legitimately had no idea where the skirmishes would take place He had wanted to come and ask these guards but seeing their expressions it seemed somewhat inappropriate for his persona to admit he didnÆt know something

Not that he had no idea where the competitions were being held Randidly could sense that the near two hundred thousand recruits and two hundred Drill Sergeants were gathered at three massive caverns in the heart of the floating Rally Station But between them all Randidly wasnÆt sure which he as the Head Drill Sergeant would be attending

Luckily Randidly was saved by a fool

Ah umm you Randidly turned and looked at the elven eared visage of LayÆmel Tuuellethe who clearly thought he had forgotten RandidlyÆs name when he had never even bothered to ask it But despite this obvious faux pas the strange Drill SergeantÆs face still split into a wide grin as he recognized him And here I thought you had been gobbled up by our Boogeyman of a Head Drill Sergeant Are you preparing for the skirmishes Indeed what a coincidence Why donÆt we head over there together Hehe I wouldnÆt mind sharing some secret training methods as we chat the growth of my recruits has been positively explosive

LayÆmel walked over and clapped Randidly enthusiastically on the back Meanwhile Randidly derived quite a bit of enjoyment from the way the watching guardÆs scaled skins turning steadily grey as they regarded the unfortunate next victim of the boogeymanÆ Gradually as LayÆmelÆs speed of pats on RandidlyÆs shoulder grew slower his expression grew more strained Ah why donÆt you lead the way friend

Shit he has no idea where to go either And also this would have been me gambling that he is in the same grouping as I am

Still at least with the presence of LayÆmel Randidly had an easy method to escape this situation He looked over toward the guards his gaze as ominous as if he were holding aloft a gravestone without an inscription Each one of them could see their fates being sealed by his gave gaze One of the guards practically tripped in his haste to hurry over S sirs how about I guide you to the location ItÆs in one of the interior training facilities

With this minor inconvenience taken care of LayÆmel once more regained his cheer Excellent excellent excellent Anyway let me clue you in on some of the more savory gossip that IÆve heard Do you know of Drill Sergeant Pellmon

Randidly shook his head and spoke in a low voice that hopefully conveyed an ambiguous and tightly controlled emotion I do not

As they moved forward behind the sweating guard LayÆmelÆs eyes practically glowed with excitement He kept fluttering his fingers outward like his arms ended in massive butterflies Oh indeed Well he is one of the most prestigious of the Drill Sergeants that was hired for this draft He worked for almost fifty years as an image purifier Very talented and powerful It would make sense that you wouldnÆt have encountered him casually yet well it seems that Pellmon has extensive exposure to our fearsome Head Drill Sergeant They are from the same homeworld

What Immediately RandidlyÆs eyes sharpened There was a slight hitch in his step as his mind started to whirr considering who this could possibly be

Seeing that he had RandidlyÆs attention LayÆmel practically oozed satisfaction as he slowly nodded He waited to speak until the gesture was finished I was shocked too It turns out that the rumors about Drill Sergeant Ghosthound being from a world that hadnÆt yet passed the Calamities yet were completely fabricated they were only thrown out there to keep us off the right track Meanwhile this Ghosthound was truly an old monster from the Fourth Cohort which explains why he is so close with Commandant Wick

As Randidly listened to LayÆmel he gradually relaxed It was clear that there wasnÆt some other individual from Expira running around achieving success in the Nexus behind RandidlyÆs back the Drill Sergeants all just seemed to be incorrigible gossips So Randidly nodded along with LayÆmelÆs enthusiastic explanations making small notes of all the different sins and traits that were ascribed to him Eventually he started removing the strange ones and focusing on the ones that amused him slightly Because there was a lot

Randidly wondered if there was a similar slew of rumors about him on Expira hopefully with a bit more truth to them

The rumors ranged the gamut from strange to shocking The Drill Sergeants said that Randidly Ghosthound has a Skill that allowed him to plant seeds of fear within his targets just by looking at them He could hear the utterance anytime anyone said his name (not that LayÆmel seemed to notice how much danger he was exposed to as he loudly explained this ability) and peer through time and space to examine their soul when someone attracted his attention

Randidly Ghosthound bathed once a month in a pool of blood that he had collected from worthy adversaries Randidly Ghosthound refused to allow windows in any dwelling in which he resided lest a ray of pure sunlight strike his body and even partially weaken his image of darkness Randidly Ghosthound collected rare metals and spent long hours training his body to discern the hardness of a material only by smell Randidly GhosthoundÆs left arm was infected with a rogue image and tried to kill him which was why he had a metal left arm

Or otherwise the current Randidly Ghosthound was a rogue image that had parasitized the original Ghosthound and sealed him within his left arm

They also said that most of his training methods involved him and his special Dark RegimenÆ assaulting the recruits while laughing maniacally They casually bet about how near death the recruits would be afterward Although Randidly didn’t want to assume the worse hearing that rumor made him wonder if he should have a talk with Helen about cruelty during training sessions

But honestly based on their improvement speed maybe its best to leave that issue to the side for now

The tidbit that LayÆmel said had been revealed by Drill Sergeant Pellmon left Randidly staring blankly ahead for several seconds after he heard it Randidly Ghosthound was a two horned goat who masqueraded as a six horned goat after killing his father and grandfather and wearing their scalps to the point that they had become a rotting part of him

Each salacious rumor that LayÆmel Tuuellethe revealed seemed to be a physical blow that landed on the shoulders of the guard who served as their guide The lizardman kept his gaze to the ground as they continued forward Randidly almost felt bad for this individual who might head back to his home tonight and wonder whether his presence during this thoughtless honesty from the elf man would draw the ire of the fearsome Ghosthound simply because of proximity Perhaps he would assume the Ghosthound would hunt him down and kill him for even witnessing this

But there was little Randidly could do The benefits of his reputation still outweighed the detriments Randidly said a silent prayer that this random guard knew a good therapist who could help talk him through his persecution complex

Of course they ended up heading to the largest grouping of individuals beneath the surface it seemed that the Head Drill Sergeant would be the keynote event at the underground battlefield that had been raging on for longest They followed a tunnel down into the depths of the Rally Station the sounds of battle echoing up from below

Randidly might have been able to figure this out on his own but he didnÆt regret the slight delay hearing these things from LayÆmel was useful Probably

Randidly drew in a breath and focused on the battle going on below him god he missed genuinely fighting The rumbles he could feel through the stones beneath his feet set his heart pounding And Randidly could sense that they were almost there Although the recruits fighting didnÆt notice that their Head Drill Sergeant was about to arrive Randidly could feel several strong individuals within the enormous training cavern fixated on him as he approached

Although he was keeping his image relatively under wraps there were at least six people that were able to detect him anyway One was the Superintendent but the rest were strangers Randidly barred his teeth Good Looks like everyone worth knowing is already here LetÆs make an impression

You donÆt need to be nervous LayÆmel said interrupting RandidlyÆs thought process Then he slapped himself on the chest Worry not With me as your companion you will certainly be able to establish yourself amongst the Drill Sergeants Ah but where are my manners What is your name again As IÆm sure youÆve noticed I am LayÆmel Tuuellethe

The guard in front of them flinched But Randidly just smiled They had reached the end of the tunnel There was only the doorway and the fighting beyond the threshold He reached out and put his hands up against the metal door as he looked over his shoulder at LayÆmel I know who you are LayÆmel IÆm Randidly Ghosthound Thank you for the information

For several seconds Randidly held LayÆmelÆs gaze He peered through his eyes to see the gradual realization that hit the elf man Because honestly Randidly was curious about what he would find within LayÆmel The manÆs timing and obliviousness in the past two encounters was suspicious

After RandidlyÆs words traveled through LayÆmelÆs ears reached his brain and he slowly digested that information in the context of the conversation they had been having on the walk down here LayÆmelÆs reaction didnÆt disappoint Behind the initial blank shock there was a wave of emotions that didnÆt quite fit with his displayed persona envy fear and genuine hatred

Aha I thought you had the tang of the Swacc Family about you Randidly turned away and pressed open the doors Instantly he blasted his image outward and filled the air around the other Drill Sergeants with a stifling weight that was subtly backed by Nether there were too many forces conspiring around him to be passive any longer It was time that he begin lashing out and establishing himself

Fighting against the other powerful individuals was the most tempting option but Randidly was able to restrain that impulse Instead he would let his recruits speak for him for now Hopefully they would be able to put up a good showing for him despite the fact that they were outnumbered five to one At least then Randidly would have the chance to try and figure out exactly how many groups were making trouble for him

After pushing open the door RandidlyÆs gaze slid sideways There was a tremor from the surrounding images but they controlled themselves and allowed Randidly to be dominant for the moment As the largest of the four underground skirmishes there were above sixty Drill SergeantÆs present They came as frost giants metallic praying mantises strangely colored humanoids and a tiger with four wings For now Randidly ignored them all His gaze looked onto Superintendent Xeruth and he made a beeline for the official

As he moved toward the pale man the Superintendent twitched visibly as though suppressing the desire to look over Chuckling Randidly strolled forward and didnÆt bother to call his attention over to him They were on an upper platform and the Superintendent was ostensibly looking over the side and overseeing the skirmish happening below

Randidly arrived next to the Superintendent aware of every eye on him He kept radiating pressure with his images but didnÆt manifest anything more than his base physicalizations Then he waited for a few minutes Only when the skirmish had a clear victor did Randidly show a slow smile toward the Superintendent I trust you wonÆt mind if my skirmish is next

That is fine The Superintendent responded woodenly Signals were released and soon the two groups were summoned to the lower area Two hundred individuals faced off against a thousand And the comparison between them was almost laughable RandidlyÆs group was clearly exhausted with many of them still breathing heavily as they waited for the skirmish to be commenced In addition they wore torn and mismatched armor which was a stark contrast to the impeccable and uniform thousand red suits of armor that RandidlyÆs recruits faced

An unaffiliated Drill Sergeant raised a bugle and sounded the start of the match

By the end of the fight Randidly could only release a frustrated groan Is that really it

Chapter 1521

Is that really it The words echoed out through the training arena At the moment no one knew how to answer that question

Superintendent Xeruth suppressed his impulse to flinch as the Ghosthound spoke beside him with such raw disappointment The manÆs presence and his ominous control over his son were already intimidating enough but Xeruth had steeled himself against the expected arrogance and endured the casual affront of having to put up with the GhosthoundÆs expansive good but not great image In essence he had made quite a few mental preparations for what he might need to deal with from the Ghosthound

Yet the bewildered disgust managed to surprise Xeruth

Below the GhosthoundÆs two hundred recruits looked just as bedraggled as they had as they arrived for the skirmish It was clear that they were bruised from earlier fights and near exhausted from the hellish training they had been enduring Superintendent Xeruth had been in contact with his son earlier in the week so he had heard some of the details of the GhosthoundÆs methods And seeing their hollow eyes and shaking shoulders his son might have underplayed how hellish the experience was It made Superintendent Xeruth have an ominous feeling about why he hadnÆt heard much from his son in the past few days

Still those bedraggled figures stood over the thousand crumpled forms of their opponents their matching armor smashed and battered They seemed just as bewildered as their Head Drill Sergeant sounded as they looked at their defeated foes

Is there a stronger group we could face Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound asked very loudly Again his voice echoed clearly out to the surrounding Drill Sergeants Before the fight that sort of question would likely have goaded one of the surrounding Drill Sergeants to aggressively speak out against him But now they remained silent the Ghosthound had sent a strong message with the overwhelming victory of his recruits

With this example made public no one could deny that there was a reason that Randidly Ghosthound headed up the elite two hundred man squad And as more and more details came out about how serious the issue was in the Fifth Cohort Superintendent Xeruth could understand why Commandant Wick thought it was necessary to bring in a brutalizer like the Ghosthound to train the elites In a way it was proof that Military High Command was taking this threat seriously

It was also proof that they had to take the previous threat seriously With the Nexus Aether Distribution Summit in Alymiyan which occurred once every ten years coming up in five months the High Command knew they needed to show results as quickly as possible to placate the populace

Then Superintendent Xeruth blinked because Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound was looking at him with his emerald eyes that were filling with increasing scorn Remembering the GhosthoundÆs question Xeruth cleared his throat Unfortunately all the other groups were matched up against each other It it wouldnÆt be fair

Hm Xeruth could feel the vibrations from the noise in his bones The Ghosthound frowned deeply but didnÆt say anything Below Xeruth could hear one of the GhosthoundÆs assistants announcing to his troops that break time was over and they needed to head back to training Without a word of complaint the troops below turned and walked out of the arena

As they did so Superintendent Xeruth panicked and frantically searched amongst the bodies for his son It was only when he found Kallum looking similarly tired but otherwise extremely healthy that he could finally relax a little Then his mind slowly turned to the issue of what he had seen in the fight

At the beginning of the confrontation the GhosthoundÆs recruits had really been outmatched Not only were they outnumbered but it immediately became clear that they hadnÆt much training in regards to teamwork With their tight formations and cohesive images the numerically superior opposing recruits had surrounded the elite squad and began to safely bombard them from afar

Yet the bombardment didnÆt have the desired effect on the elite squad Rather than being disheartened and shocked by the attacks the elite squad seemed to have a realization that was something like oh this isnÆt so badÆ Then under the leadership of a few overwhelmingly powerful recruits the elite squad exploded outward and smashed apart the carefully constructed group images with brute force

Honestly their current fighting methods were closer to Nether than Aether But their image strength was the real deal

While Xeruth had been reflecting on what he had seen the Ghosthound had been considering The humanoid with dark hair cleared his throat Every noise he made seemed unnecessarily loud especially while surrounded by so many completely silent Drill Sergeants Well this wonÆt work Arrange for well at this rate five opponents for my recruits during the next skirmish In the meantime IÆll think about how I want the battle structured Is this understood

The manÆs eyes were emerald yet there was something impossibly sharp about the determination in his gaze Despite the fact that the Superintendent didnÆt find anything overwhelming about the manÆs image there was an imperceptible heaviness to their interactions It wasnÆt something that Superintendent had felt often in his life but he wouldnÆt forget the source

Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound felt just as wild and unpredictable as a Nether Gatekeeper With the same gleeful capacity for violence

So Xeruth could only force down his disappointment and acquiesce with a nod Stay safe Kellum As long as we endure until the day you are deployed

After explaining his demands Randidly returned quickly to his own area of the Rally Station He didnÆt even bother to scan through the parting crowd of Drill Sergeants to get a good read on which openly hostile emotions belonged to who In addition he barely had time to notice LayÆmel Tuuellethe skulking in the back avoiding eye contact before he walked into the stone tunnel and pulled out his PhilosopherÆs Key

Two things bothered him First and most importantly he had felt the arrival of Commandant Wick to his training area Just the CommandantÆs arrival was enough to cause the Aether and Nether ecosystems Randidly had created to shudder Even worse the man hadnÆt bothered to wait for an invitation and instead had directly pressed forward into the Aether Engraving around RandidlyÆs base Had Randidly not noticed what was occurring and designated Commandant Wick as an ally the Commandant might have simply ripped RandidlyÆs defenses to shreds

Which at least answers the question of how effective the Aether defenses currently are against true power Randidly thought darkly But he observed the ways that Wick strained the defenses and sent the details to Neveah so she could try and improve their formula

Meanwhile the other reason that Randidly was in a bad mood was because of the performance of the opposing recruits they had entirely failed to present a meaningful challenge for his recruits He had been distantly aware that his was the eliteÆ squad which meant that most of his troops had been groomed to be capable enough Meanwhile the other recruits were desperate individuals from fading worlds in older Cohorts

The opposition had been trained in fighting in groups but it immediately became obvious that these other recruits hadnÆt been exposed to Nether The changes that Nether was making to the bodies and images of his recruits were relatively minor but it added weight to them that their opponents lacked After receiving a few blows his recruits realized that the opposition was nowhere near as dangerous as their Overseers

Their strikes were light Then like a pack of wolves that smelled blood they struck suddenly and with overwhelming force

At which point the other aspect Randidly had forgotten about took over the natural recovery of the recruits underneath the System Without the array suppressing them they swiftly began to recover Stamina By the time the fight was over RandidlyÆs Overseers were almost anxious to get them back into the array lest they need another few days to adjust to the constant image exertion to move

Plus all their images have really solidified after needing to use them for everything Randidly frowned Then he tskÆd lightly Looks like we will have to up the difficulty for the next skirmish

With those thoughts Randidly returned to the central training area where Commandant Wick was hunched over RandidlyÆs personal training pod that he hadnÆt even the chance to use yet inspecting the Engravings As Randidly closed the door behind him the massive bear man glanced over his shoulder then looked back at the Engravings Quite interesting the setup you have here Truly your physical body is impressive YouÆve passed the System limit directly

Randidly nodded slowly The CommandantÆs furry mouth twitched A pity Although you can achieve a small amount of success once you pass the limit being cut off from the SystemÆs blessings comes with hidden costs Well anyway you clearly are capable enough now But not so capable that you can survive without relying on my reputation Hm

Toward the end Commandant Wick spoke with a rumbling tone that brooked no disagreement He turned around and folded his hands behind his back while regarding Randidly directly Despite his image physicalizations the Nether Nebula that spun in his chest and anchored him with significance and his extremely high Stats Randidly felt the edges of his vision darkening as he met the gaze of Commandant Wick

The CommandantÆs aura was a study in opposition On the one hand there was an extremely demanding series of mental restraints through the Commandant that brooked no disagreement Those powerful bindings could suppress almost anything Even the dangerous scent of pure madness that hung across the bearmanÆs person

The shape of the image was still hidden but the image was so powerful that Randidly didnÆt need to witness it directly in order to sense some of the broader strokes

RandidlyÆs heart rate increased and his hands grew sweaty as he resisted the radiating waves of pressure Each second saw him violently assaulted by the horrid madness that raged underneath the cage of the CommandantÆs image Very deliberately the Commandant was testing Randidly

Randidly was powerful but before someone who genuinely possessed an irresistible image he still fell a bit short His hands curled into claws His Nether Nebula spun trying to steady his images but Randidly couldnÆt muster enough dominance in the surroundings to generate his own images to fight back

Yet Randidly refused to back down even as the CommandantÆs dark eyes seemed intent on smashing him into the ground breaking him open like an egg and poking through his secrets Randidly raised his chin and forced himself to speak You bet on me when you believed the Nether Invasion was a small matter but now that it is important you are unwilling to take the political hit by admitting that you knew nothing about my capability You are greatly relieved by my success right

Emerald eyes met black ones

Congratulations Your Skill Conviction of the Smiling Horror has grown to Level 355

I see we understand one another The CommandantÆs face broke into a wide smile that showed his wide and thick yellow teeth His image receded like he had drawn a curtain across an open window to the deepest pit of hell And considering what you displayed in the skirmish today I believe we will have no problems cooperating Truly I appreciate capable subordinates Randidly Ghosthound Results will matter first in the military Do not forget that

Chapter 1522

After seeming to get the measure of Randidly through their brief confrontation the CommandantÆs attitude eased immensely He then moved directly to the other purposes for his visit First he asked whether Randidly would require additional Aether to fuel his Engravings to assist in the training of the recruits Clearly he was now willing to provide more legitimate assistance than just his reputation Although there wasnÆt much spare as Head Drill Sergeant he was entitled to some amount of energy allotment

Without thinking Randidly denied him there was no point in polluting his area with sub standard System Aether Then the Commandant chuckled darkly Heh so the crime that caused you to be conscripted is accurate You are a Heretic There are no problems with your status just know that I will thoroughly annihilate you if it ever comes to light you stole Aether from your recruits Because those recruits are also my recruits

From the way Commandant Wick glanced at him while he said that the threat at the end was just lip service Randidly couldnÆt even sense the slightest stirrings of the aggressive CommandantÆs emotions as he said it This meant that what was more important was whether such an act was discovered than whether it occurred That austere suppression apparatus that controlled WickÆs madness apparently didnÆt rid him of his cruelty

Results will matter first Randidly thought with a chill

The second reason for the CommandantÆs visit was more practical Commandant Wick wanted to ask whether Randidly could arrange the elite soldiers be arranged in ten person Squads prior to their deployment After examining the sporadic reports from the Fifth Cohort Military High Command had some idea of the Nether numbers Essentially things werenÆt looking good for the recovery efforts

Twenty capable squads was the least Military High Command thought it needed to stabilize the situation

The goal would be to have each ten person squad capable of surviving the assault of three Nether Gatekeepers for a significant portion of time and of killing a lone Nether Gatekeeper given the chance Randidly could of course guarantee that he could create five such squads without thinking the top five recruits might be able to manage that themselves at the end of their training But to have all twenty of the squads reach that level

The Commandant stared at Randidly with mild eyes while he considered that task Somehow the Commandant when he was acting mundane was just as unnerving as when he displayed his erratic madness Eventually Randidly forced himself to nod It should be possible But I have to ask Which task is more important Killing one or surviving three

Surviving against three Nether Gatekeepers The Commandant rumbled

Which meant that he would need to have a talk with Helen and begin pushing the training in that direction But it also meant that the situation in the Fifth Cohort was even worse than Randidly had heard from Lady Iellaya

The last topic that Commandant Wick brought up was the one that took Randidly by surprise and was also the most distasteful to him In effect Commandant Wick told Randidly in no uncertain terms that if the situation in the Fifth Cohort dragged on for longer than planned he would represent Commandant Wick at various political functions This would be considered paymentÆ for the favor of getting Randidly the job

Although from what I hear that wasnÆt exactly what happened RandidlyÆs face twitched

Despite his general skepticism toward WickÆs claims of being owed a debt he didnÆt try and refuse the pronouncement From Commandant WickÆs perspective Randidly was likely an ambitious young man with loose associations with Lady Iellaya due to coming up to his Commandship underneath her Now he was in the Nexus looking for means to advance

Letting Randidly serve as a political stand in would serve Wick two purposes The first would be to bind Randidly more tightly to him in the public perception Even if Randidly wanted to join some other faction in the future other individuals would be suspicious of him for bearing Commandant WickÆs touch so strongly

In addition it would in theory at least give Randidly a taste of what living under the umbrella of military high command would mean With all the honor and benefits that came with it Meanwhile there was no reason for Commandant Wick to suspect that Randidly was part of a secret cabal to overthrow the Nexus and the young manÆs acceptance hinged more on access to the upper levels of the Nexus

Edraine would likely be very unamused if Randidly didnÆt make use of such an opportunity

The only downside was the fact that Randidly would need to attend fancy Nexus dinner parties Or whatever the equivalent was here Which left Randidly feeling helpless and frustrated

But after that Commandant Wick left for other business Almost immediately Randidly couldnÆt help but such in a deep breath the air tasted so clean and pure it was like he was drinking from a melt water stream coming down from the mountains Randidly was shocked by how much he relished the lack of pressure after the bearman left While idly wondering whether he would be able to reproduce such an oppressive aura with an Engraving to increase his training difficulty Randidly acknowledged that most of his eagerness to fight someone had been squeezed out of him by that interaction

Being near Commandant Wick was a reminder that the difference was still too vast He would need to improve before he could stand up against the truly powerful

So Randidly began making preparations to head into an extended training session Even if he stalled out in his investigations of the Grim Chimera and the principles of Nether he could still push his raw Skill Levels upward Each additional Level was a slight increase in effectiveness Eventually those slight increases would lead to a qualitative change

He had come this far through gradual and consistent training He wasnÆt going to deviate now

Randidly contacted Helen and Heiffal to give them the goal of splitting the various recruits up into squads and have them be able to survive against three Nether Gatekeeper Then he contacted Edraine and talked a bit about what Commandant Wick had told Randidly That conversation turned out to be rather illuminating because she gave Randidly some information on the broader situation in the Nexus

Randidly had seen basically none of the proper Nexus due to how quickly things had moved when he arrived and his commitment to training but the situation in the Fifth Cohort was having some unintended consequences Beyond the ring of teleporters that Randidly had initially arrived on there were Outer Realms floating in space which basically amounted to giant middle class residential complexes And individuals with homeworlds in the Fifth Cohort formed a large percentage of the population in some of these mini cities

As the situation in the Fifth Cohort worsened alarm quickly spread

Under normal circumstances the discontent might have been vocal but ultimately without teeth but widespread Aether rationing since the creation of the Seventh Cohort combined with the fact the Aether yield from this Cohort was unable to keep up with the Nexus expenditures meant that there was already quite a few individuals who resented the Nexus They were all too happy to arrange destabilizing demonstrations questioning the decisions of Nexus leadership

The leaders of these demonstrations urged that the Nexus accelerate its timeline for armed intervention against the Nether threat Otherwise two and a half months from now the entire Fifth Cohort might be obliterated

After she relayed that news Randidly was silent for almost a minute before he sent a message back Reflecting on his meeting with Commandant Wick he recalled worry and grim determination in the military man Perhaps also a little bit of pride But there had been little genuine fear or empathy in his expressions Just so we are clear do we know if the Fifth Cohort is a net positive for the Nexus in terms of Aether

Edraine replied almost immediately Of course it is currently a drain on the resources of the Nexus

Randidly pressed his eyes shut At that moment he was back on Tellus as the hordes of the Second Calamity invaded He stood on the Hallat and constructed a vast Engraving formation that allowed him to slaughter the soulless drones And then afterward he had taken a shovel and dug graves

By the time he had attained the power to make a difference so many had already died Even now that feeling of emptiness haunted him

Very often in life Randidly was so busy with tasks he needed to accomplish that he never stopped and reflected on how he felt His heart silently bore the wear and tear of living without rest as he threw himself into one battle after another He was unfeeling only because he simply forced himself to process everything at light speed not worrying about how it was affecting him

But this situation in the Nexus this was not what he wanted This was exactly what he didnÆt want To become a part of the Nexus leadership that might make the cruel calculation to delay action for a broader benefit while sacrificing lives in the process Randidly raised his right hand and pressed it against his chest His heart ached

Yggdrasil hated the loss of life The Grim Chimera solemnly bowed his head acknowledging the struggles of other creatures to survive in this brutal world The Stillborn Phoenix continued its heavy breathing It may no longer howl in the same way but its eternal obsession with accomplishing the impossible remained steadfast

This cruel world must be changed

Gradually RandidlyÆs eyelids fluttered and then slowly opened His eyes at that moment were luminous and green His three images swirled together driven by what he didnÆt want and Randidly could faintly feel the edge of what he did want With that as the base utilizing three images at once

For now Randidly didnÆt grasp at that emotion to affirm his theory of image cooperation He simply stood and allowed himself to experience those feelings He needed power Utilizing three images at once was a method to achieve great results but the only way he would continue to improve was to work on his images It wasnÆt even about allowing the Grim Chimera to evolve what he needed to do was refine the potency with which he believed in those images altogether

His Conviction of the Smiling Horror was overwhelmingly powerful one of the highest of his Skill Levels But it still wasnÆt enough He could push it higher

Randidly drummed his fingers on his legs For now the plan would be to spend the next three weeks until the next skirmish refining his own images During that time he would simply allow what was occurring with the Nether flows in the training areas to continue unimpeded When he came out of his seclusion he could study the results

Perhaps he could even use the principles he observed to create a larger version of the Nether system that he could spread across his Alpha Cosmos And an array on that scale would likely form a firm foundation for a Nether Class

Randidly flexed his fingers and looked down at the Engraving in front of him Time to see how effective these training pods really are

Chapter 1523

DiOrtho Vant roared in challenge and spread his arms out wide His flesh rippled and trembled as he allowed his signature Skill to do its bloody work Across his the span of his back his flesh began to ripple and tear as weapons forced themselves past the confines of his person and into the air carrying with them bits of shredded flesh as a testament to their journey

A broadsword with a line of gold along the center of the blade pierced directly out of DiOrthoÆs left shoulder blade and proudly dribbled blood across his back A two headed ax cut out just above DiOrthoÆs right hip Two spears with their white tassels stained with blood pressed up out of his shoulder

And at the core of him that deafening foundry continued to churn prepared to create more and more until he could grasp victory

Congratulations Your Skill Infinite Armaments has grown to Level 269

His shoulders heaved as blood dripped down and mixed with the mud of the pit He eased up on the Skill allowing his body to settle into this facsimile of a metallic and war mongering hedgehog

While his body trembled with something akin to ecstasy from the combination of pain and power of his image DiOrtho reached up and seized a middling sword with a slight curve to it that was pocking out of his right side The weapon cut into his hand as he seized the blade and ripped it all the way out of his body His side throbbed as he casually flipped the sword to grab the hilt He flexed his hand trying to squeeze out all the pesky blood that was making his grip slippery

Opposite the unflappable flame elemental Jieu Ronault tilted his head to the side as he considered DiOrthoÆs display You truly are a masochist Is all of this sacrifice necessary for a spar

DiOrtho sneered All power requires sacrifice That attitude is why IÆm the strongest and you are not

Jieu didnÆt even bother to respond to the blatant provocation Instead he gestured sharply and conjured six pillars of frozen flames around DiOrthoÆs position DiOrtho rolled quickly to the side then pounced forward at his foe Moving as smoothly as a conductor motioning his string section to raise a single note Jieu slid sideways out of DiOrthoÆs path He then brought his hand up and a sea of flames fluttered weakly across the whole of the surroundings

Although JieuÆs strange flames appeared mild and somehow slowed the ram demon had personally experienced their power The heat they released was localized but overwhelming

Still DiOrtho ignored the defensive Skill and tightened his grip on the sword in his hand Some aggressive instinct in his chest told him that this defensive move wouldnÆt be enough As long as he hit hard enough he would overwhelm the flame elemental So he planted his feet and he swung that random sword still perhaps two meters away from his sparring partner

The abomination of metal and gears that belched out smog in his chest groaned

Congratulations Your Skill Fang of the Ancient Machine Horror has grown to Level 267

There was an ominous buzzing as DiOrthoÆs slash cut through the air At the same time a massive mound of clicking gears and servo engines loomed over the battlefield Jieu noticed the viciousness of the impending attack and raised the field of too still flames to a greater height but the enormous machine suppressed them directly Its attack cut through the ground and smashed into JieuÆs body

Physically there wasnÆt any response from DiOrthoÆs bloody slash the blow phased through the flame elemental with only the slightest flame ripple in response But the condensed Mana and image behind that attack hit a second later impacting brutally and causing the elemental to bubble and froth strangely

DiOrthoÆs fingers tightened on his sword for a follow up strike just as the Overseer intervened

Stop Vant you arrogant piece of shit what donÆt you understand about not being able to use physical attacks as a focus

The disciplinary from the Overseer burst was sharp and brutal It smashed downward between DiOrthoÆs shoulder blades obliterating his Infinite Armaments Skill and instantly suppressing his image The attack caused DiOrtho to stagger wrath and pain mixing smoothly together in his body The concoction bubbled and smoldered as it flowed through DiOrthoÆs veins The Overseer grimaced and cracked his knuckles A second burst of pressure struck down so fast that even the furious DiOrtho could only accept that he was being smashed to the side He skidded along the muddy ground and then rolled against the muddy wall of the pit

These self righteous shits DiOrtho fantasized about the day he was more powerful than them and could simply kill them all He knew that it wouldnÆt be in the near future even if he could rival the various Overseers that followed him around and disciplined constantly DiOrtho felt quite a bit of fear toward the Ghosthound

So long as that man cast such a long shadow DiOrtho wouldnÆt strike at his subordinates He might have an anger problem but he didnÆt have a deathwish

After interacting with his crazed ancestorÆ on only a few occasions DiOrtho had learned to recognize the scent of one whose hands had been soaked in blood Someone who hadn’t just extinguish a single life but had reaped thousands Those few moments where the Ghosthound had seen fit to descend in front of them his capability for death was a palpable thing It lurked behind the darkness in his left eye just waiting for the chance to escape

When DiOrtho looked at it he realized how pale and wane his aggression was in comparison

DiOrtho lay on the ground and raised a handful of mud in the air above him He flexed his fingers and made a fist the sluggish sensation of mud squeezing through his fingers reminded DiOrtho of cooling blood As he lay on his back and looked past his muddy fist at the swirling clouds a memory flickered to the fore of his mind

How intriguing Usually attracting my attention means death The shadow leaned forward DiOrthoÆs arms were severed at his elbows and his legs were severed at his knees The ram demon could only lie there and dread the figure in front of him The smile on the shadowÆs face deepened But for some reason heh I like you I hereby adopt you into my family How generous right

Through that open mouth DiOrtho watched the shadowÆs tongue curl in on itself Tell me how generous I am DiOrtho Say thank you to your new benefactor

Get up One of the Overseers walked over to DiOrtho and grunted out an order DiOrtho had a sudden surge of vicious intent to strike this Overseer but he quickly curbed it Although he couldnÆt sense her DiOrtho knew that Overseer Helen was waiting for him to lash out She took great pleasure in punishing him should any of his transgressions amount to a serious offense

Simultaneously DiOrtho felt extremely sour and pissed off at his own reaction If it was the him of two weeks ago before the training had begun he would have lashed out without a thought Yet after only two weeks he was already cowed and well trained That thought made him laugh Which compelled the Overseer to frown and slam his foot against DiOrthoÆs ribs

Although he wanted to appear strong DiOrtho couldnÆt help but wince as his body was thrown a few meters into an even muddier portion of the pit The mixture of dirt sweat and old blood from spars clung to him For several seconds he just lay there and panted the Overseers were strong

Jieu Ronault who had been watching his fallen sparring partner the entire time with a conflicted expression on his face could no longer remain silent Truly my physical form is impossible to damage with attacks like that So it is not dangerous

Silence recruit Suddenly Overseer Helen was there crouching at the edge of the pit and looking down into the interior In her hands was a scroll which she snapped shut she had a small smile on her face It was never about punishing this misbehaving recruit although you wouldnÆt know that from how much he constantly sulks No itÆs about separating your instincts for image usage from physical movements and Skills Despite his other shortcomings our dearest Vant has grown quite a bit under our tutelage He owes us a lot even if he doesnÆt want to admit it

I donÆt owe you shit DiOrthoÆs face warped into a bestial snarl His ram horns vibrated with his growing craving for violence Before this all consuming desire for revenge even the threat of a beating meant nothing

A pair of shadowy eyes pierced through the entirely crippled DiOrtho It was clear from its gaze that the shadow enjoyed this immensely Tell me how generous I am Or you die

DiOrtho was halfway through the process of leaping up and attacking Overseer Helen when the Overseer next to him smashed the but of his spear into the side of his knee Helpless DiOrtho could only collapse once more into the mud His face squished directly into a murky puddle of his own blood

Well thatÆs enough for today Overseer Helen clapped her hands Recruit Ronault stay here and we will arrange for another sparring partner for you This time I want you to try striking without any physical or pseudo physical movements to help ground your images just use your image Meanwhile Recruit Vant spend some time in the core of the bamboo forest I trust you wonÆt burn it down

DiOrtho sneered spat out a mouthful of mud toward the feet of the nearby Overseer but only because he resented the Overseers Honestly he quite liked the bamboo forest So he forced himself out of the pit and strutted away doing his best to project he aura like he had managed to achieve exactly what he wanted There was the chance that his confidence and oozing satisfaction would irritate Overseer Helen and get his training changed but DiOrtho was willing to take that risk

The whole point was to get under Overseer HelenÆs skin

But she didnÆt even seem to notice DiOrthoÆs attitude When he glanced over his shoulder to check her reaction she was already gone So DiOrtho pressed his lips together and walked through the pot marked Southern portion of the training grounds He passed dozens of pits filled with dueling recruits their cries and images echoing upward into the sky Gradually DiOrthoÆs temper cooled as he made it to the central area passing a few recruits being taken into the individual training pods

Even through the haze of frustration and rage in DiOrtho VantÆs chest he couldnÆt help but feel a small amount admiration for Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound as he examined the images of the recruits he passed Within two weeks most of which the Ghosthound himself was absent the recruits had grown an explosive amount The weakest of the recruits had reached a level of image solidity and specificity that could have rivaled DiOrtho before he came to this camp As for the stronger individuals

Everyone now moved solely by relying on their image without even noticing They participated in the physical fitness training without complaint They cultivated their gardens and meditated in the bamboo forest Everything that had been so difficult and confusing and exhausting at the beginning fo the training camp was slowly becoming second nature

If only the Overseers didnÆt have such fucking sadistic personalities DiOrtho thought thinking of Helen in particular He clenched his fists ItÆs exactly fucks like you that IÆm going to kill first when I finally have that power

With such thoughts bubbling in his heart DiOrtho arrived at the rippling bamboo forest While most of the edges of the forest were a uniform wall of woven bamboo stalks there was a single entrance with a red gold arch near the central training portion Overseer Muareth sat there thoughtlessly with one of the Spider Overseers the two of them carefully weaving a web between two thick stocks of bamboo They didnÆt even acknowledge DiOrtho when he arrived

After hesitating a moment to see if they would say anything DiOrtho began walking forward toward the center of the bamboo forest Almost immediately outside noise was suppressed The surroundings slowly turned gloomy as the tall bamboo chutes left the paths in shade These paths frequently branched out but DiOrtho stayed on the main path Around him the wind brushed lightly against the bamboo setting everything rustling

Suddenly a soft rain began to fall causing DiOrtho to stop on his walk and look upward at the grey clouds He reached up and slowly wiped some of the softening mud off of his face He felt a drop of rain on the skin of his now exposed cheek Then he continued forward

Chapter 1524

DiOrtho settled into a meditative position in the small dirt clearing at the center of the bamboo forest There was enough space here that the light arrived normally in this spot although the rainstorm meant that the ambiance was gloomy anyway

He faced away from the path he had taken to get here so all he saw was the bamboo reaching toward the sky The rain had intensified starting to wash the rest of the mud off of DiOrthoÆs leather armor but he didnÆt pay that any mind Instead he focused on finding that necessary emotional state to allow his Perception to spread out over the bamboo forest to its limits

It was difficult to ignore that surly urge to break and tear in DiOrthoÆs heart And perhaps if someone was watching he would not have been able to do it During his earlier visits to the bamboo forest he had even been tempted to rush out amongst the bamboo and tear it to shreds Now Overseer HelenÆs sneer as she told him not to burn it down taunted him The bamboo was a reinforced variety of the plant fed on Head Drill Sergeant GhosthoundÆs energy but DiOrtho still believed it would be possible

But he didnÆt He breathed Through his teeth in a hiss but he simply breathed

As the wind picked up the rain slanted sideways as it passed through the bamboo and landed more directly on DiOrtho He closed his eyes The sounds of the tall shoots of bamboo creaking and groaning filled his whole perception His chaotic and violent thoughts were gradually rubbed away by the natural sounds of the surroundings

Congratulations Your Skill Metal HorrorÆs Discernment has grown to level 222

Each stalk of bamboo was about six meters high Despite that impressive height when the wind pressed down on the bamboo it freely allowed itself to bend farther than DiOrtho reckoned was possible It was a robust and flexible material that had some magical property of isolating sounds and sensations

Or maybe IÆve just been beaten so much IÆm becoming dumb DiOrtho lampooned

Yet that thought was a distraction too DiOrtho released another breath His heart rate was gradually calming down His senses expanded The cool kisses of the raindrops became a part of him a part of the greater bamboo forest around him When it rustled he rustled He leaned as one more stalk of bamboo

The whole experience of the bamboo forest had struck him as rather pointless at first But then during one of the rare lectures the Overseers conducted on the subject of images Overseer Muareth brought up something very interesting That there were two discrete entities that were present in the bamboo forest that were also present in an image the collective and the individual

The collective moved with the wind but the individual lengths of bamboo each possessed their own singular movements as part of that collective

Partially it was circumstance some of the bamboo was simply screened from the worst of the wind by its fellows So while its neighbors might shake and shiver underneath the assault of the wind and the slanted rain its movements were exceptionally mild

Partially it was a result of the history of each bamboo stalk When was it born How much strain had it endured Was it able to obtain enough water through its roots Was it often exposed to wind These questions left tiny differences in the resilience of the material which led to different outcomes underneath the same wind Over the stretch of history an individual bamboo chute quickly diverged from its fellows

The wind began to pick up even as the rain began to slow The rustling grew louder DiOrthoÆs senses carefully followed several individual movements in the surroundings Everything moved individual yet became a part of the seamless whole

Congratulations Your Skill Metal HorrorÆs Discernment has grown to Level 223

In terms of images what this meant is that an image should never just be thought of as a blanket to cover Skills It was not a rubber stamp to be slapped on every attack Images were comprised of key characteristics that involved the various portions of someoneÆs image So when DiOrtho now used certain images he would focus on and empower aspects of his image that were specifically related to the effect that he wanted That concentrated focus would give him a slight edge But over time it also would mean that he would grow more familiar with the various characteristics he possessed

He would live in the individual portions of his image as they were used Through that usage they could grow strong But the first step was witnessing and acknowledging how the whole and the collective couldnÆt be separated

DiOrtho breathed in and then breathed out Gradually as his mind reached the proper outlook he shifted his attention to his own image The wind began to fade Seconds stuck to each other leading inevitably into the next ferrying DiOrtho along into the future

About a half hour after he had entered into the bamboo forest the cleansing wave of energy from the Central Bell restored DiOrthoÆs flagging mind Sighing he stopped the work on his image Although it restored him to his peak mental state it also knocked him out of the proper perspective to continue refining his image With his sharper senses he stood up and stretched And he would have sat back down to continue meditating on the details of his own image but he noticed a maroon shadow in the sky

Overseer Helen was summoning them Her oppressive image looked coldly down over the training area

DiOrtho Vant pressed his lips together He was sorely tempted to pretend he had been so deep in his meditative trance that he had missed the obvious summons Overseer Helen had that unfortunate knack of being able to see through his lies but his refusal to come when called was just one more tactic in a whole slew of mental guerilla warfare

However DiOrtho spat to the side and then began the winding walk outside of the bamboo forest Rather than being afraid of being punished his primary motivation was that he was afraid of missing a demonstration by the Ghosthound

Damnit I need to find a way to earn a Darkstar coin DiOrtho punched his fists together with enough force that one of his knuckles cracked Not that he believed he had reached the same amount of power as the Ghosthound But DiOrtho was confident that he was more capable than the fool dog Vizzeret And without experiencing that gap himself even if it was painful he would not be satisfied

Unfortunately for him it quickly became clear that today wouldnÆt be another Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound demonstration Two large signs had been erected in the central area outside the ring of individual training capsules Most of the recruits were gathered around the signs and talking quietly to each other but what really clued DiOrtho to the fact that this display would be disappointing was Overseer HelenÆs expression

As soon as he walked over she beamed over toward DiOrtho with a wide smile She beckoned him over Seeing her motions the other recruits took some steps backward Ah good Recruit Vant Just the man I was waiting for These will be your new squad assignments Please feel free to shut the fuck up even if you have any questions These decisions are final until the next skirmish

Even worse DiOrtho could feel that HelenÆs words brought everyone elsesÆ gazes to him they knew that Overseer Helen was making an example of him His face flushed and his ram horns throbbed They always had to fucking target him

There was nothing DiOrtho hated more than being stared at

With a heavy heart he suppressed his urge to rip a weapon out of his body and sever a few limbs to really give these worthless losers something to look at But he managed to wrangle his emotions and looked up at the list Squads

Of the ten squads listed DiOrtho Vant was not one of the large names listed at the top of any as a squad captain He began to chew on the inside of his left cheek to keep his face expressionless

When he noticed that he was in the Squad underneath the bastard Raymund Ballast the Vulpine whose image was comically feeble and ineffective DiOrtho Vant began to grind his cheek into a gory pulp Over the past five days BallastÆs standing in the ranks had taken a nosedive His improvement was practically nonexistent

But with Overseer Helen right there seemingly gloating at being able to find new ways of torturing him he wouldnÆt let himself appear weak Not with all of these pathetic wastes of space watching the whole interaction So despite the blood in his mouth DiOrtho just shrugged and said How exciting

Then he turned around and walked away widely furious at how little control he felt like he had over his own life Finally he managed to pry his jaws open and release the unlucky bit of his cheeks that he had been mashing for a little over thirty seconds ThatÆs just the way it is People with power abuse that power People without power can only blame themselves for being weak

His skin began to itch his image naturally wanted to erupt with different weapons through his muscles and skin so he could make this place a field of blood But as soon as that impulse arrived it fizzled and died What it left in its place was a dull and frustrated ache Even at the speed he was improving it wasnÆt enough Currently he was simply too weak

DiOrthoÆs feet naturally carried him East heading for his shelter and garden But that choice of destination struck DiOrtho as unsatisfying Unlike his gradual acceptance of the bamboo forest he was continually bewildered by the requirement that the recruits garden during their free time When only a few ugly brown leaves had popped out of his garden plot DiOrtho had completely given up

After all failing in this area would bring in into the GhosthoundÆs sphere of attention And then

Well DiOrtho didnÆt know

Rather than going back to his own area DiOrtho simply began to wander through the spacious residential area The residences were generally twenty to thirty meters from each other so DiOrtho could easily avoid encountering anyone In addition the thin mist that was a constant presence in the residential area further added to this sense of isolation It was easy to feel like he was the only person in the surrounding

Ah Mister Vant I believe it is best we come to an understanding

DiOrthoÆs teeth once more snapped shut around that bit of torn flesh in his cheek He wheeled around finding himself face to face with Raymund Ballast Immediately he was angry that this fuck had followed him that DiOrtho had been so distracted he hadnÆt noticed and that this weak piece of shit was taller than him His skin once again itched and this time DiOrtho completely planned on teaching his squad leaderÆ a lesson

A lesson he would carve into the foxÆs body with the sharp end of a blade

Ar arroo

But just as he was about to attack a strange noise from a nearby residence stalled DiOrthoÆs momentum The very small part of his brain that could control his emotions reined in the radiating aggression that he was releasing Instead DiOrtho glared sideways toward a rather sizable dwelling some distance from their current position where the noise originated

DiOrthoÆs eye twitched And why the hell does it have to be such a nice looking house

After casting another sizzling dagger of a look toward Ballast DiOrtho walked stealthily forward across the soft ground toward the house He hesitated at first but Raymund Ballast eventually followed The two moved through the grass until they had a better view of the dwelling which continued to infuriate DiOrtho with its obvious workmanship

There were three tall pillars along a veranda with a swinging door leading to a rather spacious interior Somehow the bamboo of the exterior seemed to have a strange shine like the owner had spent time polishing it

Yet when he saw the easily recognizable form of Vizzeret napping outside of the dwelling DiOrtho felt a vein in his temple throb How the hell did this fuckign mutt build this house with its paws

stupid dog Ballast muttered with obvious distaste

DiOrthoÆs lips twitched Some of his earlier antagonism gradually receded watching the sleeping dogÆs leg twitch I bet itÆs dreaming of a fucking bone

I bet itÆs dreaming of having real hands Ballast countered raising his own limbs in mockery of the grey dog’s inferior form

At least for now DiOrtho decided not to kill his squad leader It would after all be too easy for the crime to be traced back to him Especially so hot off of the announcement of the squads

Chapter 1525

After taking the time to roast some fish for a quick meal Vizzeret suddenly opened his mouth to release a deep yawn Steam wafted up from the delicacy sitting on the plate in front of him However the act of yawning seemed to unlock a sudden wariness in his chest that he couldnÆt resist Helplessly he found his body curling up beneath him he twisted sideways to avoid faceplanting directly onto his meal His eyelids fluttered but then closed as his body thumped onto the floor of his dwelling helpless as his consciousness was swiftly carried away

Just as quickly as this strange exhaustion struck him Vizzeret experienced a sharp stab of clarity that cut through the strange surroundings He moved his head from side to side sniffing Vizzeret was standing in the large challenge pit in the Southern portion of their area There were a few blurry figures in the surrounding area softened by the presence of the luminous silver mist of a dreamscape But as Vizzeret peered around curiously a strong sense of foreboding appeared in his heart His hair stood on end and he had to suppress the urge to growl Then he just as quickly suppressed the urge to lie down and expose his belly

The two distinct figures turned to look solemnly at Vizzeret One floated in the sky above the pit while the other was standing nearby to where Vizzeret had appeared He was perhaps only three meters away

Both were Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound

The one in the sky chuckled Ah The Nether connection must have pulled him along when you activated the Dreamcatcher because he is so connected to this moment anyway Interesting But itÆs worth knowing that it can be used like that

Increased strain though The Head Drill Sergeant on the ground observed with a frown

Feeling very out of place Vizzeret opened his mouth I

Recruit Clamman That is your name correct This time when the Head Drill Sergeant on the ground spoke it was with iron and ice in his voice His emerald eyes narrowed as he looked toward Vizzeret Clamman Stay silent and stay to the side This doesnÆt concern you But the fact you were brought here well you can consider it a bit of good luck Exposure to forces about your level is good experience Try and avoid getting caught in the crossfire I would hate to almost kill you again

This is a nightmare some part of Vizzeret whispered to him

As the Head Drill Sergeant continued to pierce Vizzeret with his gaze the massive canine could not help but nod and scurry backward about twenty meters His own experience fighting against the Ghosthound was still too fresh And the casual way the Head Drill Sergeant had fought against the Overseers left Vizzeret dreading the GhosthoundÆs true power

When the canine had created quite a bit of distance between them the Head Drill Sergeant looked away and peered up at his doppelganger At a symbol that was invisible to Vizzeret the two blurred into motion One released a monstrous complex image of three almost conflicting figures that condensed around his body There were emerald leaves and golden roots an enormous claw and a hand with razor sharp fingers and a horrible hungry darkness These images flickered so fast that it was impossible for Vizzeret to catch the details

The other Ghosthound became the eye of a grinding maelstrom of Nether wielding a fist sized grey bubble in his right hand Every time that strange maelstrom spun Vizzeret found it more difficult to breathe The two accelerated toward each other and clashed

The ground shuddered and cracked sending Vizzeret farther backward he clambered out of the massive ditch to higher ground But shockwaves and blasts of Skills decimated the surrounding area The explodes grew larger and larger Every second saw that the radius of destruction increase as the conflict between the two intensified

Vizzeret blinked and found himself skidding across the ground The air pressure from the latest contact was so powerful that it had briefly knocked him out The ground beneath him was shuddering Huge chunks of broken ground were being thrown everywhere

The massive canine frantically leapt up onto a small island of stone and dirt that had been sent tumbling end over end to avoid the thick carpet of aggressive roots that exploded from where he had been previously standing Right as he landed he spared a glance upward but then he adjusted his stance and leapt further away to avoid a suffocating heaviness that darkened the sky

Vizzeret really wanted to stop and observe but it sort of felt like he would be annihilated if he did so

Congratulations Your Skill Canine Agility (Un) has grown to Level 268

Vizzeret sprinted past the collapsing bamboo forest as fast as he could manage occasionally looking over his shoulder to look directly at the maelstrom of darkness A horrible screaming filled the air and Vizzeret couldnÆt tell if it was an image or just a shrill and furious wind Beneath the pads of his paws he felt the entire Rally Station shudder and crack

Panting with his tongue lolling outside of his mouth Vizzeret continued to flee The ground around him was sundered opening up a vast ravine that he was forced to jump over

Congratulations Your Skill Canine Agility (Un) has grown to Level 287

With a sigh Randidly powered down the personal training pod Gradually the light in the Engravings dimmed and the physical and emotional suppression he had subjected himself to over the past week faded The sensation of relaxation that seized him to finally be without any sense of effort seemed to wipe away all his previous sweat and bitter stubbornness

For a week he had buckled down Now he unburdened himself

The first thing he did when he walked out into the waiting area was stretch He twisted sideways earning a very satisfying series of cracks up his spine Then he bent at the waist and touched his toes feeling his hamstrings pop lightly He rolled his shoulders and cracked his knuckles for good measure Certainly it had felt like he hadnÆt been stuck in a single position for the entire week due to the Dreamcatcher of the Long Night but the truth was Randidly basically hadnÆt moved

Randidly had spent the week pushing the limits of his images both in detail but also in terms of Skill Levels The Stillborn Phoenix had received most of his attention as he worked those Skills back into his common combat habits And the gains were bountiful as Randidly developed himself further it became easier and easier to raise his lower Level Skills up quickly

Step by step he had grown stronger Feeling pleased Randidly grinned down at his hands

But of course this was only the start So he took several deep breaths He had deliberately isolated both his Aether and Nether while he was within the training area just to avoid any unexpected events while he was affected by the suppression array So now he gradually re extended himself into the surrounding space checking for anomalies Luckily none appeared

Not everyone can just punch a hole in my defenses like Commandant Wick can

Nodding to himself Randidly walked up to the Engravings and looked down at the suppression field It was to the point that even he struggled against it but he believed he could push it even further With a careful touch he began to erase and then redraw the Engravings to form new even more vicious restrictions

Congratulations Your Skill SpriggitÆs Tinkering has grown to Level 232

Congratulations Your Skill Architecture of the Primordial Ways has grown to Level 307

This is why people think IÆm a masochist Randidly smirked as he made some minute adjustments to his new Engravings This should challenge me physically but perhaps I can go into the Dreamcatcher and reproduce KaanÆs metal pyramids if I can further my image suppression

However before Randidly had even finished his adjustments he raised his head and narrowed his eyes His Nether Nebula began to spin more quickly and he could feel the air around him slowly ionizing as energies converged on his current location The space seemed to buzz and compress Randidly released a quick smile it seemed that the significance had successfully been refined by the recruits and was ready for him to harvest

Or rather the significance now demanded an audience whether he wanted it or not

So he opened himself and allowed the torrent of significance to spiral into his body But to his surprise Randidly immediately grunted in surprise His chest pounded with pain and he could only grit his teeth against the growing discomfort It felt like every part of his body was covered in a rough gradually constricting rope His ribs popped The rotation of the Nether Nebula slowed straining to incorporate this new significance into its ecosystem

At the core of the Nether Nebula there was an innocuous grey bubble that tumbled weightlessly through the air with a second smaller bubble beginning to form next to it As the Nether Nebula continued to struggle to churn forward those bubbles began to fizz The completely condensed bubble began to rapidly shrink while the smaller one slightly grew As Randidly watched an even smaller third bubble formed and gradually increased in size

Damnit Randidly muttered to himself as he pressed his metallic left hand to his chest The coolness of the metal was a relief The pain was extremely strange Compared to being submerged completely in lava it was a mild sort of agony But it was the most uncomfortable and horrifying heartburn that Randidly had ever experienced It came hand in hand with a creeping sense of helplessness As his Nether Nebula struggled to incorporate all this significance and continued to slow the pain grew worse

Randidly pressed his eyes shut and began to try and create a flow with his Nether to relieve some of the pressure but there was simply too much of it He could have shunted a lot of the significance into the surrounding space but he somehow sensed that if he struggled with this his recruits might be crushed by the sudden rush even if it spread amongst them

This flow of significance I can feel the way their time here at this Rally Station has changed so many of the recruits it seems like all the improvements they have made are compounding the significance

Randidly held on and endured the strain as best he could The Nether Nebula continued to slowly rotate He threw his Willpower behind that heavy spinning urging it forward Despite the fact that he knew it was relatively ineffective he began weaving together the Nether in the periphery of the Nebula creating some space and easing the rotation At the core of the Nebula another tiny grey bubble formed And then another

The rotation slowed further Randidly felt a sharp sense of foreboding

But then there was a groan from his Nether Nebula as the significance was whipped into a tight core Five grey bubbles the size of marbles clung to each other radiating a horrifying weight His Nether shuddered and imperceptibly grew denser Then the strain began to ease as most of the rush of significance was accommodated The Nether Nebula achieved a much more ponderous equilibrium

IÆm still missing something about Nether Randidly grimaced His senses carefully inspected his Nether Nebula and the grey bubbles Perhaps that was incorrect too Randidly might understand Nether well enough but he just didnÆt know what to do with it

Randidly released a breath and opened his eyes His expression turned serious He certainly hadnÆt expected this but now felt rather dumb for not foreseeing this eventuality when he expanded his accumulation of Nether This strained episode he had just experienced was probably Nether Sickness

Aether Sickness occurred when an individual earned too many Skills and Stats before obtaining a Class The System declared that this was because an individual could no longer simply sustain themselves on ambient Aether and Randidly had never really questioned it because it hadnÆt been a serious issue for him He passed on the SystemÆs message to the people of Expira and they had adjusted But now Randidly wasnÆt so sure that was the full story

There probably was some truth to Aether Sickness being related to a lack of energy but its effects should be so sudden if that were true What might be more likely is that it is a combination of that weakness due to insufficient ambient energy and a sudden complication due to having too much Aether affixed to a physical body without having any structure to it

It was the equivalent of building up the materials to construct a skyscraper solely on the small plot of land that would form the foundation If the skyscraper is high enough obviously the finished product would require more materials than could be contained in that area Hence the Nexus came peddling a Class to systematically build a structure to affix images and Skills to

As to why Randidly hadnÆt encountered the problem sooner it was because even from the beginning Yystrix was building something special within his body Then when he obtained the Alpha Cosmos the amount of anything he could physically withstand shot upward

He had a very big foundation to work from

But even so Randidly now sensed he was approaching that limit in regards to his accumulated significance He had easily surpassed the power of a Nether Gatekeeper yet now needed to create some sort of order in his Nether if he wanted to expand his significance further

Which meant the creation of a Nether Class grew a lot more pressing

Chapter 1526

Randidly rubbed the bridge of his nose as he walked out of the training area and looked up toward the sky Low clouds hung overhead slowly building into a rainstorm A cool wind brushed RandidlyÆs cheek I guess itÆs better that I realize now that this is becoming a problem My personal significance turns out to be nothing compared to how much a group can accumulate

But I suppose that makes sense Nether is the energy of connection When it is shared it flows much more efficiently My Nether Nebula should be able to continue grinding away for a little while longer although it might not be comfortable Which means IÆm once more faced with the problem of figuring out how to make a Nether Class

Randidly pursed his lips as he thought Three ideas came to mind for proceeding forward The first was relying on his recently acquired Fatepiece the Visage of Obsession to try and intuit how a Nether Class would work by staring at the Visage It was after all a rather strange Fatepiece designed to remove preconceived notions and solve problems

However two things stopped him First he was wary of the fact that its usage could only be delayed never stopped That combined with the hints that there would be a price for using it while Randidly was in the middle of it meant that it wasnÆt an option that he would easily choose Plus it would undoubtedly be more effective to use that method once he had more information regarding Nether

With more legitimate understanding having an epiphany would be exponentially more likely

Therefore Randidly focused on the other two ideas The first was proceeding more deeply into the hollow WebÆ at the core of the Nexus and seeing if he could perceive the edges of that horrible mass of significance that was present below Randidly was even more curious about that significance after his current experience with Nether Sickness Perhaps the reason why the Nether he could sense was so stagnant was because that half formed baby was stalled out in a similar way Its body couldnÆt withstand the significance that was being given to it

That thought caused Randidly to shiver Perhaps what was currently happening with his Nether Nebula was closer to what happened to ElhumeÆs body The uncontrolled weight of his own significance might eventually suffocate him

The other idea was to contact Vualla She should have been deployed to the Fifth Cohort and would be fighting against the Nether Not only could Randidly reassure himself about the state of Vualla but he might also be able to observe Nether forces there and intuit the way Nether could be used After all his ability to understand Nether had increased quite a bit since he had last been exposed to true Nether forces

Even seeing a Nether Beast might be inspiring Randidly felt an odd temptation to capture one and try and understand it although he was slightly wary about how close that would come to experimentation on a live subject

Nodding to himself Randidly stretched Then he gestured lightly with his hand and began to form the familiar Nether Ritual With his Nether seeming to reach the limit of Nether density he could achieve it was somewhat more difficult to shape it as he wished But Randidly was in no real rush the recruits probably wouldnÆt throw another chunk of significance like that at him for another few weeks So if he shaped slowly so be it

He took his time making the ritual really focusing on the details of its construction And although the material was slightly misbehaving Randidly also observed the way that his intent flowed perfectly through the branching weaves of the ritual without any entropy Honestly he wouldnÆt really have described the process like that before now but now that he experienced the thicker Nether the connection was just so overwhelmingly superior that he couldnÆt help but be shocked the fidelity of intent

Maybe the reason itÆs so difficult to control is that itÆs so much more like me Randidly thought wryly as he put the finishing touches on the Nether Ritual

Congratulations Your Skill Nether Ritual has grown to Level 180

When he finished he instantly activated it The sensation of tunneling through space and time to reach Vualla was slightly intoxicating In a way Randidly felt like his consciousness was truly traveling through the intervening substance of the universe rather than just arriving at Vualla like he usually did The journey the Ritual took was as roundabout as usual still as secretive

Two eyes like inverted white triangles against a black backdrop perfectly even along the edges with a small blue orb floating in the middle

But as soon as he felt the vertigo and the Nether Ritual turned strange Randidly hissed and ripped the woven Nether in front of him to shreds The connection was barely flickering to life when it was already destroyed Even still Randidly staggered back into the training area and spat out a mouthful of blood His head began to pound as he unsteadily allowed himself to settle down on his haunches

In the split second that the Ritual had almost connected to Vualla Randidly felt a sudden and overwhelming pull sideways Or rather the thread of his Nether had been caught up in an immense whirlpool of Nether that engulfed the surrounding area Randidly had then ripped through the fabric of the Nether Ritual but not before he briefly connected with the incorrect target

The Nether King looked at Randidly for the briefest fraction of time seemingly just as surprised as Randidly had been to see each other Then without any hesitation the Nether King had lashed out with a pitch black lance of significance The weight and casual power of the attack had been what inflicted most of the damage on Randidly and left him with a lingering headache His Nether Nebula buzzed but honestly it began then to pick up speed that attack had loosened some of the tightness Randidly was experiencing

As his body and Nether Nebula rapidly began healing from the blow Randidly directed a wry smile at the ceiling fo the training area He used his foot to close the door behind him so no one would wander upon him like this Next to him the blood he spat out sizzled on the ground Shit I should have seen that coming

Although the Xyrt Brigade might not be familiar with Nether Rituals there was no way that the Nether forces didnÆt utilize them Perhaps the entirety of the Nether armyÆs communication was based on the fabric of Nether Rituals He was a fly that had wandered into a massive web and was foolish enough to be surprised when the spider turned up If the Nether King hadnÆt been so shocked by the connection or Randidly had been a hair slower in severing it

With a sigh Randidly shrugged that thought off Because he still had more important realizations to face

Although its shape and the flow of its Nether are entirely different Randidly muttered That IÆm almost positive that Nether King in the Fifth Cohort is the same one I briefly interfered with at the frontlines Everything that happened since then all of the Nether attacks Am I responsible for those

The muscles around RandidlyÆs heart tightened The figure of Ki Kunot briefly flickered in front of his gaze Then he remembered the grainy texture of the wooden handle of his shovel as he dug graves along the Hallat River His emotions which the Stillborn Phoenix was refining every day seethed and roiled like a boiling cauldron in his chest Each was a serpent shocked awake by a loud noise alarmed and aggressive But eventually Randidly pressed his eyes closed and shook his head He refused to allow himself to go down that Path

Plus although none of this could have happened if he didnÆt influence the knot of Nether that bound the Nether King he wasnÆt the Nether King He couldnÆt be held responsible for all the destruction that the Nether King had wrought since their paths had crossed

But itÆs hard to be confident about that Randidly grimaced If someone knowingly released a terrorist because it was the right thing to do they would likely hold some culpability toward what happened afterward

Again Randidly distracted himself from those thoughts his emotions were already difficult enough to control as it was he didnÆt need to dwell on upsetting subjects to pass the time But this time the new topic was also rather depressing It seemed that it would be even more difficult to contact Vualla on the frontlines than it had been in the Xyrt Brigade training facility She was now in an active warzone Both sides would be on their guard for spying attempts Especially now that Randidly had been caught red handed by the Nether King

He could send a message of course But that was just much less satisfying And Vualla had been abysmal about replying to messages through the entire time they had known each other

Further reflection was interrupted by the door opening Helen paused and looked over at Randidly the pool of blood next to him and the sparking training sphere which apparently now was shorting out due to a mistake Randidly had made during his most recent adjustments

She closed the door behind her and walked over to crouch down next to him You get mugged

Yup Randidly responded as cheerily as he could manage The combination of the heavy sense of guilt toward the attack on the Fifth Cohort and the helpless impotence he felt in regards to contacting Vualla meant that he couldnÆt do a very good job of fooling Helen But his longtime companion simply glanced at him then shook her head in mock sorrow

This means work for me I guess IÆll go find a mop Helen pushed off her knees and stood with a determined expression on her face

RandidlyÆs mouth twisted at that What Overseer Helen going soft From what I hear about you these days you should be making recruits clean up the mess with their tongues

Normally I would But itÆs somewhat different when the blood is your blood and the humanity that its presence reveals will take some of the bite out of the ominous persona youÆve been developing Helen flicked her wrist twice and procured a literal mop from her interspatial ring So it falls to me to be the one to mop everything up

You donÆt need to tell them its my blood Randidly countered playfully He knew it was meaningless but talking with Helen did distract him from some of his darker thoughts Then he paused and frowned Wait do you keep cleaning supplies in your interspatial ring

IÆm more concerned that you donÆt Then Helen snorted and pointed at the spots on the floor where the blood continued to sizzle and spit The reinforced tiles were beginning to corrode You think I can give a recruit a mop and tell him not to think too deeply about whose blood this is Have you met anyone else whose blood corrodes metal Jesus I bet the dumb fucks would try eating it as though a stomach of all things could absorb someoneÆs image

That forced a genuine chuckle out of Randidly You could just wait until it eats its way through the entire Rally Station Then the recruits could come in here and fill in the hole Have we trained our recruits in the use of quick drying cement yet Might as well put it on the agenda

WeÆll have the drywall hung around these Nether Beasts before they can even sneeze Helen shook her head in amusement Then she glared at Randidly as she pressed her mop against the offending blood Of course we canÆt do that The fucking rumors that I hear about you when the recruits donÆt think anyoneÆs listening This is just the sorta shit that will get them to gossip caustic blood Ugh and if IÆm being honest ItÆs not just the recruits

Helen didnÆt elaborate on that and instead moved to rub the mop against the sizzling blood on the ground But she really didnÆt have to explain RandidlyÆs expression shifted as he sighed He levered himself up onto his elbow and watched the cleaning process Within only a few seconds smoke was wafting upward from the wiping portion of the mop

Randidly shook his head what are you even doing

Trying to cheer you up Helen said surprising Randidly She scratched her cheek Tatiana told me that you are surprisingly weak to silly shit So Here I am

Then she continued to mop The moment seemed strangely surreal with Helen continuing to scrub the tool against the ground and ignoring the fact that her implement was slowly disintegrating She hadnÆt even used water just rubbed the mop directly against the blood The sizzling grew louder compared to the tiles the mop head was made of much less durable materials She scrubbed harder only seeming to spread the dangerous blood out across the ground and worsen the problem

Very soon Randidly was laughing aloud He didnÆt like that Tatiana and Helen had believed it necessary they prepare to cheer him up He liked even less that they had been correct He waved his hand and the Stillborn Phoenix paused in its breathing to suck up his blood Gradually the sizzling ceased leaving the only sound in the room to be RandidlyÆs chuckles

TatianaÆs so much better than the soft stuff Helen announced Next time you get moody unless you want a spar youÆll be on your own So take care of yourself

Thanks Randidly said very seriously He could feel HelenÆs complex emotions hanging between them Then he flashed Helen a cheeky smile But didnÆt I already take care of the blood problem on my own ItÆs not like this time you

Helen pressed her lips together and broke the wooden handle of her broom across RandidlyÆs back earning his raucous laughter

Chapter 1527

Randidly stood in the darkness of the Web peering down into the depths of the Nexus Even with his Grim Intuition the murky shadows below were an impenetrable shroud Secrets might be right below his position but Randidly couldnÆt tell He had traveled deeper down into the Web than he ever had before observing as the cables that earned the nickname the Web becoming increasingly infrequent and the materials of the construction being reveal more and more as sculpted bone

If EdraineÆs hideout was perhaps a kilometer down below Bray Street the suspended shopping megaplex this was two kilometers further beneath the hideout Down here Randidly never saw anyone else traveling through the Web Shadows were his only companion

Randidly had sunk so deeply into perpetual gloom that he didnÆt really even notice the darkness anymore His vision was a rainbow kaleidoscope of energy

The Aether here was chaotic to say the least It hissed and rebounded off the walls in a frothing torrent Remnant emotions and wishes seemed to manifest at the corners of RandidlyÆs vision a testament both to his increased sensitivity and to the raw emotion that was maintained at this depth In terms of close far this three kilometers brought him to the bottom Randidly honestly had no idea he simply had no idea how far down this spine extended

In addition the allotted layer for Nether underneath the System was growing exponentially as he descended Even Randidly with his massive Nether Nebula could relax some of his boundaries and allow his thick Nether to rotate around him To the point that it relieved a lot of the recent pressure he had been experiencing by keeping the Nether within his body He lost a little bit of significance every second to the horrifying mass that he believed to be below him but as long as he didnÆt stay here for an extended period it was negligible

Still Randidly wasnÆt in a good mood I can go a bit deeper probably quite a bit deeper Maybe one more kilometer The extra significance I received acts as an anchor that allows me to resist the pull of that monster down there but will that depth be enough to actually see the Nether at the core of this

Randidly doubted that would be the case He could spend some time trying to create an Engraving to help increase his resistance to the inexorable drag downward but for the short term it looked like this too was a dead end to observing the flows of Nether His casual observation of the Nexus from the Fifth Cohort Rally Station seemed to imply that even ten more kilometers down wouldnÆt bring him close to that horrible cataclysm on which this place was built

And after seeing the way I dragged Vizzeret into the Dreamcatcher If I try and revisit the moment I saw the Nether King to observe him perhaps he would be able to sense what I was doing and interfere

Bah I really could use someone who would teach me to use Nether

While he slowly turned his way through his various options Randidly floated in the Web looking down into the darkness The Grim Chimera amused itself by manifesting and swiping its talons through the helpless emotions remnants while Yggdrasil and the Stillborn Phoenix got to work releasing and then absorbing another wave of emotions Raising his head Randidly could barely see a spot of light above him truly he was quite deep below the Nexus

Then he sighed ItÆs not surprising that IÆm starting to encounter more difficulties as I grow stronger Before Leveling was enough but now I need to have the conceptual framework or all of my preparations and training will be for naught

After the Stillborn Phoenix was satisfied Randidly pulled out the PhilosopherÆs Key and opened a portal to his penthouse apartment Chewing on the inside of his cheek he stepped through onto the gleaming grey hardwood floor With a shrug he shed Sulfur and tossed the armor over a nearby chair He still was a little unwilling to consider the option of the Fatepiece yet

Randidly paused in his thoughts and looked up Helen and Heiffal were waiting for him at the pointlessly massive dining room table Truly this apartment was so large that he hadnÆt completely scanned it with Grim Intuition when he casually glanced around He was getting sloppy

But that wasnÆt his concern at the moment The fact that this duo was waiting for him wasnÆt a great sign

Somebody die Randidly asked as he moved to the counter and poured himself a glass of whatever When he turned around and saw that the plate of his replacement smoked boar meat was completely depleted in the middle of the table his eye twitched

Helen smirked Actually yes But not one of our recruits We received a scroll from Commandant Wick all current recruits and off duty military personnel will be required to attend the funeral of Commandant Lyrim the one who died in the Fifth Cohort recently In addition he especially notes that the recruits will be given an entire day off to grieveÆ

Randidly narrowed his eyes How unusually generous of military high command So the recruits will have 24 hours out from under our watchful eye Hum Well I think we will still be alright even if people find out IÆve been using Nether

Trailing off Randidly frowned at the expression on HeiffalÆs face He paused and considered the twenty four hours from a different angle you donÆt think that the free time is aimed at us at all You think that someone wants to target the recruits

Not that you wonÆt be targeted but you will probably be a secondary concern Commandant Wick has been making your relationship very public plus you have a reputation of strength Not like the recruits They wonÆt be making contact with just our recruits either Although they would definitely be the most valuable Heiffal sighed

RandidlyÆs gaze turned sharp and heavy The Grim Chimera barred its teeth He admittedly didnÆt have much of a direct relationship with these recruits at the moment His Nether and Aether were currently assisting them but those energies couldnÆt replace actual interactions and discussions In the future Randidly would likely train a few personally But for now he was more of a symbol than any real part of the recruits’ lives

But they were his recruits Since someone would target them

What gives them to gall Randidly asked

You probably havenÆt had time to read through Lady IellayaÆs updates Heiffal said rather judiciously while Helen clearly just rolled her eyes at RandidlyÆs obvious confusion As the tensions rise in the Nexus there is a propaganda war going on between the Nexus Labor Council and Military High Command In essence you could say that the Military High Command is shouting that its new batch of recruits that itÆs been so carefully guarding are going to solve all the problems in the Fifth Cohort and with the Aether rationing Meanwhile the NLC says that this would never have been a problem if the Military High Command wasnÆt rife with corruption

Which it probably is Helen added

But the problem Heiffal continued without acknowledging Helen Is that the NLC has been forced to ultimately be passive The recruitment drive and the offensive have nothing to do with them Even worse they donÆt have any way of understanding what is really happening in the recruitment camps except for official Military Briefings So while the military is saying this is an emergency and they require additional Aether to train our troops the NLC are completely in the dark They conceded the expanded budget to the military in order to receive this 24 hour opportunity

Gradually RandidlyÆs expression eased so rather than being worried about being attacked the biggest concern is that our recruits are going to be bribed

Well basically yeah Helen said But then she narrowed her eyes However letÆs not forget who we are dealing with the Nexus bigwigs are often less concerned with the very real enemies in front of it than with hoarding what tiny benefits they can take for themselves Should some unfortunate accident happen and the military fail spectacularly at stabilizing the Fifth Cohort the NLC certainly wonÆt give a shit It would be a win for them So what Lady Iellaya warns about is some nudges toward that

RandidlyÆs expression stilled further until his figures were entirely neutral His eyes glowed with an inner light Do you believe that is likely For them to not only take advantage but that the NLC would actively try and sabotage our preparation efforts

Lady Iellaya believes it to be very likely Heiffal said with a nod

Randidly released a breath and scratched behind his ear He had always known that Elhume and his System were designed for a singular purpose and that purpose had very little to do with respect for life But Randidly had never really considered the effect that would have on those in power From what he understood the current Nexus was essentially a society that developed without any interference from Elhume the original creator hadnÆt been active in the day to day operations since the Second Cohort Therefore he had been willing to just assume they were typical bureaucrats

But of course living and benefiting under such a cruel system would warp even a saint

I had assumed that Commandant WickÆs madness came from his experience on the battlefield Suddenly Randidly felt very cold even standing in the middle of his tastefully decorated penthouse dwellings But it might be better to assume that everyone at a certain level of influence gains that sort of cruelty Otherwise they wouldnÆt have been able to take advantage of our twisted System and clamber up to that position in the first place

Without much of a thought Randidly reached out and touched against the organic flows of Aether and Nether that spiraled around him filling up the whole of his training area By now whether consciously or not the recruits and RandidlyÆs various subordinates had fully accepted the energy flows around them Perhaps now that the deficiencies in acclimation had been adjusted in the recruits Nether flowed more evenly between recruits and their trainers He could sense them all determined to hone their abilities and improve their power

Those at the top prosper because of those at the bottom Randidly thought rather sardonically feeling the way that those energy flows that passed through the surrounding individuals returned inevitably to him Here he was the harsh taskmaster who gained the most benefits But unlike the individuals from Military High Command and the NLC Randidly remembered the bargain that had been struck

In exchange for their support they had his protection

Randidly opened his eyes When is the funeral for the Commandant

Two days from now Heiffal replied after consulting a scroll in his hands There will be a service in the Outer Realm where CommandantÆs descendants lived

After a slow nod Randidly spoke again LetÆs not worry about what the recruits do while they are out in the world we might have the manpower to keep track of them but there are dangerous forces in the Nexus that we wonÆt be prepared for No reason to get into a blind fight Better to just wait and screen problems as they make their way back to the Rally Station

In addition lets up the training Quite a bit Since they are going to have a day off letÆs give them exhaustion worth resting for a day over RandidlyÆs eyes glowed emerald IÆll adjust the suppression array so itÆs closer to my level In addition IÆll increase the amount of ambient energy IÆm releasing Helen Find the opportunity to reward two more Darkstar Coins to appropriate recruits Ideally choose someone who will use the coin before the break day

I know someone who would use it almost immediately Helen shook her head She tapped her nails of her right hand against the hard surface of the table The problem is letting him have the chance to genuinely earn it the kids a fuckign nightmare Very much a young and pissy brat But I do have a few ideas

Randidly barred his teeth I just need the chance to appear before them one more time And we might need to adjust the challenge rules to make sure that things last long enough that they can perceive my images and not just my body

I thought you werenÆt going to use your images in those challenges Helen spoke slowly with an aggrieved expression on her face

Randidly couldnÆt help but chuckle Ha Generally yes It will be primarily a physical demonstration But I heh you will have it rough in the confrontation sorry Helen She sighed in an exaggerated manner and Randidly continued to speak But I will need to address this situation directly IÆll make a small speech after the challenge We need to handle this somewhat carefully

How Heiffal asked

Randidly flexed his hands By reminding these elites that being a part of something matters That integrity and justice are their own reward That if any one of them puts their own benefits above the lives of the people in the Fifth Cohort

Randidly Helen rolled her eyes You donÆt need to beat around the fucking bush Scare them shitless with a demonstration and then talk about how important it is not to be tempted to taking a bribe from outside forces We get it

For a second Randidly froze Then he chuckled Helen certainly had a particular way of viewing the world and that view didnÆt include platitudes well thatÆs an extremely blunt way of viewing it But I suppose thatÆs right Alright any questions If thereÆs nothing else IÆll head to adjust the array

Heiffal and Helen nodded and went about their own work They would likely have their own preparations to make so that the next two days would be absolute hell for the recruits But Randidly had to admit that it appeared these recruits absorbed lessons best when exhausted It had been their methodology thus far and he didnÆt think he would change now

With quite a bit of longing in his face Randidly looked at the plate that was completely devoid of boar meat I guess IÆll need to take the time to roast another boar and then hide the finished product from Helen

After his two subordinates departed Randidly used the PhilosopherÆs Key to open a portal to the core portion of the suppression array It was located in a stone room underneath the individual training pod area With his experience working with his own pod it was rather simple for Randidly to increase the suppression

Currently recruits were left without any Stamina and thus had to use their images in an environment that had a low ambient amount of Nether That was the source of the suppression But it was quite easy to both increase the ambient Nether and also add an additional bit of Engraving that would noticeably increase the gravity in the area RandidlyÆs test subject was himself so he sat in that enclosed stone room toyed with the various settings

His own pod mostly targeted his usage of image so he had never gone all out to target physical movements

Congratulations Your Skill Architecture of the Primordial Ways has grown to Level 310

RandidlyÆs face was illuminated only by the soft glow coming from the Engravings that ran across the floor beneath him and the walls around him He soon grew curious about the limits of his own body and pushed to the limits earning an unconscious growl from his body After enduring the combined suppression for a few minutes Randidly deactivated the array and upped the effectiveness even further Then he pumped the Engraving full of Aether so it operated at maximum efficiency

This time his body practically shuddered as it withstood the force The increased gravity and polarized air pressured him from every angle His image physicalizations naturally emerged to resist the effects Randidly grinned down at the bulging veins along his chest and arms I might have broken the System limit on physical strength but that doesnÆt mean that IÆm completely unstoppable with just my body ThatÆs the limit of investing overmuch in only the physical

Inside RandidlyÆs chest while he was enduring full strength physical suppression the Grim Chimera stirred The rough scar tissue that covered the Grim Chimera began to crack and tear just slightly

Oh This might be RandidlyÆs grin widened

Chapter 1528

None of you are deaf and dumb no matter how weak you currently are Overseer Helen drawled as she slowly surveyed the gathered recruits in front of her Her hand was on her hip the fingers tapping rhythmically as she considered She pursed her lips So IÆll say openly what youÆve probably heard in whispers to this point both Military High Command and the Nexus Labor Council are using the death of a Commandant to broker a deal ThatÆs why itÆs so important to never stop training if you are too weak at the wrong moment you die And after you are dead you will be nothing but a poker chip to be used and discarded

Next to Raymund Ballast DiOrtho Vant slowly began to frown The emotions of the surrounding recruits were an uneasy balance between excitement and worry It was clear that there was a lot at play in the broader Nexus right now but Raymund was still excited for this opportunity for one reason only he would have some time to investigate the disappearance of his brother

Gabriel Swacc has the piece IÆll find out who you are and what that means IÆll find you Techetadore Raymund clenched his hands

Meanwhile Overseer Helen continued to talk It is the official position of Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound that recruits should have no contact with governmental or political organizations outside of their current military hierarchy while on leave In addition just fucking avoid military types outside of your chain of command If you stay in line Randidly Ghosthound will protect you Otherwise heh you are on your own Godspeed

Unfortunately for RaymundÆs grand plans he hadnÆt the faintest idea of where to begin when it came to searching for information in the Nexus He understood vaguely that there were certain individuals in the Nexus who specialized in the sale of information but he didnÆt know who those people were or how to find them He was a country boy in the big city

His first instinct was to ask either Benjamin DiOrtho or Charlotte They all had powerful backers and he would consider them his closest peers But Raymund shook his head decisively If I were to rely so directly on my companions would I be any different than these other fools who arrived in the training camp to curry favor

But despite his feeling of directionlessness Raymund Ballast was also determined After enduring the GhosthoundÆs hellish training wandering around for a bit and seeking these information brokers didnÆt seem so overwhelming He was capable enough to accomplish this task although the 24 hour time limit was something of a concern

Ah one more thing Overseer Helen announced after a long pause Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound has decided that we might as well take advantage of this entire day of rest you recruits will have by adjusting the training schedule leading up to Commandant LyrimÆs funeral Hehehe You are not going to enjoy these workouts but IÆm going to enjoy watching you break

No one was so brave as to actually grimace or sigh when they heard this completely unexpected but unsurprising news but Raymund could feel the emotional reverberations around him clearly For most of the recruits they had just managed to adjust to the demands on their body And based on Overseer HelenÆs words and expression this would not be an easy change

You have two hours of free time now do whatever you want Afterward we will start with four hours of physical fitness training Prepare yourselves Then Overseer Helen shooed lightly in dismal

How much more difficult are they going to make it to just move DiOrtho grumbled But although Vant was the most vocal complainer amongst the recruits it was also true that he was the only one radiating a cautious excitement at the news The man was practically glowing about the increase in training difficulty He met every oncoming challenge with a scowl and malicious glee

His approach to risk is extremely deficient and unnatural Raymund sighed Around them the various recruits were either furiously discussing the funeral with one another or returning to their dwellings probably also to arrange for further discussions The more Raymund watched their considered arrangements the more exhausted he became

For these individuals who had constantly been seeking out and making political connections in the sphere of Head Drill Sergeant GhosthoundÆs training camp this announcement was the signal to advance what plansÆ they possessed to the final stageÆ They were building bridges and cutting deals between the various factions But honestly Raymund had very little understanding of what these recruits had of worth to offer each other

They were just soldiers that hadnÆt even fought yet They could head to the Fifth Cohort and die and they would be forgotten within a week

Mumbling to himself DiOrtho wandered away from Raymund likely heading for the bamboo forest to think Raymund let him go without comment Managing the most powerful recruit as part of his squad was difficult enough under normal circumstances When it wasnÆt important he was perfectly content allowing the ram demon to go about his own business

Moving quickly Raymund Ballast returned to his clumsily made hovel and walked underneath the roof Although it wasnÆt currently raining the weather patterns changed before your very eyes in this controlled climate that the Ghosthound maintained Almost as though on cue as soon as Raymund was under his shelter the wind in the surroundings began to stir Even from a distance the sound of the rustling bamboo forest echoed through the area

For a second he looked over at the vine y purple tomatoes creeping up out of his garden with a bit of concern considering the quickly rising wind But then he shook himself that wasnÆt important right now What Raymund needed to do was decide how he should proceed

This was the opportunity he had been waiting for He didnÆt currently have the clout to command respect but he was affiliated with the Ghosthound From the way that Raymund had heard other recruits talking about their Head Drill Sergeant he was clearly a rising star in the Nexus But at the same time

RaymundÆs snout twitched Overseer HelenÆs words made it clear that the sort of interaction that Raymund intended to take was a betrayal Relying on the GhosthoundÆs reputation to cut a deal was not an honorable move His intentions were outside of the context of what she had been talking about but at the same time

Yet what am I supposed to do My world is dying They cannot wait for me to become a famous Commander And at the rate that IÆm improving A deep shame welled up in RaymundÆs chest as he considered how he had fallen to the high twenties in terms of rankings amongst the recruits We need Techetadore He is the one with the six tails He was the one who was born for this IÆm just

Raymund luckily didnÆt finish that thought Unluckily the reason he paused in that line of thinking was that a rather sneering voice from RaymundÆs subconscious began whispering to him You act so self righteously refusing to compromise on your image despite the fact you have no idea how to improve it yet at the slightest chance to chase Techetadore you cast that honor aside How much is your integrity truly worth

RaymundÆs lips curled up to bare his fangs ThatÆs different You expect me to blindly pursue power with the same dedication that I show toward my family The culture that raised me

His emotions churned and sizzled as the two sides of himself continued to clash So you are saying that it is the ends that justify the means You sell your honor for your family and it is excusable

I am not betraying the Ghosthound Raymund countered But even as he said it it was difficult to fully believe it His emotions slowly stabilized and swirled together He released a long sigh and looked down to the sharpened nails at the ends of his powerful hands These hands despite his relatively slow improvements speed now had grown so much in only three weeks He was that much closer to having the capability to find and assist Techetadore For that Raymund owed the Head Drill Sergeant a great debt

And yet Raymund pressed his eyes shut He still was tempted Around him the wind intensified rushing through the air like a child dashing back for shelter lest he find the solemn doors of his home closed to him

Shit Lady Iellaya said with a sigh as she looked down at the mark on the heavy Aether Diffuser before her They were stuck in the dimly lit and low ceilingÆd undercity where all the critical infrastructure was located in this Outer Realm but the damage was obvious enough that the lighting didnÆt matter Someone had burned away a very specific portion of the Engraving This the Engraving is warped by the attack I donÆt think this can be repaired it will need to be replaced

Disciplinary Magistrate Qiolo a humanoid covered entirely in long grey hair nodded in agreement as he drew his furry fingers around the edge of the wound Then he brought his fingertips to his mouth and licked Sharp People with images strong enough to damage this donÆt usually hang around in Outer Realms Especially in my jurisdiction So either someone here had a breakthrough or someone was brought in to send a message

A spider skittered out from behind the Aether Diffuser drawing glances from both Lady Iellaya and Disciplinary Magistrate Qiolo The mundane creature twitched and died from the combined weight of their gazes Then they turned back to the ruined machinery

Shit Lady Iellaya said again Once more Disciplinary Magistrate Qiolo nodded

Lady Iellaya had been appointed head of security for the funeral ceremony of Commandant Lyrim simply because she was the lowest ranking individual hanging around Military High Command at the moment So she had been both preparing the venue for the funeral and scrutinizing the recent teleportation logs for Outer Realm Umt the larger location where the funeral would be held Which was when she had noticed an urgent report from a Disciplinary Magistrate from a neighboring Outer Realm and come to investigate

In terms of Outer Realms Umt was as posh as they came possessing superior facilities and a generous Aether allotment It was the perfect location for a tasteful funeral

Meanwhile this Outer Realm Outer Realm Schizzorix was near abandoned The population was small and most of them were injured cast offs from earlier wars against the Nether Their Aether allotment was proportionately smaller This also meant that discontent was extremely high amongst the residents

The Aether Diffuser itself was the means by which the Outer Realms received their Aether allotment It was a hulking mound of metal that looked like a generator but functioned closer to a release valve Qiolo pointed to the slightly melted material around the base of the Diffuser Whoever did this was smart too The attack didnÆt damage the connection to the Nexus Ways only the release sensor So before the interference was discovered Aether ceaselessly pumped out The machine could no longer detect it had reached its daily allotment And someone was here gathering it which was why it wasnÆt discovered earlier

How much Aether do you think they got away with Lady Iellaya asked

Disciplinary Magistrate Qiolo grinned The equivalent of its yearly allotment in the span of five days Which also means that Outer Realm Schizzorix will not be receiving any further Aether for a while Heh this place is so fucked

You seem remarkably cheery about the fact youÆve most likely lost your job And that you failed so spectacularly to prevent this Lady Iellaya observed slowly You are the Disciplinary head here you wonÆt be able to avoid punishment

When I was twenty I offended someone I shouldnÆt have and had my image destroyed Qiolo said quietly The room was dark enough that Lady Iellaya couldnÆt quite make out his expression The hairs on his face were sleek and shimmered as his lips moved Still I didnÆt give up I started from scratch I managed to obtain a job in the Disciplinary Board and contributed significantly to the prosecution of the Overseer of the Sixth Cohort You might not have been active at the time but my investigation eventually revealed how corrupt that Overseer was I was given a commendation and my own entire Outer Realm out here It wasnÆt until I got here that I realized how little my efforts mattered

When the Disciplinary Magistrate smiled Lady Iellaya could see his teeth were very sharp So I wonÆt deny that I am sympathetic to the people who hold the Nexus in contempt And after living on a pittance here for a hundred years what else can they do to me I reported the leak I did my duty let them punish me for that and sow more negative karma for themselves What do I care

Lady Iellaya considered the man in front of her for several seconds Then she said Would you like a job

Chapter 1529

Randidly rolled his eyes at the opening line of NeveahÆs message As a more social person despite being a Bone Wyrm she wasnÆt a fan of the way that he had handled the governmental situation on Expira Still the rest of the message was more serious so he carefully read every word

Contrary to expectations Expira has been rather peaceful in your absence Perhaps a peacekeeping and temperamental overlord was more aggravating than helpful Most of the Zones are spreading outward in a queer mirroring of colonialism seizing large tracts of land and resources There are some small disputes but there is simply so much land that the Zones wonÆt bother with confrontations over it Similarly most bubble cities have aligned themselves directly with a Zone With Kharon patrolling the unexplored areas civilization has a chance to rebuild itself

I must say though if Expira plans to run through the history of Earth at an accelerated pace IÆm a little anxious

Speaking of which thank you for asking how I am I appreciate your newfound focus on emotional balance I can sense it through our connection and itÆs helping me ground myself So IÆve been better After hearing your description of what likely caused Roy to take his own life I believe IÆm slowly coming to terms with it Feeling like your actions are meaningless can destroy someone

There was a big piece of news recently Donnyton announced that it will soon be moving They will maintain a presence in that original valley but your original town is growing a bit too small for their operations And I think they want to avoid the growing tensions between themselves and Franksburg for control of Zone 32 So they claimed a large river valley near the equator and are currently recruiting people to join in their move

Zone 1 is low key thrilled The presence of Donnyton always aggravated them even now that Greyman is no longer President

IÆve made more progress on YystrixÆs legacy The current section I am working on appears to be related to the Nexus Ways It is a fascinating look at the way they used Aether to mimic NetherÆs ability to connect but it honestly seems not very useful considering your PhilosopherÆs Key Therefore I plan on switching again soon to try one of the few remaining areas I havenÆt addressed

In other news IÆve made a new friend I believe humans call our relationship pen pals So IÆve never met this individual but we communicate semi frequently about trivial matters It is quite the novel experience

Finally concerning your questions about additional physical suppression please stop You have a problem You are straining your physical form to the point that it damages your images That cannot be healthy

But to my mentally sick Soulbound companion below is an Engraving that I believe will achieve the desired effect

Best wishes

Neveah

Randidly grinned and scanned quickly through the Engraving His eyes rapidly brightened The Engraving essentially took principles from RandidlyÆs own experience as the Alpha Cosmos to restrict individuals even further It would forge a weak energy sympathy between the body and a larger structure in this case the whole of the Rally Station Thereafter a portion of an individual’s effort would be directed to moving the entire Rally Station and therefore largely wasted

Sensing that he was steadily approaching the required suppression to force the Grim Chimera image to evolve Randidly flexed his fingers Heh Grim Chimera do you really want me to pile on the physical necessity to push you to the next stage of your evolution DonÆt say I didnÆt warn you This will not be pleasant

Randidly hopped to his feet and walked to the window of his apartment He still had about twenty four hours before he needed to release his recruits to attend the funeral Therefore he also had time before the planned Darkstar Challenge As long as he pushed himself to the limit there was a chance that he could evolve the Grim Chimera before the challenge

And a dominant Grim Chimera was exactly the image that could scare the recruits into behaving during their time off

Nodding to himself Randidly moved to his personal training area and began adjusting his Engravings to incorporate NeveahÆs idea The training pod was becoming quite cramped with all the layered Engravings but it was still possible to fit everything he wanted

Congratulations Your Skill Architecture of the Primordial Ways has grown to Level 312

But right as he was about to head in and strain himself Randidly had an idea He quickly sent Helen a message

Should I say congratulations or condolences Overseer Helen teased The mercurial flow of her expressions as she was speaking was almost petrifying despite the fact that she knew she shouldnÆt stare so openly Charlotte Wick could not tear her eyes from the features of the feminine goddess in front of her She could barely even breathe This hairless humanoid was simply that perfect

Although her lack of movement might also be due to the brutalizing workout they had just endured Each of her muscles was releasing a constant stream of feeble complaints under the new array Overseer Helen hadnÆt been exaggerating about how difficult these two days were going to be CharlotteÆs dominant emotion had become numbness

Currently Charlotte was standing with DiOrtho Vant Jieu Ronault Kallum Xeruth and Tilem Joust the top five ranked recruits Aside from Vant they were all also captains of squads They regarded the Overseer in front of them carefully all of them antsy albeit for very different reasons than Charlotte

The Ghosthound is currently training in his pod making preparations to adjust his image Overseer Helen jerked her finger behind her Charlotte managed to tear her eyes away and glance at the training pod building in question She couldnÆt sense anything but her instincts warned her to stay away from the hunched metal shell of a structure In addition he has decided to give you five an opportunity you will be allowed to come with me into the waiting area and witness the image reverberations he is releasing And should you survive for an hour within the staging area you will receive a Darkstar Coin for your efforts

Next to her DiOrtho Vant raised his head His breathing quickened

Charlotte was somewhat scandalized to feel a sense of familiarity with DiOrthoÆs emotional reaction he appeared to fetishize Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound just as much as Charlotte did Overseer Helen Very quickly Charlotte suppressed that thought No My my emotions are much purer There is simply a magnetic pull IÆm purely an observer I have no special desires Unlike that uncouth Vant

During CharlotteÆs bout of vehement self hypnotism Overseer Helen continued to explain You do not need to take advantage of this opportunity I wonÆt force you It will take the place of your rest hours so you will need to proceed directly to your next physical fitness block after this In addition I will not protect your life while you are in there and the Ghosthound well he is notoriously oblivious to the harm that he can cause with his image There is a significant risk both of injury and of having your image warped by his Does anyone want to back out now

All five recruits remained silent and still No one had come this far from balking in the face of challenges

Overseer Helen beamed at them Glad to see we havenÆt yet cured you of your overconfidence Well come on then LetÆs get this fucking over with

With her usual swagger Overseer Helen walked forward to the door to the GhosthoundÆs personal training facility In terms of exterior it was perfectly in line with the other training buildings Its pod was no larger than any of the others But with every step they took toward that building CharlotteÆs instincts upped the volume on their warning about that place There was something dense and dangerous swirling around it Every more worryingly Overseer Helen paused in front of the doors Her image exploded around her thick currents of crimson energy winding their way around her lithe limbs

Only then did she open the door and reveal the ominously still interior She walked forward with even steps The noise of her boots against the tiled floor echoed strangely After exchanging alarmed glances the recruits followed Each activated their own image in imitation of Overseer Helen CharlotteÆs plant/beast hybrid the Primordial Spirit cantered slowly forward behind her On its leafy rack of pale antlers small bells chimed calming the emotions of the individuals around her

Although DiOrtho Vant spared her an irritated glare the rest of the recruits radiated gratitude as CharlotteÆs assistance helped calm their emotions Although she would never admit it out loud she paid tribute where it was due Advisor Salazar might be tiresome but his teachings about creating an aura are absolutely sublime Peh I suppose it was a survival instinct If he didnÆt have a calming shroud around him he would be killed for constantly telling his stupid tales

As soon as Charlotte stepped across the threshold her attention snapped back to the situation at hand There was a strange ringing in her ears She could barely suppress a gasp laid bare in front of her was the ongoing struggle of their Head Drill Sergeant Randidly Ghosthound The interior area was dimly lit and murky with powerful emotions and half formed emotions warping and obscuring the space just as surely as fog would Her bones resonated with the rumbling force that was rumbling through the air of the training hall If their bodies hadnÆt been a point of emphasis for the past several weeks

It felt like they were standing suspended in the middle of a storm cloud during a typhoon Everything was howling force and potent charge Or like she had been plunged to the bottom of a frigid sea Her skin crawled

Even with all of the training they had done it was only Jieu who appeared completely at ease in the staging area Overseer Helen glanced over her shoulder casually her crimson blood flows seeming to easily push away the crashing waves of image in the surrounding air She gestured slightly toward the swirling darkness at the far end of the hall Adjust your state here When you are ready

oomm

Next to her Kallum Xeruth spat out blood and fell to one knee as a horrifying cry emerged from the darkness in front of them That rumbling groan was almost infectious somehow after it experiencing it it began to feel like it was coming from the depths of your own body CharlotteÆs Primordial Spirit wavered She began to sweat She wrapped her arms around herself like she was desperately hugging her own torso

Overseer HelenÆs mouth twitched when you are ready follow me for a closer look But IÆd recommend not taking a step closer than me IÆll be using this opportunity to train as well And as for the pressure right next to the training pod I wouldnÆt dare experience it even for a second It would physically squish you Like a bug

Then she walked forward Snarling DiOrtho Vant forced himself to follow after her Jieu Ronault glided serenely after them For the moment Charlotte Wick waited and radiated energy from her image as best she could But with the chaotic rumbles in the space her image was warped and weakened

But soon Kallum appeared to have stabilized himself and stood His gaze was toward the training pod of their Head Drill Sergeant There was something fanatical in his gaze Charlotte glanced sideways at Tilem Joust a young woman with almost a dozen eyes on her face Pale and sickly looking Tilem shook her head her body could barely withstand it as it was

Charlotte nodded slowly then led Kallum forward wanting to observe the Ghosthound even if it was only for a moment

Chapter 1530

DiOrtho Vant was trembling but he had enough physical capability remaining in his body to take one further step forward Perhaps a meter in front of him Overseer Helen glanced back over her shoulder at him with a cool gaze Her entire figure was partially obscured both by the chaotic images that the Ghosthound was throwing off and by her own crimson flows that spiraled tightly around her every move The air was so thick with images that it was somewhat oversaturated

The clicking machine horror conjured by DiOrtho strained trying to push back the waves of force around him Every second saw his image turning even dimmer

Even through the haze of his exhaustion he could tell that Overseer Helen looked at him with genuine pity Turn back Vant You are overmatched here

Fury bloomed raw and hot in DiOrthoÆs chest He meant to growl but the noise came out as a groan But at least those emotions could briefly become fuel for his image Perhaps four more meters in front of Overseer Helen was the GhosthoundÆs training pod a rumbling core of seismic activity DiOrthoÆs eyes were bloodshot as he did his best to ignore the Overseer and observed the powerful image rising in the air above them

His muscle spasms were increasing in frequency but the movements were still manageable DiOrthoÆs mouth twisted open I must endure here I refuse to give in IÆll show them that I have what it takes Someday I will have the power to never be beholden to fucking anyone

Through the haze of image and the hum of the Engravings of the training pod it was only possible to see the broadest strokes of the blurry figure standing in the air in front of them Yet despite the fact that the details were muffled by the surrounding chaos it was like looking through a filter and suddenly seeing vivid and vital color for the first time That figure seemed real and concrete in a way that spoke to a horrifying depth of Willpower possessed by the Ghosthound

DiOrtho took another step forward The trembling grew worse as his image was steady ground away by the veritable sandblasting of ambient image that was whipping around the GhosthoundÆs image The whirring of his machine horror became an unsteady whine Meanwhile the Ghosthound was pressuring his image so forcefully with the array that debris was being ripped away and that debris was enough to completely defeat DiOrthoÆs image

It was humbling It was humiliating

Someday I swear someday

Overseer Helen shook her head HeÆs right at the cusp kid And you think the pressure is high right now What is about to happen is an increase of an entire tier DonÆt let your pride blind you to the truth Look at yourself You could die

DiOrtho knew the Overseer was right He couldnÆt miss the current fractured state of his body His blood vessels had burst and his organs were struggling to maintain themselves He also could tell that the Overseer was being genuine But that just made it worse Despite the warnings he tried to take another step forward But due to the damage to his body he only swayed in place

If IÆm meant to die here then so be it DiOrtho clenched his teeth in a tiny attempt to brace himself against the forces buffeting him I wonÆt run away from my own weakness

Above them the blurry figure raised its head and roared It spread its arms and through the veil DiOrtho could see the skin its limbs tear like feeble gift wrapping before the greedy fingers of a child His hanging skin flapped and fluttered like a flag The hulking image form then reached over with its right hand and began to rip large chunks of its own flesh off The pressure shot sharply upward and DiOrtho suddenly found that he could not breathe Even so he didnÆt mind He didnÆt look away for a single moment

The tiles beneath DiOrthoÆs feet began to crack

Or he would have not looked away had that sudden flesh rending not unleashed a gale force wind that blasted outward DiOrtho blinked and had to fall to his hands in knees in order to not get blasted backward His image sputtered and was extinguished beneath that assault A split second later he had to lower himself further so it appeared like he was scuttling along the ground like a common beetle to avoid being shoved backward Yet with the advent of the stupefyingly powerful wind the clarity of the image overhead sharply increased

Even as the wind continued to howl the veil parted

DiOrtho recognized the figure of the Ghosthound looking frail and slender after so much flesh had ruptured and been torn away Only his left arm remained formidable a massive claw of bulging muscle and heavy bone Again the Ghosthound raised his head and roared But after that roar his body began to fail

It started with his right wrist The joint simply collapsed spraying flecks of fractured bone and gore into the surroundings Then his left hip began to twist and groan His left foot seemed to explode spraying blood everywhere His right forearm snapped like a twig the bone thrusting up through the arm and revealing the fractured end His lower jaw was ripped away letting blood dribble down over his neck and torso

With wide eyes DiOrtho watched the overwhelming pressure slowly crushing the GhosthoundÆs image body Joints and long bones failed first with the larger muscle groups slowly being shredded from his form and leaving only a cracked skeleton in its wake That is except for that massive left arm The pressure ruptured the thingÆs blood vessels and had it constantly leaking crimson liquid but its massive weight resisted cracking

The pressure continued to tick upward causing DiOrtho to squint Once more visibility dipped as the Ghosthound was situated in the core of a whirlwind of gore and viscera Yet DiOrtho could still barely make out movement within that bloody screen The GhosthoundÆs left arm was slowly reaching upward Its creaking claws spread wide

Strangely that enormous claw pressed to the GhosthoundÆs chest with enough size to engulf most of his upper torso Then that claw began to tighten even as the rest of his body continued to splinter and spatter