Chapter 106 (2/2)

Paolo shook his head, regaining some of his clarity. Decklan drew two more long knives, one of which was the knife that Randidly had given him all that time ago. Dozer lumbered forward. He previous strikes had rapidly reduced their fighting force, but the Classers in front of him had not been swayed. They still held tightly, almost grimly, onto hope.

So now was time to gamble, huh…?

Randidly smiled at Dozer, raising the pole. “The Spear Advances, Ash Trails.”

*****

Mrs. Hamilton felt her hands tighten into fist as the Ghosthound spoke. So he finally decided to play his last card, huh…?

The Ghosthound, ultimately, was not able to equal Donnyton’s forces in an extended confrontation. There was simply too many of them capable of skills. So he had used a series of vicious bursts to reduce their staying power, whittling away their will. That had left this group, who had enough health and stamina to push through his area of effect skills. They needed to be dealt with individually, and at great cost.

Of them all, of course, the tanks were the real problem. If they weren’t there, he could continue to use bursts to attack. As it were, they would just endure it, and then crush him.

So he was forced to this.

With an impossible powerful explosion of fire and ash, the Ghosthound shot forward, pole raised towards Dozer. The speed with which he traveled made reactions impossible. The two figures smashed together, and just as quickly, parted with a crack.

Dozer stumbled, and spat out a mouthful of blood.

The Ghosthound skipped forward, bleeding off some of his speed, and stopped and turned, looking at them with glowing eyes. There was an anger there, and an unwillingness.

With exaggerated slowness, the Ghosthound raised his hand, holding it above his head. A smoldering fire began to form.

“Inspiration…!” His words were raw and angry.Dozer turned and raised his club, barely maintaining his stance. Donny rushed forward to stand by him, and activated Aegis. The other three ran behind the tanks.

Surprising everyone, even herself, Mrs. Hamilton said. “Can you see how much they want this victory, Randidly?”

Those violent, hungry emerald eyes turned towards her, the fire held above the Ghosthound’s head slowly glowing brighter. He smiled.

But then everything dimmed, all at once. The Ghosthound let his hand fall. “...they don’t need to want it any longer; they have won.”

Without another word, the Ghosthound dropped the pole and walked away, out of the arena and towards the treeline. People parted, unsure of what just happened.

“What just happened?” Sam gasped. “He gave up…?”

Mrs. Hamilton took a very long breath in and out, and then shook her head slowly. As the Ghosthound slowly walked, he passed the area where the defeated squads stood, there was a strange tension. Then, abruptly, a man stepped forward.

The squad leader of Squad III stepped towards the Ghosthound, then bowed. “Thank you for your guidance.”

Behind him, in a wave, all of the defeated classers bowed. “Thank you.”

It was a dull thunder. Echoing out, filling the silence, these two words were everything that they wanted to say to this man. He started the village, he protected them, he taught them about classes and skills, and then he showed them how weak they were, and also how strong they could be.

And so the people said Thank You.

The Ghosthound walked, not acknowledging the words, just walking into the forest. He had said everything he had to say already, with that pole. He had explained clearly what he had expected from them, what demanded from the squads, in the name of Donnyton’s defense.

And to that pole, Mrs. Hamilton pointed.”...It could be say that the Ghosthound lost to the situation more than anything else.”

Daniel snorted. “What, is he going to be a sore loser about the numbers, now? Why-”

“No, you idiot,” An annoyed Annie, nursing a brutal headache, said. “Look at the pole. It broke when it hit Dozer.”

Daniel blinked. Sure enough, the poles tip had cracked, a good ¼ falling to the ground around the site of the blow. With that much of the force dispersed, it was still enough to blast through Donny’s defensive skill, and heavily wound Dozer.

But it wasn’t enough to put Dozer out of commission. The pillar had not fallen. And for whatever reason, the Ghosthound had stayed his hand at the last second, letting them off.