Chapter 248 (2/2)

“...I don’t suppose this is where you say I didn’t technically reach the correct ring?” Randidly asked wryly.

The giant face above him slowly twisted its mouth. After several seconds, it was clearly a smile.

“No… this is acceptable. But… the challenge is not over. You must withstand such a heat for an hour… only then is your body at an acceptable level to become my anointed. Hmm, hmm…. I suppose since you are closer… the time can be shortened to 45 minutes…”

Randidly’s skin continued to sizzle, bubbling and burning. The bottom of his feet were slowly being ground away by the vicious burning of the semi-solid rock beneath him. Waves of heat wafted upwards, warping the appearance of the ground around him. Shivering, Randidly had quite a bit of difficulty just with standing, even with the thick streams of energy he absorbed through the ground, energizing himself.

All the while, the temperature continued to rise, the air being lit on fire by that strange crimson and black sphere.

After using Absolute Control: Freeze to suppress the worst of the weakness, Randidly began to walk towards the center of the arena, his steps stuttering. None of his spells would really help here, his Healing Palm was at too low of a level to accomplish anything. As it was, he was currently regaining some of his strength very slowly, but it was hard to imagine that he would be able to keep that up as the temperature continued to rise.

No, the best way…

Randidly’s mouth stretched wide.

The way that Randidly somehow knew would grab the attention of the Patron of Ash, just because of how insane it sounded. Because that was the type of character he seemed to be.

“...and if I touch that sphere…?” Randidly whispered.

Above him, the Patron of Ash heard his words, and its eyes began to glow. But it said nothing as Randidly walked forward, trudging as quickly as he could manage. The heat was a physical weight at this point, far beyond the ability for a human before the System to withstand. Sweat evaporated before it even left the pores, and Randidly’s skin began to wither and flake awake.

It was hot and dry, to an unbelievable degree. Randidly looked down at the final ring in front of him, grimacing. This was the part that might be hard. And Randidly took the step, and hopped downwards into the next ring.

Blink.

“Randidly?”

The room was dark, making it impossible to see. But the air was cool, and Randidly gasped, sucking down large lungfuls of cool air. It probably hurt him, because this was just an illusion, and out around him the heat was still present. But for now, it was a much needed break.

But then he straightened, because he recognized that voice, no matter where he was. He had just heard it, albeit in an illusion. The deep darkness parted, and slowly shapes became clearer around him. A dark bedroom, in a classical style. 4 poster bed, writing desk, large mirror on the far well, a tall bookshelf…

A figure got up out of a bed, stepping carefully, not bothering to dress herself. She was just wearing a shift. The only light in the room came from the nearby window, but the drapes were pulled, so only a bit of reflected luminance was able to shine around.

But it was Sydney, thin and pale even in the darkness, her normally short hair grown out to her shoulders. She gave him a long look, then sighed.

“Is this a joke…? To think I fell for it, even for a second…” Then her eyes firmed, and she raised her hands. “Well, whatever sick sort of joke Ace had planned, I still refuse to meet with him. Die.”

Randidly felt a strange chill, and it was more than just the strange sinking feeling in his chest he felt as Sydney waved her hands at him in a threatening manner. Thick daggers of black ice shot forward, aiming for his chest.

In that moment, Randidly was frozen, shocked both that Sydney would attack him, the mention of Ace, and the fact that she was clearly using skills that would have come only after the System arrived. Did that mean…?

They were alive…? All of this time…?