Chapter 295 (2/2)

“Simon was it?” Thea said, remembering the two figures. Remembering the visceral feeling of Chrysanthemum’s joy as she had played with the other man, David.

Denise paused. “...yes, I believe so. A lovely name. Anyway, help them, but watch them too. They caused some trouble when they went for a Class. The usual arrogant sort of violence. Something to watch out for.”

Thea had a very hard time believing that, but she nodded anyway.

A gong began to sound. Cale swore. Denise’s eyes narrowed.

“Well… it seems we have company,” Andre said mildly as he stood.

****

Randidly grunted with exertion, his will straining. The worst part of this whole recovery was how fucking squirrelly the bits of his broken skill were, as they were embedded in the wrong place. They seemed to wriggle, aiming to get around his pressing will.

It had swiftly become apparent that while his skill being smashed to pieces was the main injury, his Battle Intent, and therefore his application of will, was also heavily injured. Luckily, the amorphous quality he had chosen for it meant that his will was well on its way to reforming.

Randidly supposed he shouldn't be surprised. He had let his Battle Intent take a beating against Drak, then overexerted himself using his new skill too many times, and then he had used it against a Master class opponent, who had absolutely steamrolled him. Surprising, honestly, that the injuries weren’t any worse.

But that was slowly recovering, so he was becoming increasingly even handed with his surgery. With a grunt, Randidly leaned back, relaxing somewhat, letting the dull ache of pain fade away. Several bits of broken skill floated in the space where the skill was once housed, liberated.

Randidly had been able to completely clear the skills Bacterial Regeneration, Running, and Hammer of the Dawn. A strangely eclectic list, but they were the most commonly used skills of the ones that had a light serving of the bits of skill.

What Randidly really needed to clear out was Physical Fitness and Fighting Proficiency, the two passive skills that were basically causing him constant low grade agony. Fighting Proficiency wasn’t so bad, but Physical Fitness had 9 bits embedded in it, one of the worst ones. And these were all deep, worming their way into the crucial bits of the skill.

While Randidly could remove them, moving them incorrectly, or too quickly, or too ANYTHING meant that there was a strange… irritation to his pain. This irritation led to persistent, debilitating headaches that could only be sated through the use of the Mending Fluid that Simon provided.

Which meant that the limiting factor in Randidly’s recovery speed was really Simon, not that he would ever tell the kid that. He had enough stress on his plate. Currently, he was over in the corner, curled up, practicing his Astral Projection Skill.

Randidly’s inherent suspicion of Village Spirits had driven him to intercede, but he wondered whether that was for the best. He truly believed that remaining a Dreamer was the… honest to self path for Simon. But perhaps it was far, far, more difficult to maintain that innocence in the world after the System.

Maybe just… after coming back from Shal’s world, seeing Simon had triggered a nostalgia in Randidly, foolish as it was.

Randidly scratched his hands, strangely irritated. Well, the reason wasn’t strange. He hated this weakness, this waiting. At no point in his life had he ever been disabled like this. And honestly, this wasn’t a very complete disability. He was just… less overpowered.

Or more accurately, less able to refine himself, and pursue his goals. Randidly had a lot of things he wanted to accomplish, finding his friends, addressing the Creature’s use of Lyra’s identity, but right now, he wasn’t sure how he would fare in either endeavor. He simply didn’t know enough about the Zone. Where could they be?

And there was something about the Champions that raised Randidly’s hackles. More hooks that the System could put into you. But he was curious too. His Aether detection wasn’t sophisticated, but there didn’t seem to be anything like an Aether tether other than the Class one on Thea Glasshammer. In fact, the only other connection was between her and the bear.

Randidly abruptly straightened, his eyes flashing. Grimacing, he drank some of the refined fluid. Simon sat bolt upright.

“Trouble-” The boy began, before collapsing into a fit of wheezing. A gong began to sound, likely a call to arms. Randidly just yawned, cracking his neck.

Some light exercise would be nice.