Chapter 708 (2/2)

This time, Helen’s approach set Randidly’s hairs on end. In addition, those thin currents of air that were constantly harrying him had thickened with the introduction of blood. They wound around and began to encircle him, flowing in a strange pattern. That, combined with the fearsome speed that Helen used, constituted a real threat to Randidly.

Such was her speed that in the split second he recognized its true depths, Randidly wondered whether he himself was faster than her. But then instinct took over, and the Wild Phantom’s Embrace carried him forward.

Helen’s attacks were fast and brutal. It seemed like a small thing at first, but the attacks she threw now were sharp and just a few centimeters longer than previously. Randidly twisted the side out of a slash but his chest was still slightly scratched. His counter thrust met only air, and Helen’s burning eyes were right in front of him as she smashed the butt of her spear into his chest.

With a grunt, Randidly endured it and activated Grasp of the World Seed. Instantly two thick vines exploded out of the ground. Their tips sharpened and they ripped up toward Helen’s exposed back. The river above Helen curved and she was away, slashing and severing the vines with ease.

Randidly’s eyebrows twitched. After dispatching his two vines, Helen once more leapt toward him and ripped at his neck with her spear. Using her force, the Wild Phantom’s Embrace carried him to the side... and into the path of another attack.

Randidly grinned, the challenge of it finally getting to him. She had used the force of the attacks to guide where he was moving to, and attacked there, huh…?

The blood empowered currents of air settled like a jailor’s chains around Randidly. A fiery-eyed Helen advanced with breathtaking speed. Her spear cut downward, aiming for his hands on Acri. Eyes flashing, Randidly twisted and raised his spear to meet her. Just as they were about to clash, Randidly felt her twist away to strike at another spot, but he largely ignored that.

Instead, Randidly used Incendiary Eruption three times in a triangle around where they were standing. Time to test her resolve.

The ground blew upwards, spewing bubbling metals and superheated gases. The area of effect was small, but Helen was surrounded. She was bombarded on two sides by a wave of heat and stone debris.

But although she stumbled, it was only briefly. The next moment, her spear was blurring toward Randidly’s face. He frowned. Strangely, through the chill and stiffness that suffused him, he felt that the currents of air that were holding him… were tightening. There was some serious juice in the infusion of blood into Helen’s images.

Even though the air was stronger, it wasn’t strong enough. Randidly shrugged and activated Yyrwood Body of Yggdrasil. Instantly, his Strength and Agility surged upward. With the Crown of Cataclysm and Gloom activated, Randidly moved perfectly to counter Helen’s spear.

For the second time of the fight, their spears actually crossed.

Hisssssssss

Instead of the concussive force that Randidly had been expecting, there was only a soft hissing as Helen’s spear skidded across his own. Even front this distance, she managed to twist out of the way.

“Incendiary Eruption,” Randidly said again, watching Helen carefully. The ground underneath her shuddered and began to split.

Her attack slid along his spear toward his chest and her body followed it as the full force of the Incendiary Eruption smashed into Helen’s back. But again, she didn’t react with anything but a tightening of her clenched teeth. There was pain there, but…

Helen’s attack smashed into Randidly’s chest in a small explosion of flame. He tried to lean back, but the currents of air binding him had toughened once again. It wasn’t necessarily heat that Randidly felt, but his heart was pounding under the influence of adrenaline. His curious numbness seemed to be lifted, if only marginally.

Immediately, Randidly’s expression brightened. Thank god, he had thought for a bit that he wouldn’t feel warmth again…

But before Randidly’s joy could manifest itself, Helen sidestepped and stabbed at him again. With her own force, Randidly spun to the side. But then the restricting air flows descended once again around him and Helen slashed left and right. Randidly raised his spear and blocked both. The force was dangerous, but not to his guard. But the pressure from the air currents...

It was rising. The whole stage part of the arena was covered in strange flows. It was beginning to look somewhat similar to a whirlpool.

Even though Helen’s strike was quick, Randidly noticed that her feet were slightly slow to follow through with the attack. It seemed that although she had somehow neutralized most of the damage from the Skill, it wasn’t completely useless.

“Incendiary Eruption. Incendiary Eruption. Incendiary Eruption.”

The Skills smashed upwards, continuing to harry Helen as she pursued Randidly. Her dodges were sharp and skillful, but she continued to force herself forward and keep the flows of air binding Randidly. While maintaining the pursuit, avoiding the damage was impossible.

Gritting her teeth, Helen slashed with her spear again and again. To his surprise, the speed and sharpness increased with every attack. At the same time, Randidly’s brow furrowed over worry for Helen taking damage from the Skills. Could she continue this…?

Her spear blurred toward Randidly’s chest, cutting sideways out of a different vector of attack. Randidly raised his spear to block, but then there was a hyper-sharp trace of Helen’s quickening spear. Randidly blinked. Helen’s spear swept upward, hitting at the right angle and with enough force to knock away Acri and leave a slash across his chest. It was shallow, but still…

Acri floated in the air for a second as Helen prepared for follow up attacks. But then it twisted, and like a lightning viper, struck downward. Eyes blazing, Randidly reached out and filled the air with as much of the cold image as he could manage, hoping that Acri wouldn’t finish that blow.