Chapter 710 (1/2)

Pain. That was what Helen knew at that moment. Part of it was the burns on her legs and back from Randidly’s eruptions. Part of it was the feeling of her heart beating too hard for too long, exhausting her body. Part of it was the scalding image of blood that she felt completely submerged in. The heat was worse than Randidly’s Skills in a way.

But it was the way that her heart fell silently to pieces when Randidly closed his eyes to her words that truly set her aflame. Like cracks in an iced-over pond, this moment was long coming. The fracture lines had been clear for a while. But the ice had been holding strong. She had held out hope that at some point he would lower his eyes from the distant horizon and find her own gaze.

With his silence, Helen had received all the answer she needed. For better or worse, Randidly would never cease chasing the elusive concept of destiny. His passion was to struggle against the System itself.

Compared to that, Helen was…

Around the arena, the plants continued to sprout forth and attack her, but it wasn’t as thorough an attack as previously. Her words had given Randidly pause. Not that this was a good thing. Even as she cut through the lashing roots she sensed that something was gathering in Randidly. There was a barely audible ringing coming through the energy connection that Randidly had given her. He was preparing something.

The previously sluggish currents flowing through the air sped up as Helen forced energy into her exhausted body. The roaring in her ears grew louder. Her heartbeat intensified even further. Her vision filled with steady drops of blood, each tiny sphere slowly spreading to dye the entire world in front of her crimson.

Fuck this. Fuck him. Even if I can’t change the world Randidly… I sure as hell won’t let you leave me behind like this…!

With her face twisted in a snarl, Helen ripped the channel of energy between them open even more widely. Power poured into her body, and her will grasped it with steely fingers.

There were only 5 meters between them. Randidly stood with his eyes closed, a cold breeze surrounding him. But Helen was burning up, submerged completely in blood now. Around the arena, the currents swirled haphazardly. She had largely lost control of them, but at the same time, she had managed to condense them even more solidly than she had ever before.

Her spear tip burned in Helen’s vision. The flecks of Randidly’s blood on it set her mind to ringing. She was hungry. She wanted more. Her own blood felt like lava in her veins. The energy she was receiving from Randidly was setting it aflame.

Congratulations! You have created the Skill “Domain: Tides of Blood ® Lvl 1”.

Domain: Tides of Blood: Surround yourself in a deep sea of blood. Within the sea, your Agility and Reaction are greatly increased. Efficacy of all Skills is increased. This effect increases with Skill Level. Opponents will find themselves restricted by the fickle tides of blood around them. Opponents within the Domain will experience an increasing amount of mental strain the longer they remain within the Tides of Blood.

There was a silent reverberation through the arena as the thing currents abruptly condensed to thick flows of blood. The crowd gasped as their view of the fight became obscured as the Domain snapped into place. Helen noticed the referee’s frown, but he did nothing to stop the fight. Domains were uncommon at this Level, but not unheard of.

Helen’s hands on her spear tightened. Her fingers felt less like human appendages and more like claws. Her eyes were locked onto Randidly’s peaceful form. She would rip him to pieces to prove her worth. She would maim him. She would-

Congratulations! Due to your powerful will, your soul has evolved! You have gained the Soulskill “Hunger of the Hellfin Reaper”. Within the Tides of Blood Domain, the power and growth of your Soulskill is doubled!

This time, the reverberation was completely internal. She felt her grin stretch wider, showing more teeth. Her vicious anger was replaced by a hungry, predatory instinct.

Randidly’s eyes calmly opened, and their gazes met. With a shriek, Helen sprinted forward toward him.

*****

As Randidly opened his eyes, he felt the Aether in his chest gathering. He was almost there. He just needed to find the shape of what he wanted. But as he looked at Helen, he frowned slightly. Helen had shifted, somehow. And strangely, Randidly felt… underwater, with the air tinted with the metallic tang of blood.

This was… a domain?