Chapter 778 (2/2)

Helen rubbed her eyes and looked again. Once more, the training area was completely clean. There were no roots or vines. There were just dirt ground and a man with a spear.

Randidly stood calmly and watched her approach.

“So, you decided to face me today.” Helen finally said, when they stood only ten meters apart. The whole walk up she had proceeded slowly, so as not to spook him into running away. After yesterday's hell, she had spent all night dreaming of what she would say and do to him. But she was somewhat thrown by the fact she had such a chance immediately. Her eyes fastened on the training spear in his hands as proof of condescension. “Why do you not use your own spear? Is that training spear all you need to defeat me?!”

The black flame in her heart was perhaps two fingers wide now, and it flared greedily to life at this question. Her heart pounded with the indignation of protecting that toad. And the constant scathing and condescending comments… the fact that Randidly allowed it-

“Unfortunately, my spear was stolen from me,” Randidly said with a sad shake of his head. Helen suspiciously watched him for any hint that he was lying, but there was none. Slowly, Helen’s stance relaxed. She frowned. That living spear had been… stolen? It couldn’t be so easy as that, could it?

“So, today’s training,” Randidly said slowly. Instantly, Helen was back on guard. She was aware that Randidly was trying to help her, but it was so difficult to remember that when he was so obviously going for every opportunity to goad her into a lathered up fury. He rubbed his neck awkwardly and opened his mouth to speak. But before he did so, another figure sauntered into the room.

“Huhuh… after watching you so closely yesterday, I had several ‘training’ ideas.” Darrune said with a sneer. He glanced furtively at Randidly, and seeing a neutral expression, he continued by saying. “Errr… I think you will like what I have in mind. Your improvement will be heaven-defying… but ah, I apologize Mr. Ghosthound. You were about to explain. Please, do go on.”

Helen blinked very slowly. “Wait… these training regimens… they were your idea?”

Darrune instantly opened his mouth wide, but then seemed to choke on something. Darrune’s gaze quickly returned to Randidly. The two just stared at each other. Helen grew increasingly annoyed.

Just when she was about to say fuck it and try and stab one of them, Randidly grinned. “Oh, yes. Darrune has been instrumental in developing these training regimes. I’m not… well, you know me. Teaching is not something I have any experience in. For all Darrune’s… quirks, teaching is something he understands intimately.

“I- ah, well, that is very kind of you to say… ahem, my ideas are quite… ehehehee… truly, it is hard for a talented individual such as I to go anywhere without being praised.” For a while, confusion and raw pleasure at the compliment warred on Darrune’s face. Pleasure quickly won and ran away with his body. “I must admit that… errr… I was instrumental in these training plans. Not so much experience as expertise, I would say… obviously, there is no need to thank me-”

The Tides of Blood Domain exploded outward. Quick as a flash, Helen was gliding in front of Darrune, prepared to cut his head off and stuck it down his dick. It was with great pleasure that she imagined the sensation of doing just that.

Clang!

Randidly’s spear stopped her strike dead, and the two of them faced each other directly. Helen’s face twisted into a snarl and pressed harder. Randidly’s emerald eyes flashed and he smashed her backward with enough force to throw her several meters.

She regarded him warily, her eyes darting from his face to Darrune’s hideously afraid visage behind him. The black flame greedily eyed him. “Get out of the way, Randidly. He deserves this.”

“His training plan for today,” Randidly said slowly, “was to lure you directly. I know he can be harsh, but he’s trying to help. I’ll be protecting him today, so attack to your heart’s content.”

“I will rip you to pieces to get at him,” Helen hissed. Just as she was about to explode into motion, she felt her Domain shudder and fail as it was sliced apart.

Helen spun around and saw two root avatars behind her, slowly closing the distance. Her vision went red as memories of being tormented by these plant men surged to the forefront of her mind. Growling, Helen conjured a Maw of the Hellfin to gnaw on one while she spun to deflect Randidly’s spear strike.

Even the contact sent her tapping backward. For all her anger, Helen’s face turned grim. What she was missing in the fights with the plant avatars was weight. They were strong, but she was stronger. But when her spear crossed with Randidly’s she was rapidly reminded that this wasn’t always the case. Others were often stronger than her. Skarch would definitely be. Helen’s strength came from other places.

But just as soon as clarity returned to her, Darrune spoke and ruined it. “Ah, too bad I didn’t bring a novel… well, I suppose you won’t improve without my instruction. Here, I’ll add commentary of what you are doing wrong… ah, behind-... jeez, why did you let that strange plant strike you? Just dodge it more. Maybe… eh, that is passable, but- And THAT! Mr. Ghosthound might be strong, but stop letting him push you around. Strike back harder-”

“I WILL MURDER YOU!!!” Helen roared, smashing her spear as hard and fast as she could at Randidly’s guard. Infuriatingly, he calmly deflected her blows and gave ground until it was clear she was running at a huge Stamina deficit. But as soon as she slowed the barrage down, Randidly struck back with an Idiosyncratic Cut followed up by As the Sun Stills.

Helen had a sudden impulse to tear Randidly to pieces, but she shook her head and shed that emotion. Instead, her eyes locked on Darrune’s smug face. He had produced a canvas chair from his interspatial ring and was now sitting while he called out the most useless advice in the world to infuriate her.

You will pay, Helen thought grimly. Then she focused her attention on Randidly and the plant avatars as they circled around to attack.