Chapter 931 (2/2)
“Who would miss it? It makes my blood burn to watch. I almost wish I could join the Squads fighting up there.” Ace laughed. “It’s easy to forget he’s human, Randidly. The way he fights… the things he creates. He just keeps on surprising me…”
“Did you see how he did it?” Han interrupted. Xia pressed her lips together; she didn’t like the frank statement of their weakness. To ask Ace with such desperation in the tone was to reveal they had not been able to find out the answer themselves.
Although both she and Han Yazhu had trained to become sufficiently strong, they had to go through none of the hardships that those of Donnyton’s Zone endured. Zone Seven was one of the eight Zones that received word beforehand of what was to come. So they were prepared.
Or they thought they had been. The System was much more dangerous than they had been warned.
Yet right now, Xia couldn’t fault Han; she was curious about what had occurred as well.
It was obvious from the remnants that Clarissa had someone summoned a great deal of destructive wind. It seemed like the ground had been ripped up in a cone, the point aiming directly toward Randidly’s heart. Yet as that dust settled, those tall twisting roots remained, unbroken by the earlier violence.
Yet as the dust settled, Randidly stood in that same spot, just looking at the exhausted Clarissa. She hadn’t even been able to force him to move.
Ace grimaced and rubbed his shoulders. “Well, I can’t deny that I saw it, but I don’t think me telling you how he did it will make much sense… Some parts of his life just sound made up. Randidly used those roots to reach up and… snatched the wind. Physically covered it with roots and pressed down. Smashed it into nothing.”
“You cannot grab the wind,” Han said with a curt shake of the head.
Ace laughed awkwardly. “I don’t know what to say to that. But I can say that Randidly certainly did just grab the wind and smash it to nothing. That’s just the sort of man he is.”
“Wind is air,” Xia said tartly. “It would flow right around any attempts to grab it. It compresses easily into small spaces and it is part of grand weather patterns that dwarf the significance of humans. The strength of an entire climate is not a simple thing, Mr. Ace.”
“Call me Mr. Ridge, if you insist on being stuffy.” Ace said with a shrug. “If you were right about that… we wouldn’t be so impressed, now would we? It shouldn’t be possible. It definitely wasn’t easy. And the worst part was that he wasn’t spent after the process. Which is why we are speaking, is it not? Because you have witnessed the depth that Donnyton possesses. Even setting aside the monster that is Randidly Ghosthound, could you endure Clarissa?”
That silenced Xia. Her logical brain continued to insist that explanation wasn’t plausible. Yet she was also struck by the truth in the second thing that Ace suggested; that even the loser in that exchange was beyond Zone Seven.
The System had pushed Earth beyond a logical understanding. It was now almost more story that substance. Which Randidly was pushing even more forcefully with his focus on images. Zone Seven was prepared to buckle down and work together to advance the glory of their Zone to be the gem of Earth. That was their image. Progress through unity.
Donnyton worshipped individual power. Clarissa was practically a miracle worker with the Skills she was able to use.
Yet Randidly Ghosthound was on a completely different path. A path that ran roughshod over both. And the power he displayed made it seem very foolish to not walk that same path.
“But it’s brought us together, hasn’t it?” Ace’s smile was wide and shark-like. For the first time since they met, Xia felt a dangerous tingle between her shoulder blades as she looked at him. Her eyes narrowed. For all that this man looked like simply a fool, he was dangerous. Powerful enough to have assisted the Undying Hero and endured Donnyton’s ire.
It isn’t simply Donnyton that possesses a hidden monster.
“A beautiful and auspicious meeting,” Han agreed with a dry tone. Ace’s smile stretched wider, but he didn’t comment on the edge of sarcasm to Han’s voice. “Our brilliant Zone would be happy to arrange a trade agreement with the Refuge. From what I understand, much of the… less official goods pass through the Refuge. It is said that you can buy anything under the sun within its walls.”
“It is true,” Ace agreed with a smile. “So… What does Zone Seven want to buy?”
“...obviously challenging Donnyton directly is difficult…” Han said slowly. Then he leaned forward. “Yet… I have gone into the markets, and seen many… unique items. Bits of pure elemental energy, condensed. As Donnyton’s production is very… idiosyncratic, they are moving toward relying heavily on these bits of energy. If we would be able to dominate that market...”
“East End’s Elemental condensations,” Xia said quietly. “How are they made?”
Ace chuckled.