Chapter 1034 (2/2)

What do I want, Lyra…?

“I want to not have to do this,” Randidly said softly. “I don’t want to be the one who needs to sacrifice himself in order to protect the Earth. I don’t…. Goddamnit. But there’s just no one else-”

There was a ripple in the air and suddenly Neveah was there, standing next to Randidly. For a split second, he froze, horrified that she had come here, now, and seen the Grim Chimera for what it was: not an imagined creature designed for power, but the own true state of Randidly’s soul.

But then Randidly brittlely smiled. From Neveah, hiding something like this was almost impossible. Although they had both been too occupied by their individual tasks over the past several months, each could read the other’s emotions. So she had known, Randidly had no doubt. And now, she was likely here to comfort him-

Neveah kicked Randidly in the chest. He was so surprised that after he was knocked to the ground, Randidly spent several seconds staring up at the sky rather than getting back up.

Neveah came and crouched next to him. Her bone teeth clicked together as she shook her head. “It’s a hard truth, what violence has done to you. But don’t go getting all mopey when I was born like this,” Neveah pointed to her skull of stark bone with a maw lined with razor-sharp teeth that she had inherited from the Bone Wyrm. “Ever since I came into the world, this is the only face that has been truly mine… does that mean I’m a monster?”

Sighing, Randidly got to his feet and rubbed the back of his head. “...I suppose it’s too much to expect that you came here to comfort me. I’m sorry, you’re right. I’ve been hiding this truth from myself, but you-”

“No, that is exactly why I’m here.” Neveah took a step forward. For a second, Randidly thought he was going to receive another kick, but instead Neveah spread her bony and horned arms and pulled him into an embrace. When he gasped in surprise, he smelled the scent of peat and rot wafting up from her; it seemed her work in the Toad world hadn’t ceased.

Neveah pulled back to an arm’s length away and regarded Randidly steadily. “Know that you will never be alone again when you face your demons. We are bound, Randidly Ghosthound. Never forget that. And because we are bound… remember this; that girl-child Lyra was more insightful than you give her credit for. Because no matter how monstrous you look… it is not our forms that define us. It is our desires.”

Randidly clenched his hands so hard that his metallic limb began to emit groaning complaints. “And what does it say about me that my deepest desire is to cast aside all the momentum I’ve built up and shirk the responsibility I bear?”

“That was your fear talking.” Neveah leaned forward and butted her head sharply against Randidly’s. Randidly was rather annoyed by how much it hurt. “When you hide away your internal fears so long, is it any wonder they warp your desires? Do not take it to heart. I know your desires just as well as you do. And it is not to run away from the monsters that rule this fucked up System.”

Randidly felt it too, at that moment. Even when he had faced that image of his own monstrous actions in the past, he had not cried or mourned. Perhaps that made it even worse, but what he had pictured was himself using those broken and rotten bodies to build something.

Something that would let him strike back.

For several seconds, they stood like that with their heads resting against each other. Randidly closed his eyes. “I don’t know what I would do without you, you know. We don’t interact much, but when I need you-”

“You would have died without me. Many times.” Neveah said bluntly. She leaned back so their foreheads were no longer touching. A strangely guilty expression came across her face. “Of course… I cannot deny that I’ve… uh… also caused you a fair share of problems…”

Randidly grinned at her as he recalled her using his own body to become engaged to a pop singer. “I’m glad that I didn’t need to be the one to bring it up. It’s good to see you have grown enough to own your mistakes.”

“Hmph. Well, I have learned by watching you, to be fair.” Then Neveah shook her head. “Also… I wanted to be here in person, just to say goodbye. I do not know what this Judgment will mean, but I’m worried. If something were to happen to you-”

“I know. Same with me.” Randidly punched Neveah’s arm lightly. “So be careful with the Toad world while I’m gone. Whatever exists in there… its control of Aether is sublime. Even for you, who has such an instinctive understanding of Aether, it will undoubtedly be dangerous.”

“Heh, I’ve actually learned much by studying the Aether of that realm,” Neveah said smugly. “You may be able to create letters with the Aether to cause your will to persist… but in terms of shaping raw Aether, none can match me. Not even this shadowy toad.”

Randidly smiled but didn’t bother to call Neveah out on her boast. There didn’t really seem to be any point. Instead, Randidly began to stretch. “So, for old times sake… since I’ll be heading away soon… maybe a little light exercise?”

“Truly, while I’ve been gone you’ve become cocky. I’ve learned many Skills in the Toad World. I’m no longer simply a powerful juggernaut. Watch as I run circles around you with my finesse.” Neveah cracked her bony knuckles.

Barring his teeth, Randidly said. “That’s exactly why I want to fight you. Show me what you’ve learned. Do you think I haven’t grown? I’ve spent a year in a Dungeon. It’s time to teach you a lesson for relying on your raw Stats to bully me in the past.”

Perhaps because she had inherited the body of a Raid Boss, Neveah had always had Stats that were truly mind-boggling. Even though Randidly’s growth in that area was monstrous, she was likely four hundred or so Stat points ahead of him in Strength, Vitality, Endurance, and Resistance. Attacking her felt like a normal person using his barefoot to try and cut down a tree.

But with the completion of his Physique of the Grim Chimera, Randidly wanted to test how his new body and Grim Intuition felt in battle. Plus, his new Skill Catalyst of Agony would slowly help Randidly narrow the gap between their physical capabilities if he could gain some Skill Levels.

With an almost regal sort of pride, the long and bare wings of bone spread out from Neveah’s broad back. “Fine then. Let me remind you of the difference between us.”

Randidly shook his head. “You’ve spent too much fucking time pretending to be a Demon King.”

Then they both moved, and the ground around them shuddered and buckled like a collapsing building.