Chapter 1060 (1/2)

The trio popped into existence in the Great Rift with a muted smack. Salazar immediately began shivering and rubbing his scaly shoulders as the Nether began to bite and snap at their relatively vulnerable image-flesh. Zauna simply floated in the vast space filled with intermittent blue veins, seemingly at ease despite the obvious corrosion of her body. Both looked to him for guidance.

Randidly’s eyes glowed emerald. Ash billowed outward in waves, driving back the Nether and giving the group a brief respite from the Nether.

It wasn’t impossible to push back the Nether without Aether. Aether just functioned as a weapon for someone to use that could strike directly at the substance of the Nether and weaken it so your image would have an easier time making itself at home. It pretty directly corresponded to the difference between convincing a stranger to give you their wallet and using the threat of a gun to coerce them into doing so.

But of course, the Grim Chimera was very persuasive. In this case, it just wouldn’t take no for an answer.

Yet it was also an extremely draining exercise. Only a small area of Nether was currently suppressed by the weight of Randidly’s will, and already the familiar buzz of a headache was emerging. Without Aether to ground the shift, the area would immediately revert to primordial Nether when he stopped pressing against the substance of the world.

Randidly glanced sideways at Salazar. “I’ll hold it up while you get your bearings. Afterward, you will stay toward the back and keep this area filled with an image while Zauna and I handle any Nether beasts.”

Immediately, Salazar began to twitch and wring his hands. His thin and pink tongue flicked out between his lips. “I d-don’t think that’s f-f-f-for the b-best. I can’t-”

Some part of Randidly died as he opened his mouth to speak. The worst sort of hells are the ones you bring upon yourself willingly and knowingly. “Don’t think about it. Just… tell your favorite story. About… yourself. I’m sure it will work out.”

Zauna nodded in agreement and Salazar immediately brightened. “R-really? Well if you are sure… ahem… ohohoho… it’s so embarrassing to have you beg for stories like this… but I suppose I can’t say that I’m not used to it… ah… now which to tell, there are simply so many deed and adventures that would leave the world shocked…”

He hadn’t even started the story, but Randidly already felt some of the pressure on his will wane. As Salazar worked up a head of steam, his image billowed outward away from him. An incorporeal phantom that Randidly had to assume was Salazar’s vision of himself began to manifest directly above the trio. The phantom resembled Salazar, in so much that it was also of the same race, but that was where the similarities ended.

This phantom had powerfully muscled limbs that flexed constantly as it prowled. And weirdly, it was constantly walking back and forth and twisting to reveal a snake-fang smile over his shoulder as if it was a model prancing about on a catwalk. Its tail was as thick as a dolphin’s, flicking back and forth with serpentine grace.

“Ahem, I suppose the best place to start is the day I was born… My mother was a princess in exile, the secret descendant of Salashak, the ancient emperor who had once conquered the world…”

Randidly did his best to ignore Salazar and let his senses expand outward as the snakeman’s image surrounded them all and granted him a measure of respite. Immediately, he grimaced as he examined the Great Rift around them. Not as bad as the mission from the Beacon of Duty, but that Nether Well is pretty damn close…

Randidly could also sense five nether beasts immediately swarming toward their position. None were as large as the one batbeast Randidly had faced, but each was close to that size. But what really caused his mood to dip was the heavy pulse of the Nether Well against the edge of his awareness. Distance was hard to judge here in the Great Rift, but Randidly felt how the strange Nether Well slowed as soon as they appeared.

It seemed like it was turning around to head for their position. A small resonance began to build in his chest, but Randidly was used enough to such feelings that he didn’t allow it to distract him. Which, of course, meant that the resonance grew and it became even more distracting. But still, Randidly’s focus was drawn elsewhere at the moment by the weight of necessity.

Randidly spared Salazar a glance and then spoke loudly to drown out his voice. “Zauna, I doubt he can maintain this if he gets spooked, so we will need to leave the bubble to intercept the Nether beasts. You take the two heading up from below, and I’ll manage the other three pieces of shit. If you can’t kill them, just stall; I’ll handle the fucking rest.”

Randidly’s heart was pounding. Hot imaginary blood surged through his limbs. If the Grim Chimera would sweat, he would be sweating. The thought of the wild conflict that was about to occur sent tingles through Randidly’s entire body. And waiting beyond these Nether beasts was the Nether Well. He hadn’t fought one before, but-

“...can’t see them coming…”

Randidly blinked and refocused on Zauna’s muttered words. “You can’t… feel them coming? They-”

The resonance in Randidly’s chest built until it popped up in the form of a notification.

Congratulations! You have learned the Skill Nether Sensation (L) Lvl 1. After your body’s slow adaption to Nether, the state of the surrounding substance becomes increasingly clear.

Nether Sensation (L): Increases effectiveness of your evolved Perception stat in areas dominated by Nether. In addition, gives you some understanding as to the perverse laws of the Nether. Effects increase with Skill Level.

Immediately, Randidly’s awareness reached outward and seized the Great Rift. In addition, he became acutely aware of a strange sort of pattern to the Nether Beasts’ movements. In a short amount of time, he couldn’t figure out exactly how they were moving, but it suddenly occurred to him that the way each moved had distinct similarities. If he could grasp the pattern-

Congratulations! Your Skill Nether Sensation has grown to Level 2!