Chapter 1184 (1/2)

From their vantage point on top of the fort, the sounds of the battlefield were almost distant. It was easy to feel separated from the suffering happening below. Vualla clenched her fists tightly, making her metal gauntlets shake. The interim Commander shook his head sadly as he looked down from the walls. ”This young fool. This is exactly why you don't show off early in a serious battlefield. Did he truly think that the Nether Beasts were foes that were possible antagonize without incurring these sort of consequences? He deserves this comeuppance.”

Even through that emotionless void that she carried in her chest, Vualla felt a tremor run through her body. It was a righteous fury that was backed by disbelief at the interim Commander’s response. Both survive the hungry drain of the void in Vualla’s chest.

Of course, Randidly knew there would be consequences. That was the entire point. Because he could endure while others could not. Because Randidly Ghosthound was willing to personally pay that price in order to protect some of the common soldiers from needing to pay with their own lives. You spineless cretin.

Outloud, Vualla kept her voice light when she spoke. ”Luckily that one that crashed to the ground is barely at the Nether Gatekeeper tier. I can finish it off quickly if I head out now, before more come.”

”You will stay put, and that's an order.” The Interim Commander tutted while looking at Vualla with an ugly glare. ”This could be a ploy to get us to overcommit our forces. Until we understand how the Nether Beasts intend to overwhelm our base, we will not move. Don't tell me that you want to participate in this young man's folly?”

Offering my body to protect others? Of course I want to participate. Vualla thought. But she hesitated to push the issue.

The rather large truth hanging between her and the interim Commander was the fact that the Interim Commander was even weaker than this first Nether Gatekeeper that showed up on the battlefield. The position had been awarded to him based on seniority, and because there were no other suitable candidates. If Vualla were to move now, this camp had no one who could reliably repulse a Nether Gatekeeper on its own.

It is another issue entirely why I wasn’t considered a suitable candidate...

Yet even if she knew she should not, Vualla's eyes kept being drawn to the roaring Nether Gatekeeper. It's cries were swiftly spurring on its fellows into violent activity across the lines. Perhaps even more dangerous than the foe itself was the huge gash that it opened up in the defensive fortifications around Lady Iellaya's camp. Nether Beasts finally had space to swarm up toward the Aether soldiers, resulting in growing casualties.

”Besides, Lady Iellaya is more than capable of handling a threat of this tier. Even her second is powerful enough for a foe like this,” The interim Commander said dismissively. He folded his arms and nodded for an aide to refill his coffee cup. ”Let's not stick our noses into other people's affairs, shall we?”

Yet second ticked past and Vualla didn't move her gaze. By the second, the gash in the defensive fortifications in front of Lady Iellaya’s camp was growing larger.

Even the interim Commander began to frown as the damage to the defenses grew greater and greater. His glances over toward Lady Iellaya's camp became increasingly frequent. The area around the Nether Gatekeeper had been cleared of soldiers and now a halo of Nether Beasts had formed up around it. The Aether forces were continually forced to give ground underneath the frenzied assault, allowing the opponents to gain several footholds along the edge of the ditch.

This only was ever going to end one way, Vualla kept her eyes opened and waited for the inevitable. She could feel the cold darkness pressing against the skin of her shoulders to her like a cloak, equally as transfixed by what was occurring on the battlefield. The small spark of worry in Vualla's chest endured its constant draining. Everyone on the battlefield is unwilling to play their hands too early, Randidly. This will be a long battle. None are as brave as you are.

None shine as brightly. Look, you even have the attention of this weird-ass, emotionless darkness...

”I say... there are quite a number of Nether Beasts over attacking Lady Iellaya's camp. If they fall, we-”

Yet just as the interim Commander was realizing the strategic value in their neighbor successfully drawing the ire of the Nether, there was a change. The slowly growing footholds across the ditch were abruptly popped like a balloon by waves of thorny roots. Nether Beasts were swept away with all the casual professionalism as a homeowner dealing with red and orange leaves in fall. Then a single figure eviscerated a dozen Nether Beasts with his spear and manifested in front of the Nether Gatekeeper.

Almost subconsciously, Vualla's mouth slightly opened. A warm flame that her heavy darkness could not snuff out steadily burned in her chest. It was defiant and playful and filled her with hope. And this flame suddenly felt ever so familiar. Even from here, Vualla could feel that Randidly was not relying on the image of the tree any longer.

No, this was the Randidly that Vualla knew most intimately. The heavy and violent image of the Grim Chimera was present, suffusing him with a virulent energy. The being that had been hunted its entire existence, and had grown strong on survival.

The nearby Nether Beasts struck at him, trying to reestablish their beachhead below Lady Iellaya's camp. Yet Randidly's form flickered and he slipped between the blows. He moved more quickly than any one man had a right to, somehow completely avoiding the attacks and inflicting deep gashes on the offending foes.

They keened their pain and tried to recover, but Randidly raised his head and sucked in a long breath of air. Even from the next camp over, Vualla could sense that something strange occurred as Randidly took that breath. Instantly, all the surrounding Nether Beasts seemed to grow dim and sluggish. Narrowing her eyes, Vualla tried to figure out what he had done.

Yet the Nether Gatekeeper had endured Randidly’s actions silently for long enough. The six-armed monster focused its furious gaze on Randidly and roared at a volume that seemed to punch the surrounding air. The ferocity and violence of its call continued forward and smashed into Randidly. Even from here, Vualla could see how the raw oppression of a Nether Gatekeeper was still enough to slow Randidly down.

The Grim Chimera still isn’t strong enough for this...

Just as Vualla was about to assume that it was still too early for Randidly to fight against a Nether Gatekeeper, he blurred forward into motion. Like a loosed arrow, he practically glided forward and smashed into the chest of the Nether Gatekeeper before it could react. The powerful image of the Grim Chimera clashed directly against the fury of the Nether Gatekeeper.