Chapter 1441 (1/2)

After Thea asked her rather naive question, Randidly looked at the young woman for a long time. Her armor was still torn from the Zone 7’s wind blades and she had not brought her hammer. Randidly had nurtured some theories about this problem of hers for a while, especially after he worked so long with Neveah to learn Yystrix’s Living Engraving methods. “Well… the truth might be that your instincts are correct.”

“What do you mean?” It seemed that the crying had relieved Thea of all her sadness, so now she regarded Randidly with a tired resignation.

Randidly suppressed the urge to shrug and tried to explain his thought process. “I’m still nowhere near Yystrix’s capability when it comes to bringing life to the lifeless with Engraving. But while I suspect that at its pinnacle, it can create life… what was required at that moment was for life that had been extinguished to be recreated.

“You see Chrysanthemum react to others, but to your senses, she appears lifeless and hollow, correct? Her image grows, but it doesn’t really change. It simply becomes more weighty. I would say that you are the one who is Soulbound to her. So no one would know your partner better than you would.

“What you are sensing might be the real status of Chrysanthemum. The rest… all those playful responses to me or looks might just be habitual reactions that were inherited from the actual Chrysanthemum. Just muscle spasms in response to external stimulus,” Randidly continued slowly, watching Thea’s reaction the entire time. There wasn’t a single ripple on the nearby pond as the two remained three meters apart. “Basically, they might be evidence of some sort of life. But when it comes to Chrysanthemum’s life… trust your instincts.”

Thea’s mouth was open and her bottom lip was trembling. “That… no… then that means that she already… no, I thought-!”

“Like I said, it’s just a theory,” Randidly said in a soothing voice. “But Thea, let me say this. Considering how much pain you are in right now, would the real Chrysanthemum continue to act so apathetic? Without reaching out to comfort you at all?”

“That’s only because… this is all my fault… she’s punishing me for…” Thea’s legs gave out on her. The human Nemesis known as Thea Glasshammer, who had been at least powerful enough that Randidly had to give her some extra attention a few months ago, now collapsed before him. Her destructive image finally imploded, wounded as it was by the fight against Huang Li. And all he felt as he looked down at her was a distant pity.

This world… this existence… there are no perfect Paths. Just appropriate ends, Thea.

Leaving her with those thoughts, Randidly opened a portal and returned to his island. Even though he could empathize with how difficult it was to face the truth sometimes, that didn’t mean he would help her. The harm she had inflicted on humanity in the last two years meant that even the little Randidly did do might be better than she deserved.

Still, Randidly was glad he said something. Living honestly… that was something he could do. Something he wanted to choose. And something he needed to do, to impress that image upon Kharon for after he went up to the Nexus.

*****

Night turned to day and the crowds began to gather; it was time for the third round of the grand duos tournament to name the Earth.

For a second, Huang Li and Huang Shou had no reaction as the first team walked out onto the arena and coolly surveyed the area. The two men’s hair was dark and done up in small buns on top of their heads. Their eyebrows were as sharp and valiant as swords on their faces. But as they slowly observed the two men’s features, Huang Shou’s lined face twisted and bunched like a furious bulldog. “This… this is impossible! The mandates were clear! Without official certification, no one was to enter this tournament-”

“Not all of Zone 7’s population lives within our hive cities, grandfather.” Huang Li said easily. He even found the resolve to smile blithely at his adoptive relative. Something in his heart had changed after the fight against Thea Glasshammer. He was the bright mirror laid over a lake on a clear winter day. “Perhaps… these hardy individuals survived independently and only came here to win honor for our Zone. I watch our ambitious fellows with great pride.”

Of course, considering the determined capability that was present on these two very Chinese faces, it was much more likely that these were two ‘unregistered’ citizens that did not submit to the Glorious Leaders or the mandates. Likely they came, in part, exactly because they had been expressly forbidden by the central government of the Zone to do so.

This was an act of civil disobedience. The further they rose in the tournament, the more livid the conservative faction of Zone 7 would become.

Yet even if they seem capable… Huang Li’s expression turned serious as he looked over toward the other entrance to the arena. The duo walking down in that darkened corridor seemed to shake the whole of the stadium as they approached. They will not pass here. These two…

But of course, Huang Li had thought a lot about fighting the duo walking down the corridor since the final bracket had been released. As long as these two existed, Huang Li’s hopes of clinching the honor of naming the Earth would be stopped dead at the quarterfinals. Such a confrontation was many rounds away… but Huang Li had no doubt that these two would be waiting there.

The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers as Paolo and Kayle of Donnyton walked out into the arena. Despite the general distaste for Donnyton’s many entrants to the tournament, these two were a special case; they had managed to capture the hearts of many with their straightforward mannerisms.

And as the two’s hands came into view, the cheers only intensified. Huang Li could feel thousands of people screaming and stomping their feet around them.

Kayle glanced sideways at Paolo and spoke with a voice that somehow cut through all the noise. His hands were relaxed and hung casually at his sides. His body was completely free of his trademark long knives. “If you feel incapable of grasping victory, feel free to admit defeat on our bet.”

“Look who is talking,” Paolo grinned while striding confidently forward. He had a tight hold on the hilt of long knife with each hand, the blades pointing downward as he held them in a reverse grip. “If your soft fingers break, you just have to ask and I will toss you these little toys so you can protect yourself.”