Chapter 1594 (1/2)

Randidly looked at bemusement at the notifications as the group walked toward the chosen space. Looks like getting enough PP for the Tithe wasn’t a big deal after all…

Congratulations! Your Skill Torch of Fast and Slow Silences (A) has grown to Level 233!

Congratulations! Your Skill Torch of Fast and Slow Silences (A) has grown to Level 234!

…

Congratulations! Your Skill Torch of Fast and Slow Silences (A) has grown to Level 261!

Apparently, his short speech was enough to reach the hearts of his recruits. Because not only did he have a surge of Influence, but he also gained another sizable chunk of PP from the Torch of Fast and Slow Silences. The time filled with hardship, while Randidly was stuck inside the shaft, was also a chance for them to accumulate their understanding.

The first step was Randidly assisting now with their growth and the second would come when they put those lessons into action during the challenge.

The group proceeded forward, walking forward without any sense of urgency. But Randidly’s sharp senses didn’t miss the way that some thin flows of significance were gathering in the sky over the Fifth Cohort Rally Station. Thick braids wove themselves into a chaotic knot, indicating the plans of many significant individuals that were running through this juncture. Randidly barred his teeth to the dusty sky but didn’t alter his pace. He wasn’t afraid of this Challenge, win or lose. He was afraid of what came next.

This part was just play-acting.

The location that the Superintendent had selected for the Challenge was just a large canyon. The air, like basically everything else in the areas that hadn’t been terraformed by Randidly, was filled with red dust. There were some large rocks and gorges in the surrounding area that would create some interesting terrain, but Randidly doubted it would matter at all.

The elite squad moved forward past groups of other recruits making their own preparations as they approached. Those others looked at the elite squad with obvious antagonism in their eyes. The elite squad, to Randidly’s joy, didn’t miss a single marching step as they drew more and more ire from the surroundings. Yet the connections that had begun forming after his speech steadily strengthened.

This is basically all I can do for you. Randidly thought sadly as he looked around at the recruits. I’ve trained you. I’ve told you to have each other’s back. As long as you don’t fragment after this fight against Nether… well, that’s the problem, isn’t it? Without external threats, organizations break into pieces.

Very shortly, Heiffal led the recruits away as Randidly climbed a low slope that would lead to the viewing area. All the other Drill Sergeants were waiting there, along with the Superintendent. Most of their gazes toward Randidly weren’t hostile, just… pitying. Randidly’s face twitched as he had to suppress the urge to bare his teeth once more. Truly… they think that the outcome of this challenge is already determined…? Heheh, seems like some bigwigs are truly moving behind the scenes.

“Welcome, Head Drill Sergeant Ghosthound.” Superintendent Xeruth spoke first, while Randidly scanned the surroundings. “We are prepared if you are. Still… are you sure you want the Challenge to be conducted in this manner? If there is no tension to the final Challenge-”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Randidly nodded. There was no need to drag this out for longer than it needed to be. He had made his preparations, apparently, the other factions had too. Now all that remained was to see which one would end today disappointed.

Still, some part of him was able to more fully relax when Randidly scanned the surroundings and made sure that Velio Dunn wasn’t present. He even found the skulking form of Lay’mel Tuellethe, but it seemed that crazy assassin wasn’t allowed back into the Rally Station. Truly, this was just a performance. So Randidly moved to stand next to Superintendent Xeruth at the edge of the canyon.

Without much fanfare whatsoever, the final Challenge began. The rest of the Drill Sergeants crowded closer to the edge to get a better look at the action, but they generally stayed away from where Randidly stood with his arms folded across his chest.

Below, Randidly’s elite squad gathered in the middle of the canyon near several large pillars of rock. If this was a battle fought between normal human beings, the terrain might actually play a significant role. With a hemmed in passageway to meet them, the smaller group would be able to steadily churn their way through the vastly superior numbers of the larger side. As long as they behaved prudently, the war would be a mostly internal one; it was their own exhaustion that would be the deadliest foe.

However, this was the Nexus. The first order of business for Randidly’s Squad was demolishing those stone pillars. If they left them up, their foes would just break them to pieces anyway. But even if the terrain wasn’t going to lend a helping hand to the elite squadron, that didn’t mean that they didn’t have their own advantages.

They had all trained together and were intimately familiar with each others’ images. Although it was still difficult for multiple images to run wild in the same place, theirs would find a more accepting home together than their foes’.

Randidly rubbed his chin as the first of the other squads began to arrive. “I hope no one minds if I act as… referee for this Challenge? I can use my Skill to remove the wounded. Otherwise, I fear my group will need to stack up bodies for room.”

Most of the Drill Sergeants shifted uneasily at that suggestion, but one stepped forward, popping the invisible bubble of space that existed around Randidly. It was someone he recognized too: a dog of the NLC, Banum Voloppesett.