Chapter 1623 (2/2)

Sensing the change, Claudette and her team unleashed powerful attacks on the interior of the Nether Array. Tridents of ice slammed repeatedly into the flickering boundary. But while Meldoon’s subordinates couldn’t crush them as he could, they could still maintain the Nether Array while Meldoon dealt with these unfortunate interlopers.

Can I do this? Meldoon’s heart was pounding. But he forced himself to remain focused. No, I NEED to do this.

Truly, Claudette’s earlier ridicule was correct; Meldoon wasn’t highly rated amongst those in the Nether Lattice. He had only received his Nether Core in the past year. The Engraving Guild had created a powerful shortcut to creating a Nether Core, but it relied on being partially incorporated into another’s Nether Core. So a portion of Meldoon’s Weight was taken by the superior that had given him this chance. Until Meldoon reached 500 Influence and was able to bestow a Nether Core onto one of his subordinates, he would remain relatively weak.

Usually, the powerful individuals within the Nether Lattice had at least ten subordinates with Nether Cores. Achieving that feat would likely require a hundred more years for Meldoon Crum, because a portion of every gain he made would be siphoned off to the one who had given him his Nether Core.

But that didn’t mean he couldn’t handle an arrogant interloper now. Especially when his squad had set up several back-up Nether Arrays in this isolated space to handle unexpected situations. As the barefooted man walked forward, he walked thoughtlessly into a preprepared Nether Array. Instantly, Meldoon gestured sharply and his Nether Core began to spin. A burning cage of Nether erupted out of the ground and trapped the man.

Rather than being worried, the man glanced around with the same aloof curiosity he had displayed before. “Oh? The deployment of this ritual is pretty rapid. And the way it’s woven together… haha, it’s like a finger trap isn’t it? The more force is applied from the interior, the more intense the constriction it gets.”

Upon hearing the man’s words, Meldoon couldn’t help but choke. It… wasn’t possible that this individual truly could immediately see through the Nether Array, right? Very quickly, the Engraving Guild officer reassured himself that the man must be bluffing; he likely knew the details of the Nether Array beforehand and was now just taunting Meldoon.

Meldoon narrowed his eyes as he felt burning hatred rise in his chest. I’ll teach you to take me lightly… take this…! All of my 37 Weight! As long as I crush you in front of your subordinates, I can still salvage the situation!

Instantly, the Nether Array constricted at Meldoon’s direction. 37 Weight only meant that he received 3.7% boost, but that was across all of his abilities. As he utilized his Nether Core, his Willpower, and his Stats, that small boost incestuously multiplied his power, perhaps reaching a full 30% increase in capability.

Also, Meldoon’s eyes brightened as he watched the barefooted man’s actions in response to the array activating. It seemed his assumption was true; although the man understood the mechanics of the array, he didn’t even bother to apply that knowledge. He simply walked forward, feeling the full force of the suppression that Meldoon unleashed.

At the moment, his physical body is slowly being crushed. Meldoon managed to smile vindictively. Every movement he makes will allow the array to absorb a little bit more of his energy. Soon, he- eh? Wait, why… why can he just…

Meldoon’s eyes bulged as the barefooted man continued to stroll forward. The suppression of the array, even with all of his Weight behind it, didn’t slow the man in the least. Even more horrifyingly, the man quickly reached the edge of the cage and continued to walk forward without stopping. The elastic black bindings of the array stretched and warped as the man continued forward. While the bindings should be as powerful as a refined metal alloy, the man’s Strength distorted the surroundings to the point that the Nether Array seemed to have been constructed out of chewing gum.

Still, with every step, the array rapidly absorbed more and more power. Meldoon’s Nether Core spun faster and faster. The suppression grew more powerful. And Meldoon could guarantee that the Nether Array was working. The ground within the array was slowly cracking from the force. So why was this man so unbelievably powerful…!

The man continued walking forward, stretching the Nether Array one meter beyond its original position. His steps were steady as he moved first two meters, then three meters forward, basically walking directly toward Meldoon. Rather than a dangerous Nether Array, it looked like Meldoon had thrown a pesky black net across the man that he now carried with him as he moved.

But at about five meters of walking, with a few meters still between the man and Meldoon, the man revealed a helpless expression and shook his head. Finally, his speed had slowed as the Nether Array accumulated more restrictive energy. “I guess it’s a little arrogant to think I can just force my way through a barrier like this. Nether is just a higher tiered energy…”

For a split second, a spark of triumph flashed in Meldoon’s heart. Then the man gestured lightly and Meldoon felt an unexpected tug upon the flows of energy he manipulated through the Nether Array. His spinning Nether Core was destabilized as it bounced off of something massive. He was taken by surprise by the sudden intrusion, but it wasn’t just that. Meldoon’s Weight was shoved to the side without any difficulty.

The Nether Array unraveled instantly. Once more, Meldoon could only stare blankly ahead. It felt like he had aged several years in the past several minutes. He couldn’t understand how the man had quickly severed the Nether Array. Why… why is this happening…?

I just… I wanted a future for my family… I thought...

After somehow unraveling the Nether Array around him, the man turned and did the same to the Nether Array binding Claudette Beigon and her subordinates. The man opened his mouth to speak, but Claudette moved more quickly. As soon as she was freed, she spread her arms and an enormous image manifested above her head.

In a vast frozen tundra, the hilt of a sword stuck out of the ground. The hilt was wrought in silver, with a pearl the size of a child’s fist forming the pommel. The air around that exposed hilt was such a low temperature that even if the wind would dare wander too close, it would be frozen immediately. As Meldoon looked up in fear, the pearl seemed to pulse and come alive.

Like a pupil-less eye of a monster, that pearl trembled and locked onto Meldoon and his crew. A wave of frost blasted outward from that image manifestation, instantly flash freezing the surrounding space.