Chapter 1639 (2/2)

Following the pattern of Nether let Randidly see most of the fights at the edges, but the central location in the crater was dark and silent. His senses soon adjusted as well as they could, from this distance. The crater housed four tall spires in the cardinal directions around a fuzzy edifice of inky-blackness, that was releasing such dense Nether that Randidly had to assume it was the dwelling of the Nether King. Currently, most of the fighting was clustered around two of the spires.

From the Nether around one of the spires, it had already fallen to the Aether forces. Yet the three other Nether Arrays were still robust. The orthodox factions marched forward with their weapons raised, flaring their image and giving Randidly brief snippets of clarity. In response, Nether Heralds roared and unleashed dense blasts of power that blew weaker images away entirely.

The cacophony of screaming, crying, cracking, and moaning blended until the air was buzzing with significance and emotion. Randidly had to spin his Nether Core at a higher intensity to push away the infectious emotions contained below. The intensity of the conflict was virulent, reaching out and trying to drag the watchers into the evolving horror.

Randidly’s eyes went to the Nether spire. There is definitely some powerful array within this construction. I’ve been letting my Influence accumulate passively, but from what I can sense, learning the secrets of this would definitely boost the accumulation of my Influence… which I could then turn in for additional Weight. But with the spatial barriers blocking my sight…

I’d need to be damn close to make out the array...

After a few more seconds of observation, Randidly could see, no matter its other uses, that the captured Nether spire weakened the foreboding layer of endless darkness in the center of the crater. Currently, the Nexus orthodox factions had split; the Military High Command assaulted one spire while the Engraving Guild attacked another. From what Randidly could see from the brief image flares, four powerful Nether Heralds defended each spire, each with twenty lesser Nether Heralds assisting them.

Once he knew what he was looking for, Randidly could easily sense the neutered Nether utilized by the Engraving Guild. It wasn’t as flashy as an image, but it stabilized space in the same way to let him observe. And truly, it seemed that the Nether Lattice was a poor match against the Nether Heralds; in this sort of situation, it was difficult to rely on defense Nether Arrays to accumulate an advantage.

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Randidly swayed lightly as the ground beneath his feet shuddered. A figure on Military High Command’s side had smashed one of the outer Nether Heralds to the side and rushed toward the spire. A vibrant image of a massive tidal wave rushed forward above his head. Quite a large part of the battlefield became clear for Randidly. The Nether Herald coolly snorted and thrust his claw forward, tearing a huge gash in the image. They continued to fight, but the first clash that stabilized space faded and all was lost in the grey fog.

The crater was a warzone of flashing and clashing as Military High Command and the Engraving Guild fought directly against powerful Nether Heralds. Because the Engraving Guild contingent was closer, Randidly focused on their struggle to take the Nether spire. His eyes gradually grew accustomed to their strange Nether.

Yet something unnerving became apparent very quickly. Randidly bit his lips as he observed the fighting more closely; each of the Nether Heralds he sensed were the most powerful examples of the individuals he had seen. Although he currently wasn’t exactly sure what he could accomplish when he went all out, they weren’t foes that would fall quickly.

And those four at the base of the spire…

Still, even through the chaotic space and the constant fighting, Randidly’s sight eventually locked on to one figure amongst the Engraving Guild: Shal.

And nearby to Randidly’s former master, a Vulpine with six tails stood with his arms folded. Both were located near to headquarters of the Engraving Guild, speaking to their status amongst the group. The soft glow of the Nether Lattice illuminated them clearly through the spatial walls. Beside Randidly, Raymund Ballast clenched his claws so tightly into fists that his nails cut into his palm.

The Frost Matriarch’s powerful voice carried even above the wail of despair that floated up from the battlefield. “As we thought, the orthodox factions have already arrived. But we made it in time to keep them from monopolizing this place. Since those spires seem to be the core of this array… as long as we capture one, we will have a shot at the Nether King.”

The Frost Matriarch’s heavy blue, lantern-like eyes swept through the Pinnacle Seekers around her. “Who would like to lead the offensive?”

Once more, the Pinnacle Seekers around Randidly stiffened. The tension steadily began to mount. After he glanced around, he reached up and scratched his cheek with a helpless smile. Am I supposed to step forward again…? Well, it’s not like I don’t have any ideas about how to deal with a Nether Spire…

And dammit, I’d love to get a closer look at how those spires are influences the surrounding area...

Seeker Thunder Wing’s head guard was nearby, so Randidly took a short step to the side and caught her attention. He spoke in a low whisper, which was hopefully quiet enough to be lost in the ambient noise from the battlefield below. “Am I suppose to step forward and lead once again…?”

The guard looked at him with a horrified expression. “You? Well, you might try. But only if you have a deathwish; taking too steep a Path to the PInnacle will only end in a shallow grave. Plus… the leader of any mission amongst the Pinnacle Seekers is the most important figure! Others will only follow you if you are capable. A leader will like you will have no one who volunteers under your command. And if you attempt this alone-”

“Is there a problem?”

The voice resonated with Randidly’s breastbone. Next to him, Seeker Thunder Wing’s head guard jumped. Randidly looked up and met the mild gaze of the Frost Matriarch. She tilted her massive head to the side, seeming to consider him. “Do you wish to lead the mission?”

Randidly smiled. “Yes, we do.”

No harm in trying, right? At least when it comes to surviving, I’m very confident. And chaotic battlefields like this… are exactly what the Grim Chimera needs to digest all those image pieces it absorbed from Skills.

Influence +7!

“We?!?!” Seeker Thunder Wing’s guard yelped in horror. Randidly felt somewhat sympathetic to her plight, but only because he had involved her without even knowing her name.

Next to him, Helen shook her head helplessly.