Chapter 1646 (1/2)

Even the most aggressive of the assembled forces, Military High Command, didn’t move at the Nether King’s arrogant gesture. The eyes of the man with the flaming bow were bright but firm. Now that they saw their foe, everyone was moving with caution.

This being was the prize. But his value was high only due to his proportional capability. This was a free Nether King, the first in the Nexus in a thousand years.

Randidly managed to tear his gaze away from the figure that had inflicted loss after loss upon the Nexus in the last year and looked at the two subordinates by his side. Both seemed to be more than Nether Heralds; the best Randidly could do was to consider them Nether Princes that had hatched from the embryonic form he had seen on the frontlines to something MUCH more dangerous. The one on the left was a large sable rabbit with luxurious fur and crimson eyes. The one on the right was a humanoid turtle carrying a plain wooden staff.

Both looked out blandly at the assembled forces of the Nexus arrayed before them. They held not the slightest hint of fear that it would be three individuals versus three entire factions.

With the only action being the rising sense of tension, Randidly returned to his examination of the passive way that the Nether King could make the Nether in his surroundings move. Small, innocuous shifts in Nether soon became the core of grand, grinding machinations of energy that briefly housed vast furnaces of significance. Just as quickly as they had come, they vanished, the Nether shifting so Randidly almost believed he had imagined the process. Compared to Randidly’s Nether Core, each of these brief and seemingly random patterns possessed more Weight.

Seeing it with his own eyes was incredibly humbling. Each of these was more powerful than the core Randidly had needed five years to forge. And hundreds of them were happening simultaneously.

Congratulations! Your Skill Nether Sensation (L) has grown to Level 408!

Congratulations! Your Skill Left Hand of the Nether Oracle (M) has grown to Level 274!

My Nether Core has given me an edge against image users in the Nexus… but just like my images are far from being able to rival those that have dedicated their lives to their individual craft… The lines around Randidly’s eyes steadily tightened as he looked up at the sky. ...no, the distance might be even more egregious when it comes to Nether. My Nether Core… compared to this…

Influence +3!

Congratulations! Your Skill Architecture of the Primordial Ways (M) has grown to Level 401!

Congratulations! Your Skill Left Hand of the Nether Oracle (M) has grown to Level 275!

In a way, the rapid and diverse accumulation of Skill Levels spoke for itself.

“Gather around, everyone,” The Frost Matriarch’s voice eventually pulled Randidly out from his deep study of Nether. Her lantern-bright gaze surveyed the gathered Pinnacle Seekers. “Soon, I believe Seeker Pence will arrive. At that time, our group will head down to attempt to capture the Nether King. Who wishes to volunteer for the final expedition? But a warning… the spots are limited.”

Immediately, Randidly detected the strange mood in the air and this time understood its source: what would follow was strictly governed by the internal hierarchy of the Pinnacle Seekers.

“I shall go,” The Dusk Jackal spoke with gleaming eyes. “Two of my brightest followers will accompany me.”

Next, the Winged Serpent shook its head and flicked out its tongue. “I shall remain and protect the rest. Most of my people… I do not believe that could withstand what waits below.”

From there, the other powerful Pinnacle Seekers spoke. The three-tailed mouse would go. Thunder Seeker laughed and announced that he would be going. Seeker Ozaer seemed extremely uninterested, but still, she said yes with the same unreadable expression on her face.

Then the air shifted; Randidly recognized this too. It was now his turn to speak.

Next to him, Claudette offered him an arm. Her eyes were dancing. “Ready to accompany me on an adventure, sir knight? Protect me from potentially fatal and incredibly boring conversation?”

Randidly turned and looked over toward the Engraving Guild position, where he still sensed Shal and Techetadore’s images. Then he looked toward Military High Command, behind which was the specter of Commandant Wick, who would undoubtedly have quite a few opinions about why Randidly was traveling with the Pinnacle Seekers.

Finally, Randidly looked again at the Nether that filled the air and suppressed them all with its growing significance.

When he turned back to the Frost Matriarch, Randidly couldn’t believe he was going to do this. This decision ran counter to so many of the aggressive decisions he had made in the past. But he shook his head. “I will remain here and study the Nether.”

Only Claudette seemed shocked by the announcement as the process continued and the other Pinnacle Seekers made their decision. Meanwhile, Randidly sat down. Both Helen and Raymund were still recovering, and Randidly could use this opportunity to finally get a sense of where he stood in the Nexus.

Perhaps even then, with this perspective, he wouldn’t have made this decision without encountering Shal. Perhaps it was a sign that he was more deeply affected by Shal’s inexplicable decision to cast aside his image than Randidly revealed. Because Randidly understood Shal’s conviction and personality better than most. While Shal was prone to self-destructive downward spirals, they didn’t happen without justification.