Chapter 1713 (2/2)
Bearing that grey bubble with his already strained physical body set his bones aching, so Randidly wasted no time in lashing out. His fist fell like the kind of meteor that could wipe out an entire species.
Congratulations! Your Skill Pernicious Fang of the Shade (L) has grown to Level 310!
CRRRAAAAAAAAACKKKKKK!
Velio’s body stiffened as Randidly’s second punch smashed apart both his image and then the gushing flow of liquid Aether that he somehow contained within his body. The Nether bubble that Randidly included within the attack suppressed the formation of physicalized Aether, so he could crumple Velio’s chest cavity and feel the satisfying crack of his bones. Yet before Randidly could thrust his hand into Velio’s chest and rip out his heart, the Nether Bubble shook and popped.
There was just a ridiculous amount of Aether circulating through Velio’s body. The natural energy that he radiated was probably enough to fuel the entirety of Nrorce’s world for a few days.
Randidly grimaced at the failure and then kicked himself off of Velio’s chest. The man swayed, too busy checking the status of his chest to follow after Randidly. The crystalized Aether across his body quickly spread out from his new wound, covering him in an even thicker layer.
His image is just a fraction of what it was when he reached for the Pinnacle… Randidly reflected as he observed Velio and gathered more Nether. But that shard that remains… that sword… is deadly. I thought that I’d still be able to hurt him if the sword was the only way he could use his image… but the amount of Aether he’s channeling through his body is monstrous…
Randidly’s emerald eyes flickered by a stray thought. Is it possible… that he also possesses an Aether Crossroads…?!?
Velio reached up and punched his own jaw, shattering the crystallized Aether there. Then he turned and spat out a mouthful of blood that floated in the weightlessness of space. Afterward, he turned to Randidly and did an approximation of a smile, but the crystals were already crawling across his skin, freezing his expression into a horrifying leer.
Randidly did some quick mental calculations. The more crystalized Aether covered Velio’s body, the more quickly the aura around his sword was spreading out with silent inevitability. By now, it stretched about a meter beyond the blade in every direction. And if Randidly drew deeply on his Nether Core, he suspected he could condense three Nether bubbles. But it would take a while again for his Nether Core to recover afterward.
If he took it, he would have one shot.
Acri hummed and tightened around Randidly’s arm, signaling that it was almost recovered. That was a relief, at least. Without Acri, he didn’t hold out much hope for seriously injuring Velio. And with his Soulseed…
Randidly grimaced as Velio raised his sword, the aura around it blazing and then ominously silent. He could not face that image directly… but this sort of conflict was definitely a victory for Randidly. His physical body and Nether had risen to the tier of capability that he could fight even powerful figures from the Nexus to a draw.
Randidly flickered sideways and let the horrifying aura of the mist-shrouded sword pass him by. Under ideal circumstances… but it’s still a victory. I’m catching up.
Velio twisted and cut sideways with his weapon and Randidly retreated again. Very quickly, he needed to make a decision. Because he could either continue trying to dodge the swirling aura that this crystal man produced and wait for the ten minutes to be up or he could condense those three grey bubbles and hope to inflict a serious blow on Velio before the supercharged image spread out to cover too much space.
Just like Randidly possessed the ability to survive through most things, Velio probably had similar capabilities. That was why he had managed to endure since the Second Cohort; killing him immediately was likely out of the question. But as long as he interfered with the gushing river of Aether within Velio Dunn’s chest…
Randidly’s eyes flashed. I understand how Aether Crossroads work. Somehow, there is a portion of an Aether Crossroads in his chest that has been consumed by the sensation of energy expulsion… but usually, Velio suppresses that with his powerful image. With the remnant of the image he tried to use to reach the Pinnacle.
He might not possess the Control to stem that flow of energy directly, but with my Fidelity of the Ascendant Moirae… as long as I can reach into him…
Velio’s assault accelerated. The aura around the sword had stretched to a meter and a half while Randidly’s thoughts had been racing. It was a projected zone of annihilation and before it, Randidly had no choice but to retreat. He needed to make the decision now-
Randidly’s lips twitched. In the end, it was easy. A spear can only advance. I’m here. I’ve finally gotten here…! I’m not going to miss this chance to teach this fuck a lesson.
Then Randidly turned his attention inward. He didn’t currently have confidence in piercing all the way through Velio’s defenses, even with three grey Nether Bubbles, but that didn’t mean it was impossible. Within the core of the Grim Chimera, all those fractions of potential had coalesced into a singular sphere. The surface of that sphere released a golden light while it bulged and shook.
You are me, Randidly said to the Grim Chimera as its features began to warp and melt beneath the radiating energy from that sphere. His image physicalizations flickered in and out of being across his body. We’ve been training and struggling for so long… and its for this chance. This chance to finally take action. To prove that we aren’t insane for believing that we can change the Nexus.
Yggdrasil and the Stillborn Phoenix receded slightly. In the triplicate image activation, Randidly had felt the small note of disharmony from the Grim Chimera, just barely falling behind his other images. One leg of his stool was slightly different in shape than the others. But it was time that changed.
Error! Warning! Mutation detected within your Supremacy of the Grim Chimera (T) Skillset!