Chapter 1715 (1/2)

Claudette watched the fight between Randidly Ghosthound and Velio Dunn develop with complicated emotions surging through her heart. On the one hand, that drifting observer at the bottom of the numb pool felt a thrill of fear as she watched the situation develop. Velio’s sharp words had been the first time that someone had so casually threatened her, completely ignoring the massive existence that her father had always been. That threat cut through the long shadow in which she had always lived, because she saw in Velio’s eyes that he meant it.

He would truly kill her, just to infuriate Don Beigon. Because he was insane.

Opposite this crazed individual on the battlefield, Randidly was a recent arrival to the Nexus that had already climbed to the role of Head Drill Sergeant for the special recruitment to deal with the Nether incursion. And from all reports from the Fifth Cohort, his Elite Squad was impressing everyone. In terms of potential, no one would deny he had plenty. In the future, he could grow into a pillar of Military High Command.

Even if Claudette was worried about the murky methods the Ghosthound used to fuel his rapid growth, she wanted to hold onto the hope that he could help her seize control of her life. He could finally help her escape the depths of this pool.

So as the two opposite figures had mobilized their images, Claudette had resolved herself and began to conjure her own image. She needed to be ready. A chilling cold crept out into the space around her. A sword sticking out of the coldest ice in the world resided in her chest, freezingly the blood flowing through her body. Claudette’s eyes were sharp; Sshe would intervene in the fight if Randidly started losing too badly.

Velio might act tough… Claudette tried to reassure herself as Velio started unleashing image attacks and battering the Ghosthound. But… there is no way that he would just… challenge my father… With my identity… I can definitely protect Randidly...

However, just as Claudette was torn between disappointment that Randidly wasn’t actively fighting back and the realization she might need to strike much more quickly than she had expected, an abrupt shift occurred. The aura around Randidly Ghosthound transformed. His body language opened up and he flexed his limbs. Claudette’s eyes widened as she saw his muscles begin to flex across his body. Then Randidly began to move too quickly for Claudette to track with her eyes.

BOOOOM!

BOOOOOM!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!

After several brutally powerful strikes that shook Claudette’s bones, even from afar, the two figures separated. There was a small wound on Velio’s shoulder that began to bleed raw energy. Once more, the fight shifted. Velio’s sword lost its luster, even as his image spiked upward in horrible deadliness.

Claudette’s heart began to beat faster as she looked down at the battle. Watching that first serious clash, she couldn’t avoid having a depressing realization. If I… try to interfere in a fight between the two of them…

Looking at Randidly Ghosthound’s image, Claudette would admit it was more powerful than her own, even if she was confused by how many different notes she sensed within the image he utilized. However, that difference was small; Claudette believed that they could still fight on even terms.

Comparatively, all Claudette could feel as she looked at Velio’s sword was dread.

Both accelerated and fought once more. Velio cut with his sword and sheered off a portion of the Ghosthound’s weapon. Although Randidly could remain ahead of Velio’s image by relying on his physical body, he could no longer meet Velio’s strikes directly. Then, just as Claudette was again trying to decide whether she could intervene, Randidly ducked under that horrifying image and smashed into Velio.

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

Again, he blithely overcome the vast difference in quality in between their images by relying on his physical body and Nether. There was something captivating about the way he moved so effortlessly to advance and retreat. And during that advance Randidly ripped open Velio’s thigh, flooding the space with even more ambient energy. The two parted again. Claudette, for the life of her, could not understand how or why the fight was developing in this manner.

How could a physical body fight against an image? Why were the wounds against Velio flooding the surroundings with Aether?

Velio roared in fury and charged forward and once more Randidly began to retreat, moving so quickly to avoid the slashes that his body seemed to be flickering in and out of existence. It was around this point that Claudette admitted to herself that she would not be able to meaningfully affect the outcome of the fight going on below her.

...no matter what, I was right. Claudette’s eyes sharpened as she tried to capture the brutally quick movements of the combatants. Randidly Ghosthound… is not a typical fighter. He possesses means that go beyond the norm. It’s still a gamble… a horrible, impossible one… but perhaps… he might truly be able to change my future...

Suddenly, the aura around Randidly evolved once more. A wreathe of grey power spread around his body and somehow… he looked different. The shift in his image wasn’t extremely profound, but suddenly all those disparate notes the had been releasing swam together in a grand current; everything was balanced where there had been a note of disharmony previously.

Armed with this new change, Randidly once more shot toward his foe with his spear raised. Velio seemed to expect this offensive and lashed out several times, but Randidly was too quick. He appeared next to Velio and attempted to bind the other’s hands. The details were fuzzy in Claudette’s vision, but Velio avoided the capture.