Chapter 1604

Before Randidly thought very deeply about the other Paths that he should take, Randidly finished the current Path by inserting 3 more PP.

Congratulations! You have finished the Enigma of Serendipitous Chaos Path! As you proceed through the vast expanse of the Wilderness on a dark night, your eyes travel to the complex matrix of stars that lay snugly across the sky. For a brief moment, as the movement of wind and air stills around you, those dots of light seem to gleam with an unnatural and unexpected brightness. The rays of distant light weave together as they radiate down to the surface of the planet.

And in that split second, you are struck by a flash of insight given to you by the singularness of this perspective. Briefly, from this spot on this world under these stars, everything aligns. You peer through a small crack in creation and briefly witness the majesty of the grand wheel on which existence turns.

Your heartbeat accelerates. You glimpse the bones of truth.

Yet the wheel continues to turn. In the next instant, that small crack in the curtains of existence once more closes. The insight is gone, and you are left shaken and wondering.

Please note, to experience such chances is immensely unlikely. Before the next related Path becomes available, you will need to encounter such a chance within the Nexus purely by relying on your luck.

Congratulations! Grim Intuition, Willpower, Focus, and Control +50! Your Skill Nether Ritual (A) has evolved into Precise Nether Ritual (L)! Skill Levels will be maintained.

Congratulations! You have gained the Skill Environmental Insight (Ru) Lvl 1!

Synchronicity detected! Recalculating…

The Skills Analyze, Refine, Extract, Experienced Creator’s Ingenuity (A), and Engineering Savvy (R) have been combined with Environmental Insight (Ru) to form the Left Hand of the Nether Oracle (M). Skill Level set at 200!

Left Hand of the Nether Oracle (M): While the Right Hand may cast the Stones of Discernment, the Left Hand sets the holy table. When utilizing Nether for various external reasons, it is important to consider context. The Feng Shui of the chosen location is just as important as the individual utilizing Nether. Skill increases the user’s understanding of the surrounding space. Allows the individual to passively sense larger Nether flows. Small chance to increase the effectiveness of a Nether Ritual when this information is taken into account. Effects increase with Skill Level.

Randidly released a light breath after looking through the explanation of the Skill that he had earned by completing this first Path. After the shift occurred in his Soulspace and the new Skill coalesced, he felt the strangest hint of a sense he hadn’t possessed before. In all likelihood, Randidly wouldn’t have noticed that sense at all if not for his time within the shaft, stripped down to only his emotional and Nether senses.

As it was, Randidly looked up at the sky with luminous emerald eyes. The space rippled and shook as the Nether King and Commandant Wick continued to struggle. But after only a few seconds, Randidly lowered his gaze; he might have a bit more insight with this Skill, but it was still far from enough to witness and understand this conflict.

Congratulations! Your Skill Left Hand of the Nether Oracle (M) has grown to Level 201!

No rush to figure out this Skill, Randidly thought. Then he grinned. But it is a bit time-sensitive to make use of this pile of PP. So let’s get down to it.

Randidly glanced at the number that still induced giddy waves in his stomach, 89,099 PP, and then turned to look at the full list of Paths available to him. With this amount of PP, it wasn’t like he had to be discerning. But he did need to start somewhere...

Friend to Humanity 0/100, Mantle of the Patron 0/500, Aether Convergence II ???, the Bell of Doom Tolls 0/600, The Ashes of Ulaat, Patron of Ash 0/1000, Order Ducis: Font of Guidance ???, Humanity’s Torch 0/500, Puppet Master 0/100, Pain Immunity I 0/250, Cleaver of the World Tree ???, Weakness of the World Tree 0/500, Guilty Conscience I 0/100, Peerage of the Baleful Court I 0/600, Hands of the Artisan 0/???, Ashes of Illym, the Above-Average Child 0/5000, The Flame the Burns Memories 0/????, Exodus, the Terror 0/1000, Genesis, the Considered 0/1000, Image Cooperation I 0/100, Body Refinement I 0/???, Chimera’s Struggle II 0/????, Spear Mastery III 0/200, Mysteries of the Fiery Emerald Waltz 0/???, Violent Heat I 0/???, Sovereign of Violence I 0/1000, Deathwish III 0/3, The Pursuit of Alchemy 0/750, Weakness of the Grim Chimera 0/500, Weakness of the Stillborn Phoenix 0/500, The Shadow Beyond the Threshold 0/???, The Chimera’s Metamorphosis 0/2000, Greater Nether Core 0/???, Primordial Might 0/????, The Passion sans Shape I 0/???, Conviction of the Celestial Cataclysm 0/1000, Architecture of Yggdrasil I 0/????, The Trace of the Ideal 0/???, Physique to Break the System 0/1500, Glimpse of the Shallah I 0/?????, Emotional Evolution I 0/500, Breath of the Imaginary Firebird 0/1000, The Throne of Nether Homage I 0/500

Randidly’s mouth twitched. He could practically sweep all the small Paths up and devour all the Stat bonuses in the process. And since this pile of PP was burning a hole in Randidly’s pocket, he decided that a little of that sort of outlook couldn’t hurt.

Since his Riders were currently active and assisting with the neutralization of a Nether Pinion, his first choice was Peerage of the Baleful Court I. Every 50 PP Randidly put into the Path earned him 2 Reaction and 2 Wisdom. Without any fanfare, he quickly finished the path.

Congratulations! You have completed the Peerage of the Baleful Court I Path! It is a natural consequence of your prestige that your journey through this vast Wilderness has seen followers accumulating at your back. For one reason or another, they learn to trail behind you, mimicking your movements, following your orders, and establishing a natural hierarchy amongst themselves. They clump together and soon ring you in a solemn vigil.

Even upon the broken dirt of the Wilderness, such a circle can become the seat of a Court, provided you cultivate a suitable Spirit.

But natural hierarchies flow like water. As your organization has grown larger, a more rigid structure might be necessary. You have gained the ability to have four Rider “Barons” in service to you.

Split Path! As you create your newfound organization, it is possible to either make the position of Baron to be Designated or Challenge-Based. Designated positions will be given by the user to the chosen Riders. Challenge-Based will rely on the Riders themselves to fight to determine who will hold on to the position. Which will you choose?

“Challenge-Based, of course,” Randidly grinned at the notification. Then he belatedly paused. Hopefully, their zeal to earn a Baronship wouldn’t have them killing each other...

For choosing Challenge-Based, the intelligence of your summons has slightly increased! The growth potential of your summons had increased! The creativity and independence of your summons has greatly increased! For completing the Path, Reaction +30!

After the notifications ceased, a new Peerage of the Baleful Court II had appeared for 1200 PP. Seeing such a little change in his total PP, Randidly went ahead and poured more PP into this Path. Every 50 PP earned him 1 Grim Intuition and 1 Wisdom.

Congratulations! To accommodate your entourage, the Path you follow has necessarily widened. No longer is a simple circle in the dirt sufficient to host such noble personages. The organization behind you has become truly grand. In terms of size and scope, it is comparable to a small city. With such influence, it is impossible for four Barons to manage all of the day to day operations of your operation. Thus your Peerage must expand.

Split Path! Once more, a familiar fork sits in front of you. Should you add additional fixed positions to your Peerage or continue to allow your organization to grow and change freely, like its own living organism? Please note, the effects of choosing freedom are somewhat unpredictable, depending entirely upon the nascent Spirit you have grown.

“I choose freedom,” This time, there truly was no hesitation in Randidly’s answer. To Randidly, freedom for Expira and for other unsuspecting planets from the Nexus was exactly why he had resolved himself to gather power. But as he spoke, a more pragmatic part of him had a much less righteous thought. After all, making a rigid structure means more work for me…

For giving your Riders freedom, their growth potential has again increased! They have obtained a condensed five Stats: Constitution, Dexterity, Intellect, Spirit, and Luck! Growth Rates for their Stats vary between individuals.

You have created 100 ‘Fangs’ that will be distributed amongst your Riders! A Rider can accumulate Fangs by challenging and defeating another Rider with Fangs! As a Rider gathers additional Fangs, they will wield more of your prestige and influence within the community. Please note that something special may occur if all 100 Fangs are gathered by one individual.

Congratulations! For completing the Path, Grim Intuition and Wisdom +50!

As Randidly had expected, Peerage of the Baleful Court III now waited for him in his Path screen for 2000 PP. In addition, it had an additional moniker following it: Peerage of the Baleful Court III (Spirit). Humming to himself Randidly poured out a little bit more from his seemingly infinite pot of PP. As he did so, he was somewhat annoyed to earn nothing during the input of PP. But it just made him look forward to the rewards that much more.

Congratulations! What was once a bare and lonely court has now come alive. Trophies and items of power lay scattered through your retinue. But the further you advance, the more pressure sits upon your shoulders. Your Riders move around you with a plethora of intentions; yours is a court that does not place heavy restrictions upon its members. Which means that the helm is that much more difficult to manage. They sit below you, their Leader, but otherwise all that matters is their own capabilities.

Your actions have been witnessed and integrated by your Riders while they have served you. As the liege, your choices inevitably have drawn their attention. But even more than your individual decisions, it is the broader construction of the Baleful Court itself that has been impressed upon the hearts of your Riders.

Congratulations! Your Baleful Court has developed the Spirit: Endeavor of Valor.

Freedom, independence, and respect form the core of your Court. Due to this, there is an increased chance that the Riders might someday decide not to follow you. However, you have proceeded forward without worrying about such a future. In the now, you have always attempted to show them how violence can be used to build and challenge the unknown.

Congratulations! Your Riders have been separated into tiers! After accumulating a sufficient amount of experience, they shall increase their Tier. During the transformation process, the physical form of the Rider will sometimes change. This chance increases with the number of Fangs they have gathered! Fangs have been separated into Tiers.

Currently, you possessed 1201 Tier I Riders, 926 Tier II Riders, and 6 Tier III Riders! For completing the Path and earning the Spirit Endeavor of Valor, Free Stats +50!

Synchronicity detected! Recalculating…

Your Skill Ruinous Drive (Ru) has evolved into the March of Ruin and Valor (L)! Skill Level will be maintained.

The March of Ruin and Valor (L): The Skill of a Commander that leads by example. While the weapons of ruin can be turned on your foes, the body of your subordinates can also be harmed by such implements. Which is why the mantle of valor is so important. Slightly increase the attack, movement speed, and defense of all subordinates. A small portion of the damage dealt by subordinates cannot be prevented. A small portion of damage received is unilaterally blocked. Effects slightly increase with Skill Level.

Congratulations! Your Skill Riders of the Baleful Court (A) has evolved into Lancers of the Baleful Crusade (L)! Skill Level will be maintained.

“A good start,” Randidly said aloud with sparkling eyes. And seeing that he still had 85k PP to spend, he was quite pleased with the current state of affairs.