96. An Impure Encounter

96. An Impure Encounter

The Diamond Counter was an insanely powerful tool if used in the right hands. Frost foresaw its value shine in moments where she was not taken seriously as a Color or as the Amalgam.

However, the meaning of ‘devalue’ was muddied at best. Likewise, she also imagined that it wouldn’t activate if someone merely didn’t believe in her status. One needed to be bastardized in all likelihood.

But in the end, there was no telling how this thing functioned exactly until the opportunity arose.

Still, its stat-doubling effect was nothing to scoff at. It had every potential to turn the tide of a battle so long as the devaluing criteria was met.

In the meantime, Frost wore the diamond brooch proudly on the left side of her chest. There was some debate on who exactly would take this item. At first, she considered Cer to wield it since she was the one who defeated the Corrupted in the first place.

But Cer insisted that Frost take it on the basis that Frost’s already insane stats would benefit tremendously if the effect ever activated.

That was an extra 4,000 ATT she’d have over Cer’s previously buffed state. And 4,000 ATT alone was already within the realm of a Moon.

10,000 ATT? Or a 20,000 damage Prejudice? Now that was perhaps teetering on the edge of a Beholder.

Perhaps, huh.

The true strength of a Beholder was either much lower than she imagined, or far surpassed herself by tenfold. There could be no in between. She could only form a terribly vague image of them through word of mouth. It didn’t help that she had never seen them fight first handedly, nor could she even see their stats.

And that wrenched her heart a little. Because if Carpalis was considered to be the weakest, then she could only imagine just what the strongest were like in terms of stats.

< LEVEL : 94 >

< The Amalgam >

NAME : Frost HP : 300,000 ^5/Min

MP : 28,000 ^5/Min

AGI : 70RESIST : 140(+100)AGE : 0ATT : 5,000

ATT DEF : 2,000 (+550)

O : 58D : 8ORIGIN : ArchetypeMAG ATT : 4,000

MAG DEF : 1,800 (+350)

S : 107E : 55

Surely not that much more from hers, right?

Frost revealed her stats in all its glory to the group as they travelled along the recently vacated entrance, moving past shredded walls and illusive lights.

“HUH!?” Cer erupted with shock, staring at Frost’s body as if trying to figure out how a lithe woman like her possessed such insane stats.

“A-Archetypes... are built differently. That Red Giant had no idea just what it was talking to.” Ber wryly smiled, as if in disbelief.

“That’s incredible. And to think Ignis has more DEF than you...” Res trailed off, awed by Frost as Jury puffed her chest out, elated to hear their shocked voices over her lover’s power. “You wanted a comparison right? As incredible as that is, and I mean it wholeheartedly, but a Beholder is... well...”

“Putting an Eternal Night in front of them is like throwing a worm into a lion’s den.” Cer put it bluntly. “They’re the entire embodiment of an Atelier. With a technology and all that. Makes you wonder just how strong that Arbiter is.”

“So if they’re that strong then why do they leave it to you Moons? Instead of having a margin of error, their success rate can be 100% if they were involved. Aside from the obvious destruction.” Frost argued as they ventured into a massive chamber.

The stench of death immediately greeted them like a crashing freight train.

Ignis recoiled as Jury clasped her fists, with Snap’s movements slowing down as if shocked by the sight. Frost was too used to the stench for it to violate her, but it did not detract from the gruesome imagery that littered the world around them.

“How horrible... these Impuritas are unforgivable.” Jury hissed as Ignis’ slashed at a nearby, spinning target out of anger.

The wooden construct spilled the organ-less husk of a tentacle, Aquatid person. Their bones were left intact, as were their flesh. But their organs were removed, including their eyes and tongue. Even fragments of their brain could be seen smothered around their nostrils, indicating that it was dug out through their nasal cavity.

Their body was rigid as if undergoing rigor mortis, and their tentacles coilied like a fried octopus.

“Brr...” The churning noise of an old recording tape played from Snap as it carefully watched over the group. It nudged Ignis’ back with its head as if to encourage her to keep an iron heart.

“It’s a disgusting sight. And they weren’t the only one. Fucking tens of people, all impaled like animals. What were they doing here? Playing some kind of twisted circus game?” Frost gruelingly spoke, her voice so hideously deep that she instinctively caused the triplet’s hairs to rise.

“Exactly that. It’s the kind of game where you have to hit the target without hitting the person nailed. The Blood Festival are no stranger to using family members or loved ones as the target. It’s a sure-fire way to break someone.” Cer explain with folded arms, poking one of the bodies with her foot.

“Have some respect for them!” Jury snapped at her, causing the woman to sheepishly hum.

“I’ve never heard of that happening. Unless it’s the entrance to a Corrupted Zone or similar. But that should be impossible.” Res answered, also confused. “If it was, then they wouldn’t have been able to leave so easily.”

“Are you guys serious?” Ber questioned, as if seeing the situation in an entirely different light.

She walked right up to the wall and simply punched it open, revealing that it was made of nothing but plywood.

A false wall, so to speak.

This only further confused Frost, whose Judge’s aid disappeared.

“But that doesn’t explain how my Judge’s Aid disa –”

< Leaving – Entering – Leaving – Approaching – Leaving D2 >

< Our coordinates are being played with. We are likely under the influence of a spatial distortion! >

“Wait – Everything’s mangled all of a sudden! A spatial distortion!? Here!? But there’s no train or anything!” Res exclaimed as the group rushed forth in a mad frenzy, bursting through the false wall as they suddenly found themselves in a colossal, golden arena that closely mimicked a circus stage.

“This is –!?” Jury was taken aback by the countless lights that swept along the ground as rings of ascending seats were populated by skinless animals, cheering not for the entertainment, but for their organs to become distributed amongst them.

And dangling high into the air was a chained, yellow heart. Its surface was made of grafted skin, sewn with what appeared to be either string, or nerve endings. It was a bloated, putrid mass that wobbled and flailed like a water balloon.

But deep within was not water. There were hearts. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of still beating hearts, creating a single resonating thump that visually shook the world.

Dungeon Heart

Blood Festival

< Dungeon >

< When happiness blossoms we must know that something must have perished for it to bloom. Let’s be happy regardless >

ORIGIN : Impuritas HP : 100,000 ATT DEF : 100MAG DEF : 100

However, this was not what shocked Frost the most. There were three figures present along the stage before them in total. All were Impuritas. But one was from the Blood Festival.

And the other two, who were injured and battered beyond belief, belonged to the Golden Index.

“WELCOME, DEAREST GUESTS! So the rumors were true! A black feathered Color would be arriving to your aid, dogs of the golden devil! How despicably delectable! Oh. OH –!” A man dressed in a blood-soaked jester outfit pranced in the center of the stage, allowing the dripping blood from the Dungeon Heart to shower him.

But this man’s head was not normal. It was that of a giant, red fish. A herring, more specifically.

“AND IS THAT HE WHO WEARS THE WHITE FEATHERED COAT!? Oh. No. No oh dear no! It’s that wretched grey feathered Apostle!” His giant, fishy maw flapped open as he wrang his human-like hands around with exaggerated anger.

Bloody Herring

An Oh So Aspiring Star!

< Entertainer >

Soul Rank: Black | Impuritas: Blood Festival

LEVEL: 120ORIGIN: Impuritas

HP : 6,000

ATT : 400 MAG ATT : 200ATT DEF : 800MAG DEF : 750

MP : 3,000

RESIST : 120AGI : 150

“The Impuritas... the Golden Index also owns them? Those two Impuritas are the Exalted!?” Frost could not believe her eyes, her voice nearly drowned by the thunderclap of a thousand applauses.

And an approaching, metallic screech.

“Just what the fuck is going on anymore!?”