Chapter 2325

Chapter 2325

Randidly could feel the mandate of possibility looming over this particular inflection point, but this was not yet his limit. Gritting his teeth, he allowed his racing mind to rip through all the possibilities available to him. Suddenly, he felt torn. If Elhume were allowed to reach the Pinnacle, there would be consequences. But maybe as long as he could figure out a way to disguise his images-

Elhume punched for the second time, once more unleashing a blast of force that could drill down to the core of the Nexus and leave this place an annihilated husk. His expression was solemn as he watched that roaring pyre of annihilation manifest. All three of Randidly’s images were mostly exhausted from the previous conflict. Sulfur’s spikes had grown dim; there would be no more massive strike from Helen’s Domain. The physical strain continued to tighten around his body.

To put it simply, the situation seemed hopeless.

“It always ends up like this, doesn’t it?” Randidly muttered.

Still crouching behind him, Devick snorted. “You spent a minute lecturing me earlier about how great it is to be unreasonable. Don’t go soft on me now, Hungry Eye. Become the monster you’ve always been and devour all the benefits for yourself.”

“Heh. Not all of the benefits.” Randidly sniffed. He settled down into a crouch. His heartbeat quickened. For the second blow, he didn’t intend to meet it directly. But he called on his exhausted images, building a defensive combination.

With hopefully a bonus result at the end.

At first, Randidly still felt worried looking at that blast of pure annihilation Elhume unleashed, but it passed through the area that had been affected by Helen’s Domain Skill and abruptly slowed. Randidly could only shake his head in wonder; not only had that Level 2000 Skill completely demolished the power of the opposition, but it had left in its wake an intractable sort of Aether that slowed even Elhume’s near-Pinnacle punch. It was a slight weakening, but Randidly believed it to be enough.

Before he could decide what to do about an Elhume at the Pinnacle, he needed to make it through this next attack.

Absolute Insight of the Smoldering Abyss. Aureate Arteries of Yggdrasil. Cloak of Utter Night.Điscover new chapters at novelhall.com

Congratulations! Your Skill Absolute Insight of the Smoldering Abyss (P) has grown to Level 1042!

...

Congratulations! Your Skill Cloak of Utter Night (P) has grown to Level 1093!

A vast curtain of darkness settled across Randidly’s body. He looked out from within the defensive barrier with the vicious survival instincts the Songstress of Absence had used to claw her way out of the Abyss. Thick veins donated by Yggdrasil created a framework of energy transference that stabilized around his body.

Even though Randidly could not move, he stood tall and endured.

Congratulations! Your Skill Cloak of Utter Night (P) has grown to Level 1095!

...

Congratulations! Your Skill Aureate Arteries of Yggdrasil (T) has grown to Level 1046!

The waves of force slammed against the Cloak of Utter Night, but it was a Skill borrowed from one of the statues in that strange sea Randidly had discovered. It could not be easily penetrated, not by this force just beneath the preeminence of the Pinnacle. And as each wave crashed against Randidly’s defensive line, he made minute adjustments to the flow of energy. He borrowed lessons from Yystrix, to shape Aether to make other Aether miss it. The rebounding waves of force began to resemble other shapes.

In particular, Aether Engravings designed to hide from Elhume.

A muscle in Randidly’s leg twitched. He worked his jaw slowly. If I push myself now... if I utilize Aether and Nether to the fullest... I still have a bit more left. I could test the limits of my Ghosthound’s Deviation Rarity. Perhaps... perhaps if I perfectly unify three images, I can rival the Pinnacle.

Perhaps. Neveah said.

He rubbed his thumb against the reassuring presence of Acri in his hands. ...but you think that is not a good choice.

I do not think it is the best one. Neveah answered. We can define Ghasthund now and move on. Because... do you want to be unconscious for the next several hours after you manage to tear these benefits away? The memory will collapse soon, so we need to move quickly. Both to settle matters with the Nether Arbiter... and to prepare for what waits outside.

Randidly held so much tension in his body he shook with it. It was hard, harder than most decisions he had faced. Because previously, he had only needed to push himself forward. Difficult as taking that path might be, it was at least simple. And now he needed to let go. He needed to trust Neveah and Lucretia.

He needed to trust that the alchemy he could create with help would be superior to what he did on his own.

When framed like that, it was actually quite an easy decision. But it required Randidly Ghosthound to set aside his pride. No matter how powerful he had become, letting go of control did not magically become easy.

After a hesitation, Devick reached up and put her hand on Randidly’s shoulder. “Hungry Eye, you are bleeding. For now... isn’t this enough? So long as we survive, we can always come back and get them next time.”

“...you’re right,” Randidly relaxed. These people had trusted him for so long, it was time to reciprocate that faith. He released a breath and ceased keeping the skyisland beneath his feet together. The last sputtering of his Engravings vanished. Almost immediately, they began to hurtle toward the ground. “There is always next time.”

Elhume watched their fall with glowing eyes. He raised his arm. At the moment he punched, the resonance would reach a crescendo. The Pinnacle would expand and dominate the entire moment across the Nexus.

“All steps lead toward your Ghasthund.” Randidly grunted. He felt the world around him shiver, almost in pleasure as this long-awaited definition occurred. But he had one last job before he could completely let go. As he pulled away from supporting the memory, it began to tear underneath the strain, but it also freed up his Nether.

His Nether Core whirled. “The Third Authority: Intangible Burial.”

Normally, affecting a rising Pinnacle event like this would be impossible. But this was an event built between two. Randidly targeted not them, but their resonance. His significance exploded outward... and smothered the resonance. Very abruptly, the light of the Pinnacle died.

Randidly fell downward in darkness, wind whistling past him. In that darkness, the notifications began to arrive.

Congratulations! You have defined your special term, Ghasthund!

Examining usage...

Ghasthund: The doom of your own making. The hell you have earned.

Incredible accomplishment! You have achieved twenty-five Milles before defining your term! A Hierarchy of Ghasthund has condensed within the Nexus!

Unsurpassed accomplishment! You have achieved thirty-two Milles and one Mille Deux before defining your term! Your Sixth Fatepiece has reacted to the extra power. Congratulations! You have obtained your Sixth Fatepiece Keystone of the First Ghasthund Lvl 1!

Keystone of the First Ghasthund: A relic of immense power, created due to the diabolical efforts of Randidly Ghosthound within his birth universe. Such was his dedication that even the Sea of Statues quivered as he brought his term into being! The Keystone of the First Ghasthund is a sadistic implement. Can be used to ‘forgive’ an antagonistic being, allowing both you and your opponent to travel slightly back in time. All non-experiential aspects of user and the forgiven will be reset to their previous values. Length of time possible to be forgiven increases with Skill Level. Number of forgiven individuals increases with Skill Level. Unreasonability of the forgiveness increases with Skill Level. Activate the Fatepiece with the consent of a foe to increase Skill Level.

Allow them to drown in their own regrets. For them, a slow descent into their Ghasthund is inevitable.