B2 - Chapter 82

B2 - Chapter 82

You! StopUpdated from novelbIn.(c)om

A fist glowing a harsh blue shattered the so-called Lord Paddlingtons body like glass in the middle of his sentence. William grunted when the floor cracked beneath the broken turtle as his fist broke the floor far too easily.

This was strength at another level. It felt like he could take on the world.

What a shame.

William looked away from the broken porcelain pieces the fake Lord Paddlington was made of, aware that the system didnt award him any experience. Either its level was too low for it to count, or it wasnt a living thing in the first place.

He saw Sophia staring at him with that sweet smile, still on the steps. His heart sank at the thought of the avatar actually being present instead of a projection as he had hoped.

He wasnt completely mad to try to smash whatever that turtle was without being reasonably confident. He could sense a faint connection between the turtle and Sophia, which led to him making a guess when he noticed the strange way the turtle was acting.

You know, that thing was supposed to remind me of my powerlessness?

William backed away slightly, the feeling of invincibility from [Force Multiplier] quickly disappearing. The martial skill was far from the time limit, but the growing presence of Sophia negated his high. Though, he supposed it would be proper to call it the corrupted avatar rather than Sophia.

Destroying the turtle construct stopped the need for a facade. Her visage was turning more and more like what he saw at the gate. The sweet smile stayed, though murderous would be a better description with the dark presence she now exuded.

I was planning to let you live after I was freed, Sophia walked slowly toward him. Of course, your soul would not control your body, but at least it would have existed. Im afraid I no longer feel generous.

William wasnt standing in place like a sitting duck as she made her short monologue. No, he was busy trying to hold his composure as everything around him melted.

The vague, eastern-themed painting and sculptureswhich he just realized he couldnt recall the details ofthe beautifully carpeted floor, the carved wooden pillars. All of them seemed to dissolve into nothingness, leaving behind a hall that reeked of decay.

The overall structure was the same, but the ravages of time left scars no longer covered by whatever illusion the turtle construct had been sustaining.

Where there was a previously well-lit room, all that was left was darkness, with the only light coming from the corrupted avatara dim sheen enough to make her figure visible and nothing elseand the bright blue glow from the Qi blazing around Williams body. He knew that would only last for a minute or so before that disappeared, too.

You were so confident, Sophiano, the corrupted avatar commented. Why has it disappeared?

She was right.

William kept his alertness high as he strained his eyes and ears for anything requiring him to act. All he had to do was keep this up for an hour.

He didnt like that.

William tapped his finger on his thigh for a few seconds before he thought of something that might help.

He pulled the spirit beast egg out of his spatial stone and held it in the normal positionin the crook of his left arm.

I know you can understand me, William said quietly, not that it felt like it in this dead place. Send me a signal if youre listening.

It took a few seconds, but he felt a weak ping wherever his skin touched the egg. That was too slow.

Again. Signal as fast as possible the moment I stop talking.

The ping was near instantaneous. It seemed like the egg had been reluctant to play along the first time.

I need your help, Little Egg. You were able to sense danger outside your shell when the turtle wanted to cook you, William felt the egg send him a feeling of fear. Dont worry, I wont let it turn you into a meal. Thats what we should do, protect each other.

He felt it agree, happily, in fact.

William thought it was insane that he was sweet-talking a literal egg into doing his bidding, but if it worked, it worked.

I need you to warn me if you sense anything moving other than me, William said slowly, wanting to ensure it wasnt misunderstood. And I mean anything. It doesnt have to be living.

He felt the egg agreeing, but he couldnt be sure if it actually knew what he wanted from it. Thankfully, that was easy to find out.

William kicked a small stone near his foot.

The egg pinged him when the stone started to move, and not a moment before. Good.

He picked up a smaller stone, part of the rubble he had created from demolishing the wall. It could barely be called pebble-sized. He threw it to the opposite side of the hall.

The egg pinged him when the pebble left his hand, and it continued to do so until the pebble landed and rolled to a stop. Excellent.

There were better ways to find out the limits of what it could sense, but William could only use what he had available. This was good enough to have that extra reassurance.