Marco emphasized a similar strategy in his battles He showed Randidly what to look for in an enemy’s stance to show weakness and how to move into an opponent’s blind spot They were not exactly the things you needed to grow strong but Marco emphasized how what was more important than power was results These would let Randidly fight against those who were more powerful than him and they came from a man who had struggled his whole life with nothing but a spear
This world was cruel and Marco had grown strong without relying on the teachings of a Style There weren’t any skillsets that he could rely on but he had a wealth of experience that made it child’s play for him to dismantle Randidly time and time again no matter what he tried
Slowly through blows and laughing advice Randidly’s body absorbed some of that experience seeing the world in a new way in a way driven by the possibility of violence It was illuminating in a way even as a part of Randidly wondered whether he would truly be able to return to a world without violence anymore
That thought kept him up late as he Engraved under his Weeping Cloud If the world returned to how it was before what would that make of him
But these thoughts were quickly banished After all he could not afford to waste this chance The system was here now and Randidly had obligations to uphold What if’s held no meaning in front of facts
More days blurred away and finally Shal left the tent and sought Randidly out immediately removing him from a training session with Marco Polo and dragging him back to the tent When Randidly walked in he looked around and was surprised to recognize the strange formation the diary of the Spear Phantom and the unopened chest the three inheritances of the Spear Phantom Style
Shal coughed lightly Our training will change again for a while You will spend most of your time reading from the Spear Phantom’s Diary Specifically the pages on the Phantom’s Thrust the true version of the Phantom Thrust you knew and the page on the Phantom’s Embrace The Phantom’s Embrace
Shal hesitated his expression lost in the shadow of the tent When he spoke it was slow Of the 6 moves of the Spear Phantom the Phantom’s Embrace is the only one which can be considered defensive In addition it requires mostly a control over your Battle Intent to an almost obsessive degree My father managed it with simply his overflowing bloodlust but
With glowing eyes Shal said I believe you will find your own path For your own safety do not read the other pages
Then he left and Randidly sat down to read With gritted teeth he managed to read the introductory page once more which described the Phantom Thrust His Battle Intent had grown much since the last time he had attempted this and it bore the brunt of the vicious image of death that sprung from the pages keeping Randidly’s focus on the words
After finishing he took some time to breath slowly digesting the words thinking about how they could apply to his own move the Inevitable Phantom Arrives The Aether in his chest started to stir As he slowly refined the image the ticking the half rotted face of his mother the helpless fury his breathing slowed and then stopped
But the Aether in his chest began to pound faster and faster
His eyes opened glittering and he carefully picked the book back up and after a small hesitation turned to the page dedicated to the Phantom’s Embrace
All resist the Phantom for they know he steps in the wake of death like a shadow
A strange crashing filled Randidly’s head He had figured that there would be a sharp increase in the power of the images as the moves went on from one to six but even still Howling filled his perception and he could almost feel it almost see it the black leather of Death’s Robe as it walked before him The silence of an old battlefield bereft of life
Randidly groaned softly his body betraying him as his Battle Intent was chewed to ribbons by the waves of powerful imagery that were surging from the small diary in his hands His eyes went so blurry that he wasn’t able to read any further than the first line but the image of the robed Death grew stronger and stronger
And to Randidly’s horror Death paused and slowly began to turn
With a snap Randidly closed the book and backed away his chest heaving Like a power plant shutting down the howling in the air didn’t disperse immediately It just gradually grew more dim as more and more of the machinery of it disengaged It took a long time for the tent to seem completely silent long enough for Randidly’s breath to finally return to him
Although he had been filled with fear in that moment now Randidly was simply solemn the book seemed to be covered with remnants of that ominous image The leather was worn but seemed to curl up like dead skin The thin book contained unimaginable weight
As Randidly was staring at the book Shal returned
Why Randidly asked simply
Shal’s response was to grin so it seemed he understood Yes you saw it didn’t you The edge of him The presence of the Spear Phantom You ask why but
Turning away Shal walked over to the far edge of the tent and touched the closed and locked chest All the rest I can teach you But those 5th and 6th stances Although I struggled
Shal’s hand tightened on the lock I am unable to master them When I see the Spear Phantom’s image when I see my father’s face I am filled with rage With fury over his foolishness I cannot bare to be heh well it is not important
Turning back around Shal gave Randidly a meaningful glance Although this is my Style I have no pride for it But the weight of responsibility has snuck on me To have you immediately start with the 5th move is to see if you can ever inherit that man’s mantle For it is a thing that I do not want
Then Shal stalked passed Randidly out of the tent leaving him speechless
Time continued relentlessly forward and Randidly’s training broadened and became more universally exhausting Time with the diary then sparring training with Shal then challenges against those spear users that had stopped him previously then resting and training his spells in a continuous cycle that left him empty and thoughtless from exertion
Once more Engraving fell to the side but Randidly couldn’t be concerned about it He no longer knew how long he would remain here The still air and heat of the badlands began to seem like home Shal seemed continuously unsatisfied with his performance even as he slowly was able to beat those previously insurmountable spear users If Shal’s criticism wasn’t enough it still remained comically easy for Marco to predict and foil Randidly’s every attack and movement
After being in the prison for almost a year Randidly had finally reached a decision that he had been dreading for a long time He had gained quite a bit of PP and it was enough to push him up to finishing the Path of Carnage VI
Congratulations You have completed the Path of Carnage VI The wild expanse has been endless around you but although you have found no reward you continue forward The wind whispers of death while the ground sucks up any sweat or blood you shed Before you lies a mountain to your right Ahead of you the path continues but is shrouded in a mist of blood You sense your hands are not so bloodied that you can survive the path through the blood mist Shall you ascend to the summit of the mountain Shall you head further into the wilderness You have encountered an Extending Path Continue or recieve your current reward
Randidly frowned It really did seem like he could see what the path reward was describing But not only was there a blood red mist in front of him blocking his path
There was also a golden gate upon which stood a tinkling bell In addition there was a sign with an arrow that pointed up towards the mountain While frowning Randidly reached out his metaphysical hand and touched the gates
A shock smashed into him knocking his physical body as well as his metaphysical one several meters back Annoyed but very used to being injured by now Randidly stood back up and glared at the gate that glowed serenely He took several breaths to calm himself