The orator cleared his throat Everyone is aware of the current state of the Nexus we are hounded constantly by malcontents and deviants who seek to undermine the structure and stability we have built While our leader Elhume handles those on the Path of the Pinnacle we need to handle the rabble nipping at his heels
However that is impossible without a firm hand at the helm For a brief moment the oratorÆs voice wavered It was clear he understood the significance of the moment and also the peril Yet he was a small character He quickly regained his balanced timber and continued Therefore I take great pleasure in introducing you all to Military High CommandÆs new leader We were so taken with her abilities that she has been granted the title of Actus Suprem holding unilateral power over all aspects of Military High Command and therefore the Nexus Greet the Leader
All Hail Actus Suprem Devick
All Hail The entire crowd cheered including Lady Iellaya and Commandant Wick Down the line Commandant Zettlequill grew pale but still said the words
Grinning like a lazy panther Devick sauntered down the aisle Even from afar her blood red hair cascading down her back drew the eye She didnÆt release a hint of an image but none dared underestimate her Around her neck she wore a golden chain that symbolized the office of Actus Suprem One side ended in a vicious looking spike the other in a hook
She had designed the chain herself Lady Iellaya had assured her earlier in the day that it was very intimidating which pleased Devick immensely
None dared even twitch as Devick slowly proceeded down the aisle Her eyes swept side to side inspecting them all for the tiniest flaws But eventually she arrived at the dais and walked to stand next to the orator He bowed and stepped away and she assumed control with a satisfied smile
Although I definitely deserve this position I would not be here today if not for my supporters Devick grinned Especially my dear friend Grand Marshal Ellios I was blindsided when he suggested me for this role but I immediately saw how necessary it was Truly without him I wouldnÆt have made it to where I am today
Her smile stretched a little wider Tragically he violated the orders of Elhume and entered the Path of the Pinnacle So I sentenced him to death However gone but not forgotten as they say eh
Chapter 1843
After receiving your most recent experiment Daniel leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers like the villain in a spy movie He was currently trying his hand at growing out a goatee and Sam believed it looked more wisp than hair but made the effect even more of a satire Mr Ozark is quite pleased with the result he told me that what they are really looking for are aspects that strengthen the use of images If you can make one of those and provide it for them they are willing to trade an Armament With an emphasis of your choosing
Behind them a child did cartwheels through the grassy field
Sam raised the wine glass to his lips and sipped Immediately he grimaced he just couldnÆt bring himself to enjoy white wine Huh Well the unusual raw materials are nice but what the hell is an Armament
From the way Ozark said it I didnÆt want to sound foolish by asking Daniel winced and pressed his hair back I hoped you knew IÆll send a message to Randidly to ask about it But can you do it Can you make equipment that benefits images
The duo sat at one end of a low topped oak picnic table their conversation covered up by the bubble of laughter and conversation from the other patrons at the winery Now that the chill winter of the Calamity had passed a blooming spring had come to Expira Their table sat on the rolling green laws of DonnytonÆs newest winery and right in front of them was the sprawling grape heavy trellis of the vineyard The sun sank toward the horizon its rays lengthening and darkening to orange and red
At the other end of the table were Regina Mrs Hamilton and Theodore Mrs HamiltonÆs increasingly serious boyfriend The three of them sampled the various and damningly white wine selections offered by the winery
All of them enjoyed it
Sam clicked his tongue while he watched a family play horseshoes off to the left Well theoretically yea IÆve done it before ItÆs just usually not my focus because the process takes time That sort of benefit needs to accumulate But so long as we figure out the Armament is worth something IÆll do it
Excellent DanielÆs expression brightened Then he produced an interspatial amulet and slid it across the table A discrete bonus Oh youÆll like this too The materials provided are apparently from some alien being that had been mutated by cosmic radiation
Randidly clicked his tongue as he considered his options After sleeping for several hours he recovered to his peak state Now he just had to decide how to proceed Upstodatee from
Claudette had already returned to her fatherÆs estate to take care of some personal matters before the looming party in six days Randidly briefly wondered whether the party would be postponed based on the state of the Nexus he had heard from Lady Iellaya about the constant infighting attacks and the fact that a madwoman had essentially become the supreme czar of Military High Command but it appeared that Don Beigon was not troubled by such developments His celebration remained on the schedule
As such Randidly wouldnÆt let it bother him either He needed to be ready
Still that preparedness could take several forms He could train his images with the Path of Dreams He could figure out how his attainments with energy ripples could be incorporated into his fighting style now that he had returned to the Nexus where images werenÆt suppressed to the point of uselessness And he could also investigate the process of evolving his Nether Core to the next Rarity and generating more Weight
Finally his third image appeared manifesting directly in front of his body The being was not human but took a humanoid shape even while powerful energies had completely evolved the interior beyond the physical limits of its original species With RandidlyÆs face it turned and looked at him almost sadly Its left arm was bulkier and armored while its right seemed more graceful and deadly Determination glittered in its eyes
The emotions around the Grey Creature began to seeth as all the bottledup fury and indignation Randidly experienced in his time under the thumb of the System came to the surface The air warped and popped destabilized to the point of implosion by the vehemency with which the Grey Creature wished to tear down the edifice above them It released a hissing misty breath
Someday Randidly closed his eyes Someday
When he opened his eyes RandidlyÆs three images floated down and superimposed themselves on his body With all three of his images operating at full force he began to look at the surroundings His lip curled upward at the dense network of ripples that rebounded endlessly off each other fueled by the existence of three powerful images even working in concert
Congratulations Your Skill Cutting Tide of Amenonuhoko has grown to Level 603
Congratulations Your Skill Philosophy of the Boundless Deluge has grown to Level 585
If the ripples are this dense with just me activating my images Randidly thought with glittering eyes He looked down at his hands where natural force already had begun to accumulate The barest hint of a maelstrom swirled around his person naturally forming as energy seeped into the subconscious patterns he manifested What can I achieve in a fight Or on a battlefield like I had when the Swacc Family assaulted those Pinnacle Seekers
If I had another chance I could have directly annihilated that being possessing Techetadore
However Randidly pushed the speculation out of his mind He activated several of his more powerful Skills pushing them to the fullest and then noting what effects they had on the energy ripples
Steadily he consolidated his understanding of his Moirae of Ripples Skillset
Put simply it generally functioned as a support to the more powerful attacks that his images could unleash He could utilize Cutting Tide of Amenonuhoko freely to improve his spear usage His understanding of energy and ripples also reduced drag on other attacks To his surprise this bonus was surprisingly high he received perhaps a 50% increase in raw power just from manipulating the patterns in the air into more agreeable shapes