In one corner of the Nexus a group of individuals hadnÆt stopped working despite all the turbulence across the rest of the universe
The Upper Sonora Society had created a massive array in order to accomplish an act of terrorism undercutting the System Despite all the chaos of Randidly GhosthoundÆs battles they had continued on their project allowing their Engraving to stretch and sprawl They had given their all to the process for hours
Perhaps compared to the rest of the involved individuals only Randidly Ghosthound had given more sweat to revolutionizing the Nexus than these toiling rebels
And unbeknownst to them a Monarch of Karma awoken by an old memory fresh from his conversation with Shal had stumbled across the working He had witnessed their efforts and determination and had felt a kinship with their struggles His presence his wishes had nudged the working just from an act of terrorism to a manifesto of hope
We deserve better than this
When the working created by the Upper Sonora Society finally activated the System had largely been neutralized by the Pantheon working overtime NeveahÆs Engraving had already begun to shift the status quo of the underlying Aether framework The connections at the moment were more chaos than System So while the original target of their project had vanished the hope lingered It spread and suffused more and more of the Nexus And then eventually it stretched past that It whispered out an assurance even while everything hung in flux
In the Alpha Cosmos Fatia Cerulean stiffened as he felt a strange sense of reluctance fill his heart He wondered whether he had been wrong to pursue the Narrow Path for so long He looked down at his bloody claws and the corpse of a horned stag in front of him and sighed
On the Kharon Academy grounds a thousand teenagers and children looked up at the sky where glittering motes of light had begun to fall like a monsoon of gold dust across a shifting universe They clenched their fists each individual joining a group resolved to leave the world a better place than they found it
Devick stood in the middle of the golden Engraving standing on the back of a disgruntled Frost Dragon pumping her fist wildly in the air She felt everything shifting and changing she screamed herself hoarse riding the wave She couldnÆt wait for what happened next
Delilah the first child born after the System arrived leaned against her mother The sky was beautiful and the world may or may not be ending but she trembled from the fallout of a heart being torn to pieces by an apathetic boy She buried her face in her motherÆs shoulder She couldnÆt look up as she spoke I donÆt think IÆll ever find someone who will love me
No one exists who deserves to love you Dozer rumbled from across the room By the way whatÆs this young manÆs name
Annie shot her husband a sharp glance and then squeezed her daughter DonÆt give up hope quite yet Life is all about the looking darling Because so long as you keep looking
Pine felt those words those sentiments wrapping almost gently around his body He felt all the souls that shivered and agreed even if they didnÆt know how to express it The alignment of desires brought them all together and lent him their strength His soul relaxed by a small margin no longer on the brink of tearing
That unified belief wrapped tightly around the frayed lines of the Engraving They all helped hold the third circle together
And the words also reached the darkness They echoed out through the vast home of the dead Some of those who had been driven wild by hunger who had been prepared to ravage the universe paused They eased their tension remembering their hopes Remembering how chaotic and desperate it was to be alive
That easing lightened the darkness by degrees
And that was enough for Pine to shove and for the darkness to shift The third circle held as the golden Engraving churned and created a whole new tableau
The blindfolded woman actually laughed as the spear rushed at her face Randidly GhosthoundÆs image burned through the austere fabric of the multiverse in an attempt to bridge the gap and damage one of the inert statues The tallest and most monstrous of the individuals in front of him
She didnÆt even flinch despite the concentrated Aether and Nether Randidly had poured into the attack It was without a doubt the most powerful attack he had ever thrown With the attack he felt completely hollow His images faded struggling to maintain their presence in the oppressive environment
Please allow me Pangu as Randidly had gambled stepped forward to intercept the attack He adjusted his monocle and waved a hand A new shadow interposed itself the layered form of Pangu Eternities and Pinnacles managed together to for a sharp shape that scraped away everything else Acri crashed against the force Pangu created and stopped dead
Itzpapalotl handle the sub universe We donÆt have time to play around any longer The blindfolded woman said The shadowy figure snapped up its dagger and ghosted forward Randidly narrowed his eyes and prepared to intercept but Pangu chose that moment to offer him a warm smile He gestured just as vaguely as he had to defeat his attack
Power suffused Acri as the weapon shrieked and shot directly back in RandidlyÆs direction but empowered with some spite from Pangu
Gotcha Randidly hid his glee You just couldnÆt resist could you Predictability is a weakness Pangu
Congratulations Your Skill Deviations Inevitable Machinations has grown to Level 2101
Congratulations Your Skill What the Ghosthound Sows He Will Soon Reap has grown to Level 2000
Vessel Layers 7
Creeds Germination (20000) Enigmatic (20000) Impossibility (27150) Tolerance (27000) Duty (28000) Vengeance (16000) Harmony (19000) N/A (1000)
VPs 1 446 974
He had earned a total of 240 for each Stat RandidlyÆs eyes flashed He only had a split second now This wouldnÆt be enough He began pouring his VPs away so quickly he barely noticed the notifications popping up in front of him
You have condensed a Vessel Layer Current Vessel Layers 8
For earning a new Layer you have unlocked access to a new Creed Creeds will be distributed differently based on the Vessel Layer For the eighth Vessel Layer you have been randomly distributed the Creed Generosity
You have condensed a Vessel Layer Current Vessel Layers 9
For earning a new Layer you have unlocked access to a new Creed Creeds will be distributed differently based on the Vessel Layer For the ninth Vessel Layer you have been given a Creed by the Pantheon You have been distributed the Creed Vulnerability
You have condensed a Vessel Layer Current Vessel Layers 10
For earning a new Layer you have unlocked access to a new Creed Creeds will be distributed differently based on the Vessel Layer For the tenth Vessel Layer your actions have earned you a Creed You have earned the Creed Experimentation
The sword shot toward RandidlyÆs chest but his flesh wriggled and flexed attempting to keep up with the shift His Creeds became almost like armor reinforcing his body transforming his entire person
Vessel Layers 10
Creeds Experimentation (100000) Vulnerability (100000) Generosity (100000) Germination (120000) Enigmatic (120000) Impossibility (127150) Tolerance (127000) Duty (128000) Vengeance (116000) Harmony (119000) N/A (1000)
VPs 446 974
Just by spending VPs each of Randidly GhosthoundÆs already impressive Stats had grown by 2240 His flesh hadnÆt even caught up with the change in his capability A boost that big meant that his Physical Defense Stats HomunculiÆs Engineered Adaption and Carrion DragonÆs Carapace more than doubled in only a heartbeat
A half a hummingbirdÆs heartbeat even
The copper sword arrived quelling the universe with its motion Randidly accepted it refusing to back down
The Creeds shifting was one thing but perhaps just as valuable were the three sinking of anchors Elhume Devick and Enmya all settled as NeveahÆs Engraving reached its final form They had been in formation but now the locks snapped into places as the three dimensions operated around each other