[Chapter 48] Wise – The Calm before the Storm

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It’ll be tough. This was their first duel since Earth’s End. The outcome is uncertain. Before every match, Wise identified futures where he won and guided events towards those. However, when he failed, he kept searching. Sometimes he’d eventually find the path. Other times, he never did. I’m the underdog.

Hope stood opposite him, revolvers in hand and pouches at her waist. Two are filled with bombs. A grenade launcher was in the lugger pack. Neither are the real threat.

Wise gripped a black shuriken. Since I’m a ninja… Noting his weakness, he’d approached Radin about a ranged option. The necromancer had taught him grimsteel, metal drawn from the abyss. Normally this would be forbidden without the oath, but Radin made an exception because of the Necronomicon.

“Begin.” Soul yelled.

Wise threw his projectile, and Hope shot it out of the air. Her foresight has gotten better. He rushed forwards deflecting bullets.

When he was upon her, Hope leaped swiftly away. So that’s ‘air burst’, the spell in her legs. Even with this mobility, she couldn’t match his jumping, which is why she tossed a grenade. He threw a shuriken to ignite it prematurely, knocking himself back hard. RSF is potent…

Hope, meanwhile, sailed away enveloped in a jagged orange shell. A double layered blast shield, the magic in her arms. She wouldn’t be injured by her explosives, just propelled.

Which is a problem. RSF was a permanent and uncancellable. While he could trigger it at a distance, his sister would ride the shockwaves to safety. And I don’t see victory from a ranged fight.

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Hope threw pebbles from which fireballs roared down, then unloaded both revolvers. Wise sprinted while parrying. Evading the last, he found Hope with the grenade launcher. Damn.

His sister squeezed the trigger, and he threw grimsteel. The grenade exploded closer this time. It’s over. While tumbling upside down, he saw Hope lift her trump card, a strange weapon with barrels pointed in every direction. A volley handgun with ten tracking bullets. She fired.

Waking on the floor, he sighed. I doubt there’s much I could’ve done. Even if he’d guarded his head, the mithril would’ve targeted his heart. I see why they’re considered cheating, though I can’t complain. Hope had struggled an eternity with sub-par materials.

Feeling empty, he got up. The others had descended to congratulate Hope, who was understandably ecstatic. He slipped away while she pestered Soul for the alcohol’s location. She’s capable of celebrating without me.

He made his way to the Rose Palace’s western ramparts. Its tall walls were a good place to be alone. So this is what last place feels like…

I’ve only myself to blame. If he’d made the commitments, given up lying and other pointless activities, he could’ve removed his headband. With the full might of ‘All-Knowing Grasp’ and Necronomicon, he could’ve countered to those bullets. Hope was hungrier.

He watched the sun set on the watery horizon. A Maelstorm is brewing out there. It’d hit in three days, after Arther’s funeral. The calm before the storm.

Wise considered the future beyond the tempest. I’ll travel to the Black Citadel for the oath, but what about the rest? Where would home be? What should he strive for? I wondered if the others are asking themselves the same questions.

He was interrupted by a sense of dread. Something will happen. He closed his eyes and concentrated. There it is. The Northern Emperor had finally made his move.

How did he do it? The Empire’s eldest necromancer, Coralin Dorate, had visited the Stone Coliseum and discreetly examined them. Not only that, having known Sola, she could even confirm Free’s identity. The media will latch on to that… His sister was in for a rough time.