“My apologies, O Arbiter.” Galia began, folding her arms as she drew a metaphorical line in the sand. “But you have a terrible way with words.”
This battle did not belong to her.
Anna shouted, clutching her pile of books dearly. She wanted to press forward and reach out to Frost. However, her instincts kicked in as her coat caught on fire, creating a defensive barrier as if she was on the verge of being struck.
“How could you!?” She shrieked. “Frost was hanging onto a thread, and you cut it!”
“It’s better this way.” Michaela uttered beneath her breath, exhaling white dust that spread across the black forest, sticking to the trees like condensation. “Frost was bound to Corrupt. Let this be a lesson to us both. Unlike courage that must be drawn within, wrath can only be tempered with release.”
“Still! Frost tried to talk to you first! About your… Your own daughter! Frost –!”
“– Emotions are a complicated thing, my dear Anna. Do not speak like you know how it feels. My veins have never stopped burning since the day I took the life of ‘Her’.”
The Corrupted Frost assumed a firing position like it was the most natural thing in the world. Her posture was aggressive, and the oversized barrel of her crimson sniper rifle stared back at the Arbiter.
Their weapons were the only way they were going to settle their differences aside.
“… You cannot imagine how much I yearned to see her again. How very much I wish I could still embrace her. Think, Anna. You are a smart girl. Why is it that I refrain from touching those I cherish?”
Michaela slashed the air preemptively. To an onlooker it appeared as if she had precisely swung her blade when a bullet was fired her way.
| THE FOREST OF THE BIG BAD WOLF |
< CONDITION: The Vengeful Red-Hooded Avenger will not relent until the death of its Nemesis. If the Nemesis is attacked by someone other than it, then it will enter an enraged phase >
< SUPPRESSION REQUIREMENT: The Vengeful Red-Hooded Avenger is Suppressed when the Nemesis’ HP reaches 0 >
< SUBJUGATION REQUIREMENT: The Vengeful Red-Hooded Avenger will not be Subjugated when its HP reaches 0 >
The Corrupted was nigh immortal if this was to be believed. The only way for it to be put down for good was if the Arbiter – it’s Nemesis – was killed by its own hands.
But Micheala had no such plans.
< [Pre-Emptive Snipe] >
< Kill or be killed >
< EFFECT: Ranged attack. Deal 20x damage against the sole target of the encounter: Forever Bad Wolf >
< “In the Dark Forest lurks a beast that shakes the forest floor.” >
< “Its biggest mistake is that it had made itself known before it could sniff out its prey.” >
< “The victor is determined by the one who strikes first!” >
The Arbiter’s System was the same as the Blessed. Or it should have been. A small grimace formed on her face as Anna’s eyes widened, wondering why they were suddenly able to see things that they were not able to before.
The reason for this was because something else had entered the Floor of Judgement. A blue-haired woman with golden eyes appeared suddenly in the dark forest, and Galia swiftly moved to protect her.
It was Nav, and her eyes trembled at the sight of Frost.
“You Corrupted again…?”
“Head down. Do not expose yourself unnecessarily.” Galia warned as she scooped Nav off her feet, blending with the dark trees as she returned to Anna’s side.
“I see. You can bypass my locks. So long as an Archetype exists within and has already awoken from their deep sleep, you will be able to scour our Floors as you see fit.”
The Arbiter whispered to herself, finally pronouncing her offensive against the Vengeful Red-Hooded Avenger with her blade shouldered high above.
It was as though she was carrying a Marker on her back, like it was a sign of her repentance. She swung it downward with unrelenting force, cracking the fabric of Frost’s manifested State of Mind which had presented itself as a Corrupted Zone.
< [O] [The Weight of Unresolved Pride] [O] >
< EFFECT: Inflict 2,000,000 Damage regardless of DEF Stat. This Skill generates Nex >
White cracks fractured the ground as particles of light bubbled from the gaps. The Red Avenger was struck down and made to taste the dirt, her body then lifted by the feet of the Arbiter.
This skill was used by the Arbiter, and it finally made itself know when it was viewed directly by Nav. But still, Nav should not have been able to see this. Rather, it was someone else that accurately defined what she saw.
Vengeful Red-Hooded Avenger | HP: 18,000,000
But just before Micheala could swat the Red Avenger away, the huntress dropped her sniper riffle into her lap midair, pulling out a pair of blunderbuss pistols from her hip.
< [Close Quarters Shelling] >
< There must be no hesitation getting close in the hunt >
< EFFECT: Fire 20x2 bullets. Each bullet deals 25,000 ATT damage. Deals additional 100,000 MAG damage if all bullets land >
< “Die. Be torn apart by the weapons of today, you beast of the past! Let tomorrow be a day we can celebrate!” >
The Arbiter | HP: ??? | ???
Michaela had just taken over 1,000,000 damage – no, 20,000,000 and yet it did not even register on her HP pool. Rather than that, Michaela just stood there after she sent the Red Avenger flying through the forest, her body smoldering as bullets dripped from her apparel like sweat.
It was not even close to being a battle.
This was the difference between those at the level of the Beholders and the Archetypes to threats only at the level of Woe of the Fallen Star. It was clear that the Red Avenger was a stronger than average Woe of the Fallen Star Corrupted, but even so, it paled in comparison to the weakest Apocalypse Corrupted.
“That information you relay does not come from you. I see. So that was why the Nexus was shaking.” The Arbiter would have usually smiled or smirked cunningly now, but her solemn frown did not disappear. “It pains me to have to treat you this way, Frost. Rise and start again. There are no healers present.”
She walked towards the Piece of Paradise, gently holding it into her palms. Her hand bled as if pricked by invisible thorns. Red blood dripped from her gloved hand, staining the scabbard as she heard a soft cry from within the item.
It caused her eyes to soften.
“… You may be correct, Frost.”
< [Suppressing Fire] >
< Falter in the wake of the march of a thousand bullets >
< EFFECT: Hail down a storm of bullets in the direction of your Target. Deal 100x damage to all targets indiscriminately caught in the attack >