CHAPTER 799: SETTING UP FOUNDATIONS

Alice sat behind the table in their room.

She peered out of the window, watching Gwen train with Syrion.

Trying to change the way you think during battle, especially when you’ve been fighting for a long time is difficult.

Muscle memory, habits and strategies that have worked in the past all need to change.

But Gwen was striving for it, to change that something inside herself so that she could reach the next level.

Alice created a blood pen and spun it around on her finger.

Both of them were stuck in their training.

Alice couldn’t resolve the issue of efficiency and short duration, Gwen couldn’t change her approach to battle.

A bottleneck.

[I mean... It’s pretty impressive that you even made a prototype at all. Splitting a Sigil in half and suspended in a state of half inversion. I can tell you one thing for sure and that is no one has even succeeded in doing this before.] Cayla sighed.

She was also feeling a little frustrated.

All of the pieces of the puzzle was there.

The theory lined up but it was just missing that something to make it functional.

’Let’s reset out thinking a little. We know that the Resonance is the correct answer. Without it, the technique wouldn’t even activate properly.

’That helps us fulfil the requirement of being a receptacle of information. So no matter what, this is something we cannot change.’ Alice flicked her pen.

In order for her to complete the technique, there was two key issues that she needed to tackle.

Efficiency and time being one.

And the other was actually something to do with the effects of the technique.

Right now, she could see the flow of energy. The spark before a spell was cast. By directly intercepting that spark, she could read the information and estimate the intended course for the spell and dodge before it’s even fired.

However, the same couldn’t be said for the physical attacks.

That aspect was still stuck in the state of Zone, meaning others can avoid it to some degree if they knew the technique.

Alice tapped her finger against the table.

’I’m gonna try something stupid.’

[When have you ever not tried something stupid?] Cayla folded her arms.

Alice rolled her eyes.

’Fine then, I’ll try something stupider than normal.

’I think I’m going to augment the base Resonance with other stuff. I’ll keep stacking things until I feel it change.’

[Okay, I still don’t see how that’s stupider than normal.]

’By other stuff, I’m also including my Spiritual Heart.’

[. . . This isn’t stupider. This is straight up idiotic. What kicked you in the head to make you think this is even remotely a good idea. Inverting Sigils, I get that. Splitting them in half? I also get that. But to directly use your Spiritual Heart in this, do you WANT to cripple yourself???] Cayla massaged her eyes.

’Look, hear me out.’

’I’m pretty proud of my reaction speed and instincts. And I think focusing more on this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.’

[Okay but how does that evolve into you using your Spiritual Heart? If anything wrong happens, you’ll cripple yourself.] Cayla folded her arms in frustration.

At this point, knowing how stubborn Alice was, changing her mind was going to be difficult. So Cayla wanted to fully understand the idea before poking holes into it.

’Because I want to inject the information directly into my brain. I’m going to skip the steps in between then have an array of cells, triggered casts and other things in place to help me out.’

Cayla paused.

[Explain.]

’I mean... There’s not much to explain. It’s simply a case of me reading and reacting to everything the moment it happens. To reduce the time in between as much as possible by directly injecting the information into myself.’ Alice scratched her cheek.

[Okay, but that can be done without using your Spiritual Heart no?]

’Not really. Since I plan on using Bloodline Release during the technique. By involving my spiritual heart, my casting speed increases simply due to the fact that the time between thinking and casting disappears.’

[I still don’t get it.]

Scratching her hair, Alice decided to make a prototype first. To test it against Syrion and see how it goes.

###

"Ohou~ Seems like you are holding up rather well my Queen." A woman smiled, rubbing her chin while observing the changes within a one armed woman’s body.

Even though she had separated herself from the corrupt divinity at the last moment, the damage was done.

"Just tell me the bad news." Verona groaned, sweat dripping from her pale face.

A strange black obsidian had formed over the stump where her arm would’ve been while black veins tried to reach the rest of her body.

"Hmm... Getting better is pretty much impossible for you. Your cultivated Divinity was tied to your soul deeply and cutting it off has wounded you beyond repair. Holding up well is the best you can do." Caera admitted while poking Verona’s stump with her finger, causing the Queen to wince.

"So I’m crippled?" Verona gritted her teeth.

"I wouldn’t go that far. Just~ Unless you have a way of supplementing the missing piece of your soul, you won’t get better." Caera chuckled, swinging herself onto a boulder while writing down some notes.

"You must be rather annoyed." Verona forced a smile.

Caera froze. Her smile looking a little forced.

"What makes you say that my Queen? I’m merely ensuring that the test subject is nice and healthy before we try again. Is that so strange?"

"Yes. Especially considering your reaction when that man was about to kill me." Verona leaned back, letting out a laboured breath.

Caera’s smile faded.

"Seems like that man is your enemy. Care to tell me a little about him?" Verona asked, finding it difficult to stay conscious.

"I’ll let your dear retainers know about your current condition. We’ll figure something out so don’t worry my dear queen and rest easy~" Caera ignored Verona’s question and stepped out of the cave for now.

Verona shook her head.

She could see the pure rage in Caera’s eyes, the bloodthirst that was seeping out.

Caera was livid.

Closing her eyes, Verona focused on keeping the corruption at bay.

On the way out, Caera was biting her nails.

When was it? When did Nyer intervene?

How did he know that she was cultivating a false divinity?

And most importantly, why did he let them go?

Was the false divinity all he wanted?

So many questions flew through Caera’s mind. She felt as though she was about to go insane.

"How is she doing?" Frida asked with a look of worry.

"Not good not bad. She’s somewhat stable for now." Caera replied half heartedly while looking out at the darkened sky.

After Verona had severed her arm that held the divinity, the outbreak occurred, killing thousands that lived in the capital.

The Guards tried to slow down the corruption but it was no use. The false divinity couldn’t be stopped.

Then Nyer appeared.

Strangely, he didn’t kill them. He harvested what he could then transported everyone to Terminus.

Why?

Frida clenched her fist.

"Is there a way to help her?"

"Do you have a way to supplement her soul? I’m working on it so stop bothering me." Caera glared at Frida in annoyance. She was trying to figure out her own issues while this b*tch kept hounding her about the condition of Verona.

Why can’t she take a clue and just shut up already?

"Caera, she’s just worried. Everyone’s stressed so let’s not lose our cool." Sigurd grabbed Caera on the shoulder with a frown.

"!!!" Sigurd felt a chill down his spine.

The cold glare from Caera and the bloodthirst that was seeping out of her.

He quickly let go of her shoulder.

"Right, right~ my bad. Just secure the perimeter for now and see if we can find Verona’s other subjects. I’m sure the dear Lord of Titans is out there somewhere so you better start looking for him." Caera waved her hand dismissively.

The two Lords stared at Caera who walked away without care. They could tell her mental state was unstable right.

Not far from where Verona was resting was the temporary camp. Several wounded ’berserkers’ and Hybrids could be seen being treated by Alfva with the help of Selen.

Occasionally, Alfva would curse out new orders while also throwing up in a bucket due to the overexertion of her body. But deep in the Abyss, in Terminus, healing wounds was much harder due to the miasma.

Selen was dragged along as Alfva’s assistant. Without Selen’s time powers, treating this many wounded would be impossible, even for someone like her.

Moreover, treating the berserkers and Hybrids were different to normal soldiers. They were modified by herself and Alice in order to save them from the curse that the Zenia family released.

"Alfva~" Caera called out as Alfva’s eyes shot towards Caera before letting out a sigh.

"What do you want? I’m busy keeping the b*stards alive here." Alfva groaned, holding back the urge to throw up while supporting herself with the bucket.

"I need to borrow Selen for a bit. There’s something we need to hunt down to stabilise the Queen’s condition."

Alfva frowned.

"Make it quick then. This place can’t survive long without Selen’s help."

Not only was Selen responsible for assisting her in healing the wounded, she was also responsible for helping the Lords fight back any beasts that stumble across them.

And with how the beasts in Terminus was acting as of late, every fighter was needed to ensure this place didn’t collapse.

"Don’t worry, it’ll be quick since I’m familiar with this place. Well... to some extent." Caera chuckled, giving Alfva a wave before looking towards Selen.

Of course, needing help to kill a beast was just an excuse. Caera had other needs for Selen’s presence. Namely, her time powers.

Caera needed to start setting up the foundations for her revenge against Nyer.