MM - Chapter 226 - A THRUST LIKE NO OTHER

Selena couldn’t pull her eyes from Raine. The confidence staring back at her was too strong to resist. She nodded slowly, fingers curling into fists at her sides. “Y-yes. Yes, I trust you.”

Raine’s smile reached his eyes. He stepped closer, voice dropping. “Good. Then kill me.”

Selena recoiled as though struck, her shout carrying across the entire hall. “What?!”

The officials and concubines reacted aggressively, taking a step toward the duo with hands on weapons. Murmurs rippled through the alcoves, and Jorull Marsen leaned forward, cane digging into the floor as his eyes narrowed in suspicion. The armed concubine shifted his stance in preparation to aid Selena if needed.

Raine shrugged, holding Selena’s gaze without flinching. “That’s the conviction you’re going to need to make this work. If you can’t do it, then I’d be better off trying to escape. Is that what you want?”

Selena’s fingers trembled, pressing against her chest as she glanced toward her mother. “I… No. Of course that is not what I desire.”

Raine nodded, posture relaxing slightly. “Good. Me either. Forget everything that’s happened between us. I am your enemy. All that matters is ensuring my death. Come at me with everything you’ve got. You know I can take it.”

Selena’s breath caught as she searched his face. “Why is it always like this with you? What… what if I fail?”

“Then I’ll be cursing your name from a prison cell for the next cycle.” He paused, letting a grin break through. “Seriously though, don’t mess up.”

Being stuck in a cell for the next year would ruin so many of his plans that it wasn’t even worth considering. He would be better off restarting from level zero in another kingdom. Selena bit her lip, glancing at the officials who watched with predatory interest. “Okay. I’ll do it. I’ll really try to kill you… What do I need to do?”

Raine leaned in again, voice a calm anchor amid the tension. “For starters, breathe. The method isn’t complicated to understand, just hard to pull off. Here’s what you have to do.”

He leaned right next to her ear, hands cupped as he whispered conspiratorially. Selena’s eyes widened further with each word, her hand flying to her mouth in shock. She pulled back slightly, staring at him as if he’d suggested overturning the throne itself. “Is that truly possible?”

Raine met her doubt with unwavering certainty, his hand gesturing lightly for emphasis. “If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have gambled my future on you being able to pull it off.”

Selena’s shoulders slumped, her gaze dropping to the marble floor. “I… I’m not sure if I can. I’ve never attempted anything like that.”

Raine’s gaze was packed with the confidence of a father knowing his child was ready to face the world. The intense emotions he emanated drew her eyes back to his. “I know you can do it. Ready? No. Don’t answer that; just do it.” He hopped back, creating enough distance between them. His commanding shout crossed the gap, voice echoing off the high ceilings. “Give it your all. Remember, don’t hold back! Intent is everything. Envision it before you move, then commit!”

Selena stared at him for a full five seconds, gathering her thoughts and intent. With a firm nod, she dropped into a low stance. Shocking everyone, including Raine, she activated her artifact necklace earned from clearing the Primal Realm. A blinding flash of light blossomed from beneath her gown. The light swarmed over only her in a shimmering field that turned hard and angular before solidifying as an impressive, glittering suit of armor.

[Army Wide Buff Activated: Champion’s Armament]

[All attributes +25%]

[Attack Power +50%]

[Defense +50%]

[Resistance +50%]

[Buff Time Remaining: 4:59]

Raine’s muscles clenched with sudden concern. He fell into a ready stance of his own, prepared to bolt at a moment’s notice. Seriously? Not holding back and holding nothing back aren’t the same damn thing!

Harsh gazes were redirected from Alaric to Selena. Angry mutters rose at the uncalled-for use of an artifact that should be kept in reserve as the greatest of trump cards. Seeing her heroic figure before them was a further eyesore. This once insignificant princess was suddenly a new complication to the established forces that could never again be ignored.

The harsh whispers ceased as Selena summoned her sword—Blood Drinker. The weapon appeared from thin air, a dark crimson blade, narrow and deadly, suitable for thrusting through the most formidable defenses. Raine had no intention of protecting himself. Because there was no way he would be letting her hit him with an attack as powerful as Cannon Thrust buffed by her ridiculous artifact.

The atmosphere crackled with tension, and the queen’s mental pressure lifted just enough to allow the demonstration. A shimmering field of energy burst from Selena’s chest, surrounding her and forming into the shape of a bullet. Jabbing her weapon at Raine’s heart, she blasted forward, durable stones splintering from the force of her thrust. The sword tip stretched like a laser as she streaked across the hall, her intent thick with the desire to kill.

Discipline flooded through Raine’s limbs, doubling his speed and reaction time. He Lunged to the side. The atmosphere vibrated as Selena arrived at where he’d just been, her blade piercing the air with a resonant hum that sent cracks spidering across the marble. But she wasn’t nearly done; only a fraction of the skill’s force had been utilized to cross the short distance.

Due to the training wheels of the previous skill system, any attack powered by a skill was forced into a very specific pattern of movement. That restriction had now been lifted, allowing for a level of freedom that was previously unthinkable.

Mid-thrust, Selena drew her sword back, altered its angle, and just as the toe of her slipper cracked into the floor, she thrust again. The skill was still active. Space rippled and distorted as her directionality changed by ninety degrees to follow Raine. Her Cannon Thrust drove her after him with detonative velocity, shards from the floor flew like shrapnel behind her.

Raine Lunged again and again, each evasion a blur of motion fueled by his tempered body, skills, and Discipline. She matched his every move, tracking him relentlessly. He leaped from pillars, always retreating in a direction that would give Selena a chance to touch a surface and redirect herself. The hall trembled from her passing, concussive booms echoing and sending dust sifting from the vaulted ceilings.

He twisted mid-air, feeling the rush of displaced wind as the crackling energy field around her grazed his tunic. She roared past, barreling toward the distant ceiling. In a flash, she turned a hundred and eighty degrees, tearing through space, her sword again seeking his heart.

Officials scattered to the alcoves as Raine brought her near them, their robes fluttering in the chaos, while the palace tutor from before braced against a pillar, his face a mask of unwilling awe as she roared past. Mid-air, Selena used the crumbling remains of a cracked tile to pivot again. Her sword retracted in an instant before exploding outward a final time. Her shimmering field flickered and failed just before Raine Lunged beneath her thrust, appearing behind.

Her blade embedded into the ground with a thunderous crack that split a jagged line toward the throne. Pulling free in an instant, she bowed low to her mother, cheeks flushed from the effort and thrill of their chase. The queen quirked a brow, fingers drumming slowly on the armrest. A faint nod betrayed her interest. “Remarkable. An excellent showing, child. Your time in the Girding was fruitful.”

Officials murmured intensely, some inclining heads in grudging esteem, others deepening their frowns, especially those aimed at Raine. The concubine’s countenance was a veil of foiled frustration, sword hand twitching in desire to once more unsheath his blade.

Selena’s weapon vanished. Facing Raine, she inclined her head respectfully. “Thank you for the lesson, teacher.”

Raine held back his grin, bowing in return. “It was my pleasure, Princess. Your ability to grasp the concept so quickly is unparalleled. Much to my relief.”

Clever girl. Thank you. 

“How?! How did you do it?!” The palace tutor from before stammered, face a contorted mask of annoyed embarrassment. 

“Enough.” The queen’s command plunged the hall into silence. She stood, towering over everyone. With measured steps, she descended the stairs from her throne. Her mental ability permeated the space once more, quelling all dissent and making even the thought of drawing a weapon impossible to grasp. “You have validated your claim, Alaric of the Earth Realm. For a single prime, the interim baron permit is yours. Employ the benefits of your new station judiciously, Baron Alaric.” She addressed the room at large, her voice carrying finality. “Today’s deliberations are concluded. Earl Lichforde’s sentence will be announced on the morrow.”

As the officials filed out, Selena rushed to Raine’s side, voice packed with intensity. “That was amazing! I can scarcely believe it worked. How did you—” She paused, realizing far too many ears were pricked in their direction. “I am curious. Why go so far for an interim title? How can that be more valuable than a relic from the vault’s second floor?”

Raine scratched the back of his neck, glancing toward one of the marble columns pocked with holes from her fury. “Sorry, can’t say. It’s a Traveler thing.”

Selena ground her teeth at the familiar excuse, then released a bark of laughter. “I despise you. Truly I do!” 

After enjoying his moment, Raine explained. “You only say it lacks because you’re a princess… No, becoming a baron, even if it's not the real thing, is a much better reward than I expected to get.” He stopped there, it was an exercise in futility to convince a full-blooded royal how important the authority they wielded was.

She beamed a smile at him for explaining even that much. “Come, I shall escort you out in hopes that you never return!”

Raine chortled, following behind the whirl of her garments, and pointedly ignoring the poisonous glares from the dawdling concubines hovering behind their queen.

“Halt.” The Monarch called. She loomed over Raine, her presence filling the space like an unyielding storm. “You shall return once your guilds’ squabble has concluded. You will continue to instruct Selena in the methods of the Travelers. Your compensation will be discussed at a later date.”

Raine bowed deeply, his voice steady. “I understand and obey, Your Majesty.”

[Unique Guild Quest: A Queen’s Regard accepted]

[For better or worse, you have attracted the attention of Queen Analice Celendine. She has commanded you, the representative of Astra Infernum, to return and train her daughter. Secretly, she has an urgent assignment that must not be overly delayed (30 days remaining)]

[Rewards: Celendine Dynasty Reputation. Additional potential rewards based on performance]

Before he finished reading, the queen inclined her head slightly, eyes locking onto his. “There is one final matter: for your new title to become one of perpetuity, you must make appropriate contributions to our glorious kingdom. This Monarch eagerly anticipates your future achievements, Baron.” She smiled lightly, a knowing twinkle in her eyes as she left the hall.

Raine watched her go, frowning in thought. She knows exactly why I needed the title of Baron. She totally played me for the benefit of her daughter. Well, at least her quest gave me long enough to prepare the guild. Million creds it’s a raid against the Dantinians. Was going to join the war anyway, now I’ll be getting paid to do it. And, it's a perfect test for my people.

Seeing him beyond pleased, Selena tugged at his sleeve, pulling him toward the doors. “Let’s go before someone else decides to test your reflexes.”

He snorted. “You don’t know the half of it.” Raine followed, indeed eager to be gone before something else went wrong. With Selena leading the way, the palace corridors became less oppressive, the destruction of moments ago a rapidly fading dream. Selena walked beside him, her gown swishing softly beneath the artifact armor’s glow.

She glanced sideways at him, curiosity etching her features. When she realized he wasn’t going to speak about whatever the ‘other half’ might be, she excitedly changed the subject. “That was incredible! I was able to keep up with you, even in the air! Is that how you feel when you fight? Like the very world is bending to your will?”

Raine nodded, “Something like that. After the expansion, the chains that bound your skills are gone. Though I’m sure you already noticed, and simply didn’t realize the depths of the changes.”

“Expansion? I don’t understand what you are referring to.”

His quizzical expression relayed equal confusion. “I guess it makes sense you wouldn’t call it that. Shortly after you teleported home, did anything big happen?”

“Big? Big in what way?” Selena grew more uncertain with each word he spoke. 

Raine, however, keenly recalled the primal energy being pulled from the horn and how it spread as a massive wave of light enveloping everything. There was no way such a phenomenon would have been completely missed by the residents of the kingdom. “As in a flash of light covering the entire sky, tens of thousands of new Vaaterrans appearing from thin air… ring a bell?”

“Ring a-no, nothing like what you are describing transpired. I wish you would explain yourself properly. You do know that there is a limit to how frustratingly mysterious one is allowed to be?!”

Raine lifted his hands in defense, shaking his head. “Never mind. Not my place to understand how all this works. Anyways, thanks for the rescue back there; I didn’t expect them to get so violent with your mother sitting meters away.”

Selena’s lips pursed at him, and she nodded solemnly. “If you knew the personalities of those acting against you, then you would not have been caught off guard. You are quite welcome. It was the least I could do after… everything.”

Raine chuckled softly, sidestepping a passing servant. “Glad we’re even. I meant what I said. You did well. I didn’t give you very good chances of pulling that off on the first try.”

Selena blushed faintly, averting her eyes. “I imagined you were Lyale. It helped.”

He chuckled, shaking his head “Speaking of the nobles, where were your siblings? I was hoping to catch sight of a real princess or two.”

She gasped in mock outrage, elbowing him. “So rude!”

“Joking, joking!” He laughed while lifting both palms defensively. “Seriously though, are they treating you well after coming back? I’ve been worried. Only a little, mind you.” He kept two fingers raised, holding them so close there was nary a gap.

She squinted before being unable to hold back the grin anymore. “Worried about me? You shouldn’t be. They are still ignorant of my artifact’s true effects. They only know it is above average, which has still marked me as a target for their endless machinations. Though, so far, not in an adverse way. It is… nice to be noticed for a change. You were right. Right about everything. Thank you again for accompanying me on my Girding. It is a memory I shall never forget.”

Raine returned her heartfelt emotions, for the first time, bowing fully before her. “You are most welcome, Princess Selena. It was my pleasure.”

They reached the palace gates, guards saluting crisply as they passed. Down the road in the distance, the Nobles’ District bustled, the day in full swing. Raine patted her shoulder lightly. “As much as I hate to bring him up, Lyale is still out there. And after failing to kill either of us or steal your artifact, I doubt he’s resting on his laurels in the empire. Take care of yourself, Selena.”

She paused at the pillars, turning to face him fully. “You say that as if you will not be around to ensure I am cared for. Good thing mother would not stand for that.” She flashed a mischievous smile before growing serious again. “You must be cautious as well, Alaric. The court will not soon forget your arrogance.”

Raine dismissively waved off her concern while activating a Return Stone now that they were beyond the protective arrays of the palace, “Good. This won’t be the last time a Traveler steps on their delicate little toes. I was merely paving the way for the rest of my people, selfless and magnanimous as usual.”

Selena facepalmed, unable to look at him after such a ridiculous statement. “It is a very good thing that you are so hard to kill.”

Raine laughed, waving goodbye as his Return Stone activated. The world dissolved into starlit streams. He reappeared in the Commoner’s District, the air thick with the shouts of vendors and the scent of street food. He hustled toward the crafting hall, enhanced legs carrying him swiftly through the crowd. Fizgore’s voice boomed ahead, his charisma on full display as he effortlessly charmed a gathered crowd with tales that drew laughter and nods.

Hundreds of crafters crowded the bare-chested man, each hanging on his every word, and equally anticipating the return of Alaric. Raine’s interface was stuffed with notifications of signed contracts. He pushed through the throng, his presence drawing eyes and filling mouths with promised shouts of servitude if only he would allow them a chance. 

He joined Fizgore at the center, the future of Astra Infernum stretched before them. Despite Raine’s excitement to get started, his thoughts were elsewhere. It wouldn’t be long before Celeste found herself surrounded on all sides. He sent Mel a message to check on the status of her mission.

Meanwhile, he had much work to do bringing his fellow crafters up to speed. They had only a few short days before the inevitable confrontation. In that time, he would need to both sow and reap a harvest of deadly items. Only then could CronGate and Damian be allowed to discover just how large a hornet’s nest they’d kicked.