For a powerful technique, or rather, Rune, like [Rune of the FIRST), it was disturbing how little significance it actually had in the arsenal of its users. Well, perhaps it was more apt to say that so far, it had never managed to permanently purge the powers of its targets during the battle, as was its purpose.
Caxellac had used it against Replicus, yet when the six-minute ti limit the Progeny had been given to defeat the Null Devil King or else lose half his powers was elapsed, Caxellac had long perished.
Similarly, the thirty-minute ti limit Replicus had given Skullius by using the [Rune of the FIRST] hadn't mattered much. The two's battle had ended in just a little more than a quarter of an hour.
The fact that the tir for this Rune ability was only just now chiming was a bit daunting to Replicus though, at least at first.
More than fifteen minutes had passed since he defeated the possessed Skullius. He quickly realised after the notification flashed several tis in his eyes that all resorts in the Empyrean Hatcher lulled the sense of ti; ti moved a bit sluggishly within them, and it was almost too difficult to note how much of it passed. (Likely an effect to improve relaxation.) Even the guidance field had been fooled.
In any case, the fact that Replicus was allowed to choose whether or not to proceed with the permanent destruction of a Skullius' powers was a blessing.
With imaginary tears in his eyes, Replicus declined the activation of the effect. The guidance field confird.
The Unlimited Stars looked at Replicus a little oddly. Hilariously though, this wasn't the first or tenth ti their Master had suddenly gone into an inexplicable outburst.
The Progeny gave a sigh of relief.
'And I dared to say that I didn't care much if the Insurgent Magnus powers were destroyed earlier,' he scolded himself.
Indeed, he had told this to Skullius after using the [Rune of the FIRST] on him before they began fighting in earnest.
'I probably shouldn't delay this any longer. My strength is recovering just fine now.'
Replicus called for the Strawlers to carry his Hybrid Luman body.
He had been intentionally delaying the rging process. Sohow, he had gotten the feeling that allowing himself to fuse with his other self while all the cells in his body were greatly expended wasn't the best idea. Thus, he had been patiently waiting for his strength to return.
Looking at the Unlimited Stars and Elita, Replicus said:
"It's ti. I'm going to the Second Layer to rge. It might get turbulent so be on the lookout."
The Unlimited Stars took the warning seriously as did Replicus himself.
He didn't forget what Suzate had said.
Even she was convinced that the result of his rging was sothing she wasn't willing to ss with, which had surprised him.
"Good luck," Elita said with a small smile.
Replicus smiled back and nodded.
...Then he sent a ssage to all the Unlimited Stars secretly through their Stark Constellations; it was only two words.
"Watch her."
None of them responded openly, but they acknowledged the command.
Replicus then manifested in his hand a large green key. He threw it over to Kintar.
"I assu Yuyui gave you the other two keys," he said to her. "You're responsible for everything while I'm gone. Everything is at your disposal."
Everyone looked at the dwarf of a woman. Suddenly, her oval eyes turned creepier and colder, her face seeming to manifest an older, mature look. A dark smile crossed her oval-shaped face.
"Everything at your wish, Master," she said softly.
Elita, Silrat, Theurien, Soidon and even Red Rage felt chills.
This woman's presence was rather fickle yet stalwart. She seed to be able to make people believe one thing or the other on a di, and right now, everyone, including the other Unlimited Stars, could not find a shred of a reason to doubt her loyalty to the Warmoth's Progeny or her ability to perform her responsibilities.
Replicus nodded, satisfied.
He exited the resort shortly with the limp Hybrid Luman and a throng of Strawlers.
Kintar turned to the guests. Her chilling expression from before vanished and she appeared younger.
"So, would our guests like to remain in this relaxing resort or do so exploring. I heavily encourage the latter," she said brightly.
Silrat scratched his face and turned to Theurien and then Elita. There was no imdiate response from them.
"The latter, I suppose," Elita finally said.
"Greeeeeaat!" Kintar said, beaming.
A short while later, the group erged in the First Layer of the Empyrean Hatcher. "Unfortunately, we can't explore the Second Layer of this humble building because, well, Master is using it, but there's no shortage of sights outside," Kintar said to the guests who all nodded.
Now that they had exhausted their intolerance to the ridiculous, all of them were able to retain more information from what they saw around them.
Elita looked up at the massive mural on the ceiling. It was astonishingly dense and difficult to comprehend - with all the pictures and writing - but she found sothing that was emphasized more than everything else drawn up there.
It was the image of a woman with a boundless presence illustrated around her in a vast white, ssy mass. She wore a suit of armour coloured in blue, white and silver and seed rather tall - or maybe it was the effect of the abstract yet realistic drawing style. She was reaching for several smaller figures around her that were harder to distinguish from the multiple bits of text in a dramatic sort of way.
Elita grew very curious. She had to ask.
"Does that particular image have any significance?"
All the Unlimited Stars followed her gaze. Pherdanta quickly cast her eyes back towards their destination - the exit. Yuyui noticed, and a splash of cold sullenness fell over her. Grim fared
no better.
"Ah, that's Allora," Kintar explained in a neutral tone. "She was part of us, one of the first to
be granted the title of Unlimited."
Elita looked at the short woman gravely.
"Was?"
"Yes," said Kintar evenly. "She perished in the great battle against the masked necromancer. I was absent for that bout, but Master made sure all of us - our entire Order - was aware of every single detail of how and why it happened. It's not all gloom, though. Because of Master's exhaustive narration, we all know that she accomplished sothing suprely phenonal before she passed. If not for Allora, Master wouldn't have been able to put a stop to the necromancer."
Pherdanta frowned. Yuyui sucked in a sharp breath. Even Baddan twitched.
None of them were agitated by Kintar's narration. Rather, they were reminded of that dreaded voyage past the Central Boundary. Unlike most, they had been on the great, dark vessels the
Emissary had provided.
Everything Kintar said was true.
Because Replicus had shared everything that happened during the voyage to Edagon, all the
Stark Troops understood the significance of Allora's role despite how she had been a very fresh Unlimited at the ti.
She had been the one to ensure that the Harmonic Ember was secured from Em-Sul, the Faction Leader who had had it taken from the Bryne Family Estate.
Because Replicus managed to retrieve the Harmonic Ember, he was able to gain access - through it to Maximum Catalyst and evolve [Bringer of All] to its limit.
In turn, he was able to beco the fearso Amalgam - the conjoinnt of Araeyn, Replicus and Red Rage that contended against Actuass and Jerthrax splendidly.
With Maximum Catalyst, the Amalgam weathered through the Rule-Level attacks of the Herald Jerthrax and Actuass' vicious Majestic Territory. With the concept, he also managed to slaughter the dragon before Actuass could make it his minion, and use it to completely dominate the battle.
Better yet, because of the cumulative mana experience Replicus acquired after slaying Jerthrax, he was able to evolve into the Fourth Tier and gain enough power to defeat the Null
Devil King.
Elita wore a bitter smile.
"She sounds amazing," she said.
"She was," Kintar said. "She was bold. I learned much from her before she decided she
couldn't remain in the lower class of combatants with back then."
She chuckled and her eyes turned into crescents.
"Now, even though she's gone, she's set a high standard for all of us Unlimited Stars. We have
to outdo her by throngs upon throngs of deeds. Even if it ans death."
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