MM - Chapter 232 - A DISTANT HINT

Mel was just as shocked as everyone else when Raine suddenly teleported across the battlefield to spear the sick bastard in the back. Watching him die wasn’t as satisfying as she’d hoped. The assassin had tormented her every thought since he nearly caught her. Each time she blinked, an image of him appeared. 

He wore a malicious grin, his drawn-back arm poised to unleash the large hammer in his grip. Mel had come so close to being at his mercy. Who knows what he would have done before she woke up and suicided. A shiver wracked her form as she remembered his mental ability slithering through her, threatening to upend her stomach. Instead of the feeling passing, it repeated over and over, sapping the strength from her limbs.

Above, the assassins turned to flee. Varak’s elites instinctively moved to give chase but were stopped by a raised hand and a voice resonating with authority. “Halt! Let them run. This victory belongs to Astra Infernum!”

Exultant roars and blades clashing against shields filled the pass. Varak, eyes still wary and scanning the sky, deactivated the rods and offered them to Raine. “Was our ploy successful, my lord?”

Raine tapped the donated Marvelous Gold shoulderpads with a boot, storing them. While beyond excited to dig into the old woman’s stances and pick them apart, another matter demanded his attention first. He walked past Varak, waving off his attempt to return the rods. “No clue. But I sure hope so. It was worth trying.”

With swift steps, he approached Mel, who was on her hands and knees, desperately attempting to recover from spewing her guts. Full-body shivers wracked her as she wiped at the liquid remnants staining her lips. Raine knelt, hand comfortingly rubbing circles on her back. “You did good. You didn't falter, didn’t run. Your healing kept people alive.”

Mel stared at the dirt, shaking her head softly. “I was so scared. Why did he keep coming for me?”

“It doesn’t matter. Thanks to him, you took a step down your path. You used him, not the other way around. This is your victory, Melbelle.”

When she’d called his Ncode after being ambushed, she had been hysterical. Going from that to facing and overcoming the vile bastard in less than a day was incredibly impressive. Raine couldn’t have been prouder.

Her head lifted, eyes wet. Despite hearing his praise in both thought and words, Mel’s shoulders slumped upon seeing his ragged, dust-stained appearance and the blood clinging to his armor. Then, the tears really did fall. “I’m so sorry!” She sobbed, “This was all my fault. If I didn’t get caught, if I wasn’t distracted, nobody would have been put in danger.”

Raine placed a steadying hand on her shoulder and squeezed gently. “You’re wrong.” His blunt statement shocked the sobs from her long enough to explain. “You pulled them around Celeste and the regulars. Imagine the disaster if those elites stumbled into the rest of our people? Why did you think I was having you scout there? If anything, I’m the one who should be apologizing, but I won’t. You made it, you grew, and now, our enemies are forced to be more cautious, which I fully intend to exploit.”

He squeezed a little harder, not having to force the smile on his lips. “I would pay a million credits to see how pissed that bastard must be right now. I bet he’s ranting and raving like a little kid.” 

Mel’s diaphragm constricted once, the closest she was going to get to a laugh in her current condition. “Thank you…”

“Seriously, stop stealing my lines.” He laughed heartily, pulling her to her feet, already mentally replaying the battle in excruciating detail.

The vod Raine took didn't capture any martial techniques; regardless, he fully intended to use every move they’d displayed to further improve his stances. With nine weapons to master, he couldn’t afford to be picky about who he learned from. Remembering the feeling of the martial’s domain, a sudden thought occurred to him, and he pulled an old tome from his inventory.

Flipping to the most recent passage, Raine swallowed, not knowing if this ‘fight’ could possibly count as a challenge. With slow deliberation, he turned the page, revealing the next passage. His eyes skimmed the words as his smile broadened to a full-blown grin. Knowing Bhima’s words came directly from an Old Monster, he refused to allow doubt to creep into his heart.

“Mind Control is real. If you’ve been following along till now, you should be well on the way to controlling the only mind that matters: your own. Strict management of one’s mind is as simple as refining the choice of one’s words, for believe it or not, words are the gateway to all reality. They are the fuel of the brain. Bad fuel, bad results; positive fuel, positive results: it is that simple. 

As a direct example, uttering the words ‘it cannot be done’ creates the expectation that whatever it is you wish to accomplish will simply not be done by you. Your every word, spoken or not, creates the very filters that cloud or clarify all that you perceive. Words are power; use them judiciously, lest they destroy your efforts before they have even begun. Speak positively, think positively, act positively, and become more than you were. Then, you will find you have already taken the next step.”

The tome vanished back into Raine’s inventory. He lifted his head to the nearby clouds, sharply inhaling crisp mountain air. He knew well the truth of Ziegfried’s message. It wasn’t just about having a good attitude; it was about forcing an intended attitude, overwhelming negativity with an iron will, regardless of how bleak the situation. He gasped, realizing the hidden truth.

If a mental ability is forcefully supplanting reality with an ideal, then wouldn’t this be the very first step? Forcefully supplanting thoughts and feelings through words. It’s Genesis, just on a smaller scale. Shit… It goes deeper. 

Raine sensed someone approaching and held up a finger for silence, eyes closed tight.

Tempering is triggered by a revolution in the cells—a near-instant alteration in the body and brain's fundamental functionality. Typical science denies the possibility of organic revolution, only allowing for gradual, generational evolution. The very nature of Tempering and, by extension, Genesis, denies reality, overwriting what should be, through sheer human will. Each stage becomes yet another step. And it all starts with this passage. By learning to instantly alter your mood at the snap of a finger, you’re conditioning the brain for every step that comes after.

So… does that hold true for my next steps as well? 

That old woman’s domain wasn’t a little stronger; it was fundamentally different. She completely overwhelmed bloodlust without giving the slightest chance to resist. It sounds the same, but is it? I felt her domain clearly; it was so rigid… no, it was more than that, it was constrained entirely to a small sphere directly around her and couldn’t be manipulated freely at all. It wasn’t that she held back; she was going all out. It's that a domain can not be extended beyond a few meters. Beyond that space, her regular mental energy was only a bit stronger than a raid noble.

That means a domain isn’t about having absolute mental strength, but how does that tie into Bhima’s lesson? Does it tie in at all? Hmm. I’m missing pieces to the puzzle. That’s fine, because now I know that fighting anyone with a domain grants access to another passage. I wonder how mad Tannis would get if I farmed his assassins a little more.

Raine briefly considered abandoning all his plans to hunt down the Phoenix elites, then shook his head sadly. No matter how many times he fought them, it wouldn’t matter until tomorrow. The tome was still restricted to one passage per inside day. And ultimately, it was the equipment from CronGate that he was after. His gold was nearly depleted; if they escaped without contributing to his coffers, he would have to abandon several upcoming opportunities just to earn enough gold to maintain operations.

Opening his eyes, he found Celeste’s father peering around Varak with a deep frown. When Raine teleported to Hammer Smith Town to lead his personal retinue into the mountains, the man had begged to come with. He would have been denied if Ronexzera hadn’t shown their backbone. Over the last few days, while Raine was trapped near the forge, Constantine’s people had leveled relentlessly, throwing themselves into the maws of the higher-level beasts around Hammer Smith Town. Without guidance or gear, they had achieved average levels between 6 and 7.

Still too weak to be anything but a nuisance, he’d ordered them to march well behind the retinue. Catching Raine’s eye, the mob boss swallowed nervously, “That… that fight looked intense. Anything we can do to help?”

Raine shook his head. “Yes. Continue to stay out of trouble, and do your best to keep up.” Turning to Varak, he tossed a sack laden with Moderate Health and Discipline Potions. “Pass these out to whoever needs them. We’re leaving immediately.” The recipes for the potions had come from Charles and were made cheaply by Stellator—Astra’s lead alchemist—and her team. “Triple speed,” Raine barked, “I want us caught up with the regulars in two fingers!”

Varak snapped a salute, understanding how bad it would be if the elites he just fought arrived before his Vaaterrans did. “Understood, my lord!” The fervor blazing behind the soldier’s gaze made it clear Raine had earned his approval. So far, everything happened exactly as he predicted back in Hammer Smith Town, and to a soldier, a commander’s foresight was the difference between life and death, betrayal and loyalty.

While both men dashed away to organize their respective groups, Raine equipped his newest piece of gear.

[High Sentinel Spaulders (Plate - Shoulder): (Marvelous Gold - LVL 40) (Health +550) (Defense +75) (Discipline +200) (Potency +80) (Physique +80) (Durability 178/200)]

The loss of 10 more Flame Resistance, 80 Discipline, and 60 Finesse was unfortunate. However, gaining a full 550 Health, 35 Defense, 20 Potency, and 80 Physique finally made it worth upgrading another piece of his raid gear. Even with the Fraction of Grace active, Raine’s total Health jumped to 12,035. And his Discipline hit 2,262; even higher than his Attack Power. With the cursed ring combining both Attack Power and Discipline into his total damage, he was hitting harder than someone double his level.

Seeing the new spaulders appear on his shoulders, Mel smiled, attempting a joke. “Looks better on you.” 

Raine’s brows rose in shock, impressed as hell that she already managed to turn her mood around completely. He didn’t know how she did it, but it was certainly worthy of further praise. He nodded, offering a grunt of amusement as his eyes turned to the distant peak where the elites had vanished. “I need to go ahead, make sure they don’t run into the regulars. You good here?”

Mel opened her mouth, devastation sweeping across her features. She nodded and swallowed loudly, staring hard at the rocky soil. “I understand.”

Seeing her dejection broke Raine’s heart. Screw it. Even if they beat us there, it's only one death.

“C’mon. Let’s go.”

Her eyes snapped up to find his back already presented her way, arms spread wide in offering. She didn’t miss a beat, jumping on board and wrapping her arms around him with a raucous shout, “Wahoo!”

She hugged him hard, and Raine shook his head with honest mirth as he trotted to Varak, “Give me access to your map.” The man complied, and he quickly updated their route to the regular’s current location. “I’ll send someone to escort you the rest of the way once you’re close.”

“Yes, my Lord! Salu-et!” He called out loudly and both conrois jumped to their feet, saluting with their chins held high.

Raine returned the show of respect, then triggered Grace of Nirvana. With his Movement Speed hiked by 400%, he rocketed away at an astonishing 300 meters per second. His maximum speed was actually 376 mps, but even with Connection thinning the air to almost nothing, going that fast wasn’t feasible. Not only was he wearing heavy armor and dashing over uneven terrain in metal boots, he was also carrying a deliciously squishy load on his back. 

If not for his hands digging into Mel’s ass, she never would have managed to hold on. She squealed with delight as the terrain turned to a hazy grey and brown blur, fears and trauma flushed away by pure adrenaline coursing through her blood. When the path curved around the slope of a peak, Raine ran straight ahead, off a cliff and into the open air. Their speed dropped precipitously. His brain was only capable of solidifying air and triggering Lunge so quickly. Mel didn’t care; she kept right on laughing, squeezing for all she was worth. 

“Weeee!”

Unable to help himself, Raine sharpened his focus, determined to widen her smile until it gave the sun a run for its credits. They soared through the air faster and faster. He loosened his Connection, allowing the wind to buffet them with the truest sensations of flying.

With hearts in her eyes, Mel tucked her face close to his, kissing his cheek. “This is so much better than the drifter. Thank you. I… you’re the best.”

“Really? That’s the most pitiful pivot I’ve ever heard. I love you too, Melbelle.” His voice was full of warmth, entirely at odds with the raging wind.

Still squeezing him, Mel pounded her hands on his chest. “Agh! You actually said it! No fair! I wanted to say it first! I love you! I love you way more!”

“Not my fault you chickened out.”

Now giggling hysterically, Mel squirmed against him. “You’re right; I am a chicken. A big, crazy-in-love chicken! Bock! Bock!”

Her making ridiculous chicken noises in his ear was the last straw. Raine threw his head back and roared with laughter. He squeezed her butt harder, letting her know precisely how much he was appreciating her at the moment. Completely against expectations, she bit his ear, breath heavy and warm. “If you keep that up, I’ll make you land.”

He eased off. As nice as it would be, now wasn’t the time. “Soon.” He promised, needing her just as much as she needed him.

“I’ll hold you to that.” She purred, releasing her teeth’s grip on his flesh.

“It’s been too long.” They both spoke in unison, then laughed together. Raine’s smile was wider than the horizon, eyes glistening with emotion. “Tonight. With the soldiers protecting the regulars, I’ll be able to get away without worry.”

Mel released a long groan accompanied by a head-to-toe shiver of anticipation. Unable to handle the excitement, she changed the topic. “I can’t believe I’ve only known you for a few weeks. It feels like years, a lifetime.”

He nodded, hair brushing against her neck. “ZL has a way of warping the perception of time. It does feel longer than it's been.”

Her voice dropped to a whisper barely heard over the rough air. “Tell me about it.”

“As you wish.”

* * *

The flight ended sooner than either of them desired. The last words they spoke were of Celeste and Pamalaiha, and Mel’s fears that, thanks to Raine’s choices, something might go wrong between the four of them. He did his best to assure her it would all work out, somehow. Yet in his heart, it was obvious his attempts to court Celeste had been a complete failure till now. 

It was time for that to change.

Below, the column of regulars coiled through an expansive pass. The ground around them writhed like a living creature, their formation buckling in multiple areas thanks to the mounting monster rush coming at them from the front and sides.

The beasts descended tall slopes in a chaotic torrent, forcing the defenders to battle viciously for each meter of progress. Their pace was further slowed by the need to dig dual trenches on either side of the line, however, the additional layer of defense allowed them to hold back enemies of superior levels and numbers.

Over the past days of ceaseless combat, Astra’s regulars average level had climbed from a meager 8 to a more respectable 12, a commendable achievement. Yet, for Raine’s plans, this pace was agonizingly sluggish.

They touched down near the forefront of the line, where the clamor of conflict reached its fever pitch. Celeste held the vanguard’s center, orchestrating the relentless push with snapped commands and the occasional Charged Blast. Unheeding of the danger, Merciless Cragwolves with stone-encrusted hides charged with relentless numbers. They comprised the majority of the monsters, and each absorbed far more blows than the typical beasts their level. 

Woven into their ranks, sending tremors through the defenders' boots, came the avalanche golems—Four-meter-tall colossal entities forged from animated boulders and snow. They rumbled downhill, unleashing devastating cascades of soil that pulled the casters’ attention. Any that reached the front spread their thick limbs wide before shedding jagged debris like lethal shrapnel, cutting through armor and flesh alike. 

Lastly, the frostworms came from below, elongated bodies sheathed in icy scales. They burst from the ground, attempting to snatch any who dared grow distracted. If that failed, they sprayed thick mist that clung to armor, freezing joints and paralyzing through sheer cold alone.

Celeste caught sight of them almost immediately. Her brows dropped suspiciously at the radiant grins plastered across both their faces. “What happened to you two?” She waved a dismissive hand before any response could form. “Never mind; don’t want to know. I need to pee so bad.” Without waiting for approval or objection, she logged out.

Mel laughed, and Raine shook his head.

Good reminder that I need to order us some full-immersion pods as soon as they’re developed.

Not only would the pods keep his core team fed and relieved, they also used a special gel that constantly stimulated muscles to keep the body fresh and energized, no matter how long one was inside ZionLine. As far as he remembered, it took nearly four months before the first generation pods rolled out, so he wasn’t expecting to get them any time soon.

“Go relieve that section, looks like they’ll buckle without her.” Rain pointed. 

Mel, realizing he wanted to speak with Celeste alone when she returned, nodded enthusiastically. “Okay! Better not blow it!” She winked cutely, then took off at full tilt, nose trailing just over the dirt.

As he watched her go, bloodlust sensed a clutch of Frostworms burrowing toward a group of healers. Releasing the tight constraints of the Soul Flame of Amanesh, Raine allowed the passive fire from his demonic armor to release. As before, he forced the fire to take the form of four whipping tendrils of fire and sent them snaking beneath the soil to cook the monsters before they surfaced.

Celeste reappeared mere minutes later in a subtle shimmer of light. Her armor bore the deep scratches and dirt-marred surfaces of innumerable clashes. Every inch of her skin was caked with layers of grime and congealed blood. Despite her outward exhaustion, an unquenchable spark of determination flickered in her gaze.

Before she could utter a word, Raine held up a small, ornate box. She eyed it warily, “What’s that?”

“Open it and find out.”

Squinting at him, lips pursed with suspicion, she took the seemingly-delicate box. Her gaze drifted down, and seeing him not making any move to kneel, she cracked the lid, peering inside. A soft gasp escaped her lips upon finding the radiant stone inside. The air undulated from the heat it gave off. The power emanating from the stone robbed her heart of its ability to beat. Something about it called to the center of her being, demanding she reach out and snatch it up without delay.

“It’s beautiful.” She heard herself mumble. “What… What is it?” Her question was rhetorical, eyes already flickering across the description.

[Sunstone (Charge 100%): (Marvelous Gold) A mysterious stone that has bathed in the Soul Flames of Amanesh. Activate to inherit a portion of the soul flame’s tremendous power]

Raine answered her anyway, voice carrying measured patience. “A gift, and your next step.”