Chapter 448
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Chapter 448
Taking an alternate route through the Smithy ultimately proved to be the correct choice. Even with additional caution required after the treasure room, their pace managed to keep up with the Twin Soul Sect group. They still had some injuries they hadnt recovered from yet, but they could hope the other group would be the same. In the worst case they could give up on the bounty rather than risk their lives- saving time would be useful to them only if they lived to have that time. Nobody wanted to overestimate themselves and become part of the death statistics.
Everyone was relieved to see daylight again, and to be free from the repeated hammering sound. They could still hear it on the slope, but the intensity was greatly reduced. Their quarry was still more than a days travel ahead- Rouben must have kept near his maximum pace even around danger to pull that off. But Fuzz now had a scent they were almost certain was his, less confused by the particular group in front of them.
Its strange, Fuzz warned the group by writing on the ground. Its familiar yet unfamiliar. I havent smelled him before but Fuzz shook his head. He couldnt explain it. Perhaps when the scent was more fresh- too much detail was lost by distant steps and tiny fragments of energy left behind.
The route down the mountain had to be chosen carefully, not just to avoid annoying lava flows but also to avoid the notice of their competition. Even if the Twin Soul Sect didnt recognize that they were enemies, knowing they were going after the same quarry might encourage them to deal with their group first. They didnt want to fight that battle if it could be avoided, and if it was going to happen it was better for it to be on their own terms, not the Twin Soul Sects. At least Fuzz could help them avoid potential ambushes, as scent was less frequently concealed. Even for the purposes of hunting beasts, most stealth techniques only reduced the scent to a point incautious creatures wouldnt notice it- one like Fuzz who had developed more like a proper cultivator could pick out the signs.
A faint hammering sound became an exceptionally loud ringing as the top of the volcano exploded. The odds of it erupting while they were present was not that low, honestly, but eruptions every few weeks meant there was a better than average chance they shouldnt have had to deal with this. They quickly changed tactics to avoiding the raining debris instead of focusing on stealth. Though they could withstand the heat, the kinetic impact could still be significant. They also had to keep away from a rolling cloud of noxious superheated gas.
At least everyone else would also be focused on the same thing. More than a dozen groups of cultivators could be picked out, and whichever direction they had previously been going the only appropriate one was down the mountainside now. With their energy roused all of the cultivators stood out more which in a way made them less individually significant.
The group of seven had two cultivators with an emphasis on defense, and they remained closely packed so Timothy and Vari could shield them from anything they couldnt dodge. If the group had the luxury of remaining stationary a formation would have greatly boosted their defense, but while mobile they could only attain the basic benefits for working together. Through no fault of their own, Spikes and Vari were the least familiar with the group and those tactics, minimizing the functionality of a group formation. It would take years of teamwork to reach a proper level of functionality in that regard.
The slope of the volcano that was the Smithy led directly into the Gardens, though the borderline was rather vague since the Gardens were at least the size of a proper country. Regardless, the wilderness itself would soon be a threat- though that by no means meant there was no danger from traps. Challenges set up by Everheart still existed within the Gardens, and not all of the area was wild. There were also the dangers from other cultivators- intentional or unintentional. Some set traps for beasts with no regard for who might stumble into them.
The trick was navigating around dangerous beasts while tracking someone who was absolutely running through their territory to provoke them. That was the main issue keeping them from catching up as quickly as they would like, though keeping a watch for other pursuers was important as well. After a full day of travel into the gardens, it had to be assumed that anyone nearby was after Rouben.
Then there was the other issue. Fuzz and Spikes had put a great amount of effort into retrieving a giant bone, but so far they hadnt been able to scratch it yet. Its dimensions were too large to fit into any of their storage bags, so it was awkwardly strapped to Fuzz side. He was still fast enough, but it made his pace uneven.
Their group still had to rest occasionally, both to recover their energy and to continue to mend the wounds they got from obtaining the rewards. It couldnt be long before whatever conflicts would begin, so they had to be at the top of their game.The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.
-----
Theres no way, Hoyt said. Not to her, but the others who practiced the Hundred Stars. Its just a coincidence, right?
The discussion was not taking place at a comfortable walk, but a brisk pace that was getting incrementally faster without the conscious input of most involved.
Timothy shook his head. It could be, I suppose. It doesnt feel quite right.
Its Falling Stars, Catarina confirmed. But it doesnt have the same base.
How would anyone know that? Alva countered. He invented it himself! We didnt have any contact with the upper realms.
Someone from the Twin Soul Sect, maybe? Hoyt said doubtfully. They could have observed it and replicated it.
You know its not that simple, Catarina said.
Trees flew by them as they moved. Angry beasts occasionally made themselves known, but most backed away upon taking a better look at the group. The others found themselves chopped down by Hoyt without slowing.
Umm who? Vari asked. And what? I assume Falling Stars is that attacking technique. But who is he? Rouben? Do you know him?
It cant be, Hoyt shook his head. Hes dead. He looked towards Vari. Yes, that technique is the Falling Stars. It was created for use with our cultivation technique. Id recognize it anywhere because it was my grandfathers technique. Hoyt took a deep breath. I dont know how someone got their hands on it, since as far as we know it remained secure. But Im going to find out, one way or another. For that well need a clear path.
The fires wrapping around Hoyt that he was using to chop his way through beasts flickered out as he focused all of his energy elsewhere. His grip on his new axe tightened, as he focused on the heat it produced. His energy spread to its utmost limits, then formed itself into distinct points.
Hoyt had to admit that he was cheating the technique a bit. He wasnt as practiced as his grandfather had been, but the power of the Integration stage was sufficient to make up for his lack of proficiency. Hundreds of Falling Stars rained down, lacking the pinpoint targeting Vandale was known for and instead carpeting a long strip of forest in front of them, burning away plants and animals and anything that might get in their way. No doubt it would put Rouben on guard, but with an unblocked path their speed would be several times his- and they already knew his location. It was impossible for him to escape.
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Chapter 448
Taking an alternate route through the Smithy ultimately proved to be the correct choice. Even with additional caution required after the treasure room, their pace managed to keep up with the Twin Soul Sect group. They still had some injuries they hadnt recovered from yet, but they could hope the other group would be the same. In the worst case they could give up on the bounty rather than risk their lives- saving time would be useful to them only if they lived to have that time. Nobody wanted to overestimate themselves and become part of the death statistics.
Everyone was relieved to see daylight again, and to be free from the repeated hammering sound. They could still hear it on the slope, but the intensity was greatly reduced. Their quarry was still more than a days travel ahead- Rouben must have kept near his maximum pace even around danger to pull that off. But Fuzz now had a scent they were almost certain was his, less confused by the particular group in front of them.
Its strange, Fuzz warned the group by writing on the ground. Its familiar yet unfamiliar. I havent smelled him before but Fuzz shook his head. He couldnt explain it. Perhaps when the scent was more fresh- too much detail was lost by distant steps and tiny fragments of energy left behind.
The route down the mountain had to be chosen carefully, not just to avoid annoying lava flows but also to avoid the notice of their competition. Even if the Twin Soul Sect didnt recognize that they were enemies, knowing they were going after the same quarry might encourage them to deal with their group first. They didnt want to fight that battle if it could be avoided, and if it was going to happen it was better for it to be on their own terms, not the Twin Soul Sects. At least Fuzz could help them avoid potential ambushes, as scent was less frequently concealed. Even for the purposes of hunting beasts, most stealth techniques only reduced the scent to a point incautious creatures wouldnt notice it- one like Fuzz who had developed more like a proper cultivator could pick out the signs.
A faint hammering sound became an exceptionally loud ringing as the top of the volcano exploded. The odds of it erupting while they were present was not that low, honestly, but eruptions every few weeks meant there was a better than average chance they shouldnt have had to deal with this. They quickly changed tactics to avoiding the raining debris instead of focusing on stealth. Though they could withstand the heat, the kinetic impact could still be significant. They also had to keep away from a rolling cloud of noxious superheated gas.
At least everyone else would also be focused on the same thing. More than a dozen groups of cultivators could be picked out, and whichever direction they had previously been going the only appropriate one was down the mountainside now. With their energy roused all of the cultivators stood out more which in a way made them less individually significant.
The group of seven had two cultivators with an emphasis on defense, and they remained closely packed so Timothy and Vari could shield them from anything they couldnt dodge. If the group had the luxury of remaining stationary a formation would have greatly boosted their defense, but while mobile they could only attain the basic benefits for working together. Through no fault of their own, Spikes and Vari were the least familiar with the group and those tactics, minimizing the functionality of a group formation. It would take years of teamwork to reach a proper level of functionality in that regard.
The slope of the volcano that was the Smithy led directly into the Gardens, though the borderline was rather vague since the Gardens were at least the size of a proper country. Regardless, the wilderness itself would soon be a threat- though that by no means meant there was no danger from traps. Challenges set up by Everheart still existed within the Gardens, and not all of the area was wild. There were also the dangers from other cultivators- intentional or unintentional. Some set traps for beasts with no regard for who might stumble into them.
The trick was navigating around dangerous beasts while tracking someone who was absolutely running through their territory to provoke them. That was the main issue keeping them from catching up as quickly as they would like, though keeping a watch for other pursuers was important as well. After a full day of travel into the gardens, it had to be assumed that anyone nearby was after Rouben.
Then there was the other issue. Fuzz and Spikes had put a great amount of effort into retrieving a giant bone, but so far they hadnt been able to scratch it yet. Its dimensions were too large to fit into any of their storage bags, so it was awkwardly strapped to Fuzz side. He was still fast enough, but it made his pace uneven.
Their group still had to rest occasionally, both to recover their energy and to continue to mend the wounds they got from obtaining the rewards. It couldnt be long before whatever conflicts would begin, so they had to be at the top of their game.The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Ñøv€lß1n.
-----
Theres no way, Hoyt said. Not to her, but the others who practiced the Hundred Stars. Its just a coincidence, right?
The discussion was not taking place at a comfortable walk, but a brisk pace that was getting incrementally faster without the conscious input of most involved.
Timothy shook his head. It could be, I suppose. It doesnt feel quite right.
Its Falling Stars, Catarina confirmed. But it doesnt have the same base.
How would anyone know that? Alva countered. He invented it himself! We didnt have any contact with the upper realms.
Someone from the Twin Soul Sect, maybe? Hoyt said doubtfully. They could have observed it and replicated it.
You know its not that simple, Catarina said.
Trees flew by them as they moved. Angry beasts occasionally made themselves known, but most backed away upon taking a better look at the group. The others found themselves chopped down by Hoyt without slowing.
Umm who? Vari asked. And what? I assume Falling Stars is that attacking technique. But who is he? Rouben? Do you know him?
It cant be, Hoyt shook his head. Hes dead. He looked towards Vari. Yes, that technique is the Falling Stars. It was created for use with our cultivation technique. Id recognize it anywhere because it was my grandfathers technique. Hoyt took a deep breath. I dont know how someone got their hands on it, since as far as we know it remained secure. But Im going to find out, one way or another. For that well need a clear path.
The fires wrapping around Hoyt that he was using to chop his way through beasts flickered out as he focused all of his energy elsewhere. His grip on his new axe tightened, as he focused on the heat it produced. His energy spread to its utmost limits, then formed itself into distinct points.
Hoyt had to admit that he was cheating the technique a bit. He wasnt as practiced as his grandfather had been, but the power of the Integration stage was sufficient to make up for his lack of proficiency. Hundreds of Falling Stars rained down, lacking the pinpoint targeting Vandale was known for and instead carpeting a long strip of forest in front of them, burning away plants and animals and anything that might get in their way. No doubt it would put Rouben on guard, but with an unblocked path their speed would be several times his- and they already knew his location. It was impossible for him to escape.
Chapter 448Taking an alternate route through the Smithy ultimately proved to be the correct choice. Even with additional caution required after the treasure room, their pace managed to keep up with the Twin Soul Sect group. They still had some injuries they hadnt recovered from yet, but they could hope the other group would be the same. In the worst case they could give up on the bounty rather than risk their lives- saving time would be useful to them only if they lived to have that time. Nobody wanted to overestimate themselves and become part of the death statistics.Everyone was relieved to see daylight again, and to be free from the repeated hammering sound. They could still hear it on the slope, but the intensity was greatly reduced. Their quarry was still more than a days travel ahead- Rouben must have kept near his maximum pace even around danger to pull that off. But Fuzz now had a scent they were almost certain was his, less confused by the particular group in front of them.Its strange, Fuzz warned the group by writing on the ground. Its familiar yet unfamiliar. I havent smelled him before but Fuzz shook his head. He couldnt explain it. Perhaps when the scent was more fresh- too much detail was lost by distant steps and tiny fragments of energy left behind.The route down the mountain had to be chosen carefully, not just to avoid annoying lava flows but also to avoid the notice of their competition. Even if the Twin Soul Sect didnt recognize that they were enemies, knowing they were going after the same quarry might encourage them to deal with their group first. They didnt want to fight that battle if it could be avoided, and if it was going to happen it was better for it to be on their own terms, not the Twin Soul Sects. At least Fuzz could help them avoid potential ambushes, as scent was less frequently concealed. Even for the purposes of hunting beasts, most stealth techniques only reduced the scent to a point incautious creatures wouldnt notice it- one like Fuzz who had developed more like a proper cultivator could pick out the signs.A faint hammering sound became an exceptionally loud ringing as the top of the volcano exploded. The odds of it erupting while they were present was not that low, honestly, but eruptions every few weeks meant there was a better than average chance they shouldnt have had to deal with this. They quickly changed tactics to avoiding the raining debris instead of focusing on stealth. Though they could withstand the heat, the kinetic impact could still be significant. They also had to keep away from a rolling cloud of noxious superheated gas.At least everyone else would also be focused on the same thing. More than a dozen groups of cultivators could be picked out, and whichever direction they had previously been going the only appropriate one was down the mountainside now. With their energy roused all of the cultivators stood out more which in a way made them less individually significant. The group of seven had two cultivators with an emphasis on defense, and they remained closely packed so Timothy and Vari could shield them from anything they couldnt dodge. If the group had the luxury of remaining stationary a formation would have greatly boosted their defense, but while mobile they could only attain the basic benefits for working together. Through no fault of their own, Spikes and Vari were the least familiar with the group and those tactics, minimizing the functionality of a group formation. It would take years of teamwork to reach a proper level of functionality in that regard.The slope of the volcano that was the Smithy led directly into the Gardens, though the borderline was rather vague since the Gardens were at least the size of a proper country. Regardless, the wilderness itself would soon be a threat- though that by no means meant there was no danger from traps. Challenges set up by Everheart still existed within the Gardens, and not all of the area was wild. There were also the dangers from other cultivators- intentional or unintentional. Some set traps for beasts with no regard for who might stumble into them.The trick was navigating around dangerous beasts while tracking someone who was absolutely running through their territory to provoke them. That was the main issue keeping them from catching up as quickly as they would like, though keeping a watch for other pursuers was important as well. After a full day of travel into the gardens, it had to be assumed that anyone nearby was after Rouben.Then there was the other issue. Fuzz and Spikes had put a great amount of effort into retrieving a giant bone, but so far they hadnt been able to scratch it yet. Its dimensions were too large to fit into any of their storage bags, so it was awkwardly strapped to Fuzz side. He was still fast enough, but it made his pace uneven.Their group still had to rest occasionally, both to recover their energy and to continue to mend the wounds they got from obtaining the rewards. It couldnt be long before whatever conflicts would begin, so they had to be at the top of their game.The original appearance of this chapter can be found at Nvl1n.-----Theres no way, Hoyt said. Not to her, but the others who practiced the Hundred Stars. Its just a coincidence, right?The discussion was not taking place at a comfortable walk, but a brisk pace that was getting incrementally faster without the conscious input of most involved. Timothy shook his head. It could be, I suppose. It doesnt feel quite right.Its Falling Stars, Catarina confirmed. But it doesnt have the same base.How would anyone know that? Alva countered. He invented it himself! We didnt have any contact with the upper realms.Someone from the Twin Soul Sect, maybe? Hoyt said doubtfully. They could have observed it and replicated it.You know its not that simple, Catarina said.Trees flew by them as they moved. Angry beasts occasionally made themselves known, but most backed away upon taking a better look at the group. The others found themselves chopped down by Hoyt without slowing.Umm who? Vari asked. And what? I assume Falling Stars is that attacking technique. But who is he? Rouben? Do you know him?It cant be, Hoyt shook his head. Hes dead. He looked towards Vari. Yes, that technique is the Falling Stars. It was created for use with our cultivation technique. Id recognize it anywhere because it was my grandfathers technique. Hoyt took a deep breath. I dont know how someone got their hands on it, since as far as we know it remained secure. But Im going to find out, one way or another. For that well need a clear path. The fires wrapping around Hoyt that he was using to chop his way through beasts flickered out as he focused all of his energy elsewhere. His grip on his new axe tightened, as he focused on the heat it produced. His energy spread to its utmost limits, then formed itself into distinct points.Hoyt had to admit that he was cheating the technique a bit. He wasnt as practiced as his grandfather had been, but the power of the Integration stage was sufficient to make up for his lack of proficiency. Hundreds of Falling Stars rained down, lacking the pinpoint targeting Vandale was known for and instead carpeting a long strip of forest in front of them, burning away plants and animals and anything that might get in their way. No doubt it would put Rouben on guard, but with an unblocked path their speed would be several times his- and they already knew his location. It was impossible for him to escape.
