Chapter 451
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Chapter 451
With a group breaking away towards the center, Timothy was becoming less confident in his ability to protect Rouben. There was no deep connection between them, but the implicit promise to keep him safe made Timothy determined to do his best. The ranged attacks from Rouben and Alva had been overcoming the enemy so hed had a small reprieve from the most dangerous attacks, but now hed need to stop as many as he could at once.
The enemy was delayed a few moments by destroying formation flags along the way as well as shattering carved stumps and kicking apart loose dirt. Since they were inside the formation, it wasnt terribly difficult to destroy parts of it. Timothy hoped that the pieces werent too important but he honestly didnt know if those particular parts were important.
Every part of a formation is essential to the whole, Catarina said, resting a hand on his shoulder. She looked just as spent as if shed been engaging in the same frantic combat as the rest of them. Not to be rude to our guest, but I need you to focus on protecting me now.
Of course, Im always glad to. He was also still in the way of reaching Rouben and Alva, though it was not a terribly difficult thing to go around. If the enemy could afford to split up, anyway. Timothy wouldnt, with Fuzz angrily chasing after them, but he wasnt calling their shots.
Sorry my contributions have been minimal up to this point, Catarina said as she crouched down, placing the tips of her fingers on the ground. Hopefully, it will be worth it.
As she did so, the atmosphere changed. Timothy was used to the standard sorts of enhancements her formations provided- slight increases to his own abilities while enemies were hampered. A change in the natural flow of energy that benefited their allies. At the moment of the full activation of the formation, Timothy barely felt anything in relation to himself. He did, however, notice one of the enemies rushing forward suddenly stumble- not from any physical barrier, but because their energy did not propel them forward in the way they intended. Timothy was too far to take advantage of that, but Alva snapshotted a couple arrows at the man, injuring his leg.
The biggest threat was a man in the Integration stage, capable of conjuring stone needles out of the air. They werent much different in function than Spirit Arrows, though they came in greater numbers- just without the benefit of propulsion a proper bow provided. A full volley bombarded Timothy and the area around him, attempting to squeeze over, under, or around him. He expanded the reach of his shield over a meter to either side, preventing anything from reaching Catarina.
The next ones came through the ground but Timothy wasnt going to fail against something so simple. He extended his energy deeper, aware that he couldnt keep up his pace but strangely, his opponent was the one who looked to be straining himself. Not only him, but the others rushing forward- much more so than the group still engaged with Hoyt and the others.
When one of the faster Life Transformation cultivators tried to slip past Timothy, his slash was almost a token. He planned to follow up with something more but the womans defenses crumpled. After his sword cut across her chest, her face paled. The trickle of blood couldnt have caused that in such a short time, but Timothy could feel the undercurrents of energy pulling away at the enemies approaching them.
Alvas quick attacks took down several more rushing for her, their energy defenses simply not what they should have been. On the other side, Rouben kicked a blast of flame that sent a Life Transformation cultivator staggering back without the benefit of building momentum like the Falling Stars.
The faces that had been so confident in their victory moments before suddenly had looks of horror. Fear- but not necessarily of the power. Timothy found it odd, because any cultivator going into battle should have known that death was a possibility. Yet it seemed as if they only now realized this, despite more than a dozen of their comrades having fallen earlier.
In battle, a match between similarly powered individuals could drag out for minutes or hours, only to be decided in an instant. Sudden weakness allowed Timothy to cut down those immediately in front of him and begin chasing after the man flinging stone needles. Timothy wasnt afraid of desperate direct attacks- but he was surprised that some of them crumbled apart before they even reached him. The others who had gotten past Hoyt had already fallen, so Timothy felt no concern about leaving his post. Hoyt and the others were just cutting down their opponents as well.
When Timothys sword stabbed through the small of the mans back, he had the feeling the man was trying to get just a few steps further, out of the formation. As if that would save him somehow- even though the energy ripped out of him wouldnt be coming back.
As the last enemy fell, two things happened simultaneously. Catarina collapsed to the ground as the formation ceased functioning- formation flags and runes bursting apart in various sized explosions of energy. Then Rouben began to break through to Life Transformation. That was quite clear to everyone nearby.
Alva! Any other enemies approaching? Timothy said as he swiftly marched back towards his wife.
It seems clear for the moment, she said, surveying the area. And the battle between the Dark Ring and Harmonious Citadel seems to have gone in the favor of the former.
Timothy gently turned Catarina onto her back, and she looked at him with a faint smile.
Matija shrugged, It means hes the sort of person who can fly through space under their own power and even approach the sun to the same distance as a science vessel. That seems to be how people work here.
Perhaps the old stories are true, Nirmala frowned. Cultivators who can control energy directly. It was mentioned that he taught you how to do the same?
I wouldnt go so far as that, Matija shook her head. In an environment with gravity, I can barely lift a pen. She shook her head, I havent been quite certain how to improve.
There was a knock on the door. Honored delegates, should you require refreshments or wish to tour the facilities, know that I am here to assist.
The message took a moment to be translated for their ears, after which Nirmala pursed her lips slightly. I am rather nervous to eat anything. I believe they mean us no harm, but its hard to be certain it will be nutritionally compatible.
Everything I ate was, Matija reminded her. But Ill admit I did scan everything.
It would seem rather inappropriate to do so at a meal, dont you think?
Matija shrugged, Im pretty sure everyone here can do the same thing with their mind. I doubt it would hurt to ask, though.
-----
They did end up taking a meal- the time of their arrival made it somewhat blur the line between lunch and dinner. They ate privately, which the assistant sent for them offered as one of the first options. Delegates should certainly interact with the locals, but diving in too deep too fast might be uncomfortable.
Following that, they opted to take a tour of the sect- of which, the most interesting location was the Library. Most of the facilities were highly practical, and clearly centered around training cultivation. Aside from the observatory, anyway. Anton had shown that to them, explaining that it was for both hobby and practical purposes. Since it was only afternoon they couldnt make much use of it to see how good it was- though Matija was quite interested in figuring that out.
When they came to the library, they found it quite intimidating. Their translators worked on written language, but they simply didnt know where to start. Perhaps it showed on their faces, because Anton gestured to a section. That is where we keep the basic cultivation manuals. Perhaps Matija might wish to compare your knowledge with what is there, considering your methods are quite different. And what would you be interested in, Diplomat Nirmala?
I find myself interested in the history of your world, she said, thinking it a safe topic.
Of course, the old man nodded. It is unfortunate that due to various circumstances the histories generally fall off past the seven hundred year mark, but I imagine that should last you for some time.
Umm Matija bit her lip, Is it alright if we copy what we find here?
Of course, Anton nodded, Knowledge is meant to be shared. Though I would be cautious with the cultivation techniques. They are generally categorized by difficulty and safety, but some are only good for study and not for practical use. Though if you have any questions, I could answer them.
Matija nodded, Thank you. Cultivation and energy control were of great interest to her, though at some point she wished to probe the depths of their understanding of other methods. Formations, Anton had mentioned. Something like how they controlled the energy in their devices, but clearly quite different. Though she likely wouldnt learn all that much in a single afternoon, and they would have to move on to their actual diplomatic mission. Or at least Nirmala would. Perhaps she might be able to slip off
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Chapter 451
With a group breaking away towards the center, Timothy was becoming less confident in his ability to protect Rouben. There was no deep connection between them, but the implicit promise to keep him safe made Timothy determined to do his best. The ranged attacks from Rouben and Alva had been overcoming the enemy so hed had a small reprieve from the most dangerous attacks, but now hed need to stop as many as he could at once.
The enemy was delayed a few moments by destroying formation flags along the way as well as shattering carved stumps and kicking apart loose dirt. Since they were inside the formation, it wasnt terribly difficult to destroy parts of it. Timothy hoped that the pieces werent too important but he honestly didnt know if those particular parts were important.
Every part of a formation is essential to the whole, Catarina said, resting a hand on his shoulder. She looked just as spent as if shed been engaging in the same frantic combat as the rest of them. Not to be rude to our guest, but I need you to focus on protecting me now.
Of course, Im always glad to. He was also still in the way of reaching Rouben and Alva, though it was not a terribly difficult thing to go around. If the enemy could afford to split up, anyway. Timothy wouldnt, with Fuzz angrily chasing after them, but he wasnt calling their shots.
Sorry my contributions have been minimal up to this point, Catarina said as she crouched down, placing the tips of her fingers on the ground. Hopefully, it will be worth it.
As she did so, the atmosphere changed. Timothy was used to the standard sorts of enhancements her formations provided- slight increases to his own abilities while enemies were hampered. A change in the natural flow of energy that benefited their allies. At the moment of the full activation of the formation, Timothy barely felt anything in relation to himself. He did, however, notice one of the enemies rushing forward suddenly stumble- not from any physical barrier, but because their energy did not propel them forward in the way they intended. Timothy was too far to take advantage of that, but Alva snapshotted a couple arrows at the man, injuring his leg.
The biggest threat was a man in the Integration stage, capable of conjuring stone needles out of the air. They werent much different in function than Spirit Arrows, though they came in greater numbers- just without the benefit of propulsion a proper bow provided. A full volley bombarded Timothy and the area around him, attempting to squeeze over, under, or around him. He expanded the reach of his shield over a meter to either side, preventing anything from reaching Catarina.
The next ones came through the ground but Timothy wasnt going to fail against something so simple. He extended his energy deeper, aware that he couldnt keep up his pace but strangely, his opponent was the one who looked to be straining himself. Not only him, but the others rushing forward- much more so than the group still engaged with Hoyt and the others.
When one of the faster Life Transformation cultivators tried to slip past Timothy, his slash was almost a token. He planned to follow up with something more but the womans defenses crumpled. After his sword cut across her chest, her face paled. The trickle of blood couldnt have caused that in such a short time, but Timothy could feel the undercurrents of energy pulling away at the enemies approaching them.
Alvas quick attacks took down several more rushing for her, their energy defenses simply not what they should have been. On the other side, Rouben kicked a blast of flame that sent a Life Transformation cultivator staggering back without the benefit of building momentum like the Falling Stars.
The faces that had been so confident in their victory moments before suddenly had looks of horror. Fear- but not necessarily of the power. Timothy found it odd, because any cultivator going into battle should have known that death was a possibility. Yet it seemed as if they only now realized this, despite more than a dozen of their comrades having fallen earlier.
In battle, a match between similarly powered individuals could drag out for minutes or hours, only to be decided in an instant. Sudden weakness allowed Timothy to cut down those immediately in front of him and begin chasing after the man flinging stone needles. Timothy wasnt afraid of desperate direct attacks- but he was surprised that some of them crumbled apart before they even reached him. The others who had gotten past Hoyt had already fallen, so Timothy felt no concern about leaving his post. Hoyt and the others were just cutting down their opponents as well.
When Timothys sword stabbed through the small of the mans back, he had the feeling the man was trying to get just a few steps further, out of the formation. As if that would save him somehow- even though the energy ripped out of him wouldnt be coming back.
As the last enemy fell, two things happened simultaneously. Catarina collapsed to the ground as the formation ceased functioning- formation flags and runes bursting apart in various sized explosions of energy. Then Rouben began to break through to Life Transformation. That was quite clear to everyone nearby.
Alva! Any other enemies approaching? Timothy said as he swiftly marched back towards his wife.
It seems clear for the moment, she said, surveying the area. And the battle between the Dark Ring and Harmonious Citadel seems to have gone in the favor of the former.
Timothy gently turned Catarina onto her back, and she looked at him with a faint smile.
Matija shrugged, It means hes the sort of person who can fly through space under their own power and even approach the sun to the same distance as a science vessel. That seems to be how people work here.
Perhaps the old stories are true, Nirmala frowned. Cultivators who can control energy directly. It was mentioned that he taught you how to do the same?
I wouldnt go so far as that, Matija shook her head. In an environment with gravity, I can barely lift a pen. She shook her head, I havent been quite certain how to improve.
There was a knock on the door. Honored delegates, should you require refreshments or wish to tour the facilities, know that I am here to assist.
The message took a moment to be translated for their ears, after which Nirmala pursed her lips slightly. I am rather nervous to eat anything. I believe they mean us no harm, but its hard to be certain it will be nutritionally compatible.
Everything I ate was, Matija reminded her. But Ill admit I did scan everything.
It would seem rather inappropriate to do so at a meal, dont you think?
Matija shrugged, Im pretty sure everyone here can do the same thing with their mind. I doubt it would hurt to ask, though.
-----
They did end up taking a meal- the time of their arrival made it somewhat blur the line between lunch and dinner. They ate privately, which the assistant sent for them offered as one of the first options. Delegates should certainly interact with the locals, but diving in too deep too fast might be uncomfortable.
Following that, they opted to take a tour of the sect- of which, the most interesting location was the Library. Most of the facilities were highly practical, and clearly centered around training cultivation. Aside from the observatory, anyway. Anton had shown that to them, explaining that it was for both hobby and practical purposes. Since it was only afternoon they couldnt make much use of it to see how good it was- though Matija was quite interested in figuring that out.
When they came to the library, they found it quite intimidating. Their translators worked on written language, but they simply didnt know where to start. Perhaps it showed on their faces, because Anton gestured to a section. That is where we keep the basic cultivation manuals. Perhaps Matija might wish to compare your knowledge with what is there, considering your methods are quite different. And what would you be interested in, Diplomat Nirmala?
I find myself interested in the history of your world, she said, thinking it a safe topic.
Of course, the old man nodded. It is unfortunate that due to various circumstances the histories generally fall off past the seven hundred year mark, but I imagine that should last you for some time.
Umm Matija bit her lip, Is it alright if we copy what we find here?
Of course, Anton nodded, Knowledge is meant to be shared. Though I would be cautious with the cultivation techniques. They are generally categorized by difficulty and safety, but some are only good for study and not for practical use. Though if you have any questions, I could answer them.
Matija nodded, Thank you. Cultivation and energy control were of great interest to her, though at some point she wished to probe the depths of their understanding of other methods. Formations, Anton had mentioned. Something like how they controlled the energy in their devices, but clearly quite different. Though she likely wouldnt learn all that much in a single afternoon, and they would have to move on to their actual diplomatic mission. Or at least Nirmala would. Perhaps she might be able to slip off
Chapter 451With a group breaking away towards the center, Timothy was becoming less confident in his ability to protect Rouben. There was no deep connection between them, but the implicit promise to keep him safe made Timothy determined to do his best. The ranged attacks from Rouben and Alva had been overcoming the enemy so hed had a small reprieve from the most dangerous attacks, but now hed need to stop as many as he could at once.The enemy was delayed a few moments by destroying formation flags along the way as well as shattering carved stumps and kicking apart loose dirt. Since they were inside the formation, it wasnt terribly difficult to destroy parts of it. Timothy hoped that the pieces werent too important but he honestly didnt know if those particular parts were important.Every part of a formation is essential to the whole, Catarina said, resting a hand on his shoulder. She looked just as spent as if shed been engaging in the same frantic combat as the rest of them. Not to be rude to our guest, but I need you to focus on protecting me now.Of course, Im always glad to. He was also still in the way of reaching Rouben and Alva, though it was not a terribly difficult thing to go around. If the enemy could afford to split up, anyway. Timothy wouldnt, with Fuzz angrily chasing after them, but he wasnt calling their shots.Sorry my contributions have been minimal up to this point, Catarina said as she crouched down, placing the tips of her fingers on the ground. Hopefully, it will be worth it.As she did so, the atmosphere changed. Timothy was used to the standard sorts of enhancements her formations provided- slight increases to his own abilities while enemies were hampered. A change in the natural flow of energy that benefited their allies. At the moment of the full activation of the formation, Timothy barely felt anything in relation to himself. He did, however, notice one of the enemies rushing forward suddenly stumble- not from any physical barrier, but because their energy did not propel them forward in the way they intended. Timothy was too far to take advantage of that, but Alva snapshotted a couple arrows at the man, injuring his leg. The biggest threat was a man in the Integration stage, capable of conjuring stone needles out of the air. They werent much different in function than Spirit Arrows, though they came in greater numbers- just without the benefit of propulsion a proper bow provided. A full volley bombarded Timothy and the area around him, attempting to squeeze over, under, or around him. He expanded the reach of his shield over a meter to either side, preventing anything from reaching Catarina. The next ones came through the ground but Timothy wasnt going to fail against something so simple. He extended his energy deeper, aware that he couldnt keep up his pace but strangely, his opponent was the one who looked to be straining himself. Not only him, but the others rushing forward- much more so than the group still engaged with Hoyt and the others.When one of the faster Life Transformation cultivators tried to slip past Timothy, his slash was almost a token. He planned to follow up with something more but the womans defenses crumpled. After his sword cut across her chest, her face paled. The trickle of blood couldnt have caused that in such a short time, but Timothy could feel the undercurrents of energy pulling away at the enemies approaching them. Alvas quick attacks took down several more rushing for her, their energy defenses simply not what they should have been. On the other side, Rouben kicked a blast of flame that sent a Life Transformation cultivator staggering back without the benefit of building momentum like the Falling Stars. The faces that had been so confident in their victory moments before suddenly had looks of horror. Fear- but not necessarily of the power. Timothy found it odd, because any cultivator going into battle should have known that death was a possibility. Yet it seemed as if they only now realized this, despite more than a dozen of their comrades having fallen earlier.In battle, a match between similarly powered individuals could drag out for minutes or hours, only to be decided in an instant. Sudden weakness allowed Timothy to cut down those immediately in front of him and begin chasing after the man flinging stone needles. Timothy wasnt afraid of desperate direct attacks- but he was surprised that some of them crumbled apart before they even reached him. The others who had gotten past Hoyt had already fallen, so Timothy felt no concern about leaving his post. Hoyt and the others were just cutting down their opponents as well.When Timothys sword stabbed through the small of the mans back, he had the feeling the man was trying to get just a few steps further, out of the formation. As if that would save him somehow- even though the energy ripped out of him wouldnt be coming back.As the last enemy fell, two things happened simultaneously. Catarina collapsed to the ground as the formation ceased functioning- formation flags and runes bursting apart in various sized explosions of energy. Then Rouben began to break through to Life Transformation. That was quite clear to everyone nearby.Alva! Any other enemies approaching? Timothy said as he swiftly marched back towards his wife.It seems clear for the moment, she said, surveying the area. And the battle between the Dark Ring and Harmonious Citadel seems to have gone in the favor of the former.Timothy gently turned Catarina onto her back, and she looked at him with a faint smile. Matija shrugged, It means hes the sort of person who can fly through space under their own power and even approach the sun to the same distance as a science vessel. That seems to be how people work here.Perhaps the old stories are true, Nirmala frowned. Cultivators who can control energy directly. It was mentioned that he taught you how to do the same?I wouldnt go so far as that, Matija shook her head. In an environment with gravity, I can barely lift a pen. She shook her head, I havent been quite certain how to improve.There was a knock on the door. Honored delegates, should you require refreshments or wish to tour the facilities, know that I am here to assist. The message took a moment to be translated for their ears, after which Nirmala pursed her lips slightly. I am rather nervous to eat anything. I believe they mean us no harm, but its hard to be certain it will be nutritionally compatible.Everything I ate was, Matija reminded her. But Ill admit I did scan everything.It would seem rather inappropriate to do so at a meal, dont you think?Matija shrugged, Im pretty sure everyone here can do the same thing with their mind. I doubt it would hurt to ask, though.-----They did end up taking a meal- the time of their arrival made it somewhat blur the line between lunch and dinner. They ate privately, which the assistant sent for them offered as one of the first options. Delegates should certainly interact with the locals, but diving in too deep too fast might be uncomfortable.Following that, they opted to take a tour of the sect- of which, the most interesting location was the Library. Most of the facilities were highly practical, and clearly centered around training cultivation. Aside from the observatory, anyway. Anton had shown that to them, explaining that it was for both hobby and practical purposes. Since it was only afternoon they couldnt make much use of it to see how good it was- though Matija was quite interested in figuring that out.When they came to the library, they found it quite intimidating. Their translators worked on written language, but they simply didnt know where to start. Perhaps it showed on their faces, because Anton gestured to a section. That is where we keep the basic cultivation manuals. Perhaps Matija might wish to compare your knowledge with what is there, considering your methods are quite different. And what would you be interested in, Diplomat Nirmala?I find myself interested in the history of your world, she said, thinking it a safe topic.Of course, the old man nodded. It is unfortunate that due to various circumstances the histories generally fall off past the seven hundred year mark, but I imagine that should last you for some time.Umm Matija bit her lip, Is it alright if we copy what we find here?Of course, Anton nodded, Knowledge is meant to be shared. Though I would be cautious with the cultivation techniques. They are generally categorized by difficulty and safety, but some are only good for study and not for practical use. Though if you have any questions, I could answer them.Matija nodded, Thank you. Cultivation and energy control were of great interest to her, though at some point she wished to probe the depths of their understanding of other methods. Formations, Anton had mentioned. Something like how they controlled the energy in their devices, but clearly quite different. Though she likely wouldnt learn all that much in a single afternoon, and they would have to move on to their actual diplomatic mission. Or at least Nirmala would. Perhaps she might be able to slip off
