Chapter 571
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Chapter 571
Word of a special excursion of the Harmonious Citadel reached Varis ears. The existence of the excursion itself was not secret, but the details were. The only details she could gather was that it would be led by prominent disciples of the saints and the requirements to join. One had to participate in a special training endeavor and reveal their skill.
That seemed important, but not too important. Specifically, Vari felt confident that she would not encounter a saint, but might learn something useful. This was about the best opportunity she would get, so she took her spear and went to the arena.
Obviously the selection would involve fighting- when did cultivators ever do things differently? More than that, the Harmonious Citadel was large enough that they didnt keep careful track of individual performance, except for those at the top. That was especially true for practitioners of the Holy Harmony Technique.
The exhibition was set up so that people would fight as many different individuals as possible- an elimination tournament with one or a few winners wouldnt leave them a large pool to select from.
Varis first opponent used a sword. Unless there was a particular skill difference, a spear would have the advantage of reach. Between cultivators that could be overcome, but it would be quite difficult for the other woman to beat Vari. There was still a cultivation gap between them, after all. Life Transformation cultivators were the bread and butter of the upper realms, those who were strong enough to be relevant but not the best.
There was the slight issue that Vari couldnt display her full strength- and that the spear was not her first choice of fighting style- but she was quite experienced with countering the various styles of the Harmonious Citadel. Her spear flashed, stabbing forth. The point of the weapon extended well beyond its physical reach, and the speed forced her opponent to deflect- or be forced eternally back.
The other woman attempted to step past Varis guard, but Vari matched her footwork, keeping at her optimal reach and out of the womans. Vari actually found it quite difficult, wondering how her aunt would have reacted to her sharing the same weapon. Perhaps in a different world she might have learned from the woman.
A quick jab with her spear was actually a feint, and she was already withdrawing when her opponent parried. That allowed her to stab deep, piercing into the breastplate of her opponent. The arenas formations stopped her attack.
Against another spear user she found her own technique lacking- even knowing the proper counters, she couldnt help but feel she was only able to keep up because of her cultivation. On the other hand, she could have taken her opponent apart in moments with her bare hands. Or gauntleted hands and sturdy boots.
The morningstar was a weapon that was only dangerous if it reached her. That was true of everything, of course, but users of the spiky maces tended to favor heavy attacks, amplifying the properties the weapon possessed. Vari might have been able to handle them unarmed, but she thought her barriers would have actually done poorly against them.
The true meaning of that unintentionally cryptic message from Chikere was that there were likely more than five Integration individuals they would be facing. It came as they were beginning to cross the border themselves, the upper energy thinning and their presences likely noticed.
They had to make a quick decision of whether to fight or flee. It was possible to retreat still- though the strangeness of the border would likely make going beyond lightspeed difficult. That was part of the reason they were staging their ambush where they were- to prevent their enemies from simply leaving. Though it was not possible to instantly reach faster than light speeds regardless.
Everyone quickly made the same decision. A few more or less enemies wouldnt make a difference to their plans. They all had their targets, and moved forward as planned. Instead of closing in and then matching their enemies speed, however, they accelerated towards them. The chances of a collision were tiny- both sides would have to want one for that to happen. However, they wouldnt stop to exchange blows.
Around two ships, fire formed itself into distinct meteors. With no gravity to aid them, the traditional method of attack for Falling Stars was not possible- this method had been developed for ship to ship combat. There were limits to how much distance either Hoyt or Prospero could control the technique at, so accelerating along with the ships was optimal. While it seemed simpler to simply begin their technique after the ships had already accelerated, it took some time to stabilize and aim for their high relative velocities. And they were not far from their targets.
The Trigold Clusters ships now had their own decision to make- they could still flee at this point, but if they all moved together the incoming fleet was likely to cut them off. However, if they were to split up then infinite directions were available to them- even if it was more or less cut in half because of their location. Either they did not want to split up, or they felt confident in their victory. Only one sides confidence would be justified in the end.
Both sides opened fire with their ranged attacks- archers, ship-bound artillery, or various forms of energy attack. All moved to evade, except Timothys ship. It was the second of the various vessels they had commissioned to be completed, with formations suited for him in particular. It didnt just make use of barriers- anyone could do that- but also his particular insights into shielding and deflection. The formations would not act at full efficiency without his control. The projectiles that struck Timothys ship were partially deflected, while others were reflected back towards the enemy fleet. Given both sides were undergoing evasive maneuvers the results werent perfect, but they were sufficient.
Chikere stood at the front of her ship. Shed heard about the interesting designs they had in the lower realms, but if she were to get a ship customized to her it would be a long process. Instead, she was doing the next best thing- just using her own abilities. Her ship was performing evasive maneuvers, but unlike the others it wasnt entirely attempting to avoid the enemy. Specifically, she got as close as possible to the ship with two rather decent swords- and their wielders.
A hundred swords flew in front of the ship, forming the shape of a single, larger blade. As the ships crossed paths, the arrangement cut forward, intent on slicing the enemy ship in two. Chikere achieved less than a quarter of that ambition- but she did manage to slice through the barriers and the front part of the ship before the two Integration Cultivators together stopped her attack. They only had a short moment as they passed each other for Chikeres augmented sword to sweep at the ship twice more, cutting an x into its hull but not breaking through.
Catarina seemed most like she was doing nothing, but in actually she send small stone plates spiraling out long before, and while she wasnt able to perfectly predict the movement of enemy ships she got some of her devices close enough to two ships, at which point they had a clear attraction towards them like a magnet. As they were small and inactive, nobody paid them much mind. There were six enemy ships and their cultivators to focus on- picking out space junk at the same time was difficult. As the stone plates touched their intended marks on the enemy ships, latching on and slowly drifting towards specific positions, they activated their own markings, adding them onto that of the ship and creating a loop that recklessly discharged energy into the barriers. If they had been attacked at that moment they would have been nearly invincible- but that wouldnt last for long.
The Falling Stars from Hoyt and Prospero both found some purchase, targeting ships being simpler than cultivators who could react and change directions at greater speeds. Hoyt had more power- he was in Integration while Prospero was still in Life Transformation for the second time- but both were useful in their own way.
The final ship clashed with the enemy as it went by, but the thing that nobody was supposed to notice was Vari, who had pulled away from her own ship before they reached a full acceleration. That meant she arrived somewhat later- but not moving at a speed that would flatten her against the enemys hull. She did have to expend some effort to slow herself down subtly, but she caught onto one ship and cut her way through the barrier, making use of some guidance from Catarina. Once she was inside, she could cause all manner of trouble.
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Chapter 571
Word of a special excursion of the Harmonious Citadel reached Varis ears. The existence of the excursion itself was not secret, but the details were. The only details she could gather was that it would be led by prominent disciples of the saints and the requirements to join. One had to participate in a special training endeavor and reveal their skill.
That seemed important, but not too important. Specifically, Vari felt confident that she would not encounter a saint, but might learn something useful. This was about the best opportunity she would get, so she took her spear and went to the arena.
Obviously the selection would involve fighting- when did cultivators ever do things differently? More than that, the Harmonious Citadel was large enough that they didnt keep careful track of individual performance, except for those at the top. That was especially true for practitioners of the Holy Harmony Technique.
The exhibition was set up so that people would fight as many different individuals as possible- an elimination tournament with one or a few winners wouldnt leave them a large pool to select from.
Varis first opponent used a sword. Unless there was a particular skill difference, a spear would have the advantage of reach. Between cultivators that could be overcome, but it would be quite difficult for the other woman to beat Vari. There was still a cultivation gap between them, after all. Life Transformation cultivators were the bread and butter of the upper realms, those who were strong enough to be relevant but not the best.
There was the slight issue that Vari couldnt display her full strength- and that the spear was not her first choice of fighting style- but she was quite experienced with countering the various styles of the Harmonious Citadel. Her spear flashed, stabbing forth. The point of the weapon extended well beyond its physical reach, and the speed forced her opponent to deflect- or be forced eternally back.
The other woman attempted to step past Varis guard, but Vari matched her footwork, keeping at her optimal reach and out of the womans. Vari actually found it quite difficult, wondering how her aunt would have reacted to her sharing the same weapon. Perhaps in a different world she might have learned from the woman.
A quick jab with her spear was actually a feint, and she was already withdrawing when her opponent parried. That allowed her to stab deep, piercing into the breastplate of her opponent. The arenas formations stopped her attack.
Against another spear user she found her own technique lacking- even knowing the proper counters, she couldnt help but feel she was only able to keep up because of her cultivation. On the other hand, she could have taken her opponent apart in moments with her bare hands. Or gauntleted hands and sturdy boots.
The morningstar was a weapon that was only dangerous if it reached her. That was true of everything, of course, but users of the spiky maces tended to favor heavy attacks, amplifying the properties the weapon possessed. Vari might have been able to handle them unarmed, but she thought her barriers would have actually done poorly against them.
The true meaning of that unintentionally cryptic message from Chikere was that there were likely more than five Integration individuals they would be facing. It came as they were beginning to cross the border themselves, the upper energy thinning and their presences likely noticed.
They had to make a quick decision of whether to fight or flee. It was possible to retreat still- though the strangeness of the border would likely make going beyond lightspeed difficult. That was part of the reason they were staging their ambush where they were- to prevent their enemies from simply leaving. Though it was not possible to instantly reach faster than light speeds regardless.
Everyone quickly made the same decision. A few more or less enemies wouldnt make a difference to their plans. They all had their targets, and moved forward as planned. Instead of closing in and then matching their enemies speed, however, they accelerated towards them. The chances of a collision were tiny- both sides would have to want one for that to happen. However, they wouldnt stop to exchange blows.
Around two ships, fire formed itself into distinct meteors. With no gravity to aid them, the traditional method of attack for Falling Stars was not possible- this method had been developed for ship to ship combat. There were limits to how much distance either Hoyt or Prospero could control the technique at, so accelerating along with the ships was optimal. While it seemed simpler to simply begin their technique after the ships had already accelerated, it took some time to stabilize and aim for their high relative velocities. And they were not far from their targets.
The Trigold Clusters ships now had their own decision to make- they could still flee at this point, but if they all moved together the incoming fleet was likely to cut them off. However, if they were to split up then infinite directions were available to them- even if it was more or less cut in half because of their location. Either they did not want to split up, or they felt confident in their victory. Only one sides confidence would be justified in the end.
Both sides opened fire with their ranged attacks- archers, ship-bound artillery, or various forms of energy attack. All moved to evade, except Timothys ship. It was the second of the various vessels they had commissioned to be completed, with formations suited for him in particular. It didnt just make use of barriers- anyone could do that- but also his particular insights into shielding and deflection. The formations would not act at full efficiency without his control. The projectiles that struck Timothys ship were partially deflected, while others were reflected back towards the enemy fleet. Given both sides were undergoing evasive maneuvers the results werent perfect, but they were sufficient.
Chikere stood at the front of her ship. Shed heard about the interesting designs they had in the lower realms, but if she were to get a ship customized to her it would be a long process. Instead, she was doing the next best thing- just using her own abilities. Her ship was performing evasive maneuvers, but unlike the others it wasnt entirely attempting to avoid the enemy. Specifically, she got as close as possible to the ship with two rather decent swords- and their wielders.
A hundred swords flew in front of the ship, forming the shape of a single, larger blade. As the ships crossed paths, the arrangement cut forward, intent on slicing the enemy ship in two. Chikere achieved less than a quarter of that ambition- but she did manage to slice through the barriers and the front part of the ship before the two Integration Cultivators together stopped her attack. They only had a short moment as they passed each other for Chikeres augmented sword to sweep at the ship twice more, cutting an x into its hull but not breaking through.
Catarina seemed most like she was doing nothing, but in actually she send small stone plates spiraling out long before, and while she wasnt able to perfectly predict the movement of enemy ships she got some of her devices close enough to two ships, at which point they had a clear attraction towards them like a magnet. As they were small and inactive, nobody paid them much mind. There were six enemy ships and their cultivators to focus on- picking out space junk at the same time was difficult. As the stone plates touched their intended marks on the enemy ships, latching on and slowly drifting towards specific positions, they activated their own markings, adding them onto that of the ship and creating a loop that recklessly discharged energy into the barriers. If they had been attacked at that moment they would have been nearly invincible- but that wouldnt last for long.
The Falling Stars from Hoyt and Prospero both found some purchase, targeting ships being simpler than cultivators who could react and change directions at greater speeds. Hoyt had more power- he was in Integration while Prospero was still in Life Transformation for the second time- but both were useful in their own way.
The final ship clashed with the enemy as it went by, but the thing that nobody was supposed to notice was Vari, who had pulled away from her own ship before they reached a full acceleration. That meant she arrived somewhat later- but not moving at a speed that would flatten her against the enemys hull. She did have to expend some effort to slow herself down subtly, but she caught onto one ship and cut her way through the barrier, making use of some guidance from Catarina. Once she was inside, she could cause all manner of trouble.
Chapter 571Word of a special excursion of the Harmonious Citadel reached Varis ears. The existence of the excursion itself was not secret, but the details were. The only details she could gather was that it would be led by prominent disciples of the saints and the requirements to join. One had to participate in a special training endeavor and reveal their skill.That seemed important, but not too important. Specifically, Vari felt confident that she would not encounter a saint, but might learn something useful. This was about the best opportunity she would get, so she took her spear and went to the arena.Obviously the selection would involve fighting- when did cultivators ever do things differently? More than that, the Harmonious Citadel was large enough that they didnt keep careful track of individual performance, except for those at the top. That was especially true for practitioners of the Holy Harmony Technique. The exhibition was set up so that people would fight as many different individuals as possible- an elimination tournament with one or a few winners wouldnt leave them a large pool to select from. Varis first opponent used a sword. Unless there was a particular skill difference, a spear would have the advantage of reach. Between cultivators that could be overcome, but it would be quite difficult for the other woman to beat Vari. There was still a cultivation gap between them, after all. Life Transformation cultivators were the bread and butter of the upper realms, those who were strong enough to be relevant but not the best.There was the slight issue that Vari couldnt display her full strength- and that the spear was not her first choice of fighting style- but she was quite experienced with countering the various styles of the Harmonious Citadel. Her spear flashed, stabbing forth. The point of the weapon extended well beyond its physical reach, and the speed forced her opponent to deflect- or be forced eternally back.The other woman attempted to step past Varis guard, but Vari matched her footwork, keeping at her optimal reach and out of the womans. Vari actually found it quite difficult, wondering how her aunt would have reacted to her sharing the same weapon. Perhaps in a different world she might have learned from the woman.A quick jab with her spear was actually a feint, and she was already withdrawing when her opponent parried. That allowed her to stab deep, piercing into the breastplate of her opponent. The arenas formations stopped her attack.Against another spear user she found her own technique lacking- even knowing the proper counters, she couldnt help but feel she was only able to keep up because of her cultivation. On the other hand, she could have taken her opponent apart in moments with her bare hands. Or gauntleted hands and sturdy boots. The morningstar was a weapon that was only dangerous if it reached her. That was true of everything, of course, but users of the spiky maces tended to favor heavy attacks, amplifying the properties the weapon possessed. Vari might have been able to handle them unarmed, but she thought her barriers would have actually done poorly against them.The true meaning of that unintentionally cryptic message from Chikere was that there were likely more than five Integration individuals they would be facing. It came as they were beginning to cross the border themselves, the upper energy thinning and their presences likely noticed. They had to make a quick decision of whether to fight or flee. It was possible to retreat still- though the strangeness of the border would likely make going beyond lightspeed difficult. That was part of the reason they were staging their ambush where they were- to prevent their enemies from simply leaving. Though it was not possible to instantly reach faster than light speeds regardless.Everyone quickly made the same decision. A few more or less enemies wouldnt make a difference to their plans. They all had their targets, and moved forward as planned. Instead of closing in and then matching their enemies speed, however, they accelerated towards them. The chances of a collision were tiny- both sides would have to want one for that to happen. However, they wouldnt stop to exchange blows.Around two ships, fire formed itself into distinct meteors. With no gravity to aid them, the traditional method of attack for Falling Stars was not possible- this method had been developed for ship to ship combat. There were limits to how much distance either Hoyt or Prospero could control the technique at, so accelerating along with the ships was optimal. While it seemed simpler to simply begin their technique after the ships had already accelerated, it took some time to stabilize and aim for their high relative velocities. And they were not far from their targets.The Trigold Clusters ships now had their own decision to make- they could still flee at this point, but if they all moved together the incoming fleet was likely to cut them off. However, if they were to split up then infinite directions were available to them- even if it was more or less cut in half because of their location. Either they did not want to split up, or they felt confident in their victory. Only one sides confidence would be justified in the end.Both sides opened fire with their ranged attacks- archers, ship-bound artillery, or various forms of energy attack. All moved to evade, except Timothys ship. It was the second of the various vessels they had commissioned to be completed, with formations suited for him in particular. It didnt just make use of barriers- anyone could do that- but also his particular insights into shielding and deflection. The formations would not act at full efficiency without his control. The projectiles that struck Timothys ship were partially deflected, while others were reflected back towards the enemy fleet. Given both sides were undergoing evasive maneuvers the results werent perfect, but they were sufficient.Chikere stood at the front of her ship. Shed heard about the interesting designs they had in the lower realms, but if she were to get a ship customized to her it would be a long process. Instead, she was doing the next best thing- just using her own abilities. Her ship was performing evasive maneuvers, but unlike the others it wasnt entirely attempting to avoid the enemy. Specifically, she got as close as possible to the ship with two rather decent swords- and their wielders.A hundred swords flew in front of the ship, forming the shape of a single, larger blade. As the ships crossed paths, the arrangement cut forward, intent on slicing the enemy ship in two. Chikere achieved less than a quarter of that ambition- but she did manage to slice through the barriers and the front part of the ship before the two Integration Cultivators together stopped her attack. They only had a short moment as they passed each other for Chikeres augmented sword to sweep at the ship twice more, cutting an x into its hull but not breaking through. Catarina seemed most like she was doing nothing, but in actually she send small stone plates spiraling out long before, and while she wasnt able to perfectly predict the movement of enemy ships she got some of her devices close enough to two ships, at which point they had a clear attraction towards them like a magnet. As they were small and inactive, nobody paid them much mind. There were six enemy ships and their cultivators to focus on- picking out space junk at the same time was difficult. As the stone plates touched their intended marks on the enemy ships, latching on and slowly drifting towards specific positions, they activated their own markings, adding them onto that of the ship and creating a loop that recklessly discharged energy into the barriers. If they had been attacked at that moment they would have been nearly invincible- but that wouldnt last for long.The Falling Stars from Hoyt and Prospero both found some purchase, targeting ships being simpler than cultivators who could react and change directions at greater speeds. Hoyt had more power- he was in Integration while Prospero was still in Life Transformation for the second time- but both were useful in their own way.The final ship clashed with the enemy as it went by, but the thing that nobody was supposed to notice was Vari, who had pulled away from her own ship before they reached a full acceleration. That meant she arrived somewhat later- but not moving at a speed that would flatten her against the enemys hull. She did have to expend some effort to slow herself down subtly, but she caught onto one ship and cut her way through the barrier, making use of some guidance from Catarina. Once she was inside, she could cause all manner of trouble.
