Chapter 1576: What I Need You To Do (2)
"First, I’m going to need you to keep an eye on that. This is SoSei: Dread Factor Roulette. A very important artefact. When Fulgardt comes back, I’m going to start using it... and it’s going to start moving. When it does, don’t lose your head. Whatever it does, whatever powers it exhibits, it probably won’t be as strong as that Doom Knight from earlier. All I need you to do is hinder it in any way. Don’t let it move freely."
Kenno immediately had a bad feeling about this. It showed in how his brows furrowed. He looked at the impassive face on the artefact SoSei.
’I get it now. This is what Future Skullius discussed with the Blacksmith earlier. I almost forgot. Elita was protesting against it,’ he thought, and looked into SoSei’s vacant eyes. ’This appearance... The boss is going to use it to draw out that Arch-Lich from earlier, and force its influence into this artefact instead so that his body won’t be taken over.’
(A/N: Refer to Ch.1461.)
He figured right then that Skullius didn’t know that Future Skullius had pretty much exposed the gist of what this artefact was for back at the Severed Union.
"I... see," said the Unlimited Star. Oddly, all of his concerns died away immediately. Skullius didn’t want a sophisticated powerhouse for this task. Thinking too much would only hinder effectiveness, and Kenno was determined to do what he needed to as well as he could.
He was the one who had been fussing about Skullius’ wellbeing all night, after all.
"That’s all I have to do?"
"For the first task I have for you? Yeah. That’s all. I bet you won’t have to do it for too long, though," said Skullius as he folded his arms.
"Alright. What about the other thing?" said Kenno resolutely.
Skullius was happy to see the resolve. He’d worried the Unlimited Star was faking his desire to actually pull off whatever he was told.
But happy though he was, Skullius knew the next task was going to be ten times worse than the first. The chances of survival were nebulous for Kenno. Much of it depended on how well he (Skullius) executed the plan.
"Do you remember the Creeds you used to tie your Territory to my abilities? Your Territory was vital during that battle earlier with the Doom Knight," he said.
(A/N: Refer to Ch.1356)
"Yeah. I remember. What about them?"
Skullius took a moment to gather the right words.
"I’m going to need your Territory not too long from now. When I give the signal – and you’ll know it’s the signal when it comes – you will expel your Territory with everything you’ve got. I’ll take care of the rest."
Kenno massaged his chin with a thoughtful look. "That’s all?"
"There’s tonnes of risk," said the Hybrid Warmoth truthfully. "If I mess up the timing or the conditions, you might die instantly. But once again, I trust you. Out of everyone in our little Order, I don’t think anyone has as much experience with Majestic Territory Expulsion than you do. After today, at least. My efforts, and yours should provide the best result."
And indeed, Kenno had expelled his Territory more than thirty times against the Doom Knight. With the abundance of Creeds he had (earlier), he had modified and altered the functions of his Territory many times to survive against the Undead Deity (when it had been only him and Araeyn fighting it in the Null Remnants).
He had also used Creeds to allow himself to control Skullius’ darkness while within his Territory earlier, all so that they could get an edge against the Doom Knight.
If prompted by need, the current Kenno was more than capable of splitting his Territory like Pherdanta had done before going to the Under, or stripping it of its Second and Tertiary functions so as to bolster its Primary function like Aizel (one of the four Trodden Rose women Yuyui had fought).
(A/N: Refer to Ch.1337.)
Skullius looked deeply into Kenno’s eyes, searching for hesitation and reluctance. He wouldn’t blame the Unlimited Star for sporting any amount of each. Even he (Skullius) was hesitant. After all, there was a third party involved in this particular plan that he didn’t fully trust.
"Don’t worry, boss," said Kenno with a shrug. "You can count on me. Despite my whining, I’m not a punk."
"I see that," said Skullius with a light laugh.
Deep in his thoughts, though, he said to himself...
’With luck, you’re come out the other side of what I’m going to put you through far stronger than ever.’
"I’m not a punk either."
Red Rage butted in. His glowing, glass-like figure, ever heroically-themed, was radiating jealousy and the slightest bit of impatience.
"I know that, you sockethole," said Skullius. "I have a role for you too."
Pulling over the miniaturised corpse of the Corrupted Deity Nunax over to his side, Skullius studied it finely.
"This thing was ridiculously strong," he remarked.
"That... is an understatement, my liege," said Red Rage.
Skullius twisted his lips.
"I bet it was difficult even for Future Skullius to take down this thing without killing it outright."
"I wouldn’t say it was difficult, my liege, only inconvenient," said Red Rage. "But might I ask why your future self wasn’t trying to kill it? You wanted this Deity as an Apostle, did you not?"
"I did. But that older sockethole had the same idea I did." Skullius pressed his hand against Nunax’s abdomen. "I’ve never summoned an Apostle with a corpse this strong before. I even got the feeling that if I were still the Vehement Bone Nullmancer, things wouldn’t go so well. But even for the current me, I’m not sure what will happen when I try to resurrect it. Apostles that resist control, like Araeyn exist. And now, apparently, some Apostles can bring themselves to Null Life from a corpse without being prompted by me, like Weaver."
"Using the Taming Appixel’s subjugating properties was a means to mitigate this issue. Or so that future sockethole and I theorised. If he successfully tamed Nunax, her subservience could perhaps keep anything ugly from happening when I killed and resurrected her. We are about to find out if that little theory is going to work."
Kenno and Red Rage grew uneasy.
Skullius looked at the latter and grinned.
"Don’t get tense now. Your role only comes after," he said.
A moment later, the Nullmancer activated [Apostle’s Liege] through the [Entropy’s Harmonising Nimbus].
The result was...