Lord Shadow

Chapter 1378: Earthshaker and the Divine ArcherSofia did not answer. Raymond come closer and sat down beside her on top of the boulder. The force around his body dissipated.        

Sofia also bring down the aura around her body down. If not their aura would clash.    

ʼWhat do you mean?ʼ    

ʼHeʼs backʼ Raymond said    

Sofia did not say anything.      

She closes her eyes and did not say anything, and there is only silence between them. Raymond sighed.    

ʼIs it that bad?ʼ    

Sofia did not answer again.      

Raymond then shakes his head. In the distance, a sound echoes, a roar that shakes the ground and split the clouds above    

Another monster appears in the distance    

This one rushes toward Raymond and Sofia.    

Raymond look at the monster and look at Sofia    

ʼI guess you didnʼt kill all of themʼ    

  Sofia opens her eyes and she was about to point her finger but Raymond simply waves his hand and a large hand erupted from the ground and pushes forward.      

This hand is thirty feet in height, it stirs a dust storm, causing the wind to change course, the clouds to give way and the ground to quake    

This powerful hand is in the shape of a palm pushing forward, pushing the ground and the clouds, rushing forward like a galloping beast and it slammed into that monster.      

BOOOOM! A loud explosion sound echoes all over the area, a powerful shockwave blast erupted.    

The shockwave however did not affect Raymond or Sofia.      

That monster is like a jackal but ten feet tall in height and have two horns in the middle of its skull    

Its claws are long and sharp. It could swipe a small hill into pieces and could leap high into the air.    

  But the moment that hand appears, even though that jackal like creature tries to run away, it was like its feet is bound to the Earth.      

There is a force forcing it to stand there.      

This is probably one of Raymond abilities.      

Sofia also has a skill like this where she would shoot her arrows toward the surrounding of her enemies and these arrows that scattered all around the area of her enemies become some kind of an entrapping formation.      

As for Raymond, it was like the Earth is grabbing hold this monster feet, like being trapped inside a quicksand, the more you struggle the tighter it would be.      

The hand slam onto the monster, a sound of explosion that shakes Heaven and Earth erupted and the monster turns into a mist of blood.        

Sofia saw what Raymond had done and she was not impressed.      

The first few times, she was still quite surprised that there is such a method but after seeing it so many times, it lost its novelty    

The monster had been killed. The energy of the monster went to Raymond. To the low level people, this is EXP.    

To them, EXP is actually the energy that is released from these monsters. They have reached Disk Formation so they understood certain secrets of Heaven and Earth    

You absorb the energy of Heaven and Earth, so where does the energy goes? It goes inside you. So, when you die, the energy is released.    

there is a rule on Earth. This rule is established by the All Source. You killed monsters, you get EXP.    

In the Universe to gain energy is not that easy. Most of civilization that relies on absorbing energy into the body usually has some kind of method of entrapping the energy into their body and slowly rise step by step.    

So, there is myriad paths in the Universe. Some refined their body, entrapping the energy and refining it causing their body to become extremely powerful    

Some uses it outside of their body, manipulating the energy so that they donʼt have to be limited by their physiques.    

Some combined the two and some others entrapped it in a vessel or an object. Some sealed it into a certain totem to become a source of power for their civilization.      

But, humans since the Fall, could easily ranks up their existence by killing monsters and taking the so called EXP      

What makes human special than the other? This is the thought of these powerful people in the top of the world.    

But to the people below, what matters was that they could kill monster and grow stronger. It is a simple concept that they could understand and they did not have to think the underlying meaning of it all.      

Sofia look at Raymond. He did not even break a sweaty killing that monster. Then she said    

ʼLetʼs talk about something elseʼ      

Then she added    

ʼI donʼt like to talk about himʼ    

Raymond could tell that Sofia is not ready to tell him what happened between her and Death Monarch.      

Though, it was not hard to guess. She had probably broken up with him. or Azief broke up with her.    

He could not be sure about who dump who but one thing he is clear is that they are no longer together.      

Even though, Raymond did not yet get any news from Hirate, he did hear from his contact in the World Government that Hirate is heading to the Turbulent Sea.    

And Katarina is also there.      

It fills him with many thoughts.      

Raymond and Katarina did not say anything as they seem to be thinking of something.      

Raymond is thinking about the world powers right now. It is something that he could not just ignore.        

He still has a lot of people he had to protect and people he cares about.      

The world powers are now undergoing a great change and there is now a change in the status quo.      

There are only two great powers in the world that have Divine Comprehension leveler in their faction. That is Pandemonium and the Republic.      

In the past the Three Great Powers, the World Government, Pandemonium have more or less the same power.      

This refers to the individual power of the champion of their factions. For Pandemonium it is Death Monarch.      

For the Republic it is Katarina and Jean.      

And for the World Government it is Raymond, Hikigaya and Oreki.    

But in the aftermath of the Multiversal Convergence, this is no longer true. The two premier world power is now the Republic and Pandemonium.    

World Government fell behind.      

Oreki and Hikigaya seceded from the World Government. That had major consequences for the stability of the World Government.      

Both him and Hirate knows that to maintain the stability of the World Government and making sure that some people hearts did not waver is for him to quickly reach Divine Comprehension.    

But that is easier said than done.      

Of course, Raymond could always break though to Divine Comprehension.      

Even now, if he wanted to he could.      

But then he would settle for less.      

Every person could forcefully break through.      

For example, people who did not yet reached the required Seeds could always break through.    

  But then, their successive breakthrough would be harder. And in some cases, they could not progress later.    

Raymond and Hirate both know that he could not do that kind of thing.      

Immediate benefit but in the long term it is a loss.      

Everyone that have researched Death Monarch knows that Death Monarch walk a Perfect Path. Before he breakthrough to the next realm, he brought his power to the peak and to the extreme.    

Hence, even when he is at Disk Formation, he could fight a Divine Comprehension leveler and when he is in Divine Comprehension level, he could fight Essence Creation combatant    

If Raymond was short sighted and exhaust his potential to quickly become a Divine Comprehension leveler, what about the next time.      

What happens when Jean, Hikigaya and Death Monarch broke through to Essence Creation? Could Raymond catch up on them when his foundation is fragile?    

At that time, the decline of the World Government is guaranteed.          

So, Raymond is now travelling all over the world. Of course, he also had some help. His talking mace is helping him to gain insight on his improvement of power    

As he kills monsters and walk the Earth, he is also slowly feeling the Terra force in his body becoming purer and more powerful    

It is denser, heavier and there is this feeling like he is one with the Earth    

His path is different than Death Monarch. There is no strongest path only the most suitable path. That is what his mace told him.    

Raymond also heard what Death Monarch said a few days ago.    

Creating the Sword of Humanity.      

He did not understand it that much.      

But his mace told him that this is the application of the Heavenly Will. And that Death Monarch is now strengthening the Heavenly Will      

Raymond is unlike Jean, unlike Hikigaya that could understand Azief methods and understand itʼs implication. It is not that he is stupid it is because his priority is very different.    

ʼYouʼre ready to leave?ʼ Sofia said suddenly getting up from the boulder. She seems to have finished thinking of something    

Raymond was shocked but he asks again    

ʼYou would not go to him?ʼ    

Sofia face hardened and then she chuckles bitterly.    

ʼIn this whole wide world, if he wanted to see me, would he not be able to? Since he did not come to find me, then that mean he already has the answer. Maybe…...it is better like thisʼ she said    

There are many things in those words that Raymond could never understand fully. Sofia and Azief had quite the complicated relationship    

They seem to never be able to truly show their heart. Raymond also got up. He then said    

ʼWhere are you going now?ʼ    

Sofia look around and thought of a few places in the world.      

ʼThere is news that there is a monster appearing in the Blood Seaʼ Raymond shook his head      

ʼThe Blood Sea is too dangerousʼ    

Sofia hearing this raised her eyebrows.    

ʼAnd the oneʼ that we killed before is not dangerousʼ    

Raymond simply said    

ʼItʼs differentʼ    

Sofia frowned as Raymond said        

ʼThere are all kinds of things there. Even the Order of Thinkers is not confident of pacifying that region. The Ten Seas are not a playground. It is not like the sea we were used to. It has become very dangerousʼ    

Sofia nodded. She thinks about it for a few moment and she nodded.    

It is not that she doesnʼt know. But maybe, she just wanted to avoid thinking of going to the Turbulent Sea that she chose such a place.    

The Blood Sea is also very dangerous though the danger genre is different.      

In the Turbulent Sea, Divine Sense and communication with the outside world seems to be badly affected.      

There are space tears, turbulent wind that is magical and mystical and if you are not careful you could end up in a different world altogether.      

Sofia think that is also the reason why Azief appears in the Turbulent Sea. Maybe, the channel of Time and Space is attracted to the Turbulent Sea and that is probably how when he got back from the Seresian world, he appears near the Turbulent Sea.      

Then Sofia said    

ʼThere is still the Sea of Fire. Heard there is a Flame Dragon flying around in that seaʼ Raymond laughed and said    

ʼYou wanted to hunt dragons now?ʼ    

Sofia smiles a bit and then said    

ʼWith you and me, we could take it downʼ    

Raymond shakes his head and said    

ʼWhile I appreciate the high regards for our combination, I have someplace else to beʼ    

ʼHmm?ʼ    

Sofia sighed as she nodded    

ʼThen, I guess this is where our partnership endsʼ    

Sofia was about to shot her arrow to the sky and disappear into the horizon but Raymond hold her hand. She looks a t him with a puzzled expression    

ʼWant to help me?ʼ    

Sofia frowned and then said    

ʼWhat do you mean?ʼ      

Raymond first look at his floating mace that suddenly come near him.      

Even Sofia was shocked.      

In the beginning, the mace would spoke openly. But, the mace had quite the mouth and Sofia kind of try to attack the mace.    

Sofia with Azief does look like a gentle woman.          

But to the whole world, Sofia has quite the temper. And angering someone with the title of a Divine Archer is not really something that is safe    

Since then, the mace had communicated telepathically with Raymond. So, she doesnʼt know why the mace suddenly seems interested    

Raymond extended his hand and the mace fly to his hand.    

The mace seems to be struggling to free himself from Raymond hand      

Then a force suddenly erupted from his body and then the mace seems to die off all of a sudden    

Sofia felt weird and she ask    

ʼWhatʼs wrong?ʼ    

ʼSharur probably would not be happy hearing what I would about to say. So, I had to ʼdeactivateʼ him for a whileʼ he said smiling bitterly.    

Raymond then said    

ʼI got an information from one of my peopleʼ    

ʼAnd?ʼ    

ʼI want to get something. And I think if we go to it together, I could rely on your help to get this thing.ʼ    

ʼWill this thing helped you in breaking through to the Divine Comprehension realm?ʼ    

Sofia ask because she knows that Raymond had been spending months trying to break through to Divine Comprehension realm.    

  She knew the pressure he is facing now and the pressure that the World Government is facing now    

It is not that Raymond could not break through.      

But breaking through naturally is what he aspires to do or in the future, the World Government would not be able to stand when people like Azief and Hikigaya and Jean break through to Essence Creation realm    

It is the same like her. She is also strengthening her foundation.      

Raymond then answer    

ʼI believe it would be because the power of this thing I seek seems to complement my abilitiesʼ    

ʼWhat is it?ʼ    

Raymond smiles and said    

ʼIt is a weapon. A Divine Weaponʼ Raymond waited fore Sofia to answer and she nodded    

ʼYou have helped me a lot these past few months. I guess this is my turnʼ Raymond smiles    

But then he seems to have a complicated expression        

Before he could explain something, Sofia then ask    

ʼWhere is this weapon?ʼ    

ʼThatʼs the thingʼ he bit his lips for a second and then said    

ʼYou already said you are going to help me, right?ʼ    

Sofia nodded    

Then he said    

ʼIt is around the area of the Turbulent Seaʼ    

Sofia eyebrows raised up.      

But she did not say anything about it and the atmosphere is a bit awkward for a few second.      

ʼStill coming with me?ʼ Raymond ask. Sofia close her eyes for second before nodding.      

Raymond smiles a bit and then he brought out a compass.    

Clearly, the compass he is holding is not a normal compass. There are all kinds of symbol and the pointer of the compass seems to move erratically.    

ʼWaitʼ he said and a few second later, the pointer of the compass stopped. Raymond smile    

ʼNow, we goʼ He said this and then launched himself into the air, a sonic boom erupted as he flies through the clouds. Sofia did not follow immediately.      

Instead, she brought out her brow and then pointed toward the sky.    

She pulls the bow string and the energy around her all sucked into the bowstring.      

Smiling, she releases the bow string and Sofia turns into an arrow shaped energy flying past through the clouds, following Raymond from behind like some kind of a homing missile.      

There are now two more people that is going to the Turbulent Sea.    

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