Chapter 564: Sinister Northern
As Northern pulled back from his extended hand, a radiating arrow of light appeared, extending from his extended hand to the one he pulled back.
Just as if he was nocking and pulling an arrow of light on an invisible bow.
The incandescent light of the arrow reflected in his cold and calculating blue eyes for a moment.
'Chaos...' his mind echoed, 'I didn't expect it to look so... beautiful.'
A closer look into the arrow of light revealed flowing strands of light all woven together, blending beautifully to give birth to a brilliant and devastating singularity of light.
This was chaos essence. It was not pure and flawless white like celestial light; it burned with an eerie and dim glow in fact.
But its weave was a beautiful and alluring spectacle to behold. Northern had never given thought that Chaos could be so beautiful.
He quickly shook his head. 'Seriously, what am I saying right now? Chaos is beautiful?'
He focused back towards the sky and narrowed his eyes to a pinning focus.
Then he released the arrow of Chaos essence.
Swish.
The arrow of light soared into the sky with a soft and tender sound that tore through the wind barrier in an instant.
Then following it was a massive explosion that made the entire ground tremble.
From the sky, the veil began to wash down, like thick oil streaming down a round screen.
And the whole expanse slowly revealed before them.
Drenched in a blood bath was Lieutenant Dante, his bloody eyes resting on the veil that slowly wore off, breaking into the compartment of the rift he was in.
Then he saw Northern and Ryan, and one other person, his eyes narrowing.
He stood and swung his sword downward, splattering off the bloodstains on it.
His subordinates and Alystren were also locked in a fierce and crude bloody battle with the Rabid Rots; they managed to spare a glance but quickly focused on pushing back this relentless crowd of crimson monsters.
Northern examined for a moment, then stepped forward, Ryan and Revant following him.
He finally stopped in front of Revant and looked around.
"I guess all four compartments have to come together for the rift to fully reveal itself. How strange a rift this one is?"
His eyes glided towards Lieutenant Dante.
"Are you familiar with things like this, sir? Since you've been in more rifts than any of us here."
The Lieutenant cocked his head left and right.
"Hmmmm, higher tier rifts above five are known to have special qualities and are even more unpredictable than how usual rifts are. So, while I have been in several rifts with unique characteristics, I have never seen one capable of separating itself into different parts."
Northern nodded softly after the Paragon explained. He looked towards the sky, just right above the pillared maelstrom.
That was the point he had targeted in the compartment they had just destroyed, and it also seemed to be the linking point in this compartment as well.
He didn't blame anyone for not noticing; the only reason he could see it was Chaos eyes. Also, his spatial awareness had gotten so much better that he could tell there were four compartments in this rift right now.
And all four compartments are not even half of the rift itself.
It is as though the rift guardian had taken a small chunk of the rift to entrap intruders.
Then designated each Maelstrom to guard each compartment, while holding down the string that sewed the compartments together.
When the maelstrom is defeated, the string becomes weaker, and when he destroys the point of connection which is the sky above the maelstrom.
Also, Northern had also realized that no matter how much damage they dealt to the crowd of monsters or the maelstrom itself, it won't move or attack back.
It's a different story if they attack the sky above it though.
Of course, his own situation was a different one. Black Lance was an ability that will definitely deliver its cut. After all, it only delivers cuts only its target can receive.
"Hmmmm... this is quite strange and interesting. Last I saw you, you were not this flamboyant."
As the Lieutenant spoke, he swung his sword sideways, slashing the Rabid Rot that lunged at him into two without looking.
Northern curled a corner of his lips.
"I evolved."
"You were a Master. You evolve, so you're now a Savant." He shook his head in deep thought. "A Savant can't have this much flamboyancy. Did you become a Sage?"
Northern grinned back, "Not that I was trying to hide it anyway, but things happened that just happen."
There was something about Northern's expression that hinted that he was enjoying this. His grin. His grin was so austere.
"I see... things happen that just happen. What a plausible explanation."
He spun his sword back and plunged it into the head of the one that leaped at him.
Despite his hand being in an 'uncomfortable' position, he didn't seem to strain. His body in fact seemed elastic.
His gaze, however, was rigid and unbending, now contorting at Northern with dark and stormy clouds in their depth.
'Dangerous. Dangerous. I can see why that damn Shaman mentioned him. He will definitely be a great asset to me. But I can read people. This guy can't be controlled, he can't be obtained either. It's better to just kill him?'
Tsk tsk.
Northern clicked his tongue, as he appeared right in the face of the lieutenant, glaring into his eyes with a cold intensity.
"All that bloodlust, I hope you are not thinking of doing something reckless... sir."
Thump
Thump
Thump
Thump
The Lieutenant's eyes slowly dilated. 'Is that... my heartbeat?'
A pearl of sweat rolled down his neck, and he quickly caught wind of it, wiping it off with his
thumb. A slight frown fell on his brows.
"Rain?" He looked up.
Northern helped him answer immediately.
"No sir. That is not the rain. I'm pretty sure, that's your darned sweat." A sinister grin
followed.