The Legend of Randidly Ghosthound

Based on my observations of Randidly Ghosthound, we have three distinct advantages, Mrs. Hamilton had written at the beginning of the extensive report they had all been given in preparation for this. The first lies in the rather brutal compulsion to improve that the Ghosthound routinely demonstrates through his training habits. Perhaps he doesn't think of it that way, but we can rest assured that he is training himself with a rigor that will eventually produce a vulnerability we can take advantage of. It is simply his nature.

He knows little of rest.

Huang Li was blurring sideways into his assigned position as the words seemed to echo in his head. Although his System boosted Intelligence let him memorize the report from almost a single glance, he had still carefully pored over every word in the last five days, careful not to miss anything. After all, they would only have one chance.

Huang Li drew his sword and his mind continued to run through the words of the report. Secondly, it is clear from that values emphasized by the Order Ducis that there is a large hole in Randidly's experiences. Perhaps other than the occasional monster, Randidly Ghosthound has not often been ambushed. The Order Ducis only speaks of self-improvement, never preparedness or vigilance.

There are a few easy explanations for this strange understanding of the System dominated world. First, the Ghosthound's Perception is far beyond typical human limits. There is even no anecdotal evidence of someone being silent, camouflage, or fast enough to get the jump on the Ghosthound. The one exception is the use of Donny's Bodyguard Skill, which used against Randidly Ghosthound's second fight against Donnyton as a whole. As such, I believe Randidly will notice quickly, but it is the best method available to us.

Plus, you need to consider that since the beginning, even before he had a class, Randidly Ghosthound was stronger than all but the highest Level monsters on Earth. As such, with the scientifically proven sensitivity monsters have toward Aether usage, they have probably avoided him instinctually.

Another explanation is one that is largely extrapolated from second-hand accounts and observations of the Ghosthound’s companion Helen. The other world where Randidly spent quite a bit of his time, Tellus, was one dominated by spear users. There, a barbaric sort of chivalry governed the battles. Perhaps entirely by accident, Randidly has been primed to believe that a target wouldn't bother to ambush him for a shred of an advantage. Quite frankly, Helen routinely talks, when prompted, about how everyone thought Randidly was quite weak until he proved them all wrong.

No one took him seriously enough to ambush him until it was too late. We won’t make that mistake.

The third advantage is the most unpredictable, because its application in Randidly’s battles has been… haphazard. But it cannot be denied that he will occasionally be overwhelmed with battle lust. It doesn’t truly cloud his judgment, not as you would hear with the berserkers of old, but he often practices self-denial in those fights. He stubbornly refused to switch to a better answer to his opponent in order to sharpen a certain set of Skills or images.

"It's an assassination attempt. Sunstrike." Alana announced, using a sign they had agreed upon beforehand to indicate that she could sense the Ghosthound’s image was in a weakened state. Rather than launching herself forward and attack as the Ghosthound twisted rapidly to face her, Alana struck the ground in front of her with her spear. The burning stroke threw up a spray of dirt and pebbles to screen the Ghosthound's vision. Huang Li settled his feet and raised his sword. His heart was pounding harder than anything he could remember, except that moment where he had lost against Paolo and Kayle. But now those powerful warriors joined him in surrounding the Ghosthound. And yet...

There's something in the air, Huang Li realized. He barely suppressed a shiver. The air around him is... thick. The surprise that he had briefly been able to detect from their quarry had vanished. And in its place… some as oppressive as a sky filled with massive iron-grey storm clouds settled over the underground area.

Huang Li had heard the rumors, had seen the Ghosthound from afar, but it was different now as they aligned themselves as foes against him. The hitherto ambivalent energy around the Ghosthound now grew hostile. It pressed over Huang Li’s mouth, making it difficult to breathe. But he forced himself to remain focused and study their foe.

He was a young man, perhaps in his late twenties, his arms, shoulders, and waist thickening with potent muscle that showed through his loose clothes. He had short black hair and bright emerald eyes. His left arm was entirely metal, apparently forged by the Ghosthound himself. From afar the Ghosthound had even appeared skinny, but up close he possessed all the raw and primal presence of a jungle cat.

His eyes flicked almost contemptuously around at them as the screen of dirt fell and hit the ground. At that moment, Huang Li began to understand what it meant to be the strongest person in the world.

Bang!

Hank's bullet was the signal for their offensive to start in earnest. To follow up, a half dozen of Glendel's monstrous spirit followers charge to swarm the Ghosthound. Their eerie cries echoed incessantly in the small, underground space. Behind the specters, Paolo, Kayle, Lucifer, and Tykes swarmed forward to be prepared to smash the Ghosthound if he made a single mistake. Huang Li stood in the secondary encirclement, with Giuliana, Donny, Dinesh, Alana, and Lyra joining him. They were there to reinforce if any of the front four that Randidly attacked.

Beyond them, Huang Shou, Glendel, and Stan waited to address any further issues that emerged. Ancho, after being summoned, was rapidly cantering back toward the entrance to the underground training area. Huang Li wondered if the horse had the sharpest instincts out of all of them. Aside from Wivanya, who Alana stated wouldn't agree with this course of action, every one of the tournament top 8 duos was present.

All to bridge the gap between themselves and Randidly Ghosthound.

As the bullet rushed toward the Ghosthound, Huang li could see a sliver of hesitation in their target’s eyes. Yet simultaneously as Li thought he recognized that emotion, the Ghosthound's body was blurring into motion. He pulled a long, dark spear that appeared to have been wrapped around his waist like a belt and cut quickly upward. The enormous spearhead impacted the bullet with a crisp ding; the projectile was cleanly dissected while midair. Which gave the Ghosthound almost a horrifying amount of time to glance around and weigh the foes that were arrayed against him.

The lines around his eyes tightened. The heaviness in the air grew more unbearable. And even though the electrical lights in the underground area didn’t flicker, they suddenly seemed… dimmer. The disapproval of the Ghosthound squeezed the entire area, dimming even the light.

"Are you serious?" The Ghosthound said rather casually, considering the circumstances. He flicked his spear and it spun so quickly that it hummed. Then his hand snapped shut as a spectral wolf pounced toward him. Rather than seeming worried, the Ghosthound smiled. "The Chimera Weeps, But Man Mourns."

His spear released a melodious whistle as it ripped through the air, adding a strange beauty to the dozen quick thrusts that reduced the ravenous spirit to just wafting shreds of ectoplasm. He whipped abruptly around, his joints seeming to compact and twist in a tighter motion than should be possible for any human individual. The Ghosthound's spear flashed up: a four-winged owl was cleanly beheaded. The spear then whistled cheerfully to the right. A minotaur and a harpy were shredded, while both howled with unwillingness. The Ghosthound sucked in a powerful breath and the remaining two specters seemed to stall in their charge.

A few deft strokes later, the Ghosthound had the freedom to grin around at the foursome of Paolo, Kayle, Lucifer, and Tykes. Shreds of Glendel’s thralls drifted in the air around him.

So this is Randidly Ghosthound. Huang Li tightened his grip on his newly acquired sword. It almost felt like the weight Huang Li had sensed from the body of the Ghosthound now reached over and playfully put its finger on the tip of his weapon. The muscles of Li’s arm strained to keep his stance clean in the face of that force. His resistance was made more difficult because of the enclosed area; Huang Li's image couldn't efficiently spread in the basement. But he gritted his teeth and expanded his image to rush around the edges of the arena.

Meanwhile, Tykes reached the Ghosthound and hefted a replacement iron ball above his head, one that had as much diameter as he had height. Handles had been installed on the sides so he could keep a firm grip on, despite its surface area. But even as Tykes quickly whipped the ball into the air in preparation for a strike, he was stabbed in the chest by the Ghosthound's spear. It was such a sharp movement that even Tykes couldn't react; he seemed frozen in comparison. That was just the difference in their base abilities.

But Tykes shattered and reformed into the Ghosthound himself, his spear now thrust into the empty air. Behind him, in the Ghosthound's original position, Tykes brought his massive ball down toward the Ghosthound's back. Across the arena, Dinesh released a slow breath.

"Ha!" The Ghosthound twisted around to his left. His metallic left arm blurred and warped as he spun, and it was with an enormous, taloned claw that the Ghosthound met the blow. Rather than knocking it away, he just caught it with a dull thump. Steam started wafting out of the corners of the Ghosthound's mouth and nose. "Now's not a great time for a spar. I won't be able to hold back if you keep pushing me-"

Kayle and Paolo crossed in front of the Ghosthound, each blasting out a powerful image. Kayle possessed his enormous divide. Paolo was positively explosive with the aura of triumph he radiated. They planted their feet and struck at the Ghosthound, who had opened up his stance to catch Tykes' blow. Tykes, for his part, swore quietly to himself and heaved on the ball, but the Ghosthound's talons had sunk into the surface; the weapon didn't budge even when he was putting all his Strength into the effort.

The Ghosthound spun his spear, the enormous blade at the end stopped Kayle's slash dead and knocking the man back a few meters. Then the Ghosthound opened his stance further, taking Paolo's powerful punch directly to the chest. He didn't even grunt, he simply released Tykes' iron ball and straightened into a kick to Paolo's chest. The man was blasted backward as Lucifer arrived and swung his massive saber in a horizontal slash that Kayle had to hop back to avoid.

This too, the Ghosthound didn't bother to avoid. He pulled back his spear, set his feet, and then sprung forward in a thrust so quick that Huang Li didn't even register the movements until they were completed. In fact, some part of Huang Li wondered if it wasn’t his mind filling in the movements of the Ghosthound after his eyes failed to catch them. His speed and coordination were uncanny.

Lucifer responded more quickly than Huang Li would have been able to, smashing his heels into the ground and slowing himself down so he wasn't skewered immediately. But despite his attempts, he shattered like broken glass as the Ghosthound's spear reached him. In his place, Lyra appeared, turned sideways so the attack barely grazed her midsection.

"Don't fight him physically," Lyra yelled. Above her head, a violet moon released a powerful wave of light. Her image forced aside the sinister darkness that seemed wrapped around their foe. Then that light pressed down across the Ghosthound's body, briefly suppressing him. With that opportunity, Lyra twisted her palm in the air. "Sudden Eclipse!"

As debris was blasted away in every direction, the Ghosthound took only a single step backward. His skin was reddening and steam wriggled its way off the skin of his arms and legs. Huang Li pressed his lips together and continued to ramp up the speed of the low wind around the arena. Into that chaotic space stepped Alana Donal.

"When he forces me back, take the shot," Alana announced to Hank Howard. Then she blazed with golden-orange light. A billowing veil of holiness spread out from her person, sizzling as it steadily eroded the images of the others in the surrounding area. Lyra retreated back, her hands gradually nurturing some new attack. The sense of holiness that Alana released suffered no imperfections as it dogmatically cleansed the surroundings. Two enormous ivory wings spread out from Alana's helmet and beat, launching a flurry of drifting white feathers in the air.

When the holiness hit the Ghosthound, the steam around his body thickened. His skin shimmered strangely. His form was partially obscured, making the long shadow that he cast even more ominous. Alana's face tightened into a frown. "Solar Flare. The First Revelation: Advance."

Alana blurred into motion at a speed that Huang Li had only seen once before: a few seconds ago, from the Ghosthound's dominant response to their group teaming up on him. Randidly Ghosthound spun his spear and turned to meet Alana directly. Hank crossed himself and then raised his revolver. At the back of the encirclement, Glendel raised his head. "Wraith's Vengeance!"

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