Chapter 1658 – It Spread Like a Virus pt 5

Of all the Ancients, it is perhaps Arconidem who is the most widely believed to actually exist, outside of the cults. The third stratum is a blighted place, filled with demons under the influence of the Demon God, making it easy to imagine some creature is down below, manipulating it all.

The Cult of the Red Truth was one of the few that spawned from an actual conversation with the Ancient when he rose to the surface, which makes him one of the Ancients we know the most about.

Arconidem is well known amongst his followers as a master of magic and weaver of spells. Despite his colossal size and remarkable strength, it is with his mind that the Ancient does most of his damage. Cultists tell of his disintegration spells, capable of destroying anything in their path, or the ‘Wind of Annihilation’ that broke down a mountain.

– Excerpt from ‘Collective Wisdom of the Cults’ by Granin Lazus

We aren’t religious, as a people.

That was what Grey had told Anthony when the ant had first spoken of this game to him, and the blademaster was now reminded of how the monster had replied.

Yet.

At the time, he had simply dismissed the words of the ant. Yet now, he wondered if perhaps he had not given the monster the consideration his statement had warranted.

“BOOOOOOO!!!!” Grey shouted. “Your ball manipulations are for cowards!”

“DECEPTIONS ARE FOR THE WEAK!” White bellowed, her usual demure demeanor nowhere to be found.

“Tensions are really heating up around the arena, Commentant. A lot of ill feeling towards the tactics employed by the representative team from the Colony. Do you think the crowd will have a negative impact on the Red Blitz’s performance going forward?”

“Unlikely, Peter. This is a tier one team of professionals brought in from Anthome for this game, and they are as focused as Smithant at the forge. Despite the local crowd’s distaste for the tactic, manipulating the ball is a perfectly valid strategy, and always has been. Indeed, the winners of the Mandible Cup in the last season, the Carapace Mirage, were masters of illusory methods and baffled their opponents.”

Grey thumped back into his seat with a huff, his emotions fully in sync with White who sat next to him. The two of them had gone to many matches together since his first thrilling experience of the Flowing Stone against the Spirit Blossoms, and it had turned into something of a ritual for them, an activity that brought them closer as Master and Pupil. The more he saw of the game, the more Grey liked it. The strategic and tactical depth, the demands on both physical capability, endurance and skillful execution, the split-second decision making, the thorough preparation.

The enthusiastic roar of the crowd also helped to get the blood pumping.

Yet never before had he witnessed something as low and underhanded as what was taking place on the field right now.

The ants had created two balls!

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Well, one of them was a hollow shell designed to mimic the reinforced stone the monster team had placed around the real ball, they hadn’t actually had two balls on the field at the same time. But it was the principle of the thing!

Where was the honour in such a… base deception?