Randidly looked out the window of the residential building and cast his gaze toward the pit filled area to the South. From his perspective, he couldn’t really see the duels with his eyes, but Grim Intuition gave him plenty of information regarding the messy results. The recruits were about halfway through the tournament and it was already clear that there was a stark divide amongst the recruits regarding their capabilities.

About half of them clearly were overwhelmed by the suppression formation, quickly running out of steam after a single, slightly stiff-jointed fight. Those lucky enough to win those horrid martial showings, despite their flagging capabilities, were then crushed by the group that was able to adapt quickly. It was clear that their image hadn’t been trained for this, but about 60% of the recruits were capable of fighting solely with their images.

It was amongst those 60% that the true competition could begin and where the power of their images began to matter more and more.

Randidly idly rubbed his chin. The 40% that couldn’t keep their images active for even a few fights would go to Helen and a few of her chosen subordinates to force them to develop a concrete image. Against the Nether, ambiguous or vast images would quickly be corrupted. And Randidly knew first hand that the impending threat of violence from Helen was a powerful motivator.

These weaker trainees would also be supplemented with healing energy more frequently, without having to spend their Tree Coins. They were essentially seeds that would be thrown in a garden full of fertilizer and then forgotten about for a week. They needed to show their ability to sprout before they would earn serious attention.

Heiffal would take the lead on the other 60%, fine-tuning their individual needs for violence, precision, and mindfulness which corresponded to the areas of the pits, the bamboo forest, and the gardens respectively. This would also be the time where most of the information regarding the recruits was gathered. Then there would also be group image endurance training which Heiffal would oversee directly and small rests arranged in between the larger training exercises.

Currently, Heiffal and Helen had cooked up some war games they wanted to play, but first, they would have to select and group the recruits into twenty ten-person squads. Randidly had suggested some strategies on how the squads should be grouped just from watching the recruits arrive and struggle with the suppression Engraving. However, Muareth had made the good point that Randidly’s initial impressions would effectively gather all of the strongest individual in three of the squads, which would certainly create elite squads, but it would leave the rest as relatively unimpressive groups.

Randidly released a sigh and rubbed his forehead. Even with hundreds of subordinates, he somehow felt exhausted with the task of training these recruits. In addition, he became quite aware of the ways that this process of extreme image training could go badly. Both for the recruits, and for Randidly himself. Already, the Earth Golem at the entrance to Randidly’s training area had reported that almost a dozen more scrolls had arrived for him from various individuals in the Nexus; it seemed the recruits had tattled about Randidly’s extreme training methods.

But for now, as long as they stuck to just sending scrolls, Randidly was content with just ignoring all outside influences. Results would speak for themselves when the time came.

It was just a matter of getting those results.

While the tournament finished up, Randidly looked to the East, toward the entrance to the main entrance to the area he had claimed. Specifically, he looked at the physical limit that was becoming a rapidly noticeable boundary on the Fifth Cohort Rally Station. The very air was beginning to polarize there. Previously, Randidly had wondered about the physical spread of images in space, but he had never thought about it too deeply. But with the added emotional information, Randidly finally had the capacity to see and understand what was happening.

One important aspect of emotion as a part of the image was gracing them with a unique, almost electric charge. So instead of mixing freely with other images, an image with a strong emotion would push other images away, like the same two sides of a magnet. As this gradual ionization occurred over time, naturally insulating itself against outside influences, the boundaries would become increasingly stark.

Even now, Randidly watched as the air along the boundary gradually shifted. Within became increasingly lively and energizing. Breezes began to gradually stir the growing bamboo forest as the area dominated by his Yggdrasil image developed a primitive climate. Meanwhile, the air outside remained dead, with the buzzing edge of Yggdrasil keeping these two areas from mixing.

Humming to himself, Randidly turned his attention back to Octavius’ recent message.

I’m in the process of investigating the backgrounds of all of your recruits. I should have the information shortly. Please refrain from offending any factions until we understand who we are dealing with.

Randidly didn’t bother to keep himself from rolling his eyes, but he did only think his response and refrained from replying to the message. Just like you explained to me what I would be doing in the Nexus prior to my arrival…? I basically had no idea what was happening until I showed up… Your reports move at a glacial pace.

But even if the speed of his investigation was relatively unsatisfactory, Randidly couldn’t deny that he was certainly an extremely fastidious information-gatherer. Therefore, it was best to just leave the Overseer to his work.

Besides, Randidly had other concerns. One of Superintendent Xeruth’s subordinates had arrived at the edge of his land, informing Randidly by proxy that the plan had been for his elite squad to take part in the larger skirmishes. However, the sweating guard had stressed, the Superintendent was willing to adjust the schedule if Randidly believed it was best for ‘the long term potential of the many talented individuals that he was instructing’.

Considering the fact that Commandant Wick had somehow gotten the Superintendent’s son assigned to Randidly’s command, Randidly felt somewhat awkward at the deferential and very obviously fearful treatment he was receiving from the man. But Randidly hardened his heart. I won’t actually be punishing the son for the father’s behavior. He will be given the same opportunity to improve as everyone else. Which will undoubtedly benefit him. Although… considering the intensity of the training Helen is cooking up… it might seem somewhat abusive to a concerned and already stressed father…

Well anyway, I might as well take advantage of my freedom while I have it. The first skirmish is in a week… it would be my elite two hundred against a full thousand… Heh, that’s just enough to make sure the recruits struggle…

Just as Randidly began to hammer out the details of how he wanted to exhaust the recruits before that fight, Helen sent him a message. The tournament had finished: it was now time for the recruits to meet Randidly Ghosthound.

Not the real Randidly Ghosthound, of course, but the Randidly Ghosthound who was the Head Drill Sergeant for this special recruitment drive. All of the subordinates had been informed that Randidly was playing a brutal and pitiless taskmaster and were all too willing to feed into this false impression of Randidly.

Honestly, the enthusiasm with which his subordinates embraced this performance was somewhat alarming to Randidly. He wondered for several if he should assign them some extra training to keep their minds from dwelling on such silly things, but then realized the irony of that thought and let it go.

Randidly stretched his arms above his head and cracked his back. Then he reached up and ruffled his dark hair while yawning. Alright, time to become an absolute nightmare.

Rolling his shoulders, he worked most of the tension out of his chest and back. Then he began to concentrate on his images. For this first reveal of this hard-nosed character, Randidly wanted to come with all three of his physicalizations at full strength. Not only did he want to impress the recruits, but he had a reputation to uphold.

Although he had hidden the Grim Chimera and the Stillborn Phoenix while applying for this position, now he had the job, there was no longer any reason to hold himself back. No longer did he need to appear easily controllable. Randidly closed his eyes and tried to find that common thread of emotion that had briefly allowed a near-perfect union of his three images.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t find that easy settling point; that special moment was extremely difficult to recapture. So instead of finessing the issue, Randidly’s Willpower tightened around the three images and forcefully pressed them together. Across his body, the muscle fibers swelled and twitched as the physicalizations intensified. Sparks of electricity crackled around his metal left arm as image and Engraving began to steadily mix.

A nonexistent wind ruffled his hair as the individual strands slowly were dyed emerald, seeping outward from root to tip. Randidly growled as his shoulders and spine shifted into a wider resting point. The light around his left eye swirled and melted, sucked into the abyss of the Stillborn Phoenix. His heart began to pound against the limits of his ribcage, pumping hot blood throughout his body. Randidly flexed his fingers as the temperature of his person steadily rose. Heatwaves rolled off of him, a physical manifestation of the warping influence of his images.

When he released a breath, it came out in a blast of steam. His veins began to steadily glow with a golden light. A single tail flicked side to side from the point where his neck met his back while a much thicker tail extended outward from his waist. Randidly flexed his bare toes and pressed them against the ground. His skin began to darkened and char. His metallic left arm began to bulge in size, soon becoming a massive, monstrous claw. His right arm remained slender, his fingers lengthening and sharpening into deadly points.

Randidly released another breath, containing the combined weight of his three images within the luminous discharge. Their emotions clashed and rose like a flag hastily pulled up a tall metal pole. The Grim Chimera was impatient, wanting to dedicate most of its effort to its imminent transformation. The Stillborn Phoenix had settled into a calm cycle of refining and releasing emotions, no longer acting as erratically as it had in the past. Yggdrasil was filled with a boundless warmth, excited by the prospect of guiding so many recruits to discover their own images.

Randidly felt those emotions churn within him. He felt the edges of his physicalization and the way his emotions charged his person. He was prepared.

With a flick of the wrist, Randidly produced his Philosopher’s Key and settled it into the air. As he did so, he reminded himself that he would need to open a portal to the heart of the Web to release and absorb some more emotions during the next few days. Before he came to the Fifth Cohort Rally Station, he had demonstrated his Fate’s ability in front of Edraine, and she had completely been unable to detect it. As such, he felt relatively comfortable using it freely.

Randidly twisted the key and opened up the portal. With a single step, he crossed from the heights of the tower to the muddy and pitted Southern area. Immediately, Randidly felt the attention of all of the recruits snap to him. He suppressed a smile, keeping his expression severe these first few seconds were the most important. More than his other images, Randidly allowed the Grim Chimera’s impatience to dominant his aura. He released another steaming breath, wreathing him in a partially luminous cloud as he studied the recruits.

This was the Head Drill Sergeant they would have. Impatient. Distant. Monstrous.

He had sensed their images as they fought, but now Randidly could look at them directly. The winner of the tournament regarded Randidly with an uneasy stare, a begrudging respect and an aggressive pride clearly warring in his expression. He was a dusky-skinned young man with white hair and rams horns curling away from his head. Sensing his gaze, Helen supplied the young man’s name through message: DiOrtho Vant.

Randidly’s gaze moved on to the second-place finisher, a gentle seeming young woman covered in brown fur. This, then, would be the reason that Commandant Wick was throwing his weight around behind the scenes. Her name was Charlotte Wick. And honestly, the attitude she displayed was impressively respectful and controlled. She made a much better first impression than the tournament’s winner.

Not that I can say anything about him just for being so off-putting. Troublemakers who have that much attitude generally have the skills to back themselves up… Randidly reflected.

Randidly’s gaze shifted down the line. In third place was a massive grey dog called Vizzeret Clamman. Fourth place was a positively regal looked foxman named Raymund Ballast. Fifth place, was a being of pure flame named Jieu Ronault, who amongst all of the recruits was the only one who radiated a powerful and emotional aura of inner peace. That one was definitely a recruit worth training.

Beyond that… Randidly increased the speed of his scan, stopping briefly only on two more individuals as he observed the whole of the recruits. First, at twelfth place was a surprising presence: Kallum Xeruth, the ‘hostage’ son that made the Superintendent so docile. His aura was radiating fear, but there was also a hint of stubbornness to him. He possessed genuine ability, befitting the son of a Superintendent.

Finally, Randidly’s eyes settled on a slender recruit that Octavius had already warned him about. Benjamin Rex. Although they weren’t sure of the intimacy of the connection, it was obvious that he had ties to Solomon Rex, one of the most powerful and mysterious figures in the Nexus. In addition… Benjamin was ranked 101 out of 200. Basically, as close to the middle as possible, despite having the best image control of all the recruits.

Congratulations! Your Skill Torch of Long and Slow Silences (A) has grown to Level 174!

Alright then, let’s get this started, Randidly thought. Then, he cleared his throat.