Ah, White Chain! We do so love the fierceness the newly disillusioned feel when confronted by the tenets of their former faith. “Come,” they say. “I was as you are, and now I am Free, and you can be Free too if you just…See the laws you have chosen to bind yourself with are unjust, and walk away from them!” Girl’s got that mighty Just Came Out Energy and we LOVE it.
Also, be careful who you stomp on barefoot, sirrah! In your anger, your own strength is certainly enough to drive a nail through your very sole!
Solomon is probably a direct descendant of Meti, so would Metia and Maya and even Mottom. We haven’t even seen Maya in the tournament yet. I can’t help but wonder if this fight is just a Master testing her Student. Ki Rata would have been one of the fighting styles taught to Meti by the Gods and Angels, and passed down to King David. These two probably know each-other from the time of the Universal Wars, and even before that. WC did say they know eachother before the duel began.
Uh… no, Solomon has already been shown in comic flashbacks to have learnt Ki Rata from the Monks of the Silent Voice that refused to save Rayuba from demiurge Yemmod. Just because he has dark skin does not make him related to either Meti or Maya – since all Rayubans were dark skinned, and we’ve met similarly tan people from other worlds (eg, Nyave)
Rayuba isn’t Mayas homeworld anyway, it’s the unnamed world where Incubus has his throne (well, the one he apparently took from her at some point). They are definitely contemporaries though, possibly separated by a couple decades since Mayas training began before the war got under full swing and Solomon started at some point after it began.
We’ve also seen darker skinned people in Throne itself.
I know that expression of Solomon’s well, for I have worn it myself many times. It is not consideration for one’s opponents or their words – it is growing boredom as you realize that despite everything, they’re nothing novel.
Indeed! I am saddened by the many here who are celebrating White Chain’s words for striking at a weak point of the emperor. A swollen pride such as his will not crumple at mere words like these, and it does seem far-fetched to assume no one has seen the farce for what it is and called him on it.
But such ego is paradoxical, for it is both unyielding and fragile. Undeniable proof would send all this crashing down. Let’s see how long it will take for this to happen.
We should remember that for Emperors, Angels, Gods and Mathematicians, an analogy is the utmost form of offense. They imply that the listener is not capable of understanding the statement if the interlocutor simply said it, so instead of saying that Bearer of the Word Diamond created the tournament to cope with the fact that God Emperor of the Celestial Empire does not know what goal to pursue, she said the prisoner analogy instead to increase the Pain afflicted upon Solomon David’s heart.
For these Enlightened Beings, it like giving someone a “‘subject’ for dumbs” kind of book instead of answering questions.
I kinda feel like there’s a better point that White Chain could be making here: Solomon clearly doesn’t actually intend to find someone who can beat him, because if he truly believed in his “law of kings,” he would surrender his empire to Jagganoth, who is literally indestructible and said to be powerful enough that he could feasibly take on the other six demiurges by himself. Even if Solomon thought he could beat Jagganoth – and even if he actually could – his “duty” would demand that he test their power to validate that belief. But he’s never done that, for some reason.
More importantly, if Solomon is really trying to find a successor…why has he never taught anyone Ki Rata?
Alas, Solomon’s hands turned to swords the moment he splattered his master. There’s no coming back from that, not ever. As we saw with Mottom, even the Lords of the Multiverse are slaves. However, we’ve learned that the shape of freedom is that of a continuous cutting motion.
Many in these comments have pointed out that while White Chain’s words may be true, this cannot be the first time Solomon has encountered something insightful enough to say them. I understand this point, but I have a similar, but distinct question:
What *is* White Chain’s plan? They smile in the tenth way, which of course is the smile of someone that has already killed you and is merely waiting for your body to acknowledge their victory. But what are they smiling at? Do they simply intend to die proving their point? Do they intend to sacrifice themselves? Krayu Mat was only enough to draw even with Allicio, who I cannot imagine could stand up to the Emperor. Destroying themselves and letting their core explode? Meti stood at ground zero of such a blast, and it only badly wounded her – I am not convinced that it would even harm Solomon David. (And in any case, he has been alive for a very long time, surely he is not so stupid as to forget that angels explode when you kill them.)
Is this merely an act of will? That of proving that they are free, and that they have the right to choose how they die? The prophecy showed us that the Rising King would be accompanied by two stars, one dark and one bright. But for how long?
Given what VG has been saying and the way Solomon is almost allegorically chiselling away her body, I’d put odds on White Chain miraculously surviving the destruction of her armour without being banished (even if only temporarily) and blindsiding Solomon with Yisun’s Open Palm, which I don’t think we’ve seen yet and is supposed to be unbeatable. That, or YOP is a kamikaze move and she pulls it on him before she’s destroyed.
Either way she draws blood, which is something Solomon never intended to actually happen, causing him to lose his cool and show his hypocrisy to his subjects. White Chain gets banished or forced into reincarnation (hence why Abby says we won’t like the end of this book). Then Gog starts eating everyone, or WC’s detonation destroys the arena, or Jagganoth crashes the party or something else Bad happens that lets Allison and the others get away.
Isn’t Ovid’s Palm (what she used in KoS 9-110. I think the alt text says what it is, but it doesn’t want to show on mobile) the unbeatable technique? Though it doesn’t look like WC was trying to contain Alicio with it, just smack them backwards.
The alt text says Ovis’ Palm, yes, but it’s not the “unbeatable move” named in the Manual of Hands and Feet, no. Empty Palms style seems to have a lot of different Palm techniques, unsurprisingly.
Note how our sister is still only in casual sparring form. Her ring still not unwound, her haste not woken. Calm is she, as she is mighty, giving the false king every chance to reconsider before his stubborn downfall.
11 Teach the Truth But Gently, yes, and she has also baited Solomon into standing way too close to her, with his arms not only behind his back but also out of reach of her. Any of her 4 arms and legs can quickly reach him, and he only has 2 legs to block them with.
In his pride he has made the contest too easy. One does not need to be his equal in order to draw a single drop of blood. In addition, in all these years of no one getting close to winning, he has grown inattentive to danger.
No? Solomon keeps his deals. He made a pact with the others and he’s sticking with it. It may seem futile, you can say that peace causes stagnation or whatever, but Solomon is practicing and preaching correctly.
Ah, White Chain! We do so love the fierceness the newly disillusioned feel when confronted by the tenets of their former faith. “Come,” they say. “I was as you are, and now I am Free, and you can be Free too if you just…See the laws you have chosen to bind yourself with are unjust, and walk away from them!” Girl’s got that mighty Just Came Out Energy and we LOVE it.
Also, be careful who you stomp on barefoot, sirrah! In your anger, your own strength is certainly enough to drive a nail through your very sole!
Solomon is probably a direct descendant of Meti, so would Metia and Maya and even Mottom. We haven’t even seen Maya in the tournament yet. I can’t help but wonder if this fight is just a Master testing her Student. Ki Rata would have been one of the fighting styles taught to Meti by the Gods and Angels, and passed down to King David. These two probably know each-other from the time of the Universal Wars, and even before that. WC did say they know eachother before the duel began.
Uh… no, Solomon has already been shown in comic flashbacks to have learnt Ki Rata from the Monks of the Silent Voice that refused to save Rayuba from demiurge Yemmod. Just because he has dark skin does not make him related to either Meti or Maya – since all Rayubans were dark skinned, and we’ve met similarly tan people from other worlds (eg, Nyave)
Rayuba isn’t Mayas homeworld anyway, it’s the unnamed world where Incubus has his throne (well, the one he apparently took from her at some point). They are definitely contemporaries though, possibly separated by a couple decades since Mayas training began before the war got under full swing and Solomon started at some point after it began.
We’ve also seen darker skinned people in Throne itself.
Awwwwe yeeeeeah
White-Chain exposing Salamis Chains O_O.
Now Salmon, show me how you remove those chains.
I know that expression of Solomon’s well, for I have worn it myself many times. It is not consideration for one’s opponents or their words – it is growing boredom as you realize that despite everything, they’re nothing novel.
Indeed! I am saddened by the many here who are celebrating White Chain’s words for striking at a weak point of the emperor. A swollen pride such as his will not crumple at mere words like these, and it does seem far-fetched to assume no one has seen the farce for what it is and called him on it.
But such ego is paradoxical, for it is both unyielding and fragile. Undeniable proof would send all this crashing down. Let’s see how long it will take for this to happen.
We should remember that for Emperors, Angels, Gods and Mathematicians, an analogy is the utmost form of offense. They imply that the listener is not capable of understanding the statement if the interlocutor simply said it, so instead of saying that Bearer of the Word Diamond created the tournament to cope with the fact that God Emperor of the Celestial Empire does not know what goal to pursue, she said the prisoner analogy instead to increase the Pain afflicted upon Solomon David’s heart.
For these Enlightened Beings, it like giving someone a “‘subject’ for dumbs” kind of book instead of answering questions.
I just want them to make out. Please, just give me this one thing.
Now that would be an unexpected plot twist xD
Words can cut deeper than any knife
White Chain’s eye’s in the last panel…. exquisite.
“I wasted five hours of hard fighting and a hundred and fifty of my best men bringing it down. Then it exploded.”
– General Yross of the Yellow Moon Brood, on fighting angels
And the first real strike is made… *TINK!*
I’m really liking the way White Chain’s face looks in some of these panels. Almost relaxed, and definitely confident. It’s kinda hot tbh.
I kinda feel like there’s a better point that White Chain could be making here: Solomon clearly doesn’t actually intend to find someone who can beat him, because if he truly believed in his “law of kings,” he would surrender his empire to Jagganoth, who is literally indestructible and said to be powerful enough that he could feasibly take on the other six demiurges by himself. Even if Solomon thought he could beat Jagganoth – and even if he actually could – his “duty” would demand that he test their power to validate that belief. But he’s never done that, for some reason.
More importantly, if Solomon is really trying to find a successor…why has he never taught anyone Ki Rata?
I feel I was right! This does not yet prove it, but her true weapon in this fight is her own weakness.
It is a dangerous and tricky armament, but sometimes it is the only tool one has.
If she should get out from beneath his foot–but then refuse to strike back, refuse to attack at all–
How *could* he respond?
Alas, Solomon’s hands turned to swords the moment he splattered his master. There’s no coming back from that, not ever. As we saw with Mottom, even the Lords of the Multiverse are slaves. However, we’ve learned that the shape of freedom is that of a continuous cutting motion.
You hold the world, you hold yourself.
Apart from it.
Many in these comments have pointed out that while White Chain’s words may be true, this cannot be the first time Solomon has encountered something insightful enough to say them. I understand this point, but I have a similar, but distinct question:
What *is* White Chain’s plan? They smile in the tenth way, which of course is the smile of someone that has already killed you and is merely waiting for your body to acknowledge their victory. But what are they smiling at? Do they simply intend to die proving their point? Do they intend to sacrifice themselves? Krayu Mat was only enough to draw even with Allicio, who I cannot imagine could stand up to the Emperor. Destroying themselves and letting their core explode? Meti stood at ground zero of such a blast, and it only badly wounded her – I am not convinced that it would even harm Solomon David. (And in any case, he has been alive for a very long time, surely he is not so stupid as to forget that angels explode when you kill them.)
Is this merely an act of will? That of proving that they are free, and that they have the right to choose how they die? The prophecy showed us that the Rising King would be accompanied by two stars, one dark and one bright. But for how long?
Given what VG has been saying and the way Solomon is almost allegorically chiselling away her body, I’d put odds on White Chain miraculously surviving the destruction of her armour without being banished (even if only temporarily) and blindsiding Solomon with Yisun’s Open Palm, which I don’t think we’ve seen yet and is supposed to be unbeatable. That, or YOP is a kamikaze move and she pulls it on him before she’s destroyed.
Either way she draws blood, which is something Solomon never intended to actually happen, causing him to lose his cool and show his hypocrisy to his subjects. White Chain gets banished or forced into reincarnation (hence why Abby says we won’t like the end of this book). Then Gog starts eating everyone, or WC’s detonation destroys the arena, or Jagganoth crashes the party or something else Bad happens that lets Allison and the others get away.
Isn’t Ovid’s Palm (what she used in KoS 9-110. I think the alt text says what it is, but it doesn’t want to show on mobile) the unbeatable technique? Though it doesn’t look like WC was trying to contain Alicio with it, just smack them backwards.
The alt text says Ovis’ Palm, yes, but it’s not the “unbeatable move” named in the Manual of Hands and Feet, no. Empty Palms style seems to have a lot of different Palm techniques, unsurprisingly.
She’s truly broken her programming.
But I don’t think He ever will. I actually mildly pity him. Just a little.
Note how our sister is still only in casual sparring form. Her ring still not unwound, her haste not woken. Calm is she, as she is mighty, giving the false king every chance to reconsider before his stubborn downfall.
Warsmith, regarding the core explosion, she doesn’t need to win, she only needs to draw a single drop of blood.
11 Teach the Truth But Gently, yes, and she has also baited Solomon into standing way too close to her, with his arms not only behind his back but also out of reach of her. Any of her 4 arms and legs can quickly reach him, and he only has 2 legs to block them with.
That face…that grin is utterly human. So much so that it seems almost to have been borrowed wholesale from Alison.
Mentoring still works in both directions, it would seem. Excellent.
In his pride he has made the contest too easy. One does not need to be his equal in order to draw a single drop of blood. In addition, in all these years of no one getting close to winning, he has grown inattentive to danger.
Isnt that bullshit? The red god is supposed to kick his ass if he were to fight him
Well that makes his supposed power that much more terrifying.
Another comment said it best. If he really practiced what he preached, would he not fight Jagganoth for the Crown and Throne?
The Proud are the most subtle cowards.
No? Solomon keeps his deals. He made a pact with the others and he’s sticking with it. It may seem futile, you can say that peace causes stagnation or whatever, but Solomon is practicing and preaching correctly.
Quick, White Chain! Keep him talking and carefully draw a drop of blood from his leg by scratching it with with your toenail while he’s distracted!